Federal authorities have successfully apprehended an individual accused of vandalizing the office of a New Jersey federal prosecutor after being denied entry due to carrying a baseball bat.
U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced on Saturday that law enforcement had detained the suspect, who is alleged to have caused damage to property at Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba's office earlier in the week. Bondi emphasized the seriousness of threats against federal prosecutors, stating that such actions would not go unpunished.
As reported by the Daily Caller, the incident unfolded when security personnel at the building, which houses Habba's office, refused entry to a man wielding a baseball bat. Sources familiar with the situation informed CBS News that the individual later returned without the bat, demanding a meeting with the acting prosecutor. Upon being denied, the man allegedly proceeded to vandalize the waiting area before fleeing the scene. The damage was confined to the reception area of the federal prosecutor's office.
Attorney General Bondi commended the prompt response of law enforcement but withheld the suspect's identity. "No one will get away with threatening or intimidating our great U.S. Attorneys or the destruction of their offices," Bondi declared on social media.
Alina Habba, who has been at the helm of federal prosecutions in New Jersey since March, expressed satisfaction with the arrest, stating, "We got him," and reaffirmed the commitment of federal partners to reject violence or intimidation against law enforcement personnel.
President Trump had previously nominated Habba for the permanent U.S. attorney role in New Jersey but later withdrew the nomination, leaving her in an acting capacity, which has sparked legal challenges. The Justice Department has yet to announce charges against the suspect or provide further information regarding the ongoing investigation.
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