San Diego, CA
San Diego man describes being 10 yards from Trump when shots rang out
A San Diego man who has traveled to several Trump rallies was just 10 yards from the former president when gunfire rang out in what officials are now calling an assassination attempt.
Blake Marnell, 59, was in the center of the first row of the audience facing Trump when he heard a noise that came from his left.
“I was 10 yards away from where from where Pres. Trump was speaking and the rally had just started,” he said. “I turned left to see what it was; at first, I thought it was a prank. It seemed really close and nearby, and it was really loud.”
Marnell, who was also in Newport Beach on June 8 when Trump visited a home on Harbor Island during a private fundraiser and in Las Vegas a day later, then watched as Secret Service agents came running onto the stage where Trump was standing.
He knew the scenario was serious when he heard another series of shots.
“I thought, this is gunfire,” he said. “I squatted down for about five seconds, but I was concerned about the president. I could hear the Secret Service talking on stage and begin coordinating how they were moving him. I heard them do a countdown 5, 4, 3 … I didn’t know if I was going to see him carried out. I didn’t know how I would see him.”
He was relieved when he watched Trump — cloaked by Secret Service agents — stand up.
“I could see he had blood on his ear, but I didn’t know whose blood it was or what caused it,” Marnell said. “I could see by how he was shaking his fist and the fire in his eyes; it made me hopeful that he would be OK. He looked defiant and angry. He looked like he wanted to let people know he was OK.”
“When he did that pump, people were yelling and cheering,” Marnell said.
As Trump was swept away by Secret Service, the spectators around him showed all kinds of emotions.
“People were crying, praying, angry and shocked and in disbelief,” Marnell said. “But there was no panic, people weren’t running.”
Once he saw Trump taken away and the response from additional law enforcement agents, all with guns drawn, he felt “safe enough.”
But he could also tell something had happened in the stands behind where the former president had stood on the stage.
“Members of the public were attending to someone injured,” he said, adding that he did not see the victims up close. But he knew by watching the behavior of those helping that something awful had happened.
Marnell got to the rally site at 7 a.m., so he could get a front-row seat. The rally was the third he has attended. As a Republic National Committee delegate, he was on his way to Milwaukee, Wisc., when he learned of Trump’s plans to hold the rally in Butler County.
In 2019, during a campaign rally in Montoursville, Penn., Trump invited Marnell to come up on stage. Marnell was wearing a suit that had a brick wall design to represent a border wall, as USA Today reported.
“Now, we know who he’s voting for,” Trump said after shaking hands with him back then.
Marnell said he “wouldn’t think twice” about attending future rallies that Trump will hold.
“There will be a renewed focus on safety,” he said. “They’ll change the protocol and maybe the rallies won’t be held in big, open outside areas.”
Marnell now looks forward to seeing Trump when he is announced as the Republican candidate, he said, vowing to support him.
“I’m just glad he’s alive.”
Originally Published:
San Diego County will be the center of NASCAR nation this weekend, with fans flocking to Naval Base Coronado for three days of events.
This is the first-ever Cup race held in San Diego County and the NASCAR community is also presenting it as its way of celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy.
Tickets are completely sold out, but locals can still get in on the fun at various event and activities taking place across the region.
Here’s what to know about this one-of-a-kind weekend in San Diego. Full coverage of NASCAR San Diego Weekend can be found at sandiegouniontribune.com/tag/nascar.
What is NASCAR San Diego Weekend?
The three-day event begins with Friday’s Craftsman Truck Series race, continues with an O’Reilly Auto Parts series race on Saturday and wraps Sunday with the Anduril 250.
Grandstands with a capacity for 40,000 fans have been erected, with another 10,000 spectators expected to occupy standing areas around the grounds.
Here’s a turn-by-turn look at Naval Base Coronado’s race circuit
When is it taking place?
Parking lots, which are on base, open each day at 7 a.m. and gates open at 9 a.m.
The Craftsman Truck Series takes place Friday at 4 p.m. The O’Reilly Auto Parts series race blasts off at 2 p.m. Saturday. The main event, NASCAR Cup Series Race, happens Sunday at 1 p.m.
A race-by-race look at NASCAR’s San Diego Weekend
Each day will also feature entertainment, driver Q&As and other activities.
Where is it?
Naval Base Coronado will host the weekend’s activities. All fans in attendance must carry a valid government-issued photo ID at all times.
Going to this weekend’s NASCAR races in Coronado? Here’s what you need to know
All event parking will be located on Naval Base Coronado. There is no event parking available within the city of Coronado.
Who is racing?
Shane Van Gisbergen, Tyler Reddick, Mike McDowell, Chase Elliott and Ty Gibbs are just a few of the names to expect this weekend. A full lineup can be found at nascarsandiego.com/nascar-san-diego-mission-lineup.
