The man who shot up an Aurora, Colo., movie theater during a screening of “The Dark Knight Rises” last summer has reportedly converted to Islam and prays up to five times a day.
A prison source say the beard James Holmes sported in court last months represents his new-found faith. The source said Mr. Holmes has turned Muslim as a way of justifying his horrific crimes on July 20 which left 12 people dead and 58 people wounded, the Daily Mail reports.
“He has brainwashed himself into believing he was on his own personal jihad and that his victims were infidels,” the source told the National Enquirer.
Mr. Holmes now prays five times a day, sticks to a strict Muslim diet and spends hours each day studying the Koran, the source told the Enquirer.
But most Muslim inmates are not happy with the convict’s new religion.
“None of them condone forms of terrorism or extremism,” the source added. “And they don’t want their religion to be connected to that awful shooting.”
Holmes isn't making any friends among his fellow Muslim inmates.
What's weird is that the inmates "don't want their religion to be connected to that awful shooting." They display conscience and concern, so I wonder why they're behind bars.
Converting to Islam, real or staged, isn't going to help Holmes at all. He's a cold-blooded murderer. There's no justification.
Will Brian Ross, the ABC News reporter who erroneously labeled Holmes a Tea Party member, report on the religious conversion of Holmes?
Two men are moving into a home on Milwaukee's southeast side.
The new neighbors are Shawn Schulpius and Edwin West - sex offenders.
These are bad men. They're dangerous.
Is it surprising that residents in the area don't want them released in their neighborhood?
No.
Is it surprising that during a meeting at St. Veronica Church Milwaukee County D.A. John Chisholm told concerned residents that the sex offenders WILL be moving in and they need to deal with it?
Two convicted sex offenders scheduled to soon move into a Bay View home drew a crowd of a couple hundred residents to a meeting Monday night.
After listening to police, prosecutors and corrections officials explain why Shawn Schulpius and Edwin West will move to a rental home in the 1100 block of E. Van Beck Ave. later this month, residents scribbled questions on cards and later angrily shouted questions. One resident asked how they could feel secure if both West and Schulpius are repeat offenders.
Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm said the men have served their sentences as well as many years at a secure treatment center for sex offenders in Mauston and now experts have determined, and a judge has agreed, that they should be allowed back into society.
"I understand there are great concerns of everyone in this room," Chisholm said at the meeting inside St. Veronica Church on E. Norwich Ave. "We treat all these cases like they're our neighborhood."
BS.
Does Chisholm have two sex offenders like Schulpius and West living down the street from his family?
Check out the crimes of new neighbors Shawn Schulpius and Edwin West:
West, 48, was convicted twice of sexually assaulting an acquaintance when he was 23 and 25; Schulpius, 39, was convicted of sexual assault of a 6-year-old girl, a 12-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy when he was a teenager. The sex offenders were both convicted in Milwaukee County and will live together.
Good Lord.
Schulpius did monstrous things. He admitted to assaulting TWENTY victims in less than a decade. TWENTY.
Other neighborhoods have been successful in keeping Schulpius out, but this time, officials are ignoring the residents, leaving them feeling powerless and victimized.
Both men were committed under Wisconsin's Chapter 980 law that allows inmates deemed sexually violent to be held for mental health treatment after they serve their prison terms. Schulpius has received more media attention because he repeatedly sought supervised release from the program at Sand Ridge Secure Treatment Center with his case reaching the state Supreme Court in 2005.
For many years Milwaukee County prosecutors successfully argued against Schulpius' discharge from Sand Ridge until a judge last month decided he should be released.
Officials told the crowd Monday night that for the first year Schulpius and West will be under strict supervision and will not be allowed to leave their home - not even to get mail or shovel the sidewalk - except under limited conditions such as buying groceries and going to therapy sessions. Whenever they leave home in the first year they'll be accompanied by escorts.
If their supervision will be so tight, it seems to me that they aren't exactly ready to be released into the community.
Will someone live with them, monitoring them constantly? No.
This is insane.
After the first year the men are expected to get jobs to pay for their living expenses. And for the rest of their lives they must wear GPS monitoring ankle bracelets while they're in Wisconsin and comply with the sex offender registry program.
When residents asked how their neighborhood was chosen, an official said many locations are considered and in this case at least 30 rental homes were investigated before the location on E. Van Beck Ave. was picked.
Why dump them in this neighborhood?
Is the plan to let yet another Milwaukee neighborhood go to hell?
I don't understand why Schulpius and West will be unleashed in an area with so many schools.
"There's absolutely no perfect placement. We recognize that," said Jason Cram, supervised release program manager at Sand Ridge. "There simply isn't a place in Wisconsin where there will be no children nearby."
Then keep them locked up and away from the good people.
Schulpius has repeatedly sought supervised release or discharge from the program without success. His case once threatened the constitutional underpinning of the Chapter 980 law, adopted in 1994, when it got all the way to the state Supreme Court in 2005.
"He's been continually involved in one of the most strenuous treatment programs in the country," said his attorney, Robert W. Peterson.
On Thursday, Schulpius appeared before Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Charles F. Kahn Jr. via video conference from the Sand Ridge Secure Treatment Center.
"This is going to be a big change for you, and it's not going be easy," Kahn told Schulpius, who sat alone in small room wearing a blue dress shirt and a tie.
Kahn told Schulpius he'll be under be greater restrictions, in many ways, than at Sand Ridge, and that he will have "no wiggle room" around some 50 specific conditions of supervised release. "You're ready for that?" Kahn asked.
"Yes sir," Schulpius responded.
The supervised release plan Kahn approved will keep Schulpius under constant electronic surveillance. His limited excursions from home will be accompanied by someone from a supervision team. He will be subject to scheduled and unannounced visits from a probation agent, polygraph tests, physical exams, continued counseling and training.
Assistant District Attorney Gale Shelton said prosecutors gave the release plan - prepared by the Department of Health Services, which runs the Sand Ridge center - "very close consideration."
