Threatening email mentions 4 Missouri senators

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- An angry email that named four Missouri state senators and mentioned an Arizona congresswoman who was shot and wounded last year has been traced to an eastern Missouri resident.

Senate President Pro Tem Rob Mayer said his office received the email around 4:15 a.m. Tuesday. The sender complained about high gasoline prices and made what Mayer called a threatening reference to former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. He said the email also insulted one Republican and three Democratic senators.

Law enforcement officers investigated, and Mayer said an apologetic email arrived Tuesday afternoon saying no harm was intended.

One of the senators named in the email mentioned it during a hearing on legislation to require video surveillance of public areas of the state Capitol. Last month, someone place orange gun-target stickers outside some lawmakers' offices.