Follow us on: Facebook – Twitter – Youtube – Instagram
Virginia State Police have located the individual in Williamsburg behind a threatening email sent to Democratic gubernatorial nominee Terry McAuliffe Tuesday night.
“If I get the opportunity I will shoot Terry! – MAGA,” the email read in its entirety.
The Virginia State Police was then notified of the email.
“The email was forwarded to the Virginia State Police Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Team, as is done with any email of an alarming/threatening nature that is received by a candidate running for elected office,” said Corinne Geller, the public relations director for Virginia State Police.
On Wednesday, McAuliffe received protection from a trooper at a campaign event in Charlottesville.
Geller said that on Thursday, Virginia State Police special agents identified the individual who sent the email and went to his residence in Williamsburg. “An investigation was initiated, which resulted in state police identifying the sender of the email,” Geller said in a statement. “On Thursday, state police special agents responded to the 81-year-old man’s residence in Williamsburg, Va., and spoke with him at length.”
Geller says that the special agents consulted with the local commonwealth’s attorney as well.
“After consultation with the Commonwealth’s Attorney, the investigation has been concluded and no charge will be placed,” Geller said.
On Wednesday, the McAuliffe campaign called on his Republican opponent Glenn Youngkin to denounce the threat. “This is the type of violent, dangerous behavior we’ve come to expect from supporters of Donald Trump. Glenn Youngkin needs to immediately condemn this threat and denounce Donald Trump and the ‘MAGA’ movement once and for all,” said Jake Rubenstein, a spokesperson for McAuliffe.
Youngkin’s campaign responded Wednesday evening. “Political violence is a threat to our democracy and is absolutely unacceptable,” said Macaulay Porter, a spokeswoman for Youngkin.
The identity of the individual was not released.
Virginia Scope is an independent news publication that is funded largely by donations and subscribers. As local newsrooms are losing writers each day, we are trying to fill the void to ensure that the public is informed and that leaders are held accountable for their actions. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to our newsletter or making a donation through Paypal below so we can continue to work in Virginia.