Man allegedly threatened to 'shoot up' polling place, said he was promised a gun to vote 'straight party'
Christopher Queen threatened to “shoot up” a polling place in Washington County, Pa., according to Pittsburgh, Pa., news station WPXI. The 48-year-old made the threat after poll workers at the South Franklin Fire Hall informed him he was not registered to vote in the county around 8 a.m. Tuesday morning.
The complaint written by police said that Queen allegedly threatened to return with a gun.
“He said he was going to go get a gun and shoot everybody, and then he was going to come up here to the elections office,” Washington County Director of Elections Larry Spahr told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “And as a result of that, the sheriff came down and said, ‘Get that door locked. Don’t answer it for anyone you don’t know.’”
Court records show Queen has been charged with making threats and disorderly conduct, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
BREAKING: Man arrested for threatening to shoot up a Washington County polling place. Witnesses told me an elderly poll worker was shaking uncontrollably after he left.
State police just caught the suspect, I’ll have more details shortly.
— Cara Sapida (@WPXICara) November 6, 2018
According to WPXI, poll workers informed police that Queen told them he was promised a gun and money if he voted “straight party.”
Straight party, also known as straight-ticket voting, is when voters can select their political party’s complete slate of candidates for every office by marking just one mark on their ballot. Informally, it means voters individually mark their ballot for the candidates in their party.
State Police confirm a man threatened poll workers in South Franklin Twp, Washington County and told workers he planned to come back with a gun.
Police tell us Christopher Queen is now in custody. He was attempting to vote this morning, but police say he wasn't registered.
— Jim Madalinsky (@JimWTAE) November 6, 2018
Queen was arrested an hour after he made the threats at his home. The polling place remained open, and voting continued as usual.
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