themindunleashed--2020-09-05--At least one of the cops who killed Breonna Taylor wore a body camera, contradicting police claims

In a startling and unnerving new development in the killing of Breonna Taylor by police in Louisville , Kentucky , at least one of the officers who took part in the fatal raid on her apartment in March was actually wearing a body camera , despite claims by the Louisville Metro Police Department that no bodycam footage exists of the shooting .
In photographs obtained by VICE News , a body camera can be seen mounted on the right shoulder of Detective Anthony James .
The photographs were taken following the early-morning March 13 raid on Taylor ’ s home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police that the officers who killed Taylor were in a division that wasn ’ t required to wear the devices .
In prior statements by former Chief Steve Conrad and Mayor Greg Fischer , the officials maintained that no footage exists of the killing of Taylor , a 26-year-old Black woman and certified emergency medical technician shot to death during a botched raid .
The claims that no such footage existed came in the hours immediately following the killing .
“ This incident was related to the execution of a search warrant by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the officers assigned to this division do not wear body-worn video systems , ” Chief Conrad said .
The claim has also been repeatedly backed up by Mayor Fischer .
“ My understanding is undercover narcotics agents do not use body cameras .
And they didn ’ t have them during the execution of this search raid , ” Fischer said in a June interview .
It remains unclear whether the camera was operational during the shooting .
However , attorney Steve Romines , who represents Taylor ’ s boyfriend Kenneth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn on the bodycam .
“ That begs the question , you have it on your shoulder for that specific reason , ” Romines said .
“ What possible excuse is there not to have it on ?
” In a separate photo from the over 1200 photos taken by LMPD following the raid , Officer Myles Cosgrove can be seen wearing a bodycam mount without the attached camera .
Taylor was shot multiple times in the undercover raid by three officers while she and her boyfriend , Kenneth Walker , were sleeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warrant intended to find Jamarcus Glover , Taylor ’ s ex-boyfriend who was wanted on drug charges .
Louisville Metro Police deployed a battering ram to force their way into the apartment before Walker fired a warning shot that struck an officer .
Police responded with 35 rounds , including 10 rounds fired blindly by an officer .
Walker maintains that the officers failed to identify themselves , but police claim that they did so clearly .
Police also claimed in their initial report that Breonna was not injured by their bullets – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – which turned out to be an obvious lie .
The killing of Breonna Taylor has come under renewed scrutiny and become the focus of intensified community mobilizations since the shocking May 25 killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police , which rekindled a major nationwide and international movement against systemic racism and police brutality .

In a startling and unnerving new development in the killing of Breonna Taylor by police in Louisville, Kentucky, at least one of the officers who took part in the fatal raid on her apartment in March was actually wearing a body camera, despite claims by the Louisville Metro Police Department that no bodycam footage exists of the shooting.
In photographs obtained by VICE News, a body camera can be seen mounted on the right shoulder of Detective Anthony James. The photographs were taken following the early-morning March 13 raid on Taylor’s home, contradicting claims by the city and police that the officers who killed Taylor were in a division that wasn’t required to wear the devices.
In prior statements by former Chief Steve Conrad and Mayor Greg Fischer, the officials maintained that no footage exists of the killing of Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman and certified emergency medical technician shot to death during a botched raid.
The claims that no such footage existed came in the hours immediately following the killing.
“This incident was related to the execution of a search warrant by members of our Criminal Interdiction Division and some of the officers assigned to this division do not wear body-worn video systems,” Chief Conrad said.
The claim has also been repeatedly backed up by Mayor Fischer.
“My understanding is undercover narcotics agents do not use body cameras. And they didn’t have them during the execution of this search raid,” Fischer said in a June interview.
It remains unclear whether the camera was operational during the shooting.
However, attorney Steve Romines, who represents Taylor’s boyfriend Kenneth Walker, believes that James failed to turn on the bodycam.
“That begs the question, you have it on your shoulder for that specific reason,” Romines said. “What possible excuse is there not to have it on?”
In a separate photo from the over 1200 photos taken by LMPD following the raid, Officer Myles Cosgrove can be seen wearing a bodycam mount without the attached camera.
Taylor was shot multiple times in the undercover raid by three officers while she and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were sleeping. The police had a no-knock search warrant intended to find Jamarcus Glover, Taylor’s ex-boyfriend who was wanted on drug charges.
Louisville Metro Police deployed a battering ram to force their way into the apartment before Walker fired a warning shot that struck an officer. Police responded with 35 rounds, including 10 rounds fired blindly by an officer.
Walker maintains that the officers failed to identify themselves, but police claim that they did so clearly.
Police also claimed in their initial report that Breonna was not injured by their bullets – at least five of which struck her – which turned out to be an obvious lie.
The killing of Breonna Taylor has come under renewed scrutiny and become the focus of intensified community mobilizations since the shocking May 25 killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, which rekindled a major nationwide and international movement against systemic racism and police brutality.
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themindunleashed--2020-09-05--12-year-old boy suspended, cops called to his home, over plastic toy gun seen in virtual class

In a country where the right to bear arms is enshrined in the constitution , the anxiety surrounding gun-like toys has always seemed strange – especially when the toy gun is clearly a brightly-colored plastic toy that hardly resembles a real firearm .
And now , a Colorado middle schooler has been suspended from school for briefly holding a toy gun at his home , nowhere near his actual school , while logged into his virtual class .
Isaiah Elliott , 12 , is a student at Grand Mountain K8 , a grade school just south of Colorado Springs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ seventh grader was sitting at his computer attending his online art class when his teacher briefly saw a neon green and black handgun flash across the screen .
The orange-tipped toy had the words “ Zombie Hunter ” printed on the side .
The teacher quickly notified a school administrator , who suspended the boy for five days and called the El Paso County Sheriff ’ s Office to conduct a welfare check on the child without so much as notifying his parents .
“ It was really frightening and upsetting for me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parent of an African-American young man , especially given what ’ s going on in our country right now , ” said the boy ’ s father , Curtis Elliott , in an interview with KDVR .
According to the sheriff ’ s report , the art teacher “ said she assumed it was a toy gun but was not certain.
” In recorded footage from the class held on Zoom , Isaiah can be seen flashing the toy across the screen “ for maybe one or two seconds at the most.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s deputies told him that his behavior could have led to criminal charges , the parents say .
The Elliotts now plan on transferring him to another school .
“ It would ’ ve been a lot easier for me to understand if my son had made a threat , ” said Isaiah ’ s mother , Danielle Elliott , who is furious over her son ’ s ordeal .
“ For them to go as extreme as suspending him for five days , sending the police out , having the police threaten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to compare the virtual environment to the actual in-school environment is insane , ” she explained .
“ If her main concern was his safety , a two-minute phone call to me or my husband could easily have alleviated this whole situation to where I told them it was fake , ” Danielle Elliott added .
The parents also weren ’ t allowed to view the video recording of the incident , which district officials refused to disclose following their requests .
A sheriff ’ s deputy , however , showed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had recorded with his body-worn camera .
In the footage , Isaiah Elliott can be seen momentarily lifting the toy that was sitting at his right side and moving it to his left side , inadvertently flashing the toy in front of his camera .
He was clearly not brandishing the toy gun or even attempting to show it to his virtual classmates , Curtis Elliott said .
The parents maintain that the response was entirely disproportionate to the supposed offense – especially when the school involved police in the matter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cops came .
He was just in tears .
He was scared .
We all were scared .
I literally was scared for his life , ” said Curtis Elliott .
“ The virtual setting is not the same as the school setting … He did not take the toy gun to school .
He ’ s in the comfort of his own home .
It ’ s a toy.
” The parents still shudder at the thought of law enforcement officers potentially overreacting to the possibility of a young Black boy wielding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they crossed the line , ” said Danielle Elliott .
“ They were extreme with their punishment , especially sending the police out and traumatizing my son and my family.
” “ Especially with the current events , with Tamir Rice , a 12-year-old boy getting killed over a toy gun , you know these things are very scary and they ’ re very real , ” she told KOAA in a separate interview .
“ This is not the first time my son has faced racism or discrimination or anything like that.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ inundated on social media by critical comments over the matter .
The district has denied its response was driven by racial discrimination but admits that it recorded the virtual class without parental consent .
“ We follow all school board policies whether we are in-person learning or distance learning , ” the district said in a statement .
“ We take the safety of all our students and staff very seriously .
Safety is always our number one priority .
”

