If you've read Wayward Puritans by Kai Erikson, you know that "crimes" are functional and created by those in charge (ruling class--at that time, the Puritans) to serve some need. Funny how the JBTs see this as a success. "Better to err on the side of violating someone's rights than let someone go about their business unimpeded." Man carrying umbrella, not rifle, was on his usual route - South Sound - The Olympian - Olympia, Washington news, weather and sports A typical Tuesday morning for 42-year-old Michael Di Marzo quickly became a citywide multi-jurisdictional manhunt for him and what witnesses thought was a assault rifle in his hand. Three schools were locked down and delayed as police scoured the area by ground and air, looking for a man described by a teenage tipster as wearing black clothes and a ski mask. It wasn’t realized until hours later what was believed to be something along the lines of an AR-15 or AK-47 was more of a AU-15: a 15-inch compact “assault umbrella.” The “ski mask” was a pulled-up black turtle neck sweater paired with a black watch cap. Di Marzo had no idea he was at the center of the hunt as he continued about his day March 12, visiting his mother, who had been suffering from complications with diabetes, and doing errands around town. He took his usual bus routes through town and returned home around 2 p.m., walking the rest of the way through his east Olympia neighborhood. That’s when he noticed a helicopter overhead. “I didn’t know what it was whether police or news or what, but it was circling a lot and seemed to be circling right over me a lot and it was shining this little green light,” Di Marzo said. Playful and theatrical by nature, Di Marzo gestured his umbrella toward the helicopter. “I can’t believe I did that now,” Di Marzo said. “It really makes me shake every time I think about it. “I thought it was this oppressive thing; I don’t like how many helicopters fly over anyway.” A neighbor shouted over to Di Marzo, telling him about the situation. He learned more after he got home and checked his message machine. “The helicopter had followed me all the way down Quince to right above the house then flew off,” Di Marzo said. It didn’t take long for police to come knocking at his door. Police had seen video footgage of Di Marzo riding the Transit City bus in the morning and had tracked him, Di Marzo said. “That kind of freaked me out,” Di Marzo said. Roosevelt Elementary School, Reeves Middle School and the Olympia Regional Learning Academy were put on lockdown as police officers searched for Di Marzo. Schools choose to go on lockdown based on the suggestion of officers. “Typically, we take our cues from law enforcement in these situations,” said Olympia School District spokesperson Rebecca Japhet. “Police officers are in the best position to know exactly what’s happening in and around the area, and we follow them in what they would recommend to best keep our students safe.” School districts typically have two types of lockdowns — partial and full lockdowns. Partial lockdowns are used when police are investigating suspicious activity in the area, such as domestic violence, robberies, suspicious person sightings or a fleeing suspect, according to Courtney Schrieve, spokesperson for the North Thurston School District. Partial lockdowns mean school doors are locked, but classes run as usual. Full lockdowns are rare and used typically only in active shooter investigations, requiring students and staff to take cover under desks. Schools will prompt their own lockdowns in the case of an angry parent or custody issue that could pose a threat to students at the school, Schrieve said. One of the biggest hurdles in partial lockdowns is keeping parents calm. “Partial lockdowns are often very quick and we often don’t have time to notify parents until it’s over and that has caused some anxiety amongst our parents at times,” Schrieve said. Students and parents texting each other during lockdowns can sometimes cause more harm than help if either side is not fully informed of the situation, she added. “We had a principal go over an announcement one time saying please quit texting your parents, everyone is safe and we are in a partial lockdown,” Schrieve said. “It immediately stopped. “It’s just that communication of making sure the kids know what is going on and the parents know what is going on.” Di Marzo said he knows the teen who made the report and says she feels conflicted about her decision to call police. Police say they would rather respond to a false report than not be there for the real thing. “We always err on the side of ‘give us a call,’ ” said Laura Wohl, spokesperson for the Olympia Police Department. “If you think something is up, we would rather check it out and be wrong than not check it and be right.” At the end of the day, there isn’t a much better training exercise than what happened March 12. Officers from the Olympia Police Department, Thurston and Lewis county sheriff offices and the Washington State Patrol responded. “When you consider we were coordinating with four different departments like that, you can’t get much better training than that,” Wohl said. Chelsea Krotzer: 360-754-5476 ckrotzer@theolympian.com theolympian.com/thisjustin @chelseakrotzer
