A man found with a taser, a rope and adhesive tape that was seen in the neighborhood has been accused of harassing and trying to kidnap the mayor of Memphis, Tennessee.
Trenton Abston, 25, is detained in the Shelby County prison without bail or bail on the list and an appearance in the court scheduled for Friday, according to prison records.
Abston has been accused of attempted kidnapping, harassment and aggravated criminal transfer, said Memphis police in a statement. Police said he was pointing to Mayor Paul Young.
“At the time of their arrest, the officers recovered a taser, gloves, rope and duct tape of their vehicle,” said the police department.
It wasn’t clear if Abston has a lawyer. The public defender’s office for the region did not immediately respond to a comment request.
Initially, the police believed that the suspect went from door to door in a subdivision that includes Young’s house in East Memphis on Sunday night.
Police and Young said the security video shows a person who scale a wall to the subdivision and then walks directly to Young’s house.
“Now we know that he walked directly to our house, knocking on the door with gloves, a complete pocket and nervous behavior,” Young said in a statement.
Much of the incident was in the video of the security camera, the authorities said, although the police did not detail what happened after the intruder reached the door.
The Police Department tried to assure residents this week that it is aware of high -profile political violence in the country and is prepared to fight it.
“We understand the concerns raised by this incident and we want to assure the public that the Memphis Police Department remains completely committed to the safety of all residents, including the elected officials of our city,” he said Wednesday.
At the beginning of the week, Vance Boelter, 57, was accused of murder in a mortal uproar about elected officials that began in the Region of the Twin Cities of Minnesota.
The authorities have accused him of impersonating the police and fatally shooting a democratic state representative and his husband and hurting another state legislator and his wife.
Young said in his statement that it is time to redouble efforts to maintain civil political discussion.
“In the current climate, especially after the tragic events in Minnesota and the threats that my wife and I often receive online, none of us can be too careful,” he said.
“Let’s raise our speech, reduce hate and protect each other, regardless of our beliefs,” he said. “Let us claim our strength as a single community. Let’s choose love.”
