Unsettling Manifesto Discovered At Minnesota Library Sparks Arrest

MINNEAPOLIS (WJON News) -- A Minnesota man has been arrested for allegedly threatening to murder a federal judge.

According to the criminal complaint, on Wednesday, law enforcement responded to the Wayzata Library based on a report of a man printing off copies of a manifesto entitled, "How to Kill a Federal Judge".

Seventy-two-year-old Robert Ivers allegedly showed the manifesto to library staff, including a page that talked about killing children and had a picture of a gun on it. He also gave library staff a three-page 'flyer' advertising his manifesto before he left the library. The flyer said it was "designed to teach extremists on how to plan, train, hunt, stalk, and kill anyone, including judges, their family members, politicians, and more."

Law enforcement searched Ivers's vehicle and found a photo of the former Pope with crosshairs on his head, twenty copies of a spiral-bound printed book titled "How to Kill a Federal Judge" by Robert Ivers, and lists of federal judges, among other items.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson says,

At a time when Minnesota is reeling from acts of violence, the last thing we need is someone spreading fear into our churches, libraries, and courts.  Ivers's threats are bone-chilling. After the past few months, we are not taking any chances.

Earlier, on August 28th, Ivers had been reported for concerning behavior at an Episcopal Church in Minnetonka. He attended multiple services and told church members that he planned to attend upcoming church events.

In 2019, Ivers was convicted at trial of threatening to kill a federal judge.