NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Three days after the shooting death of political activist Charlie Kirk, the number of threats against elected officials has increased. Two officials in New Mexico are now on that list, with the FBI making an arrest in New Mexico on Thursday.
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It’s been a tense week marked by a high-profile death and escalating threats centered around politics. Conservative political advocate Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on a Utah college campus on Wednesday. A day later, New Mexico State Police reported that threats were made against two lawmakers. Now, a New Mexico teenager is in trouble with federal authorities.
According to the FBI, 19-year-old Jace Allen was posting threatening messages on the social media platform X, saying he was planning mass murders. Court documents show that Allen made several online threats, many of which contained racial slurs and antisemitic comments. Other threats he posted included statements like, “Civil war is happening” and “I will harm anyone who has something bad to say about Charlie.”
The FBI got involved after Allen allegedly threatened a city councilor in Ohio, stating, “You’re gonna be one of the first to die.” Investigators traced the threats back to Allen’s home in Jamestown, east of Gallup, NM. According to the feds, Allen told them he is a neo-Nazi and expressed a desire to help spark a civil war by terrorizing people online.
In a statement, Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Albuquerque said:
The FBI takes every threat seriously – regardless of intent, because it puts innocent people at risk. We work closely with our law enforcement partners to determine their credibility, share information, and take appropriate investigative action. Making a threat, whether spoken, texted, or posted online, could be a federal crime with serious consequences. As always, we encourage members of the public to remain vigilant and immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.
State police are also investigating bomb threats against Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe) and Majority Floor Leader Reena Szczepanski’s (D-Santa Fe) homes in Santa Fe.
In response, Senator Peter Wirth stated:
Earlier today a threat was made against me, leading to disruption and an evacuation at schools in my neighborhood. I am grateful to our state and local law enforcement agencies for their swift and professional response to this serious matter, and to the school officials who skillfully managed the disturbance.
Political violence and threats against elected officials have no place in our democratic society and are never an acceptable way to address political differences. Regardless of our political views, we must reject intimidation and work together through peaceful, lawful means to resolve our disagreements.
I remain committed to fostering respectful civic dialogue and protecting the safety of all who serve our community.
Representative Szczepanski echoed this sentiment, saying:
My family and I are safe and we are grateful for the quick action of local and state law enforcement who investigated yesterday.
These kinds of threats and actions hurt all of us. I know it can be shocking to feel this hit so close to home, but at the same time it’s not representative of our incredible Santa Fe community.
For the health of our state, our country, and our democracy, we cannot allow our disagreements and differences to escalate to threats and violence.
Members from both sides of the aisle are calling for an end to this cycle of violence and threats.
Senator Bill Sharer (R) said Friday, “I think the division is amplified by the loudest, nastiest voices. But just talk to your neighbor. Look around you. We’re not that divided. The things that we are divided on certainly don’t warrant violence; they warrant more discussion.”
Authorities have made it clear that such behavior will not be tolerated, with state police stating:
The New Mexico State Police is investigating the report of a threat directed at Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth. We take all threats seriously and will not tolerate them. Our top priority is the safety of those targeted and the public. Anyone found to have made such threats will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez said:
It is deplorable that our legislative leaders and their families have been subjected to threats of terror. These attempts at political intimidation violate every principle at the heart of our democracy, and they will not be tolerated. People who try to hide behind online aliases when they threaten our leaders and communities will find that we take these threats very, very seriously.
Jace Allen will remain in custody until his trial.
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