Texas Man Arrested in Alleged Plot to Attack the State Capitol
Benny Caldera Jr., 40, was taken into custody at 3 a.m. Wednesday, hours after authorities received a tip warning of a planned violent attack on the Capitol in Austin on Thursday.
The man accused of plotting a violent attack on the Texas State Capitol is in custody. Troopers arrested Benny Caldera Jr., 40, at his home in Converse, just outside San Antonio, at about 3 a.m. Wednesday.
The tip came in Tuesday evening. The Texas Department of Public Safety said it received “credible information” about an individual planning a violent attack on the Capitol for Thursday in Austin. DPS SWAT officers made the arrest hours later.
Caldera faces a felony charge of making a terroristic threat against a public servant. Court records in Bexar County show he made a $75,000 bond. DPS said later Wednesday that the FBI had taken him into federal custody to face additional federal charges.
Officials said little about the alleged plot itself, citing an ongoing investigation. But an official briefed on the investigation told ABC News that Caldera had threatened to carry out a mass shooting at the Capitol and had been collecting ammunition and guns. The official said people who knew Caldera told authorities he had been growing angry and potentially violent, and had voiced anger about the state and direction of the country.
Detectives were working to obtain search warrants to see whether Caldera had any co-conspirators, the official told ABC News.
DPS notified state lawmakers early Wednesday. The Capitol stayed open on its regular schedule. Senate Secretary Patsy Spaw told senators there would be an enhanced DPS presence at the Capitol during the investigation.
Gov. Greg Abbott said the state DPS was assisted by the FBI in making the arrest. “Texas will NOT tolerate threats of violence against our Capitol,” the governor said in a statement. FBI Director Kash Patel praised the speed of the operation, writing on social media that “within HOURS of the tip,” troopers had the main suspect in custody.
Messages were left seeking comment from John Bunk, an attorney listed for Caldera.
