Man charged with threatening to kill Vance and possessing child abuse files

A Man's Threats Against VP Vance Take a Backseat to His Medical Condition.

A 33-year-old man from Toledo, Ohio, has been charged with threatening Vice President JD Vance while he was visiting his home state last month. Shannon Mathre allegedly made the threat using an M14 automatic gun, saying "I am going to find out where he (the vice president) is going to be and use my M14 automatic gun and kill him." However, Mathre's lawyer claims that due to his poor health, it's highly unlikely he could have carried out the threat.

Mathre's lawyers also argue that the medical details of their client would be obvious to anyone in the courtroom. His lawyer stated, "Anyone that spends any time in a room with Mr. Mathre or has any knowledge of his condition -- physical condition, mental condition -- can see that it’s a farce." However, prosecutors say they are taking the threat very seriously.

In addition to the threat charge, Mathre was also charged with possessing digital files depicting child sexual abuse, which carries a 20-year prison sentence. The Justice Department and Secret Service conducted an investigation that went beyond the online threat, examining Mathre's actions and behavior. His phone was seized as part of the investigation.

Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated, "Our attorneys are vigorously prosecuting this disgusting threat against Vice President Vance." The case is being taken seriously by law enforcement officials, who emphasize the importance of zero tolerance for political violence.

Mathre will appear in court again on Wednesday to determine whether he should remain in custody as the case moves forward.

I dont think Mathre's health issues are a good enough excuse for his threats . I mean, yeah, poor guy is clearly not well, but that doesnt mean hes got a free pass to threaten someone just cuz of it . The fact that he's been charged with possessing those child sexual abuse files... thats a whole other level of disturbing . And now the AG is all like "zero tolerance" for political violence? About time . But seriously, Mathre needs to face the consequences of his actions, regardless of his health status . The fact that prosecutors are taking it so seriously shows they're not just blowing this off... fingers crossed he gets a good dose of justice .

So now we gotta worry about some dude's "health" excuses when it comes to threatening the VP? Like, what even is that? If someone's threatening to kill the VP, they're either gonna follow through or not, right? Can't just say "oh I'm too sick" and expect people to take you seriously. This whole thing reeks of a setup job if you ask me...

OMG, can you believe this guy's threats against VP Vance?! His medical condition is like, super obvious and all his lawyer is trying to do is spin it. Like, who tries to make a threat with an automatic gun but then says "I'm too sick" at the same time? It just doesn't add up. And what's even more disturbing is that he's got those digital files of child abuse... that's like, a whole other level of serious.

Anyway, I think law enforcement should keep taking this guy seriously, you know? Threatening a VP is NO JOKE and we can't let it slide. Maybe if people saw the severity of his condition, they'd be more worried about him than his threats. But for now, it's all about keeping him in check and making sure he doesn't do anything crazy. Fingers crossed that justice will be served

I gotta say, if Shannon Mathre's health is really that bad, maybe this whole thing is just a smokescreen. Like, his lawyers are trying to downplay it so much it sounds fishy. And what's with all the secrecy around his medical condition? Are they hiding something? I'm not saying he didn't make a threat or anything, but come on, we shouldn't be so quick to assume he'd actually carry out something like that just because of a few health issues. It's like, we need to keep an eye on this case and make sure it doesn't get swept under the rug. And what about the digital files thing? That's some serious red flag stuff right there...

this whole thing feels kinda off... I mean, I get it, we gotta take threats against public figures seriously but is it really necessary to bring up his medical condition like that? seems a bit insensitive to me especially when there's more serious stuff going on with those digital files... 20 years in prison for possessing child sexual abuse material? that's just messed up I'm not saying Mathre deserves leniency or anything, but it feels like we're trying to spin this whole thing around his health instead of focusing on the actual threat anyway, gotta wait and see how this all plays out

I mean come on ... this guy Shannon Mathre is a total weirdo, right? I remember back in 2015, some guy like that was all over the news for making threats against President Obama. And can you believe he got arrested with those digital files showing him watching kiddie vids online? I mean, I'm all for harsh penalties, but this dude's gotta be a real psycho.

And now, the VP is in the hot seat ... I just hope some actual threat gets taken seriously. Mathre's lawyer saying he can't be taken seriously because of his health? That sounds like a pretty weak excuse to me . It's always about "my doctor said" this or that... but we're not here to talk about him, we should focus on keeping our leaders safe .

The fact they're taking this super seriously is good news, though . No room for political violence, you know? That would be totally unacceptable . I just hope Mathre gets some real help and not just a slap on the wrist... poor dude's gotta get some serious therapy or something .

