Serial rapist now a racial issue in KC

[Just_G]

I am not one to normally post in serious threads, let alone open up a discussion that is of the serious variety, but there is something going on in my neighborhood that is really getting to me.
We have a serial rapist on the loose. He has raped 5 women, all within 5 miles of my home. He sits and watches them, knowing who is single, what time they get home, what their routine is, etc. He comes in through unlocked windows or doors. One lady, the one I know, he waited for her to let her dogs out and forced his way into the house, leaving the dogs locked out. He carries a gun, beats them if they fight, and sodomizes them. He then makes the women take a shower and flushes his condem, and is very careful not to leave behind any evidence or dna.

All 5 women describe him as heavy set, like 6' tall and 250 pounds. He is african american and has pitted cheeks as if from acne scars. There are pictures posted all over town of the composite sketch. The last woman said she knew exactly who he was when he approached her because the sketch was right on.

This all started back in September, but really started to escalate in January when he raped two women in one weekend, then another just last Sunday night. Things really stepped up with the police department, free self defense classes are being given all over town, and women are terrified in their own homes.

Here is where it gets tricky: a lot of people are in an uproar because everyone is looking for a specific black man. If he were a red headed white guy, I would be on the lookout just as much....he is a serial rapist, and he is terrifying women all over town. 5 women's lives have been drastically changed, as well as the other 4 women who have heard him trying to open a window and called police, sending him scurrying away from their houses.

Some of the black men that live in and around the Waldo area are getting second glances, and when the police see a black man walking down the street, they will stop them or at least shine a light at them to see if it might be the perp.

This article was in the KC Star today: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/02/25...ecuted-by.html

What are your thoughts? Is this racial profiling?

[Just_G]

I have double locked all my windows, screwed basement window shut, and make sure that when I come home every night that I check all the windows to make sure they have not been tampered with before I even think about going into my house.

I will admit, when I am out driving around, and I see a dark 4 door sedan of any kind, I am looking to see if the guy is driving the car. My eyes are constantly scanning the streets when I drive, to see if he is sitting somewhere casing a house.

I AM looking for a black man. I don't consider what I am doing racial profiling of any sort, I am simply trying to find the one man that has been described, the one in the posters. The one that could ruin my world if he found an open window at my house.

If it were a white man with a shaved head, pitted cheeks, etc, I would be doing the same thing! I want this guy caught before he hurts anyone else.

I just don't see how this could be turned into a racial profiling issue. That is why I started this thread. Maybe I am missing something or not seeing it from the right point of view. Help me out.

[Apocalipstic]

I think its really difficult to not give the appearance of profiling, especially when there are sketches of the perp.

If every Black man is being stoped and looked at with no regard to the rest of the description, it is definitely racial profiling...for example, 150lb 5'6" person....

I am so sorry to hear that this happened to your friend.

It seems brazen and not very well thought out of the rapist to let his victims see his face? That has to mean something.

Think of it like if someone of your description raped someone and everywhere you go you get looked at and stopped, you would be pretty upset?

[Apocalipstic]

Originally Posted by Just_G

I have double locked all my windows, screwed basement window shut, and make sure that when I come home every night that I check all the windows to make sure they have not been tampered with before I even think about going into my house.

I will admit, when I am out driving around, and I see a dark 4 door sedan of any kind, I am looking to see if the guy is driving the car. My eyes are constantly scanning the streets when I drive, to see if he is sitting somewhere casing a house.

I AM looking for a black man. I don't consider what I am doing racial profiling of any sort, I am simply trying to find the one man that has been described, the one in the posters. The one that could ruin my world if he found an open window at my house.

If it were a white man with a shaved head, pitted cheeks, etc, I would be doing the same thing! I want this guy caught before he hurts anyone else.

I just don't see how this could be turned into a racial profiling issue. That is why I started this thread. Maybe I am missing something or not seeing it from the right point of view. Help me out.

But you are looking for a 6 foot 250lb Black man with pitted cheeks, not every Black man, Right?

I know this is scary and I am glad you are taking precautions.

There is a history in our country of blaming Black men for everything, even if no one had actually "seen" the rapist, some would have just assumed. Like when that woman who drowned her kids blamed a Black man a few years ago...Susan Smith I think....

Black men get blamed for so many things, and in the heat of the moment some people's memory is not so good...like was it a Black man? or could it have been a White man in a mask or with black nylons over his face?

Am I making sense?

[ruthie14]

Wellll, while I feel sorry for this particular man who is apparently, not the rapist. From the ariticle, I would say it is not racial profiling. JMO ofcourse, but I think they would be talking to everyone who resembles him... no matter what particular race or coloring he had.

I hope they find him soon G. I am worried about you and the other women in your neighborhood. Glad you are taking precautions. Lets hope this all ends very soon. Unitl then you and your neighborhood are in my prayers.

[Greyson]

Originally Posted by Just_G

I am not one to normally post in serious threads, let alone open up a discussion that is of the serious variety, but there is something going on in my neighborhood that is really getting to me.
We have a serial rapist on the loose. He has raped 5 women, all within 5 miles of my home. He sits and watches them, knowing who is single, what time they get home, what their routine is, etc. He comes in through unlocked windows or doors. One lady, the one I know, he waited for her to let her dogs out and forced his way into the house, leaving the dogs locked out. He carries a gun, beats them if they fight, and sodomizes them. He then makes the women take a shower and flushes his condem, and is very careful not to leave behind any evidence or dna.

