Jacob Burris has served as Ken Aden's campaign manager since October 2011. The Associate Press confirmed with the Russellville Police Department that the campaign manager had filed a report, but they did not have any suspects at this time. "I've got a gun and I know how to use it," Burris told Blue Arkansas. “If I have to protect my kids I’ll do it without hesitation.” 
 
 This happened the same night that Gabby Giffords, the survivor of a heinous act of violence, announced she was resigning from Congress. An Arkansas political campaign manager was shocked to discover his family pet with one side of its head bashed in -- and the word "liberal" scribbled across the corpse in paint. "To kill a child's pet is just unconscionable," Aden said in an official statement. “As a former combat soldier, I’ve seen the best of humanity and the worst of humanity. Whoever did this is definitely part of the worst of humanity,” he said. He said the children are doing fine, but he is not taking the threat lightly. While the campaign between Aden and incumbent Congressman Steve Womack has heated up in recent months, Aden said they did not believe the Womack campaign to be responsible. "We suspect this is the action of a rogue individual or group of individuals who are the type of folks that stoop to the lowest common denominator instead of engaging in civil political discourse," Aden said in a statement. “It is unfortunate this has occurred, and we will await the results of the police and federal investigations,” Aden said. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is working with the Russellville Police Department and offering an up to $5,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible.
– An Arkansas campaign manager arrived home with his four kids to discover the family cat dead on the front porch, its head bashed in and "liberal" written on its side in black marker, reports CBS News. Jake Burris, who has been working on Democratic candidate Ken Aden's run for Congress since November, reported the crime to local police, and said he was taking the threat seriously. “I’ve got a gun and I know how to use it,” said Burris. “If I have to protect my kids, I’ll do it without hesitation.” Although the district is considered very conservative and the campaigning fierce, Aden's team said they believed the killing was not connected to the Republican rival's campaign. "To kill a child’s pet is just unconscionable,” said Aden. “As a former combat soldier, I’ve seen the best of humanity and the worst of humanity. Whoever did this is definitely part of the worst of humanity." The Republican candidate also issued a statement strongly condemning the killing. Pictures of the family's cat are here.