Man who sprayed Rep Ilhan Omar with MYSTERIOUS LIQUID gets 14 months: What made him do it?

A man who sprayed US Representative Ilhan Omar with apple cider vinegar during a town hall earlier this year has been sentenced to 14 months in prison.

Anthony Kazmierczak, 56, lunged towards the Minnesota Democrat during the January 27 event and sprayed her with liquid from a syringe.

He was quickly tackled by Omar's security.

The substance initially wasn't known, but authorities later determined it was a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar.

Omar wasn't injured and, instead of leaving, continued with the town hall after Kazmierczak was arrested.

Why did he do it?

Kazmierczak had been angry about politics and immigration and accused Omar of “splitting Minnesota apart” during the attack.

Prosecutors also found evidence suggesting what happened wasn't something he suddenly decided to do.

Before attending the town hall, Kazmierczak sent messages to at least three people indicating he was planning to do something involving Omar, but wouldn't tell them exactly what.

He also arranged for someone to take care of his dog and asked for contact information for a bail bond company.

“This wasn't a spur of the moment act,” US District Judge Joan Ericksen said while sentencing him Thursday.

Kazmierczak, however, struggled to explain his actions.

Asked about the incident during an earlier court hearing, he simply said: “It's fuzzy.”

His lawyer said Kazmierczak had not been taking medication for mental health issues before the attack and argued that it contributed to his behaviour. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2022 and also has a history of alcohol abuse.

Kazmierczak apologised to Omar in court Thursday.“I really apologize to her for having put her through that,” he said.

Along with 14 months behind bars, he will spend three years under supervised release and cannot have contact with Omar.