Texas man charged with ‘threatening to lynch’ Nashville District Attorney

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Friday that a Texas man was charged with "threatening to lynch and kill" a Nashville and Davidson County District Attorney.

A press release stated that a federal criminal complaint filed charges against 59-year-old David Aaron Bloyed of Frost, Texas. The complaint alleged that members of antisemitic hate group Goyim Defense League (GDL) were protesting in downtown Nashville on July 14.

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A fight broke out and a member of the group was arrested and charged with hitting a bar employee repeatedly with a metal flagpole.

The DOJ said that group members also repeatedly posted about their activities on multiple social media platforms. Following the arrest of the bartender's assailant, one social media post by a user associated with GDL posted threats against District Attorney Glenn Funk. Those posts "included a photograph of DA Funk with the caption, "Getting the rope," and an emoji finger pointed towards Funk's image," according to the DOJ.

"The posts also included a photograph of a person hanging by the neck from a gallows, with the phrases, 'The 'Rope List' grew by a few more Nashville jews today,' and "Will you survive the day of the rope?" the press release added.

The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Metro Nashville Police Department, the Memphis Field Office and the Nashville Resident Agency. If convicted, Bloyed could face up to five years in federal prison.

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"In a functioning democracy, we simply cannot tolerate threats of violence against elected officials," United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis said in the press release. "The charges announced today are just the latest illustration of the Department's commitment to protecting public servants and upholding the rule of law."

News 2 has reached out to Funk for comment. The Davidson County District Attorney's Office stated that Funk "does not comment on pending cases." The U.S. Attorney's Office said that they did not have a further statement on this case at the time.