In a country where the right to bear arms is enshrined in the constitution, the anxiety surrounding gun-like toys has always seemed strange – especially when the toy gun is clearly a brightly-colored plastic toy that hardly resembles a real firearm.
And now, a Colorado middle schooler has been suspended from school for briefly holding a toy gun at his home, nowhere near his actual school, while logged into his virtual class.
Isaiah Elliott, 12, is a student at Grand Mountain K8, a grade school just south of Colorado Springs.
On Thursday, Aug. 27, the seventh grader was sitting at his computer attending his online art class when his teacher briefly saw a neon green and black handgun flash across the screen. The orange-tipped toy had the words “Zombie Hunter” printed on the side.
The teacher quickly notified a school administrator, who suspended the boy for five days and called the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office to conduct a welfare check on the child without so much as notifying his parents.
“It was really frightening and upsetting for me as a parent, especially as the parent of an African-American young man, especially given what’s going on in our country right now,” said the boy’s father, Curtis Elliott, in an interview with KDVR.
According to the sheriff’s report, the art teacher “said she assumed it was a toy gun but was not certain.” In recorded footage from the class held on Zoom, Isaiah can be seen flashing the toy across the screen “for maybe one or two seconds at the most.”
Isaiah is also traumatized after sheriff’s deputies told him that his behavior could have led to criminal charges, the parents say. The Elliotts now plan on transferring him to another school.
“It would’ve been a lot easier for me to understand if my son had made a threat,” said Isaiah’s mother, Danielle Elliott, who is furious over her son’s ordeal.
“For them to go as extreme as suspending him for five days, sending the police out, having the police threaten to press charges against him because they want to compare the virtual environment to the actual in-school environment is insane,” she explained.
“If her main concern was his safety, a two-minute phone call to me or my husband could easily have alleviated this whole situation to where I told them it was fake,” Danielle Elliott added.
The parents also weren’t allowed to view the video recording of the incident, which district officials refused to disclose following their requests.
A sheriff’s deputy, however, showed the boy’s father the footage that he had recorded with his body-worn camera. In the footage, Isaiah Elliott can be seen momentarily lifting the toy that was sitting at his right side and moving it to his left side, inadvertently flashing the toy in front of his camera.
He was clearly not brandishing the toy gun or even attempting to show it to his virtual classmates, Curtis Elliott said. The parents maintain that the response was entirely disproportionate to the supposed offense – especially when the school involved police in the matter.
“He was in tears when the cops came. He was just in tears. He was scared. We all were scared. I literally was scared for his life,” said Curtis Elliott. “The virtual setting is not the same as the school setting … He did not take the toy gun to school. He’s in the comfort of his own home. It’s a toy.”
The parents still shudder at the thought of law enforcement officers potentially overreacting to the possibility of a young Black boy wielding a firearm.
“I definitely feel they crossed the line,” said Danielle Elliott. “They were extreme with their punishment, especially sending the police out and traumatizing my son and my family.”
“Especially with the current events, with Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old boy getting killed over a toy gun, you know these things are very scary and they’re very real,” she told KOAA in a separate interview. “This is not the first time my son has faced racism or discrimination or anything like that.”
The school district is now being inundated on social media by critical comments over the matter. The district has denied its response was driven by racial discrimination but admits that it recorded the virtual class without parental consent.
“We follow all school board policies whether we are in-person learning or distance learning,” the district said in a statement. “We take the safety of all our students and staff very seriously. Safety is always our number one priority.”
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themindunleashed--2020-09-05--Amazon Working With Landlords To Put Alexa In Your Apartment Before You Move In

Amazon ’ s Alexa smart home gadgets are becoming more popular by the day , but there are still many people holding out on buying these types of devices because they have privacy concerns .
However , soon some of us may not have a choice because Amazon is making moves to have the devices pre-installed in places like apartment buildings .
Amazon has also been working hard to ensure that there is an Alexa device is every single hotel room .
Last week , Amazon announced “ Alexa for Residential , ” a plan that would allow landlords and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Alexa devices so they can be pre-installed into their rental units .
IOTAS , STRATIS IoT , and Sentient Property Services are the first smart home integrators to use Alexa for Residential , and they will open multiple smart apartment residences across the U.S. this fall , according to a press release from the company .
Liron Torres , Head of Smart Properties , Amazon Alexa said that the devices installed through this program will have specific features for landlords and tenants .
“ Our vision was to create a service that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone , regardless of whether they rent or own their home .
Alexa for Residential goes beyond the smart home—it also enables property managers to provide custom voice experiences for their residents , including information about property amenities and custom services .
We ’ re excited to be teaming up with IOTAS , STRATIS IoT and Sentient Property Services to start , and look forward to expanding this experience to even more apartment residences across the US , ” Torres said .
Amazon claims that landlords won ’ t have any access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will , and so will the police if they want to request it .
Alexa has already been used as a witness in numerous criminal cases , and while this data was mostly used to solve murders , it is not unreasonable to imagine a scenario where a spy agency like the NSA cooperates with Amazon to use Alexa for dragnet data gathering on innocent citizens .
Even if Amazon were to object to this type of operation , an organization like the NSA would surely have the resources to either hack the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in order to make use of the data .
Alexa ’ s short history has shown that Amazon can be very careless and devious with the data collected from these devices .
According to a Bloomberg investigation last year , Amazon employees were listening to Alexa voice recordings and transcribing them .
The employees were reportedly tasked with helping the device respond to commands better , but customers were obviously concerned when they discovered this was happening .
After the controversy , the company added an option to opt-out of human reviews , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and potential customers are even more reluctant to get involved .
According to another report last year , Alexa doesn ’ t always delete data when the user tells it to .
Still , despite these very serious concerns , over 100 million Alexa-powered devices have been sold as of last year .

Amazon’s Alexa smart home gadgets are becoming more popular by the day, but there are still many people holding out on buying these types of devices because they have privacy concerns.
However, soon some of us may not have a choice because Amazon is making moves to have the devices pre-installed in places like apartment buildings.
Amazon has also been working hard to ensure that there is an Alexa device is every single hotel room.
Last week, Amazon announced “Alexa for Residential,” a plan that would allow landlords and apartment complex owners to make bulk purchases of Alexa devices so they can be pre-installed into their rental units.
IOTAS, STRATIS IoT, and Sentient Property Services are the first smart home integrators to use Alexa for Residential, and they will open multiple smart apartment residences across the U.S. this fall, according to a press release from the company.
Liron Torres, Head of Smart Properties, Amazon Alexa said that the devices installed through this program will have specific features for landlords and tenants.
“Our vision was to create a service that makes having an Alexa-enabled home accessible for anyone, regardless of whether they rent or own their home. Alexa for Residential goes beyond the smart home—it also enables property managers to provide custom voice experiences for their residents, including information about property amenities and custom services. We’re excited to be teaming up with IOTAS, STRATIS IoT and Sentient Property Services to start, and look forward to expanding this experience to even more apartment residences across the US,” Torres said.
Amazon claims that landlords won’t have any access to data or voice recordings, but Amazon will, and so will the police if they want to request it.
Alexa has already been used as a witness in numerous criminal cases, and while this data was mostly used to solve murders, it is not unreasonable to imagine a scenario where a spy agency like the NSA cooperates with Amazon to use Alexa for dragnet data gathering on innocent citizens.
Even if Amazon were to object to this type of operation, an organization like the NSA would surely have the resources to either hack the technology, or just infiltrate the corporation in order to make use of the data.
Alexa’s short history has shown that Amazon can be very careless and devious with the data collected from these devices.
According to a Bloomberg investigation last year, Amazon employees were listening to Alexa voice recordings and transcribing them.
The employees were reportedly tasked with helping the device respond to commands better, but customers were obviously concerned when they discovered this was happening.
After the controversy, the company added an option to opt-out of human reviews, but many customers are still extremely suspicious, and potential customers are even more reluctant to get involved.
According to another report last year, Alexa doesn’t always delete data when the user tells it to.
Still, despite these very serious concerns, over 100 million Alexa-powered devices have been sold as of last year.
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themindunleashed--2020-09-05--40 crew members and 6,000 cows feared dead as rescue operation ends and second typhoon nears

The search for 40 missing crew members from the cargo ship that sunk near southwestern Japan has been called off as Typhoon Haishen is approaching the region .
The termination of the search comes after three people have been recovered from the capsized vessel , which had a crew of 43 people and a load of nearly 6,000 live cattle before it sunk in the East China Sea on Wednesday after being caught in the violent conditions of Typhoon Maysak .
On Friday , Japanese authorities announced that its coast guard had rescued a third crew member from the Gulf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was spotted waving for help alone in a life raft a mile away from Kodakarajima , a small island in the southern Japanese prefecture of Kagoshima , reports The Guardian .
According to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs ( DFA ) , the sailor is “ conscious and able to walk , ” reports Filipino news portal the Inquirier .
Reports have identified him as Jay-nel Rosals , who served as the deckhand on the ship .
The rescue comes after another crew member was found on Friday , unconscious and floating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which lies between Okinawa and Kyushu .
The sailor was taken to a hospital , but died shortly thereafter .
His identity and nationality remain unconfirmed .
The crew of the freighter included 39 seamen from the Philippines , two from Australia and two from New Zealand .
The Panamanian-flagged Gulf Livestock 1 had embarked from Napier in New Zealand on Aug. 14 and was bound for the Port of Jingtang in Tangshan , China , in a journey that was meant to last 17 days before it was tragically cut short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person rescued from the ship was 45-year-old chief officer Sareno Edvardo of the Philippines , who said that the ship ’ s engine was lost before the entire ship was capsized after being struck by a wave .
“ When it was capsizing , an onboard announcement instructed us to wear a life jacket , ” Edvardo later told the Japanese coast guard .
“ So I wore a life jacket and jumped into the sea.
” Sareno didn ’ t see any of his fellow crew members while he watched the ship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s coast guard .
Sareno was rescued after the coast guard spotted him adrift while wearing his life jacket .
Filipino seafarers are one of the most vulnerable workforces in the global economy , often suffering grave injuries , negligence , and wage theft in the often lawless open waters .
Family members of the missing Filipino seafarers are also grieving since learning about the sinking of the ship via social media .
According to Liezyl Pitogo and Justine Marie Payas , whose husbands were crewmen on the ship , they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It ’ s difficult for someone like me for a day to get by without hearing any news .
I hope that [ officials ] could give us a little hope , your help , ” Pitogo told ABS-CBN .
Due to coronavirus lockdown measures in the Philippines , Pitogo is unable to reach officials , she said .
“ I know that there is a pandemic , but if I were only near , I would be the one looking out for him , ” she added .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Filipino seafarers are employed on vessels ranging from cruise ships to cargo liners and oil tankers , and their remittances are crucial for the economy of the Philippines .
Known for being cheerful , resourceful , and extremely hard-working – as well as less expensive than their European counterparts – Pinoy sailors make up a quarter of international seafarers but are often deprived of basic labor rights .
Under Philippine law , they are unable to sue ship owners or managers in cases of severe negligence .
The Gulf Livestock 1 is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Panama that was built as a livestock carrier in 2002 and is registered as being owned by the Amman-based Rahmeh Compania Naviera SA , according to public data .
The ship ’ s manager is Hijazi & Ghosheh Co .
Animal rights organizers are also up in arms over the death of the nearly 6,000 cows , and they say that the sinking of the Gulf Livestock 1 is a clear example of the risks of transporting livestock by sea .
The export of cattle and sheep generates major profits for meat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zealand .
Images of cattle floating in the area where the cargo ship sank have emerged amid the search-and-rescue attempts .
“ This is a high-risk trade that puts the lives of animals at risk which is why the export of live animals must be banned , ” Marianne Macdonald of New Zealand animal rights organization SAFE said in a statement Thursday .

