Former FBI agent weighs in on social media tip that led to Provo man
Aug 11, 2023, 12:00 PM
Law enforcement agents investigate at the home of Craig Deeleuw Robertson who was shot and killed by FBI agents in Provo on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023. Robertson posted threatening comments about President Joe Biden hours before the president was scheduled to visit Utah. (Laura Seitz/Deseret News)
(Laura Seitz/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — A former FBI special agent is reacting to a report that Truth Social, is what first tipped off the FBI to a now-dead Provo man accused of threatening President Joe Biden.
Former FBI agent and current UVU Criminal Justice Professor Greg Rogers told KSL NewsRadio that tips from social media companies are common.
Additionally, Rogers said SWAT took part in the attempted arrest of Craig Robertson believing he was going to fight back. The FBI shot Robertson in Provo on Aug. 10.
“We’ll get calls frequently about people that are posting certain things that the social media companies believe or you know that have caused them concern,” said Rogers.
A report from NBC News said Truth Social first warned the FBI about Craig Robertson in March. He allegedly made multiple posts threatening President Biden.
“It’s not infrequent at all, and then we’ll go out and do interviews, which is what happened in this case,” continued Rogers.
According to Rogers, the posts that the FBI had been monitoring indicated Robertson was prepared to fight.
“I believe he flat out said he was going to either shoot or kill the agents. So, that’s why it was a SWAT hit in the first place rather than just agents arresting.”
Related:
- Why did the FBI shoot a man in Provo, the same day President Biden landed in Salt Lake City?
- Family of Craig Robertson, man shot by FBI, releases statement
