Jewish organizations on alert after fatal shootings in Kansas City area

[Behind the Aegis]

Source: JNS.org/Baltimore Jewish Times

Kansas’s tight-knit Jewish community was rocked just one day before the beginning of Passover as an alleged gunman took the lives of three people and injured another in attacks just minutes apart outside the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City in Overland Park and a local retirement village.

---snip---

While the FBI and local police have not officially called the violence a hate crime, many national organizations are not waiting for confirmation to denounce the shootings.

“Unfortunately, this is not the first time there has been a shooting at a Jewish Community Center,” read a statement from B’nai B’rith International. “Comments attributed to the shooter after police had him in custody demonstrate a blind hatred toward Jews.”

The Anti-Defamation League, meanwhile, noted that just a week before, it released a security bulletin to communal institutions warning of the increased potential for violence around Passover and the April 20 birthday of Adolf Hitler. That day “has historically been marked by extremist acts of violence and terrorism, including the violence at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, and the Oklahoma City bombing,” read the statement.


Read more: http://www.jns.org/latest-articles/2014/4/14/jewish-organizations-on-alert-after-fatal-shootings-in-kansas-city#.U0t3u9Qo670

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Pesach starts tonight (it is Monday here). Hopefully, this is an isolated incident, but synagogues and Jewish centers (like in my city, since there is no synagogue) will likely be on high alert.

[sakabatou]

1. Might be security guards at our synagogues

However, we always have guards during Yom Kippur at least.

[Behind the Aegis]

2. I have only seen them for High Holy Days.

I am curious what OKC and Tulsa will do. There are three others (supposedly) in other cities. I don't know if they are still active though. Most people just go to OKC or Tulsa.

[sakabatou]

3. I've never gone on Rosh Hashanah, so I wouldn't know

[countryjake]

4. I don't know why they're hemming & hawing about calling it what it was...

I saw a video clip on our late news tonight and they showed the guy snarling heil hitler in the back seat of the cop car...that bastard's words were clear as a bell. His long disgusting history, alone, should make his motives and intentions at those Jewish establishments today painfully obvious. Not just one, but two separate buildings...he had to drive a mile or so to continue on his deadly rampage! No doubt in my mind that he should be charged with a hate crime, no doubt whatsoever.

It doesn't happen very often, but I also think that easter falling on hitler's birthday this year should make everyone a bit more cautious...the alignment of those two occasions always seems to make the hateful fanatics a lot bolder.

My shock from earlier today has gone from deep sadness to a simmering outrage. Why in the world did a man like this have a small arsenal of firearms at his disposal?

[Behind the Aegis]

5. Hedging bets

In situations like this, I have found investigators try not to say what the "motivation" is in order to appear impartial. Like you, I think it is pretty obvious as to why Jews were the target. I am still wondering why he chose this day, if he chose it at all; to me, that is the real question. Passover starts tonight, so it could be a reason, but I am not sure. Passover also extends during Hitler's birthday.

I sincerely hope we don't see copycats or something much worse, as bad as this is. The next few days should be enlightening. I am tempted to go to Stormfront and see what is being said.

[countryjake]

7. Another thing that dawned on me this afternoon...

that Highway Sniper who's been terrorizing the Kansas City area had been described as driving a white car and Miller's white car was hauled away this afternoon from that elementary school. The investigator's working the sniper case had said that they'd determined some undisclosed pattern to those highway shootings...now I'm wondering what sort of "pattern" could they be talking about and sort of hoping that Miller has also been the highway sniper all this time.

I thought that the KC All Star audition being held at the JCC may have had something to do with Miller's timing, at first. It was scheduled to begin at one o'clock and that is about when he arrived and started shooting up their parking lot. The little fourteen year old boy who they rushed to the hospital after Miller shot him and his grandpa at their car was a singer and was most likely there to try out, tho nobody has reported anything like that...I'm just assuming. I thought that I was all cried out today, til I watched our late news and they showed that poor child's picture.

Reading the comments at the KC Star and other local news there in the area, I saw earlier that the moniker of rounder may have been connected to Miller on the VNN site, but I wouldn't go there to see for myself. Places like that and stormfront make my 'puter tremble and shiver, so I wouldn't risk doing what the officials should be busy at (immediately, right now, I hope, before the Vermin delete everything) as they conduct this investigation. That "something much worse" you've mentioned is what I can't help but always worry about.

[okaawhatever]

12. I read a couple of hours ago that it would be prosecuted as a hate crime. I'm posting the first link

that came up. The prosecutors said they still had a lot of investigating to do but that they had enough info to rule it a hate crime.


http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/203484-kansas-shooting-suspect-to-be-charged-with-hate-crime

[Behind the Aegis]

13. That is good to hear.

Additional penalties will apply.

[countryjake]

14. Yes, I saw the press conference where the police chief announced it...

You can watch that video here:

White supremacist accused of ambushing victims in hate crimes
http://www.kctv5.com/story/25241765/man-facing-federal-charges-in-jewish-community-shootings

[yuiyoshida]

6. Once I went to visit a friend at the

Jewish Family and Children's services in here in San Francisco. I was amazed at the amount of security there was just to get inside the door. Cams outside, (I was told, Bullet proof glass on the front door.) Telephone to request to be let in, and someone controlling the locks on the door. After an incident like this in Kansas City, I can see its well founded.

[closeupready]

8. This violence is sickening to me.

This is not what America is about.

[onehandle]

9. Gun culture breeds hate crimes.

Go to any gun show. Read the bumper stickers and 'reading material.'

Gun shows are where you get ideas and the firepower to back them up.

[jwirr]

10. But the gun culture has company. Hate tv and radio and hate preachers give it direction. This a

real disgrace to the USA. Keep safe our Jewish friends.

[The Stranger]

11. Very clearly a hate crime.

There is already more than enough evidence to declare it so. It's not even close.