One man was injured after a Pennsylvania man allegedly opened fire on a group of activists making a trek from Milwaukee to Washington, D.C.
The incident occurred on Monday night along Lincoln Highway in Juniata Township, Pennsylvania, reported Milwaukee magazine. Shots could be heard in a livestream by Frank “Nitty” Sensabaugh, the activist leading the march.
Sensabaugh started his walk in early August with the intent to arrive on Aug. 28, the 57th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial to culminate the historic March on Washington. His goal was to walk at least 30 miles per day and participate in social justice actions along the way. The group is walking while accompanied by cars along the march route.
The video shows that moments before the shooting, Sensabaugh asked everyone who intended to walk to come toward him. As they started walking, a popping noise was heard. A second such sound followed about 10 seconds later.
“That was a gunshot!” one person yelled.
After the second ostensible gunshot, Sensabaugh started running and urging everyone to get in their cars. The camera was out of focus as he was fleeing. The camera eventually showed two men standing on a front porch of a residence, and one of them appeared to have a long gun.
“We’re leaving, you don’t have to get violent,” one man shouted at them. Eventually, several people noticed someone was shot and yelled “he’s shot!”
Sensabaugh left the scene in a vehicle with several people, including the injured man. He urged the driver to find a hospital and rendered aid. The man, who would later be identified as Cino Thurman, was hit in the face with shotgun pellets.
The victim was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries. Authorities claim an argument between a “group of individuals” and a resident lead to an exchange of gunfire. Sensabaugh’s video did not depict an argument, and he accused the state police of lying.
“Police and news stations lying [about] the story…trying to cover up racism in this town…nobody was arguing everybody saw they just started shooting at us!!!…the racism is real out here,” he wrote on Facebook.
On Tuesday, the Pennsylvania State Police held a news conference to address the incident. Public information Trooper Joseph Dunsmore told the media the PSP received a call from one of the residents involved in the incident before the confrontation with the activists.
“At approximately 11:35 p.m. at the same location and before state police arrival, the property owners confronted the activists. The confrontation escalated, and gunshots were exchanged between the property owners and the activists,” Dunsmore stated. “One of the activists was struck by birdshot from a shotgun. The man was treated and released from the Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, 1086 Franklin Street Johnstown, Pennsylvania,” he continued. “A shotgun, shotgun shells, a semi-automatic pistol and 9mm casings were all recovered at the scene.”
Thurman later appeared to be in a good mood during a video call session with Sensabaugh and others. At one point, Thurman told them he was OK and ready to “get back on the road.”
“We got a day and a half left to make it,” he told them.
Pennsylvania State Police stated two individuals were brought down to the police barracks for questioning. No charges have been filed against the residents or the marchers. The state police is investigating the incident with the Bedford County District Attorney’s Office.
