Mystery substance sprayed at Ilhan Omar during town hall event identified as apple cider vinegar

The previously unidentified substance sprayed at Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) during her Tuesday night town hall has been identified as apple cider vinegar.

Suspect Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, charged toward Omar while she stood behind a podium at a town hall event in northern Minneapolis on Tuesday evening. The suspect then sprayed her with the substance through a syringe before being tackled to the ground by security.

Omar’s office confirmed to the Washington Examiner that the substance sprayed was apple cider vinegar. Several people at the town hall said they noticed a strong vinegar scent in the air after the man sprayed the substance.

The incident came just hours before Capitol Police released its 2025 threat assessment case annual numbers, which showed about a