Robert Woodward was an environmentalist, pacifist and human services worker (group homes, foster care, and the like). He appeared on December 2nd seeking sanctuary at a small Brattleboro, VT Unitarian church. He ranted a bit about environmentalism and said the CIA and FBI were going to kill him. He threaten to kill himself in front of small congregation. He also asked them not to call the police because they would kill him. The police arrived and he ranted at them briefly and refused to give up a pocket knife (he never threatened anyone but himself).
Police then shot him and missed (unclear if it was bad aim or a warning shot). A minute or two later police shot him 6 times in front of a horrified congregation (18 people still in the room, the more sensitive had gone outside). They then handcuffed him while bleeding to death--which strikes me as a very wierd and criminal thing to do (they did not uncuff him until an ambulance arrived 20 minutes later). Police reportedly refused to letter a doctor who was present remove the cuffs so he could more effectively care for him.
Woodward later died after being airlifted to a Dartmouth, NH hospital.
Vermont state police are investigating the shooting as a crime.
Original story:
http://www.reformer.com/Stories/0,1002,8860%257E252802,00.html
Police side: http://www.reformer.com/Stories/0,1002,8860%257E258749,00.html
Editorial condemnation: http://www.reformer.com/Stories/0,1002,8854%257E270010,00.html
Eyewitness accounts and letters:
http://www.reformer.com/Stories/0,1002,8854%7E267586,00.html http://www.reformer.com/Stories/0,1002,8855%257E260085,00.html http://www.reformer.com/Stories/0,1002,8854%257E270010,00.html
This story has been written about in other news sources but I like to use local sources because you get details that are left out (glossed over) by distant reporters.
Peace,
Jim
"Happiness should not be our aim in life; . . . we are all responsible for the evil happenings in the world."
--Catherine Karolyi (the "red" Contessa)