An Arizona prosecutor has revealed that the individual apprehended for the shooting at a Democratic National Committee office in suburban Phoenix possessed over 200 firearms and more than 250,000 rounds of ammunition at his residence, prompting law enforcement officials to suspect he was potentially plotting a mass casualty incident.
Maricopa County prosecutor Neha Bhatia disclosed during Jeffrey Michael Kelly’s initial court appearance on Wednesday that federal agents had informed her of the substantial seizure following Kelly’s arrest.
In addition to the firearms and ammunition, scopes, body armour, and silencers were discovered, she noted. A machine gun was also found in the vehicle he was operating.
Authorities suspect that the substantial size of the cache indicated the individual “was preparing to commit an act of mass casualty,” according to Bhatia.
Kelly is accused of firing BB pellets followed by gunshots at the glass front door and a window of the Arizona Democrats’ field office in Tempe, police reported. During a search of Kelly’s rubbish, police discovered three .22 calibre bullet casings, as stated in court documents.
In the early hours of September 16, September 23, and October 6, there were shootings, but fortunately, no one was present at the scenes.
Additionally, Kelly is charged with hanging several political signs embedded with razor blades on Tuesday in Ahwatukee, an affluent suburb of Phoenix known for its recent Democratic voter preference. Authorities also reported that he attached plastic bags containing a white powder labelled “biohazard” to these signs.
Reports stated that hand-painted signs, affixed to palm trees, appeared to criticise the Democrats and their presidential candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris.
Kelly is currently being held on three felony charges of terrorism and four other charges related to the shootings, according to police. His bail has been set at $500,000 cash, with conditions of house arrest and an ankle monitor if he manages to post bail.
Jason Squires, Kelly’s attorney, stated that Kelly is a retired aerospace engineer who once held top security clearance. He noted that Kelly has no criminal record and is not considered a flight risk.
Kelly’s next court appearance is scheduled for the morning of 29 October at the Maricopa County Superior Court.
The Tempe office, one of 18 Harris campaign field offices in Arizona, was closed following the most recent shooting, police confirmed.
Arizona remains a key battleground state, with the competition between Harris and former President Donald Trump proving particularly fierce.
The campaign season has already been marred by political violence, with the Republican presidential nominee targeted by assassination attempts both at a campaign rally and one of Trump’s golf courses in Florida.
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