Martinsburg, WV: Another Aurora copycat?

[bdcheung]

http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/583351/Body-armor-wearing-man-apprehended-near-Martinsburg-schools-Monday-morning.html?nav=5222

Body armor-wearing man apprehended near Martinsburg schools Monday morning

MARTINSBURG - A man wearing body armor and armed with an AR-15 training rifle, two knives and several unloaded magazines was arrested today after he was seen running in the area of Bulldog Boulevard, police said.

At about 7:17 a.m., the Martinsburg Police Department received several calls in regards to an individual running and carrying a rifle near the area of Bulldog Boulevard and Raleigh Street in Martinsburg.

"One of our primary concerns was that he was sighted in the general proximity or area of the high school on Bulldog Boulevard and we also believe that's what generated a lot of calls," Detective Lt. G.B. Swartwood said.

[LOKNLOD]

Dork exercising in his airsoft gear? It frustrates me that they don't make it more clear that it was a damn toy gun, even if its an expensive, realistic one. (Journalists mixing ignorance with intellectual dishonesty? Say it ain't so...)

[LHS]

I'm curious how 'idiot out running in his mall ninja airsoft gear' somehow rises to the level of a terrorist threat? Is there something we're not getting via the report? Did he threaten people with the airsoft gun?

And is anyone surprised he's running a SERPA?

[LOKNLOD]

I'm curious how 'idiot out running in his mall ninja airsoft gear' somehow rises to the level of a terrorist threat? Is there something we're not getting via the report? Did he threaten people with the airsoft gun?

And is anyone surprised he's running a SERPA?

Honestly I can see the immediate reaction being pretty harsh, if a guy kitted out with a realistic looking weapon is running around with everyone in such a panicked state as they seem to be in lately, but once he's established as "dork with toys" rather than "active shooter" it's a non-event for everyone but him.

[LHS]

Honestly I can see the immediate reaction being pretty harsh, if a guy kitted out with a realistic looking weapon is running around with everyone in such a panicked state as they seem to be in lately, but once he's established as "dork with toys" rather than "active shooter" it's a non-event for everyone but him.

Oh, I'm perfectly fine with the immediate reaction. I'm curious about how they're charging him with terrorism if he's just being an idiot and not actively threatening folks (which the story is very vague on)

[LOKNLOD]

Oh, I'm perfectly fine with the immediate reaction. I'm curious about how they're charging him with terrorism if he's just being an idiot and not actively threatening folks (which the story is very vague on)

Gotcha I'm with you 100% then. He may need a good ass kicking for being stupid, but that's a different story.

[BWT]

Training Rifle?

Read Airsoft gun.

Not only was he charged with terroristic threats, he was also charged with committing a felony with body armor. He is in the military, I'm sure his career is over.

What I love is they brought the bomb squad to search his apartment with dogs.

Read. Airsoft Gun.

Would I do it? No. But... the man was running with an airsoft gun, and he's in the military, that's where he got his Military fatigues it appears, and probably why he is running in rifle plates.


Swartwood said Monday afternoon that police are still investigating Alemar's motives. He is a member of the military, police said.

Terrible decision? Yes. Terrorist at large in body armor? Not quite.

I mean... I think he was dumb to do it, I think they should've obviously treated him as a threat and disarmed him at gun point.

But... getting a K9 unit and bomb squad out to his apartment, is a bit pre-emptive, I'm sure he probably knew he wasn't carrying a real firearm, and he also had empty magazines.

As dumb as it sounds, he could've been exercising to get used to running in his equipment, I again, would never advise running in public with a rifle.

But there may be some level of logic that was used.

ETA: Personally, I wouldn't run in body armor either, but, I'm also not in the military, that might not be a bad idea, to run in maybe jogging pants and a plate carrier, to get used to running with one, but still, just a terrible decision.

ETA 2: To extrapolate it even further, I understand the train how you fight. I'd say at best if you want your arms training to carrying a rifle, maybe run with dumb bells, sure that may look dumb, and I wouldn't do it. But it won't get you two felony charges. Even Rifles plates may look dumb to run in over a T-shirt, You may get weird looks, but, you're not going to get arrested.

[ChrisG]

There's an Air National Guard Airlift wing based there. Maybe one of their Security Forces guys got a little too motivated with his battle-focused PT. If that's the case, hopefully the DA will reconsider some of the charges once things settle down.

[TheRoland]

Oh, I'm perfectly fine with the immediate reaction. I'm curious about how they're charging him with terrorism if he's just being an idiot and not actively threatening folks (which the story is very vague on)

There's no career incentive or homeland security dollars in treating this proportionally?

[tomrkba]

1) Not on school grounds. "Near" is not the same as "on".
2) Not armed with any sort of real weapon.
3) Had no live ammunition.

So...all this guy is guilty of is jogging carrying a toy while dressing badly.

A terrorism charge? Seriously?

[Mjolnir]

Someone should have told him:

http://img.tapatalk.com/62d5ebb4-7525-e1a4.jpg

[Default.mp3]

There's an Air National Guard Airlift wing based there. Maybe one of their Security Forces guys got a little too motivated with his battle-focused PT. If that's the case, hopefully the DA will reconsider some of the charges once things settle down.

From LF:


Originally posted by 1SG DB:
I know this kid personally and was the 1SG of the company he's in. He rose from PFC to SGT during the time I was there and is a really good kid.


Did he do something stupid...Yes!, Am I glad that I am not his 1SG to have to deal with this heat...Possibly. Depends on how stupid JFHQ gets about it.


He is training up to go to Ranger school and has been running in vest and ruck for most of the summer. Did he forget that school is back in session and he shouldn't be anywhere near a school with an airsoft gun..probably yes.


I think the police overreacted a bit, but with the whole Batman movie theater thing in their heads, they probably went a little nutty when a guy with a gun and body armor was running near a school. I'm hoping the charges get dropped and he ends up doing some community service or something. The armory is in Woodstock VA and he lives in Martinsburg WV, bit of a hike to get close to there, so yes, he was doing near home to prep.


One take-away is here is a squared away National Guard kid, trying to stay fit (unlike others) and better himself by going to Ranger school and he's probably going to get burned for it.

[TAZ]

I'm perfectly ok with the initial reaction to a man with gun call. You can't tell an airsoft from a real gun at distance, and if I was on the receiving end of someone I don't know pointing an airsoft rifle near me I'd react quite aggressively. Real gun or not he probably committed a felony by being 1000 yds from a school with a weapon. Gun Free School Zone and all that jazz. I'm no lawyer but I've been told numerous times by people who know more than I do that committing a crime with a fake gun is the same as committing a crime with a real one.

I don't condone the long lasting over reaction and apparent waste of tax $$ and resources, but at the same time I am not surprised by it. 2 high profile shootings over the past months have put people on edge and we all should be aware of the circumstances we live in.

Hopefully over the long run cooler and more common sensical heads will prevail and a more appropriate course of action will be set. Not holding my breath though on that one. I'd hate to be in his chain of command and have to figure out how to deal with him. His decision making ability will and quite possibly should be in question from here on out so promotions may be impossible for him to get.