Unrest in Milwaukee (1 Viewer)

[Gustavo Fring]

I expect the same amount of outrage the next time a sporting riot occurs and there is property damage. You and others have set precedent for this type of thing. Just look in a mirror when you don't criticize the next riot when a team wins/loses. 

What does this have to do with a sporting event?  This is a racially fueled riot and a specific group of people are the target in these riots.  If this type of stuff keeps up, there is going to be a major clash in the not too distance future.  Sad/scary world we live in.  

 

[Eephus]

What does this have to do with a sporting event?  This is a racially fueled riot and a specific group of people are the target in these riots.  If this type of stuff keeps up, there is going to be a major clash in the not too distance future.  Sad/scary world we live in.  

On the plus side, the Brewers and Bucks aren't likely to incite riots anytime soon.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Interesting recollections of another time in Milwaukee.  I think I'm younger than you so my memories of the summer of 1967 are even hazier.  I remember the curfew and my dad (a MPS schoolteacher) having to call in to whether to report to summer job at Mrs. Karl's bakery on Pierce St.  I haven't thought of Judge Christ Seraphim in decades.  He may have been liberal in the 60s but he tacked to the right in later years.  I remember his TV commercials where he looked straight into the camera and announced "the people vote, the people win".

The 1967 riots and other efforts to desegregate the city accomplished little.  As others have mentioned, the decline of the blue collar economy hit Milwaukee hard.  The fathers of my friends who worked in factories were able to hang on for a while due to seniority but the path for entry went away.  Court ordered desegregation of the Public schools accelerated white flight and in many ways, exacerbated the divide between the races that existed before 1967.

I got out of town as soon as I could but still have family there and my daughter is a Marquette alum.  I was there as recently as last week although it was just a bridgehead for a family reunion in the North Woods.  I maintain a love/hate relationship with Milwaukee.  It's where I'm from and holds pleasant memories of my family and childhood friends but the segregation and accompanying racism is hard to take.  Mrs. Eephus is African-American and has visited with me almost annually for 30+ years.  She tolerated dozens of inappropriate remarks from people (both white and black) over the years  but now that my parents have passed and my daughter graduated, she's had it with the place.  It'll take a niece or nephew wedding to get her back.  I understand her position but I have to be more optimistic by my hometown.

I live in Milwaukee and love it. I was born in Wisconsin but have lived in many different states and countries. There's no more racism here than anywhere else I've lived. My neighborhood, which is not far from the Sherman Park area where the "riots" were, is well integrated racially and economically. My block has a mix of professionals, teachers, cops, etc. We are very social with a strong togetherness that is very enriching for us and our kids. Parties and impromptu get-togethers for porch beers and backyard grilling are common all summer long. My son walks to school a few blocks away where his class is probably 50% white. I know Milwaukee is segregated and racism exists, but I experienced more overt racism living in Europe, New Zealand and during a year + in Austin. Chicago is about the same. I'd never move to the suburbs and it would take a great opportunity for me to move my family to another city given what we have here.

 

[William Munny]

I expect the same amount of outrage the next time a sporting riot occurs and there is property damage. You and others have set precedent for this type of thing. Just look in a mirror when you don't criticize the next riot when a team wins/loses. 

Nice fishing. 

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

, meI live in Milwaukee and love it. I was born in Wisconsin but have lived in many different states and countries. There's no more racism here than anywhere else I've lived. My neighborhood, which is not far from the Sherman Park area where the "riots" were, is well integrated racially and economically. My block has a mix of professionals, teachers, cops, etc. We are very social with a strong togetherness that is very enriching for us and our kids. Parties and impromptu get-togethers for porch beers and backyard grilling are common all summer long. My son walks to school a few blocks away where his class is probably 50% white. I know Milwaukee is segregated and racism exists, but I experienced more overt racism living in Europe, New Zealand and during a year + in Austin. Chicago is about the same. I'd never move to the suburbs and it would take a great opportunity for me to move my family to another city given what we have here.

I remember clean neighborhoods, abundant parks, and wonderful festivals.  I enjoyed Milwaukee. I also remember neighborhoods that were best avoided and some virulent racism. 

I recall one afternoon.  I was 18.  I had a buddy who lived on Lakeshore drive.  Generally I drove down to see him, or he out to see me, but on this occasion I was on my bike.  Dusk was approaching.  I needed to go about 15 miles west.  The most direct route would be right out North Avenue.  I decided to ride it knowing I would be going through some predominantly black neighborhoods.  I remember taunts, racist insults, and malt liquor battles being hurled at me as I rode.  I remember not stopping at any signs or lights believing that if I did there would be direct confrontation.  I made it home just fine.  Had I gone north a bit to Capital Drive I believe I would have made the ride without incident.  The neighborhoods were then pretty well defined.

