Authorities in Kansas City, Mo. have charged a man after he allegedly threw molotov cocktails at Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's district office.
Eric King, 28, was arrested after police say he was caught on surveillance video throwing a hammer through the Missouri Democrat's office's window early last Thursday. He then threw the two homemade explosive devices at the window but they landed outside the building. Neither one detonated.
Police responded
to the scene after alarms went off, and the bomb squad and the FBI were called in.
On Wednesday, King was charged in federal court "with using a dangerous instrument to oppose, impede, intimidate and interfere with a federal official engaged in the performance of his official duties," according to a
Justice Department press release.
"Video footage shows King retrieve two bottles with a white ignition source from his backpack, then walk around the parking lot for a few minutes in an effort to hide from cars that were passing by," the statement reads.
"The footage allegedly shows King throwing a hammer through the west window and lighting the devices. The first device thrown appears to bounce off the side of the building. The second device is ignited and is thrown at the window. King allegedly sprints away from the office."
The Justice Department said King was also involved in a series of vandalisms on government buildings near Cleaver's office. He was captured on surveillance video in those incidents as well.
A Kansas City police detective was investigating the vandalism incidents, which involved spray painting "anti-government/anarchy graffiti and included some police vehicles, a Federal Protective Police vehicle and the Liberty Memorial National World War I museum," when King was identified as the culprit.
Further investigation and a search of King's apartment discovered evidence of the crimes, including social media posts and a letter that mentioned accelerants, bottles, rags, and a lighter. He was also carrying a backpack at the time of his arrest that contained spray paint, lighter fluid, "and a clear plastic soda bottle (containing an unknown liquid) with a tube sock placed over it," according to the press release.
The letter reads, in part: "The arsons committed on Sept 11, 2014 were committed solely by the KC FIGHT BACK Insurrectionist Collective.
"The Missouri congress has been a willing partner in the US governments capitalist war hungry agenda. … K.C.F.B. I.C. has declared war on the Missouri National Government."
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