This release struck me as unusual when I got it, but I set it aside because I didn’t have time to blog about it. But when I receive a phone message from a someone making sure I had received the message and knew about the coming news conference, I decided to give y’all a heads-up on this:
SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS
Media advisory for June 16, 2008REPRESENTATIVE TODD RUTHERFORD TO HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE IN RESPONSE TO THE CLUB LEVEL SHOOTING INCIDENT
Rep. Todd Rutherford [D-Richland] will hold a press conference in room 305 of the Blatt building. His remarks will highlight the Club Level shooting incident, and pinpoint precautionary measures that could have been taken by Columbia Police Chief Tandy P. Carter.WHO: Representative Todd Rutherford
WHEN: Tomorrow (Tuesday, June 17, 2007) at 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: 1105 Pendleton Street, Blatt Building Room 305, Columbia, SC 29201Kelly S. Adams
Director
SC House Democratic Caucus
P.O. Box 12049
Columbia, SC 29211
Maybe it’s not all that unusual for a state lawmaker to poke his nose into a municipal police matter. But to do so under the aegis of his party’s caucus is weird. To go to such lengths to call attention to it makes it sort of weird squared.
Wow. This police chief just got here, and he’s got this much heat coming down already?
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I just saw this story about the shooting at Club Level on the 6pm news tonight on WIS TV, and their coverage of it wasn’t particularly good. The way WIS reported it, police responded to the club because of a disturbance and saw a crowd gathered outside. Just about as soon as police could begin sorting things out, shots were fired, according to WIS reporting.
In any case I certainly didn’t take anything I heard to indicate that police had blown it in any way. To me the point of the story seemed to be that every call police respond to is dangerous and has lethal potential.
That seems almost inarguable. I wonder what Rutherford knows that no one else does?’
Not much, probably. david
Just once I’d like to see lawmaker spend a week working the overnight shift with any of our fine police agencies.
Then you see the stopping of all this arrogant grandstanding and wagging of fingers by politicians at those who definately do not deserve it.
The Police Chief was not there responding to the club. It was the beat cops in the trenches.
Does Rutherford realize that his attacks are hurting the men & women in uniform more than the Chief himself?
Why does Rutherford hate our brave police officers who are just doing what many chose not to do?
This is another incident of grandstanding by an arrogant politician. He must be extremely bored for him to stick his nose in local matters. This is why our politicians can’t get anything (productive) done while in session. What a disgrace!
Maybe Jimmy Brazelle can get his foot in the door over there in Columbia. Nothing against Chief Carter — but we still have Metts over here in Lexington County. And we need more HELP!!!!!!!!!!
In response to the lawmakers calling out of the police chief. He is very quick to point out the police departments failure to prevent a shooting outside of a club. However, he has never made the people involved seem responsible in any way. While lambasting the PD, it would have been great to hear him say to young people that it is not OK to carry weapons to the club with you. It is not OK to point that weapon at another individual. And it is not OK to use that weapon to harm another individual. Be accountable for yourself! Instead, what the people heard was that it was the governments fault this happened. If people count on the government to save them, then they are destined to be a victim of their own ignorance. Be responsible for yourself and your actions.
After all, if I want to go out one evening and the establishment has police outside, a red flag goes up. This is not a safe place to be.
MAK, exactly.
I saw this Rutherford joker on the 6pm news tonight. He droned on and on and on about how the police chief had refused to allow off-duty police officers to work security at this hellhole, and concluded by saying pretty much that this made it all the fault of the Police Chief. Wringing his hands the whole time of course, to make it look like he really cares.
Not a single word from this Rutherford character condemning the a$$holes that went to this club packing heat. I ask you, what kind of criminal, jerk, looking-for-trouble fenderhead does that? Not one mention of the fact that this hellhole should probably be shut down if indeed this is the kind of sub-human riffraff and human debris that frequent this dive.
Nope.
In Todd Rutherfords’ mind, this nearly lethal incident is the fault of the police chief.
