- Police searched for armed and masked persons parked near Mesa’s ballot drop boxes.
- Local reporters reported that two people were “dressed entirely in tactical gear” and concealed by a drop box.
- Mesa resident, a man who claimed to be a “mule”, has reported that he was victim of voter intimidation. The DOJ is now reviewing the report.
Local reports indicate that Arizona police were called by the authorities to investigate armed and unidentified individuals who were seen parked close to ballot drop boxes at night.
Late Friday night, Mesa deputies “looked into several people watching a Mesa voter drop box.” ABC 15 Arizona reporter Nicole Grigg tweetedThe statement said that the people were dressed in tactical gear, completely disguised, and armed.
Grigg shared a video that showed two men sitting in a lot. One was perched on the back of a truck, while the other was in a camp chair. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the existence of two armed individuals. Grigg tweets.
—Nicole Grigg (@NicoleSGrigg) October 22, 2022
Jordan Bontke of ABC 15 reported that while deputies “responded”, the individuals had already left the area.
“The tactical gear-clad men had left, but the deputies measured them to ensure that they weren’t too close to ballot watchers.” Bontke tweeted.
Insider asked for clarification on Saturday from MCSO spokesperson, but he did not respond immediately.
This report comes just days after Mesa’s voter harassment incident in which a voter reported that several people were “hanging around near the ballot dropbox filming, photographing my wife as we approach the dropbox and accusing me of being a mule,” according to the Mesa Daily News. The Washington Post.
The voter – who said the group took pictures “of our license plate and of us and then followed us out the parking lot in one of their cars continuing to film” – reported the incident to the Arizona secretary of state’s office, who referred it to the state attorney general and the US Department of Justice, per the Post.
In a statement 12 News KPNXA spokesperson for Arizona’s attorney general’s office confirmed that they were looking into the report.
“Everyone should feel safe exercising his or her voting rights. The spokesperson for 12 News said that if someone feels threatened they should immediately contact the local police department.”