She reminded Kahn that in four reports from 2000 to 2012, Sand Ridge staff thought Schulpius met the conditions for discharge. Relying on different experts, prosecutors convinced a jury in 2010 that Schulpius was still more likely than not to reoffend, and his release was denied.
In 2010, Schulpius was deemed likely to reoffend.
What's happened since? Are we to believe that in the last three years he's changed, and that he no longer wants to assault children?
What can residents do now that their children are in danger?
Police are telling them to form block watch groups, block watch groups to keep the sex offenders in line.
Unbelievable.
Alderman Tony Zielinski blames the state of Wisconsin for having laws that allow sex offenders to be placed in "densely populated neighborhoods."
In other words, "There's nothing I can do. Don't blame me."
Residents would be crazy not to blame Zielinski. There were 30 other homes cited as possible locations for the criminals. If he can't protect his constituents in a matter as important as this, then he's a bad alderman and should be voted out of office.
Chisholm had the audacity to say the residents should remember the Chapter 980 law kept the offenders out of the neighborhood for as long as it did.
That's no consolation. Put Schulpius somewhere else, someplace with a less target rich environment. Area residents have the right to protect themselves from this threat.
Chisholm says they've run out of options to keep Schulpius locked up. Really? Chisholm managed to drag out that John Doe investigation for years. I'm sure he could do something. Maybe if residents appeal to Chisholm by saying they signed the Scott Walker recall petition he'll try a little harder not to punish these law-abiding citizens. __________________
Armando Briseno-Alonso was charged Friday with repeated sexual assault of a child and two counts of child enticement.
Investigators said a 12-year-old boy told them Briseno-Alonso had been assaulting him since he was in the third grade in 2010 at Rogers Street Academy.
Police said the boy told them Briseno-Alonso would ask the class, "Who wants to help put books away?" and then take him into another classroom and touch his private parts.
...Records from the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access indicate a $10,000 bond was set for Briseno-Alonso on Saturday. He made his initial appearance in Milwaukee County Court, according to the records, and was ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim or the victim’s family.
He was also ordered not to have contact with children under the age of 18, according to records.
This is a horrible story.
It's awful that this 12-year-old child was being assaulted while at school since he was in third grade, by a teacher (allegedly).
According to WISN's report, MPS is cooperating with the investigation.
That's good.
I wonder how Briseno-Alonso managed to get away with this abuse at the same school for YEARS.
No school official ever suspected something was amiss?
Very creepy.
Tax dollars were used to employ a Milwaukee Public Schools teacher charged with "repeated sexual assault of a child and two counts of child enticement."
Sickening.
Of course, Briseno-Alonso, if he did sexually assault a student for YEARS at school, is not a typical MPS teacher. But, he is an MPS teacher accused of preying on a child for YEARS.
This extremely disturbing revelation makes this vicious tweet from Graeme Zieilinski, Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesman, worth revisiting.
.@govwalker wants to take money from public schools to give to private schools where sex predators may lurk.
Obama is running a terror campaign. Obama is terrorizing Americans.
Former senator from Texas, Phil Gramm, writes about Obama's shameful tactics and lies:
President Obama's message could not be clearer: Life as we know it in America will change dramatically on March 1, when automatic cuts are imposed to achieve $85 billion in government-spending reductions. Furloughed government employees, flight delays and criminals set free are among the dire consequences the president has predicted. If the Washington Monument weren't already closed for repairs, no doubt it too would be shut down.
...The president's response to the sequester demonstrates how out of touch he is with the real world of working families. Even after the sequester, the federal government will spend $15 billion more than it did last year, and 30% more than it spent in 2007. Government spending on nondefense discretionary programs will be 19.2% higher and spending on defense will be 13.8% higher than it was in 2007.
For a typical American family that earns less than it did in the year President Obama was elected, the anguished cries and dark predictions coming out of the White House should elicit not sympathy but revulsion.
Obama's doomsday warnings are meant to scare and they're meant to shift responsibility away from him.
In one instance, however, Obama is making good on his scary promises. He is releasing criminals, but before the sequester deadline.
In one of the most politically despicable moves ever perpetrated by a sitting administration, federal immigration officials have released hundreds of illegal aliens from prison in anticipation of budget cuts produced by the sequester. “As fiscal uncertainty remains over the continuing resolution and possible sequestration, ICE has reviewed its detained population to ensure detention levels stay within ICE’s current budget,” said agency spokeswoman Gillian M. Christensen in a statement. Immigration officials further warned that even more releases are possible, if the anticipated cuts are realized.
In Arizona, Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, who revealed that more than 500 inmates were released in his county alone, put this ploy in the proper perspective. “President Obama would never release 500 criminal illegals to the streets of his hometown, yet he has no problem with releasing them in Arizona. The safety of the public is threatened and the rule of law discarded as a political tactic in this sequester battle,” he said.
Naturally, Obama is not taking any responsibility whatsoever for this inexcusable action.
The White House and the Department of Homeland Security were unaware of Immigration Customs and Enforcement's decision to release detainees until the agency announced it, administration officials said Wednesday.
"This was a decision made by career officials at ICE without any input from the White House, as a result of fiscal uncertainty over the continuing resolution, as well as possible sequestration," White House press secretary Jay Carney said Wednesday.
Personnel at Department of Homeland Security headquarters in Washington were also unaware of the decision until the announcement was made, a department official told POLITICO.
Tonight, I want to share with each of you our ambitious plans to help more people live the American Dream—right here in Wisconsin.
Our focus is simple—more prosperity, better performance and true independence.
Going into this budget, we face a much different set of circumstances than we did two years ago. At the start of 2011, Wisconsin faced a $3.6 billion budget deficit and the unemployment rate was 7.8 percent. At the time, I stated that moderation and frugality in government would lead to freedom and prosperity for our people.
Two years later and Wisconsin has a budget surplus and our unemployment rate is down to 6.6 percent. It wasn't easy, but we're turning Wisconsin around.
"Our focus is simple—more prosperity, better performance and true independence."
That is simple.
The Leftists, of course, have a problem with that.
