A suspect accused of attacking the office of U.S. Attorney Alina Habba in Newark, New Jersey, has been taken into custody, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced. The FBI identified the suspect as 51-year-old Keith Michael Lisa, a California native with ties to New York City and Mahwah, New Jersey. Federal authorities said Lisa was arrested less than 48 hours after being charged with entering a federal building while carrying a dangerous weapon and damaging government property. According to the FBI, Lisa initially approached the Peter W. Rodino Federal Building on November 12 with a baseball bat, was denied entry, discarded the bat, then returned and caused visible damage inside Habba’s office. Habba was unharmed.
A federal warrant for Lisa’s arrest was issued Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, charging him with possession of a dangerous weapon in a federal facility and depredation of federal property. Authorities described Lisa as approximately 6 feet 3 inches tall, weighing between 200 and 230 pounds, and considered dangerous prior to his arrest. Law enforcement praised the rapid coordination between the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and Homeland Security Investigations in apprehending him. Both Bondi and Habba emphasized that the incident reflects a troubling rise in politically motivated threats against federal officials, noting that acts of intimidation against U.S. Attorneys and other law enforcement personnel will not be tolerated.
Habba, who oversees federal prosecutions and civil litigation across New Jersey, thanked law enforcement following the arrest and vowed not to be intimidated. FBI Director Kash Patel highlighted that threats against U.S. Attorneys are attacks on the rule of law and commended the swift response. The Justice Department has reported a surge in threats targeting federal officials since early 2025 and has expanded security measures at federal buildings nationwide. Bondi stated that Lisa’s arrest demonstrates that those attempting to threaten or intimidate federal officers will face the full weight of the law.