A Butler County man has been charged with making violent threats to assassinate former President Donald Trump and other federal officials, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday. The suspect, 32-year-old Shawn Monper of Butler Township, is accused of issuing the threats between January 15 and April 5.
According to authorities, Monper made multiple alarming statements online, including calls to assassinate Trump, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, and other U.S. officials. The FBI was alerted to the threats via posts made on a YouTube account named “Mr Satan.” Investigators traced the account back to Monper and began a formal investigation.
In one of the most concerning posts, dated February 17, Monper allegedly wrote, “We just need to start killing people — Trump, Elon, all the heads of agencies Trump appointed…” referring to Elon Musk, who had been advising Trump and overseeing the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE). Other posts called ICE agents “terrorists” and declared that any armed ICE agent seen in public should be considered an “active shooter.”
Federal authorities said Monper legally obtained a firearms permit shortly after Trump’s January inauguration and later claimed online that he had been “buying one gun a month since the election, body armor, and ammo.” These details added urgency to the investigation, which culminated in Monper’s arrest on Wednesday.
Monper is now facing federal charges of influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a federal official and a law enforcement officer. He is currently being held pending court hearings scheduled for Monday. The FBI’s New Castle field office and the Butler Township Police Department handled the arrest with assistance from Google, which provided critical identifying information about Monper through an emergency disclosure request.
This incident comes just months after an attempted assassination on Trump at a rally in Butler County last July, where a gunman opened fire, injuring Trump and killing one attendee. That event had already placed the area in the national spotlight.
Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the efforts of federal and local authorities, emphasizing the importance of swift action when threats against public officials emerge. As the case against Monper moves forward, officials are continuing to assess the broader implications of politically motivated threats made online.