True dependence is their goal. It's their path to power.
True choice is the enemy of the Leftists, unless of course the "choice" is to kill an unborn child.
Like the failed mayor of Milwaukee and three-time Wisconsin gubernatorial loser, Tom Barrett, the Leftists believe municipal employees should be bound by a residency requirement. No choice.
As part of his budget, Gov. Scott Walker is calling for the statewide elimination of residency laws that require municipal employees to live in the city or village where they work.
The governor also said he wanted to freeze property taxes, except for new construction, and hold the line on any new shared revenue or new transportation aid.
The sweeping proposal on residency laws - a single sentence in Walker's budget - would affect an estimated 127 municipalities across the state, including Milwaukee, the state's largest city.
Under Walker's plan, local units of government, including school districts like Milwaukee Public Schools, and counties would not be able to institute or enforce residency requirements for current or prospective employees.
Walker had been widely expected to propose ending residency rules in Milwaukee, but it was unclear until Wednesday that he wanted to end the residency rules throughout the state.
In Milwaukee, the law has been on the books for 75 years.
Both the Milwaukee Police Association and Milwaukee Professional Firefighters' Local 215 had sought to end the residency rule in previous years.
In an interview, Mayor Tom Barrett said he didn't believe the governor's budget "should be used for political payback purposes."
"There's no question he's doing it at the behest of the Milwaukee Police Association and Firefighters Local 215," Barrett said. "They're the driving force behind this because they supported him."
Poor Tom. He has to deflect from his failures by accusing Gov. Walker of political payback. Pathetic.
The Leftists are terrified of people being free. They're into control. Individual freedom runs counter to their ideology.
The fact is the elimination of residency rules has been debated for ages. It's an antiquated policy that now functions to prop up Barrett's decaying Milwaukee.
People shouldn't be forced to live there because they happen to be employed by the city. They should want to make it their home because of the great quality of life it offers. Good schools and safe, stable neighborhoods, affordable taxes, and low crime make an area a desirable place to live.
Why are the Leftists afraid of lifting the residency requirement?
They fear a mass exodus of taxpayers.
If they had confidence in the city as a wonderful place to live and raise a family, they would have nothing to fear.
In effect, they believe the city is a hellhole people would escape if they could.
...Nationwide, there is no reliable data on what happened in cities where the residency rule was either loosened or dropped altogether.
...In Detroit there was a mass exodus of people when the residency law was repealed in 1999. But a host of other factors - a deteriorating economy, crime and a poor education system - also led Detroiters to flee in large numbers.
"[A] deteriorating economy, crime and a poor education system" are identified as reasons Detroit citizens fled when the residency requirement was lifted in 1999.
That "host of other factors" sounds a lot like Milwaukee in 2013. Don't the media Leftists recognize that? Wake up!
Instead of Barrett whining about political payback, he should get the city moving in the right direction or get out of the way. If he refuses to be held accountable for his awful leadership and miserable record, the people of Milwaukee should elect a mayor who will work to really improve the city.
Restore its health. The city can thrive again. The life support of the residency requirement is not a solution.
Off the record, I love your new bangs, Mrs. Obama. A woman whose professional and educational accomplishments are second to none when compared to recent First wives.... Mr. President, I haven’t agreed with all of your decisions but of course I haven’t agreed with all of your predecessors decisions. I think you’ve done a hell of a job with what you have been dealt and how you have managed it. I shed a tear the night you were initially elected President in 2008. I never thought that day would occur. A black man elected president in the U.S. in my lifetime. I cracked a smiled when you were re-elected in 2012 because I really didn’t think you were going to pull that one off. Romney, stop being a sore loser. You could’ve exited graciously and still contributed significantly to public service, not now. Mr. President, get back to work. Many want to see you fail as they have stated so many times previously. Unfortunately, if you fail, the U.S. fails but your opponents do not concern themselves about the big picture.
...Mr. Vice President, do your due diligence when formulating a concise and permanent national AWB plan. Future generations of Americans depend on your plan and advisement to the president. I’ve always been a fan of yours and consider you one of the few genuine and charismatic politicians. Damn, sounds like an oxymoron calling you an honest politician. It’s the truth.
Hillary Clinton. You’ll make one hell of a president in 2016. Much like your husband, Bill, you will be one of the greatest. Look at Castro in San Antonio as a running mate or possible secretary of state. He’s (good people) and I have faith and confidence in him. Look after Bill. He was always my favorite President. Chelsea grew up to be one hell of an attractive woman. No disrespect to her husband.
Gov. Chris Christie. What can I say? You’re the only person I would like to see in the White House in 2016 other than Hillary. You’re America’s no shit taking uncle. Do one thing for your wife, kids, and supporters. Start walking at night and eat a little less, not a lot less, just a little. We want to see you around for a long time. Your leadership is greatly needed.
Wayne LaPierre, President of the NRA, you’re a vile and inhumane piece of shit. You never even showed 30 seconds of empathy for the children, teachers, and families of Sandy Hook. You deflected any type of blame/responsibility and directed it toward the influence of movies and the media. You are a failure of a human being. May all of your immediate and distant family die horrific deaths in front of you.
Chris Matthews, Joe Scarborough, Pat Harvey, Brian Williams, Soledad Obrien, Wolf Blitzer, Meredith Viera, Tavis Smiley, and Anderson Cooper, keep up the great work and follow Cronkite’s lead. I hold many of you in the same regard as Tom Brokaw and the late Peter Jennings. Cooper, stop nagging and berating your guest, they’re your (guest). Mr. Scarborough, we met at McGuire’s pub in P-cola in 2002 when I was stationed there. It was an honor conversing with you about politics, family, and life.
Willie Geist, you’re a talented and charismatic journalist. Stop with all the talk show shenanigans and get back to your core of reporting. Your future is brighter than most.
