Shannon Depararro Atkins who is in custody accused of making violent threats against President Donald Trump
Authorities in West Palm Beach, Florida, have arrested a man accused of making violent threats against President Donald Trump. Shannon Depararro Atkins, 46, was taken into custody during a traffic stop on Friday evening, where police also discovered cocaine in his possession, according to officials.
Atkins had allegedly posted a series of threatening messages on social media targeting the President. Investigators were tipped off about the posts and say Atkins admitted to making the threats when questioned.
In a Facebook post on January 19, one day before President Trump’s second-term inauguration, Atkins allegedly wrote, “America needs one good bullet to be saved.” Hours later, he claimed to have been banned from Elon Musk’s social media platform X, writing, “I hope and pray someone kills him. History is supposed to repeat itself. We haven’t had an assassination in years.”
The posts continued throughout the day, with one reading, “Bullets please. Please Jesus! Save America,” alongside a meme describing the inauguration as a “day of mourning.” On Friday, the day of his arrest, Atkins allegedly shared a meme showing President Trump with his late first wife, Ivana Trump, captioned, “I hope they get back together soon,” accompanied by smiling emojis.
Authorities say Atkins has been a registered Democrat since at least 2008 and is believed to own Big Mama’s House of Sweets, a local baked goods shop.
Atkins faces charges of drug possession and one count of written or electronic threats to kill, injure, or commit a mass act of violence, a second-degree felony. He is currently being held at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Main Detention Center.
The arrest comes months after President Trump survived two assassination attempts, including a July shooting at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a bullet grazed his ear.