A Butler County man charged with threatening to kill President Donald Trump and immigration agents also wrote on YouTube about killing school teachers, shooting U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and carrying out a mass attack in Texas, an FBI agent testified Monday in federal court.
Shawn Monper, 32, of Butler Township is accused of making a string of online threats between Jan. 15 and early April, posting on YouTube as Mr. Satan, an apparent reference to a character from the “Dragon Ball” animated show, authorities said.
Since Trump’s January inauguration, Monper got a permit to carry a firearm and bought three guns, authorities said.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Maureen Kelly on Monday ordered Monper to remain in the custody of U.S. marshals until his trial.
During Monday’s detention hearing, Assistant United States Attorney Brendan McKenna questioned FBI Agent Ryan Chrobak about threats the government said Monper posted to YouTube.
According to Chrobak, Monper in February wrote, “Nah, we just need to start killing people, Trump, Elon, all the heads of agencies Trump appointed, and anyone who stands in the way. Remember, we are the majority, MAGA is a minority of the country, and by the time it’s time to make the move, they will be weakened, many will be crushed by these policies, and they will want revenge too. American Revolution 2.0.”
The post presumably referenced Elon Musk, the billionaire who is overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
The next month, Monper posted in response to a livestream of Trump addressing Congress that he would “assassinate him myself,” the FBI said.
In another post, dated April 1, Monper allegedly commented, “If I see an armed ICE agent, I will consider it a domestic terrorist and an active shooter and open fire on them,” referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Google alerted the FBI to the threatening comments, Chrobak testified, and provided information such as Monper’s IP address, home address and name.
A means to kill
Chrobak said the comments went beyond threatening Trump and ICE officials. He also pointed to threats against Greene, the Republican congresswoman from Georgia, who is an outspoken Trump supporter.
Monper wrote that if he saw Greene, he would like to “put a bullet in her skull,” according to Chrobak.
In response to a video discussing Trump’s plans to shutter the U.S. Department of Education, Monper wrote, “I fully support killing bad teachers. If the Department of Education goes away, there’s no other option.”
In a separate post, Chrobak said, Monper wrote, “I fully support anyone who wants to shoot up their school from this point forward.”
Chrobak linked a comment to Monper in a video about transgender policies in Texas: “Eventually I’m going to do a mass shooting, and I think I’m going to Texas to do it.”
The FBI analyzed videos and photos on Monper’s cellphone after arresting him at his Butler home last week.
Chrobak said there are videos of Monper at a shooting range taken on the same days as some of his threatening comments.
The FBI said it seized three legally purchased firearms — a 9 mm, a .22 caliber and a .380 caliber — from Monper’s bedroom. Officials found two other guns, which were owned by his parents, with whom he lives, according to the FBI.
“This individual is threatening to kill the president of the United States and federal officials, and he had the means to do so,” McKenna, the prosecutor, said.
Chrobak said Monper had no previous criminal history and legally obtained a permit to carry the guns.
A search of the Butler home also uncovered ammunition, a flashlight and laser that can be attached to a gun and a bag to transport weapons.
No explosives, body armor or semiautomatic weapons were located in the house, Chrobak said.
‘Interesting hobby’
Pamela Monper testified her son was “absolutely not” a violent person. She said she knew nothing of the YouTube account he used.
“He’s not the monster that they’re making him out to be,” she said between tears.
She said her son helped her and her husband around the house, chipped in for rent and had a full-time job in the produce and meat department at Walmart.
He began buying and shooting guns, she said, because a friend had told him about it.
“He thought it might be an interesting hobby to get into,” she said.
Kathryn Dyer, a federal public defender representing Monper, said people make comments online about things they would never actually do in real life.
Dyer argued Monper would not pose a threat to the community if released ahead of his trial.
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“Venting online is something that happens every single day,” Dyer said.
The judge denied Monper’s request for home incarceration or home detention, which would’ve allowed him to continue working at Walmart and helping his parents.
She said she took into consideration the allegations that he made threatening comments repeatedly, bought three guns and, according to the prosecution, lives within five miles of 14 schools.
“It’s not just venting online,” the judge said before denying Monper’s request to be released while awaiting trial.
As marshals placed handcuffs around Monper’s wrists, his mother called out, “Shawn, we love you.”
He just shook his head.