A Trump supporter who had encouraged violence against Democrats in his last social media posts before his death at the Capitol riots, was once a fan of President Obama and even attended his inauguration.
Kevin Greeson, of Athens, Alabama died amid the chaos last Wednesday when an angry mob of MAGA fans stormed the US Capitol.
In a statement confirming his death, his family revealed the 55-year-old father had a 'history of high blood pressure, and in the midst of the excitement, suffered a heart attack.'
Social media photos reveal Greeson was a fervent Trump supporter and had shown his support for the president by adding a MAGA filter to his Facebook profile picture.
Other photos showed him posing proudly with two AR-15 rifles.
Kevin Greeson, 55, of Athens, Alabama, was among the five who died in the Capitol riots. His family said he was prone to high blood pressure and suffered a heart attack 'in the midst of excitement'
Social media showed Greeson was a fervent supporter of the president and had also shared photos posing proudly with two AR-15 rifles (left)
He had also shared posts on right-wing social media network Parler, where he made threatening comments against Democrats.
In one of his final posts in December he wrote: 'Let's take this f**king country BACK! Load your guns and take to the streets!'
'Let's give them a war... Democrats don't have guns... we do.. bring your stick, I'm bringing my guns.'
He shared similar menacing posts in the weeks after Trump lost the presidential election, including one that read: 'I see nothing wrong with taking it back with guns!'
And on Twitter, Greeson once tweeted that hydroxychloroquine was a known cure for COVID-19 - a claim repeatedly promoted by the president despite it not having been proven.
But before he was a Trump loyalist, Greeson was actually a longtime registered Democrat and had supported former President Barack Obama, AL.com reported on Friday.
In 2009, he even traveled to Washington, D.C., where he would years later meet his fate, to watch Obama be sworn in for his first term.
Greeson's family said he was peaceful and intended no violence. His final posts on right-wing social media site Parler showed he encouraged violence against Democrats
He also supported progressive movements in Alabama and at one point helped lead the Local 88T of the United Food & Commercial Workers union.
'He was a vice president at the union, and he was an Obama supporter,' Greeson's family attorney Mark McDaniel told the publication.
'He got interested in Trump because he felt he was more business-minded, and as the economy kept getting better, he kept getting more interested in Trump.'
Through McDaniel, Greeson's wife Kristi revealed her husband had watched mainstream news stations such as CNN for 'most of his adult life' but made the switch to Fox News after he was won over by Trump.
Over time, Greeson's views became more radical and it became clear on social media that he had completely crossed over to the far-right side of the political spectrum.
Social media posts showed he had supported the Proud Boys movement and once said Obama - who he once admired - should be 'put to death,' according to AL.com.
After the presidential election was called in November, he also turned against Fox News, accusing it of 'jumping ship' and turned his attention to NewsMax.
Greeson had been a longtime Democrat and Obama fan and even traveled to Washington D.C. for his inauguration in 2009, before he was won over by Trump years later, his family's attorney revealed
An explosion caused by a police munition is seen while Trump supporters gather in front of the Capitol on January 6
'I'm done with Facebook and Fox News!' Greeson wrote in one Parler post.
'We can't get anything true from the news media,' he said in another. 'NewsMax is the only channel I'm trusting at this point.'
He also expressed his support for Trump's claims that the election had been stolen and called on Congress to overturn the results.
'Stand the f*** up! Our President is being took (sic) out of office in [a] coup and you motherf***ers do nothing!! It might take a few years but Trump and the American people will take you f***s out of your office,' he said on Parler.
Despite his seemingly threatening comments on social media, his family has said Greeson was not violent and claimed he only attended the rally last week to show his support for the president and live the experience.
'I think that he looked at social media as something where he was just talking to friends,' McDaniel said.
'Nothing in this man's life would lead anyone to believe that he was headed up there to do anything bad or anything sinister.'
'Our family is devastated. We are thankful for all of the thoughts and prayers and appreciate privacy at this time as we grieve,' the family said in their statement.
His son also shared a Facebook post paying tribute to his father.
'My dad had a heart attack yesterday and sadly passed away. We all loved him so much,' he wrote.
'He was such a great man we all miss you so much. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers.'
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