CLEARWATER, Fla. — Clearwater police arrested a man alleged to have made violent threats against political leaders, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Richard Szala, 61, was charged Nov. 4 with a false report concerning the use of a firearm in a violent manner, according to a Clearwater Police Department news release.
The department says its detectives learned Szala left comments on YouTube videos threatening to kill supporters of President Donald Trump, his neighbor and other Republican politicians.
That included DeSantis, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, and others, police said.
Szala's IP address was traced to his Clearwater home, police said. In 1989, he reportedly had been charged with harassment by phone in Illinois.
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