Texas and federal law enforcement reportedly thwarted a terror plot slated to take place Thursday at the state capitol in Austin.
Dallas-Fort Worth NBC affiliate KXAS-TV reported that the Texas DPS worked with the FBI to assess threats made by Benny Caldera Jr., 40, and decided to take him into custody.
A DPS SWAT team arrested Caldera at around 3 a.m. Wednesday at his residence in Converse, about 15 miles northeast of downtown San Antonio, Texas DPS said.
Arrest documents said Caldera had told a friend, “I love you, if you don’t see me again,” and explained that, “I am going to the Capitol and I am going to shoot it up.”
The documents said Caldera told his friend that he was angry at AIPAC (American Israeli Public Affairs Committee) and that “these people have to be exterminated.”
The suspect was first taken to Bexar County Jail and charged with felony terroristic threat against a public servant.
Caldera had been previously charged with the unlicensed carrying of a weapon in 2023, KXAS reported.
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Texas Department of Public Safety posted an update Wednesday on social media, writing, “Late this evening, Benny Caldera Jr., 40, was arrested by the FBI at the Bexar Co. Jail to face additional federal charges in connection with a possible planned attack at the Texas State Capitol. Caldera Jr. was then released from the Bexar Co. Jail into federal custody, where he will remain.”
🚨UPDATE:🚨Late this evening, Benny Caldera Jr., 40, was arrested by the FBI at the Bexar Co. Jail to face additional federal charges in connection with a possible planned attack at the Texas State Capitol. Caldera Jr. was then released from the Bexar Co. Jail into federal…
— Texas DPS (@TxDPS) October 1, 2026
FBI Director Kash Patel responded to the arrest, posting on social media, “Outstanding work by @TxDPS. Proud of our @FBISanAntonio team for standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our state and local partners.”
“Within HOURS of the tip, @TxDPS had the main suspect in custody — with @FBISanAntonio and local law enforcement assisting. Threaten Americans or our institutions, and law enforcement will move FAST. Investigation ongoing,” he added.
Outstanding work by @TxDPS. Proud of our @FBISanAntonio team for standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our state and local partners.
Within HOURS of the tip, @TxDPS had the main suspect in custody — with @FBISanAntonio and local law enforcement assisting
Threaten Americans or our… pic.twitter.com/neg82hEhWW
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) September 30, 2026
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also responded, posting on X, “Texas DPS and the FBI stopped a planned attack on the Texas Capitol. Texas will NOT tolerate threats of violence against our Capitol. Thank you, TxDPS, for a job well done.”
Texas DPS and the FBI stopped a planned attack on the Texas Capitol.
Texas will NOT tolerate threats of violence against our Capitol.
Thank you, @TxDPS, for a job well done.https://t.co/dZBHD037sl
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) September 30, 2026
The arrest of Caldera came the same day that Israeli passengers and the Indian pilot of a FlyDubai flight thwarted the co-pilot’s attempt to take over and crash the aircraft, which was en route to Tel Aviv from Dubai.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News Thursday that the Omani co-pilot “underwent Islamist radical indoctrination.”
BREAKING: “We know that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination.”
Israeli Prime Minister @netanyahu confirms the co-pilot involved in yesterday’s hijacking attempt on an Israel-bound Flydubai flight is currently under interrogation, revealing initial findings of extremist… pic.twitter.com/KTJu2N5nwA
— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 1, 2026
“I don’t know the exact background of this person, the attacker, but he obviously hated Israelis because he was going to kill about 170 of them on this plane, killing himself, too,” the prime minister said.
“That’s fanaticism and hatred of an incalculable level.”
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