Man with taser, tape and rope accused of stalking, trying to kidnap Memphis mayor
A man found with a taser, rope, and duct tape and seen in the Memphis mayor's neighborhood has been accused of stalking and attempting to kidnap the city leader.
Trenton Abston, 25, is being held in Shelby County Jail with no bail or bond listed and a court appearance scheduled for Friday, according to jail records.
Abston has been charged with attempted kidnapping, stalking, and aggravated criminal trespassing, the Memphis Police Department said in a statement. Police said they believed he was targeting the city's mayor, Paul Young.
"At the time of his arrest, officers recovered a taser, gloves, rope, and duct tape from his vehicle," the department said.
It wasn't clear if Abston has a lawyer. The public defender's office for the region did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Police initially believed the suspect was going door-to-door in a subdivision that includes Mayor Paul Young's home in East Memphis on Sunday night.
Memphis police and the mayor said security video shows the suspect scaling a wall to the subdivision and then walking directly to the mayor's home.
"We now know that he walked straight to our home, knocking on the door with gloves on, a full pocket, and a nervous demeanor," the mayor said in a statement.
Much of the incident was on security camera video, officials said, though police didn't detail what happened after the suspect came to the mayor's door.
This week, the police department tried to reassure residents it is aware of high-profile political violence in the nation and is prepared to fight it.
"We understand the concerns raised by this incident and want to reassure the public that the Memphis Police Department remains fully committed to the safety of all residents, including our city's elected officials," it said Wednesday.
Earlier in the week, Vance Boelter, 57, was charged with murder in a deadly rampage on elected officials that began in Minnesota's Twin Cities region.
Authorities have accused him of impersonating law enforcement and fatally shooting a Democratic Minnesota state representative and her husband, and wounding another state legislator and his wife.
The Memphis mayor said in his statement that it's time to redouble efforts to keep political discussion civil.
"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 said.
"Let's raise our discourse, reduce the hate, and protect one another — no matter our beliefs," the mayor said. "Let's reclaim our strength as one community. Let's choose love."
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