'Dog whistle': Kansas City mayor complains that Gov. Parson called suspected Super Bowl parade shooters 'thugs'



The Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl victory parade Wednesday ended in panic and bloodshed. A beloved mother of two was slain, and dozens of others, including at least nine children, were grievously wounded.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) suggested "thugs and criminals" were responsible for the brazen shooting. Kansas City's Democrat Mayor Quinton Lucas took offense to the Republican's characterization of the barbarians responsible for the shooting, suggesting Parson was trafficking in coded racist language.

Quick background

Around 1 million people flocked to downtown Kansas City on Valentine's Day to celebrate the hometown team's Super Bowl Win. As festivities began winding down, gunmen opened fire west of Union Station, where a stage had been set up for speeches by the NFL team's triumphant players.

KCMPD Chief Stacey Graves confirmed that at least 22 people, ages ranging from 8 to 47, were wounded in the shooting. Elizabeth Galvan, a 43-year-old mother of two and popular radio disc jockey, died from her injuries.

Blaze News previously reported that investigators suggested there were no indications the shooting was the product of "terrorism or homegrown violent extremism." Instead, Graves suggested that "this appeared to be a dispute between several people that ended in gunfire."

Jacob Gooch Sr., a survivor of the shooting, told "CBS Mornings" that prior to the shooting, he heard a girl begging one alleged shooter, "Don't do it. Not here. This is stupid."

Gooch said his daughter observed the alleged shooter break free of the woman, then begin "shooting and spinning in a circle."

Footage obtained by TMZ allegedly shows part of the dispute that led to the shooting.

— (@)

Within moments of the shooting, two heroic dads tackled an individual they believed to be one of the gunmen. That too was caught on camera.

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Teens charged

The Jackson County Circuit Court confirmed that a pair of teenagers were charged with "gun-related" offenses Friday as well as with resisting arrest, reported the Kansas City Star.

Both suspects, currently being held at the Juvenile Detention Center, will likely be slapped with additional charges as the investigation into the shootings continues. The Star noted that depending on the charges, the teens might also be tried as adults, especially if accused of first-degree assault and murder.

"I am grateful for the charges against the two juveniles who hurt innocent people, simultaneously scarring an entire community," Chief Graves said in a statement Friday. "We will not relent until everyone who may have played a part in these crimes is apprehended so that they may be punished to the fullest extent of the law."

Democratic Mayor Quinton Lucas indicated he too was pleased the duo had been charged, writing, "I thank law enforcement, juvenile court officers, and the Jackson County Prosecutor for bringing a first set of charges of two minors involved in Wednesday's mass shooting. I know more investigation and potentially further charges are ahead as we pursue justice for all impacted."

Thugs

Gov. Parson, who was reportedly present on the other side of the stage when the shooting occurred, told host Pete Mundo on KCMO Talk Radio Thursday that Kansas City does not "need to be judged by one incident that happened at the end of that yesterday. ... It's a wonderful city, a great city, a lot of good people up there — as you seen perfect examples of that yesterday with the people that responded to this incident."

"We can't let some thugs and criminals just, you know, take over and ruin what happened," continued the governor. "I feel for these parents, these kids."

The Republican suggested that it should be easy to track down those responsible on account of all the active cameras in the area and intimated further that all of those who drew weapons are ultimately culpable for murder.

Thinking on the tragedy and on the children whose lives have been forever impacted, Parson said, "I just hate it, you know, as a grandparent of kids going out there, trying to have a little fun, trying to get a glimpse of a player or whatever they may be there for — a celebration."

"Then you just got some absolutely — be careful what I say before I say something I'm gonna probably regret — just a bunch of criminals, thugs out there, just killing people in an instant like that," continued Parson. "And attempting to kill all those people and created such chaos that people got hurt, been trampled."

Parson stressed that prosecutors should "go after these people full bore."

Perceived racism

Mayor Lucas appeared on a local radio show called "Up to Date" Friday and used up some of his airtime to condemn Parson for daring to call those who would open fire into a crowd of innocents "thugs."

