Also residing in Seattle, Brett Forsell has been accused of stalking and threatening Pramila Jayapal. He was apprehended late at night outside Jayapal’s residence after authorities reported hearing a man threaten to kill her.
Brett Forsell was initially released on Wednesday, but according to the King County Prosecutor’s Office, he will be charged with felony stalking and hate crimes against Pramila Jayapal, the first Indian-American member of Congress.
What happened to Pramila Jayapal in Brett Forsell’s hands?
Brett Forsell allegedly began targeting Pramila Jayapal due to her elected status, as indicated by the arrest documents. According to NBC, the harassment began in January when Forsell sent an email to the representative of the United States expressing his dislike for her.
Prosecutors claim that the case took a turn for the worst in late June when Forsell began stalking the politician and driving around her residence while yelling obscenities and threats.
According to authorities, he initially left after being confronted by her husband, but he subsequently returned.
On July 9, Jayapal accused Forsell of approaching her porch and making anti-Indian slurs. She claimed Forsell stated:
“Go back to India.”
According to court documents, he would also rev his vehicle in a threatening manner in front of the property. According to Jayapal’s husband, he also fired a pellet gun at them. When Seattle police came, Forsell raised his arms in surrender.
It was discovered that he was carrying a weapon. In response to the incident, Siham Znibner, Jayapal’s spokeswoman, stated that the politician and her family were unharmed.
As stated by Znibner:
“Congresswoman Jayapal claims that events occurred at her Seattle residence on Saturday night while she was there.”
The statement continued,
“The congresswoman and her family are safe, and she is grateful for the numerous calls and well-wishes from constituents.”
In a separate statement, Pramila Jayapal praised the authorities for their intervention.
She declared:
“I am thankful to the King County Prosecutor’s Office for holding this man accountable for his dangerous actions, to the victim’s advocate for her assistance throughout the process, and to the Seattle Police Department, U.S. Capitol Police, and House Sergeant of Arms for keeping my family, myself, and my staff safe.”
Authorities report that Forsell is now subject to a Temporary Extreme Risk Protection Order, which prohibits him from possessing a weapon. His bail was set at $500,000 dollars.
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