Rutherford, in my mind, is the poster boy for the mindless minions and flying monkeys we have in the state legislature. Talk about having the right ladder on the wrong wall, Todd is your man.
As Bill Engval would say: Here’s your sign.
David
Todd Rutherford/Democratic caucus—do the math…
Each one will equal stupidity, but together they, well, I can’t think of anything dumber than stupid…
Pun intended.
Brian
But wait a second, David…according to the gun rights’ advocates that occasionally post here, shouldn’t there be MORE people packing heat at a club like this, or everywhere for that matter, because then the criminals would never know who was armed and who wasn’t? Right? Isn’t that how we reduce crime, by arming more people?
It’s just interesting how in some contexts, civilians who arm themselves in a public situation (school, university, on the street) are responsible citizens helping prevent crime, while in other contexts, civilians who are themselves in a public situation are “a..holes…sub-human riffraff” etc.
Hmmm…what could be the difference?
Actually I agree with you David on the latter interpretation, but I just think that interpretation should apply to a wider swath of those who take it upon themselves to be armed in public spaces. Seems like as long as people are going around carrying guns, the police are always going to be one step behind, so in this case though I’m not familiar with the particulars I tend to be sympathetic to the police chief.
Phillip…
There is a HUGE difference between law abiding citizens who are properly trained and exercising their rights under the second amendment to carry a concealed weapon and the thugged out, fitty cent gangsta rap jerkoffs that frequent places like this. And you damn well know it. How many of these thugs would you suggest were carrying weapons legally?
If you won’t admit that and simply want to use this as an opportunity for an anti-second amendment rant, then you’re completely unworthy of my time or effort and I’ve got nothing else to say to you.
Dave
Hey Phillip:
Or are you suggesting that I am a racist and you just don’t have the testicular fortitude to actually say it?
Last time I checked, illegal possession and discharge of firearms were crimes in which skin color did not matter. Now, if we’re going to be all politically correct which means we can’t call this club and its’ clientele what they really are, then we’ve got another problem. I am tired of dancing around the truth because people like you can’t take it, Phillip. I don’t know for what ethnicity these thugs were. I assume they were black, given what I know from the story. I would have used the same language that I used above in the post that frightened you so badly if these idiots had been white.
If we’re ever going to solve the problems we face these days we’re going to have to be willing to be honest with ourselves. Time to man up Phillip. David
I wonder if Rep. Rutherford is aware of what else took place about 2:00 a.m. Sunday morning? White kids who were in China Garden on Harden Street, were beaten and degraded and threatened when they tried to leave and go to their cars. There were about 80 Black kids filling the street around China Garden, and the bouncers could not help get the patrons safely out of the building and to their cars. White kids were hit and called racist names, White girls were threatened with the ‘F’ word, and it was clearly Black bias against Whites. When the police finally arrived, the Black kids continued to yell racial insults at some of them. It was about 80 ‘rioting’ kids to 8 police officers. We were told that the ‘gang’ of kids who had been told to leave Club Level after the shootings, then took their ‘riot’ to Five Points. I’d love to hear what Rep. Rutherford feels should be done to stop these Hate Crimes within Columbia, because calling White kids degrading racist names and using those names to threaten assault, is a Hate Crime under Federal law. Someone better recognize we have a PROBLEM brewing in Columbia.
Exactly so, Kate.
And a large part of that problem is the unwillingness of people like Phillip to call things what they are, regardless of skin color or who may get their feelings hurt.
This timidity…this cowardice…this political correctness and the felt need to ensure that every syllable someone utters passes the inspection of and gains the approval of the race police is ridiculous and dangerous. Moreover, it effectively stifles and inhibits efforts to get to the truth so that we can fix things.
And I am not having it. I don’t care WHO doesn’t like it. As long as I have the permission of the host of this blog to do so, I intend to point my pudgy finger directly at these thugged out, gangsta rap idiots and their fenderheaded enablers like Todd Rutherford.
