Couple Who Defended Themselves In Viral BLM Riots Incident Score Major Legal Victory

Mark McCloskey, a Missouri resident who, along with his wife, confronted Black Lives Matter rioters with a firearm after they broke down the exterior gate to their property and proceeded to enter, secured a final legal victory over the weekend. The McCloskey’s were prosecuted by former St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner, who was later removed from office due to misconduct stemming from the case.

In what became one of the most well known images of the racially motivated riots that gripped the nation in 2020, McCloskey, armed with an AR-15 rifle, and his wife, Patricia, who was armed with a handgun, confronted rioters. The couple could be seen aiming their weapons at the mob while telling them to leave the property.

Footage from the scene shows that rioters forcefully broke down an exterior gate in order to gain entry to the property. The area had also been gripped by violent rioting in the preceding days, which led to multiple shootings of St. Louis police officers.

Rioters broke down the gate outside the McCloskey’s property

The McCloskeys defend their property against rioters on June 28, 2020

Despite the facts of the case, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner charged the couple with felony unlawful use of a weapon. A few weeks later, a grand jury returned an additional indictment for evidence tampering after prosecutors alleged that a semiautomatic pistol was altered to obstruct the case against Patricia McCloskey.

Gardner was removed from the case in December 2020 by Circuit Judge Thomas Clark II, who cited her use of the case in campaign fundraising emails as creating an appearance of impropriety. A special prosecutor, former U.S. Attorney Richard Callahan, was later appointed to take over.

On June 17, 2021, the McCloskeys pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges. They were fined $750 and $2,000, respectively, and required to surrender the guns used in the incident, which were ordered to be destroyed. A few weeks later, Missouri Governor Mike Parson pardoned the couple, as he had previously indicated he would if they were convicted.

In June 2024, a judge granted their request to expunge their criminal records, and just last month, the Missouri Court of Appeals upheld this decision, potentially allowing Mark McCloskey to regain possession of the surrendered firearms. The final legal win came over the weekend, when the McCloskeys were able to formally regain possession of the firearms used in the incident.

“It only took 3 lawsuits, 2 trips to the Court of Appeals and 1,847 days, but I got my AR15 back! We defended our home, were persecuted by the left, smeared by the press, and threatened with death, but we never backed down,” Mark posted on X alongside a few photos of the weapon. The couple further indicated that they plan to regain possession of the Bryco pistol in the near future.

It only took 3 lawsuits, 2 trips to the Court of Appeals and 1,847 days, but I got my AR15 back! We defended our home, were persecuted by the left, smeared by the press, and threatened with death, but we never backed down
What's missing-Patty and the Bryco (soon) pic.twitter.com/NOEyzyXZWM

— Mark McCloskey (@mccloskeyusa) August 1, 2025

“That gun may have only been worth $1,500 or something, and it cost me a lot of time and a lot of effort to get it back, but you have to do that. You have to let them know that you will never back down, you’ll never give up,” Mark told Fox News on Saturday night.