After much speculation and assumptions, we now know that the ambush and fatal shooting of two police officers Wednesday in Iowa was not caused by the Black Lives Matter movement or its sympathizers.
The suspect, Scott Michael Greene, has been arrested. He is white, with brown hair and green eyes.
Prior to knowing the suspect’s identity, Sgt. Paul Parizek, spokesman for Des Moines Police Department, assumed that the shootings were carried out by a segment of the population currently unhappy with police — like minorities and supporters of Black Lives Matter.
“There is a clear and present danger to police officers right now,” Parizek said. “We’re very well aware of the society that were living in right now…and that there are some not so positive views of law enforcement that a segment of our population holds.”
Although I understand that Parizek was emotional and upset after losing two officers in a horrific situation, this rhetoric does nothing but divide the nation. It also spreads false accusations toward Black Lives Matter.
Greene was not at all associated with the movement like so many had assumed. In fact, he was part of a few incidents that showed him to be a racist, bigot and a lawbreaker.
In 2014, Greene was convicted of harassment after police say he came up to a person in a parking lot, called him the N-word and then threatened to kill him. Greene was also convicted of interference with official acts in the same year after not complying with officers who wanted to search him for weapons.
This man did seem to be unhappy with police officers, but not for the reasons people have assumed.
Just a few weeks ago, Greene was kicked out of a football game for causing a disturbance and waving a Confederate flag in front of African-American fans. Right after the incident, Greene said he was upset at the cop-haters in the stands.
“I was offended by the blacks sitting through our anthem. Thousands more whites fought and died for their freedom. However this is not about the Armed forces, they are cop haters,” Greene said in the comment section of a video he posted in regard to the incident at the football game.
Black Lives Matter and people who want to see justice in the U.S. don’t want police to be hurt or killed. All they want is justice and equal treatment when they interact with police. That’s it.
The assumption that every attack toward police must be done by someone who is part of Black Lives Matter is ridiculous.
We don’t know what Greene’s plans or intentions were, and to assume anything at this point is irresponsible. The fact is that he murdered two police officers and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
Opinion editor Frank Campos is a media production senior and may be reached at [email protected].
BLM may not have been involved … but they do support the White Guys killing of the Cops.
“Iowa police shooting suspect has no link to Black Lives Matter” … Wow. It took a genius like ‘ol Frankie Boy Campos … to inform us … of the OBVIOUS.