Man arrested after allegedly threatening journalist with bat

By Randall Yip, AsAmNews Executive Editor

Police arrested but later released a man accused of charging controversial journalist Jonathan Choe with a baseball bat.

In his report for the Discovery Institute, Choe said Jeffrey McMillan approached him with a bat and threatened to kill him while he was reporting on the streets of Seattle about the homeless situation there.

Police arrested McMillan for harassment after determining they could establish probable cause.

However, the court ordered the defendant released after investigators continue to look into the case and submit evidence.

Choe posted a video of the incident which police say they are using to establish their case.

Choe has been involved in numerous controversies over the past few years. KOMO-TV in Seattle dismissed him after finding he violated company policies with his social media posts about a Proud Boys rally.

Critics say Choe’s posts lacked context and only promoted a group described by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a far-right White nationalist terrorist organization.

RELATED: Firing of Asian Am reporter after Proud Boys coverage sparks controversy

Choe also has a reputation for being an aggressive reporter not afraid to confront those accused of wrongdoing.

This is Choe pursuing an interview with a woman accused of telling an Asian American woman to “go eat a dog with some rice.”

McMillan’s public defender called Choe a “right-wing agitator like the folks over at Project Veritas” and that he “provoked a response and got a response,” according to the Post Millenial.

“I understand the public defender’s job is to do what’s in the best interest of his or her client,” Choe told AsAmNews via text message. “But I never ever expected someone to flat-out lie about me and defame my character in the process.”