Florida police have arrested a man for publicly threatening to kill Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, his running mate Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, and their families. The arrest comes shortly after Trump survived an assassination attempt last week at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
The Jupiter Police Department announced the arrest of Michael M. Wiseman on Friday, stating that he had been taken into custody after investigators discovered multiple threats made by the suspect against both Trump and Vance on social media platforms. Local law enforcement officials were alerted to the situation by concerned citizens and online crime tips, leading to a thorough review of Wiseman’s accounts and subsequent arrest.
Coordinating with the US Secret Service and the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office, the Jupiter Police Department was able to apprehend Wiseman without incident. The content of the threats allegedly included demands for Trump and Vance to be murdered before they could “turn us in to West Russia,” as well as calls for sexual assault against their daughters.
If found guilty under Florida statutes, Wiseman could face up to 15 years in prison or probation and a $10,000 fine for making written threats to kill or injure. The recent arrest comes in the wake of Trump’s narrow escape from an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13. During this incident, one man was killed while attempting to shoot the Republican candidate; the gunman was subsequently eliminated by Trump’s security detail.
CNN reported that the Secret Service is now working to bolster security measures for future Trump campaign events in response to concerns about potential copycat attacks or other incidents inspired by the previous attempt on Trump’s life. The network also cited sources claiming that significant changes have been made to the security apparatus surrounding the Republican nominee himself.