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Real Life Super Hero Arrested

First time accepted submitter Pat Attack writes "In an ironic twist of fate, Phoenix Jones, a self-styled super hero from Seattle, has landed in jail. Jones happened upon a group of people fighting in the street and tried to stop the fight using pepper spray. He was arrested by police on four counts of assault. The New York Daily News quotes Jones: 'I've been shot once and I don't really want it to happen again. I've been stabbed twice, hit with a baseball bat and had my nose broken,' he says. 'But in all those incidents I helped someone who was in danger. If someone is going to take that punishment it should be the guy in body armor,' he said."

39 of 590 comments (clear)

  1. Darmok and Jalad at Seattle by alphatel · · Score: 5, Funny

    Phoenix, his eyes closed. Phoenix, when the walls fell.

    --
    When the foot seeks the place of the head, the line is crossed. Know your place. Keep your place. Be a shoe.
    1. Re:Darmok and Jalad at Seattle by suso · · Score: 3, Informative

      I hate it when I can't remember which NG episode that is from... Brilliant!

      Darmok

    2. Re:Darmok and Jalad at Seattle by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      Here's the video of the incident: http://vimeo.com/30307440 It's gotten a lot of air time here in Seattle. The people he broke up the fight on said to the responding police that they were just "dancing in the street" and the officer that showed up apparently had some personal dislike for Phoenix and booked him. Hoping the arraignment hearing tomorrow goes well for him as it clearly should. Also completely ignored by police is the video evidence of the dancing people getting in their BMW and trying to hit the guy they were fighting with.

  2. HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by elrous0 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    For those wondering about these new "superheroes," it's actually a movement of sorts. There was an excellent HBO documentary on them a while back. They're even forming groups now. When I heard about the documentary, I just expected to laugh at these guys. But it's actually a very interesting portrait of some well-meaning, though often a little deluded, guys who really do want to make the world a better place. I ended up feeling both sorry for them and a little envious of them at the same time.

    One of the best points they made was that they are "patrolling" areas where the cops really don't give a shit. For example, at one point in the documentary a homeless guy gets run over by a car during one of the superhero group patrols. It's the "superheroes" who stop to help him. But when they call the cops to report it, they don't even show up. Even when they try to flag down a cop car as the guy is still laying on the ground bleeding, the cops just keep driving. It's the "superheroes" who take him to the hospital and then even track down the car that hit him (driven by an obviously intoxicated driver). But, again, when they call the cops on the drunk driver, they're basically told to fuck off.

    As crazy as these guys are, I can't say that I don't understand why they do what they do. It's not just a bunch of losers wanting to be the comic book heroes of their fantasies. Some of them really do look around and say that the world NEEDS superheroes, especially the neighborhoods where no one else (including the cops) seems to give a shit. Part of me wishes I could have their faith in humanity. They may be deluded, but they're certainly not do-nothing cynics.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    1. Re:HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by esocid · · Score: 3, Insightful

      They may not be do-nothing cynics, but the last thing we need is deluded people with "martial arts training" running around macing people.

      --
      Absolute power corrupts absolutely. indymedia
    2. Re:HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by Maquis196 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      There should be a legal way of being a "superhero", which lets face it, unless they have something wrong with them means the person is not a vigilante but just wants to help.

      For example, I live in London and here we have something called special constables who get regular police training and donate their spare time to being a police officer with all the privileges and titles of that role. For this they get free travel and expenses (basically lunch/dinner). Would it be so hard for cities all over the world to have similar programmes? If someone can pass the training AND they're doing it for free, they can be that superhero patrolling the neighbourhoods that career police aren't interested in, hell; if you keep patrolling the same neighbourhood you get attached to it and the people to you which means you can learn more as well about what needs to be done. We also have something called Safer Neighbourhoods for this as well, it can work in places outside of London I'm sure.

      Spoken as an ex- community support officer in London so I might be biased for police slightly. /Maq

    3. Re:HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by tmosley · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I would say we need these guys a lot more than we need thugs assaulting each other or random people in the streets.

      If I got jumped by a bunch of guys, I would rather have someone in body armor show up with mace than no-one at all.

