A Minneapolis man pleaded guilty to assault Thursday, May 7, after spraying vinegar at U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar while she spoke at a town hall.

Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, admitted in U.S. District Court to assaulting the congresswoman during a public event Jan. 27 at the Urban League headquarters in north Minneapolis.

His plea came after federal prosecutors and his attorney, John Fossum, “reached a settlement” to plead guilty.

The charge of assaulting a U.S. officer carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison.

Kazmierczak was sitting in the front row of the town hall when he stood up, quickly approached Omar and sprayed the vinegar from a small syringe as she spoke at the front of the room. Two security officers tackled him.

The event was held during the height of Operation Metro Surge, when thousands of federal immigration agents were sent into Minnesota. When she was interrupted, Omar was calling for the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and resignation of then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

A video of the town hall from Reuters shows Kazmierczak saying “she’s [Noem] not resigning” before he sprayed Omar with the apple cider vinegar. He then points to her and says: “You’re splitting Minnesotans apart.”

During the plea hearing in Minneapolis, U.S. District Judge Joan Ericksen asked Kazmierczak several questions about his recollection of the night, which he said was “fuzzy.”

He admitted in the courtroom to squeezing the syringe at Omar when he was 6 to 7 feet away from her. The liquid hit the congresswoman’s hand, face and the lower part of her jacket.

“I kind of commented on it and then squirted her with the syringe,” Kazmierczak said.

He said he quickly announced to the room that the substance was vinegar because he “didn’t want anybody to think she was in danger.” He later said he knew such an act was wrong and that disagrees with Omar’s politics when asked by the judge.

Omar continued the town hall after Kazmierczak’s arrest. As she walked away, she told reporters, “I’ve survived war, and I’m definitely going to survive intimidation and whatever these people think they can throw at me because I’m built that way.”

After Kazmierczak’s arrest, an FBI agent interviewed an associate of his who claimed he once said “somebody should kill” Omar.

A sentencing date for Kazmierczak’s federal case was not scheduled during the plea hearing. Fossum, Kazmierczak’s attorney, asked the court to expedite the proceedings because his client has been held in Sherburne County jail since his arrest.

Kazmierczak also faces state charges, including one felony count of threats of violence and a misdemeanor charge of fifth-degree assault.

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