By JAKE ZUCKERMAN
Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Cabell County sheriff said no charges will be filed against the man accused of threatening armed violence upon protesters at an upcoming rally for the president in Huntington.
Sheriff Chuck Zerkle said U.S. Secret Service agents interviewed the man suspected of writing the Facebook post regarding expected activists at President Donald Trump’s rally Thursday at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena and did not deem the threat to be serious enough to warrant charges.
The alleged threat made the rounds on social media over the weekend, stemming from a Facebook account under the name of “Dana Capron.” The original post and account have since been deleted, though a number of Twitter users have posted screen shots of it.
“If we go then we go armed,” the post reads. “Not for the rally, but for the protesters. Let’s give the protesters what they want. Those who ride, then do so and those who can drive do so. Bring everything you have or can bring. We start with anyone blocking the streets then we clear the protesters once and for all, by any means necessary. Let’s show them this is not Commieforna and we deal with protesters faster.”
“It wasn’t my call, it wasn’t my case,” he said. “They deal with this on a daily basis, and I’m sure that they have thoroughly checked into this gentleman’s background and things and at this time they didn’t think that it was a viable threat.”
He also noted there will be ample security in a space designated for protesters at the event and he doesn’t think anyone who shows up to protest should feel unsafe.
Neither Cabell County Magistrate Court nor Circuit Court report any criminal charges tied to the name Dana Capron besides a traffic citation.
The Huntington Police Department and the Charleston office of the U.S. Secret Service could not immediately be reached for comment.
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