Michigan Lt. Gov. Gilchrist says "credible bomb threat" was made to his home
Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist says there was a "credible bomb threat " made to his home on Thursday.
In a statement, Gilchrist says the threat has since been cleared.
Read Gilchrist's full statement
"Earlier today, there was a credible bomb threat to my home, where Ellen and I raise our young children. The threat has been cleared, and I am grateful to law enforcement for their quick response and for keeping my family and our neighborhood safe.
"I know that people are on edge—it's a scary time. This incident came just a day after the murder of Charlie Kirk and in the midst of an escalating pattern of political violence in Michigan and in America. The purpose of this violence is to silence, intimidate, and eliminate people and their voices from our society. That won't work on me. We cannot let this remain our reality.
"We cannot tolerate political violence. We cannot excuse it. We cannot normalize it. We have to push through this and do the work to do better. It's not easy, but nothing important ever is. It's up to us to dig deep and commit to ending violence and creating a safe, healthy society."
Concerns of political violence are heightened after the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The 31-year-old was speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday when he was fatally wounded. Authorities say a manhunt is ongoing as of Thursday afternoon.
In June, Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed and state Sen. John Hoffman was injured in a shooting that was described as politically motivated. The suspect, Vance Luther Boelter, was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder.
Gilchrist, who is finishing out his second term, announced he is running for governor. Other candidates include Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.