The search for 40 missing crew members from the cargo ship that sunk near southwestern Japan has been called off as Typhoon Haishen is approaching the region.
The termination of the search comes after three people have been recovered from the capsized vessel, which had a crew of 43 people and a load of nearly 6,000 live cattle before it sunk in the East China Sea on Wednesday after being caught in the violent conditions of Typhoon Maysak.
On Friday, Japanese authorities announced that its coast guard had rescued a third crew member from the Gulf Livestock 1. The 30-year-old Filipino seafarer was spotted waving for help alone in a life raft a mile away from Kodakarajima, a small island in the southern Japanese prefecture of Kagoshima, reports The Guardian.
According to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the sailor is “conscious and able to walk,” reports Filipino news portal the Inquirier. Reports have identified him as Jay-nel Rosals, who served as the deckhand on the ship.
The rescue comes after another crew member was found on Friday, unconscious and floating near Japan’s Amami Oshima Island, which lies between Okinawa and Kyushu. The sailor was taken to a hospital, but died shortly thereafter. His identity and nationality remain unconfirmed.
The crew of the freighter included 39 seamen from the Philippines, two from Australia and two from New Zealand.
The Panamanian-flagged Gulf Livestock 1 had embarked from Napier in New Zealand on Aug. 14 and was bound for the Port of Jingtang in Tangshan, China, in a journey that was meant to last 17 days before it was tragically cut short by extreme weather conditions.
The first person rescued from the ship was 45-year-old chief officer Sareno Edvardo of the Philippines, who said that the ship’s engine was lost before the entire ship was capsized after being struck by a wave.
“When it was capsizing, an onboard announcement instructed us to wear a life jacket,” Edvardo later told the Japanese coast guard. “So I wore a life jacket and jumped into the sea.”
Sareno didn’t see any of his fellow crew members while he watched the ship sink prior to his rescue by Japan’s coast guard. Sareno was rescued after the coast guard spotted him adrift while wearing his life jacket.
Filipino seafarers are one of the most vulnerable workforces in the global economy, often suffering grave injuries, negligence, and wage theft in the often lawless open waters.
Family members of the missing Filipino seafarers are also grieving since learning about the sinking of the ship via social media. According to Liezyl Pitogo and Justine Marie Payas, whose husbands were crewmen on the ship, they have not been receiving any updates from authorities.
“It’s difficult for someone like me for a day to get by without hearing any news. I hope that [officials] could give us a little hope, your help,” Pitogo told ABS-CBN. Due to coronavirus lockdown measures in the Philippines, Pitogo is unable to reach officials, she said.
“I know that there is a pandemic, but if I were only near, I would be the one looking out for him,” she added. “We need to find them.”
Some 500,000 Filipino seafarers are employed on vessels ranging from cruise ships to cargo liners and oil tankers, and their remittances are crucial for the economy of the Philippines.
Known for being cheerful, resourceful, and extremely hard-working – as well as less expensive than their European counterparts – Pinoy sailors make up a quarter of international seafarers but are often deprived of basic labor rights. Under Philippine law, they are unable to sue ship owners or managers in cases of severe negligence.
The Gulf Livestock 1 is a 456-foot (139 meter) vessel registered in Panama that was built as a livestock carrier in 2002 and is registered as being owned by the Amman-based Rahmeh Compania Naviera SA, according to public data. The ship’s manager is Hijazi & Ghosheh Co.
Animal rights organizers are also up in arms over the death of the nearly 6,000 cows, and they say that the sinking of the Gulf Livestock 1 is a clear example of the risks of transporting livestock by sea. The export of cattle and sheep generates major profits for meat and livestock producers in Australia and New Zealand.
Images of cattle floating in the area where the cargo ship sank have emerged amid the search-and-rescue attempts.
“This is a high-risk trade that puts the lives of animals at risk which is why the export of live animals must be banned,” Marianne Macdonald of New Zealand animal rights organization SAFE said in a statement Thursday.
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themindunleashed--2020-09-05--The Esoteric Meaning Behind Neo’s Interrogation Scene in The Matrix

More than 20 years old now , The Matrix is recognized by fans across the world as being one of the most brilliant films in history , most notably for its deeper meaning and esoteric philosophy .
One scene that is particularly intriguing , considering the social climate of today , is Neo ’ s interrogation by the Agents of the Matrix .
Now , before we dig into the potential hidden meaning here , as I perceive it , and how Neo found himself in this uncomfortable position to begin with , let ’ s first establish some key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line that will help us to appreciate the implications behind this scene a little bit more .
What Does The Character Neo Represent in the Matrix ?
Neo in ancient Greek ( νέος ) means new/young one .
This is an important piece of the puzzle to help us understand what the directors of the film are trying to communicate to us .
With that said , when we assess Neo ’ s character in the first film , we find that he is a solitary individual that keeps to himself and is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world by constantly searching the internet .
What Does The Character Morpheus Represent in the Matrix ?
Morpheus in Greek mythology is a messenger of the gods .
He appears to humans through dreams with the intention of delivering divine Knowledge and Truth .
In the Greek mythos , he can appear in almost any form in people ’ s dreams , which could be because anyone , regardless of race , gender , or outward appearance , can be a messenger of enlightenment and Truth .
The First Matrix Film is About @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With the understanding of the deeper meaning behind what Neo and Morpheus ’ characters represent in the film , we can now appreciate the intro scene of Neo sleeping ( whilst searching for Morpheus ) through a different lens of perception and awareness .
You see , Neo sleeping whilst searching online for Morpheus represents the early stages of the Truth seekers journey — “ asleep ” but still searching for deeper meaning in life — and hoping to find that meaning by seeking out a “ messenger ” of higher Knowledge and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Empire of Lies Through his incessant efforts , Neo begins to get closer and closer to finding the elusive Morpheus .
This , however , also attracts the unwanted attention of the Agents in the Matrix , which represent the enforcers of the shadow government of this system .
Their job is to ensure that no one exposes what the Matrix really is , and how it turns unsuspecting every day human beings into useful resources that it can use and exploit .
The Agents proceed to apprehend Neo and interrogate him , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ ve been spying on him and keeping meticulous records of his activities , both online and offline , for quite some time now .
As we all know very well today , all around the world intelligence agencies are doing exactly that — tracking what we view online and keeping meticulous records on many of our movements .
The agents , however , do not see Neo as being a major threat to the Matrix system , as he is still in the early stages of his awakening and does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Instead , they offer him a deal where they will be willing to “ wipe the slate clean ” on his illegal activities online , if Neo will simply help them track down the man they call Morpheus , who they claim is “ a known terrorist ” that is “ considered by many authorities to be the most dangerous man alive ” .
This represents that the single greatest threat to this manipulative system — which is overwhelmingly ruled by deception and exploitation — is any messenger of higher Knowledge and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are still “ asleep ” to what the proverbial Matrix really is .
In fact , one could argue this sort of power struggle has been going on for thousands of years , and is possibly why Socrates was accused of “ corrupting the youth ” by the ruling class more than 2,000 years ago and subsequently sentenced to death ; or why Fred Hampton was assassinated by government authorities in 1969 ; or , in more recent history , why civilians that were peacefully protesting against Wall Street and the bankers for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2008 , were targeted by the FBI and even labelled as potential “ domestic terrorists “ .
Simply put , Truth is terrorism in the empire of lies .
Neo , still being somewhat naïve and unbegun in his journey , rejects the Agent ’ s offer and demands he get a phone call because “ I know my rights !
” To this , Agent Smith retorts , “ tell me Mr. Anderson , what good is a phone call if you ’ re unable to speak ?
” , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the most eerie of ways .
This scene represents a lesson that all genuine Truth seekers eventually come to learn — this system is not concerned with human rights nor is it concerned with upholding authentic justice .
Instead , it inculcates these beliefs and misperceptions into our minds from a very young age , because it serves to help legitimize its unnecessary existence in the eyes of the unsuspecting public and indoctrinate us as to why we think we need it .
But in reality , our government guaranteed “ rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the blink of an eye .
In relation to current events , for example , many thousands of people worldwide have been arrested for violating curfew orders ; In one Indian state , civilians were told they must take selfies every hour and send it to the authorities to prove that they are staying indoors ; in South Africa , some have been fined for not wearing masks while driving their cars ; In Boston in the United States , people have even been told that they will be fined if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the street ; Homeless people in France have reportedly been fined for not staying indoors ; Some people have been arrested for attending funerals of loved ones because it violated lockdown orders ; Others ( including doctors and scientists ) have had their right to freedom of speech censored online ; In Australia , a pregnant woman was actually arrested in her home for facebook posts that encouraged protesting against the lockdown ; According to the International Labor Organization , tens of millions are being pushed into unemployment ; and travel all around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these authorities who have taken it upon themselves to be the rulers of this planet by dictating what the rest of us can and can not do .
Whether you agree with these policies or not , these things can not logically be called “ rights ” since they are so very easily violated and taken away from us .
There are many other examples that demonstrate how our government given “ rights ” are more of a comforting illusion than an actual reality , such as the CIA ’ s secretive Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done in cooperation with other intelligence agencies and authorities throughout the world .
In these programs , people have been kidnapped — without any legal criminal charge or trial — and then taken to undisclosed secret locations where many of them are tortured for many months on end , in ways that are considered to be in violation of international law and basic human rights .
The CIA , of course , simply claims they are suspected terrorists .
In 2014 , however , a Senate Intelligence Committee Report found that at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and tortured were actually “ wrongfully detained ” .
Wake Up Neo — You Are the One Fortunately , Neo manages to escape this unthinkable situation without any serious injury or harm .
Soon after , he is contacted by Morpheus , where he is told that he was very lucky that the Agents underestimated his great potential and spared him , because if the Agents had known the great secret that Morpheus knows , then Neo would probably be dead .
Confused by the obvious strangeness of everything taking place , Neo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on , and what exactly is he talking about ?
?
Without hesitation , Morpheus replies to him , “ You are the one Neo — You see , you may have spent the last few years looking for me , but I have spent my entire life looking for you.
” This is perhaps the most important lesson the new Truth seeker must eventually come to learn — We are the ones we have been waiting for to change this corrupt world my friends ; and we must stop looking for heroes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this very serious responsibility .
Instead , we must all take on the role of Morpheus — which is to awaken as many Neo ’ s ( new minds ) as we possibly can , whilst also taking on the role that represents the journey of Neo , by challenging ourselves to become the best version of who we authentically are .
By doing this , we will help to awaken and unleash the unique creative forces of each individual ’ s problem solving imagination ; and we will also find unity in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and corruption , of this inhumane system which invariably exploits us all .
If not us , then who ?
And if not now , then when ?
Support My Work Through Patreon Here Sign up for my email newsletter HERE All my work is open source and I encourage it to be reproduced .
I only ask that you give me credit , and include links to follow me — as listed in the EXACT FORMAT above — in an effort to help me build a formidable following of people truly intent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you are not willing to do that , you are NOT permitted to use my work .

