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awkwardtaco056 · 5 years

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so now that i’m no longer in the Hell that was school and after finding the lovely blog @endcringe i’ve decided to talk about my own experiences with cringe culture, bullying, and why it’s Really Bad to not let people enjoy inherently harmless things, especially neurodivergent people (read more because this is gonna get long and triggering at times, TW for mentions of bullying, suicide, child abuse, a brief mention of incest shipping. I won’t be naming any of the peers that I discuss my experiences with, because my point with this post is Not to “cancel” anyone, I just want to speak out on my experiences)

I’m neurodivergent; I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was 8 years old. I didn’t know a lot about it, and a family member even painted it as “oh it’s nothing blah blah blah just apply yourself more. Because of this, I had no idea about the concept of hyperfixations until I was in my late teens. Due to that, I would obsess over random things and my family would shame me relentlessly for it. My mother said I had an “addictive personality” and that she feared I’d end up a drug addict or alcoholic because of it.

I look younger than what I am, I’m short, and small. AKA, the perfect candidate for being picked on by people bigger and stronger than me. People made fun of my art when I was around 13, but fortunately that was an instance where spite fueled me to improve drastically. However, just because I happened to take the shitty comments and have it fuel me then does NOT mean bullying people will have that effect all the time. At some point someone put my old South Park fan art on a cringe blog. I was temporarily hurt, and a little angry, but I realized that if someone was making fun of a 15 year old’s art, they probably didn’t have much going for them in life, so I moved on.

Fast forward to high school. Everything was horrible and I’m not exaggerating when I say I barely made it out alive. I was living in an abusive household up until January 2018 and I found comfort in many different interests. I’ve always found great comfort in music and the arts in general. In 2016, I drew a picture of a mermaid. I was inspired by the chocolate opal gemstone, and I thought it’d be fun to draw a gay chubby mermaid with dark skin and a rainbow tail and freckles. Junior year was lousy and I wanted something that sparked Joy. I was immediately told that “scientifically, mermaids wouldn’t look like that. Mind you, my take looked like this:

Obviously I wasn’t going for realism, I just wanted to draw a cute mermaid. However, they continued to tell me that they wouldn’t look like that, going as far as writing so on the back of said drawing. When I got angry at her for taking it too far (as I’d established before that I didn’t like it when people wrote on my art without permission), they got angry back, accusing me of being unable to take criticism. Heated by the accusation, I went as far as asking my art teacher if it was fair for them to say that, and she said no, stating that constructive criticism would be talking about how I could improve my lineart and coloring in the digital version. I took her actual helpful criticism and since then have improved Drastically in digital art. Even with that being said, I found myself hesitant to participate in things such as MerMay because I was leery of hearing that peer berate me for having cartoony mermaids.

During high school I grew to love many musicians, a lot of emo/alternative stuff, a couple being Twenty One Pilots and Melanie Martinez. I love how unique TOP’s style is, their open discussion of mental illness, and as someone who had a rough childhood, I connected with every single song on Cry Baby. It was like nothing I’d ever heard. I started listening to mashups featuring all these different artists I love, adoring how they could change the tone and sound so drastically. A peer Bully of mine in junior year condemned these two artists, declaring that they made “Bad Music” simply because it didn’t fit their tastes. They’d throw my drawings on the ground, write over them in pen, steal my headphones so I couldn’t listen to music, push me around, complain that mashups sucked and gave them a headache, and in general shit all over conetnt that was actively preventing me from committing suicide.

Some family members were no better. Once high school hit, I began listening to Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco, and My Chemical Romance. Their deep complex lyrics stuck with me. I would write down quotes from my favorite songs and thanks to hyperfixating, I remember each studio album in order My mother resented when I fell in love with the “Emo Trinity” because “the Columbine shooters were emo and that event traumatized me” Despite that, not only did the Columbine tragedy occur in 1999 and none of the bands got together until the early 2000s, but I have a pretty good feeling those groups aren’t For gun violence. The other side constantly criticized the fact that I love FOB, P!ATD, and MCR because I’m black and “why must you listen to that white people music.”

I grew fond of Dan and Phil in high school (and I’m still a fan to this day!), I loved Phil’s kindness and positive aura and I deeply connect with Dan’s sense of humor and personality. Their content made me happy during some very dark times in my life. It’s November 2017, I’m over a close peer’s house at the time, and notice PINOF is upon us. I drew the PINOF whiskers on my face, my plan being to quietly watch them in the corner of peer’s bedroom on my phone through headphones, the others were doing their own thing and I knew they didn’t like them, so I thought they’d respect it if I silently indulged in it. Unfortunately, the complete opposite happened. I was immediately shunned and locked out of the bedroom, told that I’d only be let back in if I washed the whiskers off because “absolutely not”. Me, being stubborn, washed them off temporarily but drew them back on in the room. Life during then was especially bad for me, as the abusive household I was in was getting worse. They noticed, of course, and even though all I wanted was to enjoy this small tradition in a time during a deep depression, I was immediately shoved out the room and locked out, only to have said peer’s family members notice. I’m a relatively shy person, so this was honesty a really harrowing experience that had a lasting effect on me.

I grew to adore Sanders Sides as well, but the moment I found out most of my peers didn’t like Thomas, I was terrified. I stopped watching Dan and Phil’s content for months and shied away from other fandoms too, only occasionally indulging in times of complete solitude. One time when said peers were due to visit my house for the first time, I saw the Phandom and Fander stuff I’d hung up on my wall in my little sanctuary that was my bedroom (it was the first time in years I’d had my own room), and I was filled with panic and fear. I took them down and hid them away, genuinely terrified of what they’d do to me if they saw. It’s still incites so much anger in me to this day because they turned around and ended up shipping incest, but somehow liking D&P and Sanders Sides was So. Much. Worse.

They were baffled by my actions, despite having humiliated me Twice by going on a private blog of mine separate from everything so that I could fully indulge and laughing at everything on there, once at a peer’s house, once right in school. I don’t think they realized how traumatizing it was to have a large group of people in public laughing at something I was deeply self conscious about for all of my life. I put on a brave face at the time, but ended up crying in the bathroom after first period began. I continued to be treated as lesser until things came to an ugly head August 2018 when I ended up in the hospital because I nearly attempted suicide. Years of child abuse, bullying, and being deemed “cringy” made me feel like I didn’t deserve to be alive, that everyone would be happier if I were gone.

After arguably one of the lowest points in my life, I cut them off and slowly began to embrace the Real Me. I started letting myself enjoy the things again, made true friends and even found love, my first boyfriend ever at 18. I still get choked up retelling it, but when PINOF 10 dropped, after he found out how much I’d been hurt over the incident in 2017, I was greeted with a photo of him with the whiskers on his face. I cried for a while, blown away at such a pure act of kindness. He listens to me ramble about my interests, he compliments my taste in music, he watched K-12 with me.

This got incredibly long, but my point is this: Cringe Culture hurts people. You might think it’s whatever if the Thing doesn’t apply to your interests, but content you’re denouncing as cringy could be something that’s keeping them alive, that one flicker of light in a void of darkness. When I was contemplating suicide, I listened to The Black Parade, repeating Gee’s words to myself over and over, that nothing in the world was worth hurting yourself over. Some friendly joshing here and there is okay, but actively ripping someone to shreds constantly to the point where they have a mental breakdown in front of you and later on plan their own demise is disgusting. Nobody should abuse anyone for having harmless interests, no one. Unless you’re participating in p*dophilic/inc*st/s*xual assault/inherently abusive ships/content and pretending it’s not bad because “Fiction doesn’t impact reality!”, you have every right to like what you like and be happy. Read homestuck. Play Undertale. Draw up the Wildest OCs you can imagine. And stay away from people who try to rob you of innocent fun, life is too short and in this cruel, unforgiving world, you deserve to be happy, whether you’re a 13 year old who draws cute furries, a 16 year old cosplayer on TikTok, a VSCO girl, a 30 year old who writes/draws self insert art or a 20 year old who adores Invader Zim.

Cringe Culture is just bullying under a different name, and it can lead to many instances of people, especially fellow neurodivergent folk to feel isolated and ostracized. Attempting to bully someone out of an interest they have isn’t going to fix them; it’s more often than not going to cause more damage. I suffer from diagnosed C-PTSD, anxiety, and depression, and sometimes I still find myself trying to over-justify my interests. To all who are roped up in bad homes and lousy “friends” who berate you for your innocent passions, I’m sorry you’re suffering, things will one day get better even if it doesn’t feel like it, and fuck those people. I’d also like to note that sometimes even if it seems more terrifying, it’s better to have one or two close friends you can truly trust than a whole group that walks all over you. You have every right to call them out for treating you poorly, and if things don’t improve, you also have every right to leave.

You have a right to live your True Self.

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sadmmann · 5 years

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Utoya island shooting victims

June 22, 2011 in Norway, there were two consecutive terrorist attacks in the city of Oslo. The first attack was a car bomb explosion in Oslo within Regjeringskvartalet, the executive government quarter of Norway, at 15:25. The explosion killed eight people and injured at least 209 people, twelve severely. The second attack occurred less than two hours later at a summer camp on the island of Utøya in Tyrifjorden, Buskerud. The camp was organized by the AUF, the youth division of the ruling Norwegian Labour Party. The shooter opened fire at the participants, killing 69 and injuring at least 110 people.

Remember them and not the killer

Torjus Jakobsen Blattmann, 17, from Kristiansand

Son of former political adviser. His father said he was a boy "full of humour" who loved playing the guitar. He tried to call his father as the shooting started, but could not get through and was shot dead.

Eva Kathinka Lutken, 17, Sarpsborg, Oestfold county

She was described as an active politician who was well liked, was a cheerleader.

Bendik Rosnaes Ellingsen, 18, Rygge

While he was in ninth grade Bendik sent a letter to the Justice Department because he wanted a job, and last year he had his first engagement as a summer temporary staff in the department. His family described him as a caring, open and inclusive boy.

Asta Sofie Helland Dahl, 16, Sortland

Teachers described her as a wonderful girl who was "open and cheerful".

Birgitte Smetbak, 15, Noetteroey

- Birgitte was so insanely good at singing and playing guitar. She taught me "Butterfly" on guitar. The first time she sang to me, I got some goodies because it was so beautiful. She was always very positive, honest and tough.

Sondre Furseth Dale, 17, from Haugesund

Sondre was a director of his local Labour Youth group. Had large network of friends through music scene and politics. Described as a dedicated person who put 100% into everything he was interested in.

Modupe Ellen Awoyemi, 15, Drammen

Dupe was a singer in a choir. Daughter of the city council politician Lola Awoyemi. Described as a kind and open girl, who was active in AUF discussions

Sverre Flate Bjoerkavag, 28, from Sula

Union official concerned about justice, equality and community thinking. Described as a well-liked young man who fought for pupils and students' rights. Was training to be a nurse.

Henrik Pedersen, 27, Porsanger

Leader of Porsanger AUF. Described as a "breath of fresh air" in the local community. A Labour colleague said he was very engaged and engaging

Mona Abdinur, 18, Oslo

The committed young politician was described as "a well-loved friend, who was socially engaged and interested in multicultural issues".

Maria Maageroe Johannesen, 17, Noetteroey

Student at Greve Forest High School who was interested in music, dance and drama. Described as a wonderful, conscientious girl who was a "ray of sunshine".

