BRITISH MAN CHARGED OVER ATTEMPT TO KILL DONALD TRUMP
AT RALLY
A 19-year-old British man has been charged for trying to grab a police officer’s gun at a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas in a bid to kill the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
A 19-year-old British man has been charged for trying to grab a police officer’s gun at a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas in a bid to kill the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
According to a
complaint filed in federal court in Nevada, Michael Sandford tried to disarm
the officer at Saturday’s rally at the Mystere Theatre in the Treasure Island
Casino before being overpowered.
It said the young
man told a Secret Service agent after his arrest that he had driven from
California to Las Vegas “to kill Trump,” and had been to a range a day earlier
to learn to shoot as he had never fired a gun before.
“Sandford
acknowledged that he would likely only be able to fire one to two rounds and
stated he was convinced he would be killed by law enforcement during his
attempt on Trump’s life,” the complaint said.
It added
that Sandford told investigators he had purchased tickets for a rally in
Phoenix, where he “would try again to kill Trump” in the event his plan in Las
Vegas failed.
Video of
his arrest carried by US media show a skinny man with short brown hair and a
grey T-shirt being escorted out of the rally by police officers with his hands
behind his back.
The
prosecutor’s office said Sandford was ordered held without bond, as he was
considered dangerous and represented a flight risk.
Britain’s Foreign Office is
“providing assistance” in the case, a spokesman said.
‘Would try this again’
The complaint said Sandford had told investigators he had been
in the United States for about 18 months, and had lived in Hoboken, New Jersey,
before traveling to California.
It said
Sandford told investigators that he had targeted officer Ameel Jacob’s gun
because it was in an unlocked position and would be the easiest way to gain
access to a weapon at the rally where those attending had to go through metal
detectors.
“Sandford
further stated that if he were on the street tomorrow, he would try this
again,” according to the complaint.
It said
Sandford told the Secret Service that he had been plotting to kill Trump for
about a year and finally decided to act on Saturday, as “he finally felt
confident to do it.”
His arrest
comes amid one of the nastiest US presidential campaigns in recent history,
dominated by violent rhetoric, with Trump lashing out at Mexicans, Muslims and
other groups.
The real
estate billionaire enjoys Secret Service protection but also has his own
private security detail that has been accused of using unnecessary force to remove
people from events.
A number
of protesters have been arrested at his rallies where riot police are deployed
in force and there have been mounting demonstrations during his campaign
appearances in recent months.
Sandford
is due to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on July 5. He faces more
than 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if found guilty on the charge of
“act of violence on restricted grounds.”
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