Lobbyist charged for alleged threat of violence against Minnesota Capitol
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Authorities have arrested a man who allegedly sent a text message threatening violence at the Minnesota Capitol.
According to criminal charges filed in Carver County Friday, 41-year-old Jonathan Bohn of Woodbury texted an acquaintance with threats to shoot people at the Capitol. Bohn was arrested Wednesday and remains in custody.
In text messages cited in the charges, Bohn allegedly wrote, “Today I bought 500 bullets,” and “excited to have my gun at the capitol,” among other references to shooting people there.
Bohn is a registered lobbyist for the Inter Faculty Organization, which represents faculty from Minnesota’s state universities. Prosecutors say the recipient of the text was concerned because he knew Bohn is frequently at the Capitol for work.
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Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Bohn’s Woodbury home and found an unloaded firearm in a locked case in his garage.
Bohn appeared in court in Carver County Friday for a bail hearing. A judge set bail at $100,000 cash or $1,000,000 bond and ordered Bohn to cease any contact with the person he texted. Bohn is also barred from going within half a mile of the Capitol. He’s scheduled to appear in court for another hearing on Aug. 27.
Republican Rep. Jim Nash of Waconia told authorities that one of his constituents received the threatening text, according to a spokesperson for the Minnesota House Republican caucus.
The reported threat came amid tributes at the Capitol for House DFL leader Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, who were shot and killed at their home in Brooklyn Park last Saturday. A suspect, 57-year-old Vance Boelter, is in custody and faces charges in the Hortmans’ deaths, and also for shooting and wounding state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette.
According to the House GOP spokesperson, authorities are not aware of any other threats to Capitol staff or members of the Legislature.
