McKinney Teen Arrested in Alleged Plot Against Texas Rep. Keith Self

As a North Texas congressman campaigns for a third term, federal authorities have arrested a McKinney teenager accused of plotting his assassination. A 17-year-old from the city is alleged to have targeted Rep. Keith Self, a Republican representing Texas' third congressional district.

Self's campaign manager confirmed the suspect was taken into federal custody by the FBI on Oct. 5. The congressman's team learned about the arrest on Oct. 6 through U.S. Capitol Police. Investigators reportedly advised the campaign that the teen had been radicalized and was under federal surveillance.

Authorities told Self's campaign that the teenager was planning a terrorist attack on behalf of ISIS. The alleged target was a chili cook-off fundraiser for veterans set for Oct. 17. That event, which involved former Cowboys players and other high-profile guests, was held in the district. The FBI Dallas office has not yet provided additional comment on the case.

The congressman told reporters he adjusted his security posture upon learning of the alleged threat. Self said he increased his awareness as early voting got underway across Texas. "So at that point we upped our profile and we're a little more aware, although I had plenty of security," he said. "So we did change our situational awareness around us."

Self attributed his measured response to his time in the military. He said his prior experience deploying into combat zones shaped how he processed the news. "Having deployed into combat zones several times, I'm happy it happened to me because people that have never dealt with this before tend to freak out when somebody tells you that somebody's trying to kill you," Self said. He added that because the arrest had already occurred, his main concern was determining whether the teen acted alone. His wife, who spent 25 years as a military spouse, also understood the gravity of the situation, he said.

The congressman stated that he has faced threats before. "We knew there were threats, but nothing has risen to the level of an arrest," Self said. "That's what makes this different. And frankly, the seriousness of it, we understand it could have been a very serious incident from what we've been told."

Despite the alleged plot, Self said he attended the Oct. 17 event as planned. He also said he has continued his campaign activities, including meeting voters at polling locations. "We continued our activities and just watched what was going on around us," he said. "I've been out poll greeting this morning. And every day I've been out poll greeting, meeting voters. So we're going to continue to go."

The arrest comes as the congressman has taken a visible stance on certain religious legal codes. In September, he introduced a nonbinding concurrent resolution denouncing Sharia law and opposing its implementation in the United States. His resolution states that the U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land.

The district Self represents includes McKinney, where plans for a new mosque have been debated. In August, the McKinney City Council unanimously approved a site plan for expansion at a local mosque, stating it complied with the city's development rules. The vote followed hours of contentious public comment and was later followed by an effort to recall several council members.

Evan Hunt, Self's opponent in the midterm election, also condemned the alleged plot in a social media post. The identity of the teenager has not been released as the investigation continues.

Authorities have not publicly identified the teen while the inquiry moves forward. The FBI has not released further details regarding the investigation.