General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThis is just nuts. Rooftop snipers at small town pumpkin festival
Graham Colson, an area resident for 15+ years who has been to Keene Pumpkin Fest for just as long, said the presence of snipers was unprecedented. He was able to take the above image of a two person sniper team on the rooftop of the Keene Apartments building overlooking Roxbury & Central Square earlier today.
KPD Confirms: "The pictures you put on your website were police officers."
As can be seen in the video below, Lt. Steven Tenney of the Keene Police Department told Garret Ean of Keene Peaceful Streets that the men identified in this post are members of unspecified law enforcement agencies. As we learn more we will share updates here.
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http://freekeene.com/2013/10/19/pumpkinfest-snipers/
ScreamingMeemie
(68,918 posts)and that is nuts.
littlewolf
(3,813 posts)I expected to see pumpkins peeking over a roof top or something like that.
shesh.
I was fully expecting a joke of some kind, good gravy.
leveymg
(36,418 posts)He turned into Rambo.
Cut Social Security so we can pay OT to these goons with rifles? No way.
lpbk2713
(42,769 posts)... and an assault rifle.
Poll_Blind
(23,864 posts)...telling us its for our safety. It's sick.
It's sick.
PB
CrispyQ
(36,540 posts)And some still claim, because we can post on the internet, we are not a police state. The NSA loves it some internet.
That brick wall is starting to show.
LuvNewcastle
(16,860 posts)It's gotten WAY out of hand. Police departments these days have too much money and time on their hands. DHS needs to have its funding drastically reduced if they can afford to buy tanks and high-caliber weapons for the Mayberry PD.
Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)Your chances, here in the US, of being a victim of terrorism are astronomically low. Of police violence? Not so much.
Swede Atlanta
(3,596 posts)While I agree and understand there is a significant problem with police brutality and abuse of power, I also understand police and other law enforcement officers feeling "outgunned" by gangs and others. As a result they are pushing hard for more "hardened" assets such as armored vehicles, military-grade body armor, etc. I get that despite how much I detest it.
But when, absent a credible threat, snipers are deployed for a small town pumpkin festival, we are getting into very dangerous territory. Why? Not only why in terms of an affront to the civility of our society but why the expense of money and resources?
Paladin
(28,277 posts)If police departments acquire it, they feel pressure to exhibit it and use it. At least the cops have a modicum of training and accountability---those traits are largely absent in the tactically-equipped civilian population, and we've got the school massacres to prove it....
TheCowsCameHome
(40,169 posts)Skidmore
(37,364 posts)certain about who these men were. Perhaps they are part of Wayne LaPierre's Good Men Brigade. If I lived in that community, I would be organizing some people to demand answers beyond some inane mumbling from the local head of police.
loudsue
(14,087 posts)ordered rooftop snipers.
winter is coming
(11,785 posts)1-Old-Man
(2,667 posts)No one forces a police department to mount snipers anywhere. It was an idea that appealed to whoever is in charge of your police department and that is the person you need to get rid of.
Lurks Often
(5,455 posts)probably didn't have much say in things. It is one of the things that make local law enforcement agencies less then fond of the Federal counterparts.
I can very well envision a call from someone senior in DC calling the governor of NH who calls the Mayor of Keene who then has a quiet chat with the police chief. The statement from the Keene police Lt was vague and phrased in a way that makes me think it was a Federal law enforcement agency.
As an aside New England doesn't really do Sheriff's as a part of law enforcement, law enforcement is usually state or town, rarely by county, so a police chief is a hired position, not an elected position.
Tommy_Carcetti
(43,219 posts)Terrorism 'Not Likely' Cause Of Fire At Local Laundromat
News Local terror ISSUE 3906 Feb 19, 2003
EUCLID, OHHomeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge assured the American people Monday that terrorism was "not likely a factor" in the fire that damaged a downtown Euclid laundromat Sunday afternoon.
The site of the blaze feared to be the work of al-Qaeda. Inset: Ridge answers reporters' questions.
"At this time, there is nothing to suggest that yesterday's Sudsy Duds fire was the work of a terrorist group, al-Qaeda or otherwise," Ridge said. "The FBI is conducting a thorough investigation into the cause, but thus far, there is no evidence indicating that this was a terrorist strike against our nation."
****
We can say with a high degree of certainty that this fire was not masterminded by Osama bin Laden or any other such figure," Ridge said. "There were no intercepted communications between suspected terrorists regarding this laundromat, and no sign of chemical, biological, or radiological weapons was found after a thorough search of all washers, dryers, folding tables, and snack machines."
Added Ridge: "I would, however, urge the public to remain extra-vigilant in these times of heightened alert and be sure to report any unusual or suspicious activities they witness at laundromats or any other public place."
Lurks Often
(5,455 posts)Now whether this was a training exercise or there was some valid threat is something we'll never know. Given that it was a pumpkin festival in Keene, NH, my guess is training exercise.
Oddly enough this something that both the left and the right agree on, that rooftop snipers at a pumpkin festival is disturbing. A shooting forum I frequent also pointed out that the equipment of one sniper team pictured contained a Barrett .50 caliber sniper rifle, something that is a very poor choice for crowd situations. Absent some unusual threat, it's only purpose in this case would be to stop a car or truck.
bullwinkle428
(20,631 posts)Mnemosyne
(21,363 posts)LuvNewcastle
(16,860 posts)Mnemosyne
(21,363 posts)JHB
(37,163 posts)...maybe the rest got hung up for you when you tried before.
Mnemosyne
(21,363 posts)Raven
(13,904 posts)mailed in? I live in the Town just next to Keene. The Pumpkin Festival attracts thousands of people. Just south of Keene, in Jaffrey, the annual 4th of July fireworks festival was called off last year because of a threat.
Jenoch
(7,720 posts)Without additional information, it is difficult to make an educated comment on this story.
PotatoChip
(3,186 posts)Keene, of all places too. I've been through there many, many times.
Very strange, and disconcerting.
Historic NY
(37,454 posts)and got video was brave. Wait until the KPD sees that. Dangerous pumpkins invade Keene.
teamster633
(2,029 posts)My brother and father still live there and one of my sisters lives in a nearby town. I just sent them an e-mail to see if they can fill me in on what the local buzz is on this. It used to be a pretty liberal enclave back when NH was a reliably red state. It's been a lot of years since I lived there. I hate to think it's changed this much...
L0oniX
(31,493 posts)IrishAyes
(6,151 posts)Another example of hysteria happened - like many others - right after 9/11 in Louisiana, down towards Nawlins. Some poor guy was canoeing down the river just as he'd done countless times before. But some ninny saw him for the first time and reported it as an 'unusual sighting'. The FBI hauled him outta there in a flash, gave him all sorts of grief. Because he was canoeing down the river.
Dr Hobbitstein
(6,568 posts)But do we have a link that is NOT from a Libertarian whack-job site?
As it is, all I see is guys with binoculars. But through Libertarian lenses, it's MKUltra-MIHOP-FalseFlag-FemaDeathCamp-SuperHuman-SniperArmy.