Short-Tempered Encounter Over Political Sign
A small-statured accountant is under scrutiny after a heated incident caught on camera involving a Trump campaign sign. Benjamin Michael Campbell, standing at 5 feet 6 inches, was seen tearing down a 2024 banner and approaching the property owner’s home in a fit of rage.
On September 6, Campbell, a married man from Atlanta, was driving in North Carolina’s Nantahala Valley when he noticed a flag in the yard of Mark Thomas, the business owner. He abruptly stopped his vehicle, Thomas recalled. “He slammed on the brakes when he saw the sign; it was like he had a political trigger,” Thomas, 62, said.
Describing the incident, Thomas recounted how Campbell struggled to reach the sign by standing on his tiptoes. “I thought, this can’t be real; I’m witnessing this,” he mentioned, unable to believe the scene unfolding before him.
As an outspoken Trump supporter and owner of the Paddle Inn Rafting Company, Thomas armed himself with a rifle to confront Campbell, who had by that point successfully removed the banner. “He threw it to the ground like he was proud,” Thomas noted, observing Campbell’s defiance.
Ignoring two warning shots fired by Thomas into the air, Campbell got back into his Jeep and drove away. Astonishingly, he began shooting from his car’s sunroof, with Thomas estimating he narrowly dodged around six bullets. “We even found a bullet hole in our refrigerator on the balcony—a good distance away from me,” he added. Surveillance footage later revealed impacts in the yard where bullets struck the ground.
Though police were contacted soon after the incident, Campbell had already fled. It wasn’t until a few days later, after Thomas shared a video of the encounter on television, that authorities were able to track Campbell down. He was taken into custody on September 30, and police later released a photo highlighting his shorter stature.
The motive behind his presence in North Carolina that day remains unclear. Thomas clarified that the banner belonged to his 87-year-old mother, who was understandably rattled by the event. He mentioned plans to replace the stolen signs, asserting, “We won’t be intimidated.”
Campbell, who was arrested in Cobb County, Georgia, faces serious charges, including assault with a deadly weapon, discharging a firearm to incite fear, and damaging personal property. He was extradited to Swain County on October 7 and subsequently released on a $70,000 bond.
