In the middle of a taping for a town hall meeting to be aired on ABC's "This Week" Sunday, a survivor of last week's Tucson shootings issued a death threat to a Tea Party member in attendance.
According to the website of ABC-TV affiliate KGUN, J. Eric Fuller was arrested and charged with threats, intimidation, and disorderly conduct:
Toward the end of the town hall meeting Saturday morning, one of the shooting victims, J. Eric Fuller, took exception to comments by two of the speakers: Ariz. state Rep. Terri Proud, a Dist. 26 Republican, and Tucson Tea Party spokesman Trent Humphries.
According to sheriff's deputies at the scene, Fuller took a photo of Humphries and said, "You're Dead."
Deputies immediately escorted Fuller from the room.
Pima County Sheriff's spokesman Jason Ogan said later Saturday that Fuller has been charged with threats and intimidation and he also will be charged with disorderly conduct.
For the record, Humphries is the head of the Tucson Tea Party. Fox News elaborated on this breaking story moments ago (h/t Mediaite):
GREGG JARRETT, FOX NEWS: We are getting word now from Pima County Sheriff's office confirming to Fox News that one of the Tucson shooting victims a week ago today has allegedly today uttered a death threat during a taping of a town hall meeting for ABC’s "This Week" that will air tomorrow. Now, toward the end of the town hall meeting today, it was this morning, one of the shooting victims, his name is J. Eric Fuller, apparently took exception to comments by two of the speakers, Arizona state Representative Terri Proud, a Republican, and Tucson Tea Party spokesman Trent Humphries. And according to sheriff's deputies at the scene, Fuller took a photo of Humphries, again, the Tea Party spokesman, and said, “You are dead.” Fuller will and has apparently already been charged with a couple of things, threats and intimidation and disorderly conduct.
Again, one of the survivors of the shooting a week ago is being charged now with uttering death threats and apparently it was either caught on tape or certainly seen by a crowd that included dignitaries at this town hall meeting being conducted. This is -- all right, this is J. Eric Fuller who was one of the many people who were shot a week ago recovering from his injuries attending this town hall meeting with dignitaries there, as well as just citizens, witnesses to the shooting, as well as those who were affected by it, as well as first responders. A town hall meeting. Picks up a picture of Terry Humphries, a spokesperson for the local Tea Party group in Tucson, and says, "You're dead." Now, under the law, according to law enforcement there, that constitutes a crime, a crimes of threat and intimidation, disorderly conduct for which he has now been charged.
So, we'll continue to follow the events as they occurred today, and we'll update you as we get further information.
It will be very interesting to see whether this ends up being part of Sunday's program or gets omitted.
When ABC's Pierre Thomas interviewed a friend of shooter Jared Lee Loughner's during last Sunday's "This Week," her opinion about the assailant being a liberal was completely ignored.
Stay tuned.
