A man accused of ransacking the office of the acting US Attorney in New Jersey was arrested following a days-long manhunt.
“No one will get away with threatening or intimidating our great US Attorneys or the destruction of their offices,” US Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on X on Saturday as she announced the arrest.
The FBI said Keith Michael Lisa, of California, tried to enter Alina Habba’s office on Wednesday while carrying a baseball bat.
He was reportedly turned away, before returning without the bat and proceeding to smash federal property in the office’s waiting area and then fleeing. An FBI bulletin had warned that the suspect “should be considered dangerous”.
Earlier in the week, the FBI released a photo of the suspect, along with a $25,000 (£19,000) reward for information leading to his capture.
Habba, who was Trump’s personal attorney before he appointed her as the state’s top federal prosecutor, also posted on X, writing: “We got him.”
She also thanked the FBI and US Marshals for the arrest, adding: “Now justice will handle him.”
According to the FBI wanted poster, Lisa will face charges of possession of a dangerous weapon in a federal facility and depredation of federal property.
Investigators have not indicated any potential motive for the attack.
Habba has been serving as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor since March. Trump had initially nominated her to serve in the role, before withdrawing the nomination and keeping her in the role on an acting basis.
In August, a federal judge ruled that Habba has been illegally serving in the role without confirmation from the US Senate, and should be replaced. An appeals court is currently considering her case.
Habba has often clashed with Democrats since taking office.
During her tenure, she has filed assault charges against a Democratic congressman, and opened investigations into the state’s Democratic governor and attorney general.
By BBC News
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