Who attacked Ilhan Omar at the town hall meeting in Minneapolis? What we know about the attack

U.S. Representative from Minnesota Ilhan Omar was giving a speech at a town hall meeting in Minneapolis on Tuesday evening when she was attacked by a man in attendance. Police have identified him as Anthony Kazmierczak.

The 55-year-old man got up from his front-row seat, while Omar was calling for ICE to be abolished and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment. He then approached her and sprayed an “unknown,” foul-smelling liquid from a syringe, reportedly shouting “you must resign” at the congresswoman. He was quickly tackled by security and arrested.

Omar was not injured in the attack and “is okay,” according to a statement. After asking for a napkin to clean off the liquid, she continued with her speech “because she doesn’t let bullies win.”

Kazmierczak is being held at the Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of third-degree assault, Minneapolis police said in a statement. Minneapolis forensic scientists are investigating the scene.

Who is Anthony Kazmierczak, the person that attacked Ilhan Omar?

Omar’s alleged assailant appears to have planned his actions ahead of time, according to information his neighbor Brian Kelley shared with The New York Post. Kelly told the publication that Kazmierczak had asked him if he could watch his dog while he attended “this Omar thing,” adding that “I might get arrested.”

Kelly thought his neighbor was just talking “nonsense” and figured at worse “he’d stand up and say something stupid.” While Kelly couldn’t imagine Kazmierczak assaulting or spraying somebody he told The NY Post: “I’m surprised, but not overly surprised.”

According to Kelly, Kazmierczak is a “pretty conservative guy,” but that “he doesn’t say much about stuff, but he’ll send articles and posts about different things.” On his Facebook page he has shared photos supporting President Donald Trump and critical of Omar, who he “doesn’t like,” said Kelly. The congresswoman has been a constant target of Trump, including during a rally in Iowa on Tuesday afternoon.

The neighbor shared with The NY Post that because of a car crash years ago that affected his spine, Kazmierczak has been “heavily medicated” since and that he’s “not very physically able to do much.” Kelly also informed the newspaper that his neighbor has Parkinson’s.

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