I see a lot of misinfo and uninformed speculation in the post. The shooter pled guilty of all charges and due to a protester's helmet cam video there's no question at all that he shot all those people. Only one protester was armed, and he withdrew his gun only after Smith began shooting protesters. In contradiction of your post, the protester who stopped the mass-shooter was arrested by the anti-BLM Portland Police, but later they had to release him with no charges. The Portland Police were spreading misinformation about the event, and some news media (and "news" media including right-wing political disinfo media) perpetuated the false info without questioning it.
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Civil Rights Groups Call For Investigation Into Police Misinformation Following Mass Shooting
Right now if I were on a jury not sure I would convict Smith. At this point there are so many holes in this story that a defense lawyer should be able to leave a lot of doubt on the bulk of these charges.
The MSM coverage is SO bad, I have no idea what to believe.
At the moment I'm supposed to believe that a cranky old white man (who supposedly hated cops just a few years ago) took a handgun and actually shot several people, who eventually I discovered were armed themselves. Of course I now learn he himself was shot and badly injured, making his marksmanship near miraculous.
While theoretically possible, it is very hard for a law enforcement officer firing a handgun on a range, knowing nobody is trying to kill them, to make a tight patter at more than 5 yards.
Keep in mind that according to crime stats, serious crime is actually DOWN 30% in MultCo since Schmidt took office. Of course not filing the charge is not the same thing as it not happening.
It is not looking good at all for Benjamin J. Smith. He will get the same circumspect coverage the German media gave to those Poles who started the Second World War.
Having lost all faith in American institutions, most especially local authorities, I am unable to believe any source that has been so far cited. Were a superseding federal investigation to be initiated I would have yet less faith in the narrative and charges produced.
If anyone should be charged and held accountable it should be Schmidt, Wheeler, Hardesty, Rubio, and Ryan. Throw in the citizens that made this outcome inevitable. It will get worse.
Meanwhile, I'll look into a GoFundMe for the accused. I looked closely at what occurred on January 6 2021 and what occurred regularly here for months. You don't need a weatherman.
Nah, let's charge the adult who should have been in charge of his emotions but instead chose to walk over to the park and shoot people. After all, guns don't kill people - people do.
Hmm. See your point. However, (always the howevers) the city has let race hate gangs terrorize the community, destroy many businesses, and corrupt further an already rotten government and press.
It was inevitable that murderous and probably irrational resistance was going to come to the surface. It will continue to rise up. Portland has encouraged and fostered lawlessness. Portland has nurtures hate and violence and so it blooms here. It has gotten lawlessness only through prolonged and concentrated efforts.
Last year I got out of my car after a couple of months driving Lombard. This particular stoplight had Antifa/BLM messages urging the citizenry to kill police and the odd white person. I pray painted over it. Haters came out of the pavement and tried to stop my car until friends could come and assured me that they could and would get my information.
Those race hate groups regularly seized control of Interstate Ave. and neither cop nor reporter noted it. They killed a man in the street, followed others to their homes and on and on. Thug life engenders thuggery.
I see a lot of misinfo and uninformed speculation in the post. The shooter pled guilty of all charges and due to a protester's helmet cam video there's no question at all that he shot all those people. Only one protester was armed, and he withdrew his gun only after Smith began shooting protesters. In contradiction of your post, the protester who stopped the mass-shooter was arrested by the anti-BLM Portland Police, but later they had to release him with no charges. The Portland Police were spreading misinformation about the event, and some news media (and "news" media including right-wing political disinfo media) perpetuated the false info without questioning it.
=========================
Civil Rights Groups Call For Investigation Into Police Misinformation Following Mass Shooting
https://www.portlandmercury.com/news/2022/02/25/38734518/civil-rights-groups-call-for-investigation-into-police-misinformation-following-mass-shooting
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Normandale Park Killer Pleads Guilty to All Charges
https://www.wweek.com/news/courts/2023/03/08/normandale-park-killer-pleads-guilty-to-all-charges/
Right now if I were on a jury not sure I would convict Smith. At this point there are so many holes in this story that a defense lawyer should be able to leave a lot of doubt on the bulk of these charges.
The MSM coverage is SO bad, I have no idea what to believe.
At the moment I'm supposed to believe that a cranky old white man (who supposedly hated cops just a few years ago) took a handgun and actually shot several people, who eventually I discovered were armed themselves. Of course I now learn he himself was shot and badly injured, making his marksmanship near miraculous.
While theoretically possible, it is very hard for a law enforcement officer firing a handgun on a range, knowing nobody is trying to kill them, to make a tight patter at more than 5 yards.
Keep in mind that according to crime stats, serious crime is actually DOWN 30% in MultCo since Schmidt took office. Of course not filing the charge is not the same thing as it not happening.
Is this satire?
Satire is easy, tragedy is hard. This is tragedy. It is/was absolutely unnecessary. Cowardice and prevarication were its precondition.
It is not looking good at all for Benjamin J. Smith. He will get the same circumspect coverage the German media gave to those Poles who started the Second World War.
Having lost all faith in American institutions, most especially local authorities, I am unable to believe any source that has been so far cited. Were a superseding federal investigation to be initiated I would have yet less faith in the narrative and charges produced.
If anyone should be charged and held accountable it should be Schmidt, Wheeler, Hardesty, Rubio, and Ryan. Throw in the citizens that made this outcome inevitable. It will get worse.
Meanwhile, I'll look into a GoFundMe for the accused. I looked closely at what occurred on January 6 2021 and what occurred regularly here for months. You don't need a weatherman.
Nah, let's charge the adult who should have been in charge of his emotions but instead chose to walk over to the park and shoot people. After all, guns don't kill people - people do.
Hmm. See your point. However, (always the howevers) the city has let race hate gangs terrorize the community, destroy many businesses, and corrupt further an already rotten government and press.
It was inevitable that murderous and probably irrational resistance was going to come to the surface. It will continue to rise up. Portland has encouraged and fostered lawlessness. Portland has nurtures hate and violence and so it blooms here. It has gotten lawlessness only through prolonged and concentrated efforts.
Last year I got out of my car after a couple of months driving Lombard. This particular stoplight had Antifa/BLM messages urging the citizenry to kill police and the odd white person. I pray painted over it. Haters came out of the pavement and tried to stop my car until friends could come and assured me that they could and would get my information.
Those race hate groups regularly seized control of Interstate Ave. and neither cop nor reporter noted it. They killed a man in the street, followed others to their homes and on and on. Thug life engenders thuggery.
Can we please just refer to Schmidt as Mike "I Don't Give A" Schmidt from now on?