By the way, you are exactly right about this too: There are young WHITE hoodlums and thugs running the streets in Columbia that would just LOVE to have been in front of China Garden that night. There surely would have been more gunfire and bloodshed had they been. We DO have a problem and dancing around the truth makes it worse. David
I agree with you, David. We are so afraid of being called racists ourselves, that we’re allowing racism to occur before our eyes, right here in Columbia. Columbia is trying to be politically correct, and I appreciate that, but it is not pc to turn the streets of Five Points over to the extremists of the Black community and allow them to break the law right in front of the policemen’s eyes. To their credit, the White kids’ reactions when confronted with these racial slurs and threats, was to look straight ahead and try to make it safely to their cars. But that could have been because they were grossly outnumbered. Next time, that might not be the case. I thought the Mayor and the Police would have written about this in the State paper, and would take it very seriously and issue a warning to those kids and their parents, that if they take over the streets again, and threaten and harass and commit hate crimes, the city will NOT tolerate it and will respond with firm action. Instead, it was wiped under the proverbial rug — not a word that I have heard on the news or in the paper. In my opinion, this isn’t even fair to White people who inhabit the Five Points areas on the weekends — that they weren’t given any indication that they might be in danger from being targeted by Black gangs. Something just isn’t right here. . . .and if anything happens, someone will be to blame for their inaction and silence, because it is obvious that this could erupt and innocent bystanders could fall victims to this racism and extremism. The town seems to be playing fast and loose with their innocent citizens’ lives by their fear of being called racists.
Kate
I agree with you, David. We are so afraid of being called racists ourselves, that we’re allowing racism to occur before our eyes, right here in Columbia. Columbia is trying to be politically correct, and I appreciate that, but it is not pc to turn the streets of Five Points over to the extremists of the Black community and allow them to break the law right in front of the policemen’s eyes. To their credit, the White kids’ reactions when confronted with these racial slurs and threats, was to look straight ahead and try to make it safely to their cars. But that could have been because they were grossly outnumbered. Next time, that might not be the case. I thought the Mayor and the Police would have written about this in the State paper, and would take it very seriously and issue a warning to those kids and their parents, that if they take over the streets again, and threaten and harass and commit hate crimes, the city will NOT tolerate it and will respond with firm action. Instead, it was wiped under the proverbial rug — not a word that I have heard on the news or in the paper. In my opinion, this isn’t even fair to White people who inhabit the Five Points areas on the weekends — that they weren’t given any indication that they might be in danger from being targeted by Black gangs. Something just isn’t right here. . . .and if anything happens, someone will be to blame for their inaction and silence, because it is obvious that this could erupt and innocent bystanders could fall victims to this racism and extremism. The town seems to be playing fast and loose with their innocent citizens’ lives by their fear of being called racists.
Kate
I dont mean to be an a**hole, but I will be anyway. Chief Carter has been here in Columbia for what, a month? Why does Rep. Rutherford want to blame him for the criminal actions of someone else? Does he not believe that the Chief wouldn’t have prevented the shootings if he could have? Chief, not all of us want to blame you for someone else’s problems right away. Get CPD’s ship righted and screw people like Douchebag Rutherford.
Brad, what happened to your update on this story? It was on your Blog page yesterday, where you wrote about the Tuesday news conference AFTER if took place. Several of us were posting Comments, and today those Comments, and even the report of the meeting itself, seems to be missing.
Could you please explain? Has it been removed? If so, why? Thanks.
Kate
I don’t recall updating it. You must be thinking of the news story on thestate.com. Click here.
Yes. That is the one. Thank you so much.