I don't get why the cops are so worked up about this guy's threats against VP Vance... like, yeah, it's not cool, but threatening someone with a gun is just basic common sense stuff right? And then there's this other thing he's charged with, possessing digital files of child abuse... that's straight-up disgusting. But what I'm trying to say is, can't we be having this conversation about something more pressing than some guy waving a gun around online? The fact that his lawyers are playing the "my client's sick" card just feels like a weak attempt to downplay the severity of the situation... and honestly, it kinda works. Like, I'm not buying it, but maybe it'll make him look less guilty in the eyes of some people...

this whole thing just feels so... formulaic. you know? like the threat was threatening, but the man wasn't really capable of following through on it due to his medical condition . and then the lawyers come in and they're all like "oh, our client's health is public knowledge, we can use that to deflect blame" . meanwhile, the prosecutors are just trying to make an example out of him, you know? like a cautionary tale about how taking threats seriously isn't optional .

and what really gets me is the zero tolerance policy for political violence . i mean, isn't that just code for "we'll lock up anyone who disagrees with us" ? it's always about finding these gray areas and using them to control people's behavior . anyway, can we talk about something else? my blog post on the importance of using bullet points in journalism is due soon

u guys gotta calm down about this one... Shannon Mathre's threat against VP Vance is pretty serious, but his lawyers saying his health issues make it unlikely for him to carry out the threat kinda softens the blow, you know? still, 20 years for possessing digital files of child abuse is a whole other level of disturbing... that's some heavy stuff right there. prosecutors say they're taking the threat super seriously, which is good because it should be - VP Vance is someone who deserves protection, for sure! what's crazy is that his phone was seized as part of the investigation, so we know he was actively trying to contact or find a way to get to the VP... anyway, hope Shannon Mathre gets some help and gets treatment for his health issues soon. That's gotta be tough for him too.

OMG , can't believe this guy was threatening our VP like that ! But for real though, poor Shannon Mathre seems to have some serious health issues going on . Like, his lawyer is totally right, it's not even a joke how bad he's struggling with his physical and mental health . I'm all about being taken seriously by law enforcement, but at the same time, we gotta make sure we're not too harsh on him because of those medical conditions . 20 years in prison for child sexual abuse files is just nasty . Hope he gets the help he needs and that justice is served #JusticeForVPVance #TakeCareOfShannonMathre

OMG, this guy Shannon Mathre sounds super scary ! I mean, threatening a VP with an M14 gun is just NOT okay . But I'm glad his lawyers are focusing on his health issues, 'cause that's some serious red flag stuff right there . Poor dude's got some major medical conditions going on, and it's good they're not glossing over that. The digital files thing? Ugh, just... *shudders* . 20 years in prison would be a good fit for that one, imo .

I do think the authorities are taking this seriously, though - 0 tolerance for political violence is SO important ! We can't let people like Shannon Mathre spread fear and hatred wherever they go. I'm rooting for VP Vance and the team working to keep him safe . Fingers crossed Shannon gets some help and support for his health, too .

I'm so confused about this story . Like, isn't it weird that someone's medical condition is even an issue here? I mean, can't they just... I don't know, get treatment or something and be like a normal person again? But no, instead we're dealing with threats and child sexual abuse charges. Ugh, my mind is blown . And what's up with the automatic gun thing? Like, wouldn't that be super hard to carry around in real life? Did they have to take it apart or something? Also, can we talk about Vice President Vance for a sec? Is he like a superhero or something?

Can you believe what this guy Mathre was threatening our VP Vance with?! Using an M14 automatic gun is crazy talk! And now we find out his medical condition has taken a backseat to the threat? It's like, I get it, poor dude needs help and all, but threats are still major no-noes. He's got some serious explaining to do on that digital child abuse thing too... 20 years is not a sentence to mess with . And yeah, the law enforcement is being super strict about this one - good for them!

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole thing... Like, I get that Shannon Mathre's health is a huge factor here - it's crazy to think that someone could be charged with making threats against the VP and possibly even commit a crime if they were in any shape to do so. But at the same time, you can't help but feel like this whole thing is being used as a distraction. I mean, what about the fact that he was accused of possessing child sexual abuse files? That's some serious stuff right there...

And let's not forget that his lawyer basically said that anyone with 5 seconds of common sense would know that Mathre wasn't capable of following through on those threats. Which raises some questions - what exactly is going to happen in court when it comes down to the wire? Are we really just going to assume that because someone can barely walk without needing an oxygen tank, they're incapable of doing something that could potentially harm a lot of people?

It's not like I'm saying Mathre is innocent or anything... but can't we just consider all the facts before we jump to conclusions about his intentions?

Ugh this guy Shannon Mathre is crazy ! Threatening a VP? that's like, major red flag . But yeah, his health issues are kinda weird ... I mean, if he really can't carry out the threat, then why not just say so? Like, own up to it or don't make threats at all?

And OMG possessing digital files of child abuse is like, totally NOT OKAY . That's some seriously dark stuff . He should be in way more trouble than just a threat charge .

I guess the Justice Department and Secret Service are taking it super serious ... good for them ! Can't let people just go around threatening VPs or anything else that's like, super sensitive .

idk how serious the authorities are about this one . sure, it's sickening that this guy threatened the VP and has some sketchy digital files, but isn't it weird that his lawyer is basically saying his medical condition makes him unable to carry out the threat? sounds a bit convenient to me . also, why not share more info about what exactly his health is like? we don't know much about this guy's mental state other than he has some issues, so maybe there's more to it than meets the eye...