Real-life 'superhero' squad fights crime in Seattle!

Real-life 'superhero' squad fights crime in Seattle!

www.rawstory.com

He carries mace and tear gas, and a stun prod for fighting off criminals. Jones's outfit was also equipped with stab plates and bullet-proof material, he said.

Jones is just one of a team that calls itself the "Rain City Superhero Movement," which calls to arms regular citizens who are sick of waiting for others to take direct action against criminals.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Think superheroes are only the stuff of science fiction?

Think again!

heh-heh...

Not exactly sure what I think about this overall. I would say it might be a publicity stunt, save for the fact that this guy doesn't seem to want his face revealed?

On the surface it seems to be pretty honorable, and at least according to one guy interviewed in the clip below, a crime deterrent.

But I do wonder how this will pan out if someone gets seriously injured or killed? Either from this team or some criminal they are fighting with?

I am actually surprised that the local PD seems doesn't seem to want to come down on them. They DID encourage citizens away from this type of activity though.

Still, kind of cool to see civilians becoming pro-active in their community.



www.rawstory.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


These people, while good intentioned, are going to find out that you can't fight crime without being able to meet or overwhelm force used by criminals.

The second they come up against a dude that is just that well armed, will be the death of super man.

I'm all for kicking criminal ass. But if you're going to fight crime, just be a responsible citizen with a gun. No need for fancy crap that could get you killed..

This is officially the greatest news story of 2011 so far!

And I do not anticipate another story better than this all year.

Makes me want to move to Seattle and sign up.
Green Arrow was based in Seattle for awhile too

I wounder if he'll stop when inevitably he gets jumped a by a group of thugs and gets his face smashed in. I hate to be a party pooper because this guy has good intentions, but surely he will run into the the wrong people eventually if he keeps running around int he middle of the night like that.

WHAT IS HIS AUTHORITY ?

reply to post by projectvxn


Although there are times I would agree with you here Projectvxn, I think you well know that it is not always the case.

If I am not mistaken you have been trained in various styles of martial arts, as have I, and know that overwhelming force is not always the prerequisite for success in these situations. Sometimes remaining cool, calm and collected and having the presence of mind required to defuse a potentially lethal situation is more than enough.

With that being said, I have yet to find any info on the local laws in Seattle regarding vigilantism and the use of body armor. Many places around the country wearing body armor is not legal and I am pretty sure that, although many cities reward citizens who assist law enforcement, vigilantism generally is not legal either. Perhaps I am wrong though.

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


Hilarious!

If he really wanted to fight crime and be an example to his fellow citizens, he would do it without the costume. As others have said, he is just begging to get jumped by a group of thugs. I appreciate his efforts, but he would be so much more effective dressed as a homeless guy. He could still wear his bullet and knife proof gear, but keep it hidden under some layers of clothing to help him blend in. He would also avoid scrutiny from the cops and keep himself from being a target for criminals.

Nice effort. Bad strategy, but nice effort.

reply to post by ignorant_ape


the cape

bahahahaha. bahahahaha. bahahahaha. he's got rubber muscles. bahahahaha!!!!

Originally posted by ignorant_ape
WHAT IS HIS AUTHORITY ?

edit on 5-1-2011 by ignorant_ape because: (no reason given)

We need "authority" to stop a crime in progress or stand up for a fellow citizen? Since when? As long as he is only wandering the streets in high-crime areas and only stepping into obvious criminal situations, then he is just a good samaritan. Hopefully he is not detaining people or interviewing witnesses. Batman doesn't even do that. That could be kidnapping or impersonating an officer, but stepping up to defend a victim of a crime does not require authority.

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


Starred and flagged.

I appreciate the fact that this guy and eight others like him want to make a difference, I really do and applaud them for that civic-mindedness.

But if this guy showed up in Miami he'd be toast in about zero flat.

Never mind the body armor. The bullet might not get through, but the kinetic energy of a decent-sized round will definitely put him on his back and knock the wind out of him, even if it doesn't break a couple of ribs.

Then it's all over when the bad boy saunters over and delivers a close in head shot.

Trust me, like I told my girlfriend about the "Bear guy" the first time I heard of him, "We're gonna see him on the news before too long, with his ass eaten by a bear."

I'm afraid we'll be reading about this guy too.

reply to post by youdidntseeme


That was going to be one of my questions here as well---The LEGALITY of this.

But according to the article, he HAS been interviewed by local law enforcement?

