An Arizona man has been arrested on terrorism charges in connection with three shootings at Democratic Party campaign offices in suburban Phoenix. No one was injured in the shooting, other than campaign workers shaken up by the difficult election season.
The man, 60-year-old Jeffrey Michael Kelly, was arrested Tuesday, authorities said. Kelly also placed an anti-Democrat sign with a row of razor blades near his home and attached a bag containing an unknown white powder labeled “Biohazard,” according to court documents.
The shootings at the Democratic Party’s election office in Tempe, Arizona, began in mid-September and all occurred between midnight and 1 a.m., police said. The Arizona Democratic Party closed its offices on Oct. 6 after the third shooting.
Neha Bhatia, an attorney with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, said in an online court appearance Wednesday that more than 120 guns, 250,000 rounds of ammunition and a grenade launcher were found in Kelly’s home. Some of the firearms were machine guns, she said, adding that authorities believed he was “preparing to commit an act of mass casualty.”
She warned that he could pose a threat to Democratic politicians if he did not remain in custody. His Facebook page was filled with anti-Democratic posts, according to court documents.
In the first shooting on Sept. 16, the Democratic Party office was hit with about 13 BB bullets, shattering the building’s front glass door, according to court documents. According to court documents, the office was also hit by gunfire on Sept. 23 and Oct. 6, causing further damage to the building.
Kelly was charged with three counts of terrorism, two counts of discharging a firearm in a non-residential area, two counts of discharging a firearm within city limits, and three counts of criminal damage.
A silver Toyota Highlander matching the one seen on surveillance video was found in Kelly’s garage after the shooting, and Kelly was the subject of two separate federal investigations, according to the probable cause statement. .
The FBI declined to comment.
Kelly’s attorney, Jason Squires, argued at the hearing that there were “holes” in the probable cause statement. He said Kelly is an athlete and former aerospace engineer who holds a weapons permit and has no criminal record.
Mr. Squires added that Mr. Kelly “maybe fits the definition of a genius, but he is not the menacing, cartoonish figure that the country says he is.”
The judge set Kelly’s bail at $500,000 and ordered him to be placed under house arrest with electronic monitoring if he posts bail. Mr. Kelly’s next hearing was scheduled for Tuesday.
Squires said by phone that as of Wednesday night, Kelly had not posted bond. He declined further comment.
Sean McEnany, the Arizona Democratic Party’s campaign director, said in a statement that his party “appreciates the work of the Tempe Police Department and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement agencies.”
“Intimidation, intimidation, and violence against political officials, regardless of political party, is completely unacceptable,” Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell (R) said at a press conference.
“We will aggressively pursue prosecutions to protect the democratic process,” she added.
