A candidate for sheriff of Alpena County, Michigan has ignited protests and harsh criticism for a text message he sent using his work phone. In it, he said he wanted to shoot gay men.
Newsweek’s Daniel Villarreal reports that Terry King, who is currently seeking the sheriff office, sent the messages to a relative in October 2013. King attended a wedding where he saw two men holding hands, snapped a picture of the couple, and said he wanted to kill them.
“THESE guys are holding hands. Where is my fricken gun,” King wrote.
“They kiss and stuff Ew,” the relative eventually replied.
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King then replied, “Bang bang.”
Related: Sheriff insists racist “White Guys Only” Grindr profile doesn’t belong to his officer
The texts began circulating last month after a local activist named Bob Reid obtained them through the Michigan Freedom of Information Act. Needless to say, the local queer community has expressed outrage over King’s texts.
“A publicly elected official should not hate anybody. There’s no place for hate in any community,” activist Suzy Langeveld, told The Alpena News. “We’re normal, just like everybody else. We have houses, we pay our bills, we have jobs.”
This isn’t the first time Terry King has come under scrutiny as a law enforcement officer. He became the subject of an investigation into impropriety in 2019, and was forced to choose between resigning and being fired. He chose to resign. Ironically, his boss at the time was county Sheriff Steve Kieliszewski, his opponent in the current Republican primary.
Chrisk
This piece of shit is so simple to figure out. It’s nothing more than revenge on his old boss.
This should make him ineligible from here on out. It’s now proven that he won’t serve the whole community.
FridM
There really needs to be a Gay Mafia, if there isn’t one…
We should be more militant. Bully the bullies.
yah_sure_youbetcha
No way is it okay right now (or ever) to elect a law enforcement official who has already demonstrated a desire to be violent and discriminatory toward any minority group. He should leave law enforcement not just this race.
Kevan1
Maybe someone will put him out of our misery.
Hdtex
He seems totally not closeted and self-loathing.
Prowelsh56
THIS GUY NEEDS TO BE WATCHED AND THOSE THAT HE ASSOCIATES WITH. He will be around if he has radical support. As retired law enforcement, I can tell you these kinds of folks are everywhere.