The St. Louis couple who brandished an AR-15 and a silver handgun in front of protesters Sunday are now under investigation.
Breitbart News reported the couple was outside eating dinner when they heard hundreds of protesters approach.
The homeowner, Mark McCloskey, told KSDK he asked the protesters to leave because the neighborhood was private property:
Somebody forced the gate, and I stood up and announced that this is private property. Go back. I can’t remember in detail anymore. I went inside, I got a rifle. And when they … because as soon as I said this is private property, those words enraged the crowd. Horde, absolute horde came through the now smashed down gates coming right at the house. My house, my east patio was 40 feet from Portland Place Drive. And these people were right up in my face, scared to death. And then, I stood out there. The only thing we said is this is private property. Go back. Private property. Leave now.
He said the protesters allegedly became angry over his statements and he and his family were allegedly “threatened” by various protesters.
At that point he grabbed an AR-15 and his wife grabbed a pistol.
The New York Post reports McCloskey and his wife are now under investigation.
St. Louis Prosecutor Kimberly Gardner said, “I am alarmed at the events that occurred over the weekend, where peaceful protestors were met by guns.”
She added, “We must protect the right to peacefully protest, and any attempt to chill it through intimidation or threat of deadly force will not be tolerated,” she insisted, saying her office was “currently working with the public and police to investigate these events. Make no mistake: we will not tolerate the use of force against those exercising their First Amendment rights, and will use the full power of Missouri law to hold people accountable,”
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.