A former member of the far-right group Proud Boys has said he "deeply" regrets wearing a patch saying "RWDS"—meaning "Right Wing Death Squad"—following a mass shooting in Allen, Texas, where the suspected gunman reportedly wore a similar patch.
Jeremy Bertino, who gave evidence for the prosecution in the seditious conspiracy case against Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and four others, said he was "horrified" to see photos of himself associated with the shooting in a statement shared with Newsweek on Monday.
The suspected gunman, 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia, was reportedly wearing tactical gear as well as a patch that read "RWDS" during the shooting on Saturday that left eight people dead and seven others injured at the Allen Premium Outlets in Allen, Texas. Garcia also appears to have shared photos of a black tactical vest with a patch that reads "RWDS" on the Russian social network OK.RU and investigators are examining a profile on the site believed to belong to the suspected shooter.
Bertino had pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy in October 2022 arising from charges over his actions during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. He testified that he believed "all-out revolution" was coming in the days before the riot. He was a key government witness at the trial that saw Tarrio and three associates convicted of seditious conspiracy and other charges by a federal jury in Washington, D.C, on May 4.
Bertino's attorney issued a statement from him on Monday after the ex-Proud Boy was mentioned by some social media users in relation to the "RWDS" patch.
"I am extremely saddened to hear the news about the shooting that occurred at the mall in Texas, and was horrified to see images of myself connected to him through an 'RWDS' patch I wore during a different chapter of my life," Bertino said in the statement.
"I deeply regret ever wearing that patch," he went on. "At the time, I used being provocative as a way to get under my political opponents' skin. I never for a second thought that it would be associated with anyone carrying out this senseless act of violence. I have come to realize over the years, however, that any rhetoric that glorifies violence just increases our division, and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms."
Bertino's statement went on: "Our country is in a deep political divide, and if we all just stepped back and had a real open conversation with each other, we could find common ground. My heart goes out to the victims of this shooting along with all the other victims of senseless violence."
"Please take a step away from the rhetoric and go talk to your neighbors. You will find out the world is not as bad as you think it is. May God bless the victims and their families with strength to make it through this terrible time, and God bless the heroic police officers who prevented this tragedy from being even worse than it was," Bertino said.
Following reports on Sunday that Garcia had been wearing an "RWDS" patch during the shooting, some social media users pointed to images of Bertino, including journalist Alejandra Caraballo.
"One of the Proud Boys who pled guilty to seditious conspiracy, Jeremy Bertino, wore the RWDS (right wing death squad) patch that was found on the Allen, Texas shooter. It's common among Proud Boys to wear it," Caraballo wrote.
Authorities have not yet stated what Garcia's motivation for the shooting was but they were continuing to probe his social media presence and possible interest in white-supremacist and neo-Nazi beliefs.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Darragh Roche is a U.S. News Reporter based in Limerick, Ireland. His focus is reporting on U.S. politics. He has ... Read more
