Police identify suspect arrested in three attacks on DNC offices in Arizona

Washington — Police have identified a suspect arrested in connection with three shootings at a Democratic National Committee office in Tempe, Arizona, since September.

Jeffrey Michael Kelly, 60, was also arrested for allegedly hanging suspicious bags of white power on political signs lined with razor blades in the nearby village of Ahwatukee, Tempe police said.

Police announced the arrest on Tuesday. Kelly is charged with multiple crimes, including committing a terrorist attack, unlawfully discharging a firearm and shooting at a non-residential structure. He is also charged with criminal damage, a misdemeanor. Police said Wednesday that a public witness tip led to Kelly’s arrest.

After the first two shootings in September, police say shots were fired through the front windows of the office. The first incident on September 16 appeared to have involved a pellet gun or pellet gun, according to police. The second incident occurred on Sept. 23 and involved about six real bullets, Tempe Police Chief Kenneth McCoy said at a news conference Wednesday evening.

“No one was in the office during the overnight hours, but this raises concerns for the safety of those who work in this building as well as those nearby,” Sgt. Ryan Cook, the police department’s public information officer, said in a statement dated September 24th.

The third incident occurred on Oct. 6, according to McCoy. A silver Toyota SUV seen in surveillance footage of the second shooting was also seen in security video of the third shooting.

The office was shared with employees of Vice President Kamala Harris‘ campaign.

Kelly was previously arrested in 2022 for stealing campaign signs while driving the same silver SUV, police said.

Kelly made his first court appearance Wednesday and a judge set his bail at $500,000 and ordered electronic monitoring and home confinement in case he can come up with the money, Maricopa County Prosecutor Rachel Mitchell said.

During Wednesday’s court hearing, Maricopa Assistant District Attorney Neha Bhatia said authorities believe Kelly was “preparing to commit mass capital murder” and that his “progressive violence escalated.”

Bhatia said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents found over 120 guns and over 250,000 rounds of ammunition during a search of Kelly’s home. This included several machine guns. According to Bhatia, silencers, rifle scopes and body armor were also found in the house.

“He had weapons that were consistent with the weapons that were used or that they believe were used in the shootings in the building,” Bhatia told the judge.

Bhatia revealed that he also had a machine gun in his vehicle at the time of his arrest.