Some three years later I remember being down at UW Milwaukee for a judo tournament.  I had traveled down from Madison with a buddy who happened to be black.  The night before the competition we were out for a run to stay loose.  We were near Downing, a mixed area with some moderate gentrification and a few bars.  I was a few yards ahead of my buddy me being not wholly unfamiliar with the area I was leading.    A cop car pulled onto the sidewalk between me and my buddy. The cop yelled out not to worry, he got the ****** who was chasing me. He had my buddy at gunpoint.  There were people around.  I was deeply mortified that my buddy was treated that way.  I explained things to the cop and we were left to proceed on our way, but there was no apology.  He looked at me and said "You understand".  I did, and I was sick in my heart.  My buddy told me not to worry, he understood too.  That made me even sicker in my heart.

Maybe it was Downer Street now that I ruminate on it some more.  Just a few blocks in from Lakeshore Drive.

 

[avoiding injuries]

Nice fishing. 

Has to be. No other explanation possible. 

 

[Megaton]

Has to be. No other explanation possible. 

I dunno.  It makes about as much sense as the stuff he usually posts.   

 

[Billy Bats]

And people wonder why "white people" move to the suburbs....  ain't nobody got time for this nonsense. 

I wouldn't mind living in subsidized housing. Having utilities paid for, free food and #### like that. But the chance I might get killed isn't worth it. I'd rather work my ### off, pay for my own #### and not have to worry about me and my family getting killed.  

Thats why I don't understand the big talk about segregation and it's the most segregated city in America blah blah. Well no ####.    

 

[poopdawg]

So, the property damage, smashed cars, fires are just fine in your eyes. Got it. 

So are you condoning this animal behavior?  WTF is wrong with you?,,,

 

[lod001]

      On ‎8‎/‎14‎/‎2016 at 0:22 PM, JB Breakfast Club said:

sure are a lot of white folks in here feeling good about cops shooting people in the back...

Questions need to go much deeper. Why is Milwaukee so segregated? Why do black people fear the police to this level? What can we (white people) do to make things better?

Talk about a swing and a miss. 

 

[Colts Win]

I always thought it was considerate that all cities provide a Martin Luther King Jr. street for reference.

Not sure if this is shtick or not but about 10 years ago I did have a recovered drug addict tell me it's know in the drug addict circles that you can go to mlk Blvd in any city to buy crack. Never knew if he was BSing me.

 

[Cdub100]

"Take that ##### to the suburbs. Burn that ##### down! We need our #####! We need our weave!"



Video footage shows the sister of the man shot dead by police in Milwaukee calling on rioters to burn down white suburbs instead of their own neighborhoods.

“Burning down ##### ain’t gonna help nothin’,” yells Sherelle Smith.

“You’re burnin’ down ##### we need in our community.”

“Take that ##### to the suburbs. Burn that ##### down!” she demands.

“We need our #####! We need our weave! I don’t wear it, but we need it!”


Sylville Smith's sister Sherelle encourages "protestors" to burn the suburbs @Cernovich @CassandraRules @rooshv pic.twitter.com/prxR2prcUV

— DeeconX (@DeeconX) August 15, 2016



According to police, body camera footage shows 23-year-old Sylville K. Smith aim a gun at officers before he was shot dead by an African-American cop.

The incident sparked a wave of violent unrest that continued through Sunday night.

Milwaukee is the most segregated metropolitan area in the United States, with whites almost exclusively living in the suburbs.



Between 1950 and 1990 there was a “white flight” from Milwaukee County into Waukesha County and suburbs of Milwaukee.

Smith’s call for rioters to stop burning down their own communities is being reported by the media as a rebuke to those behind the violence.

However, in reality she is really just calling for the mayhem to be inflicted on the suburbs, or in other words – where all the white people live.

Milwaukee Alderman Khalif Rainey responded to the weekend’s violence by tacitly threatening more riots if “oppression,” “unemployment” and “injustice” wasn’t addressed. Rainey failed to explain what this had to do with an armed man with a lengthy criminal record aiming a gun at police officers.

As we reported yesterday, the white people brave enough to venture through Milwaukee on Saturday night were directly targeted for racial attacks, with rioters yelling, “they white, get their ###!,” as they attempting to drag white drivers out of their vehicles.

