Former congressional candidate's arrest stem from threat of 'shooting him like a pig'
INDIANAPOLIS — The arrest of a former Indiana congressional candidate stems from online threats lobbed against an Indianapolis political commentator, according to newly unsealed court documents.
Gabriel Whitley, who ran in the Republican primary in Indiana's 7th Congressional District, was arrested in August and faces an intimidation charge after Indianapolis police investigated a complaint about him "stalking" Abdul-Hakim Shabazz on social media and making violent comments, including "shooting him like a pig."
Shabazz reported the threats to Indianapolis police on July 23, stating he had been covering an FBI search warrant conducted on Whitley's home when Whitley is said to have "began encouraging violence against him by way of X (Twitter) posts," the arrest affidavit states.
Read more: FBI searches Indianapolis home where former congressional candidate lives
Police in the affidavit further included photos posted by Whitley showing Shabazz's home and vehicle, as well as a graphic photograph of the suspected shooter behind the July assassination attempt of former president Donald Trump stating, "Secret Service missed" Shabazz.
Shabazz told police he believes he "got on Mr. Whitley's radar" following a lawsuit filed in 2022.
"Mr. Shabazz is unsure of what Mr. Whitley is capable of doing," the affidavit states.
Investigators in the report stated they connected Whitley's X account to a Gmail account, which was listed under his candidate statement.
The case is scheduled for another court hearing on Oct. 10.
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