A Florida man was arrested for making online threats against President Donald Trump, according to police.
Shannon Depararro Atkins, 46, was taken into custody Friday near her home in West Palm Beach, a short distance from Trump’s Mar-A-Lago Resort.
Atkins allegedly posted “violent rhetoric” about Trump on his Facebook account, Tony Araujo of the West Palm Beach Police Department said at a news conference Saturday.
Shannon Atkins, the man who made threats against the President of the United States, was arrested by West Palm Beach police on Friday night, January 25, 2025.
West Palm Beach Police Department
At least one of the messages Araujo showed the reporter consisted of a meme related to him Attempted murder Trump in July 2024.
Police said Atkins entered the texting, but said it was “joking”.
“People, this is not a joke. Nothing like this is a joke,” Araujo said.
Police said they learned of subsequent messages from Okeechobee, Florida, sent in by the FBI on a tip.
Atkins was taken into custody Friday night. He was found with cocaine, according to police.
Tony Araujo, Chief of the West Palm Beach Police Department, speaks during a news release regarding online threats against President Donald Trump in West Palm Beach, Fla., Jan. 25, 2025.
Eva Marie Uzcategui / AFP via Getty Images
It was not immediately clear if Atkins has retained an attorney. ABC News has reached out to him for comment.
Araujo said the U.S. Secret Service was notified of the arrest and will determine whether federal charges should be filed.
“In today’s climate, you can’t say things like that,” Araujo said. “It’s after the incident, for example, when those threats become real, and we take them very seriously.”
