January 1, Trump Banner Sparks Shootout in North Carolina

Wyatt’s Take

• Disagreement over a Trump sign led to gunfire in North Carolina.
• The owner fired warning shots, and the intruder shot back.
• Charges have been filed after the incident.

A heated fight happened last month in Nantahala Gorge, North Carolina, when Mark Thomas defended a pro-Trump banner on his property against Benjamin Michael Campbell.

According to Thomas, Campbell stopped his car, got out, and pulled down the Trump sign from Thomas’ bus.

“[Campbell] was driving along, saw the sign, slammed on his brakes, you know, had a political trigger moment, and he just had to tear the sign down,” Thomas said. “He started reaching up on his tippy toes, trying to get to the edge of the sign. I just thought to myself, this is not happening. I don’t believe this.”

Thomas, a gun owner and Trump supporter, said he fired two warning shots into the air. Campbell drove away but soon came back and fired several shots toward the house, aiming through his sunroof.

“He fired five to six rounds as he was heading back down the driveway to the highway that passes in front of my place,” Thomas said. “I found one bullet hole in my refrigerator, which is on my porch … He was most definitely trying to kill me.”

Campbell now faces criminal charges, including felony assault with a deadly weapon, firing a weapon to incite fear, and property damage.

This kind of violence has no place in our communities or our country. We must protect our rights and respect each other’s property, no matter what side of the political fence you’re on.

Wyatt Matters

This story hits close to home for many folks who value their freedoms and want to feel safe on their own land. It’s a reminder that respect and law and order matter most in small-town America.

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