Lucas, a leftist who has fought state efforts to increase funding for police, told KCUR host Steve Kraske, "I disagree strongly with how he would describe that situation. I certainly do think this was criminal activity. It was lawlessness, and I think that's troubling. But 'thugs' is a dog whistle in the most classic sense," reported Fox News Digital.

In the most classic sense, "thug" was an Indian term for a cheat or swindler. However, it appears to have been ported over from Marathi to English in the 19th century and used in reference to roving gangs of murderous robbers.

In the way of murderers and robbers, Lucas' city appears to have an overabundance.

According to the Kansas City Star, the city set a record last years for homicides with at least 185 slayings. Over 240 were slain across the metro area. The previous year, there were 171 homicides.

Kansas City has a score of 1 on Neighborhood Scout's crime index, where 100 is safest. The chance of becoming victim of a violent crime is 1 in 67. The likelihood of falling victim to a property crime is 1 in 21.

"I've seen this dog whistle time and time again," continued Lucas. "There's this kind of giant conservative theory on social media now that the reason these mug shots haven't been shown is because the purported defendants are black, and if it were a white defendant we would have just shown them. That is absolutely preposterous. There are protections to juveniles."

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18-year-old arrested in connection with brutal murder of NYC social justice activist, stabbed repeatedly in front of his girlfriend



A social justice advocate was slaughtered in front of his anti-cop girlfriend in New York City earlier this week. Police have made an arrest in the case.

Brian Dowling, an 18-year-old who has reportedly had previous run-ins with the law, is believed to be the individual seen in surveillance footage stabbing 32-year-old Ryan Carson and then fleeing. Police circulated the suspect's image Wednesday afternoon and identified him shortly thereafter. He is now in custody at the New York Police Department's 81st Precinct.

WANTED FOR MURDER: On 10/2/23 @ 3:50 AM, at Malcolm X Blvd & Lafayette Ave in the confines of the 81st Precinct, the above individual stabbed the victim multiple times, causing his demise. Any info, please call the @NYPDTips at 800-577-TIPS.
— NYPD 81st Precinct (@NYPD 81st Precinct) 1696350026

The stabbing

TheBlaze previously reported that surveillance footage shows Carson and his girlfriend — alleged BLM activist Claudia Morales — seated Monday morning at a bus stop bench near Malcolm X Blvd. The two were on their way home from a wedding on Long Island.

The suspect walks past the couple without exchanging any words around 3:50 a.m. Down the block, he starts kicking over parked scooters. Moments later, Carson and Morales get up and begin walking in the same direction.

The suspect turns his attention, screaming at Carson, "The f*** are you looking at? ... Imma kill you right now!"

Carson backs up, repeatedly telling the incensed thug, "Chill, chill."

Despite Carson's attempts to de-escalate the situation and push away his attacker, the thug manages to punch the 6'4" social justice advocate in the face. Carson recoils and retreats, tripping over the bus bench in the process.

Morales pleads with the thug to stop, but her efforts are in vain.

Brandishing a knife, the thug chases Carson and stabs him three times in the chest. After kicking his victim's body on the ground, the thug threatens to stab Morales, electing instead to spit in her face and flee.

Toward the end of the footage, a woman appears, calling out what sounds like "Brian" and telling the aggrieved woman, "I'm so sorry!"

Carson was rushed to Kings County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny indicated at a press conference Wednesday that Carson's heart had been pierced by the knife in the attack.

Kenny also indicated police had identified the alleged killer but were waiting for "probable cause to make this arrest."

The suspect

Sources told the New York Post that Dowling was arrested Thursday after NYPD officers executed a search warrant at a home on Lafayette Avenue — near Malcom X Boulevard, where Ryan Carson was slain.

A neighbor told the New York Daily News, "[I'm] very surprised, I can't believe it. ... He was the sweetest boy."

A family friend suggested that he couldn't understand what set Dowling off.

