Florida Man Arrested For Threatening Trump On Facebook

Shannon Depararro Atkins. Credit: West Palm Beach Police Department

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — The West Palm Beach Police Department announced the arrest of a Florida man accused of making online threats against President Donald Trump.  

The investigation began after a tip to the FBI's National Threat Operations Center from a resident of Okeechobee, Florida, alerted authorities to threatening social media posts targeting Trump.

On January 20, a West Palm Beach Police Department detective assigned to the FBI Task Force launched an inquiry, which ultimately identified the suspect as Shannon Depararro Atkins, 46, of West Palm Beach.  

Authorities monitored Atkins before taking him into custody during a traffic stop on Friday, January 24, 2025, around 7:30 p.m. He was pulled over near his home on the 400 block of Pacific Grove Drive while driving a white 2013 BMW 750Li. During the arrest, officers found Atkins in possession of cocaine, leading to an additional charge of drug possession.  

According to police, Atkins allegedly posted violent threats on Facebook, including, “I’ve been banned from X because I said I hope and pray that someone kills him. We haven’t had an assassination in years.” During questioning, Atkins allegedly admitted to making the posts.  

The Florida man is currently being held at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Main Detention Center, facing one count of written or electronic threats to kill, do bodily injury, or conduct a mass shooting or act of terrorism—a second-degree felony.  

West Palm Beach detectives have notified the U.S. Secret Service, which will determine whether Atkins will face federal charges related to the threats.