    4. Re:HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by Dr_Barnowl · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yeah, one of the most poignant lines in Kick Ass is where he's valiantly trying to fight off a bunch of guys kicking the shit out of someone (and him too). One of the assailants says "The fuck is wrong with you, man? You'd rather die for some piece of shit that you don't even fucking know?" and he replies "The three assholes, laying into one guy while everybody else watches? And you wanna know what's wrong with me?"

    5. Re:HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by daid303 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Superheroes my ass. These people are not superheroes. Superheroes are people with special powers they use for good.

      These guys are better then superheroes. They are real life heroes. They do good things, just to help people, and not because they have special powers, they do it without special powers! Calling them superheroes like they are from a comic book with special powers doesn't do them right.

    6. Re:HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by Inda · · Score: 3, Informative

      We have two sorts plastic policemen in the UK.

      The Specials (not the yellow bus type) - full body amour, full powers, part timers, normally attend Friday and Saturday night pissed up punch-ups and football matches. Hated because they do it for free - it's all about gaining power and gold stars.

      Community Service Officers - no power, only report crimes. Jumped up little Hitlers. The next step up from a traffic warden. Useless waste of money as they get paid a wage.

      --
      This post contains benzene, nitrosamines, formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide.
    7. Re:HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by TheRaven64 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Superheroes are people with special powers they use for good.

      *nerd hat on*

      What about Batman or the Green Arrow? Unless 'having lots of money' is a special power, they didn't have any. They just put on body armour and went and helped people - making them a much better role model than someone like Superman who is basically invulnerable.

      *nerd hat off*

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    8. Re:HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by 2fuf · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Reading the news lately feels more and more like reading the Onion

    9. Re:HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by Serenissima · · Score: 5, Insightful

      *nerd hat off*

      If you're posting on Slashdot, I'm pretty sure that hat doesn't come off ;)

      --
      Give a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day. But light a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
    10. Re:HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by geekoid · · Score: 3, Insightful

      No they aren't. Some are.

      I know far too many police officers who do there job to help uphold the law.

      They are a group of people. Do they need strong control? yes. Do they need solid regulations? yes. Are they perfect? no.

      Saying the police are the bad guys is like saying blacks are the bad guys. It's complete nonsense.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    11. Re:HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by nedlohs · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Have they ever turned a blind eye to another copy doing something wrong? Then they are just as bad.

      It would be pretty difficult to be a cop without being bad, I suspect you can only arrest your fellow officers (and superiors) so many times before you either leave or accidentally get shot.

      But "The X *are* Y" in English (unlike in mathematics) doesn't actually mean every single member of X is a member of Y. It just means overall they average out to being in Y.

    12. Re:HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by nedlohs · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The homeless guy obviously. It really isn't difficult or complicated.

      Showing tax payers that there aren't enough resources is the only way you are going to get more resources. So do that, while still doing your damn job.

    13. Re:HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by Chris+Burke · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I wish that movie had stayed with the tone established in the first half by scenes like that one, instead of turning into a Matrix-y kung-fu movie with the appearance of Big Daddy and Hit Girl. Good characters, but really ruined the promise the movie had up to that point. But I guess you can't go the semi-realistic hero-gets-beaten-to-shit route once you involve a 10 year old hero... which is why they shouldn't have...

      With these real-life costumed vigilantes, I understand where they're coming from, but I don't really agree with where they go to. They put on costumes to protect their identity, but it also grants anonymity (up until they get arrested) and a sense of being separate and special. So they're more likely to intervene in cases where they really shouldn't. Like, perhaps, this one.

      By the way, I heard on the news the 911 call Phoenix Jones made to report the fight. The dispatcher asked "What are you wearing?", and the awkward pause before he answered "A yellow and black rubber suit" was precious. :)

      --

      The enemies of Democracy are
    14. Re:HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by OrangeCowHide · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Of the 10 or so people I have known who went on to become police officers, every one of them had that particular kind of rationale. They wanted to prove that they were important and people should listen to them. No one I have ever known became a cop because they wanted to help serve and protect the citizens, or even just because they needed a job, they all wanted power over people.

      Obviously, this is anecdotal. I am sure there are literally dozens of police officers who did it for the right reasons.

