St. Louis Couple That Pointed Guns at BLM Protesters Boast New AR-15 Days After Surrendering Their Old Weapons

Mark McCloskey and his wife Patricia McCloskey, the St. Louis couple who gained notoriety after pointing guns at Black Lives Matter protesters, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges and agreed to surrender the guns the pair used in the confrontation. Two days later, the McCloskeys boasted purchasing a new AR-15.

Mark McCloskey posted two images of him and his wife purchasing a new gun on Twitter, writing, “Checking out my new AR.”

On Thursday, the couple entered a plea deal that includes the misdemeanor charges, a total of $2,750 in fines, and the relinquishing of the two weapons the couple held last summer.

The incident occurred on June 28, 2020, amid George Floyd demonstrations in St. Louis during which protesters entered a private gated neighborhood while walking to the mayor of St. Louis’ home. The McCloskeys stood in front of their house and pointed guns at the protesters, arguing that they were protecting their home from the crowd. Although no shots were fired, the couples’ actions gained national attention and sparked controversy.

Mark McCloskey, who is currently running for Senate, expressed little regret over his actions in a video posted after pleading guilty on Thursday, which featured the couple holding guns in front of a campaign banner.

“Any time they come to threaten me, I’ll do the same thing again and again and again to protect myself, my home, my family, and our rights as human beings,” he said.