What we know about the man arrested in the attack on Representative Ilhan Omar

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The man accused of spraying an unknown substance on Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar at a town hall in Minneapolis has a criminal history and has made online posts supportive of President Donald Trump.

He watches: A man was arrested after spraying an unknown substance on Representative Ilhan Omar in the Minneapolis City Council

Minnesota court records show Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, was convicted of felony carjacking in 1989, was arrested several times for driving under the influence, and was given several traffic citations. There are also indications that he had major financial problems, including bankruptcy.

Police say Kazmierczak used a syringe to spray liquid on Omar during an event Tuesday after she called for the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the firing or removal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in the wake of the fatal shootings of Renee Judd and Alex Peretti. Officers immediately tackled and arrested Kazmierczak, who was jailed on a charge of third-degree assault, police spokesman Trevor Volk said.

Pictures of the syringe, which fell while the man was handling it, show what appears to be a light brown liquid inside. Authorities have not publicly identified the substance.

After the attack, there was a strong vinegar-like odor in the room, according to an Associated Press journalist who was there. Forensic scientists were called in, but none of the approximately 100 people involved had any noticeable physical reaction to the substance.

Read more: Trump indicates that his change of federal officials in Minnesota may lead to “calming down” matters

Omar continued to speak for about 25 minutes after Kazmierczak was removed, saying she would not be intimidated. While she was leaving, she said that she felt a little confused but was not hurt, and that she would be examined by a medical team.

She later posted on

A Trump supporter

Kazmierczak had not been formally charged or scheduled for an initial court appearance as of Wednesday morning. The Hennepin County Prosecutor’s Office has until Thursday to charge him, but may seek an extension. A spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office did not immediately return a call seeking more information.

It’s not clear if Kazmierczak has an attorney who can speak on his behalf. Michael Berger, the county’s chief public defender, said the case had not been assigned to his office.

A neighbor told the New York Post that Kazmierczak said he was going to Omar’s town hall and “I might get arrested.”

In his social media posts, Kazmierczak described himself as a former network engineer who lives in Minneapolis. Among other things, he made comments critical of former President Joe Biden, a Democrat, and referred to Democrats as “angry and liars.”

Trump, a Republican, “wants a stronger and more prosperous United States,” Kazmierczak wrote. “Stop other countries from stealing from us. Bring back the fear that enemies turn away from and gain respect. If anyone threatens ourselves or our friends we will (expletive) kill them.”

In another post, Kazmierczak asked: “When will descendants of slaves pay reparations to the families of Union soldiers for freeing/dying for them, and not sending them back to Africa?”

In the wake of the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September, Kazmierczak briefly changed his Facebook profile picture to an AP photo of Trump embracing Kirk’s widow, Erica Kirk.

Often at odds with the president

Omar, a progressive, has been a frequent target of Trump’s harsh criticism since joining Congress in 2019.

That year, Trump urged Omar and three other congresswomen of color known as “The Squad” to “go back” to their countries if they wanted to criticize the United States. Ilhan Omar was the only one of the four who was born outside the United States, having immigrated to the country as a child when her family fled violence in Somalia.

Trump has intensified his criticism of Omar in recent months as he shifted his focus to Minneapolis-St. Poole District, which is home to about 84,000 people of Somali origin — roughly one-third of the Somalis living in the United States. During a cabinet meeting in December, he referred to it as “rubbish.” He has linked the Twin Cities immigration crackdown to a series of fraud cases involving government programs with most of the defendants having roots in the East African country.

The White House did not respond to a message on Tuesday seeking comment. But when asked about the attack Tuesday night, Trump told ABC News he had not seen the footage and accused Ilhan Omar of orchestrating the attack. “She probably sprayed herself, and she knows it,” Trump said.

Earlier Tuesday, the president criticized Omar while speaking to a crowd in Iowa, saying his administration would only allow immigrants who “can show they love our country.”

“They should be proud, not like Ilhan Omar,” he said, drawing boos when her name was mentioned.

He added: “It comes from a country that is a disaster. So, I think it might have been taken for granted – it’s not even a country.”

Lawmakers face increasing threats

The attack came days after a man was arrested in Utah for allegedly punching U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, a Democrat from Florida, in the face at a bar during the Sundance Film Festival.

Christian Joel Young, 28, said, “We’re going to deport people like you” before striking the congressman, according to an affidavit of probable cause. Young also said something similar to a woman and pushed her, the affidavit said. On Tuesday, he was charged in state court with two counts of misdemeanor assault and felony burglary for illegally entering the bar.

The judge ordered him held without bail. Young’s lawyer declined to comment.

Threats against members of Congress have increased in recent years, peaking in 2021 after the January 6 attack on the US Capitol building, before declining slightly and rising again, according to the latest figures issued by the US Capitol Police.

After Tuesday’s attack on Omar, the US Capitol Police said in a statement that the agency was “working with our federal partners to see this man face the most serious charges possible to deter this type of violence in our community.”

Lawmakers discussed the impact of the threatening political climate on their ability to hold town hall meetings and hold public events, with some even citing this in their decisions not to seek re-election.

Besecker reported from Washington. Associated Press reporter RJ Rico in Atlanta contributed.