Home of Raffensperger spokesman struck by gunfire

The Atlanta home of a top aide to Georgia’s chief elections official was struck by gunfire during a shootout early Thursday morning. But a preliminary police investigation concluded the shooting was not politically motivated.

Robert Sinners, communications director for Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, and his fiancee, CBS News Atlanta reporter Madeline Montgomery, awoke shortly after midnight to the sound of gunfire outside their southwest Atlanta home.

“The fact that political violence has to be considered is a sobering reminder of where we are,” Sinners said. “We have no indication that’s what occurred, but we’ll see how the investigation unfolds.”

Montgomery later posted images on Instagram showing bullet holes in the couple’s living room, bedroom and exterior windows.

“I’m used to covering these crimes, not living in them,” she wrote.

“Literally everywhere we look, we find a new bullet hole,” she said in another post.

Sinners said the home was struck by roughly 30 bullets.

Atlanta police declined to comment. A police report said witnesses saw two men shooting at each other. Two men were arrested after a brief chase. No injuries were reported. The suspects face multiple charges.

Raffensperger, his family and members of his staff have faced threats since they rejected false claims that President Donald Trump won Georgia in 2020 and resisted his push to reverse the election results.