Memphis Mayor Paul Young was the target of stalking and attempted kidnapping on Wednesday at his Tennessee residence.
The man charged with the crimes, including aggravated criminal trespassing, is Trenton Abston, 25. Memphis Police Department officials said he allegedly scaled a wall into the mayor’s subdivision and knocked on his door. Young, who started his position as mayor in January 2024, said in a Facebook post that the suspect “walked straight to our home” and arrived “with gloves on, a full pocket, and a nervous demeanor.”
The police said they found “a taser, gloves, rope and duct tape” from the suspect’s vehicle after he was arrested. Records show that Abston is an inmate at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and has a hearing scheduled for Friday, according to CBS News.
“Memphis, we have to change how we talk to and about each other,” Young wrote in the Facebook post. “Disagreement must never lead to violence. That cannot be our norm. Let’s do better.”
The attempted kidnapping of Young has not been the only threat against Texas lawmakers this month. On Saturday, the Texas Department of Public Safety Capitol Region was notified of a credible threat against lawmakers in the state, according to a post on X. A suspect was taken into custody, and there is an ongoing investigation.
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On that same day, a man killed Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband and wounded state Sen. John Hoffman, shooting him and his wife nine and eight times, respectively. Hoffman is in critical but stable condition, and his wife is in stable condition.
“In today’s climate, especially after the tragic events in Minnesota and the threats my wife and I often receive online, none of us can be too careful,” Young wrote. “The link between angry online rhetoric and real-life violence is becoming undeniable.”
