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[Enzom21]

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Demarlon Thomas, 31, was shot and killed on Monday night by a man with an assault-style rifle in Saginaw, Michigan, around 100 miles (160 km) northwest of Detroit, according to local CBS affiliate WNEM.

A spokesman for the Michigan State Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Two masked men with assault-style rifles entered the facility where around two dozen people were staying, Michigan State Police Lt. David Kaiser told local news website MLive.com.

"One person watched over a group of them while another subject located the victim and executed him," Kaiser said, according to the website. "They were looking for this person."

No one else was injured in the attack, Kaiser said.

Thomas was sentenced to 19 years in prison in 2008 for distribution of cocaine after being caught in a three-year federal investigation called "Operation Sunset," aimed at taking down Saginaw's Sunny Side Gang, the website reported.

Video of the shooting.

 

[DieH@rd]

WHAT THE FUCK

 

[massoluk]

RIP, tragic that his second chance ended like this

 

[Aequitas]

RIP

And holy shit

 

[Verelios]

...My heart goes out to his family

 

[RinsFury]

Fuck. They specifically targetted him. Cartel or Mafia hit?

 

[antonz]

Horrible stuff. A lot of elements on the table with this one. Hopefully investigators can get it right and bring those responsible to justice

 

[reptilescorpio]

Fuck. They specifically targetted him. Cartel or Mafia hit?

The gang listed in the OP likely.

 

[Goldboy]

RIP

 

[daffy]

Damn. He's black? They'll never find the culprits. It really is a different world out there for young black men that slip into the cycle

 

[Pankratous]

I'm sure this has been posted.

 

[Sesuadra]

I'm sure this has been posted.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1337896
got closed.

"One person watched over a group of them while another subject located the victim and executed him," Kaiser said, according to the website. "They were looking for this person."

so horrible.

 

[Bedameister]

I'm sure this has been posted.

Yep and the thread derailed and got closed.

 

[Pankratous]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1337896

Ah, I've just seen that thread became a disaster haha.

 

[Randam]

Was he commuted last week?

 

[BackLogJoe]

Hopefully it wasn't some redneck that was mad about Obama commuting him.

 

[Donos]

That a murder with 2 guys with (Assault) Rifles is so little newsworthy (even international) is a sad state. At least they didn't mow down everyone in there.

 

[Breads]

That was a frighteningly sophisticated execution. Can you really just mask up, gun, and run like that with no recourse? I hope not. I hope they get caught.

Or... I dunno. Maybe scenarios like this don't get a whole lot of play because of the reality that there isn't much that can be done.

Sorry state all around. RIP. Selling drugs a decade ago should not be a death sentence.

 

[Media]

Someone thinks he ratted in prison I imagine. How fucked up all around. Poor guy, I feel for his family.

 

[NoblesseOblige]

That was a frighteningly sophisticated execution. Can you really just mask up, gun, and run like that with no recourse? I hope not. I hope they get caught.

Probably depends on the victim(s). White business man gunned down in the suburbs? They will absolutely invest every resource they can afford in finding the culprit. Black ex-con in a halfway house? Maybe a couple cops sweeping the area before it's back to harassing persons of color.

 

[JustenP88]

Thomas was sentenced to 19 years in prison in 2008 for distribution of cocaine after being caught in a three-year federal investigation called "Operation Sunset,"

Draconian drug laws took this man's life twice. RIP.

 

[Bad_Boy]

19 years for cocaine, jesus. how much did the dude have on him.

edit:

googled. 15 grams. jesus.

edit2: actually, he tried selling multiple times. okay.
but his murder sounds like an inside job.

 

[Timedog]

Uhhhh, thats not how gang members are usually murdered.

 

[Enzom21]

Damn. He's black? They'll never find the culprits. It really is a different world out there for young black men that slip into the cycle

Sad reality of it all.

 

[demon]

Hopefully it wasn't some redneck that was mad about Obama commuting him.

I feel like this is most likely the case.

 

[Toxi]

It feels so unfair this happened right after he got a second chance at life.

 

[WedgeX]

Holy hell.

 

[Frozenprince]

Awful. Just fucking awful. Get a second chance at life only to be killed by the life that he wanted to get away from.

If this country has a functioning police force at least maybe he'd get justice that way.

 

[Count Dookkake]

What a sick joke.

 

[ant_]

I feel like this is most likely the case.

I think it's more likely the gang specifically mentioned in the article. Tragedy.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

I feel like this is most likely the case.

