A 24-year-old Kansas man is charged with threatening to shoot President Trump after prosecutors say he posted that he had “already mapped out roofs around” the site of Trump’s Wichita-area rally.
Story Highlights
- Federal prosecutors charged Jaden J. Read, 24, of Clearwater, Kansas, with making threats against the president.
- Prosecutors say Read posted Facebook comments calling for Trump to be shot and claiming he had ammunition.
- A Crime Stoppers tip led investigators to the comments, which sat under local news stories about Trump’s visit.
- Read is in federal custody until a detention hearing. He is accused, not convicted.
Why He Was Charged
Prosecutors charged Read because, they say, he posted online that he would shoot the president and knew where Trump would speak. Federal law makes it a crime to knowingly threaten to kill or harm the president. No statement from a lawyer for Read has been reported, and he has not been tried.
U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser, the top federal prosecutor in Kansas, said, “Political violence and threats of political violence will not be tolerated.” He also warned people to stay within the bounds of speech the Constitution protects. Courts have long held that a true threat of violence is not protected free speech.
How the Case Unfolded
Read was arrested in Clearwater, a small town southwest of Wichita, on Saturday, October 17, the same day prosecutors filed the complaint against him. That was two days before Trump’s rally scheduled for Monday, October 19, at Heartland Credit Union Arena in Park City, right outside Wichita. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the charge on Monday, October 19.
The case began on Thursday, October 15, when a Crime Stoppers tip pointed authorities to a Facebook comment. Crime Stoppers is a program that lets people report crimes without giving their names. The Secret Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Kansas Highway Patrol and Wichita Police Department all worked on the case.
What Prosecutors Say He Posted
According to the charging papers, Read left a comment under a KAKE News story about Trump’s trip that read, “Let’s shoot Trump honestly, where’s our shooter? I’m tired of living this money life.” In a follow-up post, he claimed he had a “308 and 305 round” and wrote that he was “killing this pedo,” prosecutors say. A .308 is a common rifle cartridge.
Under a KWCH 12 News story about the same visit, prosecutors say he wrote, “Can we shoot him in Kansas please I will myself.” One minute later came a second comment: “IK where your speech will be. Already mapped out roofs around. Finna get kirked since yall couldn’t help him.” In online slang, “IK” means “I know” and “finna” means “going to.” “Kirked” refers to the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September 2025.
What the Charge Means
A criminal complaint is the first formal charge in a federal case. It lets prosecutors arrest and hold a suspect while the case moves forward. At the detention hearing, a judge will decide whether Read stays locked up until trial. Officials have not released a date for that hearing.
Prosecutors have not said in public whether Read had a rifle or went to any rooftops. The charge rests on the posts themselves, because the law treats a serious threat against the president as a crime on its own.
Why This Matters
A tip from an ordinary citizen, passed along through Crime Stoppers, put investigators on the trail in time. Agents and prosecutors moved fast, and Read was in custody two days before the president’s scheduled visit. The case is a clear reminder that threats against a president are taken seriously and are charged under federal law, no matter where they are posted.
Sources:
foxnews.com, justice.gov, kansas.com, thehill.com
