Attempted assassination of Donald Trump

Attempted assassination of Donald Trump
Donald Trump addressing a rally in Las Vegas, Nevada, in February 2016.
Location Mystère Theater, Treasure Island Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States[1]
Coordinates 36°07′29″N 115°10′19″W / 36.12472°N 115.17194°W / 36.12472; -115.17194Coordinates: 36°07′29″N 115°10′19″W / 36.12472°N 115.17194°W / 36.12472; -115.17194
Date June 18, 2016 (2016-06-18)[1]
c.9:00 am[1] (Pacific)
Target Donald Trump
Weapons 9mm Glock-17 pistol[2][3][4]
Deaths 0
Non-fatal injuries
 0
Perpetrator Michael Steven Sandford
Motive Prevent Trump from becoming President of the United States[5]

On June 18, 2016, Michael Steven Sandford was arrested at a Donald Trump presidential campaign rally in Las Vegas, Nevada in the United States after he attempted to seize the pistol of a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officer providing security for the event.[2] At the time, Trump was the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party for the 2016 United States presidential election.[6]

Sandford, a 20-year-old British citizen who had a lengthy history of mental disorders, stated that he had wished to kill Trump to prevent him from becoming president. He was charged with impeding and disrupting the orderly conduct of government business and official functions and with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. On September 13, 2016, he pled guilty to both charges.[7] On December 13, 2016, he was sentenced to 12 months and one day's imprisonment.[2][8] He was released and deported to the United Kingdom in May 2017.[9]

The incident received limited media coverage in the United States. Some publications criticized the length of Sandford's prison sentence.[10][11] In the United Kingdom, the incident prompted calls for changes to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 in light of Sandford's mental disorders[4] and was the subject of a BBC documentary.[12]

Details of the incident

Sandford spent one year planning the assassination, deciding to attempt it while Trump was addressing a rally in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 18, 2016.[13] He acquired a ticket for the event, also reserving a ticket for a rally to be held in Phoenix, Arizona later the same day in case an opportunity did not arise.[14][15][16] Sandford considered using a knife or rifle before deciding to attempt the assassination using a pistol.[17]

The Treasure Island Hotel and Casino, the scene of the incident

On June 16, 2016, Sandford drove to Las Vegas, where he visited a shooting range and practiced shooting using a rented 9mm Glock-17 pistol. This was the first time in his life Sandford had fired a gun. Due to his status as an illegal alien, the rental of a firearm was illegal.[1][18]

On the evening of June 17, 2016, Sandford joined a queue at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino for the following day's rally.[1] At 9:00 am the following morning, the approximately 1,500 rally attendees were allowed into the Mystère Theater.[1][19] Due to Trump's political candidacy, the event was under the protection of the United States Secret Service, and magnetometers were used to detect weapons being brought into the venue.[20][21]

As Trump was speaking, Sandford noticed that Ameel Jacob, a police officer with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department who was providing security for the event, appeared to have his 9mm Glock-17 pistol unlocked in its holster. Sandford approached Jacob, who was positioned approximately nine meters (30 feet) from the stage where Trump was speaking, and engaged him in conversation, saying that he wanted Trump's autograph. While talking to Jacob, Sandford "reached down to try and pull the officer's gun but it got stuck in his holster".[22][4][2] Sandford was immediately subdued and arrested by Jacob and two other police officers.[3][4][23][18] Sandford was described as appearing "confused" at the time of his arrest.[5][24]

After being taken into custody by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Sandford was handed over to the United States Secret Service.[25] After agreeing to waive his Miranda rights, Sandford was interrogated by two special agents, during which time he stated that his intent had been to shoot Trump, and that he would attempt it again if he were able. Sandford also stated that he had only anticipated being able to fire "one to two" shots and that he had expected to be killed.[26][13]

Trial, sentencing and release

Following his arrest, Sandford was held in the Nevada Southern Detention Center.[5] Due to his mental health conditions, Sandford was kept in solitary confinement and repeatedly put under suicide watch.[12] On June 20, 2016, a complaint was filed with the United States District Court for the District of Nevada charging Sandford with committing an act of violence on restricted ground.[27] Sandford appeared in a Nevada District Court on June 20, 2016, where he was charged with committing an act of violence on restricted ground. Sandford's public defender, Heather Fraley, argued that Sandford should be bailed to a halfway house given his lack of a criminal record, but he was denied bail by judge George Foley Jr. on the basis that he presented a flight risk and was a potential danger to the community.[1][28][29] On June 29, a federal grand jury responded to an indictment filed by United States Attorney Daniel Bogden by charging Sandford with three felonies: two counts of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and one count of impeding and disrupting the orderly conduct of government business and official functions.[30] Each charge carried a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.[31] U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement also issued a detainer against Sandford relating to an immigration violation.[32]