Ismail Haji Ahmed 19 Hamar

Better known as Isma Brown after appearing on a talent show. The dance instructor was described as a "very bubbly, happy, caring and happy boy. He was very positive with a very big heart."

Ronja Soettar Johansen, 17, Vefsn

An active blogger, Ronja had a keen interest in music. Friends said she was "a person with courage, commitment and kindness".

Thomas Margido Antonsen, 16, Oslo

A student council representative. Described by friends as "a boy who spread joy".

Sondre Kjoeren, 17, Orkdal

Described as a gentle but committed person. He was said to have been heavily involved in efforts to get a new sports hall in his village.

Porntip Ardam, 21, Oslo

Known as Pamela. She was described as talented, super-intelligent, politically active and down to earth.

Margrethe Boeyum Kloeven, 16

The student council leader was described as an "active and versatile girl".

Syvert Knudsen, 17, Lyngdal, Vest-Agder county

The student politician is believed to have been one of the first shot on the island. His family described him as a "bubbly" boy with a keen interest in music.

Lene Maria Bergum, 19, Namsos

Her head teacher described her as an excellent, beautiful youth, who was sociable, interested in international issues. She had planned to start a summer job as a journalist.

Anders Kristiansen, 18, Bardu

An active young politician and leader of the AUF in his area. He was said to be "full of initiative" with "a great desire to work in politics".

Kevin Daae Berland, 15, Akoey

Active in Askoey AUF and was involved in local politics as well as being a member of the youth council.

Elisabeth Troennes Lie, 16, Halden

A board member of the Halden AUF. Described as "the sweetest person in the world".

Trond Berntsen, 51, Oevre Eiker

Crown Princess of Norway's step-brother. The royal court said the off-duty police officer was killed while working as a security guard on the island.

Gunnar Linaker, 23, Bardu

Regional secretary of Labour party's youth wing. Father described him as a "calm, big teddy bear with lots of humour and lots of love".

Tamta Lipartelliani, 23, Georgia

Secretary of the international committee of the Young Socialists of Georgia.

Monica Boesei, 45, Hole

PM Jens Stoltenberg said: "To many of us, she was the embodiment of Utoeya. And now she is dead. Shot and killed whilst taking care of and giving joy to young people."

Even Flugstad Malmedal, 18, Gjoevik

The student with an interest in politics was described as "a gentle boy who stood up for his friends".

Carina Borgund, 18, Oslo

Friends and family said she was "kind, caring, gentle and positive. She loved life and spread joy to everyone around her".

Tarald Kuven Mjelde, 18, Osteroey

Said to be a big fan of Chelsea football team and described as "very warm, friendly and socially engaged".

Johannes Buoe, 14, Mandal

"An independent boy with a good sense of humour," his parents told NRK. He was interested in dogs, hunting, snowmobiling and took an active part in the youth community.

Ruth Benedicte Vatndal Nilsen, 15, Toensberg

Described by friends as "always happy, positive, and without prejudice".

Hakon Oedegaard, 17, Trondheim

Music student at Heimdal high school and member of Byasen school marching band. Described as a role model for others in the band.

Emil Okkenhaug, 15, Levanger

A sports lover described as modest and liked by all who knew him.

Monica Iselin Didriksen, 18, Sund

Active in Sund AUF, she was described by friends as a unique and bubbly girl.

Diderik Aamodt Olsen, 19, Nesodden

Vice president of Nesodden AUF. He was the youngest member of editorial staff working on the organisation's magazine.

Gizem Dogan, 17, Trondheim

Described as a clever student who contributed to the cohesion of her class. Elected as central member of local AUF a month before the tragedy.

Andreas Edvardsen, 18, Sarpsborg

Director of Sarpsborg AUF and active in in the Labour youth league regional committee in Oestfold. Described as "a very caring and confident person".

Rolf Christopher Johansen Perreau, 25, Trondheim

Known as Christopher. Long-term member of the AUF and was elected to the board in October. Described as a skilled orator and a charismatic young politician.

Tore Eikeland, 21, Osteroy

PM Jens Stoltenberg described him as "one of our most talented young politicians".

Karar Mustafa Qasim, 19, Vestby

Originally from Iraq, Karar was with friends at summer camp when he was killed. The local mayor described his death as "an enormous tragedy".

Bano Abobakar Rashid, 18, Nesodden

Leader of Nesodden AUF. She was said to have dedicated her life to fighting for democracy and against racism.

Aleksander Aas Eriksen, 16, Meråker

Described as socially-engaged as well as "impulsive and passionate".

Henrik Rasmussen, 18

Treasurer of Hadsel AUF. Said to be a very committed person, both in politics and culture.

Andrine Bakkene Espeland, 16, Fredrikstad

Described as a politically-engaged girl who was keen to take care of the weakest.

Synne Roeyneland, 18, Oslo

A student described by friends as a "funny girl, who always had something to offer: opinions about politics and love and fun and witty comments".

Hanne Balch Fjalestad, 43, Lunner

Danish government confirmed the Danish national was killed while working on the island as a first aid assistant. She was with her 20-year-old daughter, who survived the shooting.

Ida Beathe Rogne, 17, Oestre Toten

A keen student described as happy and funny as well as determined.

Silje Merete Fjellbu, 17, Tinn

Student politician described as a "wonderful girl who had much to contribute".

Simon Saebo, 18, Salangen

The student politician was said to be a natural leader. Those who knew him described him as trusting and kind, and a person who showed great concern for others.

Hanne Kristine Fridtun, 19 Stryn

The nursing student was the local AUF county chairman. Described as energetic with great commitment.

Marianne Sandvik, 16, Hundvag

The student was described as a quiet girl who always stood up for those who needed her. Her father said she was concerned with injustice in the world.

Andreas Dalby Groennesby, 17, Stange

His father had exchanged text messages with him before the shooting. Andrew was a student at the Hamar Cathedral School where he was on the design and craft-line. He visited the Labour Youth League summer camp at Utøya for the first time this year.

Fredrik Lund Schjetne, 18, Eidsvoll

Described by friends as "a great person" whom it was "an honour" to have known.

Snorre Haller, 30, Trondheim

Painter and union man. He was a board member of the Joint Association's Central Youth Committee. Described as a "kind, quiet and generous man".

Lejla Selaci, 17, Fredriksta

Leader of the AUF in Fredrikstad. Described as a "very happy and social girl who committed herself to what she believed in".

Rune Havdal, 43, Oevre Eiker

Worked as a security guard on the island of Utoeya.

Guro Vartdal Havoll, 18, Oersta, Moere og Romsdal

An active and determined politician, the young student's family said she was inspired by Ghandi and wanted to make the world a "better place".

Isabel Victoria Green Sogn, 17, Oslo

An enthusiastic member of the AUF who saw her future involved in politics.

Ingrid Berg Heggelund, 18, As

A student who said she loved going to school.

Silje Stamneshagen, 18, Askoey

Active in Askoey AUF and played in school band. Classmates described her as a happy girl who lit up the school day and every day.

Karin Elena Holst, 15, Rana

A member of the Rana AUF, she spoke to her mother during the shooting. She had urged her daughter to hang up and hide.

Victoria Stenberg, 17, Nes

The oldest of three siblings, she was said to be looking forward to the youth camp.

Eivind Hovden, 15, Tokke

Eivind was involved in his local youth centre and was attending his first summer camp. Described as an "amazing guy, always happy, caring and helpful".

Tina Sukuvara, 18, Vadsoe

Described as "very talented and engaged" and a person who participated actively in political debates.

Jamil Rafal Mohamad Jamil, 20, Eigersund

Originally from Iraq, Jamil was described as happy, attentive and curious with a strong desire to contribute.

Sharidyn Svebakk-Boehn, 14, Drammen

Known as Sissi to friends and family, the schoolgirl was described as a "beautiful, caring and vibrant girl". Her parents said she was the type of girl who got involved in causes, writing letters and voicing her opinion.

Steinar Jessen, 16 Alta

A keen member of the AUF. The mayor of Alta described him as "a flower that would have grown big and strong".

Havard Vederhus, 21, Oslo

Elected leader of Oslo Labour Youth in February. Friends said he was "ambitious and fearless".

Espen Joergensen, 17, Bodoe

Had recently become head of Bodoe AUF. His best friend said he was someone who could "light up the darkest days".

Those we love don't go away, They walk beside us every day, Unseen, unheard, but always near, Still loved, still missed and very dear. May They Rest In Peace

#Utoeya island #victims #shooter #shooting #massacre #tc community #Norway #oslo #memory #Utoya island #Anders Breivik #terrorism #MASS SHOOTINGS

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amalthemir · 5 years

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OC Interview!

I got tagged by @leporidaefluff this time so here we go again!.

1. Choose an OC.

2. Answer them as that OC.

3. Tag 5 people to do the same.

I’ll tag @streetfrightmanifesto @charomiami

1. What is your name?

"Elias

2. Do you know why are you named that?

"My grandfather was called Elias, so my dad named him after him. I only knew him for a little while before he died and I was still young at the time, so I barely remember him. I do know that some people thought highly of him though."

3. Are you single or taken?

"Single, and and I don't have any plans to be anythin' else."

4. Have any abilities or powers?

"Well I'm a sharp shooter, pistols and revolvers are my thing, so I've got pretty good aim. I did give the minutemen weapons a try though, so I do have a lazer weapon for when I can't outshoot someone with my revolver from two blocks away."

5. Stop being a Mary Sue.

"Heh, trust me, anything but that."

6. What’s your eye color?

"Hazel, or quite light brown really, been told ot looks pretty or somethin' like that. Think I got them from my mom's side."

7. How about your hair color?

"Just a shade of dark brown, sometimes you notice it, sometimes you don't."

8. Have any family members?

"If you really need to know, I had a father and a mother back in New York, dad died when I was still a kid though."

9. Oh? How about pets?

"Never really had any pets to be honest, not because I dislike then, just never had a reason, or the opportunity to get one."

10. That’s cool, I guess. Now tell me something you don’t like?

"Being fooled I guess? I don't know, maybe seeing somethin' happen that that I'm not able to do anythin' about."

11. Do you have any activities/hobbies that you like to do?

"Well... I do like going out and practicin' my aim, but really nowadays I'm too busy to do much outside of my work. There's still a lot to do around here."

12. Have you ever hurt anyone in any way before?

"Yes... yes I have. Many times before."

13. Ever… killed anyone before?

"Who hasn't killed anyone nowadays, really."

14. What kind of animal are you?

"Animal? Uh... don't know? Never really asked myself that before, or had an reason to."

15. Name your worst habits?

"I smoke a lot which I guess isn't a great habit, but yeah, what can you do."

16. Do you look up to anyone at all?

"I... well... guess you could say that there's some people I look or looked up to. If I had to mentioned someone, I'd probably say... well, Preston. Just don't tell him I said that."

17. Are you gay, straight or bisexual?

"No comment."

18. Do you go to school?

"I sorta went to school back in New York, there was one in the settlement I grew up in."

19. Ever want to marry and have kids one day?

"I... I rather not answer that."

20. Do you have any fangirls/fanboys?

Chuckles

"You could say that. Every time I'm around, Preston follows me around from one place to the other. Plus I've gotten the respect of the new Minutemen in my time here."

21. What are you most afraid of?

"That's somethin' you don't need to know."

22. What do you usually wear?

"It depends, while traveling I wear some good amount of gear, but when at a settlement I wear a jumpsuit, they're pretty comfy. There's also my Minutemen uniform... but that's for more serious situations."

