[Note: Numerous updates below. The suspect in the deadly attack has been identified as James Alex Fields Jr., age 20.]
Jazz wrote about the Citronella Nazi march that took place last night. Today there was a much larger gathering in downtown Charlottesville and at times it turned into an all-out brawl in the streets:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOT3wDR7WZU
The LA Times reports that at least 8 people were injured in various melees. There was also what appeared to many witnesses to be an intentional attack by someone who drove a car into a group of counter-protesters on a narrow street. Be warned: This video is very graphic. Someone, maybe the person shooting this video, can be heard saying “That Nazi just drove into people.” It’s not clear what that statement was based on. The driver of the car then backs up and drives away.
Video of driving through crowd of protesters in #Charlottesville
— Severin Jahn (@severin_jahn) August 12, 2017
RT has video of the scene immediately following the attack and it is disturbing. There appear to be multiple people lying injured in the street as others shout for help. This looks like the aftermath of one of the terrorist attacks in Europe.
Emergency services personnel responded to the scene:
Please avoid area of Water & 4th streets to allow medics access to the crash scene. More info will be released when available. #cvilleaug12 pic.twitter.com/sKdMJnVo8U
— Charlottesville City (@CvilleCityHall) August 12, 2017
Business Insider cited this tweet from the mayor of Charlottesville saying a life had been lost:
I am furious & heartsick by the car crash that has injured many. Please all-go home to your families. We can work tomorrow. GO HOME! PLEASE!
— Mike Signer (@MikeSigner) August 12, 2017
I am heartbroken that a life has been lost here. I urge all people of good will–go home.
— Mike Signer (@MikeSigner) August 12, 2017
Meanwhile, there is still some confusion over whether this was intentional or not. From a reporter who was on the scene:
https://twitter.com/TaylorLorenz/status/896443867691716609
https://twitter.com/TaylorLorenz/status/896444790568570880
Here’s a Washington Post reporter who was on the scene. He also heard from witnesses that this was an intentional attack but notes that police are not certain of this yet:
I talked to one eyewitness who said the collision was "absolutely intentional". He was 10 feet away. Saw 14-16 people injured. pic.twitter.com/qYlACibGMT
— Joe Heim (@JoeHeim) August 12, 2017
Re the car crash, police have NOT confirmed that it was intentional. It is under investigation
— Joe Heim (@JoeHeim) August 12, 2017
To be clear, I’m not disputing the eyewitnesses accounts, just noting that, so far, the police seem less confident. Given that the driver is in custody and at least one person has apparently died, I’m sure police will find out exactly what happened. Meanwhile, the Governor of Virginia has declared a state of emergency:
Governor McAuliffe has declared a state of emergency to aid state response to violence at Alt-Right rally in Charlottesville
— Ralph Northam (@GovernorVA) August 12, 2017
I’ll update this post once more information becomes available.
Update: This photo
These pictures by @RyanMKellyPhoto, from the car ramming into people from the Charlottesville rally are graphic. https://t.co/PiC6mrJVBt pic.twitter.com/6Zy91boetK
— Kamala Kelkar (@kkelkar) August 12, 2017
The Associated Press reports: “A hospital official says one person has died and 19 were injured after a car plowed into a group of protesters in Charlottesville.”
Update: Trump gave a brief speech in response to the violence.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/896467135391596544
Update: Fox News now reporting this was intentional. Most other outlets still saying police aren’t certain.
JUST IN: Driver is in custody in intentional collaborated car attack in #Charlottesville. https://t.co/VkfIVrt2xY pic.twitter.com/g1bHeq2pWO
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 12, 2017
Update: This seems to be the basis of that Fox News report about this being collaborated. This person says there was no license plate on the car but there clearly was one on the back of the car as you can see in the picture above.
Update: A police helicopter has crashed near Charlottesville.
https://twitter.com/brianmrosenthal/status/896486285887582209
The Daily Progress is reporting two people were killed in the crash.
State police helicopter crashed near Birdwood Golf Course, witnesses say https://t.co/JyyNjCEezi pic.twitter.com/FrZJFhPZAg via @DailyProgress
— Liveuamap (@Liveuamap) August 12, 2017
Update: Police now calling this a “criminal homicide investigation” per NBC News:
Charlottesville police say they are treating deadly vehicle into crowd incident as "criminal homicide investigation" https://t.co/wWNDpObIoO
— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 12, 2017
Update: From a CBS reporter, some information on the victim who died:
BREAKING: Charlottesville police say a 32-year-old woman was the person who died when a driver plowed into an anti-racism march.
— Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) August 12, 2017
Update: ABC News now reporting 3 people have died.
JUST IN: 3 dead in violence in Charlottesville, Virginia governor says. https://t.co/XMXvBKCmVe pic.twitter.com/IUO99Hm2vY
— ABC News (@ABC) August 12, 2017
Clarification from NBC: One 32-year-old woman killed by the Challenger driver, two fatalities from the helicopter crash:
Two fatalities from helicopter crash, one a 32-year-old female pedestrian at the scene of car crash. #Charlottesville
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) August 12, 2017
Update: Suspect identified.
Being held without bail on murder, other charges in Charlottesville hit-and-run: James Alex Fields, Jr., 20, of Maumee, Ohio.
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) August 13, 2017
Here’s the mugshot:
UPDATE WITH MUGSHOT: Charlottesville deadly car crash suspect identified https://t.co/YXCRweYARf pic.twitter.com/DJ2GV6UVGk
— FOX8 WGHP (@myfox8) August 13, 2017
Update: A photo of the victim:
R.I.P. to Heather Heyer, the victim of the White Supremacist Terrorist attack in #Charlottesville. We will never stop fighting for you. 🙏🏾❤️ pic.twitter.com/HXqnWBWNCY
— BSA @ UVA (@BSAatUVA) August 13, 2017
And the FBI is opening a federal civil rights investigation:
Via FBI – Richmond Division#Charlottesville pic.twitter.com/vQBOfCgVFQ
— Dan Scavino Jr. Archived (@Scavino45) August 13, 2017
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