Police Arrest Man Who Threatened to Kill Rand Paul and Butcher Family, Senator Says

U.S. Capitol Police have arrested a man who threatened to kill Sen. Rand Paul (R–Ky.) and “chop up” his family with an axe, the senator said Monday.

In a Twitter post, Paul expressed his gratitude to the Capitol Police for detaining the man. “Thank you to the US Capitol Police for their arrest of the man who recently threatened to kill my family and me,” the Kentucky Republican wrote:

Thank you to the US Capitol Police for their arrest of the man who recently threatened to kill my family and me.

— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) July 2, 2018

According to the Louisville Courier Journal, the suspect made the disturbing threats over the phone, having called in to Paul’s office in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

“Capitol Police have issued an arrest warrant for a man who threatened to kill me and chop up my family with an axe,” Paul said earlier Monday at an event in Litchfield. “It’s just horrendous that we have to deal with things like this.”

Paul is no stranger to threats to his physical wellbeing. Last June, he was practicing with his Republican teammates for the Congressional Baseball Game at a field in Alexandria, Virginia, when a gunman opened fire. Paul was not hurt, though House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R–La.) sustained serious injuries.

Then, in November, Paul was assaulted by a neighbor who was angry that the senator was stacking yard debris near the boundary between their properties. Paul suffered several fractured ribs and the neighbor, Rene Boucher, was arrested by state police following the attack. He later pleaded guilty to the federal charge of assaulting a member of Congress.

In addition to being sentenced to 30 days in jail, Boucher was slapped with a $10,000 fine. Federal prosecutors have since decided to appeal his sentence, arguing it isn’t harsh enough. Moreover, Paul has filed a civil lawsuit against Boucher, alleging “physical pain and mental suffering” and seeking punitive and compensatory damages.

Needless to say, Paul has dealt with a lot over the past year or so, and he admitted as much on Monday. “It’s been a year where we’re becoming more and more aware of these threats,” he said.