23. What’s one food that tempts you?

"Hm... maybe some well cooked radstag or brahmin, not every day you can eat some made perfectly."

24. Am I annoying to you?

"Well I do have some plans I need to look over you know..."

25. Well, it’s still not over!

"Alright..."

26. What class are you (low/middle/high)?

"Well most of what I make goes to the Minutemen, and we do have enough to feed our people and keep us armed, so I'd say middle class, especially compared to how I've been before."

27. How many friends do you have?

"Uh... not that many?"

28. What are your thoughts on pie?

"Pie? Well uh, pie is good. I had one a long time ago and it had tasted pretty good... not sure what else you want me to say."

29. Favorite drink?

"Some good ol' bourbon."

30. What’s your favorite place?

"Anyplace where I'm not getting shot at."

31. Are you interested in anyone?

"No, not really."

32. That was a stupid question…

"You said it, not me."

33. Would you rather swim in a lake or the ocean?

"Well if both weren't full of radiation, I'd say a lake. Technically grew up near one, so I always wondered what it would be like to swim just for fun back when I was little."

34. What’s your type?

"Nobody."

35. Any fetishes?

"None of your business, really."

36. Camping or outdoors?

"I've done often enough, not much else you can do when you're too far from a settlement and need to get some rest."

#fallout oc #my oc #fallout 4 #elias #oc asks #i got tagged

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marchforourlivesla · 6 years

Link

Thousands of demonstrators at L.A.’s March for Our Lives rally marched from Pershing Square to Grand Park, carrying handmade signs and banners that said, “Protect kids, not guns” and “I shouldn’t be afraid to send my child to school."

Joining demonstrators around the country, tens of thousands of Southern California residents enraged by the gun violence that has ravaged American schools and other public places flocked to downtown Los Angeles on Saturday to call for stricter gun control laws.

Under grey skies, demonstrators in L.A.'s March for Our Lives rally walked from Pershing Square to Grand Park, carrying handmade signs and banners that said, "Protect kids, not guns" and "I shouldn't be afraid to send my child to school."

The sound of drums, tambourines and call-and-response chants rippled through the crowd of thousands of students, parents and grandparents and echoed off the historic buildings of Broadway's theater district.

"What do we want? Gun control! When do we want it? Now!"

At a rally in front of L.A. City Hall, Mayor Eric Garcetti led the crowd in a call and response chant: "Whose streets?" he said, as the crowd roared, "Our streets!" "Whose Lives?" "Our Lives!" "Whose nation?" "Our nation!"

The mayor said it was an historic day led by the country's future leaders, "the students who are here today."

Garcetti pointed out California's bans on assault rifles, bump stocks and waiting periods on gun sales as a model for federal legislation and closed with a message for President Trump.

"Get with the program Mr. President, or get the hell out of the way!"

Comedian Amy Schumer, cousin of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) who also attended the march, spoke to the survivors of the Parkland shootings.

"We stand together for your senselessly slain classmates and friends and say this has to stop!"

At the end of the march, actress Rita Ora sang a rendition of the 1960s protest song "For What It's Worth," and some members of the crowd chimed in. She told the demonstrators: "You're going to inspire the whole damn world."

Crowds gathered Saturday in more than a dozen California cities, including San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego, Santa Clarita, Long Beach and elsewhere.

Speaking at an afternoon rally in Santa Ana, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, touted Proposition 63, which he proposed and campaigned for, as California's answer to the NRA's sway over federal gun policy. The 2016 voter-approved initiative banned ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds and makes it a crime not to report lost or stolen guns.

"We changed the trajectory of the debate, not just in this state but all across the rest of the country," Newsom, who is running for governor, said of the state's laws. "Gun control saves lives!"

Organizers with NextGen America, a group started by California billionaire and activist Tom Steyer, who has already put $1 million into a nationwide youth voter registration effort, were helping to sign up new voters in Santa Ana.

"As much as we love your voice, we want to make sure your voice is counted on Nov. 6," Steyer told the crowd. He said he plans to spend $30 million helping Democrats flip the House of Representatives this year, $3.5 million of it organizing young people in California.

At a rally outside San Francisco City Hall, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein noted her support for an assault weapons ban in her tough re-election campaign and urged demonstrators to extend their activism to the November mid-term elections.

"There is a bill in the Judiciary Committee to ban assault weapons with 30 cosponsors," she told the crowd. "The problem is the gun industry. They will go out and they will support mightily people in other states that will refuse to do this. Here's what I'm asking you to do...Will you march? Will you register? Will you see that people vote and see that you vote and your friends vote for those that would rid this country of guns?"

The crowd responded: "Yeah!"

The worldwide day of action against gun violence was sparked by student activists who have pushed lawmakers to forgo campaign contributions from the National Rifle Assn. and enact stricter gun control laws in the wake of a Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. that left 17 students and teachers dead.

In the thick of the march on Broadway, a group of teenagers that included Myles Pincus, 15, carried a long banner adorned with red handprints that read, "NRA has blood on its hands."

Pincus, a student at Fusion Academy, urged people not to conflate the issues of mental health and gun violence as they advocated for change. He said he had "myriad" mental health issues, and ostracizing people like him won't solve anything.

"I don't need to go to school and get patted down just because I have depression," Pincus said. "This is not a mental health issue. This is a gun issue, period."

Many teenagers at Saturday's rallies said they looked forward to turning 18, when they could vote for candidates who will support national gun control measures.

California election officials staffed a booth where adults could register to vote, and 16- and 17-year-olds could pre-register. The initiative, which activates teenagers' voting eligibility when they turn 18, has pre-registered more than 88,000 people since its launch in 2016.

Sheva Gross, a child development professor at UCLA, came to the march with her daughters Talia, 8, and Flora, 11. Gross carried a sign adorned with peace signs that read, "I'm so mad, I can't even think of a slogan."

The girls have gone through lockdown drills at their Culver City elementary school that make them nervous, Flora said. She added: "To not come home again, like, ever — it's overwhelming."

Gross was in the classroom with future teachers and child welfare workers 15 minutes after the San Bernardino massacre and an hour after the Parkland shooting. She said the fear in her students' eyes was evident.

"They grew up with this, and they're terrified," Gross said, breaking into tears. Flora hugged her.

Retired school principal John P. Johnson, 68, and his wife Margy came from Corona to march for their 13 grandchildren. Johnson, who knows the AR-15 well from his time in the U.S. Navy in Vietnam, held a sign that read: "Veterans against assault weapons."

"There is no reason to purchase an AR-15 here or anywhere in the world," Johnson said. "It's used for the battlefield. The bullets kill within seconds."

Brianna Cornejo-Perez, a 14-year-old student at Santa Monica High School, came to the march with her mother, a former teacher. A fellow student in Santa Monica had posted a Snapchat photo of himself holding a gun, making fun of gun control and the Parkland shootings, unnerving her.

"We used to have lockdown drills — now we have active shooter drills," Cornejo-Perez said. "It's a bit scary."

Cornejo-Perez and her mother said they support school psychologists, anti-bullying campaigns, and other resources for kids who don't fit in, rather than armed security guards or police officers.

Giselle Jimenez, 17, of Alexander Hamilton High School, held a sign reading, "Silly me, I didn't know that not wanting kids to be slaughtered by assault rifles was being political."

"A school shooting could happen anywhere," Jimenez said. "The next victims could be me, my sister, any one of my friends."

Ariel Burgess, 22, who recently graduated from UCLA, said there was a shooting the month she was accepted to the university. It made her question whether she would be safe there.

"Every shooting I'm saddened but never surprised," she said. With "every shooting, the urge to change gun laws gets stronger, but nothing gets done."

Cara Rosenbaum, 32, of Leimert Park held a sign that read, "My daughter is due in May. I'm afraid to send her to school."

She said it's terrifying to think about bringing a child into the world and having to worry every day about whether she will come home from school.

"As I'm preparing for parenthood, there are so many things I need to think about," she said. "The safety of my child while she's trying to get an education should not be one of those things."

At the end of the march, about a dozen pro-gun activists gathered outside Los Angeles Police Department headquarters. They waved American flags and held signs reading, "Ban Jihad, not guns" and "Guns will ensure our freedom."

They were separated from the March for Our Lives participants by yellow caution tape, a line of officers, a line of police bicycles, and a line of volunteers who wore orange vests and black shirts that said, "We can end gun violence."

"How long have you been pro-mass shooter?" one man shouted across the barriers.

"All lives matter!" a pro-gun protester shouted back.

Another said, "My best friend is black!"

Jarime Uzziel, 43, said he was "standing against additional gun control." He said he wants teachers to be trained and able to carry firearms.

Natali Valle, 20, stood on the other side and shook her head, pulling her friend into a hug. They had come by to see if the counter-protesters had any valid points, and quickly decided the answer was no.

"When people argue back and forth, there's no communication happening," said Valle, a student at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut. "This division is … what's causing America to fall apart."

Times staff writer Sonali Kohli contributed to this report.

[email protected]

UPDATES:

6:35 p.m.: This article was updated with new comments from speakers in Santa Ana and San Francisco.

5:05 p.m.: This article was updated to include comments from speakers at an afternoon rally in Orange County.

3:50 p.m.: This article was updated to include comments from Mayor Eric Garcetti and others.

2:35: This article was updated with more comments from demonstrators.

1:35 p.m. This article was updated with quotes from pro-gun counter-protestors, and from singer and actress Rita Ora.

12:30 p.m.: This article was updated with more quotes from demonstrators.

11:50 a.m.: This article was updated with more comments from demonstrators and more details about other marches around Southern California.

10:20 a.m.: This article was updated with new comments from demonstrators.

This article was originally posted at 8:40 a.m.

#gavin newsom #eric garcetti #national rifle association of america #chuck schumer

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racheljoyscott · 7 years

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Do you know what all of the victims did on their last day alive?

I know some of their last moments. It seems a lot of parents spoke about their final moments with their children in interviews. (Some of the ones I listed are just last remembered activities, not what they did the day before sorry.)

Rachel Scott

Rachel’s last morning by now is very well known. Rachel and her brother had gotten into an argument because they were running late to school. He had rudely slammed the door in her face and unknowingly that was his last interaction with her.

Daniel Rohrbough

I don’t know Daniel’s last day, but one thing that comes to mind was he held the door open for the people behind him as he fled the school.

Dave Sanders

Dave Sanders moments are also very well known. His last moments are what made him known as a hero. Instead of protecting himself and hiding, he alerted the students in the cafeteria confirming active shooters in the school. It’s safe to say he saved many peoples lives that day.

Kyle Velasquez

Kyle was driven to school everyday by his mother. Kyle’s last words to her were simply “Goodbye. I love you, mom.”

Matthew Kechter

“When I heard he was one of the ones from the library, it only made sense. He was always in the library studying. He always put academics first. He had straight A’s but he would never brag about it. I kinda looked up to him because of it. He was never in a bad mood, he was consistenly happy.” - Greg Barnes

Matt was sitting with Isaiah and Craig Scott that day in the library.

Isaiah Shoels

It was a typical morning for Isaiah too. He had run out of the house and left his bed unmade.

