Suspect tied to credible threat of Texas Capitol attack arrested
This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.
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Suspect tied to credible threat of Texas Capitol attack arrested
The FBI on Wednesday arrested a San Antonio-area man on federal charges for allegedly planning an attack at the Texas Capitol on Thursday after he was arrested on similar state charges by the Department of Public Safety earlier that day, the agency said.
Benny Caldera, a 40-year-old Converse resident, was arrested at 3 a.m. Wednesday by DPS, booked into Bexar County Jail and charged with a felony for a terroristic threat against a public agent. He was then promptly re-arrested by the FBI on additional federal charges and transferred into federal custody, DPS said.
A spokesperson for DPS said in a social media post that there was "lots of misinformation circulating online" about Caldera being released on a $75,000 bond, which the post and another from DPS' account said was not true. Bexar County Jail records online do state that Caldera was "released on bond" and listed a bond amount of $75,000, which state Sen. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound, called "a joke" in his own post about Caldera.
An email from Secretary of the Senate Patsy Spaw sent to Capitol staff obtained by The Texas Tribune said the individual arrested was the “main suspect” in a planned attack with suspected co-conspirators intended for Thursday. A statement from DPS about Caldera’s arrest made no mention of any other suspects or arrests.
DPS’ statement and Spaw’s email said there would be increased DPS presence at the state Capitol while an investigation is ongoing. The agency later said there is "no reason to believe that there is an ongoing threat" to the Capitol.
The FBI was involved in assisting with the initial arrest as well, DPS said. An FBI spokesperson did not respond to an immediate request for comment, and Bexar County Jail records do not specify what federal offense Caldera was charged with.
There are no legislative hearings or events scheduled for Oct. 1, according to the Capitol legislative website.
In a social media post, Gov. Greg Abbott thanked DPS and the FBI for their roles in arresting Caldera. “Texas will NOT tolerate threats of violence against our Capitol,” he said.
In June 2025, DPS arrested a man in La Grange for threats that prompted the evacuation of the Texas Capitol, which occurred the day of a large “No Kings” protest at the Capitol and downtown Austin. The man was released from jail a few days later.
Alejandro Serrano contributed to this report.
This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.
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