A 22-year-old man used an all-terrain vehicle to critically injure an 80-year-old man who was putting up a Trump sign in his yard in Hancock, Michigan.
Police have described the attack as politically motivated.
According to authorities, the young man called the police to confess his actions before taking his own life.
The suspect also vandalized two parked vehicles before the assault, smashing the windows of one car that had a Trump sticker and damaging the tires of another that displayed a police support sticker.
The incident occurred just over a week after a 20-year-old attempted to assassinate Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania.
The Houghton County Sheriff’s Office said, “The crimes reported in the city of Hancock appeared to be politically motivated, involving victims who displayed Trump election signs as well as law enforcement appreciation stickers and flags commonly referred to as ‘thin blue line’ paraphernalia.”
The 80-year-old man, who was hit from behind by the ATV, was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries. On Monday, police received a call from someone who wanted to “confess a crime involving an ATV driver within the last 24 hours” and asked for police assistance. When officers arrived, they found the suspect dead from what is believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Hancock Police Chief Tami Sleeman expressed concern about the impact of the violence on the community. “What this has done to this community is pretty upsetting,” she told the Detroit News. “Our concern is the safety of everybody here. Politics should not bring violence.”
Chief Sleeman also noted that there is no evidence suggesting anyone else was involved in the attack. Electronics from the suspect’s home have been seized for investigation, and the FBI is now involved in the case.
In response to the violence, spokespeople for Donald Trump’s likely Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris, and Michigan’s Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer have condemned political violence, according to the New York Times.
The recent shooting attempt on the Republican White House candidate has led to bipartisan calls to lower political rhetoric as the November election approaches.
However, the results have been inconsistent. Last Friday, police in Jupiter, Florida, arrested Michael Wiseman, 68, for making online threats against Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance, and their families.
BBC
