A 70-year-old poet has been arrested and charged with simple assault and disorderly conduct after allegedly slapping a Turning Point Action member outside an elementary school in Laconia, New Hampshire, where voters were casting ballots. The incident occurred Wednesday morning, according to the Laconia Police Department.
Police identified the suspect as Stephen Redic. Laconia Police Chief Matthew Canfield stated that the department had no prior contact with Redic. Video footage of the incident shows Redic approaching a Turning Point tent as he was leaving the polling location. He reportedly wanted to read a poem. In the video, the man identified as Redic becomes agitated while speaking with a Turning Point volunteer, raises his voice, gestures aggressively, and then slaps the volunteer across the face before walking away.
Onlookers reacted with surprise to the altercation. The victim was described by Turning Point as an 18-year-old. Redic, who published a book of poems in 2023 titled "Tying My Shoes," is due in court for an arraignment on December 10. It is not yet clear if he has obtained legal representation.
The incident occurred approximately 14 months after Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA and Turning Point Action, was reportedly assassinated at Utah Valley University. His accused killer, Tyler Robinson, has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting a hearing that could set a trial date.