Revoke the citizenship of Fareed Zakaria and deport him. I’ve never heard a positive word about America or its interest from his mouth, ever. On the same day, give Piers Morgan an indefinite resident alien and Visa card. Mr. Morgan, the problem that many American gun owners have with you and your continuous discussion of gun control is that you are not an American citizen and have an accent that is distinct and clarifies that you are a foreigner. I want you to know that I agree with you 100% on enacting stricter firearm laws but you must understand that your critics will always have in the back of their mind that you are native to a country that we won our sovereignty from while using firearms as a last resort in defense and you come from a country that has no legal private ownership of firearms. That is disheartening to American gun owners and rightfully so.
...General Colin Powell, your book “My American Journey” solidified my decision to join the military after college. I had always intended to serve, but your book and journey motivated me. You are an inspiration to all Americans and influenced me greatly.
...Ellen Degeneres, continue your excellent contribution to entertaining America and bringing the human factor to entertainment. You changed the perception of your gay community and how we as Americans view the LGBT community. I congratulate you on your success and opening my eyes as a young adult, and my generation to the fact that you are know different from us other than who you choose to love. Oh, and you Prop 8 supporters, why the fuck do you care who your neighbor marries. Hypocritical pieces of shit.
...Jeffrey Toobin and David Gergen, you are political geniuses and modern scholars. Hopefully Toobin is nominated for the Supreme Court and implements some damn common sense and reasoning instead of partisan bickering. But in true Toobin fashion, we all know he would not accept the nomination.
...Charlie Sheen, you’re effin awesome.
Well.
This slew of Leftists, including Obama, Biden, Bill and Hillary Clinton, inspired murderer Dorner.
Perhaps these political leaders and their shills in the media should tone down their hateful rhetoric. Look at the monster they created.
I guess we have to blame them for Dorner's cold-blooded rampage.
The Tea Party, Rush Limbaugh, and Sarah Palin are off the hook.
Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. calls for placing armed tactical officers or security officers "in every school and public place in America," in a commentary piece posted on a tea party website.
"[T]ea party website" - Give me a break!
Clearly, that's an attempt to marginalize his remarks.
Clarke also condemns calls for gun control in the wake of the Sandy Hook School mass killings in Newtown, Ct., and says, "We have to resist with the ferociousness of a junk yard dog any attempt by liberals to make us less free by chipping away at our constitutional freedoms."
He berates "liberals for exploiting tragedy once again in our country and try(ing) to use tragedy as a reason to take our rights away."
Suggestions of gun control "are the mind-set of sheep," Clarke says.
"Sure run and hide from a sociopathic killer. See how far that gets you. You know where that'll get you - 26 dead at Sandy Hook School," says Clarke's article posted on the website "Tea Party Perspective." It was posted on the website by Nik Clark, president of Wisconsin Carry, Inc., a gun rights group.
The sheriff suggests armed guards in schools, malls, theaters and other public places could be paid for with public money now spent on "green" environmental projects and "other waste-of-money social service spending."
He also suggested that businesses should remove signs saying guns are prohibited. That only tips off a sociopathic killer that no one there would be able to stop them, Clarke says.
If Obama and his fellow Leftists are serious about the safety of our children and taking immediate steps to protect them, a solution is providing armed security for them while at school.
Obama doesn't go anywhere without armed guards. If it's good enough for him, it should be good enough for our kids at school.
If you don't like the idea of such security for our children, then expect another mass shooting.
Killers will kill until they're stopped. The uncertainty of which person is about to snap and go on a killing spree is unsettling. The randomness is frightening.
We can stop them before they carry out their deadly missions on a massive scale by employing trained professionals to guard our children.
It's not as if Clarke is suggesting that each kid be given a gun. This is no condom giveaway sort of program.
Clarke is offering a solution that is immediate and effective. To suggest that he's a nut is clearly political posturing.
As it is right now, schools, and other "gun-free zones," are unintentionally inviting the deranged to carry out a slaughter there.
While the politicians and special interest groups bicker, implementing Clarke's suggestion now could save lives.
Saturday Night Live began with the New York City Children's Chorus singing "Silent Night."
In its simplicity, it was a touching tribute to the 20 children and six adults murdered on Friday in Newtown, Connecticut.
Amazing how powerful it was to listen to the children's voices singing the beloved Christmas hymn.
Heavenly peace, holiness, the love of Jesus Christ, juxtaposed with the soullessness of that violent slaughter.
It made me think of the gaping chasm that exists in our society in terms of values.
What a difference it makes to live one's life with love and a deep, consistent respect for life, grounded in belief in God; rather than hating, having an utter disrespect for life, believing in nothing, wallowing in meaninglessness.
We hear this all the time when tragedy strikes: Hug your kids. Tell your family you love them.
In effect, we're told our reaction to violence and death will likely be to say we love each other, as if we need this prompting. Such pain will serve to help us get our priorities in order, to appreciate all our blessings.
This evening, Michelle and I will do what I know every parent in America will do, which is hug our children a little tighter and we’ll tell them that we love them, and we’ll remind each other how deeply we love one another.
I can't relate.
I don't take life for granted. I'm keenly aware of how precious it is, every day. I don't need the unbearable suffering of others to wake me up.
It's sad that so many people apparently do.
Do you require a mass murder to hug your kids "a little tighter" and remind your family how deeply you love them?
The news coverage yesterday of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School was an absolute mess.
Media outlets obviously didn't confirm information before sharing it.
As usual, we witnessed the media feeding frenzy that always follows crimes such as this one.
The TV packaging of these awful incidents makes me cringe.
Do you remember when news stories were reported without music added for dramatic effect? Do we really need a soundtrack to heighten the impact of the slaughter?
It's become so predictable. The exploitation is a disgrace.
Some of the stories about how to talk to children about the shooting were embarrassing. If parents need to look to an "expert" on TV to instruct them not to be too graphic when discussing the topic with their young children, then we have a serious parenting problem in the country.
Then, we have the matter of the media showing images of very young children and interviewing them.
My question: Where were the parents? Why would parents permit their kids to be interviewed on camera?
Some parents were making the rounds of the news outlets. Very unseemly. Fifteen minutes of fame at the expense of murdered children?
