Pa. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman Says 2013 Incident Involving Black Jogger Won't Affect Senate Campaign

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman says an incident involving a Black man in Braddock eight years ago won't be an issue for his campaign for U.S. Senate.

Fetterman said he had a gun when he stopped a jogger after hearing gunfire near his home in 2013.

In a blog post, Fetterman says he asked the man to wait for police as he called 911.

He says he never pointed the gun at the man and that he didn't know the person was Black, because it was winter time and the man was bundled up.

"The voters of Braddock, four months after that incident, you know, 80% Black, voted me by a 3:1 margin to a third, and then a subsequent fourth term. Those are the people that live with me, they know my heart," Fetterman said Friday.

Fetterman says the incident shows the problem with gun violence, and that's one of the reasons he is running for U.S. Senate.

Earlier this week, Fetterman officially announced his candidacy for Senate, where he is seeking to be elected to the seat held by Senator Pat Toomey, who is not seeking re-election.