MINNEAPOLIS — Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, pleaded guilty Thursday in Minneapolis federal court to assaulting a U.S. officer after spraying liquid at Representative Ilhan Omar during a January 27 town hall meeting. Kazmierczak reached the plea deal with prosecutors and is awaiting sentencing.

According to court documents, Kazmierczak leaped up when Omar called for the ouster of then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. He sprayed liquid from a syringe and shouted that Noem would not resign and that Omar was splitting Minnesota apart, the documents say. Security officers tackled him at the scene.

Kazmierczak told the officers that the liquid was vinegar, according to court documents. Authorities later determined the sprayed substance was a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar. Court documents also say Kazmierczak told a close associate several years ago that he believed somebody should kill Omar.

"I didn't want anybody to think she was in danger," Kazmierczak said, according to court documents.

Kazmierczak told U.S. District Judge Joan N. Ericksen that he was being treated for Parkinson's disease. He said he had also been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and a form of post-traumatic stress. After his arrest, his then-attorney said he did not have access to the medications he needed for Parkinson's and other serious conditions.

Minnesota court records show Kazmierczak was convicted of felony auto theft in 1989 and has been arrested multiple times for driving under the influence. The records also show numerous traffic citations. Public records show he has had two bankruptcy filings.

Omar is a refugee from Somalia. Threats against members of Congress have increased in recent years, peaking in 2021 following the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol before dipping slightly and then climbing again, according to the U.S. Capitol Police.