Lauren Townsend

The night before, her mother and her father had attended a Rockies game and got home around 9:30. When they got back, Lauren was slightly upset at them for coming back so late even though she knew they would be gone. She was disappointed because she wanted to snuggle and the game interrupted their ‘snuggle time.’ Her mother sat down with her for a few minutes, but Lauren had some work left to do and went off to bed. She said goodnight and told her mom they’d snuggle tomorrow. Her mom promised to put in extra time to snuggle. She never came home.

John Tomlin

In John’s final moments, it was an everyday routine. He left his bible open on the dash of his beloved truck and was studying at the library on the day of the massacre like everyday.

Daniel Mauser

Daniel too was in the library, a daily occurrence. But as he was approached by Eric, he pushed a chair out as a way to stand up to him. He was shot right after.

Corey DePooter

Corey and his mother had always danced together in the kitchen growing up. His mom remembers him and his brother always being good dancers. The night before his death, him and his mom just so happened to share a last dance out of the blue. It definitely wasn’t an every night occurrence, so looking back it was really special for her.

Cassie Bernall

I’ll let her mom do the talking ;)

“April 20, 1999, started like any other school day in our house. At fiveforty-five Brad, my husband, left for work, and a little later I got up towake the kids. Getting teenagers out of bed is always a small battle, butthat Tuesday was especially difficult. Cassie had stayed up late the nightbefore catching up on homework, and her books were all over the kitchentable. Her cat’s litter box needed attention, too, and we were running latewith breakfast. I remember trying not to lecture her about all the thingsthat needed doing before she left for school….

About seven-twenty Chris kissed me goodbye, or at least gave me hischeek, which is what it’s gone to lately (he’s fifteen) and clattered downthe stairs and out of the house. Cassie stopped at the door to put on her shoes – her beloved black velvet Doc Martens, which she wore rain or shine, even with dresses – grabbed her backpack, and headed after herbrother. As she left I leaned over the banister to say goodbye, like I always do: “Bye, Cass. I love you.” “Love you too, Mom,” she mumbled back.Then she was gone, through the back yard, over the fence, and across thesoccer field to the high school, which is only a hundred yards away.I dressed, made myself a cup of coffee, locked up, and drove off to work.”

#columbine #RACHEL scott #cassie bernall #daniel mauser #daniel rohrbough #Corey DePooter #Lauren Townsend #Isaiah Shoels #Kyle Velasquez #Matt Kechter

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womenofcolor15 · 5 years

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#DomesticTerrorism: Almost 30 People Dead In Two Mass Shootings Within 24 Hours

Almost 30 Americans are dead after two mass shootings went down in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas within 24 hours. The shocking details inside...

Blood shed across the nation over the weekend as two mass shooting occurred within hours of each other.

A gunman armed with a rifle opened fire at an El Paso shopping area, killing 20 people and two dozen injured. Hours later, another mass shooting occured in Dayton, Ohio, leaving 9 people dead and at least 16 people injured.

According to reports, a gunman wearing body armor opened fire in a popular nightlife area in Dayton, Ohio around 1AM, resulting in 9 people losing their lives and 26 others injured. The suspect was reportedly making his way toward a bar called Ned Peppers, Montgomery County Emergency Services spokeswoman Deb Decker said.

People were hanging out on a Saturday night, only to be met with a gunman trying to take their innocent lives. He killed 9 people and injured 26...in LESS than a minute! It was the 2nd mass shooting in less than 24 hours.

Luckily, there were Dayton police officers in the area when the shooting occurred, and they were able to respond in less than a minute of the shooting that went down in the streets of the Oregon Distrct.

#OregonDistrict #update Mayor Whaley: Suspect opened fire in the Oregon District wearing body armor. There are 10 people dead including the shooter, 26 others injured. Officers neutralized the shooter in less than a minute.

— Dayton Police Dept. (@DaytonPolice) August 4, 2019

Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley praised the first responding officers for their speedy response during a press conference. Had the officers not responded so quickly, “hundreds of people in the Oregon District could be dead today.”

The alleged gunman - who has not been identified yet - was shot and killed by responding officers, so 10 people total are dead following the shooting. It's reported he was dressed in body armor and was carrying a .223-caliber rifle with additional high-capacity magazines. He's believed to be the only shooter. The FBI is assisting with the investigation.

There is not motive at this time.

Watch Mayor Whaley's press conference below:

WATCH: Officials give an update on the Ohio shooting. https://t.co/dUKx700cpc https://t.co/cW2KLHqJ16

— WPEC CBS12 News (@CBS12) August 4, 2019

People who were in the area during the time of the shooting tweeted about the horrific moment they realized they were in the middle of a mass shooting:

There was an active shooter in the bar i was in tonight. I am told that he had an AR15. @HannahRayNinja and I are ok. I am so incredibly heartbroken for those affected by this. I have never been so scared in my life.

— Daniel Williams (@xcadaverx) August 4, 2019

We heard gunshots while on the patio.. ran indoors only to be shoved back out because the shots were coming from inside the bar. We ran for our lives and hopped a fence trampling multiple people in the process/hid anywhere we could https://t.co/pm7Q00DfbR

— Hannuh (@HannahRayNinja) August 4, 2019

Me and @KaylamILLER06 made it out of Nedpeppers safe. Scariest thing of my life. Prayers for all of the people who didn’t make it out

— Taylor Mayberry (@Tayyymayyy) August 4, 2019

So scary.

Hours before the Ohio shooting....

A 21-year-old gunman opened fire in a crowded shopping area in El Paso, Texas, leaving 20 people dead and more than two dozen injured. Families were out buying school supplies during tax free weekend ahead of the first day of classes next week. Many of the victims were shot at a Walmart, according to police.

Police arrested the alleged shooter, a 21-year-old white man named Patrick Crusius from a suburb of Dallas, according to El Paso Police Chief Greg Allen. He's ALIVE.

Police are now investigating to see if he should be prosecuted for a hate crime. Authorities believe the gunman may have written a four-page document posted online that advocates white nationalist and racist views.

The FBI has opened a domestic terrorism investigation into the shooting, according to CNN.

Thank you to the @EPPOLICE and all the first responders for once again rushing toward the danger during an extrodinarily large and confusing crime scene in El Paso. pic.twitter.com/W1qTbuEB3G

— Bill Bratton (@CommissBratton) August 3, 2019

Initial reports suggested there could be multiple gunman, however, the police now believe the man in custody is the only shooter. 2020 Democratic presidential candidate/Former Rep. Beto O'Rourke hopped on Twitter to respond to the shooting:

Truly heartbreaking. Stay safe, El Paso. Please follow all directions of emergency personnel as we continue to get more updates. https://t.co/BU0AH6Y8Rv

— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) August 3, 2019

"Truly heartbreaking. Stay safe, El Paso. Please follow directions of emergency personnel as we continue to get more updates," he wrote.

Trump took to Twitter to address both shootings:

The FBI, local and state law enforcement are working together in El Paso and in Dayton, Ohio. Information is rapidly being accumulated in Dayton. Much has already be learned in El Paso. Law enforcement was very rapid in both instances. Updates will be given throughout the day!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 4, 2019

Folks have been sounding off on Twitter about the mass shootings and they're FED UP:

This is not mental illness.

This is racism. This is xenophobia. This is hate.

Call it what it is: #DomesticTerrorism

Call him what he is: #WhiteNationalist #ElPasoShooter

— yvette nicole brown (@YNB) August 4, 2019

We went to sleep mourning over the #ElPasoShooting.

We woke up this morning to the #DaytonShooting.

There are 400 million guns circulating in America, more guns than people.

The NRA saying is, “guns don’t kill people, people kill people.“

People with guns kill people.

— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) August 4, 2019

For all yall talkin that good shit about Kim & Kanye getting 45 to do something, you think they can text him and convince him to implement stricter gun laws?... Maybe save a few hundred thousand lives instead of freeing worthless rappers.#DaytonShooting #ElPaso pic.twitter.com/4JS9vNBvZv

— Boney Sugar Dupree (@DiqDaddyDangler) August 4, 2019

Language matters. Rhetoric has impact. Having thoughtful, intelligent leaders in office matters. Having an honorable, compassionate president matters. Or, at least, it used to.#daytonshooting #ElPasoTerroristAttack pic.twitter.com/rgohH9WiBT

— Freeze Peach (@FreezePeach5) August 4, 2019

#ElPasoTerroristAttack: a powerful statement from El Paso County Sheriff Richard Wiles, please share it.

Our hearts go out to those affected by these acts of hatred and extremism. pic.twitter.com/Z4JLwvibiT

— TellMAMAUK (@TellMamaUK) August 4, 2019

Make no mistake @realDonaldTrump, you didn't pull the trigger or buy the gun but you sent that white nationalist terrorist to El Paso as sure as if you'd bought him a bus ticket to the Mall.#TrumpDidThis#ElPasoTerroristAttack pic.twitter.com/0iNunI4e8R

— Tedderman (@Tedderman1) August 4, 2019

#EnoughIsEnough pic.twitter.com/bBSHYrsF3B

— Loni Love (@LoniLove) August 4, 2019

Waking up to NOW Dayton.

One of deadliest weekends in less than 24 hours.

More than 30 people are dead in 2 American cities: #ElPaso and #Dayton

No more thoughts, no more prayers. We need #gunreformnow #EnoughIsEnough

— Karine Jean-Pierre (@K_JeanPierre) August 4, 2019

To start:

• Ban Assault Weapons

• Ban High-Capacity Magazines

• Implement Universal Background Checks (supported by 90+% of Americans)

• Reinstate “One-Gun-A-Month” Law

• Pass “Red Flag” Laws

What is YOUR proposal?#HonorWithAction #EnoughIsEnough https://t.co/mdYKhMMM7b

— Justin Fairfax (@LGJustinFairfax) August 4, 2019

Call it what it is. https://t.co/cyrZkpV7rD

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) August 4, 2019

This man risked his life to help save children during the mass shooting in El Paso:

This man is an American hero. During the mass shooting in El Paso, he acted to save as many children as possible and used his legally owned weapon to help.

This man represents everything that’s great about this country. pic.twitter.com/69ovEw3uhN

— David Hookstead (@dhookstead) August 3, 2019

True hero indeed.

Just days before these two mass shootings, a 19-year-old white male opened fire at Northern California’s Gilroy Garlic Festival, killing 3 people - including two children.

The Dayton, Ohio shooting is the 22nd mass killing in the United States in 2019. Something needs to be done to finally put an end to these senseless killings.

We send our condolences to everyone involved in all of the incidents where innocent lives were taken.

Photos: AP Photo

[Read More ...] source http://theybf.com/2019/08/04/domesticterrorism-almost-30-people-dead-in-two-mass-shootings-within-24-hours

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narcisbolgor-blog · 7 years

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Students Speak Out After Teacher Hides 19 Kids in Closet During Florida Shooting

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Melissa Falkowski is being hailed a hero after the quick-thinking language arts teacher packed 19 students in a supply closet to protect them from the gunman at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Wednesday.

The massacre in Florida killing at least seventeen is the latest of mass shootings to strike the country, but it’s the hero stories arising amidst the chaos that is giving America a ray of hope.

Like assistant football coach Aaron Feis who died shielding students from bullets, Falkowski, too, put the life of the children above her own as former student Nikolas Cruz opened fire with an AR-15.

“I unlocked the door and let the kids in,” Falkowski said in an interview with MSNBC. “We followed the procedure to disappear, to move out of sight. I made the decision to move the kids into the closet. It was tight. We were in there for about 30 minutes.”

