
Man drove into crowd at Virginia "No Kings" protest, police say
Police in Virginia arrested a 21-year-old man they said "intentionally" drove an SUV through a crowd at an anti-Trump " No Kings" protest on Saturday.
The big picture: The suspect "intentionally accelerated his vehicle into the dispersing crowd, striking at least one person with his vehicle" during the demonstration in Culpeper, per a statement from local police.
There were no immediate reports of injuries, Culpeper Police Department said.
Police named the suspect as Joseph R. Checklick, of Culpeper.
Zoom in: "As [protest] participants were leaving the area and crossing the business parking lot, law enforcement observed an SUV vehicle drive recklessly through the crowd of pedestrians," according to the police statement.
"Given the dangerous driving behavior observed, officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle."
Police arrested and charged Checklick with reckless driving. He "appeared before a magistrate and was held without bond at the Culpeper County Jail," per the statement.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Utah 'No Kings' Protest Update: Man Released in Shooting Probe
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. Arturo Gamboa, who was taken into custody after carrying a rifle at a "No Kings" protest in Utah last Saturday that ended in a fatal shooting, has been released as prosecutors continue to review evidence in the investigation. Newsweek has reached out to the Salt Lake Countydistrict attorney's office, police department, and Gamboa's lawyer for comment via email on Saturday. Why It Matters Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, 39, was shot during a "No Kings" protest in Salt Lake City on June 14. He later died at the hospital, with his death marking the most serious incident among a series of coordinated demonstrations held in hundreds of cities last weekend to denounce President Donald Trump's leadership. The police have said that Ah Loo was an "innocent bystander who was not the intended target of the gunfire." An armed security member, who was part of the event's "peacekeeping team" fired three rounds after seeing Gamboa with his rifle. "One round struck Gamboa, while another tragically wounded Mr. Ah Loo," the Salt Lake City Police Department said in a June 15 update. What To Know On June 14, police estimate around 10,000 people participated in Salt Lake City's "No Kings" protest. Just before 8 p.m. local time, police reported hearing gunfire, and "panic spread throughout the area," police chief Brian Redd said in a June 15 press release. "Officers found a man who had been shot and immediately began life-saving efforts," the release said, but despite those efforts Ah Loo died at the hospital. He was a father of two, and a celebrity fashion designer. Paramedics transported Gamboa to the hospital and then "detectives later booked Gamboa into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail on a charge of murder." From interviews with two of the event's "peacekeeping" team members, detectives were told that Gamboa exhibited suspicious behavior which led them to draw their firearms. The "peacekeepers" reportedly told Gamboa to drop the weapon, but instead he "lifted the rifle and began running toward the crowd gathered on State Street, holding the weapon in a firing position," according to the police department's press release. One of the "peacekeepers" fired three rounds, with one striking Gamboa, and another hitting Ah Loo. Gamboa did not fire his gun. The district attorney's office said Friday that it was unable to make a decision on charges against Gamboa. Utah is a constitutional carry state, which allows adults who are legally allowed to obtain firearms can carry them in public. On Friday, "detectives with the Salt Lake City Police Department's Homicide Squad presented their initial findings from the ongoing investigation," to the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office for legal review, a Friday press release from the police department, which was sent to Newsweek, stated. "This process, known as a case screening, is a key step in any criminal investigation. It serves to analyze legal issues, identify investigative needs, and ensures the matter is prepared for prosecution evaluation, all while detectives continue to investigate," it continued. In Gamboa's release order, Judge James Blanch said he must live with his father and is barred from possessing firearms, limitations to last two months or if criminal charges are pressed against him. Nationwide, other cities experienced violence during last week's protests. In Portland, Oregon, officers deployed tear gas and flash grenades after demonstrators breached an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, injuring four police officers. In Culpeper, Virginia, a 21-year-old man was arrested after allegedly driving his SUV into a dispersing crowd, striking at least one person. Arturo Gamboa is taken away in handcuffs on a gurney during the 'No Kings' protest in Salt Lake City on June 14. Arturo Gamboa is taken away in handcuffs on a gurney during the 'No Kings' protest in Salt Lake City on June 14. Scott G. Winterton/The Deseret News via AP) What People Are Saying Albert Gamboa, Arturo's father, told the Associated Press earlier this week his son is an "an innocent guy" who was "in the wrong place at the wrong time." Utah Governor Spencer Cox wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on June 14: "The shooting at tonight's protest in Salt Lake City is a deeply troubling act of violence and has no place in our public square." Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said in a June 15 press release: "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the 39-year-old man who was killed, and with the many community members who were impacted by this traumatic incident." What Happens Next Police are asking the public to share any relevant information, stating: "If you captured any footage, particularly from the moments immediately before, during, or after the shooting, or if you have video of the shooting itself, or the person arrested, please share that evidence with us."


