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Police in Memphis have announced the arrest of a man who allegedly attempted to kidnap the city’s mayor.
Getting into it: According to police, Trenton Abston (25) scaled a 10-foot wall to enter the gated East Memphis neighborhood where Mayor Paul Young resides with his wife and two young children. Police say that Abston walked directly to the mayor’s front door, wearing gloves and a hoodie, and knocked with what appeared to be a “lumpy bulge” in his pocket, according to a criminal complaint. Surveillance footage captured his approach and nervous demeanor, prompting concern from the mayor, who saw the man on his doorbell camera and did not answer the door. Abston then fled the scene and was later tracked down by law enforcement.
When police apprehended Abston, they found a taser, rope, duct tape, and gloves in his vehicle. During questioning, Abston admitted that he had researched Mayor Young’s home address and had driven past the residence several times to confirm the location. He told investigators he was angry about crime in the city and wanted to confront the mayor directly.
In a statement, Mayor Young said, “In today’s climate, especially after the tragic events in Minnesota and the threats my wife and I often receive online, none of us can be too careful. The link between angry online rhetoric and real-life violence is becoming undeniable. What starts as reckless words online can all too quickly become something much more dangerous. The angry rhetoric, the hateful speech, and the heated threats create a culture where violence feels like a next step instead of a red line. We cannot allow that line to be crossed. Political violence and intimidation – whether threatened or enacted – simply cannot become our norm.”
This all comes less than a week after a politically motivated attack in Minnesota, where authorities say 57-year-old Vance Boelter impersonated a law enforcement officer and targeted the homes of elected officials. State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed inside their home, while State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were wounded during a separate attack. Boelter, who was arrested shortly after the incidents, targeted both lawmakers and their spouses over political grievances.
