Illinois Man Arrested for Threatening Minnesota Lieutenant Governor

An individual from Illinois has been taken into custody after allegedly posting violent threats on social media against Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. The threats appeared below a post where Flanagan offered her sympathies to victims of a recent tragic shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church.

Caden J. Sluder, 22, is charged with making felony threats of violence. Authorities in Minnesota identified and apprehended him using his IP address, and he faced a warrant in Ramsey County District Court.

The threatening comments, which have since been removed, included statements such as, “You should be genuinely shot and killed,” and “You should be strung up by the neck,” directed at Flanagan. The comments also included a hashtag calling for the end of her life. Sluder claimed these messages were jokes and expressed regret for the violence, also mentioning his upset that Christians were killed in the attack.

The incident followed the recent shooting at the church during a school mass, where a gunman, identified as Robin Westman, a transgender woman, opened fire, resulting in two deaths. Westman later distanced herself from her previous transgender identity, fueling more discussion and disturbing comments on Flanagan’s social media posts. Some users made violent remarks targeting transgender individuals and political figures, echoing similar sentiments expressed by Sluder.

Flanagan is known for her support of transgender rights, wearing a “trans shirt” publicly in the past. The threats and disturbing comments highlight ongoing tensions and violence against public officials and marginalized communities in the region.