The driver accused of plowing into a crowd protesting at the Charlottesville white supremacist rally this past summer and killing one woman will now face a more serious murder charge, CNN reports. James Alex Fields Jr. originally received a charge of second-degree murder and other offenses for fatally hitting 32-year-old Heather Heyer with his car in August, but now has a charge of first-degree murder, which is often defined as a premeditated, unlawful killing, according to FindLaw.
Groups gather outside the courthouse awaiting 4 hearings for Unite the Right supporters, including James Fields, the driver who drove into a crowd of people— killing Heather Heyer pic.twitter.com/bQpVS8Lpzm
— Meghan Moriarty (@MeghanMoriarty_) December 14, 2017
Fields drove into the throng of counterprotesters at the “Unite the Right” rally on Aug. 12, injuring 19 others in addition to killing Heyer. The rally and its initial participants gained nationwide attention for a violent response to the city of Charlottesville planning the removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe even declared a state of emergency when the rally grew out of control.
Prosecutors did not publicize reasons for changing Fields’ charge on Thursday, but shared two videos in a court hearing that led authorities to believe that Fields stopped his car down the street from where counterprotesters were and then drove straight toward them. After making contact with the crowd, Fields sped away in his vehicle. When he was apprehended following the deadly incident, Fields reportedly sobbed when he learned of Heyer’s death.
JUST IN: James Fields now faces a charge of first degree murder and all charges have been certified in connection to the car attack that killed Heather Heyer on Aug. 12
— Lauren Berg (@laurenbergk) December 14, 2017
To honor Heyer’s memory, more than two dozen of her friends and family attended the court hearing, and two friends wore purple shirts with Heyer’s photo and a quote she once shared on Facebook that went viral after her death, saying, “if you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention.”
Fields will appear before a grand jury for his case on Monday.