I see everyone is ignoring this...

 

[jonessed]

I see everyone is ignoring this...

The article on CNN yesterday pointed to the sister rebuking the violence, not redirecting it  . How incredibly misleading

 

[Billy Bats]

The article on CNN yesterday pointed to the sister rebuking the violence, not redirecting it  . How incredibly misleading

Then they offered up a "correction" after the masses called them out on it, what a bunch of lying scum. 

So members of the black community are now calling for a race riot? And I believe he was a member of city council(?) but someone at least associated with the city threw out some veiled threats that there is more to come. That's nice, community leaders indeed. But nobody's allowed to call them out because they'll be considered racist for calling out the racists. Got it. 

I guess our president can't muster up any thoughts from Martha's Vineyard? He's commented on all the other recent incidents, why not this one? 

 

[Phil Elliott]

KKK plans to disrupt BLM rally in Hamptons  This just doesn't sound like a good idea. Not about Milwaukee but no need for another thread. 

The Klu Klux Klan is coming to the Hamptons.

The hate group — which says it has some 2,500 members on Long Island — is planning to disrupt a Black Lives Matter rally scheduled for noon Sunday at the traffic circle near Village Hall in Westhampton Beach, according to Patch.com.

Gary Monker, the Exalted Cyclops Chief Officer of the KKK’s New York chapter, told Patch on Tuesday that Black Lives Matter and the Black Panthers group aren’t who they say they are.

“[They are] a contradiction,” Monker told Patch. “They always say they have peaceful protests but nothing is ever peaceful. They rape, pilfer, loot. They’re rioting and using this as an excuse to do wrong. It’s not right.”

Black Lives Matter officials argued that their rallies are always peaceful.

“[There has been] absolutely no violence. Where is he getting his information?,” Black Lives Matter organizer Vanessa Vascez-Corleone told Patch.

Vascez-Corleone said the KKK was welcome to show up — if they have the guts.

“I would like to invite them to the rally. I honestly don’t believe they’re going to show up. I hope they come out of hiding,” she told Patch.

“As for drugs and rape, those are all separate issues in everyone’s community, including the white community so that’s irrelevant,” she said, adding: “Everything he’s saying is ignorant. It’s hard to respond to ignorance.”

Meanwhile, Monker claimed the KKK is undergoing a resurgence — not just in New York, but across the country.

The group’s primary goal, Monker claimed, is to “end the corruption” by dismantling the Federal Reserve and Internal Revenue Service.

The cowardly hate group — whose members shield their faces by wearing hoods — was founded in Tennessee in 1866 and soon spread like wildfire in almost every Southern state in the US, waging an underground war against Reconstruction-era Republican leaders who advocated for economic equality for all blacks.

The group’s violent and murderous tactics reached their pinnacle during the 1960s civil rights era.

 

[cstu]

First time in this thread so be patient - am I correct in reading that a black man pulled a gun on a black cop, was killed by the black cop, and now black people are attacking white people because of it?

 

[cstu]

The group’s primary goal, Monker claimed, is to “end the corruption” by dismantling the Federal Reserve and Internal Revenue Service. Also, eradicate black people.

Fixed.

 

[DallasDMac]

First time in this thread so be patient - am I correct in reading that a black man pulled a gun on a black cop, was killed by the black cop, and now black people are attacking white people because of it?

Yep, that pretty much covers it. Oh, but they did take the time to riot and procure some new items for their homes too.

 

[Ditka Butkus]

Yep, that pretty much covers it. Oh, but they did take the time to riot and procure some new items for their homes too.

and we might add none of their irrational behavior is their fault

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Update? This is over, right?

 

[MaxThreshold]

Update? This is over, right?

Maybe.  Depends how many need a new TV or not.

 

[Mario Kart]

http://fox6now.com/2016/08/17/perspective-quinlan-bishop-shares-his-thoughts-on-where-milwaukee-goes-after-recent-unrest/

People near the riots are not all bad but some in this thread make it seem like there is zero good in this Milwaukee area.

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

KKK plans to disrupt BLM rally in Hamptons  This just doesn't sound like a good idea. Not about Milwaukee but no need for another thread. 

I find it difficult to take seriously any article which refers to the KKK as the Klu Klux Klan rather than the Ku Klux Klan.  Of course I cannot take anything from a group which calls itself the Ku Klux Klan as anything more than childish drivel, but that's me.  What I actually take their message to be is virulent ignorance.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Update? This is over, right?

