Tribune News Service
Oct. 21 — A Georgia man is accused of tearing down a Trump 2024 sign and firing several shots at the homeowner’s property in a outburst caught on video, according to a New York Post report.
Police say 38-year-old Benjamin Michael Campbell, an accountant from Atlanta, stopped his Jeep on a highway in Nantahala Gorge, North Carolina, after spotting the banner outside Mark Thomas’ home on Sept. 6.
“He was driving along, saw the sign, slammed on his brakes, you know, had a political trigger moment, and he just had to tear the sign down,” Thomas, 62, told the Daily Mail.
Footage shows Benjamin Campbell ripping the flag
Footage shows Campbell stretching to reach the flag before ripping it off. Thomas, who owns the Paddle Inn Rafting Company and describes himself as a “Trump supporter,” said he grabbed his rifle and fired two warning shots into the air after seeing Campbell in his yard.
By then, Campbell had thrown the torn sign on the ground “like he was proud of what he just did,” Thomas said. Moments later, Campbell got back into his Jeep, turned around, and opened fire from the sunroof.
“I found one bullet hole in my refrigerator, which is on my porch,” Thomas said, adding that the fridge was just a few yards away from him. Security footage also shows bullets hitting the dirt in his front yard.
Police arrived soon after but Campbell had already fled. Days later, investigators found the video Thomas uploaded to YouTube, which helped identify the suspect.
Campbell was arrested on Sept. 30. The sheriff’s office later released his mugshot, which showed him standing beside a height chart.
Photo caption: Mugshot of Benjamin Michael Campbell (Swain County Sheriff’s Office)
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© 2025 the Hindustan Times (New Delhi). Visit www.hindustantimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.
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Tags: accountant, arrests
