Florida man arrested after allegedly threatening Bay Area congressman
A 72-year-old man from Greenacres, Florida is now in police custody after being faced with a criminal complaint for allegedly threatening U.S. Congressman Eric Swalwell and his family, according to the United States Attorney's Office.
Swalwell suggested on X that he was the victim in the incident.
"No threat is going to stop me from representing my constituents," Swalwell wrote. "MAGA Republicans have chosen violence over voting and this is what it looks like. But I’m not going away and neither should you."
Michael Shapiro is accused of leaving five voicemails for Swalwell at his office in Washington, D.C. In the messages, Shapiro allegedly said he was going to "come after you and kill you.." as well as "come and kill your children," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
"Hey mother-[expletive], you [expletive] a Chinese spy. You mother-[expletive]. I'm gonna come after you and kill you [N-word]," the complaint described the second call.
Another call is described, "Hey greaseball, you [expletive] a [expletive] Chinese spy. Fang Fang. Fang Fang. I'm gonna come and kill your children mother-[expletive]. I'm gonna kill your children."
The complaint filed also states that Shapiro pleaded guilty in federal court in 2019 for threatening communications against another victim. The United States Capitol Police is heading up the investigation.
This isn't the first time Swalwell and his family have been the targets of verbal threats. In 2022, Swalwell shared a voicemail from a person threatening his family on social media.
Earlier this year, Swalwell also stated that former 49ers player Bruce Miller threatened to execute him.
"I'm disturbed for my family and staff that a former 49er would make such an imminent and specific threat to me. Political violence has no place in our country," he said. "But if the goal is to, you know, make me afraid to keep quiet, it's not going to work."
Fox News writers Elizabeth Elkind and David Spunt contributed to this report.