Sandford was arraigned on July 7, 2016, pleading not guilty. His trial was set for August 22, 2016.[30] On September 13, 2016, Sandford pled guilty in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada to charges of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and impeding and disrupting the orderly conduct of government business and official functions, saying "I tried to take a gun from a policeman to shoot someone with, and I'm pleading guilty".[33][34] Prior to his trial, Sandford had, at the urging of his family members, signed a plea agreement that reduced his maximum sentence from 20 years to 27 months.[33][35][23] A third charge of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm was dropped.[23] Sandford apologized for his actions, saying, "I know saying sorry is not enough. I really do feel awful about what I did. I wish there was some way to make things better. I have cost taxpayers so much money. I feel terrible."[36] Sandford subsequently claimed to have no memory of the assassination attempt.[37]

Sandford was sentenced on December 13, 2016, receiving 12 months and one day's imprisonment.[2] The sentencing judge, James C. Mahan, acknowledged Sandford's mental health issues, stating, "I don't think you harbored malice in your heart ... You have a medical problem ... I don't see you as evil or a sociopath".[8] The length of the sentence reflected the extenuating circumstances. As the sentence was below 18 months, the prosecution was entitled to appeal, but did not.[38] As part of the plea bargain, Sandford waived his own right to appeal.[23]

Sandford served most of his sentence in the Nevada Southern Detention Center.[24] He was repeatedly placed on suicide watch.[39] In January 2017, Sandford's mother expressed concerns that Trump—by then President of the United States—would seek to extend Sandford's sentence, and stated that Sandford was being harassed by "Trump-supporting guards and inmates".[40] In February 2017, Sandford was relocated to a different jail.[41] Sandford became eligible for early release in April 2017; the following month, he was released from prison and deported to the United Kingdom.[9] Following his release, Sandford's mother lobbied for changes to the Mental Capacity Act that would give parents more control over adult offspring with mental disorders.[4]

Michael Steven Sandford

Michael Steven Sandford (born April 21, 1996, in Dorking, Surrey, England, United Kingdom) is a British citizen.[42][22][42] During his childhood, Sandford experienced numerous mental and physical health issues, and was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome.[22][43][35][23][36][5][43]

In January 2015, Sandford made a two-week trip to New York City in the United States, during which time he had a mental breakdown and was sectioned overnight.[43] On June 2, 2015, Sandford returned to the United States,[16] leasing an apartment in Hoboken, New Jersey. Over the following months, his behavior became "erratic".[22][43][44][45] His family lost contact with him in May 2015.[46] On May 21, 2015, Sandford's mother contacted the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to report him missing.[43] Sandford's entitlement to remain in the United States under the Visa Waiver Program expired on August 30, 2015.[42][5] Unbeknownst to his family, in May 2015 he had left his apartment and relocated to San Bernardino, California, where he was living in his car[47][36] and supporting himself by working odd jobs.[42]

Following his arrest, Sandford told his father that "if Trump was elected, it would change the world [...] somebody had to stand up for America."[5] He expressed to his father his concern about policies of Trump's such as building a barrier along the United States–Mexico border and halting immigration of Muslims to the United States,[43] calling Trump a racist.[42] Psychiatrists who examined Sandford determined that he had been "delusional" and undergoing a "psychotic episode" at the time of the assassination attempt;[48][49] treating him with the antipsychotic medicine risperidone.[23][50] Following his release, Sandford stated that at this time, "I was hearing voices telling me to kill Donald Trump [...]. At one point they were screaming at me."[4]

Sandford's father stated that the assassination attempt was entirely out of character for his son and suggested that Sandford had been "put up to do it or blackmailed," or that the attempt was a "cry for help".[44] His mother also suggested that the attempt was a bid for help.[43] His grandmother suggested Sandford was attempting suicide by cop.[43] Sandford's mother later suggested that Sandford "was fuelled by his girlfriend and friends out there putting ideas in his head saying, 'Trump's evil, Trump must be stopped' and basically we feel grooming him into it".[24]

