Preliminary hearing underway for Schellsburg-area man charged with shooting a civil rights activist
Jun. 9—BEDFORD — A preliminary hearing for a Schellsburg-area man charged with firing at a group of civil rights activists last summer is underway in a Bedford County courtroom Wednesday.
Terry Myers, 51, is one of two men facing charges in the Aug. 24, 2020, incident.
Myers is accused of shooting Orsino Thurman, 37, described as part of the Milwaukee-based group's security detail, in the face after confronting the Washington, D.C.-bound group that night, according to police.
The incident caused a crowd of people to flock into downtown Bedford. Many of them were armed, leading one of the individuals to fire at a group outside a hotel.
As of 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, the scene outside the courthouse was calm, and state police troopers are staged in various areas around the building.
Approximately 20 people who said they were friends of the Myers family are waiting outside the courthouse and declined to comment.
Bedford Area School District issued a phone message to parents and other residents concerning security.
Assistant Superintendent Paul Ruhlman said the high school was made available "as a remote command center for the state police during the high-profile hearing at Bedford courthouse."
Ruhlman added: "All of our buildings, all of our campuses, are safe and secure. Some members of the community may have noticed that there is a large gathering of state police at Bedford High School."
Check back for additional information on this developing story.