She told the students to stay put until they heard an announcement or the SWAT team came to get them.

“The kids were really scared; some of them were crying,” she said.

this was my teacher. i was in that closet. having to feel that fear and see all those people think they’re going to die is something no person should experience. https://t.co/4ysyB6HHHO

— Delaney Tarr (@delaneytarr) February 15, 2018

Thankfully, they had just had training on what to do in these types of emergencies about a month ago, and Falkowski believes that helped them handle the alarming situation.

“We had training about a month ago and we talked about these different scenarios and what to do,” she said. “It was very obvious that it wasn’t a drill. I made the decision that [the supply closet] was another layer between us and the active shooter.”

“On a personal level, it was really hard for me,” said Falkowski, explaining that her mom called in the middle of it all, adding to her angst while she was trying to take care of the kids.

Facebook

But unwilling to let her own fears get the best of her, the teacher swallowed her emotions and remained calm and collected in the face of danger.

“It doesn’t help if I’m sitting there crying too,” she shared, “so I just kept telling them that it was going to be okay, and they were okay, and everything was going to be okay, and that helped I guess for them to get through it.”

Since her story surfaced, several grateful students have come forward to thank the brave teacher for saving their lives.

“I am so thankful for Mrs Falkowski who kept me and the 18 other students safe and calm,” tweeted Becca Schneid. “I couldn’t be more grateful to her and everyone else that helped me survive today.”

I am so thankful for Mrs Falkowski who kept me and the 18 other students safe and calm. I couldn’t be more grateful to her and everyone else that helped me survive today. https://t.co/l1p7UNt8TX

— Becca Schneid (@becca_schneid) February 15, 2018

“Melissa Falkowski is an amazing educator who deserves praise for what she did. I had multiple panic attacks while locked in the closet with 19 other people for numerous hours,” another student, Emma Dowd wrote to Love What Matters.

“She reiterated many times that I would be safe and she won’t let anything happen to me. I spend a lot of time with Falkowski as she advises the newspaper, which I’m one editor-in-chief of. She constantly checked up on me and kept me calm even when there were nearly 160 of us in the library after all the classes got searched. I’m eternally grateful for strong and caring educators like her. She not only cared for me, but also the 160 kids in the classroom with us along with her other faculty.”

Facebook

All the praise to this fast-acting superwoman who really brought John 15:13 to life by risking her own life to save others.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

See more from her inspiring story of heroism and bravery in the MSNBC interview below:

youtube

Football Coach Dives in Front of 3 Girls to Shield Bullets from Florida Gunman, Dies a True Hero

Read Next On FaithIt

This Man Rescued 669 Kids From Nazi Camps. He Doesn’t Know It Yet, but He’s Sitting With Them.

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Read more: https://faithit.com/teacher-saves-19-students-closet-florida-school-shooting/

from Viral News HQ http://ift.tt/2EAfojP via Viral News HQ

#IFTTT #Viral News HQ

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gyrlversion · 5 years

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Dayton gunman reportedly had hit lists, fascination with shootings: Everyone knew who he was

DAYTON, Ohio — As investigators attempt to piece together why a 24-year-old man clad in body armor opened fire outside a popular Dayton bar, people from his past point to hit lists, violent threats and a fascination with shootings that they now say were clearly red flags.

Connor Betts, who was carrying ammunition magazines, killed his sister and eight others, with dozens more injured in the rampage early Sunday before he was fatally shot by officers.

“He would have known that his actions were deplorable,” Adelia Johnson, 24, said about the man she dated earlier this year.

Connor Betts was identified as the suspect in a shooting in Dayton, Ohio.

The pair met in a psychology class at Sinclair Community College in Dayton and bonded over their shared struggle with mental illness, she said.

They began dating this spring — a brief relationship punctuated by peculiar moments that at first Johnson shrugged off.

On one date, he took her to shoot a rifle. He often brought up mass murders when they spent time together, Johnson told “Today.”

Johnson said that Betts performed with an extreme heavy metal band known for sexually violent lyrics.

On their first date, she said, he showed her body-camera video from a mass shooting at a synagogue. Another time, he asked her to accompany him as he tried to drop off an anonymous letter to an ex-girlfriend. The letter’s message — “You can’t escape your past” — unnerved her, she said.

His fixation on the ex, Johnson said, “was the final red flag.”

“All of the other ones,” she said, “those could be written off as something else.”

She ended the relationship through a text message and said she told friends she was scared by his actions.

Although they had split in May, Johnson said she was initially stunned to learn it was Betts who police identified as the gunman outside the crowded bar in Dayton’s entertainment district just 13 hours after a mass shooting in El Paso, Texas that killed 22 people.

Officers fatally shot Betts, a resident of the Dayton suburb of Bellbrook, within a minute of the first bullets being fired at 1:05 a.m. Police say Betts fired at least 41 total shots.

Authorities have not yet established a motive, and investigators said Monday they do not know whether his 22-year-old sister, Megan Betts, who was among the fatalities, was targeted intentionally.

Betts’ family has not commented publicly since the shooting spree.

Betts had been active on Twitter, where he described himself as an “anime fan,” a “metalhead” and a “leftist.” The social media company suspended his account after the shooting.

In his tweets, Betts promoted atheism and gun ownership. He sometimes retweeted prominent accounts associated with the political left, replying with expressions that seemed to support the anti-fascist movement and politicians such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.

There was no indication that Betts’ political views had any connection with the killings.

Melissa Appel, who said she dated Betts last summer until earlier this year, described him as a “quiet” and “respectful” person and someone she discussed anime and music with. He was “never aggressive” and did not demonstrate any warning signs as far as she could see, she said.

Appel, 30, was at work when authorities identified Betts as the gunman.

“When I saw the article and saw his name, I had a panic attack because … it was hard for me to believe that the person I knew could do something like this,” Appel said.

She added that Betts, who once took her to a shooting range, occasionally talked about guns. But she did not know that he owned any firearms.

Appel’s experience is at odds with other people who suggested Betts was socially alienated.

He was “kind of a loner, a bit of an outcast,” said Theo Gainey, a neighbor, adding that “a lot of people saw kind of a dark side in him.”

Gainey, who described Betts as a “bad dude,” said his neighbor demonstrated “violent tendencies,” but did not elaborate.

In interviews with The Associated Press, two former high school classmates claimed Betts was once suspended for compiling a “hit list” of those he wanted to kill and a “rape list” of girls he wanted to sexually assault.

NBC News has not independently verified their accounts, which came to light after police said there was nothing in the gunman’s background that would have kept him from buying the .223-caliber rifle used in the shooting.

The former classmates, who spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity out of concern they might face harassment, claimed Betts was suspended during his junior year at Bellbrook High School after the “hit list” was found scrawled in a campus bathroom.

The discovery purportedly came after an earlier suspension over a “rape list” that Betts brought to school, according to the classmates, a man and a woman now both 24.

“There was a kill list and a rape list, and my name was on the rape list,” the female classmate told the AP.

When the “hit list” came out in 2012, roughly a third of the students at Bellbrook High School skipped school out of fear of being targeted, according to the Dayton Daily News.

A 24-year-old woman told NBC News she was friends with Betts in middle school until he made a violent, sexual threat against her.

The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, claimed that Betts spoke of his desire to harm girls and said he was afraid of his own thoughts. She added that he showed her poems he had written about killing people and that she counseled him to get advice.

“He had really dark fantasies, a lot of them mixed death with sex,” she said.

Eventually, the woman cut off contact with Betts. “He threatened me, so I stopped being friends with him,” she said, adding that when she was 14, she alerted her parents to the threat and they went to the police to give a statement about Betts.

She said she was aware of the gunman’s disturbing lists.

“When I heard he was the shooter, I wasn’t surprised at all,” she said. “These are all the things that everyone tried to warn the police and the school about 10 years ago. Everyone knew who he was.”

Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl said Monday he was aware of Betts’ high school record, but warned against connecting the killer’s high school threats to the Sunday massacre.

“I’m a little bit reluctant … to interpret it 10 years later as somehow this is indicative of what happened yesterday,” Biehl said at a news conference.

“By taking pieces of evidence and coming to conclusions about its significance creates mistakes — large mistakes at times,” he added.

Johnson said she believes Betts’ mental illness was never treated, although she doesn’t think that was the root cause of the violence. She’s still trying to reconcile the man she cared for with the misery and mayhem he left behind.

“This isn’t about race. This isn’t about religion. It’s none of those things,” she told NBC News. “This is a man who was in pain and didn’t get the help that he needed.”

Gabe Gutierrez and Erik Ortiz reported from Dayton, Daniel Arkin and Ben Kesslen from New York. Brandy Zadrozny contributed reporting from New York.

The post Dayton gunman reportedly had hit lists, fascination with shootings: Everyone knew who he was appeared first on Gyrlversion.

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believingicanlv · 6 years

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The Modern Urban Sniper

Over the years, my Christian walk has helped me significantly when it comes to working as a Sniper. There are many principles that cross over.

One example is that both require great levels of preparation. The prep work required during a sniper operation is immense and would include everything from marksmanship training to land navigation. With my Christian walk, the preparation is similar by requiring reading the Bible, understanding what I’ve read, and discerning how to implement it into my daily walk.

My Christian walk also prepares my mind for the riggers of the job. I know that the Lord has me in this line of work to serve others and when necessary, save lives. Knowing this pushes me to train every week to be the best I can be so that if I’m called upon for an operation I’m able to perform at the highest level and don’t risk losing a hostage or one of the entry team members.

As I prepare myself, ringing in my ears is Isaiah 6:8 “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said ‘Here I am. Send me.’” Being grounded in my faith helps deal with situations that require the use of deadly force.

In the blog below, I’ve written about several of my experiences as well as the preparation that goes into each situation and in my overall training. As you read it, consider your own routine and the preparations that you put into your day to day life. How do you include Christ and your walk with Him in those preparations? Should you include Him more? How much do you allow Him and His word to guide you through the daily grind, not just the trials and tribulations.

The Modern Urban Sniper

For the professional Sniper/Observer team, an urban environment is filled with many daunting challenges. The skills to operate in a metropolitan landscape are essentially the same as most other Areas of Operation (AO); but, an additional knowledge base is required to instill the confidence and the flexibility needed to maximize your effectiveness as a precision shooter.

A few years back, we had a new technician on our team who had just returned from a sniper course hosted by an outside agency. We received a hostage call at approximately 03:30 one night, where an estranged husband was holding his children in a house at gunpoint, threatening to kill everyone. I was the first sniper to arrive on scene and immediately began looking for a Final Firing Position (FFP) on the front side of the suspect’s residence.

Directly across the street from the scene was a single-family, two-story house which had a large backyard surrounded with chain-link fence. Inside the yard were several large, potted plants scattered around. I pushed three of the plants together in a deep corner of the yard to build my hide site. That also allowed me to move several of the remaining plants to where I wanted to further obscure the FFP. This location allowed observation deep into the suspect’s residence. Should the team use an explosive breach to make entry and conduct a rescue, I could still provide overwatch.

Once the FFP was established and appropriately concealed, I began directing the other arriving snipers to positions around the suspect’s residence, which allowed us to cover all the angles.

When our newest sniper arrived, he came up on the radio and I directed him to my position. As was the senior marksman on the scene, I felt we could use the unfolding scenario as a learning opportunity.

