A Democratic Missouri state lawmaker was arrested for allegedly threatening to kill someone just one day after winning re-election — but he claimed he wasn’t the aggressor.
State Representative Anthony Ealy Jr., 32, caused a chaotic scene while yelling outside a business as a family was making funeral arrangements around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in Jefferson City, FOX 4 reported, citing a probable cause statement.
An individual then approached the lefty lawmaker to try and deescalate the situation when Ealy said he had a gun, lunged towards the person, and threatened, “I’m going to kill you. Call the police, I’m going to kill you,” according to the statement.
“It was definitely a scene, it was pretty chaotic,” a witness told the local station.
Witnesses to the altercation corroborated the peacemaker’s recollection of events to the police.
Ealy was nabbed about 20 minutes later at his home where he “denied making threats or mentioning a firearm” after being read his Miranda rights, according to the probable cause statement.
The Democratic lawmaker was slapped with misdemeanor assault and disturbing the peace charges on Thursday.
He was booked into the Cole County Jail and released by Friday.
In a bizarre statement to The Post, Ealy professed his innocence and claimed he was “pushed and chased” him with a bat by someone while smoking a cigarette.
“I believe this has something to do with my Christian Faith, that I’m black and reelected. Something a prophecy,” the statement said in part.
“I do not know anything else, I want peace and for this to be wrapped up but thats all I have to say. Something else bigger is going on,” Ealy stated.
“My record speaks for itself. True prophets live through this mess.”
Ealy was first elected to the Missouri House of Representatives for Grandview in 2022 and won reelection for the third time on Tuesday with 68% of the vote, the local outlet reported.
At the time, Ealy became the first black state representative for Grandview as well as the youngest in the district as a whole.
He was removed from all committee assignments last spring so he could focus on personal matters — and there were no plans to reinstate his committee assignments for the 2027 legislative season, according to the chief of staff for House Democratic minority leader Ashley Aune, FOX 4 reported.
House Democratic leadership asked the troubled lawmaker to consider allowing someone else to run for his seat before he announced his reelection bid.
The Post reached out to the Jefferson City Police Department for more information.
