An elderly man in Hancock, Michigan, is in critical condition after what police are calling a “politically motivated” attack on Sunday.
The man, who has not been identified, was putting up a yard sign supporting President Donald Trump around 5:45 p.m., when a suspect driving a Honda ATV drove onto the man’s yard and ran him over with the vehicle, the Hancock Police Department said in a press release. The driver reportedly began to pull out the yard signs, and when the victim tried to put them back in the ground, the driver ran him over.
The victim was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, including a brain bleed, and is reportedly still in critical condition.
The 22-year-old suspect, whose name has not been released to the media, was found dead Tuesday in a home in Quincy Township with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
Police received a message on Monday from an individual at the home who said they wanted to confess to a crime involving an ATV driver within the last 24 hours, and asked for authorities to “send someone to pick me up.”
When law enforcement arrived at the home, they found the man dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Hancock Police Department said in a press release released Tuesday afternoon. Police obtained a search warrant for the home and recovered electronic devices that will be searched by forensic specialists as well as the ATV used in the crime and the clothing the suspect had been wearing.
The police department said additional details will be released as the investigation continues.
This was the third incident police believe to be politically motivated that occurred on Sunday alone. The first two involved vehicles that were vandalized, with the police department saying the suspect “appeared to target both Trump and Law Enforcement supporters.” It is unclear what about the vehicles indicated the drivers were either Trump or law enforcement supporters.
“Around 4:45 p.m., we had reports of vandalism to two vehicles where the tire valves were broken off and another one, they had smashed all the windows out and tried to do the same [act]…with the vehicle tires,” Sleeman told WLUC.
The ATV attack occurred less than 10 days after 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire at former President Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania on July 13. During that attack, the president was shot in the ear, attendee Corey Comperatore was killed while shielding his family from bullets, and two other Trump supporters were seriously injured.
One of the injured supporters, James Copenhaver, released a statement expressing condolences to Comperatore’s family and wishing the other injured supporter, David Dutch, a speedy recovery.
“First and foremost, me and my family continue to extend the most heartfelt condolences to the family of Corey Comperatore,” Copenhaver said.
“We also continue to offer our thoughts and prayers for the full and speedy recovery of Mr. David Dutch and for the full recovery of President Donald Trump,” he continued. “I am thankful for all of my amazing caregivers who have done a wonderful job saving my life and helping me on my road to recovery. Recovery will be slow, but steady.”
This piece has been updated to include additional information.