September 25, 2024
This marks the second instance of gunfire toward the office in recent weeks.
A campaign office for Kamala Harris in Tempe, Arizona, has faced some gunfire damage mere days before the Democratic Nominee stops in the state.
Workers called the officers after noticing the gunshot holes through the front windows. Tempe Police are viewing the Sept. 23 incident as a property crime, as shared in a statement to NBC News.
“We can confirm that on 9/23/24, what appears to be damage from gunfire at … a DNC Campaign Office was discovered,” the police detailed.
No one was inside the office at the time of the incident. The workspace serves not only the Harris campaign but also the Arizona Democratic Party and additional congressional campaigns they support.
“No one was inside the office during the overnight hours, but this raises concerns about the safety of those who work in that building, as well as those nearby,” also shared Public Information Officer Sgt. Ryan Cook, in a statement.
However, this is the second instance of gunshots marking the premises in recent weeks. In the late hours of Sept. 16, the office’s front windows were first shot with what police assumed to be a BB or pellet gun.
Arizona Democratic Party Chairwoman Yolanda Bejarano wrote that it was “extremely sad” their office spaces have become “the target of violence.”
She added, “We are working with law enforcement to ensure this threat is taken seriously and that our staff members are safe while they’re at work.”
Concerns remain as Harris returns to Arizona on Sept. 27, with reports sharing a potential visit at the border in the works. Arizona, a giant swing state in this election, hosts 18 field offices for the vice president’s campaign, including Tempe.
The city recently held a campaign event in August featuring Florida Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost as a speaker. His speech even centered on gun control issues.
“We still have to work at ending gun violence,” said Frost, who also referenced the 2017 Parkland school shooting in Florida that occurred in his state. “We can work at creating a community where people don’t feel the need to use a gun to solve their problems in the first place.”
Considered a college town as it surrounds Arizona State University, Tempe’s younger electorate is a crucial Democratic group. A high voter turnout in the party’s favor could help solidify Harris’ win in a tightly-knit race this November.
