this post was submitted on 06 Apr 2025
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Summary

At a Lafayette, Indiana anti-Trump rally Saturday, a man pulled an assault-style rifle after clashing with protesters who blocked his truck at a Third Street intersection.

Video shows the man in a MAGA hat yelling at protesters, prompting another man—angered by the confrontation with women—to intervene.

The two exchanged shouts before the protester headbutted the man. He returned to his truck, retrieved a rifle, and reentered the crowd.

Police detained but released him, citing self-defense. The “Hands Off!” rally drew nearly 1,000 people and ended early amid safety concerns.

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[–] MehBlah@lemmy.world 6 points 3 hours ago

He will shoot next time. Like a not so smart missile they just aimed him at decent human beings.

[–] Baphomet_The_Blasphemer@lemmy.world 70 points 7 hours ago (2 children)

Self-defense requires there to be an ongoing threat to your or someone else's immediate safety. If he was able to leave the altercation, head to his truck to retrieve his rifle, and then return to the situation that's not self-defense, its premeditation.

[–] ubergeek@lemmy.today 5 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

It's self defense, because the cops are on the same side as the guy...

Same reason you never see Miley Cyrus and Hanna Montana in the same room at the same time.

[–] hopesdead@startrek.website 6 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

He’s probably white and identifies as CIS male. In today’s reality, that qualifies as self-defense to police.

[–] opsecisbasedonwhat@lemmy.ca 3 points 3 hours ago
[–] noxypaws@pawb.social 60 points 8 hours ago

I bet if someone drew a concealed pistol on him after he pulled out his rifle the cops would NOT consider it self defense.

ACAB.

[–] SabinStargem@lemmy.today 14 points 7 hours ago (2 children)

Protestors should bear arms. Soon enough, the Rittenhouses of the right will need to be put down when they behave like rabid DOGEs.

Conservatives escalate, and must be met in kind when they do so.

[–] ubergeek@lemmy.today 2 points 2 hours ago

Protestors should bear arms.

I do. Concealed, for the moment, because my liberal NYS made it illegal to keep and bear arms while exercising your first amendment right.

And, I'm of the wrong political persuasion to test that law.

[–] daepicgamerbro69@lemmy.world 0 points 6 hours ago

hey, new guy. Searg said you bring him donuts ASAP. also while you go there stop by the other department and tell the guys there that boss wants to entrap even more mentally ill muslims into trying to join ISIS this month.

[–] Ileftreddit@lemmy.world 10 points 8 hours ago

I mean lots of people open carry. Hopefully we don’t get to this point, but if someone threatens someone else with firearm, lots of localities justify lethal force at that point (one must always assume a firearm is loaded)

[–] IDKWhatUsernametoPutHereLolol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 59 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

Mr. Mangione was defending himself. Case Dismissed.

[–] ubergeek@lemmy.today 4 points 2 hours ago

No, he didn't. We were having breakfast that morning, when it's alleged he killed a mass murderer.

[–] jaschen@lemm.ee 31 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

He was defending the entire country

[–] qarbone@lemmy.world 33 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

He wasn't. Because he didn't kill that CEO. My man's innocent.

Whoever did happen to off that CEO certainly did everyone a favor tho

[–] daepicgamerbro69@lemmy.world 12 points 6 hours ago (2 children)

as far as i am concerned Thompson's body just did that weird bullet thing 3 times in a row. Seems to be a latent condition in most billionaires.

[–] ubergeek@lemmy.today 2 points 2 hours ago

Pre-existing condition, I'm thinking.

The body has a way of shutting down illegitimate bullets.

[–] MBech 1 points 2 hours ago

Tonight at 11: Is being rich bad for your health? 99% of the population seem to think so, and it's not why you think!

[–] Ezsnake324@lemm.ee 37 points 18 hours ago (1 children)
[–] derry@midwest.social 4 points 8 hours ago

Meal team six

[–] Rhoeri@lemmy.world 94 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Inserts himself into a situation he wasn’t invited to, or welcome at, instigates people for the purpose of “justified” retaliation- whips out his loaded lib-killer , and is summarily released by law enforcement.

I’d say those folks dun’ got Rittenhoused!