When he arrived at my location, he began to tell me we needed to move our position due to the chain-link fence. I asked why, and he replied that we couldn’t shoot through it. I smiled at his objection, and told him as soon as we were done with this mission, I’d take him to the range and teach him how to shoot through loopholes.

The point of my bringing up this specific situation is not necessarily about the fence, but to raise an important point about training: not all “sniper” courses are the same, and some do not prepare a precision marksman to be fully-functioning on Day One of that person’s career. Most, if not all, law enforcement sniper courses focus on the pulling of the trigger. I can teach a monkey to lay down on a square range and pull the trigger on a target at a known distance. That does NOT make the monkey a sniper.

What I try to teach to a new sniper is how to solve dynamic, tactical problems. The agency sending a sniper to me should have already taught that person to shoot. We will absolutely refine the established skills, but, there’s no need to get caught up spending hours, if not days, talking about ballistics, weapon systems, and optics. That is basic knowledge a marksman should know before setting foot in my classroom.

Let’s discuss the basics of choosing your weapon system first. With the latest advancements in ballistic technology and manufacturing, a sub-MOA rifle with a variable-power optic should be your baseline. When having to shoot through intermediate barriers, or take shots to end volatile situations like a hostage taking, quality glass on a rifle accurate enough to consistently place shots within a couple millimeters of each other is a must.

Traditionally, a sniper would have five different rifles and optics, ranging from .223 Remington up to .50BMG—with multiple rounds available per weapon system. It’s hard enough to train with one weapon system weekly, and we’d be asking a sniper to train on all five every week?? It’s just not practical, or even necessary.

Now snipers can carry a multi-caliber weapon system, allowing for greater versatility and lethality during operations. One of the key benefits of this functionality is the shooter can utilize the same optic and reticle for every available caliber. Not only does it create uniformity, but it is also very cost-effective—from both a training and operational perspective.

Is it really necessary for a precision marksman to have all of those calibers available? It’s a valid question, and the answer is absolutely, “Yes, we do.”

On 13 June 2015 at approximately 1230 AM local time, James Boulware pulled up to the headquarters building of the Dallas (Texas) Police Department in an armored vehicle, where he began shooting at police with a semi-automatic weapon. SWAT responded to the scene, and one of their snipers employed his .50-caliber sniper rifle to disable the vehicle and neutralize the threat presented.

On 17 May 1995, just after dusk, Shawn Nelson went to a National Guard Armory in San Diego, California, and stole an M60A3 Patton tank. Once escaping the parking area in the Armory’s yard, Nelson went on a rampage with the tank, destroying cars, city infrastructure, and even an RV. At one point, the tank became high-centered on a highway median, which allowed police officers to climb onto the tank, open the hatch, and shoot Nelson.

These are just a couple examples of instances where law enforcement snipers would require heavier caliber weapon systems to stop specific threats. Not every call-out necessitates the presence of a .50-caliber sniper rifle, but as the saying goes: “It’s better to have and not need, than it is to need and not have.”

So how does a sniper determine which weapon to employ?

To determine that, a wide variety of factors need to be considered. What is the nature of the mission? Is it a lone suspect barricaded in a house? Hostage situation in a bank? Active shooter in a high school? Counter sniper? What is the suspect armed with? What is the perpetrator’s level of training? What is the likely engagement distance? What is the composition of the structure the suspect is in? What’s the potential for collateral damage?

Once a sniper processes all these factors, a determination will be made on the weapon system. You want the caliber which can stop the suspect instantaneously under the given conditions; but, you would be wise to choose one which minimizes the risk of over-penetration, which could endanger hostages, other civilians in the vicinity, or other first-responders on scene.

In December of 2015, my team was called out and responded to the north end of town reference a barricaded suspect. A female subject had earlier pointed a firearm at patrol officers conducting a welfare check. Upon my arrival to the scene, I got into a position on the front side of the structure.

As the call-out continued, a fellow sniper rendezvoused at my location. We discussed the use of bonded ammunition for this incident, due to a mother with small children refusing to evacuate from their home, which lay directly behind the suspect’s house. To minimize exposure, we opted to use a match-grade round in the event we might need to shoot. We also confirmed, via the snipers covering the rear of the target, the fence in the back yard was made of brick—not chain link. As it turned out, the female exited the residence with a shotgun and pointed it in the direction of the entry team. Snipers were forced to engage, neutralizing the threat.

During the engagement, of the match-grade rounds passed through the suspect’s body, continuing out of the residence through the sliding kitchen door, where it struck the rear block wall. The point of secondary impact was approximately 30 feet from the house occupied by the mother who refused to evacuate with her children.

To reiterate: weapon and ammunition selection are absolutely critical to your mission planning as a sniper.

Choosing the correct round is always an area where things start to get confusing. Law enforcement snipers will generally have the ability to choose the type of round needed for a particular operation—either match or bonded, but even that is limited to what the department has authorized, and any deviation from that may open disciplinary action and civil liability. All snipers should be able to choose the best weapon and ammunition combination for the mission, due to their increased knowledge of ballistics and barrier penetration. Most of the time, the person ordering the ammunition does not possess that same level of knowledge, or have an appropriate background to understand how complicated those choices can truly be. A lot of times, the supply officer simply orders whatever is the cheapest or what they can get a deal, on and then the marksman is stuck with it—which leads us into training.

Training is a constant in the Sniper’s life. They are always trying to be the best they can be, knowing lives are at stake every time there is an activation. Training must be a scheduled event, and should be weekly to correctly maintain proficiency in all the requisite skills. Sometimes training can be as simple as a “tabletop scenario” discussion about a previous situation elsewhere, which forces the sniper make decisions shoot/no-shoot decisions based on the given tactical criteria, as well as discussing potential outcomes.

The list of topics where we as snipers need to build our knowledge and maintain proficiency is pretty much endless: moving targets; intermediate barriers; loop-hole shooting; man-tracking; engagement from aerial platforms; land navigation; ballistics; urban operations; vehicle hides; new technology; NVG and Thermal optics; and the list goes on. Point being, a sniper’s training must be both consistent and constant.

Our SWAT Team is broken down into two units. We have 24/7 coverage, broken into front half and back half of the week, with Wednesday as our overlap and training day. One team is very pro-training; the snipers would train two or three times a week, even if it required coming into work early. The other team worked the busier days of the week, which consistently hindered their training time.

In 2013, our team received a call about a male suspect in an apartment complex, brandishing a firearm while eluding patrol officers and attempting to get into apartments. One of the snipers from the other team arrived on scene first, and was directed by patrol to the general location of the suspect. The sniper was also informed the suspect had already exchanged gunfire with the patrol officers.

The sniper soon located the suspect: he was on the 3rd floor of the apartment building, standing in the breezeway between the south and north wings of the building. The sniper directed more arriving SWAT technicians to the north side of the structure—just in case the suspect ran. Once the suspect realized SWAT was setting up containment, he attempted to kick in the door of an apartment, then occupied by a single female home alone.

Our sniper chose to deploy with his bolt-action, .308-caliber sniper rifle loaded with bonded ammunition. When the suspect attempted to kick in the apartment door, the sniper was forced to engage—to prevent the suspect from taking the apartment’s female occupant hostage. Unfortunately, the fired round struck a metal railing, deflecting the bullet’s trajectory enough that it went over the top of the suspect, through the occupied apartment, and exited the north side of the building just a few inches above the heads of the entry team. The suspect realized he was being shot at, so he ran north through the breezeway in the direction the entry team. There was an exchange of gunfire and the suspect was neutralized. There were a lot of lessons learned on this operation, but the point is this: had the sniper been training consistently, despite the hectic schedule, I’m very confident the woman occupying the apartment and the SWAT technicians on the entry team would never have been endangered.

In urban environments, there is higher population density, increased media activity, a myriad of visual obstructions, slope angles, pets, and all sorts of intermediate barriers to deal with. Precision marksmen must clearly understand the rules of engagement for aggressive animals, Hostile civilians, and the laws governing the use of deadly force. The most important factor for urban operations is adherence to Rule #1: ALWAYS blend into your surroundings, regardless of where the mission takes place.

Secondly, with high-resolution maps and tools like Google Earth readily available, the sniper needs to plan discreet INFIL and EXFIL routes, as well as identify potential FFP sites. When determining those locations, a precision marksman must remember to make sure all the entrances and exits of the target location are covered. Depending availability of manpower and length of operation, the sniper/observer team may want to bring security personnel with them; however, this will increase the footprint and increase the likelihood of compromise.

Once the FFP has been established, the sniper/observer team must ensure the position does offer both cover and concealment, and blends into the surroundings. The team must relay their position back to the command post, along with any exigent intelligence. The pair must also finalize their cover/concealment, plan escape routes if things go badly, conduct detailed visual search of the target building via the rifle scope, spotting scope, or binoculars, and start a range card for distances between their position and known points on the target location.

A topic typically overlooked is what happens after a precision marksman pulls the trigger. I teach a class about the “sniper mindset,” where we focus on several areas that allow a sniper to be prepared from beginning to end—no matter how the operation finishes. For example, we discuss the fact that a sniper engagement does not automatically mean the end of the operation. On the contrary, it may be just the beginning.

What if there are more armed suspects on the location?? Even if it’s a barricade with a single suspect who is successfully neutralized with the first shot, a sniper must still be ready to cover the entry team as they move to secure the suspect and clear the structure. We also discuss what happens to the sniper after the mission concludes. For example, if it’s a law enforcement agency, there will be a full investigation into the incident, step by step, start to finish. Even in a military sniper engagement, there will be questions to answer about why the trigger was pressed and rounds were sent downrange. A sniper may feel as though they’re being second-guessed, and may end up questioning their own actions.

In March 2014, I was called to a freefall drop zone. There was a subject barricaded in an RV who had fired shots at the personnel manning the drop zone, and threatened the responding patrol officers. When I arrived at the scene, I put on the top portion and veil of my ghillie suit, and made my way to a position which allowed me to look inside of the RV. While I was in position and coordinating the other arriving SWAT technicians and snipers, I could see the suspect inside, watching the entry team as they arrived and prepared to move to a forward position. I could see the veins bulge in his neck as he was screaming at them. At one point, the suspect stepped out of the RV, armed with a Soviet-era SKS semi-automatic rifle. He chambered a round and began to shoulder the rifle, which indicated an intent to engage the entry team where they stood. I responded appropriately and negated the threat before he could fire on my teammates.

My decision to shoot invited a lot of criticism from people not on the scene and, more importantly, did not have a firm grasp of all the variables. For example, traffic on the highway near the location of the standoff was backed up for miles, and traveling at only 5 mph. The effective range of the SKS rifle is 400 meters, and the distance from the suspect’s RV to the highway was approximately 200 meters. So not only was the entry team endangered, but so were a staggering number of civilians traveling that section of highway.

Most of the criticism came because the information presented was very general, stating only that the suspect was in the middle of the desert in his RV when I engaged him. When you’re on the scene and end up employing your weapon, the last thing you want to hear is that others—especially your leadership—have issues with your shot, and a criminal investigation into your actions is about to ensue. That alone will create an unbelievable amount of anxiety in anyone. In my situation, once all the facts were presented and the totally of the circumstances at play were considered, my actions were legally justified under department policy, as well as both state and federal statute. It was also morally the right decision.

