A married couple made it on the national news after they were caught on camera while pointing guns at protesters outside of their home on Sunday night.
Mark McCloskey held a rifle and his wife Patricia McCloskey pointed a handgun at the 300 protesters near their Central West End home around 7:30 p.m. They are now defending themselves, saying they pulled the guns out because they were scared for their lives.
A couple has come out of their house and is pointing guns at protesters in their neighborhood #StLouis #lydakrewson pic.twitter.com/ZJ8a553PAU
— Daniel Shular (@xshularx) June 29, 2020
Mark said the protesters were very angry and even took the gate down. At that moment, the couple got really scared, they thought the protesters might burn their home down and kill their pets.
Mark said they called 911 and took their guns to guard their private property as the crowd was approaching.
The protesters already destroyed around 100 historic iron gates of Portland Place and were approaching the McCloskey’s home when the family had dinner outside.
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Even though he claims that the protesters destroyed the gates, there is a video that shows the opposite. In the footage that has been shared on social media, protesters walk through an unbroken gate. It’s unknown who actually destroyed it.
The McCloskeys also claimed they’ve received death threats from the protesters. One protester even pulled two pistol magazines and told Mark that he is next.
The couple also released a statement in which they said they support the Black Lives Matter movement and they don’t mind peaceful protests.
The protest was organized by a group called ‘Expect Us’. Rasheen Aldridge was one of the protest leaders who said that protesters were peaceful and there weren’t any death threats.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner is investigating the incident. She said that guns and violent assault are not the answer to the peaceful protesters. She tweeted that she’s aware of the events that happened over the weekend and she will do everything to protect the right to peacefully protest.
