Author Topic: Man yells 'Heil Hitler' after fatally shooting 3 at Jewish centers  (Read 631 times)

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Offline happyg

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By DeAnn Smith

OVERLAND PARK, KS (KCTV) -
A man yelled, "Heil Hitler," after he was taken into custody in connection with the Passover Eve fatal shooting of three at two Jewish-related sites in the Kansas City area.
Man opens fire at 2 Jewish centers

Three people are dead after a man opened fire at two Jewish-related sites in the Kansas City area Sunday. View pictures from the scenes here.More >

Two males were killed outside the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City. They were apparently inside a car. A female was killed a few minutes later in the parking lot at Village Shalom, an assisted living facility.

The suspect shot at two other people, but the bullets did not hit them, said Overland Park Police Chief John Douglass.

The victims apparently did not know their killer, Douglass said.

A dozen or more shots may have been fired based on evidence at the scenes.


The bearded suspect is a man in his 70s who wasn't known to Overland Park authorities before Sunday. He is not from Kansas. His vehicle apparently had Missouri plates. Douglass wouldn't say whether the man, who is being held at the Johnson County Jail, is from Missouri.


Douglass also wouldn't say whether the shootings were anti-Semitic hate crimes. He said authorities are evaluating comments that the suspect made after he was arrested.


It is a joint federal-state investigation with the offices of U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom and Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe involved.

The Kansas City Star reported that the two killed at JCC were a 14-year-old boy and his grandfather who attend the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood. Prayers were held during the church's evening Palm Sunday service.

The boy was rushed to Overland Park Regional Medical Center for surgery, but would die from his injuries.


The suspect was arrested at the Valley View Park Elementary School, which is a mile away from Village Shalom. KCTV5's Bonyen Lee says the suspect appeared to yell "Heil Hitler" as he was being led away in handcuffs by Overland Park police.

The suspect made "several statements" when he was put into the back of a police patrol car, Douglass acknowledged.

"We are sifting through and vetting those for accuracy, number one, and number two, we're looking at them for their evidentiary value," the police chief said. "It is too early to tell you what he may or may not have said. We're trying to determine that at this time."


Douglass said Sunday evening that it was too soon to know whether this was a hate crime or not.

"We know it was a vicious act of violence, and we know obviously it was at two Jewish facilities," he said. "So one might make that assumption, but we're going to have to know more about it before we'll label it."


The suspect used a shotgun in the fatal shootings, Douglass said. The suspect may have also used a handgun in firing the shots that didn't strike the two. In addition, Douglass said the suspect may have had an assault rifle.


Douglass said the first 911 call about the JCC shooting came at 1:03 p.m. This happened outside the Lewis and Shirley White Theatre, which was packed for performance-related events.


Teens were auditioning for KC SuperStar and parents were frantically trying to get to their children.

In addition, a performance of To Kill a Mockingbird was underway when the shots rang out at the theater. The back door to the theater suffered damage that may have been from gunshots.


Jenessa Watkins, a dance instructor, said she was a group of children when they were rushed to the theater. She said when she learned about the shootings that she tried to stay composed, but she couldn't help but think of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.


A second shooting was reported a few minutes later at Village Shalom, which is an assisted living center at 5500 West 123rd St.


Worried relatives of residents tell KCTV5 that Village Shalom was placed on lockdown.


Phyllis Cantor, who is undergoing rehabilitation at Village Shalom, said she heard the sound of sirens. She said many police officers are at the scene and their focus appears to be on a white car in the parking lot.

The Jewish Community Center will be closed on Monday. The JCCC said that "our hearts go out to all those affected and touched" by the tragedy.


"Our hearts go out to the families who have suffered loss on this tragic day. Our heartfelt gratitude as well to all those in Kansas City and around the world who have expressed sympathy, concern and support," the JCC said in its statement. "Everyone participating in JCC programming has been released to their homes."

Temple Israel and St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church held a vigil at 8 p.m. Sunday.The vigil will take place at St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church, 12251 Antioch Road, Overland Park. Organizers say all are welcome to attend and show support to the victims and their families.

U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder, who represents the district, expressed his sorrow in a statement.

"I'm heartbroken to learn of the senseless shootings this afternoon at the Jewish Community Center and Village Shalom," he said. "Brooke and I send our prayers and thoughts to the families and victims of this tragedy and our office stands ready to provide any needed assistance."

He attends the church where the boy and his grandfather also attended.

President Barack Obama issued the following statement:

This afternoon we heard reports of a horrific shooting in Overland Park, Kansas. Michelle and I offer our thoughts and prayers to the families and friends who lost a loved one and everyone affected by this tragedy. I have asked my team to stay in close touch with our federal, state and local partners and provide the necessary resources to support the ongoing investigation. While we do not know all of the details surrounding today's shooting, the initial reports are heartbreaking. I want to offer my condolences to all the families trying to make sense of this difficult situation and pledge the full support from the federal government as we heal and cope during this trying time.

Rabbi Mark Levin of Congregation Beth Torah offered prayers.


"May God bring comfort and hope to the victims and their families. This is a very difficult time, and our best response is to support those who have suffered a loss, and be alert for those who are feeling threatened and grieving. This is a time for this community to come together," Levin said.

Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt said the Jewish community in the Kansas City area is doing much good work to help the community.

"My thoughts are with the victims and their families who have been impacted by this tragedy," Blunt said in a statement.

Worried relatives of residents told KCTV5 that Village Shalom was placed on lockdown.

Phyllis Cantor, who is undergoing rehabilitation at Village Shalom, said she heard the sound of sirens. She said many police officers are at the scene and their focus appears to be on a white car in the parking lot.

Refresh this page for updates and watch KCTV5 News. 