      --
      Creationists are a lot like zombies. Slow, but powerful and numerous. And they all want to eat our brains. - Evilest Doe
    15. Re:HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by dyingtolive · · Score: 3, Insightful

      That's a civil issue. If she 'loses it sometimes', perhaps it would be best if a trusted friend or relative were in control of her affairs.

      That's not watching someone beat the shit out of his girlfriend in a car across from a crowded bar patio screaming loud enough you can hear him two buildings down with the windows closed and the AC on. Not fun coming upon that and realizing that people have been watching doing nothing.

      That's not watching a bunch of guys beat on a single person. That's not even watching any number of the hit and runs I see out front while I'm standing on my balcony smoking.

      I don't know about 'super' heroes, fancy costumes, or 'martial arts', but I do know this: The world needs heroes of some sort or another. The world needs good people who are not willing to stand around saying, "Well, I've got mine, and he's got his." The world needs people that THE CHILDREN (yeah, I know, I know) can look up to, outside of their parents. Right now, the only people they have are sports players, politicians, and what's presented to them via television. Not exactly the kind of role models I would want for my kids.

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      Support the EFF and Creative Commons. The war is coming, and they're supporting you...
    16. Re:HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by hoggoth · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yeah, I never got the love for Superman either. Nothing can hurt him, so how is he heroic?

      It used to crack me up when the old black-and-white Superman TV show had him stand there chest out while the bad guys shot at him, then when they ran out of bullets and threw the gun at him HE WOULD DUCK to dodge the thrown gun!?

      --
      - For the complete works of Shakespeare: cat /dev/random (may take some time)
    17. Re:HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 5, Insightful

      This isn't vigilantism. "any person who takes the law into his or her own hands, as by avenging a crime. "

      This is not avenging (judge, jury), this isn't even crime prevention. This is people stopping actual crimes in progress. If you try to break up a fight, is that vigilantism? If you stop a robbery is that vigilantism? If you stop a little girl from being kidnapped?

      People like you who confuse stopping a crime in action with vigilantism are just stupid idiots who need to be shouted down and humiliated for being idiots.

      --
      Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
    18. Re:HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by hey! · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yeah, but the problem is with vigilantes is that there's no guarantee they'll agree with you what an "asshole" is in less clear-cut cases. Sure, if a vigilante rescues me from being beaten up, I'd be grateful. But what if he "rescues" me from buying liquor, or porn, or having an abortion? The fantasy of being a vigilante isn't limited to doing good, it includes getting to decide what *is* good to do. And without somebody looking over your shoulder, it's easy to screw that up.

      Take this case. If you watch the video (http://vimeo.com/30307440), you see a bunch of people -- probably drunk -- standing around while a couple of guys are doing the bear-hugging drunk fight thing. Then Mr. Jones wades in with his Jumbo-sized can of pepper spray. Who's to say he didn't do more harm than these guys were going to do to each other?

      When we imagine ourselves as superheroes, we imagine ourselves with superhuman traits to go with it. Even if that doesn't include obvious superpowers, it includes non-obvious ones: superhuman judgment (always being right) and superhuman luck (always winning in the end). The reality is that people are fallible. Of course the cops are fallible too, but they have one big advantage: numbers. Even if they don't arrive in force, even a single cop has the promise of dozens of others at his call. The best way to end a fight like this is overwhelming force, which Mr. Jones does not possess. He has to bring a weapon into the fight, thus *escalating* the conflict.

      Everything you don't like about cops can be true of vigilantes, except they don't regard themselves as accountable to anyone else even in *principle*.

      --
      Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
    19. Re:HBO "Superheroes" documentary on these guys by cusco · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Of course the cops are fallible too

      Cops have an extreme disadvantage as opposed to vigilantes: lack of local knowledge. Vigilantes, whether it be these 'superheroes' or community policing organizations or just a bunch of neighbors, KNOW who is the bad guy because they live there. They're not coming from some precinct house ten miles away, they're not driving in from their homes in suburbia, they live down the street and see the crack dealer on the corner every evening, see the pimp smacking 'his' girls around, talk to the neighbor who saw the little weasel crawling in the broken window. They're not cruising down the main street in a squad car, they walk down the alley and stand at the bus stop, they ride their bike down the hill and shop at the grocery store, have a drink at the bar, hang out at the ice cream stand. No police force in North America (and damn few elsewhere) will ever have the local knowledge necessary to do their job adequately, they're just not set up that way.

