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~ HIT & RUN RAMPAGE IN SAN FRANCISCO ~
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Last Updated - 30 August 2006 - 10:00 a.m.
(Edited Article & Added Information Links)
For Updated Information please see;
“FOCUS PAGE: San Francisco Hit-and-Run Rampage“
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EDIT NOTE: This piece has been edited to correct and add some information - August 30, 2006 10:00 a.m.
One man was killed and at least 14 others injured including one child when a man went on a hit-and-run spree first in Fremont, and then continued his destructive rampage in downtown San Francisco. Witnesses and authorities say the suspect’s actions were intentional, as they could see him focusing and “aiming” for people. Witnesses also say that he had a “mean look” on his face. Another witness reportedly told Reporter Rob Roth at WTVU-TV that the suspect had referred to himself as “a terrorist”. Although authorities are claiming that this incident “was many things” but “it was not an act of terrorism.”
 The Hit-and-Run spree lasted approximately 20 minutes in downtown San Fran. Authorities finally chased down Omeed Aziz Popal [pictured at left], 29 of Fremont, who was driving an SUV, by boxing in his vehicle and taking him into custody at shortly after 1 p.m.[picture below at right]. Witnesses say that the suspect was very peaceful as he sat near the scene in handcuffs. One woman featured in a video report stated that if you didn’t know what had just happened you never would’ve been able to tell that this man had committed such a heinous crime immediately before.
Mr. Popal is said to have driven with intent on mowing down pedestrians. Witnesses report that he went the wrong way down one-way streets, and in one case after hitting an elderly man in a crosswalk, made a U-Turn and started back down the street to hit him again. A witness was able to pull the man to the sidewalk before Popal reached their position. The man who pulled the other out of the way said that when Popal passed he looked at him and appeared to be “angry about something.”
Police are still investigating this incident, and at least one media outlet is reporting that the bomb squad was called in to check out Mr. Popal’s SUV for possible explosives. Again, authorities maintain this was NOT an act of terrorism. They also do not know at this time whether drugs or alcohol was a factor in the incident.
Mr. Popal’s attorney, Majeed Samara told the press that his client was “mentally ill” but did not provide any further information. Mr. Samara is quoted as saying, “All I can tell you is he’s not all together.”
Ch. 5 KPIX-TV is reporting that Mr. Popal’s cousin, Zargona Ramish said he had been having nightmares about someone coming to kill him and he had apparently been taking medication. She is quoted as saying, “He thought the devil was coming to him.” She also stated that he was a very good person, herself asking “what’s wrong with him?”.
Ramish also stated that Mr. Popal had been in Afghanistan a month ago for his wedding, and his bride had not been able to make the trip to California yet.
Please note, authorities are asking anyone with information to contact; San Francisco Police Lt. Mahoney at (415) 553-1145.
- Michelle K.
Information for this report was compiled from various sources
Pictures; 1) Photo of Ohmeed Aziz Popal 2) Photo of Police Cars & Black SUV
- CBS Ch. 5 KPIX-TV, CBS Broadcasting Company Inc. - San Francisco, California
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NOTES ON CURRENT SPECULATION IN THE BLOGOSPHERE:
A poster at FreeRepublic.com who lives in California stated thing as Mr. Popal has an Afghani Surname, and that the second part of his rampage began outside the Jewish Community Center in San Francisco. Keep in mind the Mr. Popal would had have to drive 41 miles from his starting point in Fremont to the Jewish Community Center, and just a “1/2 mile from the main Jewish temple, Temple Emanu-El.” Indeed it is puzzling why Mr. Popal chose the neighborhood he did to conduct the second part of his spree — some point out that it is a Jewish neighborhood. Of course, this could all be coincidence, and anything pointing to terrorism at this point would be speculation based on the information currently available.
