FBI agents search home of Los Angeles deputy mayor who allegedly made bomb threat: Mayor's office

FBI agents searched the home of a Los Angeles deputy mayor this week over a bomb threat he allegedly made against Los Angeles City Hall earlier this year, the mayor's office said.

The FBI was at the home of Brian Williams, the deputy mayor for public safety, on Tuesday "as part of an investigation into a bomb threat he allegedly made against City Hall earlier this year," a spokesperson for the mayor's office said in a statement on Wednesday.

Williams was "immediately" placed on administrative leave, according to spokesperson Zach Seidl.

"The Mayor takes this matter very seriously," Seidl said in a statement. "When the threat was reported, LAPD investigated and determined there was no immediate danger."

The LAPD said its initial investigation found that Williams was the "likely" source of the bomb threat.

"Due to the Department’s working relationship with Mr. Williams, the investigation was referred to the FBI," the LAPD said in a statement. "The FBI remains the investigating agency."

ABC News was unable to reach Williams for comment.

Williams was appointed as deputy mayor of public safety in 2023, overseeing the LAPD and other agencies. He represented the mayor at numerous events and spoke on her behalf at the swearing-in of the new Los Angeles district attorney a few weeks ago.

Prior to his appointment, he was the executive director of the Los Angeles County Civilian Oversight Commission from 2016 to 2023, according to his LinkedIn profile.