Minneapolis police say FBI has taken over lead in investigating Ilhan Omar being sprayed with liquid

The FBI has taken the lead in the criminal investigation into Rep. Ilhan Omar being sprayed with a liquid as she spoke on Jan. 27 at a town hall meeting in Minneapolis, a police spokesman said.

Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, of Minneapolis remained jailed one day after he allegedly targeted Omar during the public gathering at Urban League headquarters on the North Side.

“The FBI is now leading the investigation,” Trevor Folke, a Minneapolis police spokesman, said on Jan. 28.

The Minnesota Star Tribune has reached out to the FBI to confirm with the agency that it has the lead in the case and what progress has been made.

Kazmierczak was booked into the Hennepin County jail on suspicion of third-degree assault. Charges are now anticipated to be filed in federal court, given the FBI’s lead role.

The Minnesota Star Tribune only identifies suspects before they are charged in rare circumstances.

The U.S. Capitol Police, which investigates threats to lawmakers, said in a statement, “We are now working with our federal partners to see this man faces the most serious charges possible to deter this kind of violence in our society.”

Omar has been the subject of numerous threats and harassment during her political career. In 2023, she told the Star Tribune that she had a 24-hour U.S. Capitol Police security detail for a monthslong period.

In an interview with ABC News later in the evening after the incident, President Donald Trump said he hadn’t seen video of the attack and accused Omar of staging it.

“I think she’s a fraud,” Trump said. He then added, without offering evidence, “She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.”

Trump has frequently criticized Omar and has stepped up verbal attacks on her in recent months as he turned his focus on Minneapolis in connection with cases of fraud involving social service programs and the federal immigration crackdown.

When she was interrupted on Jan. 27, Omar was calling for the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the resignation of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

In a livestream video of the event, a substance is seen hitting Omar as the man yells something at her. In another video captured live by Reuters, the man is shown being grabbed by a security guard as Omar walks toward him. It’s unclear what the man said to Omar.

Multiple security guards held the man down on the floor as crowd members gasped. The man was then led out of the room.

Aides rushed to Omar, and multiple people complained of a smell similar to vinegar or ammonia.

“Here’s the reality that people like this ugly man don’t understand,” Omar said to the gathering. “We are Minnesota strong, and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us.”

Omar continued speaking and taking questions for more than 20 minutes and did not address the incident until after leaving the podium.

Omar’s office said in a statement that she was OK.

The town hall had heavy security, with multiple squad cars stationed outside and metal detectors at the entrance. A police crime lab vehicle was seen parked outside the building after the event.