YES I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT WHAT TODD RUTHERFORD SAID ABOUT THE SHOOTING AT CLUB LEVELS. I AM 19 YEARS OLD AND I ATTEND THIS CLUB ON THE REGULAR. THAT WHERE I GO AND HAVE FUN WITH MY FRIENDS. WE DONT GO TO START TROUBLE WE GO FOR FUN. SOME TIME I THINK ABOUT IT A SECOND TIME BEFORE I WALK OUT MY DOOR, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME STRANGE AND CRAZY THINGS THAT GOES DOWN IN COLUMBIA. I KISS MY LIL GIRL GOODBYE AND MAKE SURE I TELL HER THAT MOMMY LOVES HER. THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE AT TODD ABOUT WHAT HE SAID ABOUT THE CHIEF WAS RUDE. BECAUSE OUT OF EVERY THING AT LEAST HE IS SPEAKING THE TRUTH I FEEL LIKE KNOW ONE REALY CARES WHAT HAPPENS TO OR COLORED PEOPLE, BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW THATS THE MAJORITY. AS OF FIVE POINT THATS MORE WHITES. I LIKE HOW HE SPEAKS OUT FOR OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN WE DESERVE THE SAME AS OTHERS. BECAUSE I KNOW I LOVE MY LIFE. AND I STAND BEHIND TODD ALL THE WAY.
THANK YOU!!!
Doesn’t Club Level serve alcohol? If so why are they letting Ashley Brown, who admits to being a 19 year old in on a regular basis? Maybe they need cops at the door instead of in the parking lots.
Ashley, apart from your own safety, if you have a little child who is depending on her mommy to do the right things I would strongly and honestly suggest to you that you rethink your patronage of this club. Especially since you obviously know what could potentially happen at this place and have to consider it from time to time before you go. Your baby needs you to stay healthy.
You have now seen for real that there are bad people who go to this club carrying guns. I hope you take this to heart and do something else with your time. Stay away from this place. Your little girl needs her mommy to be responsible and not go to unsafe places.
David
For Bill C.
The club does serve alcohol, but on Thursday night 18 and over can get in. It’s called College Night.
For the record, David, as a devoted civil libertarian, I am pro-Second Amendment and do not really buy the arguments as presented by many of my progressive friends that the amendment does not apply to individuals.
However, on a personal level I am repulsed by guns and feel that civilians going around armed, licensed or not, contributes to a more, not less dangerous society.
The problem of unlicensed weaponry floating around cuts across racial lines. My comment aimed to point out the ridiculousness of thinking we’re going to make society safer by having more people walking around armed.
Phillip.
I have no personal animus towards you.
But you are wrong about lawful concealed carry. You’re wrong about the propensity of these legally armed citizens to commit crimes involving firearms, and you’re wrong about the effect they have on their surroundings. By that I mean that the greater a criminal knows his chances are of attempting to commit crimes against armed citizens, the less likely the criminal is to commit those crimes.
I have ABSOLUTELY NO FEAR of people who are properly trained and who are lawfully carrying concealed weapons. NONE. I want them in line at banks with me. I want them at Food Lion when I’m there, and I want them nearby when I’m at the mall. Heck, I might even be packing heat beside you at the bank…ya never know.
You’re wrong Phillip. I don’t want thugs and wastrels like the ones at Club Level to be the only ones in Columbia carrying weapons. They don’t give a s**t about the law, as they so clearly demonstrated the other night. We need more guys like you and me carrying firearms.
I believe that with all my heart. David
Why is there so much emphasis on some black kids being racist towards these white kids? That is NOT the issue. If racism was the issue, we all know for every one racial driven act of violence toward a white person by a black person, there are hundreds of incidents of white people against black people. the cops don’t patrol 5 points as they do Club Level because black people don’t frequent 5 points as much. It is a fact that any place that is predominantly black, will have more cops patroling. So maybe we should take a look at the areas we target. I go to Level and I’m not an ass hole or riff raff etc. I’m educated and quite mild mannered actually. When I leave that club I see at least 20 cop cars. I guess that’s the only place they believe crime occurs on a weekend night. Shame on you. And shame on us! Crime is not a “black thing”. Get it together Columbia. Stop being the racist town the rest of the world already thinks we are!
Todd Rutherford only stuck his nose out there because he is “friends” with the general manager of Level, Jason Sanders.
Don’t worry your pretty little heads, people. Level is being shut down by the years end.