Manhunt For Umbrella-Toting Gentleman
Chelsea Krotzer writes for The Olympian of a man carrying an umbrella who was the subject of a manhunt:
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.
...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.
Something worrisome has happened in our society -- in that we suddenly see criminals at every turn.
via @walterolson
Unrelated, but similar story. A friend of mine, who happens to be a homeless vet (and availing himself of the VA to get himself back on his feet) was leaving a grocery store.
He got on his bike and a cop started yelling "STOP! STOP!"
Having no idea why a cop would be addressing him, he continued on his way, and was tackled off the bicycle, breaking his leg in several places (including his knee).
It turns out, there was a shoplifter in the store who had been observed by an employee, who called the police.
The police, apparently not knowing the difference between red and orange, assumed my friend was the shoplifter, because of the color of his sweatshirt. The employee came out at once and said that it wasn't him, and reminded the cop he had said "orange," not "red."
In any case, my friend was arrested after he was treated for multiple fractures. And eventually got out. Two prominent attorneys are working on his claim right now.
Patrick at March 24, 2013 7:57 AM
Patrick:
If he admits to hearing the cop, then, well, he must be guilty.
Cause he failed to Rahspect his AUTHORITAH!
Unix-Jedi at March 24, 2013 9:39 AM
A recent incident at the UA - "man spotted with rifle and has shot a couple people" right before 5 on Friday ... 20+ cop cars came to campus both from University PD and Tucson PD ... Hoax, prank call, whatever it turned out to be, but the attention given this was a little much.
Call them about a robbery in progress or a gunshot heard elsewhere.. you may get a cop to show up.
The panic that there's not another VA Tech trumps common sense
another Patrick at March 24, 2013 11:12 PM
Same thing happened in Fairfield CT shortly after the Newtown thing. Guy was at the train station, left there on foot, carrying an umbrella, a black one, of course. The surrounding schools were put on lock down, the police found the guy, saw the umbrella, let him go. But all these people with their knee-jerk panic reactions are creating more problems than they're solving.
Flynne at March 25, 2013 5:17 AM
Whut we have heah is a fail-youh to COMMUNICATE.
One more example, not only of sheephood, but of why "police officer" is no longer an honorable profession, if indeed it ever was.
Grey Ghost at March 25, 2013 6:25 AM
Good thing for Di Marzo that the helicopter wasn't armed.
Cousin Dave at March 25, 2013 7:19 AM
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