KCTV5's Bonyen Lee, Ken Ullery, Jamie Oberg, Jeanene Kiesling and Nathan Vickers contributed to this report.

Video at link: http://www.kctv5.com/story/25235053/shooting-reported-at-overland-park-jewish-community-center#.U0s6wex7_2w.twitter

Offline mountaineer

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Re: Man yells 'Heil Hitler' after fatally shooting 3 at Jewish centers
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2014, 11:42:36 am »
Quote
Douglass said Sunday evening that it was too soon to know whether this was a hate crime or not.

"We know it was a vicious act of violence, and we know obviously it was at two Jewish facilities," he said. "So one might make that assumption, but we're going to have to know more about it before we'll label it."
This comment illustrates the stupidity of so-called "hate crimes."
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rangerrebew

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Re: Man yells 'Heil Hitler' after fatally shooting 3 at Jewish centers
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2014, 12:38:59 pm »
I don't remember Maj. Hasan's shootings at Ft. Hood being headlined with "Major yells Allahu Akbar" before killings."  Gee, I wonder what the difference between a muslim hate crime and a neo-Nazi hate crime is to the media?

Offline mountaineer

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Re: Man yells 'Heil Hitler' after fatally shooting 3 at Jewish centers
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2014, 12:46:53 pm »
Supremacist ID'd as suspect in Kansas attacks
Associated Press
By MARIA SUDEKUM
1 hour ago

Quote
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — The man accused of killing three people in attacks at a Jewish community center and Jewish retirement complex near Kansas City is a well-known white supremacist and former Ku Klux Klan leader who was once the subject of a nationwide manhunt.

Frazier Glenn Cross, of Aurora, Mo., was booked into Johnson County jail on a preliminary charge of first-degree murder after the attacks Sunday in Overland Park.

At a news conference, Overland Park police Chief John Douglass declined to publicly identify the man suspected in the attacks. But an official at the Olathe jail, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to discuss the case, identified the suspect as 73-year-old Frazier Glenn Cross, of Aurora, Mo.

"Today is a sad and very tragic day," Douglass said at the news conference. "As you might imagine we are only three hours into this investigation. There's a lot of innuendo and a lot of assertions going around. There is really very little hardcore information."

According to police, the attacks happened within minutes of one another. At around 1 p.m. a gunman shot two people in the parking lot behind the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City. He then drove a few blocks away to a Jewish retirement community, Village Shalom, and gunned down a woman or girl there, Douglass said. Officers arrested him in an elementary school parking lot a short time later.

Police said the attacks at both sites happened outside, and that the gunman never entered any buildings. Douglass said the gunman also shot at two other people during the attacks, but missed.

Authorities declined to release the victims' names pending notification of their relatives, and the identity of the person shot at the retirement community was still unknown early Monday. However, the family of the first two victims put out a statement identifying them as Dr. William Lewis Corporon, who died at the scene, and his 14-year-old grandson, Reat Griffin Underwood, who died at Overland Park Regional Medical Center.

They were both Christian, and the family thanked members of their church congregation, among other people, for their support.

"We take comfort knowing they are together in Heaven," the family said. It asked for privacy to mourn.

Rebecca Sturtevant, a hospital spokeswoman, said family members told her Corporon had taken his grandson to the community center so that the boy could try out for a singing competition for high school students. Reat was a freshman at Blue Valley High School and an Eagle Scout.

Douglass said the suspect made several statements to police, "but it's too early to tell you what he may or may not have said." He also said it was too early in the investigation to determine whether there was an anti-Semitic motive for the attacks or whether they will be investigated as hate crimes. The Jewish festival of Passover begins Monday.

"We are investigating it as a hate crime. We're investigating it as a criminal act. We haven't ruled out anything. ... Again, we're three hours into it," he said.

Although the suspect was booked under the last name Cross, he is probably better known as Frazier Glenn Miller. A public records search shows he has used both names, but he refers to himself on his website as Glenn Miller and went by the name Frazier Glenn Miller in 2006 and 2010 campaigns for public office.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups, said it reached Miller's wife, Marge, by phone and that she said authorities had been to their home and told her that her husband had been arrested in Sunday's attacks. Calls by The Associated Press to a number listed as Miller's on his website were met by a busy signal or rang unanswered.

According to the law center, Miller has been involved in the white supremacist movement for most of his life. He founded the Carolina Knights of the Ku Klux Klan and was its "grand dragon" in the 1980s. The Army veteran and retired truck driver later founded another white supremacist group, the White Patriot Party, the center said.

Miller was the subject of a nationwide manhunt in 1987 for violating the terms of his bond while appealing a North Carolina conviction for operating a paramilitary camp. The search ended after federal agents found Miller and three other men in an Ozark mobile home, which was filled with hand grenades, automatic weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Miller tried running for U.S. House in 2006 and the U.S. Senate in 2010, espousing a white power platform each time.

The attacks rattled Overland Park, a suburb of about 180,000 residents south of Kansas City.

President Barack Obama released a statement expressing his grief over the attack, and Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback vowed to bring those responsible to justice.

"My heart and prayers are with all those who were affected by today's events," Brownback said in a statement. "We will pursue justice aggressively for these victims and criminal charges against the perpetrator or perpetrators to the full extent of the law."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave his condolences to the families of the victims.

"We are condemning the murder which according to all signs was committed because of hatred of Jews," Netanyahu said in a statement. "The state of Israel ... together with all civilized peoples is committed to fighting against this plague."

Michael Siegal, chair of the Jewish Federations of North America, also said in an emailed statement that "no community should have to face a moment such as this one."

"Today, on the eve of Pesach, we are left to contemplate how we must continue our work building a world in which all people are free to live their lives without the threat of terror," he said.

There's something distasteful about the SPLC calling the perp's wife. They have no authority here.
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