Man with gun and flag shuts US 101 (demands Obama poster), then gives up

[Newsjock]

Source: Associated Press

Santa Barbara, CA (AP) -- A masked man waving an American flag and a revolver on a Highway 101 overpass brought traffic to a halt for more than three hours Monday before he surrendered peacefully to police.

Crisis negotiators coaxed Edward Van Tassel, 28, to give up. After dropping the weapon, Van Tassel asked for a Barack Obama campaign sign, which authorities provided and he attached to the overpass along with the flag, police said. The gun was found to be unloaded.

Van Tassel, an Iraq veteran from Santa Barbara, was taken into custody without incident, said police Sgt. Lorenzo Duarte. The sergeant said Van Tassel had been in the Army, but he did not have any details of his Iraq service.

As for the man's motive, Duarte said, "The reason appears to be anti-war, but I don't know the specifics."



Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/11/03/state/n090027S60.DTL&tsp=1

[Muttocracy]

1. Well, glad noone was hurt.

Hope they can help him. A veteran :(

[monmouth]

2. Dear God, what this admin has wrought. I pray for this young man and

am thankful no one was hurt.

[fascisthunter]

3. Wow...

While I appreciate him being against the war and wanting to put up a sign for Obama, I really hope he gets the help he needs. Every Vet should be taken care of!!!! These people placed their lives on the line... it's the least we can do for them. Fuck you GOP!

[blueknight]

5. my wife volunteers every friday at a local homeless shelter,

providing medical care to the homeless. she tells me about all the homeless vets with mental illness, its really a tragedy

[fascisthunter]

6. that burns me up... how can a country claim to be proud when this happens?

Hopefully after tomorrow we can push Congress to help out ALL vets.

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

7. Your exactly right. Vets are getting screwed and neglected by McBush...

[fascisthunter]

13. well... I will try to help change that

Veterans Day is right around the corner.... which reminds me. My father served for 15 years. Never entered battle, and just missed Vietnam. The great story about my dad, is he signed up right after he came to the states with very little english. In fact, he learned while in the military!!!! He was willing to die for this country just to be a citizen. I'll have to get him something for Veterans Day, because I am proud of him.

and I'm proud of all our vets...

[ejbr]

8. AND

[uppityperson]

4. k&r for increasing veterans health care, including mental health care.

[Cha]

9. Poor thing! My heart goes out

to him..I'm glad he wasn't killed by waving a gun around..loaded or not.

Really glad it wasn't loaded.

[jillan]

10. Wow! I'm glad he finally got his wish.

[hedgehog]

11. The negotiators are to be commended for resolving this without

getting anyone killed!

[anigbrowl]

12. Yes. Fine police work there, like it should be. Thanks CHP.

[glitch]

18. Yes indeed. Good to see it still happens, pehaps we will return to normal.

Post-Bush. Maybe people already see the promise of change and are acting accordingly.

[Essene]

24. very true. that story is very disturbing (READ THE WHOLE THING)

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

14. Amazed he didn't get shot. Hope he gets some really good help.

tears here.

[Jack Rabbit]

15. That sounds like a seriously disturbed man

I hope he gets the help he neeeds.

[and-justice-for-all]

16. Does he not know that the signs are free??

This was excessive and absurd.

[mrbarber]

17. ........

You are kidding, right?

[Tutonic]

19. Hopefully Police will let him go home and recover. Lay this at the

feet of the Republican party.

[NotThisTime]

22. Maybe he needs to be hospitalized for the night and stabilized with real care... poor guy, the hell

he must have been through :( This is NOT what we want for our Veteran's...

[Hekate]

23. The video this morning showed he was extremely agitated. I don't think home is the best place...

... for him just now. He was hopped up on something--either adrenaline and stress hormones or something else--but he was not in good shape. I am so glad the cops were able to talk him down without anyone getting hurt, but I hope he's on hold at the County hospital overnight.

Hekate

[ACTION BASTARD]

20. I blame the Republicans for this young man's misery.

They cut so much aid to veterans that this is what happens. These GOP corporate whores have lost their souls.

[RagAss]

21. Hope he gets some help.....

[Essene]

25. READ THE WHOLE THING... this was an anti-war protest by a veteran

He needs help.

But god bless him for not hurting anybody (and for trying to do his part).