More than 20 years old now, The Matrix is recognized by fans across the world as being one of the most brilliant films in history, most notably for its deeper meaning and esoteric philosophy.
One scene that is particularly intriguing, considering the social climate of today, is Neo’s interrogation by the Agents of the Matrix.
Now, before we dig into the potential hidden meaning here, as I perceive it, and how Neo found himself in this uncomfortable position to begin with, let’s first establish some key points in relation to the overall story line that will help us to appreciate the implications behind this scene a little bit more.
What Does The Character Neo Represent in the Matrix?
Neo in ancient Greek (νέος) means new/young one. This is an important piece of the puzzle to help us understand what the directors of the film are trying to communicate to us. With that said, when we assess Neo’s character in the first film, we find that he is a solitary individual that keeps to himself and is struggling to find deeper meaning in this world by constantly searching the internet.
What Does The Character Morpheus Represent in the Matrix?
Morpheus in Greek mythology is a messenger of the gods. He appears to humans through dreams with the intention of delivering divine Knowledge and Truth. In the Greek mythos, he can appear in almost any form in people’s dreams, which could be because anyone, regardless of race, gender, or outward appearance, can be a messenger of enlightenment and Truth.
The First Matrix Film is About The Beginning of the Journey to Awakening
With the understanding of the deeper meaning behind what Neo and Morpheus’ characters represent in the film, we can now appreciate the intro scene of Neo sleeping (whilst searching for Morpheus) through a different lens of perception and awareness.
You see, Neo sleeping whilst searching online for Morpheus represents the early stages of the Truth seekers journey — “asleep” but still searching for deeper meaning in life — and hoping to find that meaning by seeking out a “messenger” of higher Knowledge and Truth.
Truth is Terrorism in the Empire of Lies
Through his incessant efforts, Neo begins to get closer and closer to finding the elusive Morpheus. This, however, also attracts the unwanted attention of the Agents in the Matrix, which represent the enforcers of the shadow government of this system. Their job is to ensure that no one exposes what the Matrix really is, and how it turns unsuspecting every day human beings into useful resources that it can use and exploit.
The Agents proceed to apprehend Neo and interrogate him, where they make it very clear that they’ve been spying on him and keeping meticulous records of his activities, both online and offline, for quite some time now. As we all know very well today, all around the world intelligence agencies are doing exactly that — tracking what we view online and keeping meticulous records on many of our movements.
The agents, however, do not see Neo as being a major threat to the Matrix system, as he is still in the early stages of his awakening and does not know enough to be a major threat. Instead, they offer him a deal where they will be willing to “wipe the slate clean” on his illegal activities online, if Neo will simply help them track down the man they call Morpheus, who they claim is “a known terrorist” that is “considered by many authorities to be the most dangerous man alive”.
This represents that the single greatest threat to this manipulative system — which is overwhelmingly ruled by deception and exploitation — is any messenger of higher Knowledge and Truth that can potentially awaken those who are still “asleep” to what the proverbial Matrix really is. In fact, one could argue this sort of power struggle has been going on for thousands of years, and is possibly why Socrates was accused of “corrupting the youth” by the ruling class more than 2,000 years ago and subsequently sentenced to death; or why Fred Hampton was assassinated by government authorities in 1969; or, in more recent history, why civilians that were peacefully protesting against Wall Street and the bankers for their part in destroying the world economy in 2008, were targeted by the FBI and even labelled as potential “domestic terrorists“.
Simply put, Truth is terrorism in the empire of lies.
Imaginary Rights
Neo, still being somewhat naïve and unbegun in his journey, rejects the Agent’s offer and demands he get a phone call because “I know my rights!”
To this, Agent Smith retorts, “tell me Mr. Anderson, what good is a phone call if you’re unable to speak?”, which results in Neo’s mouth warping in the most eerie of ways.
This scene represents a lesson that all genuine Truth seekers eventually come to learn — this system is not concerned with human rights nor is it concerned with upholding authentic justice. Instead, it inculcates these beliefs and misperceptions into our minds from a very young age, because it serves to help legitimize its unnecessary existence in the eyes of the unsuspecting public and indoctrinate us as to why we think we need it. But in reality, our government guaranteed “rights” can be taken away from us in the blink of an eye.
In relation to current events, for example, many thousands of people worldwide have been arrested for violating curfew orders; In one Indian state, civilians were told they must take selfies every hour and send it to the authorities to prove that they are staying indoors; in South Africa, some have been fined for not wearing masks while driving their cars; In Boston in the United States, people have even been told that they will be fined if they walk “the wrong direction” down the street; Homeless people in France have reportedly been fined for not staying indoors; Some people have been arrested for attending funerals of loved ones because it violated lockdown orders; Others (including doctors and scientists) have had their right to freedom of speech censored online; In Australia, a pregnant woman was actually arrested in her home for facebook posts that encouraged protesting against the lockdown; According to the International Labor Organization, tens of millions are being pushed into unemployment; and travel all around the world has been severely restricted by these authorities who have taken it upon themselves to be the rulers of this planet by dictating what the rest of us can and cannot do. Whether you agree with these policies or not, these things cannot logically be called “rights” since they are so very easily violated and taken away from us.
There are many other examples that demonstrate how our government given “rights” are more of a comforting illusion than an actual reality, such as the CIA’s secretive Black Site torture programs, which have been done in cooperation with other intelligence agencies and authorities throughout the world. In these programs, people have been kidnapped — without any legal criminal charge or trial — and then taken to undisclosed secret locations where many of them are tortured for many months on end, in ways that are considered to be in violation of international law and basic human rights. The CIA, of course, simply claims they are suspected terrorists. In 2014, however, a Senate Intelligence Committee Report found that at least 26 of the people that were kidnapped and tortured were actually “wrongfully detained”.
Wake Up Neo — You Are the One
Fortunately, Neo manages to escape this unthinkable situation without any serious injury or harm. Soon after, he is contacted by Morpheus, where he is told that he was very lucky that the Agents underestimated his great potential and spared him, because if the Agents had known the great secret that Morpheus knows, then Neo would probably be dead.
Confused by the obvious strangeness of everything taking place, Neo asks Morpheus what the hell is going on, and what exactly is he talking about?? Without hesitation, Morpheus replies to him, “You are the one Neo — You see, you may have spent the last few years looking for me, but I have spent my entire life looking for you.”
This is perhaps the most important lesson the new Truth seeker must eventually come to learn — We are the ones we have been waiting for to change this corrupt world my friends; and we must stop looking for heroes and human leaders to absolve us of this very serious responsibility. Instead, we must all take on the role of Morpheus — which is to awaken as many Neo’s (new minds) as we possibly can, whilst also taking on the role that represents the journey of Neo, by challenging ourselves to become the best version of who we authentically are.
By doing this, we will help to awaken and unleash the unique creative forces of each individual’s problem solving imagination; and we will also find unity in our shared struggle against the injustices, and corruption, of this inhumane system which invariably exploits us all.
If not us, then who? And if not now, then when?
Written by Gavin Nascimento, Founder of aNewKindOfHuman.com
Support My Work Through Patreon Here
Sign up for my email newsletter HERE
All my work is open source and I encourage it to be reproduced. I only ask that you give me credit, and include links to follow me — as listed in the EXACT FORMAT above — in an effort to help me build a formidable following of people truly intent on learning and creating positive change. If you are not willing to do that, you are NOT permitted to use my work.
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themindunleashed--2020-09-05--Man Dies After Police Leave Him On Hot Pavement For 6 Minutes After Loitering Complaint

