Free State Project Supporter Shot in Fight That Began Over Its Porcupine Flag
Victim Jarrod Ean-Dixon said by family to be "healing" despite "grave injuries." Shooting suspect Michael Sirois was arrested.
A bizarre and disconcerting bit of politically motivated violence, which happened on November 5 pre-election but just came to my attention today: Jarrod Ean-Dixon, a participant in supporter of** New Hampshire's Free State Project (FSP), was shot multiple times during a conflict that began over a group of people including Michael Sirois, who allegedly shot Ean-Dixon, objecting to the Project's Porcupine flag (pictured below).
Ean-Dixon's family, in a web site dedicated to the incident, says that the 36-year-old father of three is "healing well considering his grave injuries." (One of his sons witnessed the shooting.)
The FSP is an effort to get the libertarian-minded to move en masse to New Hampshire to influence its politics and culture in a libertarian direction in a more concentrated and hopefully effective manner than they could achieve nationally. I profiled FSP for Reason at its beginnings in 2004, and Garrett Quinn checked in on their progress for us in 2013.
Their symbol is the porcupine, an animal allegedly peaceful when left alone but potentially dangerous when harassed.
The New Hampshire Union Leader reports on Ean-Dixon's long involvement with the FSP, including quotes from past FSP leaders on his involvement with the cause, and states:
Police have said the dispute was over the use of a porcupine on a yellow "Don't Tread on Me" flag, rather than the traditional curled snake. Police have said Sirois believed the porcupine was a desecration of the flag.
A woman, Kasondra Williams, who fled with the accused shooter and his other violent friend, Jason Gerry, who had allegedly punched Ean-Dixon, was also shot in the incident, apparently accidentally.
Other local media reports on the shooting from WMUR-9 and Boston.com.
The police report on the incident and arrest.
**Correction: The Free State Project does not have "members" despite what the earlier headline read, just "supporters" or "participants." Since Ean-Dixon lived in New Hampshire prior to FSP's existence, he is properly just a "supporter."