Man shot for wearing Obama T-shirt

Man shot for wearing Obama T-shirt

itn.co.uk

Data administrator Dube Egwuatu, 36, needed hospital treatment after he was shot three times with a ball-bearing gun.

Mr Egwuatu was attacked as he tried to buy a mobile phone card at an off-licence in Upper Norwood, south London, on Sunday afternoon while wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with an image of the black US presidential candidate.

A man confronted Mr Egwuatu inside the shop and launched a volley of racist abuse before chasing him with a Staffordshire bull terrier.

The victim ran to his car and tried to drive off but the attacker, described as 6ft and with short hair, attempted to climb in through the passenger window before pulling out the gun and shooting Mr Egwuatu in the face and shoulder at point-blank range.

(visit the link for the full news article)


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Mod edit: tried fixing related link

[edit on 10/8/2008 by Hal9000]

[edit on 10/8/2008 by Hal9000]

What a sad event.

I think this particular presidential race has brought out a lot of negative feelings of anger and hate. Looks like it isn't simply confined to the States either.

It's ripe for such things considering the groundbreaking notion of having a female vice president or a black president. The problem I have is that there seems to be those supporters that are so worked up over the rhetoric and lies that they outright hate the other side.

I may not vote for Obama, I may not vote for McCain, but it won't be based on my belief in the outrageous claims thrown around that seem so easily swallowed by the general public.

There are those political supporters that have been subtly fueling the fighting, and even recently some candidates are calling others "terrorists" by association. That's a dangerous and irresponsible accusation to make. As much as a candidate tries to distance themselves from the attacks they never do it in such an adamant way as to stamp such things out because...well...every little bit helps. They know this.

This race has revealed a lot of ugly things.

If this account is accurate then I think the hate-filled attacks need to subside a bit because they are being absorbed hook, line, and sinker.

itn.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 7-10-2008 by lee anoma]

"ball-bearing" gun = BB gun?

Sure, technically he was "shot" but christ, sensationalize much? (not you the "journalists")

If he got hit with a rubber band in the back of the head would they still have said he was "shot?"

This is all very immature and something that grade-school kids would do but c'mon, he was "shot?"

What was the "hospital treatment?" Some ointment and a band-aid?

And, yes, I've taken dozens of BB shots all over from the age of 8 up to, well, last week was my most recent BB encounter.

Hold still while I pump this 15 times. Maybe it was a CO2 gun that gets progressively weaker with every sputtering shot.

[edit on 7-10-2008 by thisguyrighthere]

What in the hell is a "ball bearing gun?" Please tell me that isn't a cap & ball gun of some sort and this dude was able to reload a couple of times to shoot the guy repeatedly.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


That's what 'BB' stands for? I never knew that. Just assumed 'BB' was the company name of the first air rifle manufacturer or something.

I think there's probably a lot more to this story than is listed. Either the guy was simply looking for a reason to shoot someone or the victim was targeted for other reasons outside of simply wearing an Obama shirt.

If only that Obama shirt was a hoodie fitted with a knife. Maybe he would have been able to defend himself, LOL.

If it was a BB gun this guy is no more than the typical racist bully that never grew out of his high school jock phase.

He should have an example made out of him. But I thought the thread title was misleading.

A lot of Americans on both sides of the political arena are forgetting what this country was found on. The true values of this country would never allow for such a thing to happen.

I do believe that BB in BB Gun does stand for ball bearing.

It's nuts that, even in the UK our presidential race is getting so emotional!

But then again, there's a lot at stake with how are next president deals with the problems in the US and around the world.

This has got to be one of the most emotional presidential elections I have ever seen!
Not only in the US, but around the globe!

[edit on 10/7/2008 by Keyhole]

[SNIP] The guy got chased by a man and shot in the face with a BB gun for wearing a shirt with Obama on it. Meanwhile, you've got idiots at rallies yelling that Obama is "a terrorist" and "kill him".

Don't downplay this as nothing. It wasn't people shooting each other in faces with BB guns because it's funny or simply to be mean. It was racist and filled with hate.

They never tried to make it seem as if it was a real gun. I don't think many survive at getting shot in the face with a bullet.

But before you down play it, let me chase you around with a dog and then shoot you in the face with a BB gun. Then we'll see whether you'd want the news to report it and civil/criminal action to be taken.

