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August 26, 2008
Police Investigate Possible Plot To Kill Obama ~ 4 Arrested
Plot to Kill Obama: Shoot From High Vantage Point
DENVER (CBS4)
CBS4 has learned at least four people are under arrest in connection with a possible plot to kill Barack Obama at his Thursday night acceptance speech in Denver. All are being held on either drug or weapons charges.
CBS4 Investigator Brian Maass reported one of the suspects told authorities they were "going to shoot Obama from a high vantage point using a ... rifle … sighted at 750 yards."
Law enforcement sources tell Maass that one of the suspects "was directly asked if they had come to Denver to kill Obama. He responded in the affirmative."
The story began emerging Sunday morning when Aurora police arrested 28-year-old Tharin Gartrell. He was driving a rented pickup truck in an erratic manner according to sources.
Sources told CBS4 police found two high-powered, scoped rifles in the car along with camouflage clothing, walkie-talkies, wigs, a bulletproof vest, a spotting scope, licenses in the names of other people and 44 grams of methamphetamine. One of the rifles is listed as stolen from Kansas.
Aurora police alerted federal officials because of heightened security surrounding the Democratic convention, Dudley said.
"Clearly we found there are federal implications -- otherwise we would not have notified them," Det. Marcus Dudley with Aurora police said. "The weapons clearly would cause great concern."
Subsequently authorities went to the Cherry Creek Hotel to contact an associate of Gartrell's. But that man, identified as Shawn Robert Adolph, 33, who was wanted on numerous warrants, jumped out of a sixth floor hotel window. Law enforcement sources say Adolph broke an ankle in the fall and was captured moments later. Sources say he had a handcuff ring and was wearing a swastika, and is thought to have ties to white supremacist organizations.
A third man -- an associate of Gartrell and Adolph, Nathan Johnson, 32, was also arrested. He told authorities that the two men "planned to kill Barack Obama at his acceptance speech."
Johnson, along with his girlfriend, Natasha Gromek, are also under arrest on drug charges.
The Secret Service, FBI, ATF and the joint terrorism task force are all investigating the alleged plot.
The U.S. Attorneys Office has scheduled a news conference for Tuesday afternoon. The U.S. Attorney in Denver said it does not believe there is a credible threat to Obama or the convention.
"It's premature to say that it was a valid threat or that these folks have the ability to carry it out," said a U.S. government official familiar with the investigation. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.
U.S. Attorney Troy Eid said the case was under investigation.
"We're absolutely confident there is no credible threat to the candidate, the Democratic National Convention, or the people of Colorado," Eid said in a prepared statement.
Additional information:
KUSA, the NBC affiliate in Denver, is reporting that three men have been arrested in connection with a plot to assassinate Barack Obama.
According to its website, KUSA says NBC News has learned that federal officials are downplaying the arrests, saying when one of the men was arrested, he made a threat against Obama, but they do not believe it was based on any kind of plan or actually intent.
However, other sources have told 9NEWS the three men may be connected to skinheads and that it appears they were involved in an assassination plot.
Aurora Police arrested the first man, 28-year-old Tharin Gartrell of Centennial, early Sunday morning after a routine traffic stop. During the traffic stop, officers found two rifles, boxes of ammunition, one rifle scope, a bullet proof vest, walkie-talkies and methamphetamines. Gartrell is being held in the Arapahoe County jail in lieu of $50,000 bond and has a felony criminal record.
Aurora Police say a second man, 32-year-old Nathan Johnson, was arrested at 4:30 a.m. on Sunday morning at a hotel near Interstate 25 and Belleview Avenue. He is being held by Denver Police.
A third man, 33-year-old Shawn Adolf of Greeley, was arrested at Cherry Creek Hotel in Glendale on Monday. NBC News reports that when police knocked on his hotel door, Adolf jumped out a sixth floor window. He landed on an awning and then jumped down to the ground, injuring himself. He ran into nearby bushes where officers apprehended him. Authorities say he had weapons.
He was taken to Denver Health Medical Center where he was treated.
Adolf was wanted on seven outstanding warrants totally more than $1 million.
-snip-
In December 2006, he [Tharin Gartrell] pleaded guilty to felony possession of a controlled substance and received a deferred sentence.
When Gartrell was pulled over, an Aurora Police sergeant spotted him driving erratically in between lanes near East Hampden Avenue and South Parker Road at 1:30 a.m. on Sunday. He was in a rented 2008 dark blue Dodge ram truck.
Gartrell was driving with a suspended driver's license and Aurora Police say he was on probation for previous drug charges.
Wild Thing's comment...........
