A man was arrested Tuesday night after confronting Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., at a Minneapolis town hall and attempting to spray her with a liquid substance, authorities said.
The suspect, identified in the Hennepin County Jail roster as Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, was taken into custody on suspicion of third-degree assault. He has not yet been formally charged.
The incident unfolded moments after Omar sharply criticized the Trump administration, calling for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be abolished and demanding that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem resign or face impeachment.
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According to witnesses and video from the event, Kazmierczak walked down the center aisle and sprayed a liquid toward Omar, prompting a security guard to tackle him to the ground. A voice in the crowd can be heard saying, “Oh my God, he sprayed something on her,” adding that the substance had a foul odor.
Minneapolis police said officers observed the man use a syringe to spray an “unknown liquid” at Omar. Forensic scientists were called to the scene to analyze the substance, police said.
“Representative Omar was uninjured and resumed speaking at the event,” the Minneapolis Police Department said in a statement.
Omar briefly paused as local leaders urged her to leave the room and seek medical evaluation, but she declined.
“That is what they want,” she said, before continuing. “We will continue. These f—— a–holes are not going to get away with this.”
Her office later said on X that Omar “is okay” and chose to continue the town hall “because she doesn’t let bullies win.”
Federal response and condemnation
The U.S. Capitol Police said the suspect made “an unacceptable decision that will be met with swift justice,” adding that federal authorities are working to ensure he faces the most serious charges possible.
“We are grateful for the rapid response of onsite security and our local law enforcement partners,” the agency said.
Speaking to reporters afterward, Omar said she was unfazed by the attack.
“I survived war, and I’m definitely going to survive intimidation and whatever these people think that they can throw at me,” she said. “Because I’m built that way.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump attacks and political context
Omar has long been a target of attacks by President Donald Trump, who mocked her and her native Somalia during a rally in Iowa earlier Tuesday, saying immigrants must “show that they can love our country … not like Ilhan Omar.”
On Monday, Trump said the Justice Department and Congress were “looking at” Omar, without elaborating.
The town hall incident occurred amid already heightened tensions in Minneapolis following the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers this month, events that have sparked protests and calls for de-escalation.
Bipartisan condemnation
Lawmakers from both parties swiftly condemned the attack.
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., who has frequently criticized Omar, wrote on X that she was “deeply disturbed.”
“Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric — and I do — no elected official should face physical attacks,” Mace wrote. “This is not who we are.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he was “horrified,” calling the incident “political violence of any kind,” while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer described it as “a despicable act of political violence and intimidation.”
Other lawmakers, including Reps. Pete Stauber of Minnesota, Mark Alford of Missouri and Tom Barrett of Michigan, also condemned the assault.
Suspect background
Public records show Kazmierczak has a limited criminal history dating back to 1989, when he pleaded guilty to unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. It was unclear whether he served jail time or was placed on probation.
Rising threats against officials
The incident adds to a growing list of threats and attacks against elected officials nationwide. U.S. Capitol Police said in an annual report released Tuesday that it investigated 14,938 concerning statements and threats directed at members of Congress and their families last year — a sharp increase from 9,474 in 2024 and the third consecutive annual rise.
