St. Louis Couple Who Waved Guns at BLM Protesters Plead Guilty to Misdemeanors, Will Forfeit Firearms

Patricia and Mark McCloskey, the St. Louis couple that went viral for waving their guns as Black Lives Matter protesters in June 2020, both pleaded guilty to lesser misdemeanors on Thursday — agreeing to forfeit their firearms.

According to Fox 2 Now, Mark pleaded guilty to a Class C misdemeanor of 4th-degree assault and faces a $750 fine. Patricia pleaded guilty to a Class A misdemeanor of second-degree harassment and was fined $2,000. Neither will face jail time yet both agreed to forfeit their guns so they could be destroyed.

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner charged the couple with unlawful use of a weapon just a month after the incident. In October, both Patricia and Mark were additionally indicted on two new felony charges: Exhibiting a weapon and tampering with evidence.

In an attempt to avoid jail time, the couple pleaded guilty to the lesser misdemeanors and were sentenced to fines on Thursday.

It’s unclear how the charges will contribute to Mark’s ongoing campaign for the United States Senate.

“An angry mob marched to destroy my home and kill my family, I took a stand to defend them,” Mark wrote on Twitter, announcing his bid. “I am a proven fighter against the mob.”

Despite his claim to the contrary, there is no evidence that any protester tried to destroy his home or kill him and his family. Instead, videos of the incident clearly show Mark aiming a gun at demonstrators while they walked past his home chanting, “Keep moving.”