State police admit breakdown in notifying Pa. lawmakers of Lebanon man’s threats

by Peter Hall, Pennsylvania Capital-Star
May 18, 2026

Pennsylvania State Police admitted a breakdown notifying state lawmakers that a Lebanon County man had posted threats to shoot them in a “Memorial Day operation.”

In the wake of the episode, some lawmakers said they learned of the threats only when they received routine notification that a suspect had been arrested and was scheduled to appear in court.

Listen to Peter and Emily’s audio recap:

https://penncapital-star.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/18EPPHpsp.mp3

“While the investigation and threat mitigation were handled properly by PSP, a review of this matter reveals a breakdown in the notification process that should have occurred to the affected legislators,” Acting State Police Commissioner Lt. Col. George Bivens said in a letter to General Assembly leaders last week.

Adam George Berryhill, 42, of Lebanon was arrested May 7 and charged with a single misdemeanor count of making terroristic threats with intent to terrorize another. He waived a preliminary hearing Thursday and remains in Lebanon County Prison under $250,000 bail, according to court records.

In response to the failure, the agency is making significant changes to its process to ensure appropriate communication occurs in the event of future threats, Bivens said in the letter.

He said the state police will also establish a new Political Violence Threat Unit responsible for investigating and addressing growing ideologically motivated violence against elected officials.

“Members of this unit will be experienced investigators, who will work hand in hand with the [Tactical Intelligence Unit] to ensure complete continuity in the flow of information throughout the investigation and notifications process,” Bivens said.

State police charge Lebanon man with making threats to shoot state lawmakers

In April 2025, Gov. Josh Shapiro, his family and friends were victims of an arson attack on the governor’s official residence in Harrisburg, where they were sleeping after celebrating the first night of Passover. Cody Balmer, 39, of Harrisburg is serving 25 to 50 years in state prison for the attack, which he admitted was over his disagreement with the governor on the Israeli response to the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

The state police, which provides security services to the governor and other elected officials, will also make significant changes to its procedures when investigating future threats.

State police launched an investigation April 30 after U.S. Capitol Police notified the Pennsylvania Criminal Intelligence Center (CIC) of a possible threat against Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia), Bivens’ letter said.

Over the course of several hours, the state police Tactical Intelligence Unit (TIU) identified Berryhill as the person responsible for the threatening April 22 post on X (formerly Twitter). That post also named House Judiciary Committee Chairman Tim Briggs of Montgomery County, Government Oversight Committee Chairwoman Morgan Cephas of Philadelphia and Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta of Philadelphia. All are Democrats.

“All gun grabbing communists!” the post concluded.

Bivens said notification was made by the state police Executive Services Office to Pennsylvania Capitol Police, the House and Senate sergeants-at-arms and McClinton’s chief of staff.

Throughout the following day on May 1, additional posts with threats against another 17 state representatives and senators were discovered, the letter said.

The Executive Services Office did not have ongoing real-time access to additional information being generated by the ongoing investigation, Bivens said. And TIU investigators did not realize that an updated notice had not been made to the state Capitol Police or sergeants-at-arms, Bivens said.

Effective immediately, all threat information will be directed to the CIC, which serves as a clearinghouse for tips to law enforcement and information from other agencies operated by the state police. CIC analysts will contact TIU members, advising them to start investigating.

The TIU Investigators will now immediately notify the sergeants-at-arms for both chambers of the General Assembly, Capitol Police, the state police Executive Services Office and the agency Policy and Legislative Affairs Office.

The notifications will include a primary point of contact for elected officials or their staff and will occur regardless of whether charges are filed. The sergeants-at-arms will be requested to make notifications to individual lawmakers if any are identified in the threat, House and Senate leadership and to notify state police that notifications are complete.

Sergeants-at-arms will also be responsible to notify local police in the municipality where the lawmakers live, Bivens said.

Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Tim Lambert for questions: info@penncapital-star.com.