Reaction and analysis

Trump briefly acknowledged the removal of Sandford from the theater, breaking his speech to say "We love you, police. Thank you. Thank you, officers." as Sandford was arrested,[23] but was unaware that Sandford had intended to kill him until later seeing it reported on television.[51] When asked in an interview with Maria Bartiromo about Sandford allegedly having overstayed in the United States, Trump speculated that there were "millions" of people in the United States who had overstayed their visas, stating, "We have no idea who's in our country."[52] Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., praised the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and United States Secret Service for protecting his father.[53] Daniel Bogden, the United States Attorney for the District of Nevada, praised the "attentiveness and quick action" of security personnel in foiling the attempt.[23]

The assassination attempt received limited coverage in the American media.[54][10][55] Several journalists and political commentators proposed explanations for this, including the "feebly unsophisticated" and "poorly conceived" nature of the attempt;[54] Trump's own disinterest in making political capital from the event;[54][10] and alleged media bias.[11][56][57][58]

BBC documentary

A documentary about Sandford and his family by Guy Simmonds, The Brit Who Tried to Kill Trump, was commissioned by the BBC. It aired on BBC One in the United Kingdom on January 29, 2017.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Michael E. Miller (June 21, 2016). "British man accused of trying to kill Donald Trump acted 'weird' and 'nervous' before rally". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "British man who was arrested at Trump rally sentenced on weapon and disruption charges". United States Department of Justice. December 13, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  3. 1 2 Matt Dean (September 13, 2016). "British man who tried to attack Trump in Las Vegas enters guilty plea". Fox News. Associated Press. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Man jailed for trying to kill Donald Trump reveals why he did it". News.com.au. News Corp Australia. May 9, 2017. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mark Wilding (July 7, 2016). "What we know about the man who allegedly tried to kill Trump". Vice News. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Trump suspect Michael Sandford was a 'very quiet lad'". BBC News. June 21, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  7. ↑ "British man pleads guilty to plan to shoot Trump at Las Vegas rally". The Guardian. Associated Press. September 13, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  8. 1 2 "Briton jailed over Trump death plot". BBC News. December 13, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  9. 1 2 Isabel Dobinson (May 5, 2017). "Donald Trump assassination attempt: Michael Sandford returns home after serving sentence". Surrey Advertiser. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
  10. 1 2 3 Kastalia Medrano (June 22, 2016). "Yes, that Donald Trump assassination attempt should've gotten more attention". Bustle. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  11. 1 2 Jazz Shaw (June 21, 2016). "Our media seems curiously uninterested in the attempted assassination of Trump". Hot Air. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  12. 1 2 3 Nell Frizzell (January 27, 2017). "'He never even watched the news' – the Brit who tried to kill Trump". The Guardian. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  13. 1 2 Boer Deng (December 14, 2016). "Autistic man who tried to assassinate Trump is jailed". The Times. News UK. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  14. ↑ Nicky Woolf (June 30, 2016). "Briton charged in US after 'assassination attempt' on Donald Trump". The Guardian. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  15. ↑ Jim Acosta; Greg Clary (June 30, 2016). "Man who attempted to grab gun at rally wanted 'to kill Trump'". CNN. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  16. 1 2 "Officials: man in Trump case not in US legally". The Monterey County Herald. Digital First Media. June 21, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
  17. ↑ Ken Ritter (December 13, 2016). "British man gets prison time in Trump attack case in Vegas". Associated Press. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  18. 1 2 Phil Helsel (July 6, 2016). "British man in alleged plot to kill Donald Trump pleads not guilty". NBC. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  19. ↑ Nathan O'Neal (June 2016). "Trump talks tough at Las Vegas rally, 1 arrested". KSNV. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  20. ↑ Arnie Seipel (June 20, 2016). "Man arrested at rally wanted to 'shoot and kill' Trump, authorities say". NPR. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  21. ↑ Nick Corasaniti (June 20, 2016). "Man arrested at rally tells authorities he wanted to kill Donald Trump". The New York Times. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  22. 1 2 3 4 Ciaran Varley (January 20, 2017). "The Brit who tried to kill Trump". BBC News. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ken Ritter (September 13, 2016). "British man pleads guilty to plan to shoot Trump at Las Vegas rally". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  24. 1 2 3 Ronke Phillips (May 10, 2017). "Moment Michael Sandford tried to grab officer's gun at Donald Trump rally captured on police body camera". itv.com. ITV plc. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  25. ↑ "Who is Michael Sandford? What we know about UK man arrested in alleged Trump shooting attempt". International Business Times. July 5, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  26. ↑ "British national Michael Sandford charged over attempt to kill Donald Trump at Las Vegas rally". ABC. June 20, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  27. ↑ "British national Michael Sandford charged over attempt to kill Donald Trump at Las Vegas rally". