‘It is unsettling.’ Central Valley mayor reacts to death threats sent through social media
Modesto Mayor Sue Zwahlen awoke during the 5 o’clock hour Sunday morning to find two disturbing messages sent to her mayoral Facebook page.
A man whom she didn’t know or had ever met was telling her that someone suggested he kill the mayor.
Zwahlen, who spoke to The Bee by phone Monday, said the man didn’t indicate who made this suggestion or under what circumstances.
“Then he said he looked for my name on Google and gave his address and phone number,” she said.
Zwahlen reported the messages to Interim Police Chief Brandon Gillespie and City Manager Joe Lopez, then went to her church to teach Sunday school, as she does twice each month.
While she was driving home, a woman who worked on her campaign and has access to the Facebook page called her and said the suspect had sent several more progressively threatening messages.
The suspect wrote that he wanted to kill her and asked for her location, Zwahlen said.
“At that point I pulled over on the side of the road and let Brandon and Joe know about that as well,” she said. “I made the decision to not go home because my address is public ... I just called my husband and asked him to bring some extra clothes and meet me.”
Zwahlen said they spent the rest of the day at their son’s home until getting word that the man had been arrested.
The suspect was identified as 45-year-old Gopi Rajagopal. Authorities said they went to his home in the 400 block of Kimble Street, between Lucern and Morris avenues, and arrested him on suspicion of making criminal threats and making threats to a public official.
Modesto Police spokeswoman Sharon Bear said Rajagopal admitted to looking up Zwahlen on Google and messaging her but gave no reason as to why. She did not know if investigators were able to identify a source of the suspect’s claim that someone else suggested he kill the mayor.
Rajagopal made no mention of how he planned to kill Zwahlen, according to Lt. Steve Stanfield. Rajagopal has been arrested previously on charges of driving under the influence, driving on a suspended license and making annoying and harassing phone calls.
Zwahlen said the threats came after a joyous Fourth of July celebration Saturday in which she rode in red convertible during the parade and received many positive comments from constituents, expressing “enthusiasm and confidence in me.”
She said in all her years in elected office, starting in 2009 as a Modesto City Schools board member, she’s never been threatened.
“I am concerned,” she said “I don’t know him, I don’t know his intentions, I don’t know his state of mind; it is unsettling.”
Zwahlen said she is considering a restraining order and was told by Gillespie she’d be notified if Rajagopal is released from jail. He currently is being held on $50,000 bail and has not yet been formally charged.
A retired emergency department nurse, Zwahlen said. “I spent my life caring for people that are not stable and I do hope that the system works and that he gets the help that he needs.”
This story was originally published July 5, 2021 at 2:37 PM with the headline "‘It is unsettling.’ Central Valley mayor reacts to death threats sent through social media."
