FBI Arrests McKinney Teen in Alleged Plot to Kill Rep. Keith Self

By R.J. Morales | TX3DNews

McKINNEY, Texas — A 17-year-old McKinney resident was arrested in an alleged ISIS-related plot to assassinate U.S. Rep. Keith Self, renewing attention to previously reported threats against the congressman and security concerns surrounding his public appearances.

The FBI arrested the teenager October 5 after he acquired a firearm, according to WFAA reporters Jason Whitely and Rebecca Lopez, who broke the story Wednesday. Federal law enforcement sources told the station that investigators believed the teenager intended to target Self at an October 17 event and carry out a terrorist attack in North Texas on behalf of ISIS.

Self said Wednesday that he and his family are safe. His Democratic challenger, Evan Hunt, also condemned the alleged plot.

Earlier Threats and Town Hall Security

Self has previously reported receiving threats against his office.

In March 2025, he postponed a scheduled constituent gathering in Greenville, citing multiple death threats and threats of violence, some of which he said authorities were investigating.

“My office received multiple death threats and threats of violence—several of which are currently being investigated by authorities,” Self wrote at the time.

The cancellation followed a March 1 town hall in Wylie where Self faced boos and pointed questions from constituents. He subsequently resumed holding smaller in-person meetings, where attendees were required to preregister, present identification and verify that they lived in his congressional district.

Security remained visible at subsequent gatherings.

At a June 2025 town hall in Farmersville, uniformed officers were stationed at the entrance and inside the venue.

Similar precautions were observed during an August gathering in Prosper, where police were stationed inside and outside. Staff and supporters attributed heightened security to threats following an earlier Wylie meeting.

At a January 31, 2026, town hall in Wylie, police responded after an altercation between attendees following the meeting.

Witnesses reported that a man appeared to swing at a woman during a disagreement. Whether physical contact occurred could not be established.

None of those earlier incidents has been linked to the teenager arrested this month. Protests and disagreements at public meetings are also distinct from threats of violence.

Self: ‘I Will Not Back Down’

In a Facebook statement Wednesday, Self thanked federal authorities for stopping the reported threat.

“I am grateful to the FBI and law enforcement for stopping this threat. My family and I are safe, and I remain focused on serving the people of Texas’ 3rd District,” he wrote.

Self also addressed the risks he associates with opposing radical Islam.

“Preserving our constitutional republic from radical Islam means accepting the costs that come with it—name-calling, threats, and worse,” he wrote.

The retired Army lieutenant colonel pointed to his 25 years of military service, concluding, “This only strengthens my resolve. I will not back down.”

Self co-founded the Sharia-Free America Caucus in December 2025 and has introduced legislation addressing Sharia law and Islamic extremism.

However, investigators have not publicly established why the teenager allegedly targeted him.

Asked by WFAA whether his positions might explain the alleged plot, Self acknowledged the uncertainty.

“I can’t prove that. I don’t know that for sure,” he said.

Hunt Condemns Political Violence

Evan Hunt, the Democratic candidate running against Self for Texas’ 3rd Congressional District in the November 3 election, condemned the alleged assassination plot in a Facebook statement Wednesday.

“There is no place for violence in our politics. No political disagreement ever justifies threatening someone’s life,” Hunt wrote. “Every elected official, their family and their staff deserve to be safe, regardless of party.”

Hunt also thanked the FBI and other law enforcement officers for their efforts to protect public officials and their communities.

“We settle our differences through debate and at the ballot box,” he wrote. “Political violence must be condemned without hesitation or excuses, no matter who is targeted.”

Questions Remain

According to WFAA, federal investigators had been monitoring the teenager, whom sources described as recently radicalized. The suspect remains in federal custody, and his identity has not been released.

Although WFAA reported that the teenager was charged, the specific offenses remain unidentified in published accounts. The October 17 event where Self was allegedly targeted has also not been publicly identified.

Authorities have not publicly established whether the teenager had direct contact with ISIS or acted independently.

The FBI’s Dallas Field Office and Self’s congressional office were contacted Wednesday for additional information. Responses were pending at the time of reporting.