Poplawski posted about 'AK' hours before attack (Pittsburgh Police Killer)

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Accused cop-killer Richard Poplawski spent hours posting racist messages on an extremist right-wing Web site, decrying blacks and Latinos and warning of forthcoming economic collapse fueled by the "Zionist occupation" of America, an expert in political extremism has determined. Earlier, he had praised the "AK" rifle as his ideal weapon.

It was an AK-47 that police say Mr. Poplawski used to gun down three Pittsburgh police officers who arrived at his house Saturday morning in the midst of a domestic dispute.

An account kept on Stormfront, a gathering place for racial extremists and others from the far-right show Mr. Poplawski's increasing belief in a coming economic and political collapse in the days leading up to the time of the deadly standoff in which he is charged with killing three Pittsburgh police officers.

Details of Mr. Poplawski's extreme racial and political views came to light today when the top researcher at the Anti Defamation League delved into his postings at Stormfront, a white supremacist Web site run by a former Ku Klux Klan leader in Florida.

Mark Pitcavage, director of investigative research for the ADL, said Mr. Poplawski was logged on to Stormfront four hours before Saturday's deadly shooting spree. The ADL today revealed the Poplawski Stormfront account, which was in addition to another one in which he showed photographs of his American eagle tattoo -- a piece of body art that also connected him to the second account in which he expounded on race. Mr. Pitcavage said he explored the Poplawski account after learning of his extremist beliefs in a Sunday article in the Post-Gazette.


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09096/960938-100.stm

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Oh and what an irony here:

"He also expressed concerns that white nationalist groups had missed an opportunity to call attention to protests in Oakland, Calif., on behalf of young black men accused in the shooting of several police officers there."

[derby378]

1. Why would a neo-Nazi use a weapon developed by, uh, COMMUNISTS?

I'd figure they'd insist on an all-American AR-15, but some of them have even toted Uzis in the past, which is freakin' hilarious. But nobody ever accused neo-Nazis of being consistent in their ideology...

Edited to add: This is by no means making light of the tragedy. My thoughts are with the families of those police officers. But it wasn't the gun that killed them - it was hate, the same hate we hoped would never rear its ugly head again after World War II.

[sharp_stick]

5. I thought the same thing

The only thing consistent with neo-nazis is their lack of higher level cognitive function. These are people that are willing pawns in the money making schemes of assholes like Wayne LaPierre of the NRA. They are even more easily led by the nose than the RW christian brigade of stupidity.

LaPierre and the rest of his cronies are making a mint off of the recent Presidential whipping the pukes took in November by pretending that the scary black guy in the White House is going to take all the guns. It goes somethign like this... "The gubmint is gonna get us so go buy all the ammo they have at Walmart and while you're at it go down to the local gun shop, where I get a 10% cut and buy an AK-47 before the scary black guy makes it illegal to own."

[Jack from Charlotte]

2. Anyone checked this guys voter registration?

I'm guessing he's a card carrying Republic Party member like the other Republic Party terrorist, Tim McVay.

[HopeHoops]

16. I doubt he's registered at all

Some of the biggest windbags don't bother to vote.

[Ian David]

3. What screen name did he use to post on Free Republic and Hannidate? n/t

[RamboLiberal]

7. Don't know but in Stormfront he used

Writing under the screen name "Rich P," which he switched sometime after March 10 to "Braced for Fate," Mr. Poplawski expounded on race, interracial mixing and the presumed power of Jews in America between Jan. 16, 2007, and last Thursday.

Also used rwhiteman on a gun owners forum.

[cowbear]

4. A weird point in another article

There was a bizarre thing mentioned at the end of another story on the Post Gazette's web site. Apparently the guy's mom doesn't like the PG's coverage of the murders (which I think has been very good, of course I'm biased because I'm from Pittsburgh and knew people who worked at the PG). She threatened to sue the paper if they didn't stop publishing information about the killer(her son) and about her:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09096/960913-53.stm

It's the last couple of paragraphs of the story at this link.

Your son murders three cops in cold blood and you think that the paper should just ignore it, that they will ignore it? I think she was probably trying to stop stuff like this (story about his beliefs and activity in stormfront) from reaching the public.

[RamboLiberal]

6. And the friend that has been speaking out threatened a radio talk host

with libel yesterday.

Also heard mommy dearest saw him gearing up with the vest, holster, loading guns, etc. after she made the 911 call. He said something like "I'm going to have something for them". And she mocked him with "You won't do a thing."

Pittsburgh police want to charge her with conspiracy.

[DallasNE]

18. Or The More Serious Accessory Charge

She sounds like the person driving the getaway car in a bank robbery gone bad where people are killed. I would say that she is in deep trouble if this account holds up.

[sufrommich]

8. Maybe Mom has her own online account on a less than

stellar web site. She sounds like she's more worried about his background than the fact that her son just killed 3 people.

[PA Democrat]

9. Dennis Roddy has been doing some fine reporting on this story.

Good for him and the Post Gazette for covering Poplawski's involvement in hate groups.

[shaniqua6392]

10. In other words.....

He was a Republican.

[Tim01]

11. Racist nutjob. Perfect.

[Xenotime]

12. Poster child for the NRA.

They should give him an honorary lifetime membership.

[Tim01]

13. People who hate the 2nd amendment should be pleased

that out of millions (or is it billions?) of gun owners their stereo type finally came true once.

[FailureToCommunicate]

17. Once? You don't watch news? Try average of 10,000 to 13,000 gun deaths a year. link:

I have no problem with a WELL REGULATED militia. It's the psychotic, right wing nut job with closet full of assault rifles down the street I'm concerned about.
link: (thanks "chrispos")
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/weapons.htm

[Tim01]

19. 13,000 Racist shooting rampages. Uh, huh. I've only heard of 1.

[FailureToCommunicate]

22. No, 13000 killed yearly by GUNS. "Racist" or not hardly matters

[FailureToCommunicate]

21. see post above

[FailureToCommunicate]

15. "Racist nut job" ...with an AK-47. Now imagine if instead of guns, the kid had

a strongly worded letter to the editor in his hand when the cops showed up to break up the fight with his mom...

(Now we'll hear from the usual "AK-47s don't kill people, nut jobs do." Right. Now send those same thoughts to the families of the slain cops.
Go ahead I dare you. And cc us here at DU.)

Too many nut jobs. Too many guns. Do the math.

[Blue_Tires]

14. the guy seems like a universal fuckup and nutbar

how did he even get the money for an AK??? Even one of the low-quality knockoffs?

[RamboLiberal]

20. PG has added more info to the story since my OP

Now headline is titled: Poplawski was 'Braced for Fate' in days leading to attack

Some added material - Alex Jones response - he denounced the violence then added this.

"When the police and the military attempt to come for the guns, which they're going to do, it's not going to go well."

He also complained that his views were being conflated with extremists that recruit people with legitimate concerns reflected on his own site and program.

"It's almost like I wake people up and they just get handed over to the nuts," he said.

Mr. Pitcavage today said Mr. Poplawski's comments bear out a growing concern by extremist-watchers in the wake of the election of President Barack Obama.

"We've been concerned about the possibility of an upsurge in right-wing extremist violence due to two possibilities: the vitriolic reaction of the extreme right to the election of Barack Obama and the severe economic recession that the country is in," he said.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09096/960938-100.stm