A man is charged with attempting to kidnap Memphis Mayor Paul Young

A man who appeared at the door of Memphis Mayor Paul Young’s home on Sunday night did so with the intent to kidnap the city’s leader, according to the Memphis Police Department. Trenton Abston, 25, is now facing multiple criminal charges.

The department said in a statement, that officers found a Taser, rope and duct tape in Abston’s vehicle when they took him into custody.

Abston “jumped a wall leading into our subdivision” around 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, Young said in a statement posted on Instagram. He added that Abston then knocked on the door “with gloves on … and a nervous demeanor,” and then fled after no one answered the door.

Police say they arrested Abston on Wednesday, after video recordings helped to identify him as the suspect.

Abston has been charged with attempted kidnapping, stalking and aggravated criminal trespass. It is unclear if Abston has a lawyer, and attempts by NPR to identify legal representation for him were not successful. He was booked into the Shelby County Jail on Wednesday, with an arraignment slated for Monday morning, according to online records.

Young, 45, lives in east Memphis with his wife and their two children. The mayor told police that before answering the door, he looked at his doorbell camera and saw “an unknown male wearing a hoodie and gloves,” with a bulge in his hoodie pocket, according to a police affidavit filed in court. Young didn’t open the door, and the man fled. But his face was on camera, and law enforcement databases pointed investigators to Abston, the affidavit states.

Speaking to investigators, Abston admitted that he had researched Young’s address and said he went to the mayor’s house to confront him about crime in Memphis, according to the affidavit. It says Abston “stated that he was angry at Paul Young and was armed with a [Taser] when he went to the residence.”

Nearby cameras also showed a Hyundai Santa Fe registered to Abston visited the area of Young’s home, both on the night in question and on “multiple occasions” over the previous month, according to the affidavit. The document lists a recent address for Abston that is roughly 17 miles from the mayor’s home. When officers went to Abston’s place of work to talk with him, the Hyundai was there and a search of it turned up the hoodie, gloves a Taser and other materials, the affidavit states.

The incident took place one day after a Minnesota man went to the homes of two Minnesota lawmakers and shot them. Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed. Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were wounded.

As he commented on the charges against Abston, Young noted the shocking crime that took place several states away, as well as inflammatory and hateful speech that can proliferate online.

“In today’s climate, especially after the tragic events in Minnesota and the threats my wife and I often receive online, none of us can be too careful,” he wrote on Instagram. “The link between angry online rhetoric and real-life violence is becoming undeniable.”

In a statement, Memphis police acknowledged “concerns raised by this incident,” adding that the department “remains fully committed to the safety of all residents, including our city’s elected officials.” It urged residents to be vigilant and to add their security cameras to the city’s network.

Young was elected in October of 2023 in his first run for elected office. He was sworn in as mayor in January of 2024. He was formerly the president of the Downtown Memphis Commission and director of Housing and Community Development, according to his official City of Memphis bio.

As he commented on Abston’s arrest, Young called for people to “do better” and reject violence.

“Let’s raise our discourse, reduce the hate, and protect one another — no matter our beliefs,” he said, adding, “Let’s reclaim our strength as one community. Let’s choose love.”