FBI investigating bomb threats directed at Minneapolis City Council members

A threat directed at Minneapolis City Councilmembers has prompted an FBI investigation, law enforcement confirmed Monday. 

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS obtained a copy of a threatening email that was sent to all 13 members of the Minneapolis City Council just after midnight Easter Sunday.

FBI spokesperson, Cyndi Barrington, confirmed the federal agency is investigating the troubling email in cooperation with the Minneapolis Police Department and other law enforcement agencies. The FBI sent this written statement:
“The FBI is aware of the information and coordinating with MPD and our partners. Each and every potential threat brought to our attention is taken seriously.”

The Minneapolis Police Department has offered extra patrols at the homes of each of the city council members, according to an MPD spokesperson. 

A portion of the email read, “I have made 15 bombs. I also have an AR-15 and a Glock 18 that I have illegally acquired…starting today, when I return, I will be planting bombs around a certain city council member’s home.”

The email lists the names and addresses of three city council members. 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS is not identifying those three city council members.

The email then said, “I think this is more than enough proof that I know what I am doing and this is not an empty threat…I could attack ANY, and I mean ANY, one of the city council members.”

It concludes with the message, “I will see you in hell.”

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS is not identifying the person who claimed to make the threat because investigators are still trying to verify who actually sent the email.

Retired Minnesota FBI Special Agent Kyle Loven told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS the email is “very troubling” because it is specific and detailed without rambling, incoherent rants. 

In his 22 years of experience with the FBI, Loven said that it’s the type of message that would be given a “high priority” to find the person responsible quickly.

“It’s direct, and it lays out what the author intends to do,” said Loven. “The author intends to layout bombs at the homes of city council members, and this makes this very specific and very troubling, really, at the same time.”

Minneapolis Mayor, Jacob Frey, is not mentioned in the threatening email, but he did issue this written statement:
“My Council colleagues deserve to feel safe. The level of vitriol directed at public servants is completely unacceptable. These kinds of violent threats are not only frightening and dangerous, they are detrimental to recruiting our future leaders and deter qualified people from stepping into roles of public service.”

City Council President, Andrea Jenkins, also issued the following written statement:
“This is sad for Minneapolis politics and the state of politics generally. These types of threats must be taken seriously as I have been stating for many years and they also have a chilling effect on good, fair-minded people seeking public office.”