How Secret Service is working to combat rising threat of politically motivated violence

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Sunday marked one year since an assassination attempt on President Donald Trump ended with the president and others injured, and one person killed.

The rising threat of politically motivated violence is now top of mind as local and state level lawmakers are taking advantage of new specialized training from the U.S. Secret Service.

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Local lawmakers from around the country traveled to Chicago for a bipartisan conference, where the training was front and center for those who want to protect themselves in a rapidly evolving threat environment.

With recent instances of political violence, federal agents say physical and cyber safety is paramount, especially now on a local level.

In the wake of the chilling assassination of a Minnesota lawmaker, the attempted assassination of another and a flurry of politically motivated violence against more state lawmakers, including the fire-bombing of Gov. Josh Shapiro's home in Pennsylvania, a bipartisan organization founded in Chicago, The Council of State Governments, was moved to act.

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"We feel we have an obligation to empower state leaders to take the steps necessary to make sure that they're protected in an environment in which, frankly, domestic political violence is now an emerging threat," said David Adkins Executive Director and CEO of CSG.

Adkins talked with the I-Team about state legislators as targets and explained the conference, drawing local lawmakers from across the country here to Chicago, and called on the U.S. Secret Service to speak about the unprecedented threat level now seen against local lawmakers and how they can respond.

"The threats that we have traditionally seen reserved for presidents and vice presidents have now devolved to the lowest levels of state government. And when everyone's a target, everyone needs to take those steps to prepare," he said.

Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Secret Service Field Office Joel Heffernan advised local legislators from as close as West Chicago and as far as Alaska on the best ways to prevent the worst possibilities.

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"Assessing where you're vulnerable, whether you have children, your spouse, what their exposure is, who knows where you live, and then having local coordination with law enforcement," he said.

He gave lawmakers a crash course on personal and cyber security, saying, "I think that temperature is starting to raise with what's going on in the country. So yes, I do believe it is elevating as we speak."

State Sen. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, told the I-Team she is feeling that pressure acutely.

"Things are so different. When I go to a restaurant, I pay attention to where I'm sitting. I pay attention to where the exits are. I know who's in my company, who's in my nearest vicinity, where my phone is at all times it's pretty intense," she said.

Among concerns close to home, the I-Team confirmed with Ald. Jason Ervin that his office was targeted by a bomb threat over the Fourth of July weekend.

Chicago police charged a 28-year-old man Monday.

Ervin said it was particularly concerning because his workplace is in a community center that hosts church services and baby showers. He said a threat to an elected official is a threat to the people.