Colorado man arrested for threatening Black congressman: 'I got me a AK-47 pointed directly at you'

A man has been arrested after allegedly leaving violent and threatening messages for Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO), according to KUSA.

"According to court documents obtained by 9Wants to Know, Michael James Kennedy allegedly made 'repeated telephonic threats of gun-based violence and retaliation' against Neguse," reported Kevin Vaughan. "'The repeated threats included a clear racial animus toward Rep. Neguse,' an investigator wrote in an arrest warrant affidavit."

Neguse is one of the only Black lawmakers ever elected to Congress in Colorado.

"According to the arrest affidavit, Kennedy is accused of making 17 separate threats – all on messages," said the report. "'What are you gonna do about me,' one message said, according to the affidavit. 'I got me a AK-47 pointed directly at you.' The most recent threat was made in June 2022, according to the affidavit. According to the affidavit, when Kennedy was questioned by Denver Police in June, he said he did not plan to shoot Neguse — that he 'intended to scare him' — and said he would not call him again."

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Kennedy is charged with stalking, retaliation, and bias-motivated crime.

Threats against members of Congress and other public figures have become commonplace. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) is a constant recipient of such threats, with one of the most recent coming from a lab worker in Indianapolis.

Last year, a mentally ill follower of the QAnon conspiracy movement was arrested after threatening to kill Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) as well as FBI Director Christopher Wray. And in Texas, a fringe congressional candidate was arrested for death threats against Rep. Randy Weber (R-CA).