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Missouri State Representative Anthony Ealy, a Democrat, was arrested on Wednesday morning, a day after voters returned him to office for a third term, after police said he threatened to kill a man outside an apartment building in downtown Jefferson City and claimed to have a gun.
Police were called just before 11:30 a.m. to the apartment building after a report that a man was having "some sort of panic attack or mental health crisis," according to an arrest report. The report says Ealy lunged at a man outside the building, said something about a gun and repeatedly told him, "I'm gonna kill you." A woman had called police saying Ealy made verbal threats towards her and her husband shortly after arriving at her apartment.
Ealy, 32, was arrested at 11:57 a.m. and booked into the Cole County Jail, where he was being held without bond on Thursday morning, according to the county's inmate portal. He was arrested on misdemeanor charges of fourth-degree domestic assault and disturbance of the peace. The assault charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $2,000 fine, while the disturbing-the-peace charge carries up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Missouri court records did not show that prosecutors had formally charged Ealy as of Thursday morning.
Ealy represents District 36, covering part of Jackson County including Grandview. He was first elected in November 2022 and took office on January 4, 2023, becoming the youngest representative to represent the district and the first African American to represent the city of Grandview. He is also an attorney.
Marc Powers, chief of staff and communications director for the Missouri House Democrats, said the caucus was aware of the arrest but did not have details about what happened. Powers also said Ealy had been stripped of his committee assignments earlier this year.