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., aged 21, drove his SUV through a crowd that was starting to disperse in a parking lot, resulting in him ‘hitting at least one individual with his vehicle,’ according to a police statement.
The protest took place throughout Saturday afternoon in Culpeper, a small town roughly 70 miles from Washington, D.C.
President Donald Trump’s birthday military parade was just starting when the incident occurred.
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.
Currently, Checklick has been charged with reckless driving, a class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia law. This offense does not carry jail time and entails a minimum fine of $250.
Additional charges could be brought against Checklick as the investigation remains active, police stated. He is currently being detained 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.’
Joseph R. Checklick Jr. (pictured) 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
Pictured: Anti-Trump protestors confront US Marines and National Guardsmen on Saturday, the same day President Trump’s birthday military parade is taking place
The Culpeper Police Department told DailyMail.com that it asking anyone who has information or witnessed the incident at the protest to contact Detective Payne or email the department at tips@culpeperva.gov.
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.
Minnesota state Senator John Hoffman (left) and his wife were shot and seriously wounded early Saturday morning. Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman (right) was targeted by the same gunman, police said. She and her husband were killed
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.’