Of course, the cameras are there to cover the candlelight vigils. Show the audience faces of grief. Give us some more dramatic images. Can't get enough.
Don't forget the music. There must be music, because the nation is coming together to mourn. The news anchors tells us we're mourning. They guide us through our grief.
Yuck.
I don't like the way the media handle this stuff.
The reality is a 20-year-old man murdered little ones in their school. He killed adults. Dozens are dead. It's positively horrific.
I do want the facts of the crime, but not the media circus. I don't want sloppy reporting. I don't want the exploitation.
I don't want the spectacle of young children telling their stories of what they witnessed. I don't want to hear the parents of the children saying the obvious. I don't want to hear news anchors trying to be profound. Spare me the performance.
And I especially don't want to hear that lame musical accompaniment.
I believe the media circus and its packaging of the event encourages people to respond to the unspeakable evil inappropriately. The potential is there for it to be consumed as a twisted form of entertainment.
Twenty-seven people, including 20 children, were killed Friday when a gunman clad in black military gear opened fire inside his mother's kindergarten class at a Connecticut elementary school.
The shooter, who sources told FoxNews.com was 20-year-old Adam Lanza, gunned down his mother and her entire class at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., according to sources. Lanza was found dead inside the school, according to officials.
A source told Fox News that the shooter's father, who was divorced from his ex-wife, was killed at his home in New Jersey. Police were also searching for two friends of the killer, who are currently unaccounted for, sources said.
Eighteen of the children were dead at the school and two more died later, according to Connecticut State Police Lt. Paul Vance.
His girlfriend and another friend are missing in New Jersey, according to law enforcement sources.
Vance would not confirm the shooter's name. Earlier in the day there were conflicting reports over the gunman's identity.
A crazed gunman dressed in black went on a rampage at a Connecticut elementary school this morning, in a massacre that left the shooter and 26 dead others - including 18 children.
Adam Lanza, 20, shot his mother dead and targeted her kindergarten class at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., sources said. Sources also told The Post that Lanza's mother was a teacher at the school and he "had a dispute with her."
Lanza is dead inside the school.
Lanza used two handguns and a .223-caliber assault rifle, an official said. The official also said that New Jersey state police are searching a location in connection with the shootings.
Police in Hoboken, NJ are questioning Lanza's older brother Ryan, 24, but he is not a suspect.
________________
UPDATE: FOX News reports that Ryan Lanza is being held for questioning. He is not the shooter. Adam Lanza, Ryan Lanza's brother, is the murderer.
They're backing off that a bit, trying to "sort it out."
Media were posting photos of Ryan Lanza, taken from his Facebook page. Apparently, that was the wrong Ryan Lanza. Oops!
Turns out it was the right Ryan Lanza, in terms of his connection to Adam Lanza.
There is so much misinformation.
What we know is there was a horrific mass murder at Sandy Hook Elementary School this morning. Twenty children and six adults are dead. The shooter killed himself. Another person is dead at a separate crime scene in Newtown, Connecticut. ________________
Ryan Lanza has been identified as the alleged mass murderer responsible for the deaths of 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School this morning.
Lanza's mother worked at the school. According to some reports, she was found dead inside her home. Other reports state that Lanza killed her in her classroom at Sandy Hook and then murdered her students.
So Lanza allegedly killed his parents and decided to slaughter a class of kindergarteners as well.
Do we blame guns? Do we blame violent video games? Do we blame all the violent films deemed to be art coming out of Hollywood? Do we blame mental illness? Do we blame autism? Do we blame evil?
Twenty-seven people, including 20 children, were killed Friday when a gunman clad in black military gear opened fire inside his mother's kindergarten class at a Connecticut elementary school.
The shooter, who sources identified as Adam Lanza, 20, shot his mother, Nancy Lanza, in the face at their home in Newtown, Conn., then went to nearby Sandy Hook Elementary School where she taught and gunned down her entire class, according to sources. Lanza was found dead inside the school, according to officials. Eighteen of the children and six more adults were dead at the school and two more children died later, according to Connecticut State Police Lt. Paul Vance.
Vance would not confirm the shooter's name, and earlier in the day there were conflicting reports over the gunman's identity. Law enforcement sources told FoxNews.com the shooter was Adam Lanza. His brother, Ryan Lanza, 24, who was widely and erroneously reported to be the suspect, was questioned in Hoboken, N.J., but authorities said he was not involved.
The father of the 20-year-old man who allegedly massacred 20 young children and six adults including his mother, lives in the Westover section of the city.
Stamford police were called to the Bartina Lane home of Peter Lanza and his wife hours after the Newtown elementary school shooting by State Police to conduct a welfare check.
The suspect has been preliminarily identified as 20-year-old Adam Lanza. Lanza grew up in Newtown with his parents Nancy and Peter before they filed for divorce in 2008.
...Peter Lanza, a vice president of taxes for GE Energy Financial Services, arrived home minutes after police left and politely asked a Hearst Connecticut Media Group reporter: "Is there something I can do for you?" after rolling down the window of his blue Mini Cooper.
When he was told his address had been linked to the Newtown school shooting, Lanza took the news as a blow -- his face turning from patient to surprised and horrified. He promptly rolled up the window of his car, declined to comment, and pulled his vehicle into the right door of the two-car garage, before closing it behind him.
Moments later he could be seen sitting at a table in the front of the house, talking on the phone.
Lanza has worked as a tax specialist in the financial industry and has served as an adjunct professor at Northeastern University in Boston since 1995 and has taught classes on tax partnerships at Fairfield University.
Should we blame what Adam Lanza allegedly did on his father?
Maybe we need to put in place tough laws controlling tax specialists and adjunct professors.
A shooting at a Connecticut elementary school Friday left 27 people dead, including 18 children, an official said.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was still under way. Another official, speaking on condition of anonymity for the same reason, said the gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown was killed and apparently had two guns.
