Court documents show a Colorado man is facing possible bias-motivated charges for allegedly attacking a television news reporter after demanding to know whether he was a citizen, saying “This is Trump’s America now."

Summary

Patrick Thomas Egan, 39, was arrested in Colorado for allegedly attacking TV reporter Ja’Ronn Alex, demanding to know if Alex was a U.S. citizen and declaring, “This is Trump’s America now.”

Police say Egan followed Alex’s vehicle for 40 miles, confronted him at his news station, and tackled him, putting him in a headlock that left Alex struggling to breathe.

The attack is being investigated as a possible bias-motivated crime.

Egan faces charges of assault and harassment, with prosecutors yet to file formal charges.

  • @Noite_Etion
    151•2 days ago

    Alex, who had been out reporting, then drove back to his news station in the city. After he got out of his vehicle, Egan chased Alex as he ran toward the station’s door and demanded to see his identification, according to the document laying out police’s evidence in the case. Egan then tackled Alex, put him in a headlock and “began to strangle him,” the affidavit said.

    He followed him, chased him down and proceeded to strangle him, and they still needed to determine if this was a “bias-motivated crime”.

    • Skvlp
      72•2 days ago

      He said it - “it’s Trumps USA now”. Get ready for a whole lot of fecal matter hitting the air circulation device…

    • @[email protected]English
      49•2 days ago

      Egan, who was driving a taxi, pulled up next to Alex at a stoplight and, according to an arrest affidavit, said something to the effect of: “Are you even a U.S. citizen? This is Trump’s America now! I’m a Marine and I took an oath to protect this country from people like you!”

      Yeah still too early to tell isn’t it

      • @Railing5132
        17•2 days ago

        Prosecuting Attorney’s office: “not enough evidence”

    • @[email protected]English
      9•2 days ago

      and they still needed to determine if this was a “bias-motivated crime”.

      As is always the case, police need to be as neutral as possible in their public statements so they don’t accidentally cause a mistrial by saying something that could be perceived as bias.

      By not calling the guy out as a racist piece of shit, they’re making sure the judge won’t be forced to dismiss the case.