Suspect in Ilhan Omar Town Hall Chemical Spray Attack Identified as Anthony Kazmierczak, Faces Third‑Degree Assault Charge
Minneapolis police identified the man who rushed Rep. Ilhan Omar during a Minneapolis town hall and sprayed her with a foul‑smelling, unknown liquid delivered from a syringe as 55‑year‑old Anthony (James) Kazmierczak; officers immediately took him into custody and he was booked into Hennepin County Jail on a third‑degree assault charge. The attack — which occurred as Omar was calling for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to resign and advocating abolishing ICE — prompted forensic and U.S. Capitol Police follow‑up; Omar declined immediate medical attention, continued the event, and later said she was “ok” and would not be intimidated.
📌 Key Facts
- At a Minneapolis town hall, Rep. Ilhan Omar was sprayed with an unknown liquid while she was speaking — at the time she was calling to abolish ICE and urging DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or be impeached.
- Video and witness accounts show a man rushing from the front row, spraying Omar with a substance delivered via a syringe; he was immediately apprehended and handcuffed on site.
- Photographs and on‑scene reports describe a syringe with a light‑brown liquid on the floor and a strong, vinegarlike/foul smell, but the chemical composition remains unknown and forensic scientists responded to the scene; no immediate physical reactions were reported.
- Rep. Omar declined to leave, continued the event for about 25 minutes, and posted afterward that she was "ok," would not be intimidated and called the assailant a "small agitator."
- Minneapolis police identified the suspect as 55‑year‑old Anthony (James) Kazmierczak; he was booked into the Hennepin County Jail and charged with third‑degree assault.
- U.S. Capitol Police said they will work with partners to pursue the most serious charges possible against anyone who assaults a member of Congress.
- Reporting on Kazmierczak includes prior DWI convictions (2009 and 2010) and a neighbor’s account that he texted days earlier saying he "might get arrested" and asking someone to watch his dog, which has been cited as a possible sign of premeditation.
- News outlets placed the incident in a broader context of rising threats to members of Congress, noting a sharp increase in Capitol Police threat assessments between 2024 and 2025 and referencing other recent attacks on lawmakers.
📰 Source Timeline (11)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 28, 2026
5:03 PM
Man accused of spraying Omar has criminal record as congresswoman vows 'a--holes' won't win
New information:
- Suspect is identified as 55‑year‑old Anthony James Kazmierczak, with Minneapolis police confirming the name and age.
- He has prior DWI convictions in 2009 and 2010; records show one day in jail plus five years’ supervised probation for the 2010 case and 30 days’ home detention for 2009.
- Kazmierczak was formally charged with third‑degree assault and booked into the Hennepin County Jail after allegedly spraying Omar with a foul‑smelling chemical.
- A neighbor says Kazmierczak texted days before the event, asked him to watch his dog and said he 'might get arrested' at the Omar town hall, suggesting some premeditation.
- The article includes extended quotes from Omar at the event, where she labeled ICE a 'rogue agency' and repeated graphic allegations about ICE conduct, and reiterated her push for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s resignation or impeachment.
3:27 PM
Latest news on Minnesota unrest after man charges at Rep. Ilhan Omar, Trump threatens Frey
New information:
- CBS frames the Omar incident and Trump’s public warning to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey together as part of 'latest news' on heightened tensions in Minnesota.
- The segment explicitly links ongoing Trump‑administration efforts to 'mitigate the fallout' from the recent fatal shooting by federal immigration agents with the new town‑hall security incident and presidential rhetoric.
- It reinforces that tensions remain high statewide and that top Trump officials are doing visible damage control while protests and scrutiny of Operation Metro Surge continue.
1:14 PM
Man charges at Rep. Ilhan Omar at town hall and sprays unknown substance
New information:
- Confirms that Omar was in the middle of calling for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to step down when the man rushed her and sprayed the substance.
- States that Omar did not appear to be physically hurt in the incident.
1:10 PM
Eye Opener: Rep. Ilhan Omar attacked at town hall in Minneapolis
New information:
- CBS frames the incident in its national morning 'Eye Opener' segment as a top‑of‑day news item, reinforcing that the attack is being treated as a significant national story.
