SAN ANTONIO – A 44-year-old man from New Braunfels was taken into custody on Thursday after allegedly making a serious threat to bomb City Hall, specifically targeting San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones. This alarming incident is the third time someone has been arrested for making deadly threats against the mayor since she assumed office in June 2025.
The man, identified as Kendal Durand, reportedly left a voicemail at the mayor’s office that caused significant concern among the staff. The voicemail included a disturbing message where Durand stated, “I will have the Mexican drug cartel plant a bomb in your office if you don’t clear the food in this area,” as detailed in the arrest affidavit.
Authorities were quick to act, linking the phone number used in the voicemail to Durand’s residence in New Braunfels, situated near Canyon Lake. The San Antonio Police Department collaborated with the New Braunfels Police Department to investigate the threat further.
Interestingly, Durand had reportedly made similar threatening statements to staff at an animal hospital the day before his voicemail to the mayor. Both instances involved the same phone number, leading to his arrest by the New Braunfels Police Department.
Durand was virtually booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center on Thursday and later entered the Comal County Jail in person on Friday. He now faces a charge of making a terroristic threat, according to jail records.
In response to the situation, Mayor Jones emphasized the importance of safety, stating, “Political violence has no place in our city.” This statement reflects a growing concern over threats to public officials and the need for a safe environment for civic leaders to operate.
