WASHINGTON 鈥斅燰irginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe says state Sen. Bill Stanley should 鈥渕an up,鈥� after Stanley told police he felt threatened by a message from the father of the WDBJ-TV reporter shot and killed on air this summer.
Andy Parker, the father of 24-year-old Alison Parker, has become a vocal advocate for gun restrictions since the shooting, and has been active in backing Democratic candidates in several key races ahead of Tuesday鈥檚 statewide election.
On Tuesday, Parker sent a Facebook message to Stanley that said: 鈥淚鈥檓 going to be your worst nightmare you little bastard.鈥�
Stanley, a Republican, reported that to police as a threat.
鈥淸Parker] shouldn鈥檛 have written what he鈥檇 written,鈥� McAuliffe said in response. 鈥淏ut on the other hand, the idea that [Stanley] called the Capitol Police to say ‘I鈥檓 worried’ 鈥� come on, grow up.鈥�
On WRVA, McAuliffe called the situation part of 鈥渟illy season.鈥�
鈥淚f I called the police every time someone went online and said much worse than 鈥業鈥檓 going to be your worst nightmare,鈥� I would spend 24/7 on the phone calling the police,鈥� the governor said. 鈥淭his is all Capitol [Police], Col. [Anthony] Pike, this is all he would be doing all day.鈥�
Parker is passionate about the issue, and Stanley knew the father didn鈥檛 want to physically hurt him, McAuliffe said.
鈥淭his is a political stunt by Bill Stanley,鈥� he continued. 鈥淐ome on Bill, you鈥檙e tougher than that, man up, come on, this is ridiculous.鈥�
Stanley told he took the comment from Parker 鈥渧ery seriously as a threat against the safety鈥� of his family.
In addition to contacting Capitol Police and his local sheriff鈥檚 department, Stanley has picked up applications for concealed carry permits.
Parker says the threat was purely political.
Stanley represents the district where Parker lives.
