The St. Louis, Missouri, couple who held guns in their hands in hopes of preventing protesters from damaging their property are now facing felony charges.
Fox News reported that Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner told the Associated Press that Mark and Patricia McCloskey will face felony charge for “unlawful use of a weapon” and also a misdemeanor charge for fourth degree assault.
On June 28, a video was posted to Twitter showing the McCloskeys holding firearms to protect their home:
On June 30, Breitbart News reported an investigation had been opened against the couple.
The New York Post quoted Gardner saying, “I am alarmed at the events that occurred over the weekend, where peaceful protestors were met by guns.”
Gardner 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.”
On July 11, Breitbart News reported that the rifle in the June 28 video was seized from the McCloskey’s home as police executed a search warrant.
More recently, the Hill reported that Missouri Gov. Mike Parson believed the McCloskeys simply “did what they legally should do.”
He added, “A mob does not have the right to charge your property. They had every right to protect themselves.”
Parson used a July 18 tweet to say, “We will not allow law-abiding citizens to be targeted for exercising their constitutional rights.”
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.