A Democratic Missouri state representative was arrested Wednesday for allegedly threatening to kill someone, just one day after securing re-election. The incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. in Jefferson City, according to a probable cause statement obtained by FOX 4.
Witnesses reported that Representative Anthony Ealy Jr., 32, was involved in a chaotic scene outside a business. When an individual attempted to deescalate the situation, Ealy allegedly stated he had a gun, lunged at the person, and threatened, "I’m going to kill you. Call the police, I’m going to kill you."
Ealy was arrested at his home approximately 20 minutes later. He denied making threats or mentioning a firearm after being read his Miranda rights, according to the probable cause statement. He was charged with misdemeanor assault and disturbing the peace on Thursday and booked into the Cole County Jail before being released by Friday.
In a statement to The Post, Ealy claimed innocence, stating he was "pushed and chased" by someone with a bat while smoking a cigarette. He also alluded to his Christian faith, his race, and his re-election, suggesting a broader conspiracy.
Ealy was first elected to the Missouri House of Representatives for Grandview in 2022 and won re-election on Tuesday with 68% of the vote. He was previously the first Black state representative for Grandview and the youngest in the district. Last spring, he was removed from all committee assignments to focus on personal matters, and leadership had asked him to consider not running for re-election. House Democratic leadership had reportedly asked Ealy to consider allowing someone else to run for his seat before he announced his re-election bid.