POMPANO BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A man accused of targeting a U.S. congressman from South Florida remains behind bars following his arrest.
Margate Police on Tuesday arrested 41-year-old John Lapinski after alerting Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz (FL-23).
He currently remains at the Joseph V. Conte Detention Facility in Pompano Beach on a U.S. Marshals hold.
According to a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Moskowitz, who represents parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties, said Margate Police notified him on Monday about a potential plot on his life by Lapinski.
Rep. Moskowitz, who won reelection, said Lapinski was arrested near his home. In his X post, he wrote that the man in question “is a former felon who was in possession of a rifle, a suppressor, and body armor.”
He went on to say that Lapinski was found with “a manifesto that, among other things, included antisemitic rhetoric and only my name on the ‘target’ list.”
Earlier this month, Lapinski was arrested for possession of firearms and ammo by a convicted felon.
“You are charged with possession of a weapon or ammo by a convicted felon,” said a judge. “Court finds probable cause.”
Neighbors of Lapinski said they have heard him shooting guns often. The most recent time, someone called the police.
“I heard the shots, and more than one time,” said Elsa, the suspect’s neighbor. “He was never the friendliest person. I know he has a sister, and I was worried about her because I wasn’t sure if she had been hurt or not.”
Police said they got him out of the house he shared with his sister. The arrest report said “John met the criteria for the Baker Act and was later placed in protective custody.”
During their investigation, detectives said they found several firearms and said he may have been planning some type of criminal act, and they turned over the investigation to the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. However, they did not indicate whether it was related to Moskowitz.
Additionally, they found “a man-made target of an orange weighted bucket with a vertical wooden plank affixed to the bucket.”
“My heart goes out to Jared; we are dear friends,” said fellow Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schulz. “I’ve had situations where, as has Congressman Moskowitz, my children’s lives were threatened. We’ve had to have security placed at their schools when they were younger. I’ve had police stationed outside my house, and so has Congressman Moskowitz. The rhetoric has to be toned down. Quite frankly, as a member of Congress, we should not have to be worried about our family’s safety or about our own safety.”
Moskowitz, who was appointed to the bipartisan task force on the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump, said he was not only worried about the newly-elected Commander in Chief’s safety but also the security of other congressional members when they are not at the Capitol.
Lapinski could face more federal charges after he is transferred to the U.S. Marshals.
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