Officials: Hostage standoff ends with child rescued, kidnapper dead
By Victor Blackwell, Martin Savidge and Carol Cratty
CNN
updated 5:54 PM EST, Mon February 4, 2013
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: FBI says child was rescued after negotiators felt he was in danger
Boy has been taken to a hospital in Dothan, state legislator said
Witness said he heard explosion followed by gunshots
Midland City, Alabama (CNN) -- A 5-year-old child abducted from a school bus six days ago is safe and his kidnapper is dead, ending a nearly week-long ordeal for a little boy, his family and a small Alabama town.
The child appeared to be OK when he was freed, law enforcement officials said. Alabama state Rep. Steve Clouse told CNN that the boy was taken to a hospital in nearby Dothan.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Steve Richardson at the scene said negotiations had broken down with the child's abductor and the kidnapper was "observed holding a gun."
Believing the child to be in imminent danger, an FBI team entered the bunker at 3:12 p.m. CT (4:12 p.m. ET) and rescued the boy, Richardson said, adding that the hostage-taker is dead.
One neighbor said he was outside when he was startled by the sound of an explosion.
"I heard a big boom and then ... I believe I heard rifle shots," said Bryon Martin, who owns a home near the bunker where the boy had been held since Tuesday.
read more here
Monday, February 4, 2013
Green Beret faker wore black beret
Green Beret faker wore black beret
Army Times
By Joe Gould
Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Sep 12, 2010
To Sgt. Louis Brandwein, something about the “ridiculously obese” man in ACUs at the gun show looked off.
He wore a nonregulation MOLLE belt, Special Forces qualification tabs on both shoulders and a rare Combat Infantryman Badge with two stars.
“Everything was just wrong. As soon as I looked at him, I was like, ‘What the hell,’ ” said Brandwein, a 25-year-old infantryman at Fort Richardson, Alaska.
The man Brandwein saw posing as a Green Beret in Anchorage, and confronted, was con man and serial faker William James Clark. Clark did federal prison time for posing as an Army captain at a 2002 bridge disaster.
Weeks later, Clark was arrested on Aug. 27 at a hotel in Deadhorse, about 500 miles north of Anchorage. He was charged with carrying a firearm while a convicted felon.
Although the federal Stolen Valor Act was ruled an unconstitutional violation of free-speech rights in July, the issue of military fakers remains provocative. Since Brandwein told the story last month on the gun owners website Georgia Packing, it has received more than 800 replies, many full of anger at Clark.
read more here
Army Times
By Joe Gould
Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Sep 12, 2010
To Sgt. Louis Brandwein, something about the “ridiculously obese” man in ACUs at the gun show looked off.
He wore a nonregulation MOLLE belt, Special Forces qualification tabs on both shoulders and a rare Combat Infantryman Badge with two stars.
“Everything was just wrong. As soon as I looked at him, I was like, ‘What the hell,’ ” said Brandwein, a 25-year-old infantryman at Fort Richardson, Alaska.
The man Brandwein saw posing as a Green Beret in Anchorage, and confronted, was con man and serial faker William James Clark. Clark did federal prison time for posing as an Army captain at a 2002 bridge disaster.
Weeks later, Clark was arrested on Aug. 27 at a hotel in Deadhorse, about 500 miles north of Anchorage. He was charged with carrying a firearm while a convicted felon.
Although the federal Stolen Valor Act was ruled an unconstitutional violation of free-speech rights in July, the issue of military fakers remains provocative. Since Brandwein told the story last month on the gun owners website Georgia Packing, it has received more than 800 replies, many full of anger at Clark.
read more here
Secretary of the Army will visit Joint Base Lewis-McChord
Top Army official to unveil new PTSD review at Lewis-McChord
By Mark Miller
Published: Feb 3, 2013
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - The Secretary of the Army will visit Joint Base Lewis-McChord on Monday to unveil the results of a controversial investigation triggered, in part, by local soldiers.
The results could lead to better mental health treatment for troops with post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
In the meantime, base officials are preparing for Monday's high-level visit as Secretary of the Army John McHugh comes under a lot of pressure to do something.
Lewis-McChord soldiers complained last year - accusing Madigan Army Medical Center doctors of changing PTSD diagnoses to other conditions that would cost the government less in benefit payouts.
That charge that upsets some military parents.
"That is important that they take care of these guys when they come back," says military parent Tony Scott. "It's not these guys' fault they did their part. The government should do their part."
Soldiers who wanted KOMO News to hide their identities say they think the Army has not done all it can for soldiers returning from combat with mental health issues.
"Listening and open ears to the soldiers - definitely, they do need to work on that," says one career soldier.
He said he is looking forward to hearing what the secretary will say Monday about the investigation into the complaints.
"You can make your speech - you can say anything. But has it happened yet?"
read more here
By Mark Miller
Published: Feb 3, 2013
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - The Secretary of the Army will visit Joint Base Lewis-McChord on Monday to unveil the results of a controversial investigation triggered, in part, by local soldiers.
The results could lead to better mental health treatment for troops with post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
In the meantime, base officials are preparing for Monday's high-level visit as Secretary of the Army John McHugh comes under a lot of pressure to do something.
Lewis-McChord soldiers complained last year - accusing Madigan Army Medical Center doctors of changing PTSD diagnoses to other conditions that would cost the government less in benefit payouts.
That charge that upsets some military parents.