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Agence France-Presse/Reuters. June 21, 2016. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  28. ↑ "British man indicted in botched attempt to shoot Trump in Las Vegas". Chicago Tribune. Tronc. June 29, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  29. ↑ "Michael Sandford, the man who wanted to kill Trump, has OCD and autism, says his mum". The Daily Telegraph. News Corp Australia. June 21, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  30. 1 2 Nicky Woolf (July 7, 2016). "British man pleads not guilty to charges in Donald Trump assassination attempt". The Guardian. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  31. ↑ "US Election: British man indicted on weapons charges over Trump rally incident". ABC. June 30, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  32. ↑ Ritter, Ken (July 6, 2016). "Michael Sandford pleads not guilty in Donald Trump shooting plot case". Global News. AP. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  33. 1 2 "Briton pleads guilty on Trump gun charges". BBC News. September 14, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  34. ↑ John Locher (September 13, 2016). "British man pleads guilty in Trump attempted attack case". CBS News. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  35. 1 2 "Briton accused of trying to shoot Donald Trump 'to admit lesser charges'". The Guardian. Press Association. September 12, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  36. 1 2 3 Chris Johnston (December 13, 2016). "Briton Michael Sandford jailed over plan to shoot Donald Trump". The Guardian. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  37. ↑ William Watkinson (September 21, 2016). "Autistic Briton who grabbed gun in attempt to shoot Donald Trump says incident was a 'blur'". International Business Times. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  38. ↑ Saimo Chahal (2016). "British man tried to 'rid the world of Trump' while hearing voices" (PDF). Annual Review 2016. Bindmans. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
  39. ↑ "Trump death plot: Michael Sandford returns home to Surrey". BBC News. May 4, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
  40. ↑ "Trump death plot Briton 'fears jail term extension'". BBC News. January 25, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  41. ↑ Tom Van Klaveren (April 19, 2017). "Donald Trump assassination attempt: Michael Sandford looking forward to seeing Dorking landmark upon his release". Surrey Advertiser. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  42. 1 2 3 4 5 Ben Botkin (December 13, 2016). "British man gets 1 year in prison for trying to kill Trump at Las Vegas rally". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
  43. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Simon Hattenstone (July 30, 2016). "'They said my son intended to assassinate Donald Trump. And my world just stopped'". The Guardian. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  44. 1 2 "Havant man's son held for Donald Trump assassination bid". The News. June 21, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  45. ↑ Priyanka Mogul (June 21, 2016). "Mother fears Briton arrested for Donald Trump assassination attempt might commit suicide". International Business Times. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  46. ↑ Douglas Perry (May 5, 2017). "British man who tried to assassinate Donald Trump is free, leaves country". OregonLive.com. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
  47. ↑ Robert Mendick; Patrick Sawer (June 22, 2016). "Briton accused of trying to kill Donald Trump was a Robot Wars obsessive". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  48. ↑ Ken Ritter (May 4, 2017). "British man deported home after prison in Trump attack case". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  49. ↑ Ken Ritter (September 13, 2016). "British man pleads guilty in Trump attack case in Las Vegas". Las Vegas Sun. Greenspun Media Group. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  50. ↑ Tom Klaveren (December 23, 2016). "Dorking man who tried to steal gun at Trump rally to be home by April but mum says he's "haggard"". Surrey Mirror. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  51. ↑ Adam Edelman (June 22, 2016). "Donald Trump says he learned of would-be assassin at Las Vegas rally on TV – 'Better off' that Secret Service didn't tell me". New York Daily News. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  52. ↑ Nick Gass (June 22, 2016). "Trump: I learned about assassination attempt through TV". Politico. Capitol News Company. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  53. ↑ "The Latest: Friend says man in Trump case needs help". Associated Press. June 21, 2016. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  54. 1 2 3 Callum Borchers (June 21, 2016). "Why isn't the assassination attempt on Donald Trump bigger news?". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
  55. ↑ Leonard Pitts Jr. (June 21, 2016). "Killing Donald Trump won't kill his ideas". Miami Herald. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  56. ↑ Jazz Shaw (September 14, 2016). "Guy who tried to shoot Trump to get two years jail and deportation?". Hot Air. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  57. ↑ J.D. Mullane (September 15, 2016). "Mullane: A free national press captive of its dark anti-Trump agenda". Bucks County Courier Times. Calkins Media. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  58. ↑ Sayeeda Warsi, Baroness Warsi (30 March 2017). The Enemy Within: A Tale of Muslim Britain. Penguin Books Limited. pp. 88–89. ISBN 978-0-241-27604-4.
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