The campaign for Rod Laureys, candidate for St. Joseph County Sheriff, is demanding a retraction after a social media post by the county’s Democratic Party allegedly misrepresented Laureys’ actions and remarks at a local event.

According to the campaign, the post falsely implied Laureys made threatening comments involving a weapon during the Walkerton Fall Festival. Witnesses and the campaign say Laureys, a U.S. Marine veteran and law enforcement officer, was participating in a water-balloon launching competition at the time.

They say Laureys was holding a water-balloon launcher – not a firearm – and any references to “shooting” were related to launching water balloons as part of the friendly contest.

In a statement, the campaign called the post “grossly misleading” and said it expects the St. Joseph County Democratic Party to issue a retraction and apology.