Reeves lends his support to gun-toting Missouri couple

In a Facebook post Monday, Gov. Tate Reeves has come out in support of a Missouri couple that brandished guns at protesters in their neighborhood Sunday.

“The media is swarming to attack a couple in Missouri for brandishing firearms while telling protestors to leave their property,” he wrote. “It’s become a huge national story. Maybe this group had peaceful intent, but the country has seen a ton of violence. The group entered their gate and marched up to their front door. I think these homeowners were totally within their rights (although they might want to work on trigger discipline). Private property still exists in this country and the 2nd Amendment is not for hunting—it’s for self defense.”

The photo seems to show a protester just feet away from the couple.

In a video posted on Twitter, the couple is standing in front of their large home as marchers go by in the street.

A couple has come out of their house and is pointing guns at protesters in their neighborhood #StLouis #lydakrewson pic.twitter.com/ZJ8a553PAU

— Daniel Shular (@xshularx) June 29, 2020

Another video shows a different part of the incident.

here’s what happens when you march on Portland Place in St. Louis, MO

they’re scared of their own community pic.twitter.com/Ng8qW1Pa6C

— avery (@averyrisch) June 29, 2020

According to The Associated Press, the marchers were on their way to St. Louis Mayor  Lyda Krewson’s home in the neighborhood to press for her resignation because she released the names of people calling for defunding police. Krewson apologized the following day.

I’d like to apologize for identifying individuals who presented letters to me at City Hall today. This was during one of my Facebook updates as I was answering routine questions. Never did I intend to harm anyone or cause distress. The update is removed and again, I apologize.

— Mayor Lyda Krewson (@LydaKrewson) June 27, 2020

Allegedly, protesters forced open a gate to a private community to gain access to the mayor’s home.

The couple in the video, Mark McCloskey, 63, and his wife, Patricia McCloskey, 61, claim protesters came into their yard and they felt threatened. Both are personal injury lawyers.

“This is all private property,” Mark McCloskey told the AP. “There are no public sidewalks or public streets. We were told that we would be killed, our home burned and our dog killed. We were all alone facing an angry mob,”

A police report obtained by ABC News apparently makes no mention of protesters coming on the McCloskey property.

“The victims stated they were on their property when they heard a loud commotion coming from the street,” the St. Louis Police summary states. “When the victims went to investigate the commotion, they observed a large group of subjects forcefully break an iron gate marked with ‘No Trespassing’ and ‘Private Street’ signs.”

“Once through the gate, the victims advised the group that they were on a private street and trespassing and told them to leave,” according to the couple’s statement to the police included in the summary. “The group began yelling obscenities and threats of harm to both victims. When the victims observed multiple subjects who were armed, they then armed themselves and contacted police.”

Photos and videos of the march do not show any armed protesters, and no one was harmed in the incident. In a statement, the McCloskey’s said they support Black Lives Matter.