A Georgia accountant is now reportedly facing serious charges after allegedly opening fire at the North Carolina home of a Donald J. Trump supporter in what authorities describe as a politically charged act of violence.
Benjamin Michael Campbell, 38, of Cobb County, Georgia, was arrested and extradited to North Carolina following a September 6 altercation at the Nantahala Gorge residence of Mark Thomas, a 62-year-old business owner known locally for his support of the president.
According to Thomas, the confrontation began when Campbell, driving erratically, stopped outside his property and attempted to tear down a large Trump banner displayed near the road. Surveillance footage reportedly shows Campbell, wearing what Thomas described as an “Antifa-style mask,” pulling the banner to the ground before appearing to smirk at the camera.
“He just whipped it up and then threw it down on the ground. Like he was proud of what he just did,” Thomas said.
Thomas, who was home at the time, fired two warning shots into the air. As Campbell drove off in his Jeep Cherokee, Thomas said the suspect raised a firearm through the vehicle’s sunroof and opened fire toward the house. “He fired five to six rounds as he was heading back down the driveway to the highway that passes in front of my place,” Thomas said. One bullet struck a refrigerator on his porch, narrowly missing him.
Campbell was arrested on September 30 and is currently being held on a $70,000 bond. He faces multiple charges, including assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or inflict serious injury — a Class C felony in North Carolina that carries a potential sentence of up to 17 years in prison.
The case has reignited concerns among conservatives about escalating acts of violence directed at Trump supporters. Thomas, who says he has previously been targeted because of his political beliefs, blamed “leftist lies and propaganda” for fueling attacks like this one.
“All it takes is one person who’s not thinking to get triggered by the propaganda to do something like that,” Thomas said. Despite the assault, he vowed not to back down. “We’re not the kind of people that are going to be intimidated,” he added, saying he plans to replace his damaged banner.
The incident comes amid a broader national conversation about political violence and its growing normalization. In recent months, other politically motivated assaults have drawn scrutiny, including a case in Washington, D.C., where a far-left agitator was charged with attacking a MAGA official. Conservative activists also pointed to the reaction online following the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, when more than 51,000 social media users reportedly celebrated his death.
For residents of the rural Nantahala Gorge, the shooting served as a stark reminder of the political hostility dividing Americans. “It’s gotten to the point where just having a sign can make you a target,” Thomas said. “But we’re not taking them down.”
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