A Pennsylvania man has been arrested for allegedly posting a “hit list” and online threats against 20 Democratic state lawmakers, including references to a “Memorial Day Operation.” Adam G. Berryhill, 42, of Lebanon County, was taken into custody last Wednesday and charged with making terroristic threats, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
Berryhill allegedly posted politically violent messages on his X account, including a list of elected officials he called “communist infiltrators.” A criminal complaint obtained by NBC10 quotes him as saying, “I’ll approach every legal avenue and when they all fail I start shootings.” He also reportedly disparaged conservatives and described “war” as his “solution” for grievances with the government.
State Representative Malcolm Kenyatta, one of the targeted lawmakers, condemned the threats, noting it was not the first time he had faced a credible death threat. State Senator Katie Muth, who learned of the arrest only after receiving a letter about Berryhill’s court appearances, called the lack of warning “egregious” and said there was “utter disregard for our existence.”
Pennsylvania State Police stated that the law enforcement process worked as it should, and that they notified the relevant security agencies at the time of the threat. Berryhill has a prior conviction for making terroristic threats in 2016, when he broke into a bedroom with an axe and threatened to kill the women inside.
The arrest comes amid heightened tensions for elected officials in Pennsylvania, with multiple individuals arrested for threats against Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro. Political violence has spiked in the US in recent years, with officials across the political spectrum facing threats and attacks.
