A Briton who tried to grab a police officer’s gun at a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas said he wanted to shoot the US candidate, court papers say.
Michael Steven Sandford, 20, did not enter a plea when he appeared before a judge in Nevada and was remanded in custody until a hearing on 5 July.
He is charged with an act of violence “on restricted grounds”. He had reportedly tried to seize the gun after saying he was seeking Trump’s autograph at Saturday’s rally, BBC reported.
He said he had been planning to try to shoot Trump for about a year but had decided to act now because he finally felt confident enough to do so, court papers say.
A federal judge found Sandford, who reportedly appeared in court in shackles, to be a danger and risk of non-appearance, and he was ordered detained pending his preliminary hearing.
When asked about the arrest of Sandford, a Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are providing assistance following an arrest of a British national in Las Vegas.”
Earlier on Monday, Trump fired his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, who oversaw his triumph in the primary contests.
“Expected to Be Killed”
According to the court papers, Sandford said he had never fired a gun before but went to a range in Las Vegas on June 17 to learn how to shoot.
At Saturday’s rally at the Treasure Island Casino, he allegedly tried to grab the officer’s weapon because it was in an unlocked position and therefore, he said, the easiest way to get a gun to shoot Trump.
Court Documents say Sandford acknowledged he knew he would only be able to fire one or two rounds, and expected to be killed during an attempt on Trump’s life.
He told police if he had not tried to kill Trump at this rally, he would have tried again at a rally in Phoenix, for which he had already booked tickets, the papers say.
He told investigators he had been in the US for one and a half years, the court papers say. Court research showed he was unemployed, living out of his car and in the US illegally, AP reported.
A federal public defender said he had autism and had attempted suicide, the agency adds.
Recent opinion polls suggest Trump is trailing his Democrat opponent Hillary Clinton. There were reports over the weekend that Clinton’s campaign was ahead in spending in key swing states.
Trump’s former campaign manager says he still supports his candidacy, despite being sacked. Lewandowski said the billionaire businessman had changed the way American politics was viewed for the better.
Reports in American media say he clashed with the more traditional strategists Trump has hired recently to try to reshape his operation for the November election.
Trump is facing strong resistance from senior members of his own party over his strident tone, hardline immigration policy and falling poll numbers.
Americans go to the polls on 8 November to elect a president to succeed Democrat Barack Obama, who is stepping down after two terms in office, which have seen the Republicans gain control of both houses of Congress.