Last month , a man was killed after officers with the Phoenix Police Department left him laying on the hot pavement for about 6 minutes during an arrest .
On August 4th , police were called on 28-year-old Ramon Lopez because he was wearing ripped pants while loitering in a parking lot .
A woman called 911 to report that Lopez was “ acting strange ” and “ looking at cars ” in the parking lot .
“ He ’ s kinda acting funny , he ’ s over there sticking his tongue out , I don ’ t know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And then he got ripped pants on , and he jumping around…looking at people ’ s cars , ” The woman said .
“ Alright , what is he doing exactly ?
” the dispatcher asked .
“ He ’ s out there looking at people ’ s cars .
Sticking his tongue out .
Holding his , you know , his private parts , ” she replied .
The dispatcher then asked for clarification .
“ You say he ’ s exposing his private parts ?
” the dispatcher asked .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , like he ’ s scratching on it or something , ” the woman replied Police arrived on the scene a few moments later , and Lopez took off running as soon as he saw them pull up .
Police say that he ran into a nearby convenience store and stole a drink and then ran back outside .
They also say he continued to run when he left the store , and tried to throw the drink behind him while he was being chased .
Police quickly caught up with him and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left him laying on the ground .
In body camera footage , one of the officers can be heard saying that Lopez had a “ broken arm ” but there was no mention of getting him any medical care .
Instead , they shackled his legs too and left him on the hot asphalt as he screamed in pain .
The temperature outside at the time of the incident was an estimated 100 degrees , and experts suggest that asphalt can reach temperatures 40 to 60 degrees higher than the outside temperature .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ police ignored him and refused to help until he was dead .
“ You ’ re fine , ” one officer can be heard saying in the body camera footage .
Moments later , when backup arrived , a group of cops picked him up and placed him in the back of a police vehicle , at which point they say they realized he was unresponsive .
One of the officers shook Lopez ’ s body and said “ Wake up buddy , ” but got no response .
Finally , they called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late , Lopez was pronounced dead later that day at a nearby hospital .
According to Lopez ’ s partner , he was recently diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia , which would shine some light on his erratic behavior .
Sergeant Mercedes Fortune said that an investigation is taking place to determine whether or not the police on the scene followed protocol .
“ Conclusions about whether the actions of the officers are consistent with department policy and the law will not be made until all facts are known and an internal investigation is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .

Last month, a man was killed after officers with the Phoenix Police Department left him laying on the hot pavement for about 6 minutes during an arrest. On August 4th, police were called on 28-year-old Ramon Lopez because he was wearing ripped pants while loitering in a parking lot.
A woman called 911 to report that Lopez was “acting strange” and “looking at cars” in the parking lot.
“He’s kinda acting funny, he’s over there sticking his tongue out, I don’t know what’s wrong with him. And then he got ripped pants on, and he jumping around…looking at people’s cars,” The woman said.
“Alright, what is he doing exactly?” the dispatcher asked.
“He’s out there looking at people’s cars. Sticking his tongue out. Holding his, you know, his private parts,” she replied.
The dispatcher then asked for clarification.
“You say he’s exposing his private parts?” the dispatcher asked.
“No, he’s holding it, like he’s scratching on it or something,” the woman replied
Police arrived on the scene a few moments later, and Lopez took off running as soon as he saw them pull up. Police say that he ran into a nearby convenience store and stole a drink and then ran back outside.
They also say he continued to run when he left the store, and tried to throw the drink behind him while he was being chased. Police quickly caught up with him and tackled him, then handcuffed him and left him laying on the ground. In body camera footage, one of the officers can be heard saying that Lopez had a “broken arm” but there was no mention of getting him any medical care. Instead, they shackled his legs too and left him on the hot asphalt as he screamed in pain.
The temperature outside at the time of the incident was an estimated 100 degrees, and experts suggest that asphalt can reach temperatures 40 to 60 degrees higher than the outside temperature.
Despite his cries for help, the police ignored him and refused to help until he was dead.
“You’re fine,” one officer can be heard saying in the body camera footage.
Moments later, when backup arrived, a group of cops picked him up and placed him in the back of a police vehicle, at which point they say they realized he was unresponsive.
One of the officers shook Lopez’s body and said “Wake up buddy,” but got no response. Finally, they called for medical help but it was too late, Lopez was pronounced dead later that day at a nearby hospital.
According to Lopez’s partner, he was recently diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, which would shine some light on his erratic behavior.
Sergeant Mercedes Fortune said that an investigation is taking place to determine whether or not the police on the scene followed protocol.
“Conclusions about whether the actions of the officers are consistent with department policy and the law will not be made until all facts are known and an internal investigation is complete,” Fortune said in a statement.
Body camera footage below:
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themindunleashed--2020-09-08--Gender-reveal party sparks huge wildfire in California, causing helicopter evacuations and chaos

As California continues to be torched by a devastating combination of heat waves and a scourge of wildfires , officials are blaming a gender reveal party for one wild fire that ’ s scorched over 8,500 acres in Southern California .
“ A smoke-generating pyrotechnic device ” used during a party sparked the El Dorado fire , according to the Cal Fire San Bernardino Unit .
“ Cal Fire reminds the public that with the dry conditions and critical fire weather , it doesn ’ t take much to start a wildfire , ” the agency warned in a press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fires due to negligence or illegal activity can be held financially and criminally responsible.
” The news comes as the Golden State is being fried to a crisp by a record-shattering heatwave , with parts of the Los Angeles metropolitan region reaching highest-ever temperatures of 121F ( 49.4C ) Sunday ’ s weather was “ one of the hottest days since weather records began across much of south-western California , ” said the National Weather Service .
The grim record comes one month after Death Valley National Park , also in California , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , potentially the highest temperature recorded on the entire planet .
Over two dozen fires are raging across the state , with Cal Fire struggling to gain a grip on the huge Creek Fire , which has scorched over 73,000 acres .
None of it has been contained .
The fire began on Friday evening in the steep , rugged terrain of the Sierra National Forest , home to a popular camp site lying near Fresno .
On late Saturday , rescuers in Chinook and Black Hawk helicopters were deployed to help airlift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wildfire cut all road access to the Mammoth Pool Reservoir .
Roughly 20 people were hurt , including some who sustained serious burn injuries .
“ We had to splash water on our hair because our hair was catching on fire , ” Rylee Zukovsky , 16 , told the New York Times .
“ I was shoveling so much water into my face that I was almost drowning myself.
” “ Nobody knew helicopters were coming , ” she added .
“ The Chinook just flew out of the smoke.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fires in California cited by Gov .
Gavin Newsom in an emergency declaration Sunday night that applies to the counties of Fresno , Madera , Mariposa , San Bernardino , and San Diego .
This unfortunately was not the first fire caused by a gender reveal party , which are celebrations where expecting parents announce whether they are having a boy or a girl .
Since gender reveal parties have gained popularity , they have grown more elaborate and even dangerous .
In April 2017 , a gender reveal party sparked a fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and caused over $ 8 million in damage over the span of a week .
In 2018 , a U.S. Border Patrol agent admitted he was guilty of a misdemeanor violation of U.S. Forest Service regulations for igniting the fire .
Since August 15 , California has been inundated by almost 1,000 wildfires , including many caused in Northern California and the Bay Area by a blitz of lightning strikes .
An unsparing heat wave has also hit parts of the state , and officials in the Southern California beach community of Malibu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from hiking after one hiker died from the high temperatures .

