The second firebombing in recent weeks connected to the Fresno Police Department damaged an officer's northwest Fresno home early Sunday.
No one was injured in the attack, which happened about an hour after the officer ended her shift, but it prompted Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer to put all of his officers on alert.
Less than three weeks ago, a police pickup was burned at the Southwest Police District station.
Around 2 a.m. Sunday, the female officer had gotten off duty from the same Southwest Police District station, Dyer said, and arrived at her northwest Fresno home about a half-hour later.
Shortly after, at about 3 a.m., someone lobbed several Molotov cocktails at the home, igniting fires that caused minor to moderate damage to both the inside and outside of the house.
Another woman and three children also were in the home, Dyer said.
"We are looking into whether or not she was specifically targeted, and whether she was specifically targeted because she's a police officer," Dyer said. "That has yet to be determined."
Dyer said investigators will examine the officer's recent cases to look for any possible connections.
He declined to release the officer's name or where she lives.
Police officers frequently are threatened, Dyer said, and some officers' homes and vehicles have been broken into in the past, usually to steal guns or armor.
"But to my knowledge, I can't remember an incident where we had a police officer's house targeted and firebombed," he said. "It's very concerning for us if, in fact, this officer was targeted because she's a female police officer."
Raising suspicions further is a recent arson at the Southwest Police District station at Tuolumne and C streets, Dyer said. About 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 17, a marked patrol pickup was burned in the station's parking lot, which also damaged the personal vehicles of two officers. Dyer said none of the vehicles were connected to the officer whose home was targeted on Sunday.
About an hour after the station fire, Dyer said, someone published a blog on the website Indybay.org praising the attack. Dyer said he believed the blogger "either knows or was involved" because the blog post included details that had not yet been released to the public.
"We're trying to determine if these two incidents are related," Dyer said Sunday. "We are not certain of that."
The latest incident prompted Dyer to issue a message to all Fresno police personnel "making sure they're taking extra steps, being diligent and vigilant about their own safety in the event police officers are being targeted."
Dyer said the department is taking steps to ensure the officer's safety, and will conduct surveillance and provide other security measures to make sure no additional damage happens at her home.
Dyer said the incident is being investigated jointly by arson investigators from both the Fresno police and Fresno fire departments. No arrests have been made.
ADDENDUM:
Four days after the firebombing a communique was posted by 'the resistance' with a healtyh subtle critique of the firebombing of the officer's home. Between the lines, the authors seem to be saying that the firebombing of the police vehicles (which was political, an "act of war") was perhaps carried out by a separate group than the home attack. The communique issued by the resistance, which follows, is a subtle and beautiful statement on propaganda by the deed.
From Indybay.org:
Our group does not feel that things have come to the point where actions which put individuals in harms way are suitable. At the same time, we cannot condemn someone who does feel this way since many feel that we have committed actions which are not suitable. The real question is whether this action was political or not. If this was someone who has answered the call to war then we commend you, but was it? There are too many things that smell funny about this. The news reported that 6 months prior to this the same officer had her car burned up. Maybe an upset ex who came back? Also the house is for sale in a dried up market, fire insurance pays pretty well. Beyond anything it seems that this was the perfect opportunity for Dyer to gain support against those of us who fight back. FPD has been firebombed, now the public has no problem believing it happened again. From the beginning Dyer has focused on there being another woman and 3 children in the house. He is a pro at PR and knows how to get sympathy from the public, particularly harping on the officer being female. We all know Jerry is a sexist pig so I don't think there's any sincerity there, in fact this officer could be one of the officers suing Dyer; Dyer could have thrown the molotovs himself!
"We are looking into whether or not she was specifically targeted, and whether she was specifically targeted because she's a police officer," Dyer said. "That has yet to be determined."
Dyer said investigators will examine the officer's recent cases to look for any possible connections.
He declined to release the officer's name or where she lives.
Police officers frequently are threatened, Dyer said, and some officers' homes and vehicles have been broken into in the past, usually to steal guns or armor.
"But to my knowledge, I can't remember an incident where we had a police officer's house targeted and firebombed," he said. "It's very concerning for us if, in fact, this officer was targeted because she's a female police officer."
Raising suspicions further is a recent arson at the Southwest Police District station at Tuolumne and C streets, Dyer said. About 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 17, a marked patrol pickup was burned in the station's parking lot, which also damaged the personal vehicles of two officers. Dyer said none of the vehicles were connected to the officer whose home was targeted on Sunday.
About an hour after the station fire, Dyer said, someone published a blog on the website Indybay.org praising the attack. Dyer said he believed the blogger "either knows or was involved" because the blog post included details that had not yet been released to the public.
"We're trying to determine if these two incidents are related," Dyer said Sunday. "We are not certain of that."
The latest incident prompted Dyer to issue a message to all Fresno police personnel "making sure they're taking extra steps, being diligent and vigilant about their own safety in the event police officers are being targeted."
Dyer said the department is taking steps to ensure the officer's safety, and will conduct surveillance and provide other security measures to make sure no additional damage happens at her home.
Dyer said the incident is being investigated jointly by arson investigators from both the Fresno police and Fresno fire departments. No arrests have been made.
ADDENDUM:
Four days after the firebombing a communique was posted by 'the resistance' with a healtyh subtle critique of the firebombing of the officer's home. Between the lines, the authors seem to be saying that the firebombing of the police vehicles (which was political, an "act of war") was perhaps carried out by a separate group than the home attack. The communique issued by the resistance, which follows, is a subtle and beautiful statement on propaganda by the deed.
From Indybay.org:
Our group does not feel that things have come to the point where actions which put individuals in harms way are suitable. At the same time, we cannot condemn someone who does feel this way since many feel that we have committed actions which are not suitable. The real question is whether this action was political or not. If this was someone who has answered the call to war then we commend you, but was it? There are too many things that smell funny about this. The news reported that 6 months prior to this the same officer had her car burned up. Maybe an upset ex who came back? Also the house is for sale in a dried up market, fire insurance pays pretty well. Beyond anything it seems that this was the perfect opportunity for Dyer to gain support against those of us who fight back. FPD has been firebombed, now the public has no problem believing it happened again. From the beginning Dyer has focused on there being another woman and 3 children in the house. He is a pro at PR and knows how to get sympathy from the public, particularly harping on the officer being female. We all know Jerry is a sexist pig so I don't think there's any sincerity there, in fact this officer could be one of the officers suing Dyer; Dyer could have thrown the molotovs himself!
Then when the home caught on fire again, Dyer was quick to say that it was intentional while the fire marshall says most likely it was from wiring damaged in the previous fire but it's under investigation. Seriously, KMPH was set up across the street when the second fire started around 9:30pm, it's not a good idea to pull off clandestine actions that early in a residential area at what's already the scene of a crime with news vans across the street!
We're not sure what actually happened but Dyer is making the most of it and will use this to justify any further atrocities from him and his gang of thugs. Everyone needs to be careful out there no matter what level you are at. Watch your backs.
Once again, if this was a political or revolutionary act then we commend whoever did this for their action. But it seems much more complicated than that and people should keep an open mind.
Either way this is only going to fuel more action from more people. The system has failed us and people are thinking of revolution more and more every day.
No comments:
Post a Comment