A 19-year-old Florida man faces a federal charge for allegedly threatening to shoot up the New York City subway system this past Thanksgiving, prosecutors say.
Robert Trout III, of St. Petersburg, faces up to five years in federal prison if convicted of the charge levied against him, knowingly transmitting in interstate commerce a true threat.
According to the charge in the complaint, Trout posted a video on Instagram making threats to go to New York City and “cause havoc on the subway” by shooting “anybody” that Trout sees. Trout allegedly threatened that this shooting would occur on Thanksgiving, and said, If you’re from New York City, do not take the train on Thursday evening.”
Federal prosecutors allege Trout showed multiple firearms while making these threats. At one point, he allegedly brandished two semi-automatic firearms with extended clips containing a total of 60 bullets while stating, “That’s 60 shots – that’s 60 people dead.” Several recent postings on Trout’s Instagram account in conjunction with witness statements allowed law enforcement to identify Trout as the person responsible for making the threats, officials say.
Trout was ordered detained following his initial federal court appearance in Tampa last week.
The FBI assisted in the investigation. Information on an attorney for Trout wasn’t immediately available.
2023-12-11 19:22:31
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