Politico
4 hours ago
- Politico
‘Petty and unserious': Padilla blasts Vance for calling him ‘Jose Padilla'
Sen. Alex Padilla snapped back at Vice President JD Vance Saturday, calling the vice president 'petty and unserious' after Vance referred to the senator as 'Jose' during a press conference in Los Angeles the previous evening. The squabble between Padilla and Vance is the latest clash between Trump administration officials and California Democrats as hostilities brew over President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration in the city, which has seen numerous ICE sweeps and significant counterprotests in recent weeks. 'He knows my name,' Padilla told MSNBC Saturday morning. 'Look, sadly it's just an indicator of how petty and unserious this administration is. He's the vice president of the United States. You'd think he'd take the situation in Los Angeles more seriously.' Vance visited Los Angeles on Friday amid the heightened tensions, meeting with federal law enforcement and Marines his administration called in to quiet anti-ICE protests in the city, a move that prompted backlash from Democrats. During a speech in which the vice president defended the administration's decision to call in National Guard troops — which a federal appeals court upheld this week — Vance also bashed his former Senate colleague, who was handcuffed and removed from a press briefing with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem last week after attempting to question the secretary. 'I was hoping Jose Padilla would be here to ask a question, but unfortunately I guess he decided not to show up because there wasn't the theater,' Vance said, deriding Padilla's handcuffing at Noem's briefing the prior week as 'pure political theater.' Vance's press secretary, Taylor Van Kirk, said that the vice president misspoke and 'must have mixed up two people who have broken the law.' Padilla, the senator, was not charged after the incident at Noem's press conference. It isn't clear who Van Kirk could be referring to, but a Jose Padilla was convicted over 15 years ago of conspiracy to commit murder and fund terrorism. California Democrats were having none of it. 'JD Vance served with Alex Padilla in the United States Senate,' Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a post on X. 'Calling him 'Jose Padilla' is not an accident.' Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass pulled no punches at a press conference later on Friday, denouncing Vance's earlier statement. 'Mr. Vice President, how dare you disrespect our senator,' Bass said. 'I guess he just looks like anybody to you,' the mayor continued, appearing to reference the underlying racialized tone of Vance's comment. Padilla also addressed his former Senate colleague-turned vice president directly in a post to X, flipping Vance's jab about 'political theater' back at him. 'You know my name, @JDVance,' the California senator wrote. 'If you want to talk about political theater, let's start with the thousands of troops that your administration is using as props in Los Angeles.'


Fox News
5 hours ago
- Fox News
DAVID MARCUS: How many American lives has Trump's border miracle already saved?
Exact numbers on how many deaths, intentional or otherwise, are caused by illegal immigrants in America are hard to come by, but the tragic killings of people like Laken Riley and so many others at the hands of illegals should make us ask, how many lives has President Trump's secure border already saved? One of life's small cruelties is that when one acts responsibly and strongly, as Trump has here, they tend not to get credit for the bad things that don't happen. But we should make an exception for the miracle of the Rio Grande. What there can be absolutely no doubt about is that, somewhere this weekend at a cookout or a bowling alley, there are people enjoying their friends and family who would not be here but for Trump's border actions. The numbers are simply stunning, almost to the point of Monty Python-level absurdity. In May of 2024, 62,000 illegal migrants were released into the U.S. Last month that number was zero, zilch, nada. Likewise, back when Grandpa Joe Biden was running the show, there were often over 10,000 encounters a day on the southern border, but last Sunday, there were a total of 95, the lowest number ever recorded over 24 hours. To put this in perspective, you could put 95 people in two Waffle House restaurants with room at the counter to spare. It is fair to say that this remarkable closing of the open wound that was flooding our nation with millions of illegal migrants as well as fentanyl and targets of terrorist watchlists, is among the most complete and swiftest handlings of a crisis in American history. If Kamala Harris was in office today, a million illegals could have come in by now. How many gang members? How many rapists? How many deadly doses of fentanyl? Let us not forget how vociferously we were informed that what Trump has done, shutting down the border, was absolutely impossible without acts of Congress. In the giant gumball machine of lies told by the Biden administration, this was among the most stale. It goes back even further than Biden's incompetence. While Trump had surely tamped down illegal immigration in his first term, before that, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, had all failed to get a handle on the situation. Part of the problem years ago, and still an issue in Trump's deportation policies, is that some industries, like farming and hospitality, rely heavily on illegal labor. But given that there are already 10-20 million illegals in America, thanks to Biden, we certainly don't need any more. And the ongoing deportations, which polling consistently shows voters approve of, also play a role in securing the southern border. When one sees people being arrested for jumping the turnstile, it makes them less likely to try it themselves. Deportations turn off the magnet that attracts migrants, and by ending the disastrous catch-and-release policy, Trump has freed our border agents, to actually enforce border security instead of being desk clerks at the Hotel America. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, fentanyl seizures at the southern border are down 50% since November. A huge part of the reason for this is that without the cover of 100,000 illegal migrants a day, smuggling drugs gets much, much harder. Less fentanyl coming into the country means fewer Americans dying of overdoses, a result that surely everyone should cheer. Americans can be forgiven for not quite knowing how to react to such a resounding and total victory as Trump has achieved on the border. We certainly are not used to it, but we would be wise not to take it for granted. With the border closed, a million people self-deporting and violent criminals being taken off the streets and out of the country, there will be fewer grieving parents with children lost to violence, fewer grieving children with parents lost to illegal driving. Just six months into his second stint on Pennsylvania Avenue, Trump's secure border is already making every American, of every party, much, much safer. In 2020, American voters took Trump's first-term hard work on the border for granted, and by electing Biden opened the floodgates to millions. This time, let's understand and appreciate how important a secure border is, and make clear that we are never going back.