Federal Bureau of Investigation

Man Wanted in Charlottesville Beating of Black Man Arrested in Georgia

This is the second man charged in the mob beating of 21-year-old DeAndre Harris in a parking garage

A man wanted in connection with the beating of a black man in Charlottesville on the day of a white nationalist rally turned himself in to authorities in Georgia and will be extradited to Virginia, officials said.

Alex Michael Ramos, 33, turned himself in Monday evening, a spokesman for the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday. Ramos was wanted by police for his alleged role in the mob beating of 21-year-old DeAndre Harris in a parking garage.

Shocking photographs show several men beating Harris with poles and sticks as he tried to protect himself near the violent rally Aug. 12. Harris suffered a broken wrist and a chipped tooth, and he got eight staples in his scalp to close a head wound.

Ramos agreed to be extradited to Virginia during a hearing Tuesday, said Kathy Barfield, deputy clerk of the Monroe County Magistrate Court.

Ramos is the second man charged in the attack. Daniel Borden, 18, was arrested in Ohio on Friday.

Ramos faces one count of malicious wounding in the attack on Harris. He was set to have an extradition hearing on Tuesday, a Monroe County Police Department spokesman said. He did not know if Ramos, an unemployed construction worker, had an attorney.

In an interview with WGCL in Atlanta, Ramos said he's not a white nationalist. He said he acted in self-defense.

"These men attacked us ... I thought I was going there in a defensive mode, defending people from being attacked," he told the station.

"I hit the man one time," Ramos told the station. "Before I got there, men beat him with sticks and shields. I had nothing to do with that."

Borden is fighting extradition to Virginia. The suburban Cincinnati resident appeared in court by video Tuesday and declined to waive extradition. Hamilton County Magistrate Michael Bachman set bond at $100,000 and scheduled a Sept. 29 hearing.

Borden surrendered to the FBI when he learned a warrant for his arrest had been issued, his lawyer, Greg Berberich, said in a statement to NBC29.

The 18-year-old's lawyer blamed Black Lives Matter activists and anti-fascists for his client's alleged crimes.

"He will defend himself against charges filed as a consequence of rioting caused by the City of Charlottesville's decision to allow BLM and Antifah members to attack those protesting the removal of Robert E. Lee's statue from a local park," Berberich said in a statement.

"As Dan attempted to leave the protest grounds, he was struck in the head and tear gassed multiple times," the lawyer said. "Dan repeatedly requested protection from Charlottesville Police and was ignored. We believe Dan will be exonerated."

In another incident during the protests, police say Richard Wilson Preston has been charged with discharging a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school. The 52-year-old was taken into custody on Saturday in Towson, Maryland. 

James Alex Fields Jr. faces second-degree murder charges for driving a car into counter-protesters and killing Heather Heyer. He has been in custody since the day of the rally.

Police said Saturday that they have identified 35 victims in the car attack. 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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