These 13 Cup racers could all win Sunday’s Anduril 250 in Coronado
How to watch on TV:
Craftsman Trucks Series race: 4 p.m. Friday on Fox Sports 1
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race: 2 p.m. Saturday on The CW
NASCAR Cup race: Sunday at 1 p.m. on Prime Video
Local events:
San Diegans have a range of options for getting in on the fun of NASCAR weekend in Coronado, including meet and greets with drivers, watch parties and fan zones.
Your guide to fan events during NASCAR San Diego Weekend
More coverage:
CORONADO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — Final preparations are underway for NASCAR’s historic race weekend at Naval Base Coronado, where stock cars will compete on an active military installation for the first time in the sport’s history.
Crews, race teams, military personnel, first responders and event staff spent Thursday putting the finishing touches on the temporary road course as thousands of fans prepare to descend on the base for the inaugural event.
“The countdown is on,” as organizers work to transform portions of the installation into a race venue unlike any NASCAR has hosted before.
“It’s a very proud moment for NASCAR and myself and my company for being part of it,” said Jordan Litchko, a NASCAR production partner with ignition production. “It’s the America 250, so what a year to celebrate and be here on the naval base.”
Officials say the event marks the first time a NASCAR national series race has been held on a military base, bringing one of America’s most recognizable motorsports directly onto a working military installation.
Unlike traditional oval tracks, competitors will tackle a temporary road course built specifically for the event.
“It’s a road course race, which adds way more excitement, so it’s going to be ultra challenging,” Litchko said.
Thursday’s preparations included long lines of team members, vendors, staff and emergency personnel picking up credentials and completing security and base access requirements ahead of race weekend.
Meanwhile, drivers and crews got their first close look at the unique layout, which winds through portions of the base and presents a challenge far different from a conventional speedway.
With large crowds expected throughout the weekend, organizers are encouraging fans to plan ahead and allow extra travel time. Traffic delays are anticipated around Naval Base Coronado and nearby access points as spectators arrive for the event.
After months of planning and construction, the wait is nearly over.
On Friday, engines will roar to life aboard Naval Base Coronado, marking a milestone moment for NASCAR and creating a new chapter in the sport’s history. By the weekend’s end, fans will witness a race unlike any ever held before — stock cars competing on a military base in the heart of San Diego.
SAN DIEGO (CNS) – The City of San Diego is beginning to install 286 metered parking spaces this week in downtown San Ysidro in an effort to increase parking turnover, it was announced Thursday.
To develop the plan, city leaders worked with the San Ysidro business community. Revenue collected from the meters is reserved for transportation, parking and safety improvements in San Ysidro.
“Feeding parking meters feeds neighborhood repairs, and we can’t wait to get to work for the San Ysidro community,” said Naomi Chavez, interim director of the city’s Transportation Department. “This new parking zone will bring long overdue change that will help support local business activity and generate revenue that will be reinvested directly into improving neighborhood quality of life in San Ysidro.”
Crews began preparing the bases for the meters last week and installation work is expected to last through June. According to the city, these will be multi-space meter kiosks and drivers should be aware that they will need to go to the nearest kiosk to pay for parking since there won’t be a meter at each space.
Metered parking goes into effect on July 1 and will be enforced 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, excluding holidays. The parking rate is $2.50 an hour, with a maximum time limit of four hours.
City-led parking studies determined vehicles were parking on the streets of the neighborhood for hours or days at a time, making street parking for the area’s businesses scarce.
Drivers who customarily use free street parking when traveling across the border to Mexico are encouraged to use “one of the many paid off-street parking lots in the area,” a city statement read.
“The findings [of the parking study] clearly demonstrate the need for action. High parking occupancy on unregulated segments, along with data showing that 37% of vehicles exceed the existing two-hour limit and an average parking duration of over five hours, indicate that current conditions reduce turnover and limit access for local businesses and visitors,” wrote Alfredo Ripa, president of the San Ysidro Community Economic Development Corporation. “The proposed introduction of approximately 286 metered spaces, along with better signage, clearer designations and continued enforcement, represents a thoughtful and data-driven approach to improving parking availability and supporting economic activity in the community.”
Areas where the meter kiosks will be installed include:
— East San Ysidro Boulevard between Border Village Road to Camino De La Plaza (both sides);
— Border Village Road between East San Ysidro Boulevard (north) to East San Ysidro Boulevard (south), (both sides);
— Front Street between Border Village Road to end of cul-de-sac (south side);
— Bolton Hall Road between East San Ysidro Boulevard to Border Village Road (south side);
— Louisiana Avenue between East San Ysidro Boulevard to end of cul-de- sac (south side);
— Virginia Avenue between East San Ysidro Boulevard to Border Village Road (both sides); and
— East San Ysidro Boulevard between Willow Road and East Park Avenue (south side).
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