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.
“We’re not sure what could happen. Could he die from these injuries? Possible,” Hancock Police Chief Tami Sleeman said, according to WLUC. “If there’s anybody out there that has any information on the person driving this four-wheeler, please call the Hancock Police Department.”
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 driver has been identified, but no name has been released to the public yet. Police say the investigation is ongoing.