Christ. People will do anything for their party these days.

By the way, he's what he got chased by:


And I will concede that possibly this thread title should be changed. It is misleading, but the article itself is exactly as it should be.

[edit on 7-10-2008 by Sublime620]

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[edit on 7/10/2008 by Mirthful Me]

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[edit on 8-10-2008 by elevatedone]

Someone shot him with a BB gun for wearing an Obama T-Shirt?

Okay. That was a dumb thing to do, but why's it news?

The story here is actually this - WHY is anyone in the UK wearing an Obama TShirt when this is an American election?

Oh that's right ... it's the NWO thing ... everyone around the world should get a say in who runs the USA.

reply to post by Sublime620




You better be REALLY good with that BB gun. You start running at me waving something that looks like a gun you and dog are apt to be put down right quick.

But then NH isn't the UK.

Stupid people have always existed. Certain modern ideas have increased the number of stupid people within society but Obama didnt make them stupid and McCain didnt make them stupid and this election didnt make them stupid.

This idiot with the BB gun was obviously up to no good. He would have "shot" just about anyone that remotely gave his stupid mind reason to do so.

I'll stop playing it down if you stop playing it up.

reply to post by FlyersFan


Though you may not sport a T-Shirt, I am sure you are aware of world politics and do care about the outcomes of such. Perhaps this person was an American over seas. Maybe he has family in America. Or maybe he just wants Obama to win.

I don't see how it should be of any consequence to anyone if people outside of the US are choosing favorites. Unless they start asking to vote, last time I checked, we promote freedom of speech. It's their right to speculate.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
Oh that's right ... it's the NWO thing ... everyone around the world should get a say in who runs the USA.

Well considering we run and/or affect just about everything, what do you expect? We're extended all over the world and whoever is elected is commanding the troops and missiles next door to everywhere.

We meddle in everyone's business already, whether they want us to or not...

This is exactly what "they" want.

I knew it was coming I'm just shocked at how fast.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


LOL, I was thinking the exact same thing as I read his post, man. All that talk about chasing with a pit bull and shooting with a BB gun. .357 Mag > BB Gun, .357 Mag > pit bull, .357 Mag = Thank God I live in the USA. There's a good reason I can't ever recall reading a headline in America about a racially charged "shooting" taking place with a BB gun.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


How am I playing it up? Everyone on here attacked the press for writing an article about it. I'm not calling for a witch hunt or suggesting anything other than this article being news worthy.

If McCain or Obama broke wind it would make the news, and most of the partisan hacks on this board would eat it up. Someone gets shot in the face with a BB gun and people cry that it's sensationalized.

Originally posted by Sublime620
And I will concede that possibly this thread title should be changed. It is misleading, but the article itself is exactly as it should be.

I don't think the title should be changed myself.

Do you think that if this guy was wearing a t-shirt with Bill Cosby on it he would have reacted the same?

I don't think so.

reply to post by burdman30ott6


Oh, all apologizes. Not everyone in the America and the UK is a gun toting redneck who always carries a pistol with them.

For the rest of the civilized world the reality of being chased by a crazed man with a pit bull and a BB gun would suck. That's great for you that you don't have to worry, but please don't push your ideals around as if it represents all of America.

Most of us do not carry around handguns in public.

(And yes, let's be proud that most "radically charged" shootings take place with real guns. That's a real great sticker to wear. )

[edit on 7-10-2008 by Sublime620]

reply to post by Keyhole


No, but I think the man who was shot might have reacted different had he been shot in the face with a gun, and not an air rifle.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
Someone shot him with a BB gun for wearing an Obama T-Shirt?

Okay. That was a dumb thing to do, but why's it news?

The story here is actually this - WHY is anyone in the UK wearing an Obama TShirt when this is an American election?

Oh that's right ... it's the NWO thing ... everyone around the world should get a say in who runs the USA.

It's not that, it's simply because the UK has huge connections with the USA, and any president that gets elected in the USA makes a difference to not only the UK, but the entire world!

I've never understood why people "don't understand" when non americans are interested in the elections.



Also we watch SO much american tv, sometimes we forget we are not american haha.



[edit on 7-10-2008 by _Phoenix_]

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


Actually certain types of bb-guns are powerful enough to peirce skin, especially from point blank range