Texas Capitol Evacuated Amid Active Shooter Threat As Leftist Protests Erupt Over GOP Redistricting
The Texas Capitol was partially evacuated Tuesday evening after law enforcement received a credible threat of violence, coinciding with left-wing protests against Republican redistricting efforts.
According to the Department of Public Safety (DPS), the evacuation began around 6:30 p.m. after a social media post called for people to “take action by shooting and killing those who will not allow lawmakers to leave.” DPS confirmed that personnel are working to identify the individual responsible for the alarming post.
The security scare interrupted the legislative session, which Republicans were using to advance proposals on flood victim aid and new congressional maps that could deliver the GOP five additional U.S. House seats. Outside the Capitol, protest organizer Melody Tremallo told CBS Austin that police warned demonstrators about “an imminent shooter threat,” prompting parts of the grounds to be cleared while armed officers secured entry points.
#BREAKING: The grounds are now being closed due to the threat. @cbsaustin pic.twitter.com/yGOdFhM63K
— Andrew Freeman (@AFreemanNews) August 20, 2025
Inside, the situation was compounded by ongoing tensions between Democrats and Republicans. Several Democrats refused to comply with a GOP mandate requiring them to accept police escorts if they wanted to leave the Capitol, a measure meant to prevent another quorum-breaking stunt. Some lawmakers, such as State Rep. Nicole Collier, even spent the night inside the Capitol. Collier later revealed she received a call of support from former Vice President Kamala Harris during her protest.
Democrats had only just returned to Austin after fleeing the state for two weeks in an effort to block the redistricting vote. Their walkout triggered a 2021 law that fines legislators $500 per day for deliberately breaking quorum, potentially leaving Democrats facing hundreds of thousands in penalties.
The active shooter scare underscored the escalating volatility around Texas’ redistricting fight, with Republicans determined to reshape congressional maps in their favor while Democrats lean on increasingly desperate tactics to stall the inevitable. Law enforcement continues to investigate the origin of the threat.