A Texas man accused of plotting an attack on the Texas State Capitol allegedly told a friend he planned to open fire at the building and expressed anger toward a prominent pro-Israel group, according to an arrest affidavit cited by NBC 5.
Benny Caldera Jr., 40, of Converse, is in federal custody after state authorities arrested him early Wednesday on a felony charge of making a terroristic threat against a public servant.
The friend told investigators that Caldera threatened to shoot up the Capitol and said people associated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, known as AIPAC, needed to be exterminated, NBC 5 reported, citing the affidavit.
The alleged attack was planned for Thursday, Oct. 1, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit the state on the same day.
DPS said it received “credible information about an individual planning a violent attack” Tuesday evening. State investigators worked through the night with the FBI and local law enforcement before SWAT officers arrested Caldera at his Converse home around 3 a.m. Wednesday.
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He was booked into the Bexar County Jail, where bond on the state charge was set at $75,000.
DPS later pushed back on reports that Caldera had been freed on bond. The FBI arrested him at the jail Wednesday evening on additional federal charges connected to the alleged plot, and he was transferred into federal custody.
The department said he is not out on bond. The specific federal charges have not been disclosed.
NBC 5 also reported that Bexar County court records show Caldera was charged with unlicensed carrying of a weapon in November 2023. The station did not report the outcome of that case.
State lawmakers were notified about the threat and arrest Wednesday. The Texas State Capitol remains open during regular operating hours, with heightened security in place.
DPS said there is no reason to believe an ongoing threat remains to the Capitol, lawmakers, staff or the public. The investigation continues.
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[ H/T Trending Politics ]
