VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – At least four shots were fired at the Volusia Republican headquarters, shattering a window and damaging two more, according to the South Daytona Police Department.
Authorities said no one was injured in the shooting, which happened sometime between Sunday afternoon and Monday morning.
At least four shots were fired, officials said. Photos from inside the building showed two bullet holes in a wall and glass shards scattered across the floor.
South Daytona Beach Police said they'll have an officer patrolling both the Republican and Democratic party headquarters until after Election Day.
Police said there was no surveillance video of the incident, because none of the nearby businesses had their cameras directed at the Volusia Republican headquarters.
"Some sick person decided they wanted to express their anger and they took it out with violence," said Tony Ledbetter, Chairman of Volusia County Republican Party.
Republican Party of Florida Chairman Blaise Ingoglia released the following statement Monday afternoon:
“Last night, we had a local Republican Victory Office in Volusia County shot at multiple times. It’s unbelievable to me that we have reached a low in political discourse where volunteers for campaigns now (have) to fear for their safety. We stand against any type of violence against any volunteer, Republican or Democrat. People should have the right to exercise their right of free speech without fear of retaliation."
RPOF officials said they were thankful no one was injured, but reiterated their belief that the shooting should never have happened.
“The RPOF is thankful no one was harmed in this shooting, but we must make one thing clear -- violence is NEVER the answer, under any circumstance," a spokesperson for the organization said. "Thank you to Volusia County’s law enforcement for their quick response to keep Floridians safe. We will continue our efforts to ensure staff and volunteers feel secure in our offices, despite these concerning events.”
The headquarters is located at 2841 S. Nova Road in Daytona Beach.
Check back for more updates on this developing story.