Connecticut State Police are responding to a situation in Newton, Connecticut Sandy Hooks Elementary Schoo; where there is approximately 626 students school ages K-4 and 46 faculty members. Local police and the school immediately put the building on lock down, taking measure to ensure the safety of students and staff.
As a mom, I sent my little ones to school hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of times. Mornings were routine. Friday mornings always held a bit more excitement. The weekend approached. Counting down the days before Christmas was an especially exciting ritual, so much joy and anticipation. It's as vivid to me as if it were yesterday.
There was never a day I didn't hug and kiss my children before they walked out the door. There was never a day I didn't tell them I loved them as I sent them off to school.
It is unbearable to imagine the thought of them going to school and never returning. It breaks my heart.
It's being reported that an entire kindergarten class remains unaccounted for - KINDERGARTEN.
UPDATE: 20 children and six adults are dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The shooter killed himself. Another adult is dead at a separate crime scene in Newtown, Connecticut.
The shooter is being identified as ADAM Lanza. His brother, Ryan, is being held for questioning.
First he was fired, then reinstated. Now, MPD Officer Richard Schoen has been permanently discharged following a contentious meeting held by Milwaukee’s Fire and Police Commission on Tuesday morning, December 11th. On Tuesday night, the woman at the center of the debate, Jeanine Tracy, thanked supporters for helping overturn the FPC’s decision.
Schoen was fired by Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn, after he was seen on dashcam video punching Tracy, then dragging her out of a squad car by her hair in an MPD garage. Schoen told the Commission panel he was afraid Tracy would bite him or spit on him. Chief Flynn told the panel Schoen lost control.
After the Commission’s unanimous decision to remove Schoen from the force on Tuesday morning, Tracy told FOX6 News she feels justice has been served. However, she said she couldn’t say whether she feels safer with Schoen off the force.
Tracy’s supporters celebrated a small victory on Tuesday night with a “Victory Vigil” near Milwaukee’s City Hall.
“This sends a big message. It’s a positive message,” organizer Tracey Dent said.
The battle that began with dashcam video showing Schoen punching Tracy in the back of a squad car, ended outside City Hall, as Tracy thanked those who fought for Schoen’s discharge.
“It seems like it made people open their eyes, their minds and their hearts to the situation that’s been taking place,” Tracy said.
Tracy said Schoen’s removal from the force doesn’t necessarily make her feel safer.
“I feel a little safer, but I don’t know if he have friends who work for him. I don’t know if I’m safe or whatever. I think it’s gonna take a little bit more for me to kinda feel better,” Tracy said.
Tracy said she’s just focused on moving forward.
Watching the FOX6 story, one gets the feeling that Tracy is a saint.
While NO CITIZEN SHOULD BE ABUSED BY A POLICE OFFICER AS TRACY WAS, let's not rewrite history. Let's be realisitc.
There seems to be an effort by the media to give Tracy an extreme makeover.
Here's a photo of Tracy celebrating the decision to remove Schoen from the Milwaukee police force:
In case you haven't watched it, watch the same woman's behavior while in police custody: spitting, kicking, swearing, screaming at the officers "Punk ass bitch! Punk ass motherf*cking white bitches!"
At one point she tells her daughter to stop cooperating with the officers. "You ain't gotta talk to them. You a minor. F*ck them!"
She repeatedly yells at the officer: "Shut up, bitch!"
"You will be hearing about this. Shut up bitch. Shut the f*ck up. You punk ass bitch."
Watch Jeanine Tracy. Listen to her. She's not a hero.
I have never spit at another person in my life. NEVER. I most definitely have been treated unjustly. I have been extremely angry, but I have never behaved like that.
Then again, I've never been arrested. Maybe I shouldn't judge.
The fourth man to accuse “Sesame Street" puppeteer Kevin Clash of inappropriate sexual contact says the older man couldn’t get it up when the two were getting it on in Clash’s New York City pad around 1995, according the alleged victim’s civil lawsuit filed today in Manhattan Federal Court.
At the time, Clash, then 35, blamed his penis problems on an unspecified “medical condition,” the lawsuit said.
The accuser, who is now in his 30s, said he was around 16 when he met Clash walking on a Miami beach and that the pair kept in touch over the phone.
After learning that the accuser had problems at home and wanted to run away, Clash, the squeaky voice of Elmo, promised to “be a dad” to him and lured him to the city “with promises to pay for his plane ticket ... and give him cash and a free place to stay,” the lawsuit said. The accuser was allegedly sexually abused after visiting Clash.
Innocent until proven guilty, of course. But, this is really scandalous.
Usually, when a public figure is involved in something as salacious as this, it's not ignored in monologues on late night talk shows. It's fodder for jokes.
For some reason, Kevin Clash is being spared. I haven't heard Jay Leno or Jimmy Fallon do a single joke about Elmo, the child abuser. Not one.
If Clash worked for FOX News, the Leftist comedians would be having a field day.
This sort of thing does not happen on 1st and Howard.
Gunfire is not heard in this neighborhood.
Armed robbery suspects and police don't fire weapons there.
But, it did happen on Saturday AFTERNOON, shortly after 4:00 PM.
Unreal.
Shortly after 4:00, I was in a car going east on Howard, after exiting the freeway. Squad cars were arriving on the scene. Other than the activity of the cars rushing there and the sirens wailing, it looked to be pretty much business as usual. Traffic was moving along. There were more people than normal walking on Howard and standing on the street, but there was no crowd. There didn't seem to be any panic, just more and more police.
Two squads were blocking 1st Street, closing it to traffic. Clearly, something serious was happening.
As we passed, I looked down the little hill of the sloping street. About halfway down the block between Howard and Tripoli, I saw a man lying in the street. Another man was kneeling over him, doing chest compressions.
I freaked out. It was seconds but the sight was awful. I thought maybe the man on the ground had a heart attack. But that wouldn't elicit that sort of police response.
What was going on?
Squads kept coming. Had there been a robbery at the gas station on the corner of Howell and Howard?
I had a sick feeling. Something terrible had happened.
Later, I learned a 28-year-old Germantown man, an armed robbery suspect, was killed by police.
