Page 5 - ARUBA TODAY
P. 5
U.S. NEWS A5
Friday 3 June 2016
Authorities say man cited ‘Purge’ film in Indiana slayingsÂ
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A Jay Higginbotham on May Angela Barger, left, and Ricki Cline talk with reporters about friend Johnathan Cruz, who is alleged
19-year-old Indianapolis 12 and Jose Ruiz on May to have killed multiple people over several nights in attacks authorities say were inspired by the
man has been charged 15 during attacks on the horror movie “The Purge,†in Indianapolis, Thursday, June 2, 2016.
with killing three people city’s east and north sides.
over four days in attacks He is also charged with the (Robert Scheer/The Indianapolis Star via AP)
a prosecutor said he justi- armed robbery of a man
fied by citing the horror on May 14. phone messages seeking isville Purge,†in which the Police declined to take ac-
movie “The Purge,†which Barger and Ricki Cline, the comment. Kentucky city would be tion against the student,
is about one day a year mother of Cruz’s 3-month- In another incident that overtaken by crime. The but Louisville Metro Police
when murder is legal. old daughter, said the some people on social me- hoax kicked off a social Department Sgt. Phil Rus-
A Marion County judge people blaming Cruz for dia linked to the movie, a media storm and prompt- sell said they took seriously
entered a not guilty plea the killings are trying to high school student’s hoax ed schools and other orga- any threat “that encour-
for Johnathan Cruz and protect themselves and tweeted in August, 2014, nizations to cancel events. ages and incites violence
ordered him held with- that connections to “The about an impending “Lou- No such purge took place. against our community.â€q
out bond during an initial Purge†have been blown
hearing Thursday on three out of proportion.
murder counts and other “It’s irrelevant and it’s
charges for the attacks pointless,†Cline said.
starting May 12. The 2013 film focuses on
Angela Barger, who told what is called “The Purge,â€
reporters after the hearing a nationwide catharsis,
she was Cruz’s girlfriend, which runs for 12 hours
said she was with him at once a year, during which
least one day during that violent crime including
time and didn’t believe he murder is encouraged as
committed the crimes. a patriotic duty. A sequel
“They’re making him out to came out in 2014, and the
be some type of crazy, vio- series’ third film is sched-
lent person and he’s not,†uled for release this sum-
she said. “Yeah, he had mer. Cruz was already
issues, but he wasn’t that jailed since his May 16 ar-
violent.†rest on felony charges from
Detectives said a wit- a restaurant confrontation
ness told them that Cruz with a teenage girl two
confessed he had been days earlier.
“purging†by shooting and His public defender, Ken-
robbing people, accord- dal Gulbrandsen, didn’t
ing to court documents immediately return tele-
filed Wednesday. Police
said this referred to the Police release video in hunt for Houston boy’s killerÂ
2013 movie starring Ethan
Hawke, in which during MICHAEL GRACZYK ing home from a science cance is or the origination Lt. John McGalin said Thurs-
one night a year, all crime Associated Press club meeting after school of that jacket,†Ruland day, and quickly released
is legal. Detectives found a HOUSTON (AP) — New sur- May 17 when he was at- said. “That’s what I need.†him, but McGalin would
text message dated May 2 veillance video that shows tacked and fatally stabbed He said detectives have not go “into issues of the
from Cruz saying “I Purge a “person of interest†in the on a sidewalk a couple of been working full time on past.â€
every night now.†slaying of an 11-year-old blocks from his home in a the case, canvassed the Police declined to specifi-
Deputy Prosecutor Denise Houston boy was released neighborhood just north of area repeatedly, following cally say where the video
Robinson said authorities Thursday, more than two downtown Houston. up leads and scouring the was made or when it was
have cellphone video of weeks after the stabbing. The 36-second video shows area for surveillance vid- obtained, saying only that it
at least part of one sus- “We have a very clear pic- a man running down a eos. came from a business and
pected attack. ture of this man’s face,†street not far from the A 31-year-old man with a was made four minutes af-
“I can’t get into his mind, said police Sgt. Tommy scene. He’s wearing a long criminal history was ar- ter the time detectives say
but he certainly used the Ruland, the lead investiga- green jacket with a partial- rested days after the killing, Josue was attacked. The
movie as at least his ex- tor in the murder of Josue ly obscured word contain- but a murder charge was video shows a black man
cuse or justification when Flores. “Someone out there ing the letters “LYMEN†on dropped when detectives who has a mustache and
he was recording himself in the community knows the hood of the jacket. found evidence to sup- possible goatee, is 25 to 30
committing these acts,†who this person is. And we “Somebody’s going to port his alibi that he wasn’t years old, about 6 feet tall
she said. need this man’s identity.†recognize that jacket or involved. Police had prob- and weighing 180 to 200
Court documents say Cruz The sixth-grader was walk- recognize what the signifi- able cause for that arrest, pounds.q
fatally shot Billy Boyd and