As California continues to be torched by a devastating combination of heat waves and a scourge of wildfires, officials are blaming a gender reveal party for one wild fire that’s scorched over 8,500 acres in Southern California.
“A smoke-generating pyrotechnic device” used during a party sparked the El Dorado fire, according to the Cal Fire San Bernardino Unit.
“Cal Fire reminds the public that with the dry conditions and critical fire weather, it doesn’t take much to start a wildfire,” the agency warned in a press release. “Those responsible for starting fires due to negligence or illegal activity can be held financially and criminally responsible.”
CAL FIRE Law Enforcement has determined the El Dorado Fire, burning near Oak Glen in San Bernardino County, was caused by a smoke generating pyrotechnic device, used during a gender reveal party. The fire began at… https://t.co/w62ZRuBdNJ — CAL FIRE BDU (@CALFIREBDU) September 7, 2020
The news comes as the Golden State is being fried to a crisp by a record-shattering heatwave, with parts of the Los Angeles metropolitan region reaching highest-ever temperatures of 121F (49.4C)
Sunday’s weather was “one of the hottest days since weather records began across much of south-western California,” said the National Weather Service.
The grim record comes one month after Death Valley National Park, also in California, recorded temperature of 130F (54.4C), potentially the highest temperature recorded on the entire planet.
Over two dozen fires are raging across the state, with Cal Fire struggling to gain a grip on the huge Creek Fire, which has scorched over 73,000 acres. None of it has been contained.
The fire began on Friday evening in the steep, rugged terrain of the Sierra National Forest, home to a popular camp site lying near Fresno.
#creekfire county sheriff's and fire crews just escorted nearly 50 families from China Peak near in Sierra national forest. There was an attempted airlift by national guard helicopters, but the smoke and other factors prevented it. pic.twitter.com/Wr39YOdU3c — Gillis Jones (@Gillis57) September 7, 2020
On late Saturday, rescuers in Chinook and Black Hawk helicopters were deployed to help airlift 207 people to safety when the explosive wildfire cut all road access to the Mammoth Pool Reservoir. Roughly 20 people were hurt, including some who sustained serious burn injuries.
“We had to splash water on our hair because our hair was catching on fire,” Rylee Zukovsky, 16, told the New York Times. “I was shoveling so much water into my face that I was almost drowning myself.”
“Nobody knew helicopters were coming,” she added. “The Chinook just flew out of the smoke.”
Had to cut our Shuteye climbing trip short today due to the Creek Fire. We ended up going the long way around after fire cut off Mammoth Pool road. pic.twitter.com/DbrY7XHe9d — Matt Freels (@mf) September 6, 2020
The Creek Fire is one of three major fires in California cited by Gov. Gavin Newsom in an emergency declaration Sunday night that applies to the counties of Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, San Bernardino, and San Diego.
This unfortunately was not the first fire caused by a gender reveal party, which are celebrations where expecting parents announce whether they are having a boy or a girl. Since gender reveal parties have gained popularity, they have grown more elaborate and even dangerous.
In April 2017, a gender reveal party sparked a fire that consumed over 45,000 acres in Arizona and caused over $8 million in damage over the span of a week. In 2018, a U.S. Border Patrol agent admitted he was guilty of a misdemeanor violation of U.S. Forest Service regulations for igniting the fire.
Since August 15, California has been inundated by almost 1,000 wildfires, including many caused in Northern California and the Bay Area by a blitz of lightning strikes.
An unsparing heat wave has also hit parts of the state, and officials in the Southern California beach community of Malibu have urged locals and visitors to refrain from hiking after one hiker died from the high temperatures.
Effective immediately, we have been advised that all trails in the #SantaMonicaMountains will be closed through #LaborDay. We responded to several heat related rescues today, including one hiker who unfortunately perished. PLEASE DO NOT #HIKE IN THIS #HEATWAVE. #CAwx #LAHeat pic.twitter.com/B1ZdOu46S3 — Malibu Search Rescue (@MalibuSAR) September 6, 2020
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themindunleashed--2020-09-08--World’s rarest great ape, discovered 3 years ago, is fast being wiped out by British firm’s goldmine

When scientists discovered the Tapanuli Orangutan in 2017 , they were ecstatic .
After all , these rare primates were the first great ape species to be discovered in almost a century .
But now , with only about 800 of the newly-identified animals remaining , it is feared that the rarest great ape species on the planet could soon be made extinct by transnational mining operations .
The Tapanuli orangutan can be found only in a single high-elevation forest in the Batang Toru Ecosystem , which lies in North Sumatra , Indonesia .
The area is rich in biodiversity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Pangolin and Sumatran tiger calling it home .
However , the lush rainforest of Batang Toru is also the site of a major gold-mining project by Jardine Matheson , an Anglo multinational conglomerate whose dealings in Asia date back nearly 200 years , when it trafficked opium to China from colonial India to the Pearl River Delta and directly helped deliver Hong Kong to the British imperialists .
The Hong Kong-based transnational corporation now has extensive holdings across Southeast Asia and the world , including automobile companies , dairy farms , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But ever since 2018 , when Jardine Matheson bought the Martabe goldmine on Sumatra Island , the company has been expanding its operations deeper and deeper into the Tapanuli orangutans ’ environment .
This has entailed the destruction of the irreplaceable Tapanuli orangutan forest habitat with projects to expand mining infrastructure including the huge massive Batang Toru hydroelectric dam project , which is meant to power the smelters of the Martabe mine .
Scientists are now warning that the damage is so great that if only eight of the Tapanuli orangutans are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the isolated great ape species would decline to the point of no return over the next decade .
Conservationist group Mighty Earth has been organizing and advocating for an end to the destruction of the Tapanuli orangutan habitat by by the Martabe gold-mining project and is demanding that Jardine Matheson halt the deliberate damage being done to the forest ecosystem .
“ I think this is an issue of corporate responsibility , ” campaign director Amanta Hurotwitz told The Telegraph .
“ You have a mine in the habitat of the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are going to profit off this species you have a responsibility to take action to protect the species.
” However , spokespeople for the transnational conglomerate strongly reject the claims , explaining that they strictly abide by the guidelines of local authorities , including any environmental regulations that are in place .
“ The mine has not encroached on areas categorized as protected forest and has been clear on its commitment to protecting biodiversity , ” a spokesperson said .
However , conservationists fear that the Tapanuli orangutan , whose unique genetic make-up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be forever lost due to the devastating carelessness and corruption that comes with corporate greed – especially in the case of such large-scale mining operations .
Hurotwitz urged the company to rethink its practices , noting that it is crucial that Jardine Matheson resolves to “ work with scientists to mitigate the damage that has been done .
”

When scientists discovered the Tapanuli Orangutan in 2017, they were ecstatic. After all, these rare primates were the first great ape species to be discovered in almost a century. But now, with only about 800 of the newly-identified animals remaining, it is feared that the rarest great ape species on the planet could soon be made extinct by transnational mining operations.
The Tapanuli orangutan can be found only in a single high-elevation forest in the Batang Toru Ecosystem, which lies in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The area is rich in biodiversity, with other highly endangered species like the Pangolin and Sumatran tiger calling it home.
However, the lush rainforest of Batang Toru is also the site of a major gold-mining project by Jardine Matheson, an Anglo multinational conglomerate whose dealings in Asia date back nearly 200 years, when it trafficked opium to China from colonial India to the Pearl River Delta and directly helped deliver Hong Kong to the British imperialists.
The Hong Kong-based transnational corporation now has extensive holdings across Southeast Asia and the world, including automobile companies, dairy farms, and ownership of the Mandarin Oriental hotel chain.
But ever since 2018, when Jardine Matheson bought the Martabe goldmine on Sumatra Island, the company has been expanding its operations deeper and deeper into the Tapanuli orangutans’ environment. This has entailed the destruction of the irreplaceable Tapanuli orangutan forest habitat with projects to expand mining infrastructure including the huge massive Batang Toru hydroelectric dam project, which is meant to power the smelters of the Martabe mine.
Scientists are now warning that the damage is so great that if only eight of the Tapanuli orangutans are killed each year, the genetic diversity of the isolated great ape species would decline to the point of no return over the next decade.
Conservationist group Mighty Earth has been organizing and advocating for an end to the destruction of the Tapanuli orangutan habitat by by the Martabe gold-mining project and is demanding that Jardine Matheson halt the deliberate damage being done to the forest ecosystem.
“I think this is an issue of corporate responsibility,” campaign director Amanta Hurotwitz told The Telegraph. “You have a mine in the habitat of the most endangered species of great ape… If you are going to profit off this species you have a responsibility to take action to protect the species.”
However, spokespeople for the transnational conglomerate strongly reject the claims, explaining that they strictly abide by the guidelines of local authorities, including any environmental regulations that are in place.
“The mine has not encroached on areas categorized as protected forest and has been clear on its commitment to protecting biodiversity,” a spokesperson said.
However, conservationists fear that the Tapanuli orangutan, whose unique genetic make-up and behavior delighted scientists and primatologists, could be forever lost due to the devastating carelessness and corruption that comes with corporate greed – especially in the case of such large-scale mining operations.
Hurotwitz urged the company to rethink its practices, noting that it is crucial that Jardine Matheson resolves to “work with scientists to mitigate the damage that has been done.”
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themindunleashed--2020-09-08--Researchers Say Plant Composition Could Help Guide Searchers to Human Remains

