The Democratic Party has reportedly closed a campaign office in Tempe, Arizona, after it was targeted with gunfire overnight on three separate occasions over the past month.
Speaking to USA Today, Lauren Kuby, a Democratic state Senate candidate, confirmed the office had been closed, with its activities transferred to alternative undisclosed locations. The newspaper reported the office had been struck by bullets and BB gun pellets three times overnight in as many weeks. The office was closed and empty at the time of all three incidents and there are no reports of any casualties.
Concern about political violence in the United States soared after an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania on July 13 which left the Republican presidential nominee lightly injured in one ear, and killed one attendee. In a separate incident in September, a man, identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, was arrested after allegedly pointing a rifle through the fence of Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida. He has pled not guilty to a number of charges including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate.
The Arizona Democratic campaign office targeted in the shootings was located on Southern Avenue west of Priest Drive. The three shootings took place on September 16, September 23 and October 6. All three incidents are being investigated by the Tempe Police Department, which has advertised a $1,000 reward from Silent Witness for any information which leads to a suspect being arrested or indicted.
In a statement referring to the most recent incident, a Tempe Police Department spokesperson said: “On [October 6] around 12:30 a.m., the Democratic National Committee campaign office was struck by what appears to be gunfire. No one was inside the building. This is now the third incident at the campaign office.”
Silent Witness said the shootings involved “BB Gun and firearm rounds,” adding: “All three incidents have occurred between 12 a.m. and 1 a.m. Investigators are seeking any assistance regarding these incidents.”
A flyer produced by Silent Witness, and circulated by Tempe police, includes a photograph of a potential suspect’s car which is described as “possibly a 2008-2013 silver Toyota Highlander with a sunroof, roof rack and 5 spoke rims.” The organization also released a photograph from after the October 6 shooting which appeared to show a bullet hall in the Democratic Party office’s window.
Newsweek contacted the Democratic Party of Arizona for comment via email on Saturday outside of regular office hours.
Speaking to Newsweek after the second shooting on September 23, Sean McEnerney, the Arizona Democratic National Committee coordinated campaign manager, said: “Overnight, several shots were fired into our Tempe Democratic Party coordinated campaign office.
“We are grateful to Tempe Police for coming quickly to the scene and are fortunate no one was present or injured.”
Arizona is one of a number of key battleground states that are expected to determine who wins the 2024 presidential election. The state backed Trump in 2016 before switching its allegiance to Joe Biden in 2020. A recent Fabrizio, Lee & Associates poll conducted by The Wall Street Journal put Harris on 48 percent against 46 percent for Trump.
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