Poplar Bluff council candidate threatened with bricks

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Poplar Bluff City Council at-large candidate Scott Faughn was awakened early Wednesday when two bricks with threatening messages were thrown through his window, police reported.

The threats advised Faughn to withdraw from the council race.

Faughn said that he was shaken up by the incident, but more determined than ever to stay in the race and work harder to win the election on Tuesday.

Faughn said he was awakened around 1:30 a.m. by a loud crash, and got up to see where the noise came from.

"I thought it was a storm in the night, but I saw the hole in the window and saw that it wasn't raining," he said.

Thinking maybe his home was being burglarized, Faughn said he grabbed a portable phone in the living room, ran back to the bedroom and dialed 911.

"The police were here in under a minute," he said.

Forceful throws

Faughn didn't immediately notice the bricks; police found them. Whoever threw them, he said, threw the bricks with enough force to send them through the window, the blinds covering the window, across the living room and into the kitchen.

On the bricks, written with what appeared to be a black marker, according to Poplar Bluff police, was the message: "I suggest you follow Bostic out" on one brick, and "Follow Bostic out" on the other.

Jackson Bostic left the at-large race last week because of a possible conflict of interest with his state job.

"I can't imagine the kind of person who would throw a brick through someone's window over a city council race," Faughn said.

The campaign sign in his yard was vandalized, as were other campaign signs with his name in yards nearby. Campaign signs of other candidates were undisturbed.

Faughn said he has been told about people who have been calling city hall trying to gather information about him, but he said he has no idea who might have thrown the bricks through his window. He said he didn't look out the window, he did not see anyone nor did he see any suspicious vehicles near his home on Bearden Street.

And he said whoever threw the bricks wasted time and effort.

"I want everyone to know I am not backing down," Faughn said. "I am not being intimidated. The persons who threw the bricks want me to lose the race. This was their first mistake. I will work twice as hard, twice as long, I will sleep less and spend that time working day and night to win this race."

"This is not politics," he said. "This is ridiculous and over the top."

Faughn said his wife is staying with her family for a while, but he will remain in his home.

The police department is investigating.