This really really really doesn't look like that. Like I don't even know how you would draw that conclusion from the available information.

 

[Mr. X]

There's only 2 ways out. RIP.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

I think it's more likely the gang specifically mentioned in the article. Tragedy.

It doesn't seem likely to me that there is a crack paramilitary hit squad of angry rednecks who go into facilities like this just to assassinate black people who have been released from prison. Are they really that brave that they barge into facilities with possibly a dozen black ex convicts to carry out a racist murder?

 

[SpaceWolf]

Horrible. RIP.

This is obviously tragic in itself, but I almost had a heart attack seeing "Obama killed" in the title.

 

[SapientWolf]

Why would they send him back to the town where his old gang was? It's not like they were going to throw him a welcoming party. This is basic stuff here.

 

[Alligatorjandro]

Damn that was a hit job

 

[Lonewolf_92]

Uhhhh, thats not how gang members are usually murdered.

Bingo. Gang members are not exactly known for packing "assault-style rifles" or worrying about collateral damage, if it were his old gang, they'd hit him with a drive by, or shoot the place up, or pull him into an alleyway while he was out walking and do him there. This isn't your typical gang violence (at least involving street gangs in the US).

 

[WedgeX]

It doesn't seem likely to me that there is a crack paramilitary hit squad of angry rednecks who go into facilities like this just to assassinate black people who have been released from prison. Are they really that brave that they barge into facilities with possibly a dozen black ex convicts to carry out a racist murder?

You mean like when Sheriff Willis McCall assassinated Samuel Shepard and tried, with the help of Deputy James Yates, to assassinate Walter Irvin when they were granted a new trial by the Supreme Court?

Not saying its the only outcome. But it has historical precedent in the United States.

 

[Sub_Level]

RIP

 

[Kule]

Looked a bit too professional. Probably screwed someone higher up the chain than his gang.

 

[TimeEffect]

Bingo. Gang members are not exactly known for packing "assault-style rifles" or worrying about collateral damage, if it were his old gang, they'd hit him with a drive by, or shoot the place up, or pull him into an alleyway while he was out walking and do him there. This isn't your typical gang violence (at least involving street gangs in the US).

How could you know this?

My initial thought was bad business partners coming to exact some revenge, or maybe he pissed someone off on the inside.

The thought that some white racist targeted him because Obama set him free sounds ridiculous and insane. And if that turns out to be the case, then it'd be incredibly fucked up

 

[Skellig Gra]

Looked a bit too professional. Probably screwed someone higher up the chain than his gang.

Yeah this was a serious outfit that did this. The question is, who?

 

[SapientWolf]

Bingo. Gang members are not exactly known for packing "assault-style rifles" or worrying about collateral damage, if it were his old gang, they'd hit him with a drive by, or shoot the place up, or pull him into an alleyway while he was out walking and do him there. This isn't your typical gang violence (at least involving street gangs in the US).

Right. Gangs would never use assault rifles.

http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2016/05/loaded_assault_rifle_drugs_fou.html

 

[Mr-Joker]

How upsetting, he was only 2 month away from freedom only for it to be cruelly taken away from him.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1337896
got closed.

Jeez, sure glad that thread got closed.

 

[7DollarHagane]

Bingo. Gang members are not exactly known for packing "assault-style rifles" or worrying about collateral damage, if it were his old gang, they'd hit him with a drive by, or shoot the place up, or pull him into an alleyway while he was out walking and do him there. This isn't your typical gang violence (at least involving street gangs in the US).

You can't generalize about the intentions or methods of violent people. They wanted him dead and they got it. Quick and quiet. Minimize the attention and investigation.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

Not saying its the only outcome. But it has historical precedent in the United States.

Anything is possible but the more wild the claim the better the evidence is needed. Now more than ever.

 

[Kite]

Bingo. Gang members are not exactly known for packing "assault-style rifles"

... lol?

http://abc7chicago.com/news/assault-weapons-play-a-familiar-role-in-chicago-shootings/1387447/

So far in 2016, 96 assault weapons have been confiscated by police. More than 200 were collected in 2015. And there are many more still out there.

Dr. Bokhari estimates 5 to 10 percent of the shooting victims he sees in the ER at Stroger have been shot with high powered assault rifles which can not only carry more bullets, but also have four to five times the impact of a handgun.

 

[GregLombardi]

is there any further info about witness statements?

How is the public supposed to help with masked gunmen? Said the same in the other thread, and also wondered the race of the shooters tbh.