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[Dyson Industries]

Bloody hell.

The family of Kenneth Walker, North Tonawanda’s only black firefighter, whose apartment was burned out Wednesday in what was feared to be a racially motivated attack, was stunned to learn that a neighbor and fellow former firefighter was arrested for the arson.

They were also shocked when they realized that the suspect – identified as Matthew Jurado, 39, who lives right across Oliver Street from them – had been at the scene of Wednesday’s fire, according to Robert Sands, Kenneth Walker’s uncle.

“I believe I talked with him,” Sands said. “His girlfriend was there. It’s really mind-boggling.”

He said his nephew “is really relieved, but part of him is hurt because he trained with this guy at the fire academy and he’s a neighbor ... Kenneth kind of thought of him as a friend.”

Amanda Walker, Kenneth’s wife, expressed a mix of emotions. “I am angry and relieved but in disbelief,” she said. “He’s been over to our home a couple of times and talked to our (two young) kids. You don’t know who your friends are.”

Police said at the news conference that Jurado acknowledged setting the fire but claimed someone else wrote an anonymous, racist and threatening letter to Walker on Monday. The letter, which used racist slurs, demanded that Walker resign as a firefighter. Jurado gave investigators the name of a person he said wrote that letter, but they said they are looking into the possibility that Jurado wrote the letter.

Jurado has been charged with second-degree arson, a felony.

Jurado had been let go from Live Hose Company No. 4, a volunteer fire company, in July, Pappas said. Fire officials said Jurado was let go because he didn’t have the proper training.

Jurado seemed to be passionate about being a firefighter. His Facebook feed is filled with photos of himself in turnout gear with the letters NTFD across the back. He has also posted several firefighter-themed slogans, like “I fight what you fear” and “100% pure firefighter.” Workers at a nearby convenience store said they often saw him wearing volunteer firefighter T-shirts and carrying a walkie-talkie.

Thursday night, Amanda Walker recounted how Jurado had taken her husband under his wing.

The two men had undergone firefighting training together. “He requested an application so Kenneth could join Gratwick Hose Company,” she said, referring to the North Tonawanda volunteer fire company.

 

[Pai Pai Master]

North Tonawanda’s only black firefighter

Good job guy, sure making a case for diversity here. But I guess that's what he would want.

 

[Silver Arrows]

what a surprise, racist shithead wants to live out his junior KKK fantasies

 

[Trojita]

We have a thread from the other day on this. It didn't come out that it was a firefighter and former neighbor until today.

 

[HORRORSHØW]

God damn piece of shit. I remember from the other thread where someone suggested that the culprit might be another firefighter. Right on.

 

[Ashhong]

no fucking way. wow.

 

[PSqueak]

This sounds incredibly insane.

His obsession with being a fire fighter almost makes it sound like he set the house on fire to try and be the hero but shit went out of control or something.

Almost.

 

[Nokterian]

What the fuck..also 2 of there family cats killed man but fuck those racists..all terrible human beings.

 

[phaonaut]

How did he get caught?

 

[Plum]

Disgusting. People like these are why anyone who says its actually "race realism" is a fucking tool. Hope he gets the sentence he deserves.

 

[Slayven]

Racist and a pyro, not a good combo

 

[Rur0ni]

Admitted to setting the fire, but not writing the note. Some strong shame there, eh?

 

[ColdPizza]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1257660

 

[Africanus]

Admitted to setting the fire, but not writing the note. Some strong shame there, eh?

Being called a racist is worst than racism all too often.

That Cool Runnings thread was an example.

 

[SocksAndShoes]

Thursday night, Amanda Walker recounted how Jurado had taken her husband under his wing.

The two men had undergone firefighting training together. “He requested an application so Kenneth could join Gratwick Hose Company,” she said, referring to the North Tonawanda volunteer fire company.

This is like Eobard Thawne levels of villainy. What in the actual fuck.

 

[echoshifting]

Holy shit. I read this yesterday but they didn't have a suspect yet. What a heartbreaking story. How do you ever trust again? This guy was their neighbor, his co-worker, he came over to their house, interacted with their kids. Walker thought of him as a friend. And all the while, this stew of hate simmering behind his eyes.

I almost typed "unbelievable story," but you know what, it's not.

 

[Mael]

Can't be sure it was really racism I mean we should wait until more info are coming before accusing the arsonist of being racist!

Spoiler

Do I really to add the /s tag? like really?

 

[PSqueak]

Admitted to setting the fire, but not writing the note. Some strong shame there, eh?

Bet he thinks it's better to be branded a dangerous mentally unstable psychopath than a willing bigot.

 

[sangreal]

he probably thinks he was slighted by some perceived affirmative action since he was let go by the FD

 

[thesoapster]

... Kenneth kind of thought of him as a friend.

Maybe he found a new black friend.

 

[LakeEarth]

God damn piece of shit. I remember from the other thread where someone suggested that the culprit might be another firefighter. Right on.

From the other thread, I learned that lots of arson is done by volunteer fire fighters. The more you know, I guess.

 

[mr jones]

So....

Is sending a nigger note a thing?

...and why would you not believe a guy who acknowledges that he burns the brother's house down, but denies writing the note?

One's a felony, the other is evidence of being racist. Is being racist the bigger L?

