Why are people confused about the California shooting story?
Eyewitness Sally Abdelmageed told CNN:
"[it was] three men, dressed in all black, military attire with vests on holding assault rifles... I couldn’t see a face, he had a black hat on and uh, from my view all I could see was a black hat and long sleeve shirt… black cargo pants with zippers on the sides, big puffy pockets, he had a huge assault rifle and extra ammo… I just saw three dressed exactly the same…. their skin tone looked white. They looked like they were athletic build. They appeared to be tall."
Security expert Michael McCann, former chief of security for the United Nations, told CBS2, "there are three people; they were well prepared; they were well equipped with the guns they were carrying; what they were wearing... they fled very quickly... I would think this was well organized and well planned beforehand." http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/12/02/san-bernardino-shooting-security-expert-michael-mccann/
Yet four hours later, the police shot: two brown-skinned Pakistanis, one according to the family lawyer David Chesley, was a small 90 pound woman with a young baby at home (http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2015/12/04/shooters-family-attorney-intv-cuomo-newday.cnn/video/playlists/san-bernardino-shooting/). They were California residents in a rented black SUV with Utah plates.
The officers say they did not see the suspects until they were dead. Police had gone to the couple's home to follow up on a tip (they went to other houses as well). While there, they saw the black SUV with blackout Windows drive past them, slowly at first, like bait, before speeding away. They chased after the SUV. They also grabbed a third suspect running away on foot, but later released him. Left behind at the crime scene, a remote-controlled car that didn't explode.
Farook attended the same holiday party last year. Since then, his coworkers threw a baby shower for him that included a registry. His brother, who lived nearby, was in the Navy and earned two medals for his service in "The Global War on Terrorism." (http://m.nydailynews.com/news/national/brother-calif-shooting-decorated-navy-vet-article-1.2454568) His brother (like everyone else) said he didn't see anything to suggest the couple was radical or violent.
At the party this time, Farook was sitting at a table chatting with a friend and co-worker before "disappearing" -- with his coat still on his chair. They now say there was no argument. No workplace issue.
When shot in the mysterious SUV, Tashfeen was wearing fitted shorts above her knees and no head covering. Family says she was always fully covered when she went out. I do not post pictures of dead bodies but it is available online.
They are portrayed as Bonnie and Clyde with a young baby. Photos and videos journalists took while rummaging through the deceased suspects' strewn belongings (shown on many networks and online) showed a fully stocked fridge with cooked food in Tupperware and pictures of their baby all over the house. Many unopened baby and toddler toys in boxes. (Were these their recent mail packages neighbors mentioned? Tashfeen was largely from Saudi where women don't drive, she had a baby, and recently moved here. It would make sense for her to largely shop online for their many needs.)
There were flowers on tables and freshly watered house plants. Baby was left with her grandmother for Tashfeen to make a doctor appointment. They had both been sick, assuming it was a stomach flu, but she needed a doctor.
That's why, at this point, it doesn't make sense. A young mom left her baby to go kill the same people who hosted her baby shower. She allegedly made a FB post pledging allegiance to ISIS on an alias page, at 11 am. The shooting started at 11 am. The post was removed. CNN states, "Malik made the post on an account with a different name, one U.S. official said. The officials did not explain how they knew Malik was behind the message."
Who were the victims? Just like the Paris attacks, they were very diverse. The NY Times writes, "He [shared] a cubicle with a friend, Isaac Amianos, a 60-year-old father of three from Eritrea... the two of them spoke Arabic together (Farook learning from Amianos)... The health inspectors came from all over the world... Nwadike was from Nigeria. Others hailed from Vietnam, Iran, Mexico and Colombia... Bullets struck Amianos, Thalasinos and others at Farook's table." (People he was just speaking with.) "A Muslim woman Farook prayed with.... Anies Kondoker, 42, was shot three times but survived." Amianos' family member claimed the two had been friends and often left the office together. Farook had worked there, friendly with everyone, for 5 years.
Why would a traditional Pakistani Muslim American target these people, his friends, teachers, elders, a fellow Muslim? In California of all places, with all of its other potential targets? And no note, no claim, no manifesto, no warning signs, no explanation?
About the "argument" with a co-worker: "Two weeks earlier, [Thalasinos, a Messianic Jew who made anti-Islam FB posts] and Farook argued over whether Islam was a violent religion. Recounting the conversation to a friend, Thalasinos said that Farook insisted his God was peaceful... Thalasinos liked discussing such topics. There was no indication that their interaction was anything out of the ordinary." http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-1205-christmas-party-20151205-story.html
From http://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2015/12/03/stories-of-those-who-died-in-the-mass-shooting-in-california:
"[Thalasinos' wife] said she believes her husband died a martyr because of his faith but he never indicated that Syed had radicalized. She said she did not believe her husband was individually targeted. 'They all got along really well. So it's shocking,' she said."
The shooters left before police arrived. Police and media then said they were searching for 3 white males. Then police shot these two, who fit no stated description, around 3 pm, after receiving a tip. The story changed from 3 male shooters to a married couple.
According to multiple reports during the car chase, officers fired 380 rounds, and the suspects shot 76 rifle rounds. (http://ktla.com/2015/12/03/san-bernardino-shooters-fired-65-to-75-rounds-at-victims-76-at-officers-had-thousands-more-rounds/).
We read from the LA Times how the quiet housewife shot the 76 rifle rounds: "At one point as the couple attempted to elude police, Malik fired an assault rifle out the back window of their sport utility vehicle at pursuing officers." (http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-syed-farook-tashfeen-malik-shooters-san-bernardino-20151203-story.html)
Yet multiple news sources including CNN reported, "Farook fired at officers while Malik drove, officials said." http://fox6now.com/2015/12/03/san-bernardino-shooting-who-are-syed-rezwan-farook-and-tashfeen-malik/ Perhaps part of the problem seeing them was the SUV's windows were completely blacked out, and 21-23 officers were shooting 380 rounds in a cloud of bullets from all directions.
The picture of Farook's body on the street shows him face down, handcuffed, and ankles crossed. (Look online.). Why handcuff a dead body that was pulled out of the car by a machine, as Tashfeen's clearly was (shown in a publicized video)? Farook's body is next to a large pool of blood. Was Farook already deceased when removed from the SUV? Did the police drag him out by machine, handcuff his dead body, and then neatly cross his ankles for him? If so, was Tashfeen also handcuffed later? She is shown in plain clothes and arm spread out. Clearly dragged to her position, unlike Farook. I am just curious as to why the difference.
The ammo, pipe bombs, etc., were found in their townhouse's garage. The garage was in a building separate from their home. A few minor items in the house. And a manhole in their closet ceiling.
And no one who knew them, including their many siblings and mother who lived with them and Navy brother who lived close by, saw anything strange. Neighbor said they were happy. Smiled at her. Farook would sometimes leave the garage door open as he worked on his car. Two of his friends said the same. He was always working on cars. Annie Larson, their back door neighbor last saw them hanging out on their patio on Sunday with their daughter, enjoying family time. (http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2015/12/03/neighbor-of-san-bernardino-killers-speaks-intv-erin.cnn)
Journalists entered their house, within 48 hrs, to rummage through their belongings. An unprecedented event. Any more evidence for or against this deceased couple, now unusable.
*I have had to update this so many times because of journalists changing their information. Misidentifications. Incorrect facts. Assumptions. Overly generalized statements.
Whether this whole scenario is genuine or skewed, I believe it's clear that the integrity of our informational media has plummeted. Far too often, facts are not checked in their rush to be the first to publish new information.