Brief

Texas man arrested after tip of violent attack on state Capitol

Benny Caldera Jr. was arrested early Wednesday on a felony terroristic threat charge after a tip prompted a joint Texas DPS, FBI and SWAT operation.

By Felo News Desk · Published Thu, 01 Oct 2026 05:04:33 GMT

A 40‑year‑old man was arrested early Wednesday on suspicion of plotting a violent attack on the Texas Capitol, authorities said.

What happened

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) said it received a tip on Tuesday evening about a credible threat to the Capitol scheduled for Thursday. Special agents, the FBI and local partners tracked the suspect and SWAT officers seized him at his home in Converse, near San Antonio, at about 3 a.m. Wednesday. He was taken to the Bexar County jail and charged with a felony terroristic threat against a public servant.

What the reports add

Yahoo News reported that the DPS learned of the threat on Tuesday and that the suspect, identified as Benny Caldera Jr., had allegedly threatened a mass shooting and was collecting ammunition. The New York Post added that Caldera was released on a $75,000 bond and that Governor Greg Abbott issued a statement saying Texas will not tolerate threats against the Capitol. Both outlets noted that the Capitol remained open during regular hours and that Senate Secretary Patsy Spaw announced heightened security.

What was said

Governor Greg Abbott said, “Texas will NOT tolerate threats of violence against our Capitol,” in a social‑media statement, as reported by the New York Post. A DPS official, quoted by Yahoo News, said the suspect had been “growing more angry and potentially violent recently.”

How it came about

The tip prompted a coordinated response by Texas DPS, the FBI and local law‑enforcement agencies. Earlier this week, DPS notified state lawmakers of the threat, and a notice was sent to Texas state senators on Wednesday. This follows a series of recent security incidents in Texas, including a separate case where a man crashed an SUV into a Kroger store in Rosenberg (Felo coverage).

Key facts

Benny Caldera Jr., 40, was arrested at his Converse residence around 3 a.m. Wednesday. (news.yahoo.com)
He was charged with felony terroristic threat against a public servant. (news.yahoo.com)
The arrest followed a tip received Tuesday evening about a planned attack on Thursday. (nypost.com)
Governor Greg Abbott said Texas will not tolerate threats against the Capitol. (nypost.com)