New Omaha city council candidate alleges ‘political terrorism’ as yard set ablaze overnight
Carter says he and his wife were winding down to bed after watching "Severance" when they heard tires screech and a loud explosion just before 12:30 a.m. on Sunday.
By Aaron Hegarty
Click here for updates on this story
OMAHA (KETV) — Tim Carter officially filed his candidacy for Omaha’s City Council’s District 7 seat in Northwest Omaha on Friday.
Now, he says his home was the target of “political terrorism” early Sunday morning.
Carter says he and his wife were winding down to bed after watching “Severance” when they heard tires screech and a loud explosion just before 12:30 a.m. on Sunday.
He says when they went outside to check, they discovered plants on fire. Carter says he went to install the hose and extinguish the flames as they called for emergency crews.
“It’s unnerving,” he said. “I mean, that was right outside of my children’s window.”
He said the fire crew that responded told them the fire appeared to be set intentionally.
He said it could be seen as a coincidence, but that he filed for city council on Friday, and his wife was intimidated just last week. When working as an escort at an abortion clinic in Bellevue last week, his wife was told, “We know where you live,” by anti-abortion protestors, he said.
“These kinds of attacks from political terrorists,” Carter said, “they don’t scare me in the sense that I’m going to back down, but it does give you a moment of pause about the current climate.”
He said, “It just strengthens my resolve to want to run. You know, I’m not going to back down. I’m going to work to defend doctors, women, immigrants, LGBTQIA communities. I’m going to fight harder and dig in deeper to help keep our community safer.”
Republican incumbent Aimee Melton told KETV on the phone that she reached out to the Omaha police and fire chiefs when KETV told her about Carter’s situation. She said they assured her the incident would be investigated to the fullest extent.
“This is unacceptable behavior in any of our neighborhoods for any reason,” she said in a statement.
Melton said she was told the Omaha Fire Department’s Arson Unit is the lead investigator. The Omaha Fire Department did not respond to KETV inquiries on Sunday. OPD confirmed police and fire responded to the call at about 12:30 a.m.
“I think the world of her for reaching out and doing that,” Carter told KETV of Melton’s response. “I look forward to a campaign based on ideas and direction for where we think District 7 should go.”
Brady Oltmans contributed to this report.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