It's over for just about everyone except the cop and his family. He's been widely identified in social media, is known in the neighborhood where most of this took place, and will be in hiding, likely for quite sometime. 

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

My recollection is that Summerfest was started as a way of trying to rehabilitate Milwaukee's reputation after the riots.  It was meant to attract and cater to all ethnicities and to join them in a love of music, and beer, and more music and more beer with some wine coolers, music, and beer added into the mix.  I recall it working out fairly well.  I also recall there being rumors of a riot when Earth Wind and Fire was set to perform in the mid-70's, maybe 1975.  They were considered a black act that would attract too many blacks which would naturally cause a riot. I recall going that night as I did dozens of times during the 70's.  I recall some minor scuffles but no riot.  I attributed the scuffles to too much beer and a long day in the sun.  I don't actually recall any days that did not have some scuffles. I can't remember what act I went to see that night. 

Speaking of Summerfest I traveled there for a Dead show, it must have been 1978 or 79.  It got rained out.  There were maybe a hundred or so of us who had arrived early and were under makeshift tents.  Jerry came out to apologize about the show. The band wanted to go on but the organizers would not allow electric instruments and amplifiers in that weather.  He played us an acoustic song, Dark Hollow, we sang along.  He did not sing.  I hooked up with two chicks I recognized from a class at Madison.  I had no idea they were going to be there.  We rode back to Madison in the car one of them had after dropping a Buddy I had gone with off in Oconomowoc. We spent the next two days naked in their apartment.  Never a three-way, more of a tag team sort of deal.

Again, my recollections are that and nothing more.  Whether they comport with history as my faculties fade I do not know.  Maybe some that know the history of the City from back then can offer more clarity and certainty.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

      On ‎8‎/‎14‎/‎2016 at 0:22 PM, JB Breakfast Club said:

sure are a lot of white folks in here feeling good about cops shooting people in the back...

Questions need to go much deeper. Why is Milwaukee so segregated? Why do black people fear the police to this level? What can we (white people) do to make things better?

Talk about a swing and a miss. 

You're not expecting an apology are you? I might jot that one down in a short notebook though. 

 

[Ministry of Pain]

We spent the next two days naked in their apartment.  Never a three-way, more of a tag team sort of deal.

I just wanted to stand up and salute

 

[Statorama]

First time in this thread so be patient - am I correct in reading that a black man pulled a gun on a black cop, was killed by the black cop, and now black people are attacking white people because of it?

:slowclap:

 

[Ministry of Pain]

So what happens from here? Shouldn't those involved in the looting and riots now be arrested? Where or when does the law start to get followed? At what income level is it acceptable to not follow the law, I would love to know so I can work my way down under the hard deck. 

 

[parasaurolophus]

So what happens from here? Shouldn't those involved in the looting and riots now be arrested? Where or when does the law start to get followed? At what income level is it acceptable to not follow the law, I would love to know so I can work my way down under the hard deck. 

The people in this area already disobey tons of laws and get away with it. You should see the way they drive in those neighborhoods. All the bogus temporary plates. The glass bottles shattered in the roads. The damage to our building almost weekly. The damage to our trucks. The graffiti in the park next to us.The lightposts that have been run over. These neighborhoods are just awful. Unless something is causing immediate danger, the police might not even show up. We got robbed and made a dvd that had great footage of their faces on our security cameras. The police declined to even take it and said they didnt have time to look t it. 

 

[Eephus]

My recollection is that Summerfest was started as a way of trying to rehabilitate Milwaukee's reputation after the riots.  It was meant to attract and cater to all ethnicities and to join them in a love of music, and beer, and more music and more beer with some wine coolers, music, and beer added into the mix.  I recall it working out fairly well.  I also recall there being rumors of a riot when Earth Wind and Fire was set to perform in the mid-70's, maybe 1975.  They were considered a black act that would attract too many blacks which would naturally cause a riot. I recall going that night as I did dozens of times during the 70's.  I recall some minor scuffles but no riot.  I attributed the scuffles to too much beer and a long day in the sun.  I don't actually recall any days that did not have some scuffles. I can't remember what act I went to see that night. 

