Flyers at homes take aim at sheriff
Two members of the Shelby County Commission and Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner had their properties littered overnight with flyers advocating that the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office be defunded.
Paint was also poured in the driveways at the homes of Shelby County Chairman Mark Billingsley and Shelby County Commissioner Amber Mills, who chairs the commission’s law enforcement committee.
A “pinkish liquid” was spilled in the street in front of Bonner’s home, according to the Sheriff ’s Office.
“I have tried to be a champion of the underserved and marginalized in my personal, professional and public life,” Billingsley said in a text message. “Vandalizing our home and scaring my family is a really poor way to communicate a message. My faith tells me to pray for the people that did this and that is what I will do. I am always willing to sit down and talk with anyone. I would encourage whoever felt compelled to do this, to speak with me. This will not change my efforts to improve our community, nor change my heart. I want to be a part of solutions to better Shelby County for all of us.”
Some of the flyers advocated giving teachers a raise and funding virtual therapy services, according to images shared with The Commercial Appeal.
The Germantown Police Department confirmed that officers are investigating the paint and “political leaflets” at Billingsley’s home. The Bartlett Police Department is investigating the incident at Bonner’s home and the Sheriff’s Office is handling the incident at Mills’ home, according to the Sheriff ’s Office.
Mills said she would have preferred that the people who targeted her home had instead held a conversation with her about law enforcement funding.
“Those terroristic activities will not deter me from continuing to support law enforcement and first responders,” Mills said. “Acts like what happened cause police to need more funding.”