Man Who Sprayed Rep. Ilhan Omar With Vinegar Sentenced After Plea Deal
On Thursday, September 17, 2026, U.S. District Judge Joan N. Ericksen sentenced 56-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak to 14 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for spraying Rep. Ilhan Omar at a Minneapolis town hall.[1]
The sentence followed a plea deal with federal prosecutors, court records show.[2] Prosecutors say Kazmierczak used a syringe to spray a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water on Omar; her security guards tackled him immediately and she was not physically injured.[2]
The attack occurred at a January 27, 2026 town hall in Minneapolis where Omar was calling for the resignation of then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem amid an immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities region.[2] The government's sentencing memorandum said Kazmierczak texted at least three people beforehand, arranged dog care, sought a bail-bond contact and bought tickets weeks in advance, facts Judge Ericksen said showed premeditation.[1]
At the hearing Kazmierczak, who has Parkinson's disease and a history of mental-health struggles and alcohol abuse, apologized to Omar and said, "I really apologize to her for having put her through that." PBS News Court filings also note prosecutors say he pleaded guilty to assaulting a U.S. officer and that investigators determined the sprayed liquid was a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar.[1] Prosecutors' files and reporting also described his social media posts praising Donald Trump and criticizing Democrats.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On Thursday, September 17, 2026, U.S. District Judge Joan N. Ericksen sentenced 56‑year‑old Anthony Kazmierczak to 14 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for spraying Rep. Ilhan Omar at a January 27, 2026 town hall in Minneapolis (Joan N. Ericksen).
- The New York Times reports the 14‑month sentence was imposed on September 17, 2026 specifically following a plea deal with federal prosecutors.
- Prosecutors say Kazmierczak used a syringe to spray a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water on Omar; her security guards tackled him immediately and Omar was not physically injured.
- The attack occurred at a January 27, 2026 town-hall meeting in Minneapolis where Omar was criticizing the Trump administration–era immigration response and calling for the resignation of then–Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
- The government’s sentencing memorandum said Kazmierczak texted at least three people beforehand indicating he planned to do something, arranged dog care and sought a bail‑bond contact; Judge Ericksen emphasized the attack was premeditated and noted he obtained tickets weeks in advance.
- At the hearing, prosecutors and court filings noted Kazmierczak, who has Parkinson's disease and a documented history of mental and emotional health issues and alcohol abuse, apologized to Omar.
- Prosecutors said Kazmierczak pleaded guilty to assaulting a U.S. officer, and investigators determined the sprayed liquid was a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar.
- Court filings and reporting place the January 27 attack amid an immigration crackdown in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area and describe Kazmierczak’s social media posts praising Donald Trump and criticizing Democrats, providing context for the incident.
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- On Thursday, September 17, 2026, U.S. District Judge Joan N. Ericksen sentenced 56-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak in Minneapolis to 14 months in prison and three years of supervised release for spraying Rep. Ilhan Omar with liquid from a syringe at a January 27, 2026 town hall.
- Judge Ericksen emphasized that the attack was premeditated, noting Kazmierczak obtained tickets weeks in advance and stating that attacking a public figure is "misguided, selfish, and inconsistent with any concept of a free or democratic society."
- During the hearing, Kazmierczak, who has Parkinson's disease and a documented history of mental and emotional health issues and alcohol abuse, apologized to Omar, saying, "I really apologize to her for having put her through that," and acknowledged he had "spent enough time in jail thinking."
- The government’s sentencing memorandum, described in the article, says Kazmierczak texted at least three people before the town hall indicating he planned to do something involving Omar but refused to explain his intent, and that he arranged dog care and asked a neighbor for bail bond contact information.
- Prosecutors and the memo noted that Kazmierczak pleaded guilty to assaulting a U.S. officer and that investigators determined the sprayed liquid was a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar.
- The article newly details Kazmierczak’s social media posts praising Donald Trump, criticizing Joe Biden and calling Democrats "angry and liars," as well as situating the January 27 attack amid an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis-St. Paul that had prompted protests, arrests and two citizen deaths at the hands of federal officers.
- The New York Times confirms that Anthony J. Kazmierczak’s 14-month federal prison sentence was imposed on Thursday, September 17, 2026, specifically "following a plea deal with federal prosecutors."
- The article specifies the attack occurred at a January 2026 town-hall meeting in Minneapolis where Ilhan Omar was calling for the resignation of then–Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during an immigration crackdown.
- It details that prosecutors say Kazmierczak used a syringe to spray a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water on Omar, and that her security guards tackled him immediately; Omar was not physically injured.