FBI arrests man who threatened mass shooting if Trump wins election
The FBI arrested a man in Michigan who allegedly posted threats online saying he would carry out a mass shooting on conservative Christians in the event former President Donald Trump wins the 2024 election, according to newly unsealed charging documents.
Isaac Sissel was taken into custody yesterday in Canton, Michigan, just two days after law enforcement reviewed his online posting.
The criminal complaint says Reddit had previously reported Sissel to the FBI in late September over various accounts he had with threatening usernames, including, "ShootUpTrulyRally" "WillShootTrumpSoon," "PlannigToShootTrump" and "PlanningToKillTrump."
Law enforcement contacted Sissel yesterday at a Travelodge hotel in Canton and found no weapons in a consented search of his room, though the affidavit notes "this was not surprising given that SISSEL stated [in his online post] that he 'hid the gun.'"
Sissel further told agents Trump "was a threat...that should have been assassinated, and that everything would be better if Trump was dead," the affidavit says. While he said he wouldn't personally assassinate Trump, he told agents he believed there would be violence during the election "and wouldn't rule out joining Antifa to protest."
Sissel, according to the affidavit, is a transient who has more recently lived around the University of Michigan campus and has several open warrants for his arrest on charges of stalking, harassment and harassing communications.
The arrest underscores the FBI's aggressive response to counter a wave of violent threats surrounding the presidential election, particularly in the wake of the two assassination attempts targeting Trump. In the affidavit, the FBI specifically noted Trump's plans to appear in Michigan for a rally late Monday.
According to his court docket, Sissel has not been arraigned and has not entered a plea to the charge as of Tuesday afternoon. He has not yet been assigned an attorney.
-ABC News' Alexander Mallin