This week, Arizona Attorney General Chris Mays (D) faced backlash from Republican lawmakers, the Arizona State Police Association, and the Trump administration for suggesting that it could be reasonable to shoot a masked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer.
Mays did not hide his contempt for ICE. In a KPNX-TV interview with Brahm Reznik, he indicated that ICE agents were engaging in “thug and brutal conduct,” fueling chaos in places like Minneapolis.
“How do you know they are security personnel?”
“This is a flammable situation,” Mays stated, emphasizing the role of ICE agents in creating tension. He expressed that he was “outraged and sickened” by the sight of ICE officers and argued that “real cops don’t wear masks.” He also mentioned that Arizona is a “solid state.”
“Arizona has a lot of guns too,” he added with a smile, which I suppose signaled some confidence—maybe even bravado.
“We have a law that allows you to defend yourself with deadly force if you believe your life is in danger, and you’re at home, in your car, or on your property,” he said, which complicates things a bit.
Reznik, sensing the gravity of Mays’s comments, responded cautiously, “I’m going to be careful with that and understand how what you’re saying is going to be interpreted.”
“But it’s true,” Mays reiterated, somewhat unfazed.
While Mays clarified that shooting peace officers remains illegal in Arizona and he did not endorse such actions, he seemed to provide potential justifications: “How do you know they’re a peace officer?”
Mays suggested that if someone did pull a gun in such a scenario, it raises the question of whether they reasonably believed they were confronting law enforcement. When pressed for more clarification, he smiled and said, “Yeah, sure.” But then he pivoted back: “How do you know if you’re being attacked by someone who isn’t identified as a peace officer?”
Republican Congressman David Schweikert voiced his concerns, noting, “Let’s stop pretending this was a careful legal seminar. This is Arizona’s attorney general freelancing a scenario where bullets start flying and treating it as just ‘law.’” He labeled it reckless to suggest there’s a license for violence, especially coming from the state’s top lawyer.
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R) weighed in, critiquing Mays’s rhetoric as “reckless” and “dangerous.” He urged Mays to consider how her words could be interpreted and applied. Others, like Joe Kluer from the Arizona State Police Association, echoed similar sentiments, calling Mays’s comments “very troubling and dangerous,” especially considering that law enforcement often doesn’t wear traditional uniforms.
Kluer mentioned that public speculation about justifying harm against ICE officers sends a dangerous message in an already charged environment.
Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, added that this sort of rhetoric could result in direct threats against law enforcement, potentially leading to severe consequences.
The Department of Justice has been approached for comments regarding these statements, but the discussions around them certainly raise a lot of questions.
“Threatening to harm someone”: Democratic AG surprises with comments about shooting ICE agents in ‘stand your ground’ Arizona
This week, Arizona Attorney General Chris Mays (D) faced backlash from Republican lawmakers, the Arizona State Police Association, and the Trump administration for suggesting that it could be reasonable to shoot a masked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer.
Mays did not hide his contempt for ICE. In a KPNX-TV interview with Brahm Reznik, he indicated that ICE agents were engaging in “thug and brutal conduct,” fueling chaos in places like Minneapolis.
“How do you know they are security personnel?”
“This is a flammable situation,” Mays stated, emphasizing the role of ICE agents in creating tension. He expressed that he was “outraged and sickened” by the sight of ICE officers and argued that “real cops don’t wear masks.” He also mentioned that Arizona is a “solid state.”
“Arizona has a lot of guns too,” he added with a smile, which I suppose signaled some confidence—maybe even bravado.
“We have a law that allows you to defend yourself with deadly force if you believe your life is in danger, and you’re at home, in your car, or on your property,” he said, which complicates things a bit.
Reznik, sensing the gravity of Mays’s comments, responded cautiously, “I’m going to be careful with that and understand how what you’re saying is going to be interpreted.”
“But it’s true,” Mays reiterated, somewhat unfazed.
While Mays clarified that shooting peace officers remains illegal in Arizona and he did not endorse such actions, he seemed to provide potential justifications: “How do you know they’re a peace officer?”
Mays suggested that if someone did pull a gun in such a scenario, it raises the question of whether they reasonably believed they were confronting law enforcement. When pressed for more clarification, he smiled and said, “Yeah, sure.” But then he pivoted back: “How do you know if you’re being attacked by someone who isn’t identified as a peace officer?”
Republican Congressman David Schweikert voiced his concerns, noting, “Let’s stop pretending this was a careful legal seminar. This is Arizona’s attorney general freelancing a scenario where bullets start flying and treating it as just ‘law.’” He labeled it reckless to suggest there’s a license for violence, especially coming from the state’s top lawyer.
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R) weighed in, critiquing Mays’s rhetoric as “reckless” and “dangerous.” He urged Mays to consider how her words could be interpreted and applied. Others, like Joe Kluer from the Arizona State Police Association, echoed similar sentiments, calling Mays’s comments “very troubling and dangerous,” especially considering that law enforcement often doesn’t wear traditional uniforms.
Kluer mentioned that public speculation about justifying harm against ICE officers sends a dangerous message in an already charged environment.
Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, added that this sort of rhetoric could result in direct threats against law enforcement, potentially leading to severe consequences.
The Department of Justice has been approached for comments regarding these statements, but the discussions around them certainly raise a lot of questions.
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