Jeffrey Michael Kelly, 60, was also arrested on suspicion of leaving white powder on political signs in Ahwatukee, according to Tempe police.

Federal agents on Wednesday morning hauled more than 120 firearms, including “machine guns,” out of the Ahwatukee Foothills home of a man suspected of shooting at a campaign office for the Democratic Party three times and posting bags of white powder labeled as poison near political signs.

Jeffrey Michael Kelly, 60, was arrested on Tuesday night near his Ahwatukee Foothills home by Tempe police who, according to court documents, used surveillance footage to find the suspect.

  • JaymesRS@literature.cafeEnglish
    33·
    25 days ago

    Phoenix attorney Paul Weich told The Republic he was running as a Democrat for state representative in Legislative District 12 in 2022 when he had a run-in with Kelly. Prompted by several hundred dollars’ worth of his campaign signs going missing in June 2022, Weich hired an investigator who he said found surveillance video catching Kelly in the act.

    …

    Despite evidence pointing to Kelly as the perpetrator, Weich said law enforcement did not move to arrest him. Weich said that Phoenix police feared that approaching Kelly would pose a threat to their safety. A prosecutor out of the Phoenix City Attorney’s Office declined to pursue charges, Weich said.

    • halcyoncmdr@lemmy.worldEnglish
      20·
      25 days ago

      Despite evidence pointing to Kelly as the perpetrator, Weich said law enforcement did not move to arrest him. Weich said that Phoenix police feared that approaching Kelly would pose a threat to their safety.

      That’s literally their job. They aren’t going to send regular officers to that shit. There are teams specifically trained for those situations. Whoever made that decision should be fired and blacklisted from ever working as an officer again. But we know nothing will happen about it.

      • lemmyng@lemmy.caEnglish
        11·
        24 days ago

        Seems like those cops went to the same school as the Uvalde piss babies.

    • jeffw@lemmy.world
      4·
      24 days ago

      If you are a cop afraid to confront a criminal, isn’t that what special units are for? Like wtf are we giving SWAT teams tanks for if they can’t deal with this?

      • mosiacmango@lemm.ee
        1·
        24 days ago

        They also could just arrest him when he left his house for beers or whatever. They dont have to no knock him like he’s “sleeping while black” or anything.