On Tuesday night, police in Tempe, Arizona arrested 60-year-old Jeffrey Michael Kelly, who had fired gunshots into the windows of the Arizona Democratic National Committee offices on three separate occasions. He was caught by surveillance cameras firing from his car, and it was a cinch for agents to identify him. But the biggest surprise came when federal agents went to his home: he had more than 120 weapons, including handguns and rifles, and 250,000 rounds of ammunition, an arsenal that authorities say could mean Michel Kelly was preparing “an act of mass casualty.”
Deputy Maricopa County Attorney Neha Bhatia told the first court hearing on Kelly’s indictment that telescopic sights, body armor and silencers were also found, as well as an M 240 machine gun in Kelly’s car.
Tempe Police Chief Kenneth McCoy said Kelly was caught on camera firing a gun at the glass front door and a window of the Democrats’ office in the early morning hours of Sept. 16, Sept. 23 and Oct. 6. No one was inside the offices during the shootings.
Kelly is also accused of hanging several political signs with barbed wire in Ahwatukee, a wealthy Phoenix suburb where most voters are Democrats. Authorities said the hand-painted signs were attached to palm trees and were filled with insults against Kamala Harris.
Kelly was arrested on three counts of felony terrorism and four other counts related to the shootings. A cash bail of half a million dollars was set and he was released on mandatory house arrest with an electronic ankle bracelet.
His attorney, Jason Squires, said Kelly was a retired aerospace engineer who once had a maximum-security clearance, has no criminal record and is not a flight risk.
Kelly’s next hearing has been set for Oct. 29 in Maricopa County Superior Court.
The DNC office in Tempe was one of 18 Harris offices in Arizona where Democrats gather to organize Kamala Harris’ campaign. The office, after the third shooting, was closed.
Arizona is one of the key states where the competition between Harris and former President Donald Trump has been particularly intense.
Kenneth McCoy said Kelly’s computer and cell phone were analyzed. There were a large number of posts and memes critical of Democrats on Facebook, showing support for former President Trump and pro-gun and military content. The investigation is ongoing and it is not ruled out that it is linked to some extremist armed militia group.
“We are continuing our investigation to see if we can find out if he was planning to do other things,” McCoy said.
Translated by David Mazzucchi