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I will post more information and links as they become available, and as I am able. If you find information you think should be included on this page, please don’t hesitate to email me at; LibertyRocksBlog @ gmail. com (NO SPACES)
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MAP SHOWING VICTIM LOCATIONS:
(Map from KPIX-TV Ch. 5 (CBS) - CBS Broadcasting Company Inc. - San Francisco, CA, US)
[NOTE: Click on the picture below to see full-size]
~ RESOURCE LINKS ~
Following are resource links I have gathered regarding the Hit-and-Run Incident in San Francisco on August 29, 2006. Links will be added to this list on a regular basis as new information is uncovered. If you have any information or links to add to this page please feel free to email me
[ LibertyRocksBlog @ gmail.com (no spaces)].
MAJOR MEDIA COVERAGE:
29 August 2006
- “1 DEAD, 13 INJURED IN HIT-AND-RUN SPREE” - by Juliana Barbassa, Associated Press (AP) - Forbes.com - Forbes.com Inc. - 29 August 2006
- “SUV MOWS DOWN SAN FRAN PEDESTRIANS - 1 Dead, 13 Hurt In Hit-And-Run Spree” - Associated Press (AP) - CBS News - CBS Broadcasting Corporation, Inc. - New York, New York, US - 29 August 2006
- “S.F.: SUV DRIVER RUNS OVER 14 PEOPLE, 1 DEAD - One Man Is Dead And Nearly A Dozen Pedestrians Have Been Injured After A Man Purposely Drove His Car Recklessly Throughout San Francisco Neighborhoods” - CBS5 - CBS13.com KVOR-TV (CBS) - CBS Broadcasting Company, Inc. - Sacramento, California, US
- “RELATIVES: RAMPAGE SUSPECT MAY HAVE BEEN STRESSED OVER WEDDING” - by James Hohmann and Katherine Corcoran - The San Jose Mercury News (MercuryNews.com) - Knight Ridder (The McClatchy Company) - San Jose, California, US - 29 August 2006
- “ONE DEAD, AT LEAST 15 HURT IN HIT-AND-RUN RAMPAGE” - by Leslie Griffy & Julie Severens Lyons, MediaNews - The Oroville Mercury-Register Online - Media News Group - Oroville, California, US - 29 August 2006
- “MAN KILLS 1, INJURES 13 WITH SUV IN BAY AREA” - BayInsider.com Ch. 2 KTVU-TV (FOX) - Cox Enterprises - San Francisco, California, US - 29 August 2006
- “UPDATE: POLICE NAME SUSPECT IN HIT-AND-RUN SPREE” - Ch. 5 KPIX-TV (CBS) - CBS Broadcasting Inc. - San Francisco, California, US - 29 August 2006
- “POLICE: SUV DRIVER RUNS OVER 15 PEOPLE, 1 DEAD” - Ch. 5 KPIX-TV (CBS) - CBS Broadcasting Inc. - San Francisco, California, US - 29 August 2006
- “UP TO 14 HURT IN SF HIT-AND-RUN SPREE 7 CRITICAL; DRIVER BELIEVED TO HAVE STRUCK, KILLED A MAN IN FREMONT EARLIER” - by Jaxon Van Derbeken, Steve Rubenstein, and Susan Sward, Staff Writers, The San Francisco Chronicle - SFGate.com - Hearst Communications Inc. - San Francisco, California, US - 29 August 2006 [Note: Slideshow available.]
