- In December 2023, the San Antonio bomb squad was called to investigate a location where Herrera had held a campaign event because he left behind an inactive explosive device. Herrera’s campaign apologized and said that a fan had brought the shell, which Herrera had fired about a month prior in a campaign video, to the event.
Herrera’s Campaign Apologized After He Left An Inactive Explosive Following A Campaign Event. According to Texas Tribune, “Among those running against Gonzales is Julie Clark, the former Medina County Republican Party Chair who was responsible for the measure to censure him. Also running: Brandon Herrera, a Second-Amendment activist on YouTube […] Herrera made headlines last December when he left an inactive explosive in an Uvalde restaurant at a campaign event, prompting San Antonio's bomb squad to investigate. Herrera's campaign later said the device was a spent shell that posed no safety risks. His campaign apologized.” [Texas Tribune, 2/22/24]
12/11/23: The San Antonio Bomb Squad Was Called To Oasis Outback In Uvalde Texas After Herrera Left Behind An Explosive Device Outside Of The Restaurant. According to Uvalde News Leader, “U.S. Congress candidate Brandon Herrera left behind the inactive explosive device that brought San Antonio’s bomb squad out to Uvalde, Uvalde police chief Daniel Rodriguez said Dec. 12. On Dec. 11, Rodriguez told the Leader-News that security footage showed someone leaving the device outside of Oasis Outback after 2 p.m. Dec. 10. He said a community member found it outside the 2900 E. Main St. store on Dec. 11 and reported it to police, who called in the San Antonio Police Department’s bomb squad. UPD determined the device was not active and evacuated the store as a precaution. A local rancher assisted in identifying the device, and that they determined it had already discharged the one time it was built to do so, Rodriguez said.” [Uvalde News Leader, 12/14/23]
- Herrera Previously Fired The Explosive The Inactive Shell Belonged To In A Campaign Video. According to Uvalde News Leader, “U.S. Congress candidate Brandon Herrera left behind the inactive explosive device that brought San Antonio’s bomb squad out to Uvalde, Uvalde police chief Daniel Rodriguez said Dec. 12. […] Herrera had the device in his hands and placed it down on a fire pit at Oasis Outback, Rodriguez said. Herrera was allegedly at Ox Ranch about a month ago and fired the weapon the shell belonged to. ‘We don’t believe that he intentionally left it there, but until we obtain a statement, we won’t know for sure what actually happened and why he left it where he placed it down,’ Rodriguez said. A message on Herrera’s campaign website said that on Dec. 10, during a campaign event at Oasis Outback in Uvalde, a ‘fan’ brought Herrera a spent shell that he previously fired in a campaign video.” [Uvalde News Leader, 12/14/23]
- Herrera Claimed A Fan Brought Him The Inactive Explosive Device During A Campaign Event. According to Uvalde News Leader, “U.S. Congress candidate Brandon Herrera left behind the inactive explosive device that brought San Antonio’s bomb squad out to Uvalde, Uvalde police chief Daniel Rodriguez said Dec. 12. […] Herrera had the device in his hands and placed it down on a fire pit at Oasis Outback, Rodriguez said. Herrera was allegedly at Ox Ranch about a month ago and fired the weapon the shell belonged to. ‘We don’t believe that he intentionally left it there, but until we obtain a statement, we won’t know for sure what actually happened and why he left it where he placed it down,’ Rodriguez said. A message on Herrera’s campaign website said that on Dec. 10, during a campaign event at Oasis Outback in Uvalde, a ‘fan’ brought Herrera a spent shell that he previously fired in a campaign video.” [Uvalde News Leader, 12/14/23]