Eneh Oluchi Nora, Jadetimes Staff
E.O. Nora is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Crime news
A man suspected of carrying out three shootings that targeted a Democratic campaign office in Arizona has been arrested and charged with terrorism offenses among others, authorities said.
Jeffrey Michael Kelly, 60, had more than 120 guns and over 250,000 rounds of ammunition in his home, including a machine gun that was in his car, prosecutors believed was preparing a "mass casualty" event.
Nobody was hurt in the spate of shootings, although the attacks led to the closure of the campaign building in Tempe, in the suburbs of Phoenix.
Kelly has not yet pleaded. A lawyer was quoted in US media describing his client as a "genius", but not a "menacing" one.
Election
Arizona is being considered one of America's closest-fought states and is believed to have the capacity to swing the November 5, election in favour of either Democratic candidate Kamala Harris or her Republican rival Donald Trump.
The shootings at the Democratic campaign office, however took place in the dead of night when nobody was present, police said. The attacks that began on 16 September were carried out with either BB gun pellets or real bullets.
Arrest and Ammunitions
The office was closed after a third attack earlier this month. The local Democratic campaign has expressed its gratitude for the arrest, which reportedly followed a public tip-off.
In a search of Kelly's home, along with the large seizure of arms, Deputy Maricopa County Attorney, Neha Bhatia said agents also found scopes, body armour and silencers which led them to believe that he was planning an even larger attack.
Still on that, Kelly was also accused of using razor blades on campaign signs in a nearby village and hanging such signs with suspicious white powder.
Defense
The lawyer said the client had no cases and was licensed to own firearms, saying he would probably fit the definition of a genius, and not the type of menacing, cartoonish one as described by the state.
The suspect's bond has been set at 500,000 dollars after he appeared in court on Wednesday and is expected to do so again next Tuesday.
Violence has partly characterized the 2024 US election in which Trump survived an attempt on his life when a gunman fired at him during a rally in another swing state, Pennsylvania.
