A suspect was arrested for threatening Texas lawmakers just hours after a gunman assassinated a Minnesota lawmaker and wounded another over the weekend.
The Texas Capitol in Austin was shut down by police Saturday after receiving a credible threat to lawmakers planning on attending a “No Kings” protest later in the day, police said.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the Capitol and the Capitol grounds were evacuated,” the Texas Department of Public Safety said in a statement.
“DPS will collaborate with all local, state and federal law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of our citizens and state property, as well as to protect individuals exercising their constitutional rights to assemble and free speech,” Texas police said.
Later in the day, a Texas state trooper arrested a suspect in connection with the threat during a traffic stop near La Grange, a town an hour’s drive southwest of Austin, according to police.
Police did not identify the suspect.
“Currently, there is no additional active threat,” DPS said in a news release.
The “No Kings” protest at the Texas Capitol was scheduled to begin at 5 p.m., according to the website for the demonstration.
The Texas threat came just hours after a masked gunman posing as a police officer allegedly assassinated a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband and wounded another state rep and his wife in what officials described as a “targeted attack.” The suspect, Vance Boelter, 57, was arrested Sunday night after an extensive manhunt.
Texas politicians from both sides of the political spectrum weighed in on the threat and the wider concern over violence targeting politicians.
“Death threats are sadly a part of serving in public life today. Legislators don’t talk about it often, but the state gets dozens of threats monthly,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in a post on X.
Patrick said most tend to be from people who “go too far” in calls or emails, and they quickly recant when confronted. But he said all of the threats need to be taken “seriously.”
“There’s a difference between free speech complaints, which we welcome, and making death threats. The latter can be a crime,” he wrote. “What happened today in Minnesota was an absolute criminal act and a tragic loss of life.”
In a statement, Rep. Rhetta Bowers (D-Garland) condemned the violence against lawmakers in Minnesota and warned of the prospect of more to come.
“I have seen the growing threats targeting elected officials across our country,” Bowers said. “Today’s events are a tragic reminder that these threats are not abstract — they are real, they are escalating, and they strike at the very heart of our democracy.”
“Public service,” she added, “should never come at the cost of our safety or our lives.”
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott released a statement echoing the Democrat.
“The Governor and First Lady fully condemn the heinous acts of violence in Minnesota and are praying for the Hortman and Hoffman families during this difficult time,” it read. “State officials should be able to do their duty free from political intimidation.”
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