Teen From McKinney Arrested in Alleged Plot Against Rep. Keith Self, Campaign Says

A 17-year-old from McKinney is accused of plotting to assassinate U.S. Rep. Keith Self, a North Texas Republican, according to confirmation from the congressman's campaign officials. Self is seeking a third term representing Texas' 3rd Congressional District.

Self's campaign manager said the FBI arrested the teenager on Oct. 5. The congressman's team was notified of the arrest by U.S. Capitol Police the following day, Oct. 6.

The campaign said it was told investigators believed the teen had been radicalized and was being watched by federal agents. Officials also relayed that the teen had allegedly been planning a terrorist attack on behalf of ISIS, with Self as the target at a chili cook-off fundraiser for veterans set for Oct. 17. The event was to include former Cowboys players and several high-profile guests. NBC 5 said it had contacted the FBI's Dallas office for more information and was awaiting a response.

Self said the situation was serious enough that his team raised its level of vigilance as early voting continues across Texas. "So at that point we upped our profile and we're a little more aware, although I had plenty of security," he said, adding that the team changed its situational awareness.

The congressman said his experience deploying to combat zones several times shaped his reaction. He said people unfamiliar with such threats "tend to freak out," but that he remained calmer because the arrest had already occurred. The main concern, he said, was whether the teen had acted alone. His wife, who was a military spouse for 25 years, is also taking the matter seriously, he said.

Self said he had received threats before, but none had led to an arrest. "That's what makes this different," he said, noting that based on what he was told, it could have been a very serious incident.

He attended the fundraiser as planned. "I judged 19 different chilies and three different pots of beans," Self said. "It was a delightful time and nothing, of course, happened." He said he has kept campaigning, including greeting voters at polling sites, and that the episode "will not deter me."

The arrest comes after Self took a high-profile position against Sharia law. In September, he introduced a nonbinding concurrent resolution denouncing it and opposing its implementation in the United States, stating that the U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land.

His district includes McKinney, where plans for a new mosque have drawn considerable attention. In August, the McKinney City Council unanimously approved a site plan for expansion at a local mosque, saying it met the city's development rules. The vote followed hours of contentious public comment and was later followed by an effort to recall several council members.

Evan Hunt, Self's opponent in the midterm election, condemned the alleged plot in a social media post. The teen's identity has not been publicly released as the investigation continues.