Police: Candidate for mayor faked attack to blame opponent

SUMTER, S.C. (AP) — Police say a woman running for mayor in a South Carolina city faked her own kidnapping and beating in a Facebook video in an attempt to pin the attack on an opponent.

Authorities say 29-year-old Sabrina Belcher was arrested and charged with filing a false police report of a felony and conspiracy after she went to the police department Tuesday to report the attack.

Police say Belcher hired a man to hit her and break the windows in her car while recording the attack on Facebook Live and during the recording, blamed one of her five opponents for the attack.

Police didn’t specify which opponent Belcher blamed.