Middleburg man charged in “Unite the Right” beating
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Middleburg man charged in “Unite the Right” beating
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Middleburg man last week who is wanted in Virginia in connection with beating a man after the “Unite the Right” rally that gained national attention.
Authorities arrested Tyler Watkins Davis, 49, of Middleburg on Jan. 24 at his home in the 1100 block of Buggy Whip Trail.
Davis, who is a member of the pro-Southern secessionist group League of the South, is the fourth person charged with beating DeAndre Harris, 20, after the rally turned violent.
According to the Montgomery, Ala.-based Southern Poverty Law Center, the League of the South was founded in 1994 with the sole mission of finishing what the Civil War could not accomplish – Southern secession.
He joins three other men who are charged with beating Harris – Jacob Scott Goodwin, Daniel Patrick Borden, 18, and Alex Michael Ramos, 33, who have all pleaded not guilty to one count each of malicious wounding.
According to published reports, police said Harris was attacked by a group of white supremacists in a parking garage and beaten with pipes, wooden slabs and poles.
Images of Davis, who is heavily tattooed, was captured in a video of the Harris beating. Police said Davis was wearing a “Boonie Hat” and all-black clothing showing the League of the South logo.
Davis is a charter member of the “DB Coleman Chapter of the Florida League of the South” based in Middleburg.
As of press time, Davis remained in the Clay County Jail pending extradition to Virginia. His arrest came three days before the League of the South scheduled a Jan. 27 rally at the state capitol in Tallahassee.
The League, a neo-confederate organization, seeks to create a white, Christian ethno-state in the Southeastern U.S., didn’t reveal a theme for the Tallahassee gathering.
After League of the South members learned of Davis’ arrest, Michael Tubbs, the Florida LOS national chief of staff, took to the alt-right social media platform called Gab to plead for help for Davis.
“This is our boy,” Tubbs posted. “He and his family will need our help.”
The Unite the Right rally also saw the arrest of 20-year-old James Alex Fields Jr., who is charged with the murder of 32-year-old Heather Heyer. Police said Fields rammed his car into a crowd and killed Heyer.
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