A man from Michigan, who was suspected of using an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) to run over an elderly man because of his support for Donald Trump, died by suicide as police were closing in on him.
In Hancock, a city in Michigan’s upper peninsula, police said the man was being investigated for allegedly hitting an 80-year-old man around 5:45 PM on Sunday. The elderly man was supporting Trump and was putting up a political sign in his yard. He also had stickers and flags that showed support for law enforcement. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition after the ATV hit him.
By Monday evening, police had identified a suspect who was linked to three cases that appeared to be politically motivated. The suspect, a 22-year-old man, contacted police, confessed to a crime involving an ATV, and asked to be picked up. When police arrived, they found him dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
This incident happened just over a week after Trump survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania, on July 13. The attacker shot and killed a Trump supporter, former fire chief Corey Comperatore, and injured Trump slightly.
The attack led to widespread condemnation of political violence. Vice President Kamala Harris, who might run against Trump in the upcoming presidential election, said on July 17 that violence is unacceptable and emphasized the importance of strong debate and ideas in a democracy.
On July 18, Hancock police and the nearby Houghton County Sheriff’s Office also condemned violence against political candidates.