# Trump assassination attempt **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 21, 2016, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932 "2016-06-21T01:12:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/1 "2016-06-21T01:12:29Z")
It’s being publicly reported that Michael Sandford, a 19 year old Briton, was arrested Saturday for attempting to assassinate Donald Trump. He was at a Trump rally in Las Vegas and initiated a conversation with a police officer who was providing security. Sandford then tried to grab the officer’s gun. The officer was able to prevent this and arrest Sandford. Sandford told the police that he intended to kill Trump. > **[19-year-old charged after allegedly trying to assassinate Donald Trump](https://www.aol.com/article/2016/06/20/19-year-old-charged-after-allegedly-trying-to-assassinate-donald/21398909/)** > > A 19-year-old arrested at a Donald Trump rally said he wanted to kill the Republican presidential candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/2 "2016-06-21T01:25:13Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > It’s being publicly reported that Michael Sandford, a 19 year old Briton, was arrested Saturday for attempting to assassinate Donald Trump. He was at a Trump rally in Las Vegas and initiated a conversation with a police officer who was providing security. Sandford then tried to grab the officer’s gun. The officer was able to prevent this and arrest Sandford. Sandford told the police that he intended to kill Trump. > > [News, Politics, Sports, Mail & Latest Headlines - AOL.com](http://www.aol.com/article/2016/06/20/19-year-old-charged-after-allegedly-trying-to-assassinate-donald/21398909/) I guess it’s lucky for Trump that they didn’t allow private people to bring guns to the rally. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/3 "2016-06-21T01:35:36Z")
So will visitors from the U.K. be banned until he figures out what the hell is going on? ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/4 "2016-06-21T01:47:40Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > So will visitors from the U.K. be banned until he figures out what the hell is going on? That one seems kinda fair play. Britain did debate banning Trump from their country. Glad they caught the guy. I’d much rather see Trump lose than him dying before we election. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/5 "2016-06-21T02:01:52Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > That one seems kinda fair play. Britain did debate banning Trump from their country. > > Glad they caught the guy. I’d much rather see Trump lose than him dying before we election. This, +1 ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/6 "2016-06-21T02:16:52Z")
Oh! It’s assassination _of_ Trump, not assassination _by_ Trump! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/7 "2016-06-21T02:32:12Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Oh! It’s assassination _of_ Trump, not assassination _by_ Trump! It wouldn’t be _by_ Trump. He has _people_ to do that for him. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/8 "2016-06-21T02:33:48Z")
This is all part of the Big Plan. Trump will be shot dead, Hope Hicks will drench his shirt in the blood and wave it high, and be elected America’s first Republican Woman President. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/9 "2016-06-21T02:40:58Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > It wouldn’t be _by_ Trump. He has _people_ to do that for him. Trump is only targeted by the _best_ assassins. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/10 "2016-06-21T02:53:55Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Trump is only targeted by the _best_ assassins. As this assassin apparently turned up to the assassination without a gun, he’s clearly not one of the best. He must be a _fake_ assassin, planted in a sinister attempt to devalue the Trump brand. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/11 "2016-06-21T02:57:44Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > This is all part of the Big Plan. > > Trump will be shot dead, Hope Hicks will drench his shirt in the blood and wave it high, and be elected America’s first Republican Woman President. She’s only 27. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/12 "2016-06-21T04:06:57Z")
Not surprised. Those on the left protesting The Donald are prone to violence. Usually they only injure a few of his supporters. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/13 "2016-06-21T04:15:50Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Not surprised. Those on the left protesting The Donald are prone to violence. Usually they only injure a few of his supporters. An awful lot of the right don’t care for him either. In case you didn’t notice, the would-be assailant was from the U.K. Think we should block everyone from there until we figure out what the hell is going on? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/14 "2016-06-21T04:18:14Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > She’s only 27. I assume that working for Trump ages you though. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/15 "2016-06-21T04:40:18Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > She’s only 27. Has she ever [recorded an album](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/27_Club)? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/16 "2016-06-21T04:55:39Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Not surprised. Those on the left protesting The Donald are prone to violence. Usually they only injure a few of his supporters. Ah, here you are again promoting bullshit. Cite that the perp was “on the left”? Cite that this was politically motivated? :dubious: I bet you never provide those cites. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/17 "2016-06-21T05:02:02Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Ah, here you are again promoting bullshit. Cite that the perp was “on the left”? Cite that this was politically motivated? :dubious: > > I bet you never provide those cites. Not even [Infowars](http://www.infowars.com/trump-assassination-attempt-stopped-by-las-vegas-police/) made such a claim. And that’s pretty damned amazing. Amusing side note: The “federal source” cited in the story was [Associated Press.](http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TRUMP_ATTEMPTED_ATTACK?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-06-20-16-01-59) ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/18 "2016-06-21T06:04:54Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Ah, here you are again promoting bullshit. Cite that the perp was “on the left”? Cite that this was politically motivated? :dubious: > > I bet you never provide those cites. Ah, it’s probably all coincidence that all the political violence during this election cycle is directed towards Republicans. Probably just a giant false flag operation. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/19 "2016-06-21T06:08:33Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > As this assassin apparently turned up to the assassination without a gun, he’s clearly not one of the best. It does sound like a pretty bad plan. On the other hand, Sandford might be more clever than he appears. There must be security checkpoints that prevent people from sneaking a gun into a crowd event like this. But Sandford was able to get in with no problem because he was unarmed. Once inside, he then attempted to get the weapon he wanted. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2016, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932/20 "2016-06-21T06:13:18Z")
If that was his plan, I don’t think it was a clever plan. Arm yourself by snatching a gun from a police officer? How likely was that ever to succeed? I don’t know what the body-searches at Trump rallies are like, but I would have thought that smuggling a gun in, however iffy, was a better prospect that grabbing one. Or visiting the venue beforehand and planting a gun there. I’m not saying that any of these are guaranteed to succeed, but they do strike me as having a better prospect of success than the plan actually implemented. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-assassination-attempt/757932.md?page=2)