Man with Taser and rope charged in attempted kidnapping of mayor, Memphis police say
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A man has been charged with an attempted kidnapping of the mayor of Memphis after he went to the mayor's house in a gated community and was later arrested with a Taser, gloves, rope and duct tape in his vehicle, according to police.
Memphis police on Wednesday announced that Trenton Abston, 25, is facing charges of attempted kidnapping, stalking and aggravated criminal trespass. Mayor Paul Young, a Black Democrat, was at home with his wife and children when Abston knocked on the door Sunday night, according to an arrest affidavit. Young said could see from his doorbell camera that the man was wearing gloves and had a lumpy bulge in his hoodie pocket.
When no one answered, the man fled, but his face was captured on camera, the affidavit says.
The attempt happened just one day after the killing a prominent Minnesota Democratic lawmaker. The suspect charged is accused of impersonating a police officer and gunning down former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home outside Minneapolis.
Online court records reviewed Friday do not show if he has hired a lawyer. Abston, who is Black, is scheduled to appear in court Monday to tell a judge if he has been able to hire an attorney.
Abston told police investigators that he waited until Sunday evening to approach Young at his home about crime in the city, saying he was angry at the mayor and armed with a Taser when he went to the home, the affidavit says.
Police found in their investigation that Abston's vehicle was seen on video footage multiple times in the immediate area of Young's home between May and June, the affidavit says. The subdivision has a large exterior wall, a gate, a guard house, security and video surveillance, the affidavit says.
Security footage shows that Abston scaled a wall and went directly to Young's residence, authorities said. On Tuesday, police used law enforcement databases to identify Abston as a person of interest in the case. They confirmed his identity by showing his work manager a photo from the night of the incident, and then detained Abston at his workplace on Wednesday, the affidavit says.
'Abston took substantial steps toward the commission of a kidnapping,' the affidavit said.
Young said the man jumped a wall leading into the subdivision where his family lives. He said the man 'walked straight to our home, knocking on the door with gloves on, a full pocket, and a nervous demeanor.'
Young challenged people in his city to 'change how we talk to and about each other,' saying, 'disagreement must never lead to violence.'
'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 on social media on Wednesday. "The link between angry online rhetoric and real-life violence is becoming undeniable.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
19 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Photos of luxury superyacht that sank off Sicily, killing 7, being lifted from the ocean
PORTICELLO, Italy (AP) — A British-flagged luxury superyacht that sank off Sicily in 2024, killing U.K. tech magnate Mike Lynch and six others, has been recovered from the sea. The 56-meter (184-foot) Bayesian was lifted by salvage crews near the port of Porticello, where it sank on Aug. 19 last year during a violent storm. A floating crane platform will move the Bayesian to the Sicilian port of Termini Imerese, where a special steel cradle is waiting for it. The vessel will then be made available for investigators to help determine the cause of the sinking. ___ This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
San Francisco Chronicle
36 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Photos of luxury superyacht that sank off Sicily, killing 7, being lifted from the ocean
PORTICELLO, Italy (AP) — A British-flagged luxury superyacht that sank off Sicily in 2024, killing U.K. tech magnate Mike Lynch and six others, has been recovered from the sea. The 56-meter (184-foot) Bayesian was lifted by salvage crews near the port of Porticello, where it sank on Aug. 19 last year during a violent storm. A floating crane platform will move the Bayesian to the Sicilian port of Termini Imerese, where a special steel cradle is waiting for it. The vessel will then be made available for investigators to help determine the cause of the sinking. ___ This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Socialist NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani once rapped about his ‘love' for Hamas teror-funding group ‘Holy Land Five'
Socialist NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani once voiced his 'love' for the five leaders of a notorious nonprofit convicted of funneling more than $12 million to the terror group Hamas. The former C-list rapper-turned-far-left-pol praised the heads of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development – known as the 'Holy Land Five'– in a shocking 2017 rap track uncovered by the antisemitism-fighting group Canary Mission, and made public in a one-minute video segment released Friday. 'My love to the Holy Land Five. You better look 'em up,' the Queens assemblyman – who performed under the stage name Mr. Cardamom – says in a song called 'Salaam,' which the Queens assemblyman said is about growing up Muslim in New York. Advertisement NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani (in middle) appearing a rap video for his song 'Nani' when he went by 'Mr. Cardamom.' Mr. Cardamom/Youtube The five heads of the now-defunct Texas based Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development — Shukri Abu Baker, Mohammad El-Mezain, Ghassan Elashi, Mufid Abdulqader and Abdulrahman Odeh — were all convicted in 2008 by a federal jury of funding Hamas, according to the Canary Mission. 'Mamdani sent his 'love' to convicted Hamas funders,' the Canary Mission video says. 'Let that sink in.' Advertisement The quintet were convicted of supporting terrorism, tax fraud, money laundering and other charges. The sentencing ranged from 15 to 65 years in prison for each. In another part of the track, the Israel-hating Mamdani — who is polling a strong second in nearly all polls heading into Tuesday's Democratic mayoral primary behind only ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo — raps, 'No ban. No wall. Build it up. We'll make it fall.' The antisemitism-fighting group responds in the video saying:' No ban, no wall—that's an open door for criminals and chaos.' 'Zohran Mamdani stands with convicted terrorist funders and wants open borders,' the group adds. Advertisement 'This is New York City — not a sanctuary for terrorists. Zohran Mamdani. Unfit. Un-American. Unthinkable.' Curtis Sliwa, a Republican mayoral candidate, said 'it's alarming that a mayoral candidate has a history of praising Hamas.' 'New Yorkers reject hate and extremism, and they should reject any candidate who refuses to do the same,' he added. Reps for Mamdani's campaign did not return messages Saturday.