The media are offering dramatically conflicting information on the fatal shooting that occurred near 1st and Howard on Saturday afternoon.
TMJ4 aired a report at 10:00PM that strongly suggested the suspect was unnecessarily gunned down. It included an interview from a male witness whose identity was concealed. An earlier report on TMJ4 stated witnesses said the Citgo station was robbed, and the suspect fired at the police officer prior to the officer firing the shots that killed the suspect.
FOX6 News gave a different account on its 9:00PM newscast, featuring a witness saying he thought the suspect fired first and the officer returned fire.
It's terribly irresponsible and unprofessional for the media to put witnesses on the air, making judgments about what happened, giving the story as they perceive it to be, and report that as news.
I don't want to hear what witnesses have to say. Who cares? I want to hear facts.
The media should report information from officials. They should talk to Mayor Tom Barrett and what he's going to do to address crime.
There's nothing wrong with the media getting reaction from bystanders or people living in the neighborhood, but what they have to say should not be reported as factual accounts. The media should wait and get it right.
I feel so bad for the people in the neighborhood. So much can change so fast. One afternoon and everything changes.
Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash has resigned from "Sesame Street" in the wake of an allegation that he had sex with an underage youth.
In its statement Tuesday, Sesame Workshop said "the controversy surrounding Kevin's personal life has become a distraction that none of us want," leading Clash to conclude "that he can no longer be effective in his job."
"This is a sad day for Sesame Street," the company said.
The first sentence of this AP report isn't clear.
Readers familiar with the original story could think Clash's resignation is related to that, when in fact, it's due to ANOTHER allegation.
In a statement of his own, Clash said "personal matters have diverted attention away from the important work Sesame Street is doing and I cannot allow it to go on any longer. I am deeply sorry to be leaving and am looking forward to resolving these personal matters privately."
As the announcement was made, a lawsuit was being filed in federal court in New York charging Clash with sexual abuse of a second youth. The lawsuit alleges that Cecil Singleton, then 15 and now an adult, was persuaded by Clash to meet for sexual encounters.
The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $5 million.
$5 million?
TMZ reported that the first accuser received a six-figure settlement, $125,000.
Kevin Clash -- the voice of Elmo -- agreed to pay his accuser $125,000, with one string attached -- that the accuser recant his story that Clash had sex with him when he was a minor ... TMZ has learned.
...We've learned although Stephens signed the document, he continues to insist Clash had sex with him when he was a minor and was pressured into signing the settlement.
One source privy to the negotiations tells TMZ ... Stephens was crying during final negotiations and repeatedly insisted he didn't want to sign.
Stephens must be kicking himself for agreeing.
Clash has not been proven guilty of having sex with minors.
I'd like to think the voice of the beloved Elmo, sweet little Elmo, wasn't a sexual predator.
I hope Clash is not a criminal.
It's all so creepy.
Elmo had the distinction of being the first and only non-human to testify before Congress.
In what may be the first appearance of a Muppet before a congressional committee, "Sesame Street" favorite Elmo donned his best suit and tie and took his cause to Capitol Hill. The red furry friend to toddlers everywhere gave evidence before the Education Appropriations Subcommittee to urge more spending on music research and musical instruments for school programs.But why was this issue so close to the red-furry heart of the oft-tickled one, who's only 3?
His mission was to ensure that "when Elmo goes to school, there will be the instruments to play," he explained before joining Joe Lamond, head of an international trade association of musical instrument makers, in the committee room.
If Clash is found guilty of having sex with a minor, will he be the first sexual predator to testify before Congress?
The man who claims he had a sexual relationship with Kevin Clash -- the voice of Elmo -- is RECANTING his story ... claiming he WAS an adult during their relationship after all.
The accuser's lawyer just released a statement saying, "[The accuser] wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship. [The accuser] will have no further comment."
It's unclear why the accuser suddenly changed his story ... but sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... the accuser's attorney had been meeting with Clash's attorney as recent as an hour ago, discussing a financial settlement and 6-figures were on the table.
The unnamed man, now 23, had claimed that Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash had a sexual relationship with him when the accuser was 16 years old, potentially engulfing one of the biggest childhood brands in an underage sex scandal.
"He wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship," the law firm Andreozzi and Associates, who represent the man, told U.S. media outlets in a statement.
Clash, 52, who had denied the allegations, said in a statement obtained by Reuters on Tuesday: "I am relieved that this painful allegation has been put to rest. I will not discuss it further."
..."We are pleased that this matter has been brought to a close, and we are happy that Kevin can move on from this unfortunate episode," Sesame Workshop said in a statement on Tuesday.
Andreozzi and Associates "represented some of the people victimized by Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky."
The firm seeks "maximum recovery for victims of sexual abuse." On its website, it promises "Multimillion dollar results - Big firm experience - Small firm attention."
According to TMZ, "6-figures were on the table." Not exactly multimillion dollar results.
Whatever, the settlement was enough for the accuser to agree to have his lawyers issue a statement recanting his previous claim of underage sex with Clash.
It's amazing what money can buy.
So, was the Elmo puppeteer a victim or the victimizer in the case?
Who knows? The scandal is over. Those involved will be quiet, at least for now.
Marcoux resurfaced 20 years later and Weakland was exposed. Catholics in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee learned how their money was spent. It was a mess.
The difference there was Marcoux didn't go public at the time of the original shakedown, the way Clash's accuser did.
Clash already has been publicly smeared. I think the accuser got all he's going to get.
Democrats in the state Senate elected 32-year-old freshman Sen. Chris Larson of Milwaukee as minority leader on Tuesday -- a surprise decision that Republicans instantly cheered.
Larson was first elected to the Senate in 2010 after beating a more conservative Democrat in a primary and since then has been a reliable part of the caucus's liberal wing. With his relative youth and inexperience, some Republicans immediately signalled Tuesday that they thought he would be ineffective as a leader.
