Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman was mocked for a Juneteenth Twitter post by users referencing a 2013 incident in which the then-Mayor of Braddock pursued an unarmed black man with a shotgun.
According to the 2013 story, Fetterman reportedly believed the unarmed man had been involved in a shooting.
The unarmed man reportedly told police he was a jogger. Authorities reportedly found no weapons on the man.
“I did what I thought was appropriate at the time,” said then-Mayor Fetterman of the incident. “I don’t have any regrets now. It was just a very confusing and scary situation.”
According to the unarmed man, children were reportedly playing with bottle rockets which may have led Fetterman to believe he heard gunshots.
“What kind of kids play with fireworks when it’s 18 degrees out?” Fetterman said, insisting he knew the difference between fireworks and gunshots.
“Happy Juneteenth! Today we celebrate emancipation + reflect on the long shadow of systemic racism in America,” Fetterman wrote Monday in celebration of Juneteenth.
“PA always stands by the unshakeable truth that Black families matter + Black lives matter.
Happy Juneteenth! Today we celebrate emancipation + reflect on the long shadow of systemic racism in America.
PA always stands by the unshakeable truth that Black families matter + Black lives matter. pic.twitter.com/sD4gaziCJZ
— Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) June 19, 2023
“Did you ever publicly apologize to the black jogger you held at gunpoint?” asked one user.
Another user responded to Fetterman’s post with a gif featuring a scene from 2007’s Hot Fuzz featuring actor Nick Frost’s character loading a shotgun.
Fetterman when he sees a black man jogging. pic.twitter.com/zXwVCpXHwS
— Until Valhalla Calls (@Til_Valholl) June 19, 2023
“Senator, why don’t you tell that story about that time you chased a black jogger and held a shotgun on him because you thought he was a criminal?” wrote former Trump communications director Tim Murtaugh.
Former special advisor for communications for Texas Senator Ted Cruz responded with a screenshot from an April 2022 article from the Inquirer discussing the 2013 incident.
“Reminder: Cabbage Fetterman once pulled a gun on a black man for daring to jog on his street while being black,” wrote another user.
Reminder: Cabbage Fetterman once pulled a gun on a black man for daring to jog on his street while being black. https://t.co/oi8sBw5MWk
— Militaristic hipster (@DaniDeli3) June 20, 2023
Fetterman served as Mayor of Braddock from 2006 until assuming office as Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania in 2019. In 2022, Fetterman ran for the United States Senate against former television host Dr. Mehmet Oz, ultimately defeating the Republican opponent.
During his Senate campaign, Fetterman revealed he had suffered a stroke just two days before the democratic Senate primary election. Fetterman assured his supporters that he did not experience any cognitive damage and would continue on the campaign trail.
However, during an October interview with MSNBC’s Dasha Burns, the then-Senate candidate appeared to struggle to communicate, requiring the use of closed captioning technology.
Fetterman’s ability to communicate was further highlighted during a late-October debate with Oz in which the Democratic candidate appeared unable to respond to questions coherently.
