The man arrested by police in Lubbock, Texas, after he brandished a semi-automatic rifle in front of a George Floyd protest posted a threat on Facebook saying he wanted to “off racists and MAGA people,” officials stated. He allegedly shouted, “President Trump must die” and “this is a revolution” as authorities took him into custody.
Lubbock police officers arrested 25-year-old Emmanuel Quinones on Saturday after he was captured on video purportedly brandishing a loaded Smith & Wesson .223 semi-automatic rifle in front of protesters, KCBD NBC11 reported. The protesters were standing in support of George Floyd, the black man killed by Minneapolis police in May.
The suspect refused to drop his rifle until a Lubbock police officer drew his sidearm. In the video, a bystander is seen tackling the suspect and others from the protest assisted an officer who appeared to have been injured in the arrest, Breitbart Texas reported.
Charges were filed by the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas. Federal officials say that Quinones, “in view of the protesters, Mr. Quinones held the rifle at ‘low ready,’ in firing position with the muzzle pointed toward the ground, as panic rippled through the assembled crowd.”
Texas law allows for the open carry of a rifle or shotgun but it is against the Texas Penal Code to display such a weapon in a public place “in a manner calculated to alarm,” the Lubbock NBC affiliate reported.
Quinones reportedly admitted to threatening social media posts including one just days before the incident where he wrote that he planned to obtain gun parts to “off racists and MAGA people.”
“In the interview, the defendant stated he attended the protest to protect demonstrators from these so-called MAGA (Make America Great Again) instigators, who he planned to shoot on sight,” KCBD reported. “He claimed the police would not have been able to identify these counter-protesters, but that he could have.”
“Instead of respecting citizens’ rights to respectfully voice their feelings, this defendant incited panic, putting everyone present – including those he claimed to support – in danger,” U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox said in a written statement. “We will not tolerate attempts to instill terror or encourage violence at otherwise peaceful protests.”
Court records state that Quinones is charged with Interstate Threatening Communications under Title 18 USC 875(c).
“Quinones stated he went to the protest on May 30, 2020, to protect protesters from counter-protesters, who he referred to as Trump/MAGA instigators,” investigators said in the criminal complaint. “Quinones stated that if counter-protesters showed up at the protest, then he would have used his rifle to shoot them and protect the protesters.”
He went on to claim that Lubbock police officers would not have been able to identify the “Trump/MAGA instigators,” but that he could have, investigators said.
After obtaining consent to search the home of Quinones, investigators said they found about 700 rounds of .223 caliber ammunition and about 100 rounds of .40 caliber pistol ammunition. All were reportedly loaded into magazines.
Quinones is described by Lubbock County jail records by Breitbart Texas as a 5’5″, 130 pound Hispanic male, U.S. citizen.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Face
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