Latest news with #ElijahMillar
Newsweek
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Tennessee Man Spat at 'No Kings' Protesters and Brandished Gun: Prosecutors
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A counterprotester at the "No Kings" demonstration in Nashville, Tennessee, has been charged with a firearm violation after allegedly brandishing a firearm. Elijah Millar, 19, was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm after witnesses at the June 14 protest told law enforcement that he had spat at them and then pulled out a gun. Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) officers arrested him at the protest and took a pistol from him, according to the Justice Department. He was then stopped again by police in his hometown of Murfreesboro, where police took another pistol off him. Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Tennessee, via email for comment. Elijah Millar, 19, arrested by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Elijah Millar, 19, arrested by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Metropolitan Nashville Police Department Why It Matters The ability to protest peacefully is a fundamental right in the United States. The "No Kings" protests on June 14 were the largest nationwide demonstrations against the Trump administration since President Donald Trump took office in January. The vast majority of the 2,000+ demonstrations across the U.S. were peaceful and occurred without incident. Millar was the only person arrested at the Nashville demonstration. However, one person died from gunfire at a "No Kings" protest in Utah after an armed safety volunteer saw someone with a gun and fired into the crowd, shooting and killing bystander Arthur Folasa Ah Loo. What To Know Witnesses at the Nashville demonstration told law enforcement that Millar was dressed in all black and wearing a mask. He then got into an argument with protesters and pointed his firearm at the ground before being apprehended and disarmed by MNPD officers. According to the Justice Department, he has been under a mental health conservatorship since 2023, finding that he was "at risk of substantial harm to his health, safety, and welfare." This prohibited him from receiving or possessing a firearm. The next year, a judge found him to be a "disabled person needing care," which "significantly [restricted] his access to firearms." It is unclear from the DOJ filings at this time if his charges stem from his actions at the protest, his possession of a firearm, or both. He was also charged with disorderly conduct by Nashville police. Elijah Millar being arrested by Metro Nashville Police Department officers at the "No Kings" protest on June 14, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. Elijah Millar being arrested by Metro Nashville Police Department officers at the "No Kings" protest on June 14, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. George Walker IV/Associated Press What People Are Saying Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire, in a press release: "The right to peaceably protest government action is guaranteed by the First Amendment and cannot be infringed upon by armed individuals whose actions put people in danger. "Our efforts to hold firearm offenders accountable are designed to keep all members of the public safe from potential violence." What Happens Next If found guilty, Millar could face up to 15 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
CNN
12 hours ago
- Politics
- CNN
Man facing federal firearms charge after allegedly brandishing a gun at Nashville ‘No Kings' protest
FacebookTweetLink Follow A teenager from central Tennessee is facing a federal firearms charge after allegedly brandishing a gun at a 'No Kings' protest in Nashville, the Department of Justice announced Monday. Elijah Millar, 19, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, attended the June 14 protest near Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park in downtown Nashville, where he allegedly spat at and yelled at protesters before pulling out a gun, federal prosecutors said. Millar was a counterprotester, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said. He kept his gun pointed at the ground, but left 'others in the crowd in fear,' police said. The demonstration was part of the nationwide 'No Kings' day of protests on June 14, which saw people come together at more than 2,000 events across the country to protest Trump administration policies, organizers said. The protests were largely peaceful, but isolated incidents – including a deadly shooting at the Salt Lake City, Utah, protest, did occur. In Nashville, officers arrested Millar at the scene, seizing the pistol, and charging him with disorderly conduct, police said. Days later, in a separate incident, Murfreesboro police found Millar carrying another loaded firearm, the Justice Department said. Federal prosecutors said Monday they charged Millar with a count of unlawful possession of a firearm. They cited a 2023 case that barred Millar from owning or possessing firearms under a conservatorship order issued by the Chancery Court in Rutherford County. The court found Millar to be 'at risk of substantial harm to his health, safety, and welfare,' and restricted his access to firearms. A 2024 court order reaffirmed these restrictions, describing him as a 'disabled person needing care, prosecutors said. 'The right to peaceably protest government action is guaranteed by the First Amendment and cannot be infringed upon by armed individuals whose actions put people in danger,' said Robert E. McGuire, acting US Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. 'Our efforts to hold firearm offenders accountable are designed to keep all members of the public safe from potential violence.' If convicted, Millar could face up to 15 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Nashville Field Office, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the Murfreesboro Police Department, the Justice Department said.
