Dec. 8, 2020 12:20p
(WGTD)---The man who allegedly fired the first shot that set off a chain of events leading to the deaths of two people and the wounding of a third during the Jacob Blake demonstrations the night of Aug. 25th is facing additional charges.
35-year-old Joshua Ziminski is being accused of lighting on fire the contents of a dumpster, then pushing it into the southbound lanes of Sheridan Rd. in an apparent attempt to block police from advancing and clearing the area.
The complaint is based on video from the phone of Kelly Ziminski, Joshua's wife.
The Ziminski's are co-defendants in a three-count complaint for disorderly conduct, obstructing and violating the curfew that had been in effect.
Kelly Ziminski was in court Tuesday and is being held on a probation violation. Joshua has yet to appear.
In another complaint filed earlier this year, Joshua Ziminski was charged with a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct, use of a dangerous weapon. According to the complaint, Ziminski fired a single shot into the air from a handgun he'd been carrying the night of the 25th. Moments later, Kyle Rittenhouse fired shots that killed a man. As he was being chased by demonstrators, Rittenhouse, after stumbling, shot two others, one of whom died. Rittenhouse is claiming self-defense.
A pre-trial hearing on the weapons charge that Ziminski is facing is scheduled for next month.
In the latest complaint, authorities say a video shows Joshua Ziminski throwing a lit match into the dumpster and then asking the crowd for lighter fluid to increase the flames. Kelly Ziminski is seen adding flammable material to the blaze, and telling the crowd "that they 'need more shit' because 'those big ass trucks are gonna push all this shit.'"
The complaint accused Joshua Ziminski of playing a smaller role in another fire that was set to block police vehicles. Ziminski is seen manipulating a burning, overturned trailer with his right foot.
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