Charlottesville Suspect Attended Rally With White Supremacists, Photo Shows

Nina Golgowski
Updated

The Ohio man accused of plowing a car into a group of anti-racism protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday had been photographed holding a shield bearing a white supremacist emblem just hours before the deadly attack.

James Alex Fields Jr., 20, was snapped standing among members of the self-proclaimed fascist group Vanguard America, while wearing a matching white polo. In his hands, he held up a Vanguard America shield.

Police say Fields later drove a car into a crowd of people demonstrating against the white supremacists who came to Charlottesville for a “Unite the Right” rally. A 32-year-old woman was killed and 19 others injured in the car attack.

Vanguard America attempted to distance itself from Fields in a statement shared on Twitter late Saturday night. It said Fields was “in no way, a member of Vanguard America.” The group said its shields were handed out to anyone attending the rally.

Fields’ mother, speaking to The Associated Press on Saturday, said she knew her son was attending a rally but expressed surprise that it was for white supremacists.

James Alex Fields Jr., 20, has been charged with one count of second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and one count of failing to stop at the scene of a crash that resulted in a death. (Photo: Handout . / Reuters)
James Alex Fields Jr., 20, has been charged with one count of second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and one count of failing to stop at the scene of a crash that resulted in a death. (Photo: Handout . / Reuters)

“I thought it had something to do with [President Donald] Trump. Trump’s not a white supremacist,” said his mother, Samantha Bloom.

Bloom, who said her son recently moved to Ohio from Kentucky, told the Toledo Blade that she didn’t speak with her son about his political views.

One of Fields’ former high school teachers, who spoke with Cincinnati TV station WCPO, said he remembered Fields as having “radical views” that made him stand out.

“He had some very radical views on race, he was very infatuated with Nazis, with Adolf Hitler,” Derek Weimer of Cooper High School in Boone County, Kentucky, told the station.

“He was pretty infatuated with that stuff. His freshman year he had an issue with that that was raised,” Weimer added, without going into more detail.

Fields was arrested and charged with one count of second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and one count related to leaving the scene of the wreck.

Related...

White Supremacist Rally Triggers Violence In Charlottesville

Ivanka Trump Condemns White Supremacists In Charlottesville

Obama Responds To Charlottesville Violence With A Quote From Nelson Mandela

Nationwide Solidarity Rallies Assemble In Charlottesville Aftermath

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Neo-Nazis and white supremacists encircle and chant at counter-protesters at the base of a Thomas Jefferson statue on Aug. 11, 2017, after marching with torches through the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Neo-Nazis and white supremacists encircle and chant at counter-protesters at the base of a Thomas Jefferson statue on Aug. 11, 2017, after marching with torches through the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Neo-Nazis and white supremacists take part in the "Unite the Right" rally.
Neo-Nazis and white supremacists take part in the "Unite the Right" rally.
The group marched through the University of Virginia campus with torches.
The group marched through the University of Virginia campus with torches.
A man wears Nazi regalia before the "Unite the Right" rally.
A man wears Nazi regalia before the "Unite the Right" rally.
Counter-protesters arrive at the "Unite the Right" rally.
Counter-protesters arrive at the "Unite the Right" rally.
White supremacists carry Nazi flags on Aug. 12, 2017.
White supremacists carry Nazi flags on Aug. 12, 2017.
A white supremacist carries the Confederate flag as he walks past counter-demonstrators.
A white supremacist carries the Confederate flag as he walks past counter-demonstrators.
White nationalists march through the street.
White nationalists march through the street.
A sign on a business in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia.
A sign on a business in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia.
Police arrive at the scene of protests after a state of emergency is announced in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Police arrive at the scene of protests after a state of emergency is announced in Charlottesville, Virginia.
A man is down during a clash between white nationalist protesters and a group of counter-protesters.
A man is down during a clash between white nationalist protesters and a group of counter-protesters.
White nationalists and counter-protesters clash.
White nationalists and counter-protesters clash.
A protester receives first-aid during a clash between white nationalists and counter-protesters.
A protester receives first-aid during a clash between white nationalists and counter-protesters.
A man makes a slashing motion across his throat toward counter-protesters as he marches with other white nationalists and neo-Nazis during the "Unite the Right" rally.
A man makes a slashing motion across his throat toward counter-protesters as he marches with other white nationalists and neo-Nazis during the "Unite the Right" rally.
A white supremacist stands behind militia members after he scuffled with a counter-demonstrator.
A white supremacist stands behind militia members after he scuffled with a counter-demonstrator.
Virginia State Police use pepper spray as they move in during a clash between white nationalist protesters and counter-protesters.
Virginia State Police use pepper spray as they move in during a clash between white nationalist protesters and counter-protesters.
Hundreds of white nationalists and neo-Nazis march down East Market Street toward Lee Park during the "Unite the Right" rally.
Hundreds of white nationalists and neo-Nazis march down East Market Street toward Lee Park during the "Unite the Right" rally.
A smoke bomb is thrown at a group of counter-protesters.
A smoke bomb is thrown at a group of counter-protesters.
Virginia State Troopers stand under a statue of Robert E. Lee. White nationalists descended on Charlottesville to protest the statue's removal.
Virginia State Troopers stand under a statue of Robert E. Lee. White nationalists descended on Charlottesville to protest the statue's removal.
Anti-fascist counter-protesters wait outside Lee Park to hurl insults as white nationalists and neo-Nazis are forced out after the "Unite the Right" rally was declared an unlawful gathering.
Anti-fascist counter-protesters wait outside Lee Park to hurl insults as white nationalists and neo-Nazis are forced out after the "Unite the Right" rally was declared an unlawful gathering.
A group of counter-protesters rally against white nationalists.
A group of counter-protesters rally against white nationalists.
A man is seen with an injury during a clash between white nationalists and counter-protesters.
A man is seen with an injury during a clash between white nationalists and counter-protesters.
Protesters and counter-protesters after being pepper-sprayed and/or maced.
Protesters and counter-protesters after being pepper-sprayed and/or maced.
David Duke (C), participates in the white nationalist rally.
David Duke (C), participates in the white nationalist rally.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.