Scoop: Personal security scaled back for Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones
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Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones speaks at the State of the City event in April. Photo: Katina Zentz/San Antonio Express-News via Getty Images
San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones told Axios she no longer has an overnight security detail, though she declined to say why.
Why it matters: Jones had faced scrutiny for security measures that included city police officers guarding her home overnight — unprecedented for a San Antonio mayor. She said she experiences additional risk as the city's first openly gay mayor and as she has raised questions about a plan to fund a new Spurs arena.
The latest: Jones faced at least three threats to shoot or kill her during her first year in office, according to police documents obtained by Axios through a request under the Texas Public Information Act. One of the cases has not been previously reported.
- But she said that there have been more than three credible threats and that one has popped up every six to seven weeks since she took office in June last year.
What they're saying: "There's lots of data that shows that women, women of color, the LGBTQ community just experience … certainly a lot more online threats and vitriol," Jones said.
- "Not only is it, I think, a tense moment in our country … locally we were having some pretty spirited debates about our city's finances and the future of the city writ large."
Catch up quick: KSAT reported last October that police officers were providing overnight security at Jones' home following a threat against her in August last year. The station called it a unique level of security, citing multiple anonymous sources.
- A security detail typically accompanies mayors while they conduct city business, per KSAT, but not after hours.
Jones declined to provide additional details about the security measures to Axios, aside from saying she no longer has overnight protection.
- She said that she did not request the protection — contradicting previous reports — but that the San Antonio Police Department determines what level of security is needed.
- A police spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about the mayor's security detail.
Zoom in: Axios requested copies of all incident reports and calls for service related to threats against Jones and received documents detailing the following three incidents.
- In August 2025, a post on X read, "We need to kill the mayor," apparently related to the city's ongoing plans to fund a downtown Spurs arena and Jones' push to slow down the process. "Due to the nature of the threat, Executive Protection detail for [Jones] were also advised," the police report reads.
- This February, another social media post read, "We should be hunting these evil demons and executing them, starting with @Mayor_GOJ."
- In April, there were multiple replies on Jones' social media posts "regarding negative views of the LGBTQ community and calling [Jones] a 'tyrant.'" One person replied to Jones' post saying "we will shoot you" with a picture of a shotgun being loaded. "I was advised that [Jones] is taking this as a threat and influencing the conduct or activities of government," the police report reads.
Plus: In May, police said a man made a threat to bomb Jones' office.
Context: Axios requested the same documents for former Mayor Ron Nirenberg's first (2017-2018) and final (2024-2025) years serving as mayor and received no responsive records.
Yes, but: San Antonio police arrested a man in October 2019 for sending threatening messages to the former mayor on Facebook Messenger.
- KSAT reported last year that Nirenberg received temporary police patrols of his home if there was an active threat.
The big picture: Threats to public officials have been on the rise nationwide in recent years, with 2024 and 2025 both setting new records, per researchers at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
The bottom line: "It's unfortunate, but it is kind of the reality of being a public servant at this point," Jones said of receiving threats. "This is why I'm quite thankful for the executive protection that I have."