KEY POINTS

  • Yuri Silva was arrested after being identified of making multiple threats of violence against police
  • The arrest came after West Valley City Police and the FBI were reportedly warned about Silva's threats
  • Silva was located in a vehicle on his way to the protests
  • The driver was also detained 

While protests in Salt Lake City, Utah, were "mostly peaceful” by authorities, one man had plans to break that peace but was arrested while making his way to join a demonstration.

27-year-old Yuri Neves Silva was taken into custody Monday (June 1) after the West Valley City Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were reportedly warned about his threats against law enforcement.

The West Valley City Police said in a Twitter post that Silva had been identified as the source of multiple threats of violence against police. He specifically targeted the Salt Lake City Police and police officers of West Valley Police, said the statement.

police line
Representation image of a crime scene. Gerd Altmann/ Pixabay

Silva, a resident of West Valley City, was on his way to the protests when he was located in a vehicle. A traffic stop was then conducted. After executing a search warrant, authorities recovered four firearms inside the vehicle, including an AK-47 and an Uzi with an attached silencer. Several rounds were also found.

The driver of the vehicle, 27-year-old Christian Hernandez, was also detained.

West Valley City Police spokeswoman Roxeanne Vainuku told Deseret that while the suspects' “potential motive” was not immediately available, police had reason to believe that they were going to the protests to “cause trouble.”

Police also pointed out that Silva had encouraged others to “take up arms” against authorities and even had a list containing the names and addresses of “specific officers” to be targeted, said Fox News.

A search warrant was also executed at Hernadez's home where additional electronic evidence was recovered, police said.

“The suspect denied wanting to shoot police officers but admitted his Facebook posts were intended to incite people,” said Deseret, citing a statement from the affidavit, adding that marijuana and one handgun were also found in the vehicle alongside “three long rifles.”

“With the severity of the threats, accompanied by the firearms located, we have every reason to believe that these arrests potentially saved lives,” Vainuku said, through Fox News.

Silva was arrested for investigation of making a terroristic threat, while Hernandez was arrested for investigation of possession of a firearm by a restricted person and drug possession.

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