A 21-year-old Florida woman found herself behind bars after allegedly threatening to assassinate President Donald Trump at a campaign rally, then telling investigators the alarming social media post was nothing more than a joke.
Allison Albro, of Daytona Beach, was arrested after authorities discovered an Instagram post in which she allegedly announced plans to bring a Glock handgun to Trump’s October 30 rally and shoot the president.
The message, posted alongside a selfie the night before the event, reportedly read: “Going to the trump rally in my city tmr so I can shoot him with my glock! wish me luck guys!!”
The disturbing post quickly attracted the attention of law enforcement, prompting investigators from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office Domestic Security Unit and the U.S. Secret Service to visit Albro’s home.
According to Sheriff Mike Chitwood, Albro admitted making the post but insisted she was joking. She reportedly told investigators she had no access to a Glock or any other firearm and would never actually hurt anyone.
Authorities weren’t laughing.
“We are not going to tolerate threats to assassinate the president,” Chitwood declared in an October 30 statement, announcing that Albro had been taken into custody.
Albro was charged with making written threats to kill or cause bodily injury, a second-degree felony, and unlawful use of a two-way communications device, a third-degree felony. A judge ordered her held without bond after prosecutors sought pretrial detention, according to local reporting.
The arrest came just hours before Trump was scheduled to address supporters at Daytona Beach’s Ocean Center, where he was campaigning for Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
With the president’s visit approaching, local authorities were already coordinating extensive security measures alongside the Secret Service and FBI. The alleged threat added another serious concern to preparations for the high-profile event.
Chitwood used the arrest to issue a blunt warning to anyone considering making similar statements online.
“I would strongly advise anyone else thinking of posting a ‘joke’ along these lines to think twice,” the sheriff wrote.
Although Albro maintained that she never intended to carry out the threat, her explanation did not prevent criminal charges. Authorities have not publicly established that she possessed a weapon or had taken steps to attack the president.
The case highlights the serious legal consequences that can follow threats against public officials, even when the person responsible later claims the statements were intended as humor.
Albro remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
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