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| Photo Credit: AP. |
Authorities have arrested an armed man at the home of Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s home who yelled “I’m going to kill you”, Newsweek reports.
The 48-year-old man had a handgun holstered to his waist “standing in the middle of the street with his hands in the air,” Newsweek cited a police document.
A neighbor
reportedly told police that she heard the man yell something to the effect of, ”Go
back to India, I’m going to kill you,” the outlet said.
Newsweek
reported that Jayapal was born in India and moved to the U.S. as a teenager and
became the first Indian American woman elected to the House of Representatives
in 2016. She represents Washington’s 7th Congressional District, which includes
most of Seattle in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The neighbor
had earlier heard and saw him drive by Jayapal’s residence yelling profanities
three times. Following his arrest the suspect confirmed to police that he knew
who lived at the home, adding that he wanted to pitch a tent on the property
and that the victim he was targeting was of “Indian descent,” the outlet said.
The suspect who
lives within half a mile of Jayapal’s home was arrested for malicious
harassment which is a Class C felony under state law.
King County
prosecutors spokesperson Casey McNerthney told Newsweek a judge ordered the man
to remain in jail in lieu of $500,000 bail on Monday but denied a request from
prosecutors to issue an anti-harassment, no-contact protection order.
Prosecutors
would file charges Wednesday afternoon and the case is still under
investigation by the Seattle Police Department (SPD), according to McNerthney.
Jayapal was
present at her home at the time the armed man arrived, Siham Zniber, spokesperson
for Congresswoman told Newsweek.