DES MOINES, Iowa — A death threat sent to the Iowa Democratic Party (IDP) forced leaders to close their Des Moines headquarters Friday evening, according to IDP Chair Mark Smith.
This comes days after President Donald Trump supporters stormed the United States Capitol building.
Smith's statement doesn't say how the party received the message, but it does say they closed their doors immediately after they got it.
"While the actions of extremists do not reflect the true America, the divisive rhetoric that fuels their lawless actions puts people’s lives at risk and it must end," Smith said.
"Now more than ever, our state and nation need to unite to rebuild our fragile democracy together. As we continue to monitor the situation, the safety of our staff remains our top priority," Smith said.
Local 5 also reached out to Sgt. Paul Parizek with the Des Moines Police Department, who said they had no calls to the IDP's headquarters.
Sgt. Alex Dinkla with the Iowa State Patrol told Local 5 he was not aware of any calls to the IDP.