A 17-year-old Florida teen wearing a Donald Trump shirt was arrested after punching a 70-year-old woman attending a rally in support of Vice President Kamala Harris.
The 17-year-old boy, whose identity was not publicly released by authorities, was reportedly wearing a shirt featuring Trump raising his middle finger. The boy allegedly punched the 70-year-old woman, identified as Kathleen Tomasko, in the stomach. Tomasko was knocked off her feet.
The incident occurred at the "We Won't Go Back" rally on Roosevelt Bridge last Saturday, per TC Palm.
What Led to the Incident?
Speaking with reporters, Tomasko said she had never interacted with the teen nor did she see the 17-year-old walking towards her before the attack.
"I'm standing there and people are moving and this kid just turned around and he punched me. I don't know where he came from," Tomasko said, as quoted by USA Today.
Stuart Police Department spokesperson Brian Bossio said witnesses they spoke to at the scene said they saw the 17-year-old walking away from a separate altercation with a male Harris supporter moments before he punched Tomasko.
It was noted that the teen was one of at least four Trump supporters who attended the rally.
The 17-year-old was arrested by police officers hired by the event organizers. He has since been charged with battery on a person 65 years of age or over, Bossio said.
Violence in the 2024 Election
The 17-year-old was the second teen to have been arrested in the week leading up to the presidential election. On October 29, authorities arrested 18-year-old Trump supporter Caleb James Williams after he allegedly threatened two Harris supporters with a two-foot machete at an early voting site in Jacksonville.
Prior to that incident, Williams had driven to a Jacksonville library with seven 16- and 17-year-olds to "protest and antagonize" Harris supporters. He later allegedly threatened two female Harris supporters, aged 71 and 54, when their protest escalated, as reported by AP News.
Williams has since been charged with aggravated assault on a person 65 years of age or older. He was also given a misdemeanor charge of improper exhibition of a firearm or dangerous weapon.