All 5 women describe him as heavy set, like 6' tall and 250 pounds. He is african american and has pitted cheeks as if from acne scars. There are pictures posted all over town of the composite sketch. The last woman said she knew exactly who he was when he approached her because the sketch was right on.

This all started back in September, but really started to escalate in January when he raped two women in one weekend, then another just last Sunday night. Things really stepped up with the police department, free self defense classes are being given all over town, and women are terrified in their own homes.

Here is where it gets tricky: a lot of people are in an uproar because everyone is looking for a specific black man. If he were a red headed white guy, I would be on the lookout just as much....he is a serial rapist, and he is terrifying women all over town. 5 women's lives have been drastically changed, as well as the other 4 women who have heard him trying to open a window and called police, sending him scurrying away from their houses.

Some of the black men that live in and around the Waldo area are getting second glances, and when the police see a black man walking down the street, they will stop them or at least shine a light at them to see if it might be the perp.

This article was in the KC Star today: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/02/25...ecuted-by.html

What are your thoughts? Is this racial profiling?

G, I am sorry that you and other women in your neighborhood are experiencing this very real trauma. As for the racial profiling question.... It could and most likely will be perceived by some to be racial profiling. By others, no it is simply a matter of police work, criminal investigation.

Have you ever heard the quip, "Driving while black or brown for that matter?" What this is implying is that a human being of African American descent can be held suspect and questioned for simply existing.

I believe similar to Apoc's posting. If African American men who do not even closely fit the description of the suspect are being stopped and questioned, then yes it is racial profiling.

It may be hard to hear this stuff right now when women are being assaulted but it is unfortunately a fact of the legacy of racism in our country.

Does this mean it is racist to keep your eyes open for the alleged perpetrator a 6' 225 lb. African American man with facial scarring? IMO, no.

As stated in various other threads all over this site/community, racism, alleged racism, white privilege none of it is acceptable nor easy to address and change. However, it must change.

[Soft*Silver]

I hope that running that article will lessen the amount of pressure on that one particular man. Perhaps announcing what he is experiencing will stop any profiling momentum that might have been building up.

I am very concerned for the safety of you and the other women in that area. I tried to personalize it and think how I would feel if I were in your shoes. I would want to go live elsewhere until he was caught. I would not feel safe enough to go around and check my windows BEFORE I got into my home..fearing he would be close by.

he is organized...and has weaponry....and isnt afraid....he is one of the worst kinds of predators....

why THIS neighborhood? why such a small area is he focusing on?

I am going to send prayers and light a candle tonight for all of you...may the good Spirit defeat him quickly and keep you all safe and may his victims find peace and heal as much as they can....

:::::holding you in the light::::::

[Just_G]

Apoc and Greyson, I totally see where you are coming from. I get that some people will put all black men in a bad category because of this whole thing. I hate that innocent men are being questioned regarding this situation, but in the same sentence, I am glad the police are questioning everyone, EVERY lead is followed. The patrols in my neighborhood have been stepped up big time. I do feel better about that.

The reason this guy is targeting this particular area is because it is an older neighborhood where the young people are buying the houses and fixing them up, and it is a lot of single women because it has always been a very safe place to live prior to this mess.

The last attack on Sunday night, the police and crime scene were there for 10 hours, scouring her home for evidence. They even brought in a back hoe and dug up her front yard, cut out a piece of the drain pipe, in search of the condem that he flushed.

There are some other articles being posted (I will have to find them), where one guy even accuses the women of all lying, saying he was black, just to be racist. Why would 5 women, all raped at different times, and none of them knowing each other, all say he was black if he was not? I think that is just stupidity and someone trying to stir the pot a little.

I will go find that article and be back shortly.

[Apocalipstic]

Originally Posted by Just_G

Apoc and Greyson, I totally see where you are coming from. I get that some people will put all black men in a bad category because of this whole thing. I hate that innocent men are being questioned regarding this situation, but in the same sentence, I am glad the police are questioning everyone, EVERY lead is followed. The patrols in my neighborhood have been stepped up big time. I do feel better about that.

The reason this guy is targeting this particular area is because it is an older neighborhood where the young people are buying the houses and fixing them up, and it is a lot of single women because it has always been a very safe place to live prior to this mess.

The last attack on Sunday night, the police and crime scene were there for 10 hours, scouring her home for evidence. They even brought in a back hoe and dug up her front yard, cut out a piece of the drain pipe, in search of the condem that he flushed.

There are some other articles being posted (I will have to find them), where one guy even accuses the women of all lying, saying he was black, just to be racist. Why would 5 women, all raped at different times, and none of them knowing each other, all say he was black if he was not? I think that is just stupidity and someone trying to stir the pot a little.

I will go find that article and be back shortly.

Well, sadly there have been cases where White women have blamed Black men for attacking them, when either no attack happened or they did not see who attacked them. Black men have been killed for many things they did not do, there are Black men on death row today who did nothing.

When people lie about things like this it ruins it for everyone in the future.

Again, not to take away from what you are going though, but women have lied about things like this before. A lot actually. Some, did not even think they were lying, they just told their perceptions and their perceptions were not true.

Sadly Black men are an easy target.

[Apocalipstic]

Visual memory is known to not be accurate.

Just giving you reasons why someone might think there was some racial profiling happening.

If women never lied about who raped them or who drowned their kids and so forth, this would not be a problem...but as it is....

PS. The most famous case of all.

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/Ftrials/scottsboro/scottsb.htm