El Paso man arrested for video threat to kill protesters

He told FBI he had been drinking, didn't remember

Police deploy smoke bombs and tear gas as they surround protesters who marched onto the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge while demonstrating against police brutality on Monday, June 1, 2020, in Dallas. The hundreds of protesters were surrounded and detained by police on the bridge and transported to the Dallas County Jail where they were later released. (Ryan Michalesko/The Dallas Morning News via AP) (Ryan Michalesko, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS)

EL PASO, Texas – An El Paso man who allegedly threatened to kill Black Lives Matter protesters in a video posted online has been arrested and faces a federal charge of making a threat over the internet, the FBI said.

FBI agents arrested 42-year-old Manuel Flores Monday morning. He's accused of recording and uploading a video on YouTube making threats to shoot Black Lives Matter protesters in the Dallas area, daring activists to “stop him,” according to El Paso Times.

Recommended Videos



In the video, what appears to be an AR-15 riffle can be seen at the feet of a man who the FBI later identified as Flores, authorities said in a news release.

The investigation began Saturday following an online tip where the FBI tracked down the posting to Flores' phone.

Flores told agents he had been drinking and didn't remember what he said on the video, according to the complaint. He video has since been deleted.

Flores remains in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service awaiting transfer to El Paso. If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison.


Recommended Videos