Eric Sheppard

VALDOSTA, Ga. — A court date has been set for a Valdosta State University (VSU) student who last year received national attention for walking on the American flag in protest. The student faces time in court this month for a firearm charge unrelated to the campus demonstrations, according to court records.

Eric Sheppard was indicted in October on a single count of carrying a weapon in a school safety zone, said Assistant Southern District Attorney Brad Shealy.

Superior Court documents show Sheppard’s case is the first up in the trial week of April 28. He is now out on bond, according to the court.

The indictment stemmed from an incident where a gun was found in a bookbag on the VSU campus last spring.

VSU police and the Valdosta (Georgia) Police Department said they connected the weapon to Sheppard in the days after he had walked across an American flag on campus.

The protest received national attention when former Air Force trainer and Playboy model Michelle Manhart attempted to stop further protests by taking the flag. Campus police detained but did not arrest Manhart. Police returned the flag to the protesters.

A few days later, authorities discovered the gun on campus. VSU police investigators said they connected the gun to the suspect through pawn shop receipts.

A warrant was issued for Sheppard’s arrest, and authorities spent a couple of weeks looking for him. While avoiding custody, Sheppard shared a manifesto with The Valdosta, Georgia Daily Times claiming he would “annihilate” anyone who tried to take him into custody.

Sheppard was soon after arrested in Tampa, Florida. He was extradited to Lowndes County, Georgia.

He was granted bond at $25,000, on several conditions, such as being banned from VSU campus, banned from social media, confinement to his mother’s Cobb County residence from 7 p.m.-7 a.m., restricted to staying in Cobb County, Georgia, wearing an ankle monitor and being monitored daily by the Southern District Attorney’s office.

Last week, an unidentified student organization hosted a panel at VSU Tuesday in which Sheppard discussed genetic recessiveness and pan-Africanism. He briefly touched upon the legal charges he is facing and said although the formal charge is a weapon on campus, he thinks “it’s really about the white superiority complex in this town.” 

Richards writes for the Valdosta, Georgia Daily Times.