True-crime analysis and criminal investigations may have a new , unlikely ally : plants .
According to researchers and scientists , a crime scene where a human cadaver is buried or otherwise present may give off tell-tale signs of decomposition , which affects the surrounding soil , foliage , plants , and roots .
A new paper published in the journal Trends in Plant Science outlines the research by a team of botanists , anthropologists and soil scientists from the University of Tennessee ’ s “ body farm ” division , otherwise known as the Anthropology Research Facility .
Here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chemical composition of ecosystems surrounding human remains create “ cadaver decomposition islands.
” “ In smaller , open landscapes foot patrols could be effective to find someone missing , but in more forested or treacherous parts of the world like the Amazon , that ’ s not going to be possible at all .
This led us to look into plants as indicators of human decomposition , which could lead to faster , and possibly safer body recovery.
” Though the research is in an early phase , the team believes that increased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could indicate human remains .
Such information , they say , could be detected remotely by aerial surveillance and drones , enhancing the search for missing persons .
“ The most obvious result of the islands would be a large release of nitrogen into the soil , especially in the summertime when decomposition is happening so fast , ” said senior author Neal Stewart Junior .
“ Depending on how quickly the plants respond to the influx of nitrogen , it may cause changes in leaf color and reflectance.
” Researchers say that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognizable foliar compositional changes in coloration and fluorescence .
“ Once diagnostic spectra are compiled , researchers can begin to think about scaling up to drones and other tech that can analyze a wide stretch of area in a short time , ” Stewart said .
“ One thought is if we had a specific person who went missing who was , let ’ s say , a heavy smoker , they could have a chemical profile that could trigger some sort of unique plant response making them easier to locate.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is differentiating between human remains and other large mammals , like deers , who decompose naturally .
In order to combat this problem , scientists must seek a better understanding of the specific human metabolites that break down into the soil after death and later affect foliage appearance .
The research team expects to be able to overcome this chemical puzzle , which will further aid scientific discovery .
Researchers will continue to study the plants on human cadaver islands , which could dramatically save time and resources on police searches .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ searches , technology devised specifically to look for specific emissions and altered foliage releasing large amounts of nitrogen and other telltale signs could form a powerful new tool in missing person searches .

True-crime analysis and criminal investigations may have a new, unlikely ally: plants. According to researchers and scientists, a crime scene where a human cadaver is buried or otherwise present may give off tell-tale signs of decomposition, which affects the surrounding soil, foliage, plants, and roots.
A new paper published in the journal Trends in Plant Science outlines the research by a team of botanists, anthropologists and soil scientists from the University of Tennessee’s “body farm” division, otherwise known as the Anthropology Research Facility. Here researchers have determined that changes in the chemical composition of ecosystems surrounding human remains create “cadaver decomposition islands.”
In a statement, the team wrote:
“In smaller, open landscapes foot patrols could be effective to find someone missing, but in more forested or treacherous parts of the world like the Amazon, that’s not going to be possible at all. This led us to look into plants as indicators of human decomposition, which could lead to faster, and possibly safer body recovery.”
Though the research is in an early phase, the team believes that increased nitrogen levels in tree and shrub canopies could indicate human remains. Such information, they say, could be detected remotely by aerial surveillance and drones, enhancing the search for missing persons.
“The most obvious result of the islands would be a large release of nitrogen into the soil, especially in the summertime when decomposition is happening so fast,” said senior author Neal Stewart Junior. “Depending on how quickly the plants respond to the influx of nitrogen, it may cause changes in leaf color and reflectance.”
Researchers say that cadaver decomposition islands also experience small but recognizable foliar compositional changes in coloration and fluorescence.
“Once diagnostic spectra are compiled, researchers can begin to think about scaling up to drones and other tech that can analyze a wide stretch of area in a short time,” Stewart said. “One thought is if we had a specific person who went missing who was, let’s say, a heavy smoker, they could have a chemical profile that could trigger some sort of unique plant response making them easier to locate.”
The biggest hurdle, according to researchers, is differentiating between human remains and other large mammals, like deers, who decompose naturally. In order to combat this problem, scientists must seek a better understanding of the specific human metabolites that break down into the soil after death and later affect foliage appearance. The research team expects to be able to overcome this chemical puzzle, which will further aid scientific discovery.
Researchers will continue to study the plants on human cadaver islands, which could dramatically save time and resources on police searches. While drones are already used extensively in these searches, technology devised to look for specific emissions and altered foliage releasing large amounts of nitrogen and other telltale signs could form a powerful new tool in missing person searches.
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themindunleashed--2020-09-08--California’s raging Creek Fire consumes over 200 miles, spawning “fire clouds” seen from space

As a record-shattering heatwave supercharges extreme fire conditions in California , the most terrifying of the multiple fires ravaging the Golden State has spawned a massive “ fire cloud ” visible from space .
Well over 2 million acres of land have gone up in flames across California , devouring forest land and consuming homes .
The worst among the fires is the Creek Fire in the Sierra National Forest in Central California , near Fresno , which has grown into a “ raging monster ” after exploding on Friday .
Since beginning Friday , the Creek Fire has already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 212 square miles , as of Tuesday morning , according to Cal Fire .
The fire has doubled in size since Monday , and the fire has zero percent containment .
Authorities have warned that they won ’ t have the Creek Fire fully contained until Oct. 15 , 2020 .
As the fast-moving fire likely spawned fire tornadoes during its expansion , a ( literally ) breath-taking “ fire cloud ” or pyrocumulonimbus has also been detected from space by a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) satellite .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been monitoring California ’ s # CreekFire , which grew explosively today after igniting in the Sierra National Forest on Friday , ” NOAA ’ s public affairs office wrote on Twitter on Sunday ( Sept. 6 ) .
“ In this loop , you can see the fire ’ s extraordinary # Pyrocumulonimbus cloud , which reached an estimated 45,000+ ft [ 14,000 meters , or about 8.5 miles ] high.
” NASA refers to pyrocumulonimbus as “ the fire breathing dragon of clouds , ” and notes that they are created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire mix over thousands of burning acres .
These thunder clouds are triggered by the heat and moisture kicked into the atmosphere by fires , and the fire clouds also send massive amounts of pollutants into the upper atmosphere .
On the ground , the U.S. military have stepped into assist California ’ s strained fire services .
On Tuesday , aircraft of the U.S. Navy and California Army National Guard helped rescue 35 people .
The Fresno Bee reports that a Blackhawk rescued 13 from China Peak and brought them to Yosemite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 people from the fire zone to Lemoore Naval Air Station , while another National Guard helicopter flew back from Lake Edison with 11 people .
There have been two urgent rescues carried out since the Creek Fire ignited on Friday , with 214 people being rescued by helicopter after they were trapped at the Mammoth Pool Reservoir in Madera County .
Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from Madera and Fresno counties , while over 60 structures have been destroyed by the inferno-like blaze .
“ This is an unprecedented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County Sheriff ’ s Office Lt. Brandon Pursell said Monday .
“ This is one of the largest and most dangerous fires in the history of Fresno County .
I don ’ t think everyone understands that .
Playing that game of ‘ how long can I wait ’ is just foolish.
” The unsparing heat wave in parts of California has been accompanied by 22 large fires .
Over the weekend , temperatures in the Los Angeles metropolitan region climbed past 121F ( 49.4C ) Worsening matters significantly , wind gusts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parts of Northern California .
Meanwhile , Southern California residents are being told to urgently prepare for strong Santa Ana winds that are arriving Tuesday and are sure to spread the Bobcat Fire burning in the Angeles National Forest .
The cities of Duarte and Monrovia face the strongest danger but Azusa , Bradbury , Arcadia and Sierra Madre could also be threatened , officials warn .

