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

Costume: I agree its a bad idea. Way to much attention. The fear of knowing anyone turning down the alley might be "that guy" would go much further.

Intentions: I feel he feels he is doing the right thing. And with crime rates rising and our gov doing less to protect the citizens, I feel this is a good idea to move forward with. As the saying goes, an armed society is a polite society. Whether it be with guns, knives or straight martial arts skill.

Armor, guns and being shot etc: Its a risk. You are no safer being a cop or private eye. Yes the armor may stop some and YES a headshot will more than likely be fatal. But just like others who have been killed their message of self empowerment has not been forgotten. So just because there is a risk... should he give up trying to protect YOU?

Ideas: Maybe something better to do instead of criticize this guy and others like him, maybe we could come up with ways to help make them better at their part time, unpaid night job.

reply to post by Hefficide



Teaching children how to be self sufficient, how to educate themselves, and what hard work truly means prevents crime. Costumed idiots create clean up jobs for hazmat people.

I'm sorry Heff, I've just seen too many things. I used to be, when I was a younger kid, a little less scrutinizing of what is and is not legal. I've been on both sides of the fence, so to speak...I'm telling you it's only a matter of time before we're reading about how someone killed this dude. He has NO idea what he's doing. I've seen some ruthless things happen that scared me pretty bad dude...I just don't see this lasting very long.

Originally posted by scoobdude
Ideas: Maybe something better to do instead of criticize this guy and others like him, maybe we could come up with ways to help make them better at their part time, unpaid night job.

Get a law degree.
Pass the bar.
After that I am sure he will have lost interest.

reply to post by scoobdude


Indeed. The people I saw get hurt weren't wearing costumes and would otherwise not call any attention to themselves, imagine a guy in costume "fighting crime"...

Imagine what will happen when the vipers get a hold of this guy...

This dude is food and he doesn't know it.

reply to post by projectvxn


In the case of the OP, and the person in the video, I totally agree with your assessment. The person comes across as way to naive, over confident, and boisterous to pull of what he is trying. In fact, realistically speaking, there are neighborhoods where his cockiness would get him killed without the suit.

I was merely waxing philosophic to a degree, about how small kids in that area might look at this.

Then again, imagine those kids who look up to this guy and think about how shattered they will be when Superman is being eulogized on the 6 o'clock news after taking two to the head. Might have a totally different effect.

If I were the Mayor of that city I would do my best to get hero man off the streets and into some kind of media / reach out role. He'd be great at doing anti crime commercials and elementary school lectures.

~Heff

reply to post by Hefficide


He's survived thus far. I say take that record and do just that, get a paycheck to talk to kids on public or private TV.

And what will this guy teach the kids when he gets riddled with bullets trying to stop a robbery, that criminals will always get the upper hand This reeks of the beginning of kickass

Kinda sad that our own government establishment is so corrupt and criminal that we need super heroes to protect us and create deterrents.

Maybe we need a few heroes to save us from govt crimes as well?

We can wish!

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


PD won't do # cause these guys are doing a better job then the cops (whom are mostly corrupt)

But eventually you might see people like him either rewarded or arrested, we all know the law looks unkindly to vigilantes, cause they do a better job by being on the streets all the time. Either way they will find a lame excuse for taking them off the street, shame cause people like that can do a good job.

To all those question the legality of his actions, it's called a citizens arrest, and he isn't even going that far. Chasing a criminal away is perfectly legal. Even detaining a criminal until police arrive is perfectly legal, as long as it is an arrestable offense. Look up your local laws as far as citizens arrest, they are still very much legal. Technically, when a shoplifter is caught by a retail employee, a citizens arrest is what is taking place.

reply to post by dalepmay


What if there is some disagreement between what I think is a crime and what some idiot making a citizen's arrest thinks is a crime? What if I don't feel I have done anything wrong, and I view "detainment" as "kidnapping" and I exercise my right to use lethal force in defense of myself? Then there would be a justifiably dead "good samaritan."

Chasing away a crook from an obvious crime in progress is a good thing. Anything beyond that is just asking to get yourself killed, arrested, or sued.

Although I like the guy, I agree though, he's probably just going to get seriously hurt/sued or killed in the end.

According to a regurgitated news article on Bigpond:

Since Phoenix started his crusade nine months ago, he has been stabbed and was threatened with a gun several times, but received no serious injuries.

One day, he'll get killed.

And one other thing that really puzzles me - In his quest for news coverage, Phoenix Jones lets the entrance to his actual 'lair' get filmed, with enough information in the news clip to easily find it. Give me a weekend in Seattle and I'd be able to find out exactly where he operates from.

There's a reason Batman never made TV interviews...

