JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Dozens of voters including local, state and national leaders met on Jacksonville’s Southside Saturday afternoon one week after police say 27-year-old Gregory Timm plowed his van into a Republican party tent.
No one was hurt.
Action News Jax sat down with Timm’s friend earlier this week who told us he just wanted attention.
A packed room of voters filled the GOP headquarters on Jacksonville’s Southside Saturday afternoon.
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“We will not be quiet, we will not be deterred,” said Duval County GOP Chairman Dean Black.
Duval County Republican chairman Dean Black, Mayor Lenny Curry, Congressman John Rutherford and GOP chairwoman Ronna McDaniel wanted their message heard.
“Our voices will not be silenced. We will be loud, we will talk about the good things that are happening in our country,” McDaniel said.
According to the police report, Timm recorded parts of the incident and the unredacted report suggests he made anti-Trump statements.
According to a portion of the unredacted report, Timm said he ran into the registration tent because someone had to take a stand and that and “he did not like Donald Trump.”
McDaniel took the time to thank the volunteers who were out at the tent that day.
“I especially want to thank the volunteers back here, who were put in harm’s way that day, who had to watch a car come at them at a high speed, not knowing what was going to happen,” McDaniel said. “I can’t imagine how terrifying that is. Nobody, nobody in our country, Republican or Democrat, should be in that situation. Thank you for being here. We will not be deterred.”
McDaniel said that no matter what political party a person supports, they should be free to support their candidate without fear of being hurt.
“It is getting dangerous. Put aside your bias, put aside your political affiliation. I will tell you, I would be standing here with the same vigor as if it was a Democrat was attacked. This is not OK for our country,” she said.
Timm was arrested hours after the crash and charged with two counts of aggravated assault, one count of criminal mischief and driving with a suspended license.
The Duval County Democratic party also spoke out saying they condemn this act of violence.
Although no one was hurt in the crash, the GOP says they’ve been flooded with new volunteers ever since.
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