GOOCHLAND, Va. (AP) - A Virginia Republican has drawn criticism for a tweet suggesting he could gun down pro-marijuana protesters who stormed Rep. Andy Harris' Capitol Hill office and assaulted the congressman.

Goochland County supervisor Manuel Alvarez Jr. tweeted Tuesday: "With one reload, I can take 34 of them."

Local Democratic Party committee co-chair Tina Winkler told The Washington Post she asked Alvarez to tone down his "rage tweets" a few weeks ago, saying "that kind of politics" isn't welcome in Goochland.

Alvarez told news outlets his tweet was "stupid" and a "bad joke" and it wasn't in his character to shoot protesters. The 64-year-old has since deleted the tweet.

Goochland County Sheriff James Agnew said he wasn't aware of any complaints to his department, but Alvarez had given him a heads-up.