During a demonstration supporting President Trump, a vehicle drove by and fired multiple rounds at demonstrators, including young children.
In Fort Mill, South Carolina, a group of Trump supporters and their young children were standing outside, peacefully demonstrating, when they were shot at.
The demonstrators say that a vehicle with three men inside drove by them multiple times, harassing them and screaming obscenities at them. The final time they drove by, one of the men held a gun out the window and began firing.
“It was ridiculous. There were kids everywhere. They drove by really slow and saw everybody, so they knew exactly who was there,” said Matthew Ostrowski, one of the demonstrators.
Officers Quickly Apprehend Suspect
The Fort Mill police officers arrived on the scene at approximately 6:50 p.m., and took statements. A South Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper had been in the vicinity when the incident took place, and had already begun a search for the vehicle.
The vehicle was found abandoned in a nearby area, but officers noticed another vehicle attempting to leave the area, and observed that one of the occupants matched the description of the suspect who fired at demonstrators.
The vehicle was stopped by nearby officers, and the occupants were quickly identified as the men involved in the incident. Two of the men were released without charges, while the driver of the vehicle, Marquise Damarius Asomani, 23, was taken into custody.
Asomani was charged with six counts of assault and battery of a high & aggravated nature, one count of unlawful carrying of a pistol, one count of pointing and presenting firearms at a person, and one count of possession of a firearm during a violent crime. He is being held at the York County Detention Center with a $75,000 bond.
After the incident, Ostrowski said: “If anything this energizes me more after this incident, it’s done the same for many many people.”
Others were not as lucky as Ostrowski, who was not intimidated by the attack. Lindsey Portugal, another demonstrator, was feeling discouraged, stating “I think it’s sad honestly that we’re showing support for the president and you have to be nervous about somebody coming and doing this.”
Tammy Bruce, a host on Fox Nation, tweeted about the incident:
Man arrested after shots fired at Trump supporters https://t.co/y6k5uVUTOL
— Tammy Bruce (@HeyTammyBruce) August 25, 2020