Pellet gun incident disrupts Broward Trump rally, injuring 2 women
A small rally for President Donald Trump on well-known Freedom Corner was interrupted when pellet rounds were shot into the crowd Friday night, hitting two women, police say.
The night started off like many others at the Freedom Corner, a spot at North Federal Highway and East Oakland Park Boulevard where for nearly a decade conservatives have rallied, said Celeste Ellich, a participant in the rally and at-large state director for the Republican Liberty Caucus.
A group of about 50 people were showing support for the president by waving signs, playing music and using megaphones, Ellich said.
Just after 6 p.m., a vehicle drove by shooting pellet rounds into the crowd, a statement by Fort Lauderdale Sgt. DeAnna Greenlaw said. Ellich described it as a Porsche SUV. The sound of the pellet gun was nearly drowned out by the crowd, leaving a few confused about what happened.
Fort Lauderdale police were dispatched to the corner after receiving a call.
Two people were hit and suffered minor injuries, Greenlaw said.
Ellich said one of the women told her the pellet felt like being hit in the head with rock. She was hit in the temple and was bleeding. The other woman was hit in the shoulder, she said.
“It was pretty traumatic to everybody there because we have all been standing at this corner for years and never had this type of altercation before,” Ellich said.
She went on to say the crowd is used to passersby cursing, “flipping the bird,” throwing water bottles and spitting at them. But nothing like this.
Although, Ellich said, those who praise and cheer the group on tend to outnumber those who do and say negative things.
After the incident, she said the Broward Sheriff’s Office had around 12 officers at the scene for a short time before leaving.
The crowd continued to chant after the incident and only left when it started to rain.
This story was originally published November 6, 2020 at 10:07 PM.
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