Man arrested after making ‘credible threat’ toward Texas Capitol

A man was arrested after making “verbal threats” toward the Texas State Capitol, the Lone Star State’s governor, Greg Abbott (R), confirmed Wednesday evening.

On Wednesday, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth that authorities had stopped a plot on the state’s capitol building in Austin. Per the outlet, DPS said law enforcement had obtained a credible threat of an attack planned for Thursday.

The department arrested Benny Caldera Jr., 40, in the San Antonio area early Wednesday morning in connection with the incident. DPS said it had collaborated with the FBI before the arrest to investigate the threat’s credibility.

Caldera’s friend, per an arrest warrant affidavit, had told DPS officers that the man “had made verbal threats to assault the Texas State Capitol Building,” NBC reported.

In a post on the social platform X, Abbott wrote, “Texas DPS and the FBI stopped a planned attack on the Texas Capitol.”

“Texas will NOT tolerate threats of violence against our Capitol,” he added, before thanking DPS for its response.

According to arrest documents obtained by NBC, Caldera reportedly told his friend he had anger toward the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), allegedly adding, “These people have to be exterminated.”