Man arrested in plot to kidnap and murder Wichita, Kansas, mayor over COVID-19 protections

Brandon Whipple, a former statehouse Democrat who was elected mayor of Wichita, Kansas, was the subject of a kidnapping and murder plot. In texts sent to another member of the Wichita city government, the suspect, Meredith Dowry, asked for Whipple’s address and then made his intentions clear.

Wichita implemented policies aimed at protecting citizens from the spread of COVID-19, but some members of the community—including the accused—have backed conspiracy theories instead of science.

Mayor Whipple spoke to The Wichita Eagle:

The apparent motive was the suspect’s opposition to “masks and tyranny,” Whipple said.

“He said he was going to kidnap me and slash my throat and he needed my address because I needed to see the hangman — me and everyone who, something about tyranny,” Whipple said.

The suspect remains in custody while the Wichita Police Department further investigates the matter.

In a multi-hour meeting, many members of the Wichita community spoke out against the mask mandate and backed conspiracy theories. The mandate held, however.