"Obviously, I'm new," Larson said in a brief interview after the caucus vote. "But I think I've made that up in the work that I've done over the last two years speaking up and speaking to the issues that matter to our constituency, the middle class, the people who are blue-collar workers."
Larson was elected on November 2, 2010, when Wisconsin elected Gov. Scott Walker and U.S. Sen. Ron Johson and a slew of other Republicans. He's only been in the State Senate for two years, and much of that time was spent doing interviews on MSNBC. Larson runs to cameras, whether national or local. He had the audacity to consider himself a hero for going AWOL, running away to Illinois.
Without question, Larson has a massive ego.
Almost nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to the Democrats, but the choice of Larson is surprising.
He's inexperienced. He's an extremely extreme liberal, which is probably why Larson is so loved by the likes of the foul-mouthed, misogynistic Ed Schultz and other MSNBC/NBC wingnuts.
Larson is also a crook. Literally.
Larson's illegal activities didn't bother voters when he successfully ran in 2008, to become Milwaukee County supervisor for the 14th District.
Larson's criminal past didn't bother Milwaukee voters two years later when he challenged incumbent Jeff Plale, vying for the 7th District seat. Milwaukee voters chose Larson to represent them in the State Senate.
Now, the crook, darling of the radical Left media, has been chosen to be the Democrat minority leader in the Wisconsin State Senate.
Christopher Larson is a 27-year-old business manager for a series of sports stores who is the favorite to win a seat on the County Board.
But things were much different in March 2000.
Larson was a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and, by his own description, struggling to make ends meet.
That's when he was busted for retail theft.
"I made a dumb mistake," Larson said Friday.
The details of the case are fuzzy. He said he was caught stealing food from a Milwaukee grocery store. He said he can't remember exactly which items he tried to obtain with a five-finger discount. A copy of the city ticket, which carried a $331 fine, and the court file were not available late Friday.
As part of a deal reached with a Municipal Court judge, Larson agreed to take a course in exchange for having the ordinance violation dropped, he said. Asserting that he has not stolen anything since, he credited the situation with "completely turning me around."
Asked if voters should take this matter into consideration when voting April 1, Larson said he didn't think so because he has changed so much in the past eight years. Larson, a political liberal, scored a surprisingly easy victory in the five-way primary contest to replace longtime Supervisor Richard Nyklewicz Jr. in the south-side district.
"Everybody makes dumb mistakes," Larson said. "It happened so long ago."
His opponent, Steven Kraeger, said he was shocked to hear about Larson's run-in with the law. He said he was not the source of an anonymous letter to No Quarter containing an official summary of the case.
Kraeger, a 50-year-old conservative, said he thought the matter should be made public. But he would leave it to the voters to decide its relevance and importance.
So Larson is a crook. He doesn't think it's a big deal. He minimizes it. "Everybody makes dumb mistakes." True, we all make mistakes, but we all most definitely do NOT commit crimes like Larson.
He's also a flamethrower, regularly spewing incendiary rhetoric. Larson is not someone likely to work well with the Republicans.
...and Senate Republicans have officially gone 'round the bend. Next up, dropping puppies from the top of the Capitol onto protestors.
Expecting elected officials to remain in the state to do what they were elected to do, serve as legislators, is NOT akin to "dropping puppies from the top of the Capitol."
What a sick thing to imagine!
Yes, that's Chris Larson, the Senate Democrats' chosen leader.
Their selection of Larson tells you all you need to know about the mindset of the Dems and the path they intend to take. ____________________
The man who claims he had a sexual relationship with Kevin Clash -- the voice of Elmo -- is RECANTING his story ... claiming he WAS an adult during their relationship after all.
The accuser's lawyer just released a statement saying, "[The accuser] wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship. [The accuser] will have no further comment."
It's unclear why the accuser suddenly changed his story ... but sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... the accuser's attorney had been meeting with Clash's attorney as recent as an hour ago, discussing a financial settlement and 6-figures were on the table.
________________
Oh, Elmo!
Having a sexual relationship with a minor is not nice.
Kevin Clash, famous for being the voice of Elmo for more than 25 years, is taking a leave of absence to fight allegations that he had a sexual relationship with a minor seven years ago.
Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization behind Sesame Street, released a statement this morning stating it received communication from a 23-year old man in June who alleged he had an affair when he was 16-years old with the 52-year old puppeteer. After two in-person meetings with the accuser and “repeated” discussions, Sesame said the allegations were unsubstantiated, but faulted Clash with inappropriate behavior.
“We met with Kevin, who denied the accusation. We also conducted a thorough investigation and found the allegation of underage conduct to be unsubstantiated,” the Sesame Workshop said.
“Although this was a personal relationship unrelated to the workplace, our investigation did reveal that Kevin exercised poor judgment and violated company policy regarding Internet usage and he was disciplined,” the statement said, adding Clash was granted leave to “take actions to protect his reputation.”
In a statement provided by his publicist, Clash admitted to the relationship, but said it began when the accuser was an adult.
“I am a gay man. I have never been ashamed of this or tried to hide it, but felt it was a personal and private matter. I had a relationship with the accuser,” Clash said. “It was between two consenting adults and I am deeply saddened that he is trying to characterize it as something other than what it was. I am taking a break from Sesame Workshop to deal with this false and defamatory allegation.”
Clash is being represented by Andreozzi & Associates, P.C., the same law firm that represented victims of ex- Penn State coach and convicted pedophile Jerry Sandusky.
Yikes!
Jerry Sandusky?
That's a bad vibe.
Well.
Based on Clash's statement, I don't get why Sesame Workshop would fault Clash for "inappropriate behavior" and exercising "poor judgement."
Apparently, Clash violated the company's policy regarding Internet usage. It appears the investigation revealed some naughty stuff that took place online, but the accusation about a minor being involved is unsubstantiated.
Did Clash have a sexual relationship with a minor?
Are there any smoking emails?
Probably not, or they would have been discovered. Then again, it's possible Sesame Workshop's investigation wasn't thorough enough.
Clash is lucky he's a puppeteer, and not a priest or a coach or a conservative.
