South Dakota Highway Patrol investigating death threat against two state lawmakers

PIERRE, S.D. - A threat on social media aimed at two South Dakota Republicans is being investigated by the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.

That’s according to Rep. Fred Deutsch (R-Florence). Deutsch said that members of the state’s highway patrol pulled him and Rep. Jon Hansen (R-Dell Rapids) away from their legislative duties Monday to inform them of the death threat, and a subsequent investigation into it.

Both Republican lawmakers were directed to contact their families to check on their wellbeing.

“They’re tracking down the threat, and they are guarding my house,” Deutsch said to Dakota News Now/KOTA Territory.

Deutsch made a post to social media Monday night, showing him celebrating the passage and the Governor’s signing of HB 1080. It was shared dozens of times on social media. Over the years, both Deutsch and Hansen have been some of the legislature’s most ardent supporters of socially conservative legislation.

South Dakota state law classifies death threats as a felony.

The South Dakota Department of Public Safety declined to comment on the specifics of the investigation.

“The Department of Public Safety and the Highway Patrol do not discuss security issues,” spokesperson Tony Mangan said in a statement.

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