A 28-year-old man has been charged with multiple felonies in connection with an alleged assault on U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) at a party during the Sundance Film Festival, authorities said.
Christian Joel Young was arrested Friday night at a private event hosted by talent agency Creative Artists Agency at High West Distillery, a venue near the festival, according to court records and statements from law enforcement. Young faces charges including aggravated burglary and assaulting an elected official. A judge ordered him held without bail, citing concerns about public safety and his prior criminal history.
Frost, who is black and who represents a Central Florida district and is the first member of Generation Z elected to Congress, posted on X that he was punched in the face after the assailant told him former President Donald Trump was going to deport him.
“Last night, I was assaulted by a man at Sundance Festival who told me that Trump was going to deport me before he punched me in the face,” he wrote on the X platform.
Frost said the attacker also shouted racist remarks as he fled. He confirmed he was not seriously injured and thanked venue security and the Park City Police Department for their response.
According to the police affidavit, Young gained access to the party after jumping a fence and using a Sundance Film Festival pass that was not issued in his name. Court filings also allege that Young grabbed a woman by the shoulder during the incident.
The Sundance Film Festival organizers said they “strongly condemn” the assault and noted the incident occurred at a non-affiliated event. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, among other officials, called for aggressive prosecution of the alleged assault.
“Grateful that [Frost] is okay, but appalled that this terrifying assault took place. The perpetrator must be aggressively prosecuted,” Jeffries added. “Hate and political violence has no place in our country, and the entire House Democratic Caucus family stands with Maxwell.”
County Judge Richard Mrazik ordered that Young, who has a prior misdemeanor conviction, be held without bail because he poses “a substantial danger” if released, according to the AP.
Meanwhile, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) was also physically attacked during a town hall event in Minneapolis Tuesday evening, though some are questioning whether it was real.
The incident occurred as Omar was speaking to constituents where she criticized U.S. immigration enforcement and called for the resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
According to law enforcement, a man approached the podium and sprayed an unidentified liquid at Omar from a syringe-like device before a security guard and others restrained him.
Minneapolis police booked the suspect — identified 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak — on suspicion of third-degree assault. Omar was not injured in the incident and continued her remarks after a brief pause, saying she would not be intimidated.
“Representative Omar was uninjured and resumed speaking at the event,” a Minneapolis police statement said.
Officials said the substance sprayed had a noticeable odor, and forensic teams were brought in to examine it, though no serious physical reactions were immediately reported among those at the event.
As Omar said Noem “must resign or face impeachment,” the man shouted something that microphones did not catch very clearly
“Oh, my God, he sprayed something on her,” a witness could be heard saying, as numerous people rushed toward the podium. Someone else said that the substance smelled bad and that Omar should “get checked.”
Many people expressed doubts about the legitimacy of the liquid attack because Omar refused to seek medical treatment or get checked out afterward. Additionally, video footage appeared to show her nodding at the attacker just before the incident occurred.