(CNN) — Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz said Friday that local police in his Florida district notified him about a “potential plot” against his life and told him that an armed man had been arrested not far from his home. “The day before the election, I was notified by the Margate Police Department, located in my Congressional District, about a potential plot on my life,” the congressman said in a statement.
“The individual in question was arrested not far from my home; he is a former felon who was in possession of a rifle, a suppressor, and body armor.” “Found with him was a manifesto that, among other things, included antisemitic rhetoric and only my name on the ‘target’ list,” Moskowitz, who is Jewish, said. He noted that he did not want to share further details to avoid interfering with the investigation.
The Margate Police Department said in a Friday news release that it arrested John Lapinski, 41, on November 2 for “possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and other firearms related charges.” During the investigation, officers also found “several firearms and evidence that indicated he may have been planning some type of criminal act,” according to the news release, which did not specifically mention the congressman. CNN could not immediately identify an attorney for Lapinski.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is leading the ongoing investigation into the incident, the police department said. CNN has reached out to .
