Police in Jupiter, Fla., arrested a man on Friday after he allegedly threatened to kill former president Donald Trump and his running mate, Senator J. D. Vance (R., Ohio).
Local police arrested Michael Wiseman on charges of Written Threats to Kill after being alerted to the threats against Trump, Vance, and their families through “multiple online crime tips as well as residents who expressed their concern in person.”
Jupiter police took Wiseman into custody “without incident,” authorities said, after local police investigated with help from the Secret Service and the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office. Investigators did not find any weapons in his possession during their investigation.
Wiseman has admitted to authoring the threatening posts, according to police.
“We take all threats to human beings seriously,” Jupiter deputy police chief Michael Barbera said. “When you get on that keyboard and want to post to social media, really think about what you’re saying or putting out there.”
“I think in this level of politics and the way things are going in this world, I think all threats should be taken serious and investigated thoroughly,” he added.
If convicted, Wiseman could face up to 15 years in prison.
The arrest comes nearly a week after Trump survived an assassination attempt at his rally in Butler, Pa.
A 20-year-old gunman shot Trump in the ear, killed a rally attendee, and critically injured two others. The victim who was killed has been identified as former volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore, 50, who died protecting his family from bullets.
Senators received a briefing from Secret Service and FBI officials, who reportedly revealed that the man behind the shooting, Thomas Matthew Crooks, had been reported as a suspicious person one hour before the failed assassination attempt took place. Thirty minutes after the report was made, Pennsylvania state police then notified the Secret Service of a suspicious person at 5:51 p.m. The Secret Service reportedly told its snipers at 5:53 p.m., but Trump was still allowed to take the stage just nine minutes later.
Seven minutes after Trump went on, members of the crowd notified police that the shooter was on the rooftop. Two minutes later, Crooks opened fire from a roof with a direct line to Trump. The Secret Service then fatally shot Crooks.
Republican lawmakers are demanding answers about the security failures that allowed the attack against the former president to take place. Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle is set to testify before the House Oversight Committee on July 22.