As a record-shattering heatwave supercharges extreme fire conditions in California, the most terrifying of the multiple fires ravaging the Golden State has spawned a massive “fire cloud” visible from space.
Well over 2 million acres of land have gone up in flames across California, devouring forest land and consuming homes. The worst among the fires is the Creek Fire in the Sierra National Forest in Central California, near Fresno, which has grown into a “raging monster” after exploding on Friday.
Since beginning Friday, the Creek Fire has already consumed nearly 145 thousand acres, or 212 square miles, as of Tuesday morning, according to Cal Fire.
Intense heat from the 73,278-acre Big Creek fire near Fresno, California has produced not just smoke, but something called a pyrocumulonimbus cloud, which resembles the aftermath of an atomic explosion [read more, with credits to the pictures: https://t.co/PxUKhH9aou] pic.twitter.com/xEt4Yjb2LF — Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) September 7, 2020
The fire has doubled in size since Monday, and the fire has zero percent containment. Authorities have warned that they won’t have the Creek Fire fully contained until Oct. 15, 2020.
As the fast-moving fire likely spawned fire tornadoes during its expansion, a (literally) breath-taking “fire cloud” or pyrocumulonimbus has also been detected from space by a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite.
“@NOAA’s #GOES17 has been monitoring California’s #CreekFire, which grew explosively today after igniting in the Sierra National Forest on Friday,” NOAA’s public affairs office wrote on Twitter on Sunday (Sept. 6). “In this loop, you can see the fire’s extraordinary #Pyrocumulonimbus cloud, which reached an estimated 45,000+ ft [14,000 meters, or about 8.5 miles] high.”
UPDATE: @NOAA's #GOES17? has been monitoring California's #CreekFire, which grew explosively today after igniting in the Sierra National Forest on Friday. In this loop, you can see the fire's extraordinary #Pyrocumulonimbus cloud, which reached an estimated 45,000+ ft high. pic.twitter.com/pcWwnrA2zs — NOAA Satellites – Public Affairs (@NOAASatellitePA) September 6, 2020
NASA refers to pyrocumulonimbus as “the fire breathing dragon of clouds,” and notes that they are created when wind, rain, smoke and fire mix over thousands of burning acres. These thunder clouds are triggered by the heat and moisture kicked into the atmosphere by fires, and the fire clouds also send massive amounts of pollutants into the upper atmosphere.
On the ground, the U.S. military have stepped into assist California’s strained fire services. On Tuesday, aircraft of the U.S. Navy and California Army National Guard helped rescue 35 people.
Hi-res imagery of the Creek Fire's explosive growth today. Pyrocumulonimbus mania. Wow. pic.twitter.com/W3q2I9OEzd — Dakota Smith (@weatherdak) September 6, 2020
The Fresno Bee reports that a Blackhawk rescued 13 from China Peak and brought them to Yosemite International Airport. The Navy also airlifted 11 people from the fire zone to Lemoore Naval Air Station, while another National Guard helicopter flew back from Lake Edison with 11 people.
There have been two urgent rescues carried out since the Creek Fire ignited on Friday, with 214 people being rescued by helicopter after they were trapped at the Mammoth Pool Reservoir in Madera County.
“There’s fire on all sides, all around us.” Absolutely terrifying video from Mammoth Pools where 200+ people were trapped when the Creek Fire exploded pic.twitter.com/xDb8huwWKe — Brian Kahn (@blkahn) September 6, 2020
Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from Madera and Fresno counties, while over 60 structures have been destroyed by the inferno-like blaze.
“This is an unprecedented disaster for Fresno County,” Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Brandon Pursell said Monday. “This is one of the largest and most dangerous fires in the history of Fresno County. I don’t think everyone understands that. Playing that game of ‘how long can I wait’ is just foolish.”
The unsparing heat wave in parts of California has been accompanied by 22 large fires. Over the weekend, temperatures in the Los Angeles metropolitan region climbed past 121F (49.4C)
Worsening matters significantly, wind gusts of about 50 mph are expected in elevated parts of Northern California.
Meanwhile, Southern California residents are being told to urgently prepare for strong Santa Ana winds that are arriving Tuesday and are sure to spread the Bobcat Fire burning in the Angeles National Forest. The cities of Duarte and Monrovia face the strongest danger but Azusa, Bradbury, Arcadia and Sierra Madre could also be threatened, officials warn.
Today I was flying from San Jose to Las Vegas on SWA & I looked out my window & I saw this cloud. I l found out that it is a cumulonimbus flammagenitus cloud aka pyrocumulonimbus cloud, a type of cloud that forms above a source of heat, such as a wildfire #CreekFire pic.twitter.com/HCqyWiHpNx — Thalia Dockery (@SweetBrown_Shug) September 6, 2020
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themindunleashed--2020-09-08--“Why didn’t you just tackle him?” Utah cops shoot 13-year-old autistic boy after mom calls 911 for h

“Why didn’t you just tackle him?” Utah cops shoot 13-year-old autistic boy after mom calls 911 for help

Salt Lake City residents are shaken after a local police officer riddled a young autistic child with bullets , raising severe doubts over law enforcement ’ s ability to respond to mental health crises .
Linden Cameron , 13 , is in serious condition after police responded to a “ mental episode ” by firing at the young boy .
A Salt Lake City police officer was responding to a request for a Crisis Intervention Team ( CIT ) in Glendale , Utah , on Friday night when the incident occurred .
The young teen sustained life-changing injuries after being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , bladder , and intestines , his mother , Golda Barton , told KUTV .
“ He ’ s a small child .
Why didn ’ t you just tackle him ?
” Barton said between tears in a Sunday interview .
“ He ’ s a baby .
He has mental issues.
” Police have been slow to explain what exactly occurred pending an ongoing investigation of the shooting .
The mayor of Salt Lake City has strongly urged the police to respond urgently in their investigation .
“ No matter the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a tragedy , and I expect this investigation to be handled swiftly and transparently for the sake of everyone involved , ” Mayor Erin Mendenhall said in a statement to the Salt Lake Tribune .
The grief-stricken mother explained that she called 911 on Friday in hopes that emergency responders could hospitalize her young boy , who has Asperger syndrome and was suffering a mental crisis .
She was told that the CIT would carefully deescalate the situation using minimal force .
Barton had just returned to work after being gone for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duties , mainly because her son has a debilitating case of separation anxiety , she said .
When he finally suffered a mental breakdown , Barton new that a CIT was needed to hospitalize Cameron and give him proper treatment .
The loving mother was careful and specific in instructing officers what to do .
“ I said , he ’ s unarmed , he doesn ’ t have anything , he just gets mad and he starts yelling and screaming , ” Barton said .
“ He ’ s a kid , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he doesn ’ t know how to regulate.
” When two officers arrived at the front door of her home , Barton was informed that she should stay on the scene .
Within less than five minutes , she heard officers screaming “ get down on the ground ” before firing their weapons several times into her son .
As Barton begged officers to let her know if her son was dead or alive , the officers promptly handcuffed him .
Barton was later told that after the shooting , one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shock and disbelief and said “ He ’ s just a child , what are you doing ?
” After the incident , SLPD Sgt .
Keith Horrocks described the event as a response to a reported “ violent psych issue ” involving a “ a juvenile that was having a mental episode , a psychotic episode , that had made threats to some folks with a weapon.
” “ During a short foot pursuit , an officer discharged his firearm and hit the subject , ” Horrocks added .
Local autism advocates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of law enforcement ’ s seeming inability to handle mental health crises .
“ Police were called because help was needed but instead more harm was done when officers from the SLPD expected a 13-year-old experiencing a mental health episode to act calmer and collected than adult trained officers , ” Neurodiverse Utah said in a brief statement .
Barton described her son as a typical teenager who loves video games , four wheeling and longboarding , a generous spirit who “ is always looking for ways to help people out.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Why didn ’ t they shoot him with a rubber bullet ?
” Barton asked .
“ You are big police officers with massive amounts of resources .
Come on .
Give me a break.
” Cameron ’ s family has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for his medical bills .
As of early afternoon Tuesday , the page has managed to raise about $ 20,000 of the $ 50,000 goal .

Salt Lake City residents are shaken after a local police officer riddled a young autistic child with bullets, raising severe doubts over law enforcement’s ability to respond to mental health crises.
Linden Cameron, 13, is in serious condition after police responded to a “mental episode” by firing at the young boy. A Salt Lake City police officer was responding to a request for a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) in Glendale, Utah, on Friday night when the incident occurred.
The young teen sustained life-changing injuries after being struck in his shoulder, both ankles, bladder, and intestines, his mother, Golda Barton, told KUTV.
“He’s a small child. Why didn’t you just tackle him?” Barton said between tears in a Sunday interview. “He’s a baby. He has mental issues.”
Police have been slow to explain what exactly occurred pending an ongoing investigation of the shooting. The mayor of Salt Lake City has strongly urged the police to respond urgently in their investigation.
“No matter the circumstances, what happened on Friday night is a tragedy, and I expect this investigation to be handled swiftly and transparently for the sake of everyone involved,” Mayor Erin Mendenhall said in a statement to the Salt Lake Tribune.
The grief-stricken mother explained that she called 911 on Friday in hopes that emergency responders could hospitalize her young boy, who has Asperger syndrome and was suffering a mental crisis. She was told that the CIT would carefully deescalate the situation using minimal force.
Barton had just returned to work after being gone for over a year due to her parental duties, mainly because her son has a debilitating case of separation anxiety, she said. When he finally suffered a mental breakdown, Barton new that a CIT was needed to hospitalize Cameron and give him proper treatment.
Police shot a 13-year-old boy who was experiencing a mental health episode. Police were called because help was needed… Posted by Neurodiverse Utah on Sunday, September 6, 2020
The loving mother was careful and specific in instructing officers what to do.
“I said, he’s unarmed, he doesn’t have anything, he just gets mad and he starts yelling and screaming,” Barton said. “He’s a kid, he’s trying to get attention, he doesn’t know how to regulate.”
When two officers arrived at the front door of her home, Barton was informed that she should stay on the scene. Within less than five minutes, she heard officers screaming “get down on the ground” before firing their weapons several times into her son.
As Barton begged officers to let her know if her son was dead or alive, the officers promptly handcuffed him.
Barton was later told that after the shooting, one of the officers grabbed his own head in shock and disbelief and said “He’s just a child, what are you doing?”
After the incident, SLPD Sgt. Keith Horrocks described the event as a response to a reported “violent psych issue” involving a “a juvenile that was having a mental episode, a psychotic episode, that had made threats to some folks with a weapon.”
“During a short foot pursuit, an officer discharged his firearm and hit the subject,” Horrocks added.
Local autism advocates have decried the shooting as sadly reflective of law enforcement’s seeming inability to handle mental health crises.
“Police were called because help was needed but instead more harm was done when officers from the SLPD expected a 13-year-old experiencing a mental health episode to act calmer and collected than adult trained officers,” Neurodiverse Utah said in a brief statement.
Barton described her son as a typical teenager who loves video games, four wheeling and longboarding, a generous spirit who “is always looking for ways to help people out.”
“Why didn’t they Tase him? Why didn’t they shoot him with a rubber bullet?” Barton asked. “You are big police officers with massive amounts of resources. Come on. Give me a break.”
Cameron’s family has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for his medical bills. As of early afternoon Tuesday, the page has managed to raise about $20,000 of the $50,000 goal.
This is the go fund me for my little brother who was wrongly shot by police officers. https://t.co/RUWxWBUODr — Wesley Barton (@TheBarton) September 7, 2020
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