CNN
12 hours ago
- Politics
- CNN
Man facing federal firearms charge after allegedly brandishing a gun at Nashville ‘No Kings' protest
A teenager from central Tennessee is facing a federal firearms charge after allegedly brandishing a gun at a 'No Kings' protest in Nashville, the Department of Justice announced Monday. Elijah Millar, 19, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, attended the June 14 protest near Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park in downtown Nashville, where he allegedly spat at and yelled at protesters before pulling out a gun, federal prosecutors said. Millar was a counterprotester, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said. He kept his gun pointed at the ground, but left 'others in the crowd in fear,' police said. The demonstration was part of the nationwide 'No Kings' day of protests on June 14, which saw people come together at more than 2,000 events across the country to protest Trump administration policies, organizers said. The protests were largely peaceful, but isolated incidents – including a deadly shooting at the Salt Lake City, Utah, protest, did occur. In Nashville, officers arrested Millar at the scene, seizing the pistol, and charging him with disorderly conduct, police said. Days later, in a separate incident, Murfreesboro police found Millar carrying another loaded firearm, the Justice Department said. Federal prosecutors said Monday they charged Millar with a count of unlawful possession of a firearm. They cited a 2023 case that barred Millar from owning or possessing firearms under a conservatorship order issued by the Chancery Court in Rutherford County. The court found Millar to be 'at risk of substantial harm to his health, safety, and welfare,' and restricted his access to firearms. A 2024 court order reaffirmed these restrictions, describing him as a 'disabled person needing care, prosecutors said. 'The right to peaceably protest government action is guaranteed by the First Amendment and cannot be infringed upon by armed individuals whose actions put people in danger,' said Robert E. McGuire, acting US Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. 'Our efforts to hold firearm offenders accountable are designed to keep all members of the public safe from potential violence.' If convicted, Millar could face up to 15 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Nashville Field Office, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the Murfreesboro Police Department, the Justice Department said.
a day ago
DOJ charges man arrested with firearm at Nashville 'No Kings' protest
A Tennessee man is facing federal charges after allegedly brandishing a firearm at protesters earlier this month, with prosecutors expressing concerns about his "desire to commit an act of mass violence," according to court documents. Elijah Millar, 19, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was charged Friday with unlawful possession of a firearm, the Justice Department announced. He faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 if convicted. According to prosecutors, Millar, dressed in all-black clothing and wearing a mask, confronted demonstrators at a "No Kings" protest near Nashville's Bicentennial Mall on June 14. Witnesses reported that Millar spat at protesters, yelled at them, and brandished a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol before being apprehended by Metropolitan Nashville Police Department officers, the DOJ said. Just three days after being released on bond, Millar was arrested again when Murfreesboro Police Department officers discovered another loaded 9mm firearm in his waistband, authorities said. Court documents said Millar was previously subject to a 2023 emergency conservatorship order in Rutherford County, Tennessee, which prohibited him from possessing firearms after finding he was "at risk of substantial harm to his health, safety, and welfare." A subsequent order in September 2024 designated him as a "disabled person needing care" and further restricted his access to firearms. "The right to peaceably protest government action is guaranteed by the First Amendment and cannot be infringed upon by armed individuals whose actions put people in danger," said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. On Sunday, prosecutors urged the court to keep Millar in custody, citing social media posts and online activity that suggested "a desire to commit an act of mass violence." The incident comes amid heightened tensions at "No Kings" protests nationwide. In a separate incident on the same day in Utah, a protest turned deadly when a safety volunteer accidentally shot and killed a demonstrator while responding to another armed individual who allegedly approached the crowd with a rifle. The case is being investigated by the FBI's Nashville Field Office, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, and the Murfreesboro Police Department.
