A protester made a threatening statement Thursday, referencing the near fatal shooting of a GOP congressman, according to a Republican senator’s office. Mark Prichard, 59, faces counts of criminal trespass, and a misdemeanor count of threats and intimidation in Pima County, Arizona. Jason Samuels, Communications Director for Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), told Tucson News Now the suspect said this to a staff member:
You know how liberals are going to solve the Republican problem? They are going to get better aim. That last guy tried, but he needed better aim. We will get better aim.
This is an apparent reference to the June 14 shooting of Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) and two Capital police officers David Bailey and Crystal Griner at baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia. The shooter James Hodgkinson allegedly had a list of Republican lawmakers. He was shot and killed by cops.
As for Prichard, he was part of a protest Thursday outside of Flake’s office in Tucson, Arizona. He was arrested with Patrick Diehl, a 70-year-old who also faces a trespassing charge for trying to force his way inside.
Demonstrators opposed the GOP’s Senate health care bill.
[Mugshot via Pima County]
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