BURSTMichigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II (D) revealed Thursday that there had been a "credible bomb threat" at his home in Detroit, but law enforcement ultimately cleared it without incident.
Gilchrist, in a statement online, pointed to the heightened political tension in the wake of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah this week.
Kirk was fatally shot during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University (UVU) on Wednesday. Authorities announced Friday that a suspect, identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, is in custody.
Gilchrist said he was thankful for law enforcement and "their quick response and for keeping my family and our neighborhood safe" after the bomb threat.
"I know that people are on edge — it's a scary time," he wrote. "The purpose of this violence is to silence, intimidate and eliminate people and their voices from our society. That won't work on me."
His report came after several historically Black colleges and universities also reported threats to their campuses.
The death of the Turning Point USA co-founder, who was engaged in a debate about guns with students at UVU when he was shot in the neck, has spurned calls in Washington for additional funding to increase lawmakers' security.