'Hit List' Targeted Montco's Katie Muth, Maria Collett, Amanda Cappelletti: Police

NORRISTOWN, PA — Several state legislators from Montgomery County were among the individuals targeted on the "hit list" of a man who planned Memorial Day violence over political gripes, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

State Sens. Katie Muth, Maria Collett, and Amanda Cappelletti, who each cover significant portions of Montgomery County, were among the 20 names listed by Adam G. Berryhill, of Lebanon, documents show.

"They are communist infiltrators," Berryhill wrote, according to police. "I'll have write up an operation for each one and file Mandamus with the Commonwealth Court. I'll approach every legal avenue and when they all fail I start shootings."

In numerous documents, Berryhill cited a "Memorial Day operation," and also shared threats and images of himself with firearms on social media, authorities said.

A joint statement from Speaker McClinton and Democratic State House leadership warned of the "increasingly hostile environment" of political violence in Pennsylvania.

"The threats are a symptom of a greater sickness in our democracy," they wrote. "The escalation of political violence has reached an astounding level, impacting elected officials from school boards to the president of the United States. Pennsylvania has not been immune to that violence. As Pennsylvanians we can’t and won’t allow political violence to become commonplace in our commonwealth"

A state trooper assigned to McClinton's security detail initially discovered Berryhill's threats on X when performing a routine safety check. Berryhill posted threats under the name "Pennsylvania Militia," police said.

"Can't wait for the Memorial Day operation," Berryhill wrote, according to the criminal complaint. "I can't wait to get back to normalcy. My family is crazier than I am. I have to decrease my extremes because they're reflecting on my children and I don't like what I see. They're prepared independently to fight but where is their calling?"

Further posts dove into armed tactics and details on how to engage with city police, documents show.

Other state senators and representatives listed in Berryhill's "hit list," according to the affidavit of probable cause, include Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton, Tim Briggs, Morgan Cephas, Malcolm Kenyatta, John Kane, Sharif Street, Judy Schwank, Mary Isaacson, Danilo Burgos, Chris Rabb, Ben Sanchez, Jordan Harris, Rick Krajewski, Joe Hohenstein, Emily Kinkead, and Lindsey Williams.

Berryhill waived his preliminary hearing Thursday and will be arraigned on June 11 at the Lebanon County Courthouse. He's been charged with terroristic threats and related counts.