Cheers
Shane

reply to post by shamus78


Yep! Even cops occasionally get killed, and they are more trained, and they come with the implied threat that if you kill a cop you get the entire force headhunting for you. If criminals kill this guy, he is just another dead guy.

It is a shame, because his intentions seem good, just a little overzealous and misplaced. Unless he did the costume and the interview for the fame and fortune, in which case he asked for whatever he gets.

You know, it seems that there is just no pleasing everyone, right?

People on ATS call out daily for the citizens to stand up and do something for themselves and ridicule law enforcement.

So here is someone trying to 'take back the streets' and fight crime and there is more ridicule than anything else.

I agree that he will most likely continue to get attacked and injured, but he obviously realizes this and chooses to continue doing it. I don't really see a risk (so far) to the general public, so until he crosses any lines than he isn't doing anything wrong.

Yes, he is a target. So is anyone in who puts on a uniform. So is anyone who stands up to crime, whether they wear a costume or not. He and his friends could opt to do it 'plain clothes', but then they wouldn't be as much of a deterrant and as soon as they started taking steps to prevention, their faces would be known and they would be a target all the time, not just when they were in costume.

So while I agree that this may not be the best way to do it, I think some people are too quick to criticize.

It is his choice, he isn't breaking the law but putting his life at risk to try and do some good in his community.

While I support law enorcement and think that is still the best way to fight crime and have always been a firm believer in being the person that 'does' something when they see it happening, I will reserve my criticism for this guy until he does something to deserve it.

Originally posted by ignorant_ape
WHAT IS HIS AUTHORITY ?

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

Why does he need authority to help his fellow man?

Originally posted by getreadyalready
reply to post by big_BHOY

 

I think we are agreeing. I don't think dressing up in a bright suit, giving interviews, and parading around is a good example at all. If he wants to be a good samaritan, that is a great thing, but I think the example would be better if he was more subtle and let his deeds speak for themselves.

He should hide his identity, and he shouldn't risk his families safety, or his own freedom. I guarantee that the first time some criminal gets hurt as a result of his actions, he will wind up arrested and sued, because there is plenty of "proof" that he went out looking for a fight.

He could continue his good works, but he needs to do it with no fanfare, and the best way to do that is to blend in and then skidaddle afterwards before the police come.

Even the CIA picks average looking people and they dress non-remarkably, and they take special precautions to not draw any attention to themselves.

Yep, I totally agree with you. If he's choosing to help 'fight' crime, then he needs to do it without attracting attention to himself. Mask up, stop the crime, then vanish into the night before the cops are called.

If he starts to believe his own hype, then he'll eventually take more risks & ultimately it will at some point down the line, end up costing him badly.

Ok good for you!! But there is one thing you haven't thought of. Criminals don't care if you die. They will ambush you rip off your mask, slit your throat and laugh about it. If you whanna deffend people that meens you have feelings and empathy. And if push come to shuv...you will loose. That's life budy. but all the luck in the world.

reply to post by getreadyalready


I am pretty sure I said as long as it is an arrestable offense, and to check your local laws. Until you personally are the one who decides what offenses are arrestable in your local jurisdiction, I don't see the logic in what you are asking.

Looks like he had a close shave...just a broken nose but had to release a guy when he had a gun pulled on him...

A self-styled superhero who patrols the streets of Seattle has been injured while fighting crime.

Phoenix Jones, who dons a mask and costumed body armour to thwart criminals and keep his US city safe, has suffered a broken nose while trying to break up a fight.

Speaking to a television station, Jones explained how after witnessing the scuffle he called police and put one of the men in a headlock.

The other man then pulled out a gun, forcing Jones to release the man he was holding. That man then kicked him in the face and broke his nose.

Source: Masked 'Superhero' Suffers Broken Nose

I admire his purpose, but i think we'll read about him again one day in the obituraries.

CX.

Originally posted by dalepmay
reply to post by getreadyalready

 

I am pretty sure I said as long as it is an arrestable offense, and to check your local laws. Until you personally are the one who decides what offenses are arrestable in your local jurisdiction, I don't see the logic in what you are asking.

The facts are not usually clear at the scene of a crime, and sometimes even after months of investigation and jury deliberation the idea of guilt or innocence is not clear. So, to play devil's advocate, if I am involved in some type of apparent crime, and this guy in spandex shows up and attempts to detain me for what he believes is an arrestable offense, yet I believe that no crime has been committed and I have a legal right to defend myself from kidnapping with lethal force, then we have a serious situation! Two people, supposedly acting within the limits of the law, but one of us winds up dead!

In that situation, there would be one party unfortunately dead, and another party unfortunately having to spend considerable amounts of money to defend themselves in court.

Like I said before, his intentions seem good, and stopping a crime in progress is good, but if he takes that extra step of trying to arrest somebody, then he will wind up dead or in jail pretty quickly!