Terrorist Threats Made At Harlem State Senator's Office: NYPD

HARLEM, NY – A 42-year-old Harlem resident, Vadim Dergachev, appeared at State Sen. Cordell Cleare’s Harlem office on 125th Street on Monday morning and threatened her staff that he would “‘shoot up’ and ‘blow up’ the office if he didn’t get to see her,” Cleare told City & State.

The man, who was reportedly unarmed, was arrested and charged with making terrorist threats – a felony – as well as making a threat of massive harm, menacing, and harassment, officials said.

Although she wasn’t at her office at the time, a staffer told Cleare that the man demanded to see her, threatening that if he didn’t get to see Cleare, he would commit an act of terrorism:

'I want to see (Cleare), and if I don’t get to see her, I’m going to shoot this office up, I’m going to bomb the place, and remarks similar to that,' Cleare said. 'He went on to say these references to President-elect Trump, you know, "He’s the president now and things are going to change now." He made some disparaging remarks about President Biden and Vice President Harris.'

The NYPD were called and removed the man from the building.

A spokesperson for Cleare confirmed the story.

"Currently, I’m speaking to law enforcement as they continue the investigation," Cleare said, in a statement. "My primary concern is about the safety of my staff, and my constituents who come to my office daily.”

This is reportedly the first such incident Cleare has experienced.

“No one’s ever come in here and said they’re going to shoot up the place, and they're going to bomb the place,” she told City & State. “Of course, people are upset sometimes, angry or what have you. But to come in and threaten violence on that level is very unnerving and disturbing.”