The reason I bring up this up is to show, as precision marksmen, the need for open and honest discussion about how things play out after the shot. It also addresses the need of leadership or administrations to have both faith and trust in the knowledge, training, and experience of the snipers. The legality of your actions should always be discussed and prepared for, to include the possible presence of an attorney to represent you after you’ve applied your training in a real-world situation.

The list of potential topics to discuss with urban sniping is pretty much endless. There is neither the time nor the space to touch on all of it, but my goal was cover what I feel are the most critical points. So to close, I will leave you with this thought: whenever you’re moving out for a real-world operation, always approach it with the thought of, “I’m going up against someone who is better trained than I am.” First and foremost, that realization will keep you humble and eager to both learn and train as much as possible. Secondly, it will keep you from taking a lackadaisical approach to the mission, thereby minimizing the risk of you or any of your teammates being critically wounded or killed.

Be smart, train hard, and continue to hone your craft.

#Modern Urban Sniper #Charles Moser #Mosers #believingican

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pete-and-pete · 6 years

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Cheryl Turner Hopkins Husband Is Accused Florence Shooter

The husband of Cheryl Turner Hopkins, a family and divorce attorney, was named as the man accused of shooting seven law enforcement officers in Florence, South Carolina, when they went to the family’s home to serve a search warrant on someone else.

The accused shooter was named as Fred Hopkins, 74, who has been married to Cheryl Turner Hopkins for more than 30 years, according to his Facebook page posts. Frederick Hopkins is a disbarred lawyer and Vietnam veteran who claimed on Facebook to suffer from the effects of Agent Orange.

Authorities say he sprayed gunfire at the law enforcement officers injuring six of them and killing Officer Terrence Carraway. The shooting unfolded at the Hopkins family home near Florence, South Carolina on October 3, 2018.

Fred Hopkins, who is also known as Frederick Hopkins, is alive and in the hospital because he fell at the scene but is unable to speak to law enforcement, the Associated Press says. You can read about the life of Officer Terrence Carraway here. He was a former football coach and family man who worked in law enforcement for three decades.

Authorities were trying to serve a search warrant for a 27-year-old person at the home accused of sexually assaulting a foster child there when Fred Hopkins is accused of opening fire on them, according to WPDE-TV.

A source close to investigation tells me the suspect in the shooting of 7 officers in Florence yesterday is Fred Hopkins. I’m told Hopkins remains in the hospital. Deputies say he fell yesterday at the scene. No word on his condition.

— Tonya Brown (@TonyaWPDE) October 4, 2018

Here’s what you need to know:

Fred Hopkins Is a Vietnam Vet & Disbarred Lawyer Who Claimed He Suffered From Agent Orange

Fred Hopkins

In rambling posts on Facebook, Fred Hopkins indicated that he was a Vietnam veteran who was a cancer survivor, an ailment he attributed to Agent Orange exposure. A 2000 court document in an old child support case indicated that he was wounded in Vietnam. “Father was injured in the Vietnam war; his sole source of income is his disability check of $1127.00 per month,” the documents say, referring to Fred Hopkins.

Fred Hopkins was a disbarred lawyer with a previous disorderly conduct case, according to WPDE. He also had previous cases for animals “running at large.”

Records from the South Carolina Bar Association indicated that Frederick Hopkins was disbarred in 1984. His name was given as Frederick T. Hopkins, Jr.

In one post on Facebook, he wrote, “Today was a fantastic day! I went to the Dorn VA Hospital in Columbia, SC, and spoke with my oncologist, who gave me some very good news. My recent P.E.T. scan from the Charleston VA Hospital shows that I have no evidence of an active case of ‘b-cell lymphoma.’ Once I complete my schedule of chemo sessions, they will let me rest for several months and monitor my case with simple scans. That means — no radiation treatments in the near future. I am in remission!!! My family couldn’t be happier. Looks like I will be around for a few more years. I just might make it to my birthday in two days! The sun was shining and the powers above looked upon me with kindness.”

In one post, he spoke of losing more than 50 comrades in Vietnam, writing, “I miss you all very much and especially those who died 6 May 1970 on the slopes of FSB Henderson, RVN. Time magazine in the May 1970 issue it was the bloodiest firebase attack in the Army’s history. I lost more than 50 of the best brothers I ever knew my short life. They deserved better.”

He wrote about Agent Orange exposure: “Had the biggest ‘gut check’ of my life yesterday. I underwent 8.5 hours od chemo for ‘mantle cell lymphoma’ because I was exposed to heavy doses of ‘Agent Orange’ while performing combat duties with the 101st Airborne Division in Viet Nam in 1969-1970. I have been fighting this disease for five years on my own and the VA finally found out why I had pain and swollen nodules in my neck. Next chemo on June 12th. Feeling well so far, but was allergic to several meds they gave me. No pain, no gain! My eight kids are all in the house and one on the way — due about August 8th, plus or minus ten days. Updates to follow.”

Hopkins Is Married to Cheryl Turner Hopkins, a Prominent Divorce & Family Attorney

Fred Hopkins

On Facebook, where he posted pictures of his family, his wife, rifles, and her Mother’s Day presents, Fred Hopkins wrote that he had studied Aerospace Engineering at Polytechnic Institute of New York University, went to Elmont Memorial Junior – Senior High School, lived in Florence, South Carolina, and was from Brooklyn, New York.

He was married to Cheryl Turner Hopkins, who is a well-known attorney in the Florence area. He recently posted a series of pictures of flowers and other gifts his wife received for Mother’s Day, writing, “These are pictures of my Bride’s (Cheryl Hopkins) many presents from Mother’s Day (13 May 2018) and posted on my timeline.”

On Facebook, he indicated that he had been married to Cheryl Hopkins for more than 30 years. “Today I spent several hours getting medicine for my wife of 30+ years,” he wrote in one Facebook post. “I am very proud of her and know how important good medicine is a getting it on time. I would be lost without her good cheer and great jokes and stories from the courthouse. I am about to go to dinner in Garden City, SC and hope to meet my fourth son, Jeremy, who is now attending Clemson. Since I received my doctorate from USC, he is bound and determined to tell me that Clemson (ranked #3 nationally) is the best. Well, whatever.”

In one old news story, Cheryl Turner Hopkins was quoted because she had represented a woman whose husband was accused of killing her.

Fred Hopkins Wrote About Rifles on Facebook & Posted Pictures of Them

A photo on Fred Hopkins’ Facebook page.

Hopkins sometimes wrote about weaponry. “This is my rifle…….. this one is my gun. This one was built just for me and this one was for fun!” he wrote in one Facebook post.

In another post, he wrote, “The day after my 70th birthday, I took my 12 year old son to my favorite rifle range in Lexington County SC for the monthly service rifle match. It showered all day and I fired my M-14 rifle by Federal Ordnance in 7.62mm NATO. The rifle is set up exactly like one I used in Viet Nam in 69-70. I scored 338-0X’s and had a blast! I have been shooting competitively since 1984 and lovin’ it. I just love the smell of gunpowder in the mornin’s. The guys at the range sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to me — gosh, it doesn’t get any better.”

A Supreme Court decision from 2000 indicated that Fred Hopkins was married before to a woman named Carol Hopkins and that Cheryl Turner Hopkins, his second wife, helped him with the divorce.

“Mother and Father were married in 1967; they divorced in May 1983,” that court case said, referring to Fred and Carol Hopkins. “They had two children: Sean, born May 26, 1972, and Fred, born December 4, 1969. Father was ordered to pay child support of $350.00 per month. In November 1986, Father was found to be $18,693.00 in arrears in his child support, and an order garnishing $432.60 per month of his military disability payments was entered.”

The court case continued: “The younger son, Sean, went to live with Father for approximately 5 months, from late April, 1990, through September, 1990. In early May 1990, Father instituted the instant action seeking custody of Sean; a hearing was held on May 13, 1990, three days prior to Sean’s 18th birthday. Father sought termination of support for his older son Fred, claiming he was over age 18 and was not entitled to post-emancipation support; Father did, however, request Mother be required to pay post-emancipation support for Sean. The family court gave Father temporary custody of Sean but required Father to continue making his child support payments pending the final hearing.”

The documents indicate: “he was represented at trial by his current wife, attorney Cheryl Turner Hopkins.”

Authorities Said Hopkins’ Position at the Scene Gave Him an ‘Advantage’ Over Responding Officers

#officerdown Police Officer Terrence Carraway, Florence Police Department (South Carolina), EOW 10/3/2018 @scflorencecity Six other officers and deputies were wounded! #rememberthefallen https://t.co/PSXdA4K1ov pic.twitter.com/joxTuwW7lk

— ODMP.org (@ODMP) October 4, 2018

Authorities said gunfire was being shot “all over.” They said officers saw fellow officers down. The way the suspect was positioned, his view of fire was several hundred yards. “So he had an advantage. The officers couldn’t get to the ones who were down.”

Initial reports had said that five officers were shot. However, later reports said as many as seven officers (four City of Florence and three Florence County sheriff’s deputies), and a 20-year-old man, were shot.

NEW INFORMATION: Four City of Florence officers were shot, three deputies were shot, and a 20 year old male was shot

A City of Florence officer has died @WBTWNews13 pic.twitter.com/AUBZt5COB6

— Teresa Galasso WBTW (@TeresaOnTV) October 3, 2018

One officer, Carraway, died in the shooting. Two of the other officers’ conditions were described as “touch and go,” according to WPDE-TV. The officer who died is a City of Florence police officer. “Carolinas Hospital System in Florence is on a temporary lock down following the shooting,” WPDE-TV reported. The station added that, according to neighbors, the initial call was for shots fired inside a home.

“The active shooting situation is over and the suspect is in custody. We are asking everyone to stay away from Vintage Place as there is still an active crime investigation in progress,” the Emergency Management office wrote on Facebook.

Florence County Emergency Management confirmed the incident on Twitter, writing, “Due to a high priority call in Vintage Place off of Hoffmeyer Rd in FLORENCE. There is an active shooter incident in progress at this time. We are advising everyone to stay away from this area. We have FCSO along with City PD and other first responders handling this situation.” Photos and videos captured a massive law enforcement response to the scene.

BREAKING: Report: 5 law enforcement officers shot in Florence South Carolina, Police confirm "active shooter". pic.twitter.com/Zs6HJOfxll

— Keith Esparros (@kesparros) October 3, 2018

The message was stamped “high priority” on Twitter. Gov. Henry McMaster wrote on Twitter, “This is simply devastating news from Florence. The selfless acts of bravery from the men and women in law enforcement is real, just like the power of prayer is real.”

#BREAKING: Photos from the scene of the 'active shooter' in Florence, South Carolina where 5 law enforcement officers has been shot. (Photos: @TonyaWPDE) pic.twitter.com/o01IRs2ouP

— BreakingNNow (@BreakingNNow) October 3, 2018

The Florence County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Department is located in Effingham, South Carolina. Florence is a community located about 80 miles from Columbia, South Carolina. A local high school was put in lockdown as a precautionary measure.

Due to a high priority call in Vintage Place off of Hoffmeyer Rd in FLORENCE. There is an active shooter incident in progress at this time. We are advising everyone to stay away from this area. We have FCSO along with City PD and other first responders handling this situation. pic.twitter.com/qvpYJPIAZk

— FCEMD (@FlorenceCoEMD) October 3, 2018

Representative Terry Alexander, who represents parts of Florence, released the following statement to WPDE: “It’s just a very sad situation. We have got to do something about these guns. We should also remember to be calm and let the process take place. Let’s see what our magnificent law enforcement officers come up with to make sure that our people are safe, especially our children. I am in prayer for all six families who are hurting right now, including that of the shooter.”

source https://heavy.com/news/2018/10/cheryl-turner-hopkins-husband-fred/

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blogparadiseisland · 6 years

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Nature These Firms Say They Can Help Prevent School Shootings and Suicides. Do They?