"That is important that they take care of these guys when they come back," says military parent Tony Scott. "It's not these guys' fault they did their part. The government should do their part."
Soldiers who wanted KOMO News to hide their identities say they think the Army has not done all it can for soldiers returning from combat with mental health issues.
"Listening and open ears to the soldiers - definitely, they do need to work on that," says one career soldier.
He said he is looking forward to hearing what the secretary will say Monday about the investigation into the complaints.
"You can make your speech - you can say anything. But has it happened yet?"
read more here
Chris Kyle remembered for what he did
UPDATE
From Milbloggers
Reading these comments along with comments from others, I am stunned by the fact everything in this country has to be a political issue with both sides. The fact Kyle did so much for others, was shot with a handgun and not an "assault" weapon has caused people to come out swinging for their own ideas and not what Kyle stood for. He was in favor of protecting assault weapons according to reports. Frankly, I don't care. I don't care about what his politics were. What I do care about is what he did with his life along with the fact he was trying to help another veteran and that cost him his life.
Don't they get it? Don't they understand how much help these veterans need? Don't they understand that the men and women in the military are not like the rest of the people in this country and are in fact willing to die for others?
From Milbloggers
People pay respects to Chris Kyle on Twitter Sunday, February 3, 2013
Reading these comments along with comments from others, I am stunned by the fact everything in this country has to be a political issue with both sides. The fact Kyle did so much for others, was shot with a handgun and not an "assault" weapon has caused people to come out swinging for their own ideas and not what Kyle stood for. He was in favor of protecting assault weapons according to reports. Frankly, I don't care. I don't care about what his politics were. What I do care about is what he did with his life along with the fact he was trying to help another veteran and that cost him his life.
Don't they get it? Don't they understand how much help these veterans need? Don't they understand that the men and women in the military are not like the rest of the people in this country and are in fact willing to die for others?
I am not one of the people fitting into any group. Republicans think I am a Democrat and Democrats think I'm Republican. I am an Independent because I don't think either side represents what I believe.
Yesterday a friend on Facebook posted a link to Liberals on Twitter celebrate murder of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle and it made me sick. They don't seem to get the fact that Chris Kyle did everything for others. As a Navy SEAL trained sniper, his job was to shoot with deadly accuracy to protect the troops. He was ready to die for their sake. Even back home, when he could have done anything, he still wanted to do for others and did whatever he could to help fellow veterans heal from where they were sent. He tried to help them with PTSD issues. The greatest component in healing is knowing someone cares. Kyle did.
Carrollton nonprofit that aims to help veterans with PTSD remembers Chris Kyle on its website
Dallas Morning News
By Tommy Cummings
February 3, 2013
Former Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle, who was fatally shot Saturday in Glen Rose, was an advocate for veterans dealing with PTSD. In August, he provided a testimonial to a fitness center outfitting business based in Carrollton.
Kyle told neighborsgo that he slipped into a “black hole” upon his return from deployment, but had “turned his head around” once he bought some gym equipment and started getting back into shape.
read more here
Iraq veteran held on $3M bond in shooting deaths
I do not agree with some of my friends saying that "machine guns" or "assault weapons" should be legal or that bullets should be as easy to get as they are but even within the gun owners groups, they don't all agree with each other. Something has to be done but what that "something" is, won't be discovered as long as different sides refuse to talk about it.
My problem with this story is simple. Anyone saying such terrible things about Kyle because he was involved with guns must not like the troops, veterans, law enforcement or most of my friends since I spend most of my time with members of these groups.
What Chris Kyle did was put his life on the line for the sake of others. Something the haters will never understand.
Iraq veteran held on $3M bond in shooting deaths
Iraq veteran held on $3M bond in connection with Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle's death
By Jamie Stengle and Christopher Sherman
NBCDFW.com
A 25-year-old Iraq war veteran charged with killing former Navy SEAL and "American Sniper" author Chris Kyle and his friend turned his semi-automatic handgun onto the pair while they were at a North Texas shooting range, authorities said Sunday.
Eddie Ray Routh, of Lancaster, Texas, was arraigned early Sunday on two counts of capital murder in the deaths of Kyle, 38, and Chad Littlefield, 35, at the shooting range in Erath County.
Meanwhile, police continue to block off the street near Kyle's home in Midlothian. On Sunday, some friends dropped off teddy bears at the Littlefield's home.
Famous Navy SEAL Sniper Chris Kyle killed at Texas gun range
By Jamie Stengle and Christopher Sherman
NBCDFW.com
A 25-year-old Iraq war veteran charged with killing former Navy SEAL and "American Sniper" author Chris Kyle and his friend turned his semi-automatic handgun onto the pair while they were at a North Texas shooting range, authorities said Sunday.
Eddie Ray Routh, of Lancaster, Texas, was arraigned early Sunday on two counts of capital murder in the deaths of Kyle, 38, and Chad Littlefield, 35, at the shooting range in Erath County.
Meanwhile, police continue to block off the street near Kyle's home in Midlothian. On Sunday, some friends dropped off teddy bears at the Littlefield's home.
Capt. Jason Upshaw with the Erath County Sheriff's Office said Routh used a semi-automatic handgun that authorities later found at his home. Upshaw said ballistics tests weren't complete Sunday, but authorities believe it was the gun used in the shootings. Upshaw declined to give any more details about the gun.
read more here
Famous Navy SEAL Sniper Chris Kyle killed at Texas gun range
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)