Speaking of Summerfest I traveled there for a Dead show, it must have been 1978 or 79.  It got rained out.  There were maybe a hundred or so of us who had arrived early and were under makeshift tents.  Jerry came out to apologize about the show. The band wanted to go on but the organizers would not allow electric instruments and amplifiers in that weather.  He played us an acoustic song, Dark Hollow, we sang along.  He did not sing.  I hooked up with two chicks I recognized from a class at Madison.  I had no idea they were going to be there.  We rode back to Madison in the car one of them had after dropping a Buddy I had gone with off in Oconomowoc. We spent the next two days naked in their apartment.  Never a three-way, more of a tag team sort of deal.

Again, my recollections are that and nothing more.  Whether they comport with history as my faculties fade I do not know.  Maybe some that know the history of the City from back then can offer more clarity and certainty.

I was also at Summerfest that day to see the Dead.  It rained early but stopped by the time the show was cancelled and was dry for the rest of the night.  We ended up seeing John Prine play one of the smaller stages.

 

[Ditka Butkus]

CNN has now admitted that they "shorthanded" the sister's statement, and "unintentionally" gave the wrong impression as to her intent. 

Look at the comments after the CNN rep's Tweet.  People aren't as dumb as CNN was hoping.

Tweet

CNN....."Fanning The Flames Of Racism.."

 

[Ditka Butkus]

Update? This is over, right?

No...it will never be over as long as you have CNN and other racist continuing the 'false narrative"....

 

[Billy Bats]

http://fox6now.com/2016/08/17/perspective-quinlan-bishop-shares-his-thoughts-on-where-milwaukee-goes-after-recent-unrest/

People near the riots are not all bad but some in this thread make it seem like there is zero good in this Milwaukee area.

More drivel. 

Who are some? Show me your work. Don't recall seeing anyone condemn an entire city.

If you include me as 'some' for calling out the anarchists, rioters, murderers, and the race warriors (you know te guys trying to pull white people out of their cars to beat) then you are the problem. 

The criminal victim way of thinking boggles my mind. There are members of the population shooting each other daily on the city streets with the innocent all around in harms way. But somehow they can't be called out for any of it. Can't talk bad about the bad guys, it's really not their fault they kill people. 

#### off. 

 

[avoiding injuries]

More drivel. 

Who are some? Show me your work. Don't recall seeing anyone condemn an entire city.

If you include me as 'some' for calling out the anarchists, rioters, murderers, and the race warriors (you know te guys trying to pull white people out of their cars to beat) then you are the problem. 

The criminal victim way of thinking boggles my mind. There are members of the population shooting each other daily on the city streets with the innocent all around in harms way. But somehow they can't be called out for any of it. Can't talk bad about the bad guys, it's really not their fault they kill people. 

#### off. 

People near the riots are not all good, but some in this thread make it seem like there is zero bad in the Milwaukee area. 

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

I was also at Summerfest that day to see the Dead.  It rained early but stopped by the time the show was cancelled and was dry for the rest of the night.  We ended up seeing John Prine play one of the smaller stages.

I remember being disappointed.  I thought they called the show way too early.  Had I known John Prine was playing I would have stayed.

Maybe we shared a bowl that day.

 

[parasaurolophus]

CNN has now admitted that they "shorthanded" the sister's statement, and "unintentionally" gave the wrong impression as to her intent. 

Look at the comments after the CNN rep's Tweet.  People aren't as dumb as CNN was hoping.

Tweet

That is such a BS correction too. First it plays an ad. Then you have to watch 2 minutes of video to see the new footage. What a crock.

We need our weaves!

 

[Softballguy]

You're not expecting an apology are you? I might jot that one down in a short notebook though. 

To be fair, that's what was being reported at the time he posted that. 

 

[Mario Kart]

More drivel. 

Who are some? Show me your work. Don't recall seeing anyone condemn an entire city.

If you include me as 'some' for calling out the anarchists, rioters, murderers, and the race warriors (you know te guys trying to pull white people out of their cars to beat) then you are the problem. 

The criminal victim way of thinking boggles my mind. There are members of the population shooting each other daily on the city streets with the innocent all around in harms way. But somehow they can't be called out for any of it. Can't talk bad about the bad guys, it's really not their fault they kill people. 

#### off. 

You seem angry. Not sure why. What a broad brush you use though. Try to have a great, less angry day today. 

 

[Ditka Butkus]

That is such a BS correction too. First it plays an ad. Then you have to watch 2 minutes of video to see the new footage. What a crock.

We need our weaves!

Every time I watch these interviews....it makes it very clear what the overall problem is...

 

[Billy Bats]

You seem angry. Not sure why. What a broad brush you use though. Try to have a great, less angry day today. 

Oh yeah what broad brush did I use?

