LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — As threats of political violence increase across the county, the Nevada Legislative Police have formed a new unit dedicated to protecting state lawmakers.
According to an April 28 letter from Legislative Police Chief John Drew, the new unit will consist of specially trained officers who will provide security at town halls and community meetings, coordinate public events, consult on home security and assess threats received by lawmakers.
And that's a welcome development, according to Assemblyman Reuben D'Silva of Clark County, who has received threats while serving in office.
WATCH | Amid threats, Nevada Legislative Police form special protection unit
"I've received personal threats, calling for my harm, calling for violence against me," he said. "I've had, even, personal property of mine attacked, and this was deemed on political grounds by Metro [Police] and other folks who've investigated these issues."
And D'Silva says, it's not just him: "I think every single legislator out there has had one or two incidents of somebody threatening them, threatening violence upon themselves or their families," he said.
The list of examples of violence is long.
- In January 2011, a gunman killed six people and wounded 13, including Rep. Gabby Giffords of Arizona at a congressional town hall in Tucson.
- In June 2017, a gunman angry at Republicans attacked members of the GOP as they practiced for the congressional baseball game, seriously wounding then-House Majority Whip Steve Scalice from Louisiana.
- In October 2020, FBI agents foiled a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
- In June 2022, an armed man was arrested near the Maryland home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
- Then in October 2022, a man broke into the San Francisco home of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and seriously wounded her husband.
- In 2024, a sniper nearly killed President Donald Trump as he campaigned at a rally in Butler, Penn. Another would-be sniper was arrested at the Trump International Golf Club in Florida.
- And in June 2025, a masked gunman shot and wounded Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife at their home, before assassinating then-Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband at their home.
- In September 2025, a sniper assassinated conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.
- And on April 25, a gunman rushed a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton hotel, where President Trump was attending the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner. The gunman was arrested and Trump and several members of his administration were whisked to safety.
Here in Nevada, the most high-profile political threat came in 2013, when then-Assemblyman Steven Brooks threatened the life of then-Assembly Speaker Marilyn Kirkpatrick. Brooks was angry about not being named chairman of the powerful Ways & Means Committee, and was arrested in possession of a firearm driving through North Las Vegas.
But Brooks still attended the 2013 session of the Nevada Legislature, escorted constantly by uniformed Legislative Police officers. A select committee met behind closed doors and eventually recommended Brooks's expulsion, the first and only lawmaker to ever be ousted from the Legislature.
William Horne, now a lobbyist with Western Public Affairs, was Assembly Majority Leader at the time, and chaired the select committee. He recalls being guarded by police officers while the drama unfolded.
"It was very disruptive, to say the least," he said. "My takeaway from that experience was, I don't understand how anyone would enjoy being the president of the United States or one of the other protected officials in our nation, or dignitaries that come from abroad, right? It's very intrusive to your everyday life."
Horne remembers having to send his young kids — who always spent part of spring break with him in Carson City — home early, and having to explain to them why police officers were following him around.
In those days, the legislative building was completely open, with no metal detectors at entrances. Today, there are police officers and metal detectors at all public entrances, and bags and briefcases are x-rayed.
"So I think probably, it's unfortunate, but its the right step to do," Horne said.
He said that the increasing threats of harm may dissuade people who would otherwise run for office from doing so. They may think "I'm not going to run for risk of bodily harm or death to me and possibly my family," Horne said.
D'Silva says that fear is always in the back of lawmakers' minds, but that he pushes on and focuses on doing his job.
"You do worry. Of course you do," he says. "But you have to keep on moving. You know, we're public servants. We chose to do this job, and we have a duty to the people of Nevada and to the people of Las Vegas to continue on in our duty and our service.
"So, of course, you do worry about it, but this is why I'm very happy to see that [the Legislative Counsel Bureau] and the Legislative Police have actually offered this service now for its elected officials."
