An Arizona man has been arrested for allegedly posting online videos threatening to kill President-elect Donald Trump and members of his family while brandishing an AR-15-style rifle, according to authorities.
Manuel Tamayo-Torres reportedly uploaded videos on a near-daily basis, accusing Trump and his family of kidnapping and sex-trafficking his children, federal court documents filed in Arizona revealed. One of the videos was recorded at the site of a Trump rally at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale on August 23.
While the documents do not name Trump directly, they describe “Individual 1” as a former president and current president-elect. In a video posted on Facebook on November 13, Tamayo-Torres is seen holding a white AR-15-style rifle with a 30-round magazine, issuing a menacing, though somewhat incoherent, threat.
“You see [Individual 1], this from far away… As soon as I hear that leave that barrel, I’m already on the foot run after you [Individual 1],” he reportedly said. He also threatened law enforcement, stating, “They can’t run very fast with a bunch of equipment, a firearm, an AR, a 50 caliber.”
In a subsequent video posted on November 21, Tamayo-Torres declared that Trump’s “whole family is going to die,” adding a string of expletives and insults.
Tamayo-Torres was arrested in Southern California on Monday. His attorney has not responded to requests for comment. He faces one count of making threats against the president-elect and four counts of making false statements when purchasing a firearm.
Court records show Tamayo-Torres was convicted of felony assault in 2003, serving five years in a California state prison. Additionally, his ex-wife filed an order of protection against him last year.