Why don’t these stupid racists figure out that this sort of crap will only help B.Hussein Obama! It does seem strange about the driving erratically - and apparently easily admitting that he was there to kill BO. It’s almost like he wanted to be caught. And then the 6th floor jump with only a broken ankle.
The alleged plotter fell six stories and only broke an ankle? Who is this guy? Supernazi?????
Wait I just heard on TV just now "he jumped out of the window and landed on an awning:". OK so that would break his fall so that explains why only a broken ankle.
Just a thought here.....You know there have been many ‘plots’ to assassinate President Bush over the last 8 years. The media never reports on them though and they are not leaked to the media. The only thing I ever heard was that weekly he has had death threats since he became President. Now this happens and it is getting coverage in the media. I understand why it is not a good idea to leak things like this if it had been about President Bush but with Obama iit could be used for a sympathy vote. AUGH!
Posted by Wild Thing at August 26, 2008 04:47 AM
Comments
Amateurs !!!
But at this point if they got Ho-bama then Hillary would be the nominee by default I suppose. And would probably really unify their party for all that it is.
So I suppose it's best they caught them ahead of time. Another bad thing is these things tend to fire up the dems on gun control and roil against those Right wing nut cases, and those of us that cling to our Guns, God and Xenophobia.
Posted by: Mark at August 26, 2008 08:43 AM
The "gang that couldn't shoot straight". If these are skinheads then that explains their stupidity. Skinheads are some of the most stupid people around. If they really were planning an attack on Obama I am glad the police got them.
Posted by: TomR at August 26, 2008 09:49 AM
I wouldn't put it above the Democrat's to have staged the whole affair to garner attention from the anti-gun crowd, to generate the publicity of white racism and generate that all important 'Obama is the victim' they so desperately need. Has anyone thought of Bubba, where is that disgruntled super slimy Arkansas Mafia leader? If this is another attempt to engender white guilt about blacks I'm not buying it. Like Tom said, if they were really planning an attack I'm glad they were thwarted but they are under the same jurisdiction that let these felons run free in the first place. A CBS and NBC story, pass the Kool-Aid.
Posted by: Jack at August 26, 2008 12:49 PM
Greetings, WT, from WASHDC. I'm here this week for a sh*t load of meetings and business. Briefly, its good to be back. Ya' know...it's a damn nice town without the Dem-O-Freaks here. Poor Denver!
A large part of yesterday was at the Capitol and I sat in on a House session discussing ENERGY. I say "discussing" because it's hard to have a one way debate. Oh well, the Dems needed a vacation anyhow. Too bad it's at the cost of our country. They (the House) passed out an "Open Letter to Pelosi" if you want me to send it to you just say so. I was escourted from the chambers while putting a "Whoopi Cushion" in Nancy's House Chair. (joke) Anyhow, since the Capitol Police tell me she's "very seldom" there to sit in the chair, it would have been a waste of good rubber.
WHOA!!!! Nancy...waste of a good rubber...oh never mind....that's another JOKE.
Today, I met with the Secretary of the Navy. There's a LOT I can't tell you about that briefing. But, it was good...
You know, the media always gives lip about how the Clinton's ... Dems ... John Kerry ... etc. have to say about their feelings toward OUR military. I guess it's understandable when you consider the EXTREME loathing most of our military have for the "Dem-U-Tants". I can't go on...I want to live the rest of the week.
The Naval Officers I've met.... top notch! VERY proud of their heritage and history. The ONLY portrait of famous Navy Officers I did not see at the Pentagon, was John Kerry. Although, one O-5 did have a bandaid on...it was a "John Kerry Purple Heart Band-Aid". LMAAAAOff
Chrissie, keep the faith. All is well with the Capital. (but then again, the Dems are on VACN)
Posted by: Steve, WASHDC Watch at August 26, 2008 04:13 PM
It's good to see that law enforcement got hold of these wannabe domestic terrorists and racists no matter how inept they may be. Kudos for a job well done. No amount of racism by Barack Obama or the Democrats justifies this outrageous racist behavior in response. Lock them all up for the rest of their lives.
If anyone wants to "kill" Obama they can "kill" him at the ballot box. In our democracy it works.
Posted by: Les at August 26, 2008 06:15 PM
As I've said before, there are too many out there who will never be satisfied with a black man as President. That's too bad, too. Think about Michael Steele, a republican black governor from Maryland. Good man, but knows enough to stay away from the White House so to speak. If Obamanation were to win, he would definitely be taken out. That would leave us with Joe "White Bread" Biden, who can't pour water out of a boot, even with instructions on the heel. Makes you kind of wonder if no one else would run with Obamanation and Biden was like the kid in class who always had his hand up, "Oh, pick me! pick me!"
God, this is a weird situation, isn't it?
Posted by: Lynn at August 27, 2008 04:33 AM
