Summary
Stated intent to kill Trump to prevent his election; told investigators he had been planning the attempt for approximately one year.
"Told investigators he tried to grab the officer's gun 'to shoot and kill Trump.'"
Key facts
- Approached officer asking for Trump's autograph before lunging for the holstered pistol
- Had overstayed a tourist visa-waiver and was in the U.S. illegally at the time
- Pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm
- Defence attorneys argued autism and OCD; judge cited prior planning as aggravating
Perpetrator profile
- Full name
- Michael Steven Sandford
- Age at time
- 20
- Date of birth
- 1995-08-13
- Gender
- Male
- Race / ethnicity
- White
- Nationality
- British
- Residence
- Hoboken, NJ (overstayed 90-day visa-waiver)
- Education
- Did not complete secondary school in UK per defence filings
- Occupation
- Unemployed; living out of his car in the months prior
- Political affiliation
- Anti-Trump (no party affiliation reported)
- Mental health (reported)
- Diagnosed with autism / Asperger's syndrome, OCD, anorexia; prior suicide attempt; once escaped a UK psychiatric hospital
- Prior criminal record
- None reported
- Acted alone
- Yes
- Prior weapons training
- Single session at Battlefield Vegas firing range two days before attempt — first time he had ever fired a gun
- Online footprint
- Minimal documented online activity; planning carried out largely in person and via travel
- Family background
- From Dorking, Surrey, UK; parents Lynne and Paul Sandford publicly stated their son was mentally ill and pleaded for leniency
Attempt & outcome
- Weapons & equipment
- Attempted to seize officer's Glock 17 (9mm)
- Rounds fired — perpetrator
- 0
- Rounds fired — law enforcement
- 0
- Distance to target
- —
- Trump present
- Yes
- Trump injured
- No
- Bystander casualties
- 0 killed · 0 injured
- Law-enforcement casualties
- 0 killed · 0 injured
- Current status
- Convicted & deported
- Sentence
- 12 months and 1 day in federal prison; deported to UK after 11 months
- Preparation
- Drove from New Jersey to Las Vegas; visited a firing range to practice with a 9mm Glock; approached officer under guise of asking for Trump's autograph
Coverage timeline 11 articles
- 2016 Donald Trump Las Vegas rally incident Wikipedia
Comprehensive public-record summary of the incident, charges, plea, and deportation.
- British man who tried to kill Trump released from prison, deported to UK Fox News
Sandford released after 11 months and deported to the United Kingdom.
- British man arrested at Trump rally sentenced on weapon and disruption charges U.S. Secret Service
Secret Service confirms 12-month-and-one-day federal sentence.
- British man gets 1 year in prison for trying to kill Trump at Las Vegas rally Las Vegas Review-Journal
Local coverage of the sentencing hearing with credit for time served.
- British man arrested at Trump rally pleads guilty U.S. Department of Justice
DOJ Nevada announces Sandford's plea to firearm and disruption counts.
- British man in alleged plot to kill Donald Trump pleads not guilty NBC News
Sandford enters a not-guilty plea to federal weapons and disruption charges.
- British man accused of trying to kill Trump acted 'weird' before rally Washington Post
Gun range staff describe Sandford's behaviour two days before the rally attempt.
- Man arrested at Trump rally said he wanted to shoot candidate CNBC
Court papers detail year-long planning and visa overstay.
- Man arrested at rally wanted to 'shoot and kill' Trump NPR
Federal complaint filed in Nevada charging Sandford with violence on restricted grounds.
- Man who attempted to grab gun at rally wanted 'to kill Trump' CNN
Court documents reveal the suspect told agents he intended to shoot Trump dead.
- Man arrested at Trump rally tried to grab officer's gun CBS News
Breaking news: 20-year-old grabbed for a Las Vegas officer's Glock at the Treasure Island rally.