An Arizona man has been arrested on terrorism charges following a series of shootings at a Democratic Party campaign office in Tempe, incidents that have raised alarms during a contentious election season. Authorities arrested 60-year-old Jeffrey Michael Kelly, noting that, due to the sheer size of the weapons cache found, they believed he was "preparing to commit an act of mass casualty."
Although no one was injured in the shootings, which occurred between midnight and 1 a.m. on three separate occasions beginning September 16, the incidents have unsettled campaign workers. The Arizona Democratic Party shut down the office after the third incident on October 6.
Officials seized more than 200 guns, 250,000 rounds of ammunition, and a grenade launcher, said Neha Bhatia, a lawyer for the Maricopa County attorney's office. Some of the firearms were classified as machine guns, according to CNN. Bhatia expressed concerns about Kelly posing a threat to Democratic political figures if he were released from custody. His Facebook page was reportedly filled with anti-Democratic posts.
According to court documents, Kelly also placed anti-Democratic Party signs lined with razor blades outside his home, attaching bags filled with an unknown white powder labeled "Biohazard."
The first shooting involved approximately 13 BB gun pellets that struck the Democratic office, shattering its glass front door, The New York Times reported back then. The subsequent incidents, which took place on September 23 and October 6, involved actual gunfire, further damaging the premises. Kelly faces multiple charges, including three counts of committing an act of terrorism and two counts of discharging a firearm within city limits.
Authorities linked Kelly to a silver Toyota Highlander seen in surveillance footage following the shootings, which was found in his garage. There are also two separate federal investigations underway related to him, although the FBI has declined to comment.
In court, Kelly's attorney, Jason Squires, argued that the probable cause statement contained "holes." He described Kelly as a sportsman and a retired aerospace engineer with a clean criminal record, suggesting he was not the dangerous figure state authorities portrayed.
A judge set Kelly's bond at $500,000, stipulating that he would be placed under house arrest with electronic monitoring if he posts bail. As of Wednesday night, he had not posted bond, and Squires declined to comment further.
Sean McEnerney, the Arizona Democratic Party's state campaign manager, expressed his gratitude to the Tempe Police Department for their efforts and reaffirmed the party's commitment to cooperate with investigators. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell stated that threats and violence against political officials are "completely unacceptable."
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