Nature These Firms Say They Can Help Prevent School Shootings and Suicides. Do They? Nature These Firms Say They Can Help Prevent School Shootings and Suicides. Do They? http://www.nature-business.com/nature-these-firms-say-they-can-help-prevent-school-shootings-and-suicides-do-they/

Nature

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Employees at Social Sentinel in Burlington, Vt. “If a student is posting about shooting their teacher, we would hope we’d be able to find something like that,” said Gary Margolis, the company’s chief executive.CreditCreditHilary Swift for The New York Times

Hours after the deadly school shooting in Parkland, Fla., companies that market their services to schools began to speak up. “Governor, take pride that a Vermont-based company is helping schools identify the violence before it happens,” one company wrote on Twitter to Gov. Phil Scott of Vermont.

The chief executive of another company appeared on the news to boast of a “home run”: Its algorithms, he said, had helped prevent two student suicides.

To an anguished question that often follows school shootings — Why didn’t anyone spot the warning signs? — these companies have answered with a business model: 24/7 monitoring of student activity on social media.

Often without advance warning to students and parents, the companies flag posts like those of Auseel Yousefi, who was expelled in 2013 from his high school in Huntsville, Ala., for Twitter posts made on the last day of his junior year. “A kid has a right to be who they want outside of school,” he said later.

More than 100 public school districts and universities, faced with the prospect that the next attacker may be among their own students, have hired social media monitoring companies over the past five years, according to a review of school spending records. And each successive tragedy brings more customers: In the weeks after the Parkland attack, dozens of schools entered into such contracts, even though there is little evidence that the programs work as promised.

The customers have included districts reeling in the aftermath of shootings, like the Newtown Public Schools in Connecticut; some of the nation’s largest urban school systems, like Los Angeles and Chicago; and prominent universities like Michigan State and Florida State. The monitoring is one of a host of products and services, including active shooter insurance and facial recognition technology, that are being marketed to schools amid questions about their value.

“If it helps save one life, it’s worth every dollar spent on it,” said Chris Frydrych, the chief executive of Geo Listening, a California company whose website says, “Don’t miss out on the opportunity to listen.”

In many cases the monitoring contracts have not worked out as planned. There is little evidence the companies have helped ferret out brewing threats of violence, bullying or self-harm, according to a review of contracts, marketing materials and emails obtained through public records requests.

But in hiring them, schools expand the traditional boundaries of their responsibility, and perhaps, experts say, their liability. And, the documents show, they vacuum up hundreds of harmless posts, raising questions about student privacy.

One of the posts by Mr. Yousefi, now 22, said he was going to “chop” a teacher “in the throat,” which he said was an inside joke among the class, the teacher included. He believes his posts were brought to the school’s attention by a social media monitoring company seeking clients.

“It takes authority and extends it to an inappropriate extent in a way that’s truly terrifying,” he said. Shortly afterward, the district hired a firm to monitor posts, and more than a dozen students were expelled.

The monitoring programs have often been initiated without notifying students, parents or local school boards. Because of their relatively low cost — contracts typically range from a few thousand dollars to $40,000 per year — the deals can get buried in school board agendas.

In their advertising, the companies promise much, but when contacted, they declined to give details on specific incidents, citing nondisclosure agreements and student privacy laws. Many schools also declined to give details of instances in which they used the companies’ information.

Interviews and marketing materials help paint a picture of the companies’ basic approach. Some apply and pay for access to social media companies’ public data, such as Twitter’s so-called data fire hose, which gives users the ability to access and analyze public tweets in bulk.

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Auseel Yousefi was expelled from his high school in 2013 for posting Twitter messages he insists were a joke but the school viewed as threatening.CreditAudra Melton for The New York Times

Rather than asking schools for a list of students and social media handles, the companies typically employ a method called “geofencing” to sweep up posts within a given geographic area and use keywords to narrow the pool. Because only a small fraction of social media users share their locations, the companies use additional clues, like a user’s hometown, to determine whose content is worth flagging.

School officials are alerted to flagged posts in real time or in batches at the end of each day. Burlington High School in Massachusetts typically receives two to six alerts per day from Social Sentinel, the company based in Vermont, according to a list of alerts from 2017. Many consisted of normal teenage banter.

“Ok so all day I’ve wanted my bio grade up online and now that it’s up I’ve decided I want to die,” one Twitter post said.

“Hangnails make me want to die,” said another.

By its count, Social Sentinel has contracts in more than 30 states.

“We’re a carbon monoxide detector,” said Gary Margolis, the company’s chief executive and a former campus police chief. “If a student is posting about not liking their teacher, that’s not what we pay attention to. If a student is posting about shooting their teacher, we would hope we’d be able to find something like that.”

Mark Pompano, the security director for the school district that includes Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut, has vetted hundreds of school safety products since the mass shooting there. In 2015, impressed by Social Sentinel’s pitch, he gave the company a try for a few months, but it never caught anything serious, he said.

Social Sentinel struggled to weed out posts from the Twitter account of a nearby liquor store, records show.

“I cannot recall a single incident that we used Social Sentinel to pursue some type of security threat or anything like that,” Mr. Pompano said. “If something doesn’t work, we’re not going to stick with it.”

Today, Mr. Pompano said, the district relies mostly on tips from students, a system that works well if there is an atmosphere of trust. “It goes back to human intelligence, where kids have at least one trusted adult,” he said, “knowing what they’re telling them is confidential.”

In a few cases, school administrators said, monitoring services have helped them identify students who appeared to be at risk of harming themselves. More rare were instances in which an imminent threat to others was thwarted. In 2015, as the first anniversary of a shooting at Florida State approached, a post expressing sympathy for the gunman and an intent to visit the campus was intercepted by Social Sentinel, the campus police chief said. The man was stopped on campus and warned to stay away. When he returned, he was arrested.

Patrick Larkin, an assistant superintendent in Burlington, Mass., said he receives alerts on his phone in real time from Social Sentinel. “Nineteen out of 20” come from people who are not even his students, he said earlier this year.

Real threats, administrators said, are more often flagged by vigilant users, as was the case with the Parkland gunman, whose troubling comments on YouTube were reported to the F.B.I.

Mr. Larkin said Social Sentinel helps him sleep easier at night. And because it can track only public posts — nothing that requires a “friend” request — he doesn’t see it as an intrusion.

“My concern was, what if it’s some odd hour and some kid tweets something I don’t see?” he said.

Mr. Margolis said it is hard to demonstrate that harm has been averted. “How do you measure the absence of something?” he said, adding that Social Sentinel’s algorithms have improved in recent months.

One client, Michael Sander, the superintendent of Franklin City Schools in Ohio, said he had planned to contact the police about a Twitter message that read, “There’s three seasons: summer, construction season and school shooting season.” But the poster appeared to attend school in Franklin, Wis. — not Ohio.

Some companies have backed off from early promises, including creating watch lists that tracked specific people. LifeRaft, based in Nova Scotia, told the Salem-Keizer Public Schools in Oregon that it could help the district find “behavioral information” on “individuals of concern.” The company also vowed to monitor the conversations of “groups and networks” connected with those individuals.

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Mr. Margolis of Social Sentinel said it was difficult to demonstrate that harm had been averted. “How do you measure the absence of something?” he said.CreditHilary Swift for The New York Times

Mary Jane Leslie, the vice president of LifeRaft, acknowledged that the language was “creepy,” saying, “To be frank, I don’t think the software ever really did that.”

She added that the company no longer markets its services to schools.

To use social media data, monitoring companies must agree to specific rules, which were tightened after multiple companies were condemned by the American Civil Liberties Union in 2016 for helping police clients surveil activists in the Black Lives Matter movement. Twitter, Facebook and Instagram cut off the firms’ data access. Some, like Social Sentinel, dropped their police contracts to concentrate on serving schools.

The A.C.L.U. called out Media Sonar, an Ontario firm that recommended that its police clients monitor hashtags like #BlackLivesMatter, #DontShoot and #ImUnarmed. In late 2015, around the one-year anniversary of the death of Michael Brown in an encounter with the police in Ferguson, Mo., Media Sonar briefly contracted with the Ferguson-Florissant School District, which asked for alerts on the terms “protest” and “walkout.”

Kevin Hampton, a spokesman for the district, said the service was used strictly for safety purposes. Media Sonar did not respond to interview requests.

But privacy advocates questioned whether safety was the companies’ only motive. “The companies seem to dance back and forth” between marketing themselves for public health and student discipline, said Kade Crockford, director of the A.C.L.U. of Massachusetts’ Technology for Liberty program. “Those two goals seem fairly at odds and somewhat contradictory.”

In 2013, the Huntsville City Schools in Alabama enlisted a consulting firm for a surveillance program that led to the expulsion of 14 students, 12 of them African-American.

Casey Wardynski, the district’s former superintendent, told local news organizations that the program had helped break up a local gang, and some students were expelled for wielding guns on Facebook.

One student had been accused of “holding too much money” in photographs, an investigation by the Southern Poverty Law Center found, and one was suspended for an Instagram post in which she wore a sweatshirt with an airbrushed image of her father, a murder victim. School officials said the sweatshirt’s colors and the student’s hand symbol were evidence of gang ties, according to the investigation.

Monitoring students’ lives off campus is untested terrain. School lawyers are advising administrators to be “very cautious,” said Sonja Trainor, the managing director of legal advocacy for the National School Boards Association. Districts “tend to find that they’re inundated with information, and it becomes very difficult to establish parameters for issuing warnings to the community,” she said.

In 2013, the Glendale Unified School District in California hired the company Geo Listening in response to student suicides in which online bullying had been cited as a factor.

Lilly Leif, a 2017 graduate of Glendale’s Crescenta Valley High School, said she was summoned to the assistant principal’s office after using an expletive in a post about her biology class. The assistant principal showed her a printed copy and asked her to change her account settings to private, she said.

“She said it reflected poorly on my high school and my teacher,” said Ms. Leif, 19, now a college sophomore.

In another instance, Ms. Leif said, an administrator asked students to delete a message promoting a school fund-raiser at “Blaze Pizza” and “Baked Bear” — actual pizza and ice cream establishments — because of the apparent allusions to marijuana.

Rene Valdes, the district’s former director of student support services, said the program included teaching students online etiquette. “The conversation with the kid would be, ‘Realize that companies are now monitoring social media before they hire people,’” Mr. Valdes said.

After an outcry in Glendale, the State Legislature passed a 2014 law requiring California schools to notify students and parents if they are even considering a monitoring program. The law also lets students see any information collected about them and tells schools to destroy all data on students once they turn 18 or leave the district.

That’s no longer a concern for Glendale, which dropped its contract with Geo Listening last year.

“We discovered more and more kids were using Instagram and Snapchat, and those were not being monitored by Geo Listening,” Mr. Valdes said. “It seems like the kids are always two steps ahead of the adults.”

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Nature These Firms Say They Can Help Prevent School Shootings and Suicides. Do They?, in 2018-09-06 14:17:37

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Nature These Firms Say They Can Help Prevent School Shootings and Suicides. Do They?

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