The Post reported that Dowling had been issued three summonses last year, including two for disorderly conduct. He was also named in an incident report concerning a July incident where he allegedly smashed up his girlfriend's apartment following a dispute. According to his aunt, he is "mentally disturbed."

Police are considering the possibility that the suspect may have once again been fighting with his girlfriend, this time turning his rage onto an unsuspecting passerby.

"The person that did the stabbing was seen on the corner with a female acting very agitated prior to the stabbing," said Kenny.

Dowling, being questioned at the 81st Precinct and whose charges are pending, reportedly works at a high school in Clinton Hill.

The victim

Carson appears to have been well liked, both at work and in his community.

He moved to New York City from Massachusetts in 2010 to attend the Pratt Institute. He ended up becoming a senior solid waste campaign manager at the New York Public Interest Research Group.

The NYPIRG noted in a statement, "Ryan was a beloved staffer, colleague and friend, and a creative, talented, relentless and upbeat advocate for students and the environment."

Blair Horner, Carson's former boss at the NYPIRG, said, "It's incomprehensible. ... He was so young," reported WABC-TV.

"A life full of promise is snuffed out. And the world is a worse place for it, and we'll miss him dearly," added Horner.

Tammy Marie David, a radical leftist who has lent her voice to "Be Heard!" on WHCR-FM, started a Gofundme for Carson's girlfriend, Claudia Morales, which has already raised over $65,500.

"Immediate needs are to offset the costs of working class people taking time off of work to properly mourn," wrote David. "We hope you may find his thoughts on mutual aid, his works of advocacy, and understand that his radical principles of community care, justice, and dismantling an individualized profit-centered way of life are worth carrying forward in our own communities."

Andy Ngo of the Post Millennial reported that Morales is a BLM activist who has previously denounced the police, noting in a June 1, 2020, social media post, "The police do not protect you. ACAB. BLM. hope you're on the right side of history."

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Elderly Asian woman sends thug away on stretcher after he allegedly punched her in unprovoked attack



Attacks against Asian Americans have been on the rise in the U.S. according to reports, but one elderly woman in San Francisco fought back — and apparently won — after a man allegedly sucker punched her in an unprovoked attack Wednesday morning.

The 79-year-old victim pummeled the perpetrator with a board, leaving him on a stretcher and a trip to the hospital. In the end, one witness says, "the police were holding her back."

What are the details?

KPIX-TV Sports Director Dennis O'Donnell stumbled upon the aftermath and took footage of the scene, which showed the woman (whose name has not been publicly released) with visible injuries to her face.

She repeatedly points to a bloodied male on a stretcher — who was being tended to by paramedics — then raises the board and sobs as officers talk her down and ask her to lower it.

"The woman said that she was hit. She attacked back," O'Donnell said. "From what I could see, she wanted more of the guy on the stretcher and the police were holding her back."

"You bum, why did you hit me?" the woman said in Chinese to the man on the stretcher, according to KPIX. "The woman then turned to the crowd of people who had gathered, saying, 'This bum, he hit me,' as she raised the stick she held and sobbed. 'He hit me, this bum.'"

That "bum" is also accused of attacking another elderly Asian victim the same morning.

The Washington Examiner reported:

The attacker, who was said to be 39 years old, was arrested after he assaulted an 83-year-old Asian male and fled on foot, the San Francisco Police Department told the Washington Examiner in an email. He struck the 79-year-old woman while fleeing a security guard who witnessed the first attack and was later detained, SFPD added.

Police did not disclose a motive for the attack, KPIX reported, and it was not clear whether the victim's race had anything to do with the assault.

What else?

KPIX noted:

Hate crimes against Asian Americans rose 150% in 2020, even as hate crimes overall declined. In January, a 91-year-old man was shoved to the ground in Oakland's Chinatown. An assault in San Francisco killed 94-year-old Vichar Ratanapakdee, while another assault left 75-year-old Pak Ho dead in Oakland last week.