[–] painfulasterisk1@lemmy.ml 43 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

I agree with you. That's not how "self-defense works". If the snowflake geot hit, walks away from the situation, gets armed, and returns to attack the person that attacked such a fragile sheep, this is not self-defense, it's retaliation.

The sheep crybaby and whoever proclaimed this as self-defense are just a bunch of puppets.

[–] MrBananaGrabber@lemmy.today 39 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago) (2 children)

That’s most likely why the police changed the order of events around:

"During the event, an adult male driver attempted to make a lawful turn at the intersection of Third Street andColumbia Street when his path was obstructed by protesters standing in the roadway. A verbal altercationensued between the driver and protesters," the release said. "The situation escalated when the driver exited his vehicle and was subsequently pushed and battered by individuals in the crowd. The driver then retrieved a firearm from his vehicle in what he described as an act of self-defense.

"He did not discharge the weapon and promptly returned it to his truck. Shortly after, a male protester approachedthe driver and head-butted him, causing injury," police said.

Even though multiple protesters described it otherwise. ACAB.

Edit: punctuationification

[–] Bytemeister@lemmy.world 13 points 8 hours ago

It's not a lawful turn if there is a pedestrian in the path of the vehicle.

There was an altercation and then he retreated and came back with a firearm. That's not self defense, that's brandishing.

I can understand the police not making that determination at the time, their goal should be to de-escalate and separate the conflicting parties, but they should send someone round to pick this guy up and book him for the felony he committed afterwards.

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 8 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

There's also video of the events that clearly shows the police statement is fucked.

[–] andros_rex@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago

We know what side the cops are on.

If someone had done that to protesters at a Drag Queen Story Hour or something, the cops would have slaughtered them.

[–] ToadOfHypnosis@lemm.ee 319 points 1 day ago (9 children)

If you can leave the situation safely - like being able to go back to your truck - it’s not self defense.

[–] adarza@lemmy.ca 211 points 1 day ago (4 children)

yup. as soon as he grabbed the gun and went back to threaten people with it.. he committed the felony.

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[–] barneypiccolo@lemm.ee 63 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago)

Self-defense isn't going back to your vehicle to get a weapon to come back and terrorize people. That's assault.

If he had returned with his weapon, and someone killed him, THAT would be self-defense.

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[–] the_q@lemm.ee 42 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Self defense would be a headbutt back or fists, not the AmRepublican-14.

[–] sunshine@lemmy.ml 40 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

there's video, no one was doing anything to him. he got out of his SUV, started yelling at people, returned to the vehicle, got back out with the weapon at his side. self defense would have been (a) for literally anyone to have threatened him and (b) for him to simply leave the scene.

[–] Wilco@lemm.ee 4 points 7 hours ago

It is Indiana. Basically wild west style gun laws. You buy the gun, its yours ... done. No permit, no concealed carry, nothing. You bought the gun, take it where you want. Pretty much anywhere. If people are yelling at you on the street then Indiana's stand your ground style law basically kicks in. The state is very much "fuck around and find out".

[–] Kazumara@discuss.tchncs.de 6 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago) (2 children)

Since you didn't link the video, here it is on reddit.

I can see the headbutt, it's at second 12.

Still an insane overreaction of course, but the truth is important.

[–] sunshine@lemmy.ml 2 points 8 hours ago

oh geez, thanks for the correction there

[–] saigot@lemmy.ca 1 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Can someone share a mirror?

[–] Kazumara@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Found it on Twitter.... but I guess that doesn't help.

Maybe it's easier to download, but I haven't tried from either site before. I'll drop the link in case anybody wants to try.

https://x.com/Human101Nature/status/1908897483826286924

[–] saigot@lemmy.ca 1 points 6 hours ago

at least I can watch twitter without an account, so it does help, thanks.

[–] rockettaco37@lemmy.world 35 points 20 hours ago

This is what we're up against.

I'll be damned if I let these people continue to run our country

[–] inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world 54 points 21 hours ago
[–] NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world 114 points 1 day ago (8 children)

How does going back to your vehicle and retrieving a n assault rifle count as self defense? That's premeditated at that point if he were to use it.

The difference between this, and any other mass shooting is just whether this guy decided to pull the trigger, which he obviously wanted too.

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