Death threat at ABC-TV Town Hall event Saturday
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) -The meeting room at St. Odilia's Catholic Church on the city's northwest side was packed with local dignitaries, witnesses to the mass shooting Jan. 8, some of the witnesses to the shootings and the first responders to the scene for a taping of an ABC-TV special, a town hall event, at 11 a.m. Saturday. Host of the program, This Week, is Christianne Amanpour. The show will air at 7 a.m. Sunday on KGUN9-TV.
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head at close range last Saturday by a lone gunman. She survived. A total of six people were killed. Nineteen were shot.
Jared Loughner, 22, a former Pima Community College student, is the sole suspect in the shootings. He is in FBI custody.
Toward the end of the town hall meeting Saturday morning, one of the shooting victims, J. Eric Fuller, took exception to comments by two of the speakers: Ariz. state Rep. Terri Proud, a Dist. 26 Republican, and Tucson Tea Party spokesman Trent Humphries.
According to sheriff's deputies at the scene, Fuller took a photo of Humphries and said, "You're Dead."
Deputies immediately escorted Fuller from the room.
Pima County Sheriff's spokesman Jason Ogan said later Saturday that Fuller has been charged with threats and intimidation and he also will be charged with disorderly conduct.
Among the dignitaries at the town hall taping were Mayor Bob Walkup, U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva and former Congressman Jim Kolbe.
ABC News dubbed the town hall, "After the Tragedy: An American Conversation Continued."
A press released stated that the event will restart the conversation that Giffords began. "Among those who will join the Town Hall: family members of victims, citizens who took heroic action and community leaders," the press release stated.
Source Edited to add: From the comments,
HuffPo has more to say about the comments that were made Toward the end of the taping, Amanpour brought up the issues of gun safety and mental health. As one member of the audience stood up and expressed his support for gun ownership, Fuller, seated near the front in an area reserved for victims and special guests, appeared increasingly frustrated and agitated.
Fuller then swiveled in his chair, raised his camera and took a photo of the pro-gun speaker, muttering, "You're dead," according to Joel Tranter, who was sitting behind him.
Wow, way to not get it at all. You just lived through this, and a week later you're making threats? I don't like the tea party either, but I'm not threatening to kill them especially not in a public forum!