The man who allegedly attacked Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar during a town hall Tuesday night was not on Capitol Police’s radar prior to the attack, Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan told CNN in an interview Wednesday.
“I found out almost immediately after it occurred,” Sullivan said. “I was appalled – obviously concerned as the chief of the Capitol Police charged with keeping members of Congress safe. This is one of those things that that keeps you up at night.”
The man, Anthony J. Kazmierczak, 55, was quickly arrested after being restrained by Omar’s private security and booked by police on a third-degree assault charge.
“We’re working with the FBI and the US attorney to see if we can place federal charges,” Sullivan said, adding that Kazmierczak has faced misdemeanor charges in the past, though none were related to actions against members of Congress.
Sullivan said local police were at the scene because of an agreement struck with Capitol Police to assist in members’ protection – a move Sullivan said was crucial for lawmakers’ safety as they travel around the country.
“We now have reach into all 50 states with over 350 agreements with local law enforcement agencies, where we can work out, reach out, coordinate, provide intelligence and then provide resources for them to help support different town hall events like we saw last night,” Sullivan said.
The issue of keeping members of Congress safe outside of the nation’s capital faces significant challenges for the Capitol Police, according to Sullivan, which in 2024 alone tracked and reviewed more than 14,000 potentially threatening messages against lawmakers and Capitol staff.
One officer, Sullivan said, could review hundreds of statements or communications made against lawmakers in a single day.
When asked if Congresswoman Omar would receive additional security from Capitol Police themselves, Sullivan said they conduct “a thorough threat assessment” to evaluate the proper next steps but declined to comment further.
“Obviously we’re not going to discuss individual safety plans,” Sullivan said. “But that’s in coordination with the Sergeant at Arms office and our offices, and then really taking a thorough threat assessment to see what’s best” for each individual situation.