Large brown markings forming the message “86 47” were discovered on the lawn outside the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Thursday.
Situated directly between the Lincoln Memorial and the White House on the National Mall, the apparent threat against President Trump, who is the 47th president, appeared at a location that thousands of tourists and residents pass daily. To ’86’ something means to get rid of or throw something out. On rare occasions, the number has been used to suggest killing, mostly by organized crime groups or gangs.
The markings are largely invisible from ground level, and apparently may have been hiding in plain sight for several days. Though the numbers were not seen in a photo from Getty Images on June 5, they could be seen in photos taken on June 9, according to the Washington Post.
The U.S. Park Police, the National Guard, and the D.C. Fire Department are investigating the markings. Law enforcement collected samples of the grass and prevented passersby from walking in the area.
The incident on the National Mall comes after former FBI director James Comey was indicted on April 28 on multiple counts for an Instagram post that included the same message, “86 47,” written in seashells on the beach. The Trump administration interpreted the image as a threat on the president’s life.
“[A] reasonable recipient who is familiar with the circumstances would interpret as a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the President of the United States,” the Justice Department said in an open court document. Comey’s trial will begin on October 21.