And I'll ask again to show me who has condemned the entire city of Milwaukee. 

 

[JB Breakfast Club]

      On ‎8‎/‎14‎/‎2016 at 0:22 PM, JB Breakfast Club said:

sure are a lot of white folks in here feeling good about cops shooting people in the back...

Questions need to go much deeper. Why is Milwaukee so segregated? Why do black people fear the police to this level? What can we (white people) do to make things better?

Talk about a swing and a miss. 

I find it curious that the body camera video hasn't been released yet. I'm not willing to simply take the police at their word - they do anything to protect themselves.

Also, at the time I posted that, that was the narrative of the case. Everyone reacting at the time was to a story about the police shooting an armed person running away from them. 

 

[Ditka Butkus]

There also are frequent attempts to humiliate people in impoverished sections of the city, Jackson said.
"During questioning or stops, officers would often ask black men, 'Are you working?'" he recalled. "When they said, 'No,' the officer would say, 'What a shame. How can you consider yourself a man and not work? If I had children, I'd shovel s--- if I had to.'"
 
http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/17/us/milwaukee-police-shooting/index.html
 
That must be humiliating....Somebody giving some fatherly advice....

 

[BeaverCleaver]

I find it curious that the body camera video hasn't been released yet. I'm not willing to simply take the police at their word - they do anything to protect themselves.

Also, at the time I posted that, that was the narrative of the case. Everyone reacting at the time was to a story about the police shooting an armed person running away from them. 

Everyone wasn't reacting that he was shot in the back while running away because that isn't how it was reported. 

 

[parasaurolophus]

I find it curious that the body camera video hasn't been released yet. I'm not willing to simply take the police at their word - they do anything to protect themselves.

Also, at the time I posted that, that was the narrative of the case. Everyone reacting at the time was to a story about the police shooting an armed person running away from them. 

This is pretty great. Way to double down on some cop hate. 

I dont recall any media reports about him being shot in the back. 

 

[Chemical X]

This is pretty great. Way to double down on some cop hate. 

I dont recall any media reports about him being shot in the back. 

so, here is the time line as I see it....

unarmed black men being executed by white cops, unarmed black men being executed by cops, we need body cameras for the truth, armed black men being executed by cops, armed black career criminals being killed by cops, we don't trust the police, we need videos instantly released, the video has been altered since he was a great kid, the cop is power hungry, let's kill white people in the suburbs.  soon, all police will need to be escorted by a camera crew, like COPS on TV.  

 

[mr roboto]

I find it curious that the body camera video hasn't been released yet. I'm not willing to simply take the police at their word - they do anything to protect themselves.

Also, at the time I posted that, that was the narrative of the case. Everyone reacting at the time was to a story about the police shooting an armed person running away from them. 

This is the whole ####### problem though. Comment first (and condescendingly) and if/when you have the facts wrong, OH WELL!!!!

Precisely the same dynamic that caused the riots. No need to find out the damn facts. 

 

[parasaurolophus]

I find it curious that the body camera video hasn't been released yet. I'm not willing to simply take the police at their word - they do anything to protect themselves.

Also, at the time I posted that, that was the narrative of the case. Everyone reacting at the time was to a story about the police shooting an armed person running away from them. 

Looking back through this thread i think you are the only person that mentions him being shot in the back. Even the article in the OP says he was shot in the chest and arm. My guess is you read headlines "armed suspect killed while fleeing police" and just assumed that meant shot in the back. Not illogical I guess, but you should know by now the press has a narrative and uses headlines to grab readers. 

 

[JB Breakfast Club]

"shot in the back" was the narrative I was seeing, primarily via Twitter. It's likely a combination of "running from police" combined with the various other cases that have received attention recently. 

Look, I don't like riots either, and they don't make sense to me...but I'm a white man (as I assume most others on here are). I haven't had to watch my neighborhood struggle for decades. I've never been so angry about the way my parents, friends, and neighbors were treated that I'd want to break something. 

I read somewhere that rioting is the voice of the unheard. It's as much about 60 years of segregation and mistreatment as it is about the one incident that sparks the first fire. 

I'm from Minneapolis. The Philandro Castile case still weighs heavily here. I'm shaken by the seemingly endless examples of police brutality and overuse of force. I just can't blame the communities of these victims from reacting to another dead brother or sister. 

 

[Statorama]

I backtracked a little and didn't see it, but in a weird coincidence the cop and the thug both went to the same high school, had some classes together, and generally kind of knew each other.  Separate paths and all that.