By Jasper Ward
(Reuters) – An Arizona man who was arrested for shooting at the Democratic National Committee’s office in suburban Phoenix on three separate occasions was indicted on a terrorism charge, state officials said on Wednesday.
Prosecutors charged Jeffrey Michael Kelly, 60, with shooting at the DNC office in Tempe, Arizona, shortly after midnight, three times between Sept. 16 and Oct. 6.
The shootings did not cause injuries but highlighted the risk for political violence ahead of Tuesday’s U.S. election.
In a statement, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said a grand jury had charged Kelly on Monday with one count of terrorism and multiple counts of unlawfully discharging a firearm.
The attorney’s office said Kelly opened fire more than 20 times during the three shootings, with shots damaging the building’s windows, front doors and walls.
Tempe Police Chief Kenneth McCoy said last week that Kelly had also been observed posting anti-Democrat signs in the area. Kelly was arrested on Oct. 22, McCoy said.
More than 120 guns, 250,000 rounds of ammunition and a grenade-launcher were found at Kelly’s home, the New York Times reported, citing comments by a prosecutor during a court hearing. The newspaper reported that authorities believed Kelly was planning to commit “an act of mass casualty.”
Kelly’s attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.
Arizona is a battleground state that could help decide the close presidential race between Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump.
The state was an epicenter in 2020 for false claims of voter fraud. Ahead of the election, Arizona’s secretary of state is working with local officials to respond to misinformation, including deep-fake images of purported fraud.
(Reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Rod Nickel)
