Why did the man spray Ilhan Omar with apple cider vinegar?

1. What happened at the town hall — the immediate facts

Video and contemporaneous reporting show a man seated near the front of Omar’s town hall suddenly lunging to the podium, using what looked like a syringe or syringe‑like device to spray a strong‑smelling liquid at her, after which security and police subdued and arrested him; Omar was not physically injured and continued her remarks ^{[1] [4] [5]}.

2. Forensics: why reporters say apple cider vinegar

Local forensic teams and law enforcement sources told multiple outlets that analysis on scene or soon after indicated the liquid smelled strongly of vinegar and was likely apple cider vinegar, a finding repeated by CNN, KARE‑11 and other outlets reporting on the investigation ^{[6] [2] [7]}.

3. Who the suspect is and what he reportedly said or posted

Police identified the suspect as 55‑year‑old Anthony James Kazmierczak, who was arrested and charged with third‑degree assault; reporting notes his social media history included political posts mocking Omar and criticizing her positions, and family members reported a history of substance problems in the family—details that suggest personal grievance and political animus may have intersected in this incident ^{[7] [2]}.

4. The political context that shapes probable motive

The attack unfolded hours after President Trump made inflammatory comments about Omar at a rally, and lawmakers on both sides quickly linked the incident to heightened anti‑Omar rhetoric; Omar herself connected the episode to threats she has received and to national political language that targets her, while some political figures responded by accusing others of fomenting violence and one prominent figure suggested the incident was staged—showing the event is being interpreted through partisan frames even as investigators seek objective motive evidence ^{[1] [3] [8]}.

5. Alternative explanations investigators must sort through

Authorities have not publicly announced a single definitive motive beyond charging the man with assault, and reporting indicates investigators are weighing multiple possibilities: a politically motivated attack rooted in online and public harassment, an act by an individual with personal or mental‑health or substance‑related issues (family accounts and criminal‑history snippets have been reported), or a different explanation that only the FBI’s continuing probe can confirm—reporting to date documents indicators but does not prove a single motive ^{[2] [9] [3]}.

6. Where the evidence is firm and where questions remain

Forensics on the liquid are reported consistently across outlets as pointing to apple cider vinegar, and video/eyewitness accounts establish the physical sequence of the assault and the suspect’s immediate apprehension, but whether the act was planned specifically to intimidate Omar as a political target, the degree to which online rhetoric directly motivated the attacker, and whether additional charges or federal involvement will change the characterization of motive remain open questions pending the FBI’s investigation and any court filings ^{[2] [1] [3]}.

Conclusion: why he sprayed her — the best current answer

Based on available reporting, the most supported explanation is that a politically agitated individual with a documented online hostility toward Ilhan Omar lunged forward and sprayed a vinegar‑scented liquid at her in an apparent assault; forensic testing identified the substance as likely apple cider vinegar and authorities arrested and charged the suspect, but investigators have not yet released a conclusive, singular motive and are continuing to examine whether the act was primarily politically motivated, driven by personal factors, or a mix of both ^{[2] [7] [1] [3]}.