19-year-old arrested for firing shot at black candidate’s office

A 19-year-old man was arrested in Beaumont, Texas, Monday night for firing a gun at the campaign office of an African-American candidate running for sheriff in the same town, according to police.

Nobody was injured in the Monday night shooting but a glass door was broken at Zena Stephens’ campaign headquarters, said police department public information officer Tony Harding Jr.

“Zena Stephens reported that several people were in her campaign office when a witness reported that a white male in a newer white Jeep Cherokee drove by southbound on 11th Street,” Harding told CNN. “He was hanging out the passenger window and fired a handgun at the building, yelling a racial slur. One of the glass doors was shattered by the round.”

Police found the Jeep Cherokee with five subjects inside about 9:50 p.m., approximately two hours after they responded to the shooting. Adam Carver, a resident of Vidor, Texas, confessed and was arrested for deadly conduct, police said. He was transported to the Jefferson County Correctional Facility.

Stephens is a Democratic candidate for sheriff in Jefferson County, located on the Texas-Louisiana state line. She’s a former Jefferson County deputy and police chief at Prairie View A&M University.

She issued a statement, saying: “I would like to thank everyone for your overwhelming support and prayers following last night’s senseless act of violence inflicted during our volunteer rally at our campaign headquarters. I am thankful none of our volunteers were injured. Today is Super Tuesday and our main focus continues on our campaign.

“As I have said to my team from the beginning we will continue to run a clean and professional campaign. Due to the importance of today’s election and my need to be in the community, I will address all media questions after the election.”

Dr. Garrett Peel, the Jefferson County Republican Party Chairman, issued a statement condemning the attack, CNN affiliate KFDM reported.

“We have no time for this kind of hate in Southeast Texas. Our candidates and their volunteers are public servants and we are thankful to their sacrifice. The most powerful protest is a vote, not a gunshot. We are thankful Zena and her team are safe,” Peel said.

Reviewjournal.com contributed to this story.