Todd Crawford, 58, of Homer, Ohio, turned himself over to police on Saturday after reportedly firing a gunshot at another driver in a “rolling rally” in support of President Donald Trump.
The Colombus Dispatch reported the driver of a black Ford pickup truck was suspected of firing a gunshot at a semi-tractor trailer during the pro-Trump parade, on I-270 on Saturday. Crawford reportedly turned himself over to Hilliard Police in connection with the shooting incident and he has been charged with discharge of a firearm on or near premises, a third-degree felony, and was taken to the Franklin County Jail.
Crawford is believed to have been a participant in the pro-Trump event. The Daily Mail reported the suspect vehicle, the black pickup truck, had Trump and American flags and a Marines sticker. The incident reportedly set off a police manhunt for the suspect, before Crawford eventually turned himself over to police later that afternoon.
No one was hurt in the shooting incident.
According to court records obtained by the Colombus Dispatch, Crawford was involved in an argument with the semi-truck driver, which led Crawford to reach for his .45-caliber handgun and fire a single shot into the side of the semi-truck. After the shooting incident, the suspect vehicle reportedly broke away from the pro-Trump event and drove off.
The pro-Trump event took place one day after Trump was hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center following a COVID-19 diagnosis.
Mary Ann Walker, the organizer for the event expressed shock when she was asked about the shooting by reporters for NBC4.
“Hopefully, I wouldn’t think it was anybody in our group because everybody is so friendly and nice and I just don’t see that happening,” Walker said.
Walker said she contacted local law enforcement agencies prior to event, in order to help with any issues like traffic-control. Walker said the state highway patrol, the Columbus police department, and the Franklin County sheriff were all notified about the event.
Responding to the news of the shooting, Walker said, “I don’t even know what to say. I was shocked over it. I just hope everyone’s okay and it doesn’t deter anybody else from going out and celebrating who you support.”
In a statement, reported by the Colombus Dispatch, police said they were continuing to investigate the incident amid allegations the two vehicles involved struck each other while traveling the same direction in adjacent lanes.
Todd is scheduled to appear in Franklin County municipal court on Tuesday, according to the Franklin County jail website.