- The segment explicitly characterizes the episode as an 'attack' in the context of a broader daily roundup that also highlights major winter‑storm impacts.
10:00 AM
Rep. Ilhan Omar attacked at town hall, sprayed with "unknown liquid"
New information:
- Confirms Minneapolis police observation that the suspect used a syringe to spray an unknown liquid onto Rep. Ilhan Omar.
- Identifies the suspect by name as 55‑year‑old Anthony Kazmierczak and specifies he was booked on a third‑degree assault charge.
- Places the incident in the moment Omar was calling for abolishing ICE and impeaching DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
- Adds U.S. Capitol Police data that threat cases against members of Congress rose from just under 9,500 in 2024 to nearly 15,000 in 2025, framing a broader surge in threats.
- Includes Omar’s public reaction on X, saying, “I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work.”
9:25 AM
Suspect identified after Rep. Ilhan Omar accosted at Minneapolis town hall
New information:
- Minneapolis Police publicly identified the suspect as 55‑year‑old Anthony Kazmierczak.
- Rep. Ilhan Omar posted that she is "ok" and described the man as a "small agitator" who would not intimidate her, thanking constituents for support.
- U.S. Capitol Police stated they will work with partners to pursue "the most serious charges possible" to deter similar attacks and said the man is in custody after deciding to "assault a Member of Congress."
4:53 AM
Man arrested after spraying unknown substance on Rep. Ilhan Omar at Minneapolis town hall
New information:
- Police identified the suspect as 55‑year‑old Anthony Kazmierczak and booked him into county jail on third‑degree assault.
- Minneapolis police say officers saw Kazmierczak use a syringe to spray an unknown liquid at Rep. Ilhan Omar; forensic scientists responded to the scene.
- An AP journalist on site reported a strong, vinegarlike smell and photos show a syringe with light‑brown liquid on the floor, though no immediate physical reactions were reported.
- Omar continued the event for about 25 minutes afterward, later saying, “I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me,” and posting that she would not let “bullies win.”
- The piece situates the incident directly in the context of Omar’s on‑stage call to abolish ICE and force DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s resignation or impeachment, and notes Trump’s same‑day attacks on Omar in Iowa.
2:54 AM
Rep. Ilhan Omar rushed on stage and sprayed with liquid at town hall event
New information:
- Confirms the substance was delivered via a syringe, visible on the ground in photographs from the scene.
- Clarifies the sequence: Omar had just called for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment over the Alex Pretti killing when the assailant rushed the stage.
- Reports that Omar declined to leave, told aides 'We will continue,' and continued the town hall after being sprayed.
- Provides Omar’s post‑event social‑media statement that she is 'ok' and 'will not be intimidated,' and her 'Minnesota strong' framing.
- Notes Omar’s office says the assailant is now in custody and that the substance 'smelled bad,' but its composition is still unknown.
- Places the attack in the broader context of rising threats against members of Congress, with Capitol Police working through roughly 14,000 threat assessment cases in 2025 and referencing a separate recent assault on Rep. Maxwell Frost.
1:29 AM
Man charges at Rep. Ilhan Omar and sprays her with unknown substance during Minneapolis town hall
New information:
- CBS News video confirms the man rushed from the front row toward Rep. Ilhan Omar and sprayed her with an unknown substance during the town hall.
- The clip shows that he was immediately apprehended on site and that Omar chose to continue the event after the attack.
- Audience audio in the CBS segment captures profanity and visible alarm in the room as the incident unfolded.
1:26 AM
Man sprays Rep. Ilhan Omar with unknown substance at town hall
New information:
- Confirms the incident occurred while Omar was speaking against ICE and calling for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to resign.
- States that the male assailant rushed from the front row, sprayed her with an 'unknown liquid' while yelling, and was immediately handcuffed and removed.
- Quotes Omar’s refusal to leave the stage and her statement 'We will continue. This f***ing a**hole is not going to get away with it!'
- Includes witness description that the substance 'smells so bad' and that Omar was urged to get medically checked but initially declined.
- Notes that CBS News has requested further details from Omar’s office, U.S. Capitol Police and Minneapolis police, indicating formal law‑enforcement follow‑up is underway.