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Washington Post
12 hours ago
- Washington Post
SUV drives through protesters in Culpeper, Va., police say
A man was arrested Saturday in Culpeper, Virginia, after an SUV drove through a crowd following a 'No Kings' demonstration there, the town police said. Preliminary investigation indicated that at least one person was struck, but in a statement issued Saturday afternoon, police said the person had not been located. No injuries had been reported to law enforcement, the statement said. The incident appeared to be the most disruptive reported during any of the 'No Kings' demonstrations held in the Washington region. The demonstrations were held around the country to oppose what organizers called growing presidential authoritarianism. Culpeper, the seat of Culpeper County, is a town of 20,000 that is about 60 miles southwest of Washington. On its website, the county Democratic Committee expressed gratitude to volunteers and attendees 'who made our massive No Kings event so peaceful, safe and empowering.' There was no apparent mention of the SUV incident. In their account, police said demonstration participants were leaving, and crossing a business parking lot, when officers saw an SUV 'drive recklessly through the crowd of pedestrians' in what appeared to be 'dangerous driving behavior.' Police indicated that the incident occurred in a shopping area on Route 15. It was not clear how many people were in the crowd. About 600 people attended the demonstration, according to Officer Julia Schoelwer, of the Culpeper police. After the incident, officers made a traffic stop, the police said. They said Joseph R. Checklick Jr, 21, of Culpeper was arrested and charged with reckless driving. He appeared before a magistrate and was held without bond, the police said. They said the matter remained under investigation.
Daily Mail
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Man arrested after 'intentionally' driving into crowd of protesters at 'No Kings Day' rally in Virginia
A man who police say intentionally drove into a crowd of protestors at a 'No Kings Day' rally in Virginia has been arrested and charged. Joseph R. Checklick Jr., 21, drove his SUV through a dispersing crowd in a parking lot, which led to him 'striking at least one person with his vehicle,' police said in a statement. The protest took place throughout Saturday afternoon in Culpeper, a small town roughly 70 miles from Washington, D.C., where President Donald Trump 's birthday military parade - the event 'No Kings' organizers are trying to counter - has already commenced. As of 3:45pm, the Culpeper Police Department said no injuries had been reported as a result of Checklick's alleged attack. The person who was struck by his vehicle also hasn't been identified. As of now, Checklick has been charged with reckless driving, which is merely a class 1 misdemeanor under Virginia state law. This kind of crime comes with no jail time and a mandatory minimum fine of $250. Checklick could face more charges in the future, as the investigation is active and ongoing, police said. He is being held without bond at the Culpeper County Jail. Culpeper Democrats posted on Facebook, thanking Culpeper Police Department for their 'quick response and for keeping our protest safe.' The Culpeper Police Department told that it asking anyone who has information or witnessed the incident at the protest to contact Detective Payne or email the department at tips@ Because the investigation is still in its early stages, a police spokesperson said 'we aren't releasing any information regarding potential or alleged motives for Mr. Checklick Jr's actions.' Social media reports showed large crowds at the 'No Kings Day' protest in Culpeper, with organizers claiming that more than 600 people showed up. Across the country, there have been some 2,000 'No Kings Day' protests, with attendees pushing back against what they describe as Trump's march toward authoritarianism on issues such as immigration enforcement, civil rights and cuts to the federal government through DOGE. It's unclear what Checklick's possible motives were, but Saturday hasn't been a day lacking in political violence. Early on Saturday morning, a gunman entered the residence of Minnesota state Senator John Hoffman, a Democrat, and his wife early Saturday, shooting both and leaving them critically injured. He then proceeded to the home of former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman, where she and her husband were fatally shot. Vance Luther Boelter, 57, who was appointed by Walz in 2019 to serve a four-year stint on the Governor's Workforce Development Board, has been identified as the suspect in the quadruple shooting Vance Luther Boelter, 57, who was appointed by Governor Tim Walz in 2019 to serve a four-year stint on the Governor's Workforce Development Board, has been identified as the suspect in the quadruple shooting. The first shooting occurred just after 2am at Hoffman's home in Champlin, about 20 miles from Minneapolis. Hoffman and his wife were shot multiple times, KSTP reported. The second attack took place at around 4am at Hortman's Brooklyn Park residence, eight miles south. After that shooting, police engaged the suspect in a gunfight on the street, officials said. Drew Evans, head of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, confirmed that the suspect escaped during the exchange and remains at large. According to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Boelter stands at 6-foot-1, weighs roughly 220 pounds and has brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen on Saturday morning in Minneapolis, wearing a light-colored cowboy hat, a dark long-sleeve shirt, and light pants. Authorities have urged residents not to approach Boelter if they see him. He is considered 'armed and dangerous.'
