The man accused of squirting an unknown substance on Democratic US Rep. Ilhan Omar at a town hall in Minneapolis has a criminal history and has made online posts supportive of President Trump. Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, was convicted of felony auto theft in 1989, has been arrested multiple times for driving under the influence, and has had numerous traffic citations, Minnesota court records show. There are also indications he has had significant financial problems, including two bankruptcy filings, the AP reports. The New York Times reports that his first DUI arrest came days after his wife filed for divorce in 2009. He remarried in 2013, but the marriage ended four years later.
Police say Kazmierczak used a syringe to squirt liquid on Omar during Tuesday's event after she called for the abolishment of ICE and the firing or impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem following the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Officers immediately tackled and arrested Kazmierczak, who was jailed on a preliminary third-degree assault charge, police spokesperson Trevor Folke said. In social media posts, Kazmierczak described himself as a former network engineer who lives in Minneapolis, the AP reports. Among other things, he made comments critical of Joe Biden and referred to Democrats as "angry and liars."
His mother, Merrikay Olson Baxendale, tells the Times that he suffers from depression and Parkinson's disease. She says he grew up in a conservative family and may have been angered by the fact that many of his friends don't share his beliefs. A neighbor tells CNN that Kazmierczak asked him to watch his dog while he went to the town hall meeting because he "might get arrested." The neighbor says he thought Kazmierczak might "say something stupid" but never suspected he would try to attack Omar. Trump, who frequently denounces Omar and mentioned her in his Davos speech last week, said Wednesday that he "doesn't think" about her and "she probably had herself sprayed."
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