Tempe PD arrests suspect linked to online Donald Trump Jr. threats

A 24-year-old man has been arrested on multiple counts of online threats when Donald Trump Jr. and Charlie Kirk were in Tempe last week for a political rally.

Daniel Ashpes was taken into custody Oct. 17 after detectives were notified of threatening messages sent in response to an automated mass-messaging system asking for an RSVP to the Turning Point rally at a Tempe hotel.

Kirk is co-founder of Turning Point.

The Tempe Police Department’s Threat Mitigation Unit “launched an immediate investigation and developed probable cause for Ashpes’ arrest that same day,” according to a release.

“In an interview with detectives, Ashpes admitted to sending the messages.”

He was booked into the Tempe City Jail on the following misdemeanor charges - three counts of threatening to cause physical injury to another person and one count of using a phone to threaten or intimidate, police said.

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