Boy that guy is lucky they didn't bust in his house and ventilate him. Listen up folks, don't go waving your umbrella at a helicopter... this guy had a happy ending to his story but this could have been one of those whoops, we thought he was armed stories. What a scary place we live in. Cato your link went to a different page. Man carrying umbrella, not rifle, was on his usual route - South Sound - The Olympian - Olympia, Washington news, weather and sports
Look what they've done: all of the sheeple are so "scared" of guns, that normal, everyday routine activities are now twisted into so vicious killer walking down the street looking for children to shoot. There is a quote in the front of Wayward Puritans that says something like: for a scared person, every time the wind blows or the leaves rustle, they will be able to find what they're scared of everywhere they look. This is an educational issue: the people who are afraid don't understand guns. They have an irrational fear of the device, as if it imparts some evil lunacy on its holder . . . with the exception of pure of heart officers of the law of course.
I understand what you are saying. Yes, the majority of people have been whipped into a frenzy and are scared. They have been bombarded to the point they fear something they never really thought of before. They have been told that there is a killer around every corner. But I have to say that even people who understand guns, some have also lost their common sense. When everyday you are bombarded with "guns are bad" propaganda then eventually a little bit sinks in and does make people question what they have believed. Off topic example: Every year my family does NOT get flu shots. I have personal beliefs as to why I will not allow them. Every year when the flu gets bad and the radio and tv are blasting people, the constant reports of your going to get critically ill and you children could die if you don't get the flu shot now, it is not to late. The constant barrage of that news always makes me scared and I do doubt myself for a second. This happens every year. We can never 100% protect ourselves from the brain-washing. I think that to questions ones stance is actually healthy. You need question, rethink, analyze and re-establish your stance. But for those that don't really know and are easily led astray then it is a very scary. But what is the solution?
You never heard much about the people killed by police for driving the same kind of pick-up truck as the one that the California cop killer drove. I suppose just coming out of this Olympia incident alive was a fortunate thing.
This reminds me of when I was at a friend's a few weeks ago when the cops were harassing some harmless homeless guy(he's been in the area for the past few years off and on and has never bothered anybody) less than half a block away, and I was kinda ticked off at them for bothering him, and I so wanted to borrow a firearm from my friend and go out in front of their place and do all sorts of stupid crap that wasn't illegal but would annoy the cops. I didn't of course. Besides they didn't have a sombero so I couldn't do an armed version of the Mexican Hat Dance.
Training- at the expense of this man's right to travel wherever he may go dressed in any manner (armed or not). Big brother could give a hoot about your rights and the guy is lucky they didn't drag him down to the station and interrogate him some, for more training. And if he did have an AR strapped over his back, so what if he did it per local codes? Their justification to make contact in the name of safety is one thing, but to create an inter-agency man hunt is ridiculous. Now every time he goes on the bus or runs into someone that happened to be questioned during the search, he is going to be suspected of foul play. So much for his innocence in the community.
What adds to the ridiculousness of the reactions by everyone in this story is that Washington is an "open carry" state. The man did nothing wrong even if he had been carrying a firearm in view of others.
Maybe law enforcement's training should include a review of the state's Constitution and RCW's regarding the legal right of citizens to "open carry" a firearm.
Off topic, butt-- Donors going to pay for the women's pickup? Why not the LAPD? Why not pay the medical expenses as well, plus the lost wages and the rest of it, plus a kicker for the insult? I have some really bad thoughts about that whole episode. Then there's the other guy that took a hit from a cruiser, and they offer to rent him a car? WTF,O?
I am with CATO. I heard about 2 trucks getting shot, but I was under the impression that no one was killed.