And to the above posters talking about him getting mangled, it appears he has already been stabbed before, so he has already had a taste of the dangers involved. Hopefully he, or someone else doesn't get killed doing this.

reply to post by mydarkpassenger

Never mind the body armor. The bullet might not get through, but the kinetic energy of a decent-sized round will definitely put him on his back and knock the wind out of him, even if it doesn't break a couple of ribs.

In Miami, the bullet will get through. I know people that have teflon-ball rounds! They sell cheap Saiga AK-47s down here by the thousands! No amount of thin body armor is going to stop an AK bullet, you need real armor.

Again, his efforts are nice, his intentions are good, but that costume is like a giant bullseye! Hell, when I was a a teenager, we would have probably picked on him just for fun, even if we weren't criminals.

Originally posted by getreadyalready
reply to post by mydarkpassenger

 

Never mind the body armor. The bullet might not get through, but the kinetic energy of a decent-sized round will definitely put him on his back and knock the wind out of him, even if it doesn't break a couple of ribs.

In Miami, the bullet will get through. I know people that have teflon-ball rounds! They sell cheap Saiga AK-47s down here by the thousands! No amount of thin body armor is going to stop an AK bullet, you need real armor.

Again, his efforts are nice, his intentions are good, but that costume is like a giant bullseye! Hell, when I was a a teenager, we would have probably picked on him just for fun, even if we weren't criminals.

No doubt about a rifle round! Speaking of bullseyes, that interview didn't help him maintain exactly a low profile either. I think we'll being hearing more about this guy later; that bear's gonna get fed one way or another.

I'm sorry, this looks like refugees from ComicCon, it takes ONE round from an AK, Ar15 or MAC-10 to end this.
I agree, its a good idea...ON PAPER, but someone's gonna get KILLED, and it aint gonna be a bad guy
Leave the costumed superheroes to the comicbooks and movies

edit: Is that cattle prod legal to carry?

If I was a criminal and this schmuck came up to me

i'd shoot him!

No joke, people are not scared to shoot police officers, and they
have tons of backup at least at their disposal.

You think this guy is going to stop a crazy person
that just robbed a bank?.. No he will get shot...

If I was a criminal I would shoot this guy just for thinking
he could try and stop me on top with that apparel.

Criminals would be disrespected if you tried to stop them dressed like this.

Criminals don't take disrespect lightly..

To add..
Some dude comes up to a said criminal ( an armed criminal) with a cattle prod
and tries to cattle prod them, they are going to get shot... I don't think
this is a good idea at all.

Leave the police work up to the police....
No need to be all dressed up and get media attention,
a TRUE GOOD SAMARITAN is not in it for the cams/glamor...

Originally posted by youdidntseeme
reply to post by projectvxn

 

Friend,

I have multiple slash wound scars on my arms, I've been stabbed, I have a .25 caliber hole carved into my right knee, I have a scar on the top of my head from rebar. Street fighting ain't no game. I don't care how much martial arts any one has been trained in, what tactical expertise you have, or what unit you served with, if you're dumb enough to make yourself a target you will be one...That's what these costumed idiots are doing... Painting a GIANT target on themselves.

The point is, people, in a desperate situation, are going to try to hurt you, BAD. It is better to NOT do this at all, and be SANE about it instead of making yourself a target...Someone's family is going to be going to a funeral over this, and it won't be a criminal's mom.

Vests don't guarantee you'll live either. A simple but well placed steel core copper jacketed +P 9mm round will defeat 3A body armor. If you choose to have rifle plates in your vest...Well, summer is gonna suck and you'll probably pass out from heat exhaustion fighting the bad guy...

Originally posted by getreadyalready
reply to post by DimensionalDetective

 

Hilarious!

If he really wanted to fight crime and be an example to his fellow citizens, he would do it without the costume. As others have said, he is just begging to get jumped by a group of thugs. I appreciate his efforts, but he would be so much more effective dressed as a homeless guy. He could still wear his bullet and knife proof gear, but keep it hidden under some layers of clothing to help him blend in. He would also avoid scrutiny from the cops and keep himself from being a target for criminals.

Nice effort. Bad strategy, but nice effort.

Just curious, but what example exactly would this set to his fellow citizens?

He stops crime & doesn't hide his identity. He either goes to court to testify against the guy he stopped, or the papers run with it. Either way, the guy he stopped will know exactly who done it & either might look for revenge when he gets out, or has friends who'll dish out a little payback while he's still locked up.

So revealing your identity is dangerous because it would put yourself & your loved ones at risk from retaliation!

reply to post by big_BHOY


Indeed.


...So apparently no one here saw spiderman...Except for my friend ^up there.


That's what happened to Mary Jane remember?

Come on people...Comics are there for just this kind of conversation.