Kentucky man charged with pointing shotgun at anti-Trump protesters

Taylor Six, Lexington Herald-Leader on Jul 23, 2025

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LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Harlan man faces several charges after police say he pointed a shotgun at protesters during a rally against President Donald Trump last weekend.

Marcus Slusher, 18, was charged with nine counts of menacing and nine counts of terroristic threatening, according to court records.

Slusher drove a red pickup truck past nine protesters who were packing up their belongings after a protest Saturday and pointed a 16-gauge shotgun out the window at them, according to his arrest citation.

Harlan Police Chief Winston “Winky” Leary spotted Slusher’s truck at a nearby apartment and found the shotgun in its back seat.

Slusher told police he was upset by the protest because he supports Trump. He said he argued with protesters and that several of them threatened him, according to the citation.

Slusher admitted he displayed the firearm as he passed the group, but he said he did not intentionally point it at any protesters, and the gun was not loaded.

Slusher was released on a $2,500 bond.

Ned Pillersdorf, a Democratic candidate for Kentucky’s 5th Congressional District, was one of the attendees of Saturday’s rally.

Pillersdorf, in a social media post about the incident, said pointing a gun at non-violent protesters is a direct threat to democracy.

“Pointing a gun at protesters is not free speech,” said Pillersdorf, a longtime Eastern Kentucky lawyer. “It is an attempt to intimidate those who have the right to exercise the First Amendment rights of free speech. Slusher’s sudden release from jail will simply embolden him and other like-minded individuals to threaten our democracy.”

Slusher’s first court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 8.