Provo man shot by FBI for making threats toward President Biden

(NBC) - FBI agents shot and killed a Provo man as they were attempting to arrest him for making threats toward President Biden. A former FBI agent weighs in on how the FBI assess security risks. Daniella Rivera reports.

A post on Craig Robertson's Facebook account from three days ago reads: "I hear biden is coming to Utah, digging out my old ghillie suit and clearing the dust off the M24 sniper rifle. Welcome buffoon in chief."

It's one of dozens invoking violent fantasies found in the 75-year-old Provo man's now-deleted digital footprints.

In his posts - guns are "Democrat eradicators," and he's stockpiling them for the 2024 election cycle.

And to the FBI agents who talked to him about online death threats back in March

Warnings: Robertson says he's a "Maga Trumper", talks about having a "Loaded gun handy" and writes "You have no idea how close your agents came to violent eradication."

A federal warrant for Robertson's arrest notes threat after threat and concerns that the Provo man has the capability and intentions to carry them out.

"It's almost like he wants a confrontation with the FBI," said Karl Schmae, former FBI agent.

Karl Schmae is a former FBI agent who specializes in extremism.

He says the FBI cannot investigate someone over ideology or their beliefs.

"This guy is espousing the fact that he's calling himself a maga trumper, come after me. But the reason the FBI investigated him is because he was making threats or violations of federal law, not because of his political beliefs," stated Schmae.

He says agents focus on behavior, intent, and whether someone has the means to act on their words.

"This is what kept me up at night when I was supervisor is we're looking for that needle in the haystack, who's a keyboard commando? And who's the guy that is actually going to pick up his gun, go out and commit violence," explained Schmae.