Police allegedly identify man behind white powder on signs shooting at DNC ​​offices in Tempe

TEMPE, AZ (AZFamily) — Authorities have identified the man they say is behind the bags of white powder left at several locations in Ahwatukee on Tuesday and behind the recent shootings against Democratic offices in Tempe.

The suspect was identified overnight as 60-year-old Jeffrey Michael Kelly. Tempe police said they will not release his booking photo.

Kelly faces multiple charges in connection with both crimes, listed below.

• 2 Counts: Wrongful Dismissal (Class 6 Felony)
• 2 counts – Shooting at a non-residential structure (Class 3 felony)
• 3 Counts – Terrorism Act (Class 2 Felony)
• 3 points – Damage to Property (Class 1 Misdemeanor)

The unknown powder attached to political signs caused several intersections in Ahwatukee to be closed Tuesday. Locations included Chandler Boulevard near 44th Street and 35th Street and Ray Road and 50th Street.

Phoenix police later said the signs were also lined with razor blades. The signs featured messages referencing the Democratic Party and presidential candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris.

There have been no reports of injuries and we are still waiting to learn what substance was involved.

In Tempe, police said the same suspect fired three times at the Democratic National Committee field office near Southern Avenue and Priest Drive, most recently on Oct. 6. The other two shootings occurred on September 16 and 23.

According to police, the suspect fired pellets and shots at the office.

There was no one in the building at the time and the Democratic Party eventually closed the field office.

Tempe police expect to hold a news conference about Kelly’s arrest Wednesday afternoon. Arizona’s Family will broadcast this press conference live when it occurs.

Do you see a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.

Do you have a photo or video of a recent news story? Send it to us here with a short description.

Copyright 2024 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.