 

[R10Neymarfan]

Trump's America

 

[SecretMoblin]

he probably thinks he was slighted by some perceived affirmative action since he was let go by the FD

Wouldn't be surprised. Weird that the stated reason for being let go is "lack of training" when this guy seemed obsessed with the idea of being a firefighter. Wouldn't he have done any/all training necessary to keep his job? Was he deemed physically/mentally unfit to complete it?

Also bizarre that he claims he didn't write the letter, but he gave them the name of the person he knows wrote it. The Walkers have remarkably level heads for having all this shit dumped on them.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

Police said at the news conference that Jurado acknowledged setting the fire but claimed someone else wrote an anonymous, racist and threatening letter to Walker on Monday. The letter, which used racist slurs, demanded that Walker resign as a firefighter. Jurado gave investigators the name of a person he said wrote that letter, but they said they are looking into the possibility that Jurado wrote the letter.

Wait, so

He says he didn't write the letter and that it was just coincidence

but he knows who did and he had set the fire for unrelated reasons?

 

[Sgt. Kabukiman]

What a world we live in.

 

[echoshifting]

One's a felony, the other is evidence of being racist. Is being racist the bigger L?

To a certain type of (unhinged) person? I don't think it's that hard to believe.

 

[TheOohChild]

Obviously a byproduct of Obama's racially divisive rhetoric

 

[mr jones]

Holy shit. I read this yesterday but they didn't have a suspect yet. What a heartbreaking story. How do you ever trust again? This guy was their neighbor, his co-worker, he came over to their house, interacted with their kids. Walker thought of him as a friend. And all the while, this stew of hate simmering behind his eyes.

Seriously. That's some Julius Caesar level shit.

 

[Stinkles]

Wait, so

He says he didn't write the letter and that it was just coincidence

but he knows who did and he had set the fire for unrelated reasons?

Racists man. Literally doesn't mind being thought of as an arsonist and attempted murderer, but heaven forfend people think he's a racist.

SMH

 

[chaobreaker]

From the other thread, I learned that lots of arson is done by volunteer fire fighters. The more you know, I guess.

I read up on it and it is indeed a phenomenon that occurs. Most cases break down to these firefighters wanting to excerise their firefighting skills, be recognized as heroes, and to continue getting a steady paycheck. Another common connection is that they're typically from small town fire departments.

 

[Kabuki Quantum Lover]

So....

Is sending a nigger note a thing?

...and why would you not believe a guy who acknowledges that he burns the brother's house down, but denies writing the note?

One's a felony, the other is evidence of being racist. Is being racist the bigger L?

Note + Arson = Hate Crime.

 

[FluxWaveZ]

2016

 

[The Kree]

Admitting to writing the note elevates it to a hate crime I guess?

 

[deltatheta]

Can't be sure it was really racism I mean we should wait until more info are coming before accusing the arsonist of being racist!
Do I really to add the /s tag? like really?

Yep, you really do. You really need the /s tag.

 

[mr jones]

Note + Arson = Hate Crime.

OOOOH. Gotcha.

Man. I wonder if I have it in me to hate someone like that. Like, truly have enough hatred in my heart to psychologically and physically destroy everything important in someone's life.

 

[Whom_Gods_Annoy]

Definition of a scumbag.

 

[Supa Necta]

So....

Is sending a nigger note a thing?

...and why would you not believe a guy who acknowledges that he burns the brother's house down, but denies writing the note?

One's a felony, the other is evidence of being racist. Is being racist the bigger L?

Letter makes it a federal hate crime I believe. He's full of shit and trying to avoid a harsher sentence.

 

[Memory]

Shit, someone called it in the other thread. Smh

 

[Manu]

As a non-American, I have to ask: is your country actually regressing in matter of racial isues, or they're just getting more exposition now? Because it's seriously baffling.

 

[Alligatorjandro]

Racism in New York?

hmm

 

[Stinkles]

 

[Morrigan Stark]

Those poor cats, RIP. Glad the family was OK at least.

Admitted to setting the fire, but not writing the note. Some strong shame there, eh?

So....

Is sending a nigger note a thing?

...and why would you not believe a guy who acknowledges that he burns the brother's house down, but denies writing the note?

One's a felony, the other is evidence of being racist. Is being racist the bigger L?

My guess is that the evidence linking him to the arson is too strong for him to deny, but there's still plausible deniability of the note, so he'd avoid having the "hate crime" charge added on top of the arson?

Just speculation of course. Who knows what goes on in the mind of this sick fuck.

 

[jordan0386]

Sacrificed his freedom in the name of white supremacy..l

One less dummy at a klan meeting, I guess.

 

[J-Tier]

So it ended up being a colleague :/ that's fucked up.

 

[diaspora]

Racist and a pyro, not a good combo

ya, those guys are usually burning crosses too.

 

[DustyVonEric]

I somehow knew it was another firefighter after reading the other thread.

He burned down the home of a young child and a baby. What the Fuck. It sickened me then, and it does now.

 

[Herbspiceguy]

Very satisfying they already caught this fucker.

 

[Karkador]

What a startling coincidence that the neighbor gets the itch to burn a house down at about the same time the victim gets an anonymous racist threat sent to his house.

 

[hydragonwarrior]

Even weirder is how Jurado encouraged Walker to join, which I'm thinking would be the last thing a racist guy would do. Im thinking Jurado's pissed at Walker because he was let go while Walker wasn't.