Man Arrested At Ohio Trump Rally Told Police Act Was Planned
CLEVELAND (CBSNewYork/AP) — A man arrested after trying to jump on the stage at Republican Donald Trump's campaign rally in Dayton, Ohio, reportedly told police he planned to grab the microphone and yell that Trump is a racist but didn't intend to hurt anyone.
The Dayton Daily News reported that it has obtained a police report that says Thomas DiMassimo, 22, told officers that he'd given his car keys to his girlfriend at Saturday's rally anticipating that he'd be arrested. DiMassimo, of Fairborn, was charged with misdemeanor inducing panic and disorderly conduct. He was released on bail.
DiMassimo, an acting student with Wright State University's theater program, couldn't be reached for comment. It's unclear if he has an attorney.
Trump was campaigning ahead of Tuesday's Ohio primary.
Secret Service agents formed a circle around Trump as DiMassimo tried to rush the stage.
Later Saturday, police used pepper spray twice outside a Trump rally in Kansas City, Missouri, and two people were arrested for refusing to follow the law.
Trump was forced to cancel an event Friday after fights broke out between his supporters and protesters in Chicago. The chaos spilled onto the streets where police made several arrests, including CBS journalist Sopan Deb, TV.
The billionaire businessman addressed the incident, calling what took place at the University of Illinois at Chicago "a disgrace, if you want to know the truth."
Trump says his supporters are "nice" and "great" people, but protesters he called "professionally staged wise guys" were determined to cause problems. He says he was worried his backers would have gotten hurt.
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