White Army vet charged in shooting Black girl at Trump rally

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A white military veteran shot and wounded a 15-year-old girl when he fired his gun into a car carrying four Black teenagers during a tense confrontation at a Trump rally near the Iowa Capitol last month.

Michael McKinney, 25, is charged with attempted murder in the Dec. 6 shooting in Des Moines. McKinney, who was heavily armed and wearing body armor, told police he fired the shot in self-defense. A resident of tiny St. Charles, Iowa, McKinney has posted on Facebook in support of the far-right Proud Boys and against Black Lives Matter.

In a news release detailing McKinney’s arrest, the state police described an afternoon shooting at a parking lot and didn't mention the Trump car rally or the race of those involved. A city police spokesman said initial reports indicated the shooting was traffic-related. Division of Criminal Investigation spokesman Mitch Mortvedt said the agency released the immediate facts and circumstances as required.

But a review by The Associated Press shows the shooting was sparked by a belligerent political clash between a large group of white Trump supporters and four unarmed Black girls all aged 16 and under.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/white-army-vet-charged-shooting-175850765.html

[struggle4progress]

1. Armed coward shoots unarmed teenaged girl because she disagrees with him

[Kid Berwyn]

2. Iowa has changed.

This is heartbreaking in so many ways.

[Grokenstein]

3. Excerpt from article says a lot:

The girls’ car ended up surrounded by Trump supporters who were yelling and honking horns before the driver went in reverse and struck a pickup. It’s unclear whether the collision was accidental. McKinney told police he fired at that point to protect himself.

An investigator says in court documents that McKinney does not appear to be among those rallygoers who exchanged words with the girls before the shooting. Bystander video obtained by police shows McKinney approaching the vehicle, pulling a handgun from his waistband and firing into the car from 15 feet (4.5 meters) away, according to court documents.

The bullet hit the leg of a girl who had been arguing with members of the crowd through the vehicle's sunroof. The car sped off to take her to a hospital.

The 73-year-old owner of the pickup, Bob Brekke Jr., told AP he was glad that McKinney shot into the car and scared the girls away, saying he worried that they might be armed. “I felt relieved,” said Brekke, whose truck was scratched in the collision.

So there was an argument and McKinney WENT UP TO IT and opened fire.

[David__77]

4. Over the longer term, it's important to confront these people in the streets.

And this incident makes clear why that is so. The fascists feel very emboldened lately. It's important that the feel terror instead. Leaving them alone will simply leave them to prey on passersby.

[Hortensis]

5. Despicable. All around! Thank goodness no one was hurt worse. nt