- “HIT & RUN SPREE MAY BE TIED TO FREMONT” - Ch. 4 KRON-TV (Ind.) - Young Broadcasting - San Francisco, California, US - 29 August 2006
- “THIRTEEN HURT BY SAN FRANCISCO HIT-AND-RUN DRIVER” - Reuters - Yahoo! News - Yahoo! Inc. - Sunnyvale, California, US - 29 August 2006
- “ONE DEAD, NINE INJURED IN APPARENT HIT-AND-RUN SPREE” - Associated Press - The Daily Journal - San Mateo County, California, US - 29 August 2006
- “HIT-AND-RUN RAMPAGE LEAVES ONE DEAD” - CNews - Canoe Inc. - Toronto, Ontario, Canada - 29 August 2006
- “ONE DEAD, AT LEAST 14 HURT IN HIT-AND-RUN RAMPAGE” - by Leslie Griffy, Julie Severens Lyons, Therese Poletti, Mary Anne Ostrom, James Hohmann and Sean Webby - The San Jose Mercury News - Knight Ridder (The McClatchy Company) - San Jose, California, US - 29 August 2006
MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE:
VIDEO REPORTS:
29 August 2006
- “WITNESSES DESCRIBE TERROR OF ATTACKS” - Ch. 4 KRON-TV (Independent) - Young Broadcasting - San Francisco, California, US - 29 August 2006 [NOTE: Link is on main page as of 30 August 2006]
- “POLICE: SUV LEFT TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION” - Ch. 4 KRON-TV (Independent) - Young Broadcasting - San Francisco, California, US - 29 August 2006 [NOTE: Link is on main page as of 30 August 2006]
- “SUSPECT’S FAMILY DESCRIBES ILLNESS” - Ch. 4 KRON-TV (Independent) - Young Broadcasting - San Francisco, California, US - 29 August 2006 [NOTE: Link is on main page as of 30 August 2006]
- “WITNESS DESCRIBES HIT & RUN SUSPECT” - Ch. 5 KPIX-TV (CBS) - CBS Broadcasting Company Inc. - San Francisco, California, US - 29 August 2006
- “RAW VIDEO: VICTIMS TREATED IN HIT & RUNS” - Ch. 5 KPIX-TV (CBS) - CBS Broadcasting Company Inc. - San Francisco, California, US - 29 August 2006
- “RAW VIDEO: SUV, WITNESS STATEMENTS” - Ch. 5 KPIX-TV (CBS) - CBS Broadcasting Company Inc. - San Francisco, California, US - 29 August 2006
- “SFPD BRIEFING ON HIT & RUN” - Ch. 5 KPIX-TV (CBS) - CBS Broadcasting Company Inc. - San Francisco, California, US - 29 August 2006
- “RAW VIDEO: FREMONT FATALITY SCENE” - Ch. 5 KPIX-TV (CBS) - CBS Broadcasting Company Inc. - San Francisco, California, US - 29 August 2006
- “SF MAYOR NEWSOM BRIEFING ON HIT & RUN” - Ch. 5 KPIX-TV (CBS) - CBS Broadcasting Company Inc. - San Francisco, California, US - 29 August 2006
- “SAN FRANCISCO: ROB ROTH REPORTS ON DEADLY HIT-AND-RUN RAMPAGE” - Video Report - BayInsider.com Ch. 2 KTVU-TV (FOX) - Cox Enterprises - San Francisco, California, US - 29 August 2006
PICTURES & SLIDESHOWS:
29 August 2006
- “SLIDESHOW AT SFGATE.com” - Picture Slideshow - The San Francisco Chronicle - SFGate.com - Hearst Communications Inc. - San Francisco, California, US - 29 August 2006
- “SLIDESHOW: S.F. HIT & RUN SCENE PHOTOS” - Ch. 5 KPIX-TV (CBS) - CBS Broadcasting Company Inc. - San Francisco, California, US - 29 August 2006
BLOGS, ORGANIZATIONS & MAGAZINE COVERAGE:
30 August 2006
EXTRA INFORMATION:
REGARDING THE SUSPECT OMEED AZIZ POPAL:
MISCELLANEOUS RELATED RESOURCES:
SIMILAR INCIDENTS:
SEATTLE SHOOTING AT THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER SEATTLE:
- “SHOOTING IN SEATTLE: MUSLIM REVENGE” - by Michelle Malkin - MichelleMalkin.com - 28 July 2006
- “MEET THE MUSLIM SHOOTING SUSPECT” - by Michelle Malkin - MichelleMalkin.com - 29 July 2006
- “A RANDOM GALLERY OF “LONE” SHOOTERS” - by Michelle Malkin - MichelleMalkin.com - 29 July 2006
Summary:
Ms. Malkin looks at some of the “lone” shooter we have seen over the last few years. In all of the cases a history of “mental illness” has been mentioned. She compiled this posting after the shootings in Seattle. It has been reported that the hit and run driver in San Francisco also had a history of “mental illness”. [LibertyRocks Notes: If we look at the belief structure of the Radical Jihadist, or Militant Muslim I believe that most all of them would meet a |
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