The man who brought a rifle to a protest in Lubbock, Texas, on May 30 has been charged with making threats, according to a news release issued by the North District of Texas Attorney’s Office.
As indicated by the news release, the unsealed criminal complaint stated that 25-year-old Emmanuel Quinones, from Lubbock, had allegedly brought his Smith & Wesson .223 caliber semi-automatic—loaded—while going to a George Floyd protest.
“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,” the news release states. According to Texas law, although individuals are allowed to carry guns, the Texas Penal Code stated that it is illegal for those individuals to display their firearms publicly in a manner that’s set up to scare the public.
According to the news release, following that, Quinones was asked by a Lubbock police officer to drop the firearm, a command that Quinones did not comply with until the police officer drew his gun.
Quinones was later taken into police custody and during the investigation admitted to going to the protest to “protect demonstrators from these so-called MAGA (Make America Great Again) instigators, who he planned to shoot on sight.” Furthermore, Quinones claimed he would be able to identify these instigators, but police officers wouldn’t be able to.
Police were also made aware, through the interview, of the posts that Quinones had posted previously, in which he admitted to writing about obtaining gun parts in order to “off racist and MAGA people,” according to the news release. The post in question was one of the many posts that he shared on Facebook in order to intimidate the president and his supporters.
Erin Nealy Cox, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, stated in the news release that the actions that Quinones had taken were anything but peaceful.
“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. We will not tolerate attempts to instill terror or encourage violence at otherwise peaceful protests,” Cox stated.
Matthew J. DeSarno, the FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge, stated that while the FBI respects people who exercise their First Amendment right peacefully, “the defendant threatened multiple lives including the President of the United States and that will not be tolerated.”
“We will continue working with our local, state, and federal partners to apprehend and charge violent instigators who are exploiting legitimate, peaceful protests and engaging in violations of federal law,” he added.
Quinones appeared before the U.S. Magistrate Judge D. Gordon Bryant for the first time on June 2 and, if found guilty, will face a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
