An Arizona man was taken into custody on Monday for allegedly making threats to kill President-elect Donald Trump in a series of Facebook videos. The suspect, identified as Manuel Tamayo-Torres, is facing a felony charge of threatening the president-elect, as per court documents.
The court filings did not explicitly name Trump but referred to him as 'Individual 1,' described as a public figure, former president, and the current president-elect. In one of the videos posted last Thursday, Tamayo-Torres can be heard saying, 'You're gonna die, your son's gonna die. Your whole family is going to die. This is reality now for you. This is the only reality you have in your future, dying.'
Another video showed Tamayo-Torres brandishing what appeared to be a white AR-15-style rifle with a 30-round magazine inserted. The suspect also posted a video from Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, where Trump had a rally, indicating a potential proximity to the president-elect.
In addition to the threats, Tamayo-Torres is facing charges related to making false statements on federal forms while attempting to purchase a gun in Phoenix, Arizona, last year. The court records do not indicate whether the suspect has legal representation at this time.
President-elect Trump has previously addressed concerns about his safety, mentioning the need for an independent commission to investigate assassination attempts, including one that occurred during a rally in Pennsylvania. The arrest of Tamayo-Torres underscores the seriousness of threats against public figures and the legal consequences that may follow.
