Police report: Man said he would drive into building where Kari Lake appeared in Ankeny

A man threatened to drive into the Ankeny building where Arizona Republican Kari Lake appeared for a meet and greet, according to police.

Lake, who lost the 2022 Arizona governor's race to Democrat Katie Hobbs, spoke to about 200 people at a Feb. 11 event hosted by the Dallas County Republicans at the District Venue in Ankeny, 1350 S.W. Vintage Parkway. The venue shares an address with the Whiskey River bar and restaurant in the District at Prairie Trail.

On Feb. 11 around 5:28 p.m., Ankeny police received a report that a man was threatening Lake's security while she was inside, according to an incident report. The incident was first reported by The Iowa Star, a conservative commentary site.

According to the police report, a man who was acting strange in the parking lot asked where the event was. He entered the bar and said he was God and that he was going to drive his vehicle through its doors, the report says.

The man also said "remember my shirt" and told a bartender that his favorite color was purple, according to the report. He then left in a vehicle as officers arrived.

Sgt. Corey Schneden, spokesperson for the Ankeny Police Department, said Wednesday there were no specific threats and, based on witness statements, police don't believe there was a crime committed. He said the investigation is ongoing and police are trying to verify what the man said and what his intent was.

Police would still like to speak with him if they can identify him, Schneden said. An officer saw his vehicle on Southeast Delaware Avenue but did not see its license plate before it got onto Interstate 35.

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Lake is a native of Donahue, Iowa, near the Quad Cities, and said she was in the state to see her family. She also appeared at an event in Bettendorf over the weekend.

Lake snagged a key endorsement from former President Donald Trump in her campaign for governor and has been a prominent booster of Trump's unfounded claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged against him. She continues to make similar claims about the Arizona governor's race, which she has refused to concede.

"Threats from extremists have no place in our society and will do nothing to deter me or my supporters from fighting to save America," Lake said in a statement about the Ankeny incident. "Our resolve has never been stronger."

More:What to know about former Arizona governor candidate Kari Lake's ties to Iowa

Chris Higgins covers eastern suburbs for the Register. Reach him at chiggins@registermedia.com or 515-423-5146 and follow him on Twitter @chris_higgins_.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Police investigate threat related to Kari Lake event space in Ankeny