Masked man detained outside Texas election watch party with ammunition in his car, police say

DALLAS — Dallas Police on Tuesday night detained a masked man who had ammunition in his vehicle near where a watch party was being held for U.S. Senate candidate and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

The Dallas Police Department said officers responded about 5:16 p.m. to a suspicious individual in the 3000 block of Fairmount Street in the Uptown neighborhood.

Police sources told WFAA the man had entered the venue where the watch party was being held and was told to leave. Officers then conducted a traffic stop on his car because it did not display a proper license plate, sources said.

When officers searched the person’s vehicle, they found ammunition, police said. The suspect was wearing a camouflage face mask, sunglasses, a hat and gloves, according to Dallas Police sources.

The person was taken to police headquarters for further investigation. The man was not identified.

A brief police statement to The Associated Press made no mention of Paxton’s event.

Republican incumbent Sen. John Cornyn cruised to renomination in his four previous U.S. Senate campaigns but this year has drawn a tough challenge from Paxton, U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt and five others. Only two incumbent U.S. senators from Texas have lost a primary in the last 100 years.

As of 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Paxton was running a close second behind Cornyn in primary election results.

U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico were in a competitive race for the Democratic nomination. A third Democratic contender, Ahmad Hassan, is a frequent candidate in both Texas and Minnesota.