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Authorities: Man at Vegas rally said he wanted to kill Trump

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Police remove a protester as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the Treasure Island hotel and casino, Saturday, in Las Vegas.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Police remove protestor Michael Steven Sandford as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the Treasure Island hotel and casino in Las Vegas Saturday.

LAS VEGAS >> A British man accused of trying to take a police officer’s gun and kill Donald Trump during a weekend rally in Las Vegas will not be released on bail.

Federal Magistrate Judge George Foley said at a hearing today that Michael Steven Sandford, 20, was a potential danger to the community and a flight risk. Sandford, who wore leg irons and appeared to tremble during the court hearing, is charged with an act of violence on restricted grounds and was assigned a federal public defender.

He has not entered a plea.

Public defender Heather Fraley said Sandford appeared to be competent and hadn’t been diagnosed with a mental illness but has autism and previously attempted suicide. He was living out of his car, didn’t have a job and was in the country illegally after overstaying a visa.

His mother told court researchers that he was treated for obsessive compulsive disorder and anorexia when he was younger, and that he once escaped a hospital in England, according to the public defender.

Fraley argued that Sandford should go to a halfway house because he didn’t have a criminal history, but the judge said he should stay in detention ahead of a July 5 court date.

Secret Service agents said Sandford went to a Trump rally on Saturday at the Treasure Island Casino and approached a Las Vegas police officer to say he wanted an autograph from Trump. The criminal complaint said Sandford was arrested after grabbing the handle of an officer’s gun in an attempt to remove it from a holster.

Agents said Sandford told them he had been in the U.S. for about a year and a half, lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, and drove to the San Bernardino, California, area before coming to Las Vegas on June 16.

Sandford told officers he had been planning an assassination for about a year and was convinced he would die in the attempt. He said he also reserved a ticket for a Trump rally in Phoenix, scheduled for later in the day, as a backup plan.

He told authorities that he went to the Battlefield Vegas shooting range the day before the rally and fired 20 rounds from a 9mm Glock pistol to learn how to use it. Police detectives who visited the range spoke with an employee who confirmed that he provided Sandford shooting lessons, according to the complaint signed by Secret Service Special Agent Joseph Hall.

About 1,500 people attended the Las Vegas rally, which was held in the Mystere Theater inside the casino. Attendees had to pass through metal detectors manned by Secret Service, police and casino security officials.

9 responses to “Authorities: Man at Vegas rally said he wanted to kill Trump”

  1. islandsun says:

    Especially anyone who is here in violation of the law is deeply opposed to Trump

    • klastri says:

      Mr. Trump hasn’t targeted (most) UK citizens for his ignorance – the British citizens who are Muslim are the exception to that, of course.

      If you check this criminal’s picture, you’ll notice he’s white. So he’s OK with Mr. Trump!

  2. dragoninwater says:

    “and was in the country illegally…”

    Why isn’t klastri supporting him today? She loves supporting illegals. klastri, please come out and cheer on for one the fine illegals here in the US. I hope you’re not some racist that only supports illegals from Mexico. Come out and show your support and help this guy fill out some legal paperwork or marry him so he can stay here like you’ve helped countless other illegals.

    • lespark says:

      Doctors appointment for his Narcisstic Personality Disorder. Who knows, they might have put him in a strait jacket.

    • klastri says:

      You’re lying of course, as you always do. Always. You seem incapable of writing truthfully.

      Your comments (you have now developed a bizarre obsession with me!) are getting increasingly sad and pathetic.

      • dragoninwater says:

        No klastri, you’re nut job that has been obsessed with making countless derogatory statements towards many in various comment sections when someone posted something you didn’t agree with. I’m just one of the very many commentators here giving back some of that love you so eagerly crave!

        Getting back to the point, I guess you won’t support this illegal guy since he’s not an illegal Mexican. Truly, shows your true racist La Raza hatred towards all non Latinos as I’ve expected all along.

        • klastri says:

          No, it’s not comments that I don’t agree with. I respond to lies (mostly your lies) and racist or sociopathic comments. Like the ones that you post every day.

          Again with your Latino obsession. Your logic is more tortured than most on here, and that’s saying something. Obviously, your argument makes no sense at all. Zero.

          Why is it that you are completely obsessed with Latinos? Weird. Have you wondered why you are consumed with hatred toward Latinos? Maybe a former Latino boyfriend dumped you?

          Read your comment again, and see if it actually makes sense to you. It can’t, unless you’ve had a head injury.

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