      --
      "Think about how stupid the average person is. Now, realise that half of them are dumber than that." - George Carlin
  3. Why Shaktiman did not save him? by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 3, Interesting
    The TV in India was in the firm grip of the Govt of India till about the early 1990s. All programming was decided by bureaucrats drawing a govt salary with absolutely no incentive to worry about how well the audience liked it. So most Desi[*] kids were protected from the knowledge about super heros. One of the things that happened along with liberalization of India was the first super hero TV serial named "Shaktiman" (loosely translated as powerful man), who flew into the rescue of all the helpless. Well, suddenly a few Desi kids jumped off their balconies hoping to be rescued by Shaktiman. Caused quite a stir and media flurry then. I think one of those kids landed on its head, got deranged and grew up to the Phoenix Jones.

    [*] Desi is a better term than Indian. Thanks to Columbus' misnaming, native Americans are also called Indians. Desi is not a derogatory reference. Use if freely and get it into OED.

    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
  4. Ironically or maybe sadly by Dyinobal · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Ironically or maybe sadly he got more of a punishment than that NYC cop who maced those protesting girls, for no reason.

    1. Re:Ironically or maybe sadly by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      Officer Anthony Bologna has yet to be given his comeuppance.

    2. Re:Ironically or maybe sadly by Surt · · Score: 5, Funny

      I think you mean Tony Boloney.

      --
      "Who is the Journal of Quantum Physics going to believe?" --Stephen Hawking
    3. Re:Ironically or maybe sadly by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The women were penned in, standing still with their hands close to their own bodies, and one of them were saying "oh my god!". Saying that at least Tony Bologna only sprayed them in the eyes instead of taking them down physically is as reasonable as saying that at least he didn't shoot them, or at least he didn't rape them and then murder them. Yes, that would have been worse and no, that is irrelevant. Would Tony Bologna let a protester go who mased him based on the reasoning "at least he didn't physically take me down?" The answer to that is obvious. It doesn't matter what he might have done, it matters what he did. It is only by fortune that this was all caught on camera. If a high ranking police officer feels comfortable casually attacking people who are no threat from behind a barrier in full view of the public, then something is very wrong at the police department.

    4. Re:Ironically or maybe sadly by Hatta · · Score: 3, Insightful

      From the video it looked like he was trying to shut them up,

      Ah, so he's trying to deprive them of their freedom of speech. Deprivation of rights under color of law is a federal crime. (Title 18, U.S.C., Section 242)

      I'm sure some comeuppance is on the way, but lets not go nuts about the severity of the macing.

      Assault is assault. If I were to mace a police officer without cause, what do you think would happen to me? Why should this officer get off any lighter?

      --
      Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
  5. Walter Kovacs responds: by orphiuchus · · Score: 3, Funny

    Dog carcass in alley this morning, tire tread on burst stomach. This city is afraid of me. I have seen its true face. The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout "Save us!"... and I'll look down and whisper "No." They had a choice, all of them. They could have followed in the footsteps of good men like my father or President Truman. Decent men who believed in a day's work for a day's pay. Instead they followed the droppings of lechers and communists and didn't realize that the trail led over a precipice until it was too late. Don't tell me they didn't have a choice. Now the whole world stands on the brink, staring down into bloody Hell, all those liberals and intellectuals and smooth-talkers... and all of a sudden nobody can think of anything to say.

  6. Bound to happen to this guy sooner or later. by Chas · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Seriously. I understand what he's trying to do and "say".

    In the society we currently inhabit, people are encouraged to be complete assholes to one another. As such, he was going to get arrested sooner or later for something like this.

    Jumping on someone to stop battery is, itself, battery. So all one of these drunk little hooligans needed to do was tell the cop they wanted to press charges.

    --


    Chas - The one, the only.
    THANK GOD!!!
  7. Re:Sounds sort of like a militia by elrous0 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Well, in the U.S. at least, the Guardian Angels have been around for decades.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  8. Phoenix does NOT represent us... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Phoenix Jones does NOT represent the typical "real life superhero". He is sponsored and equipped by media companies, he "patrols" with reporters and cameramen in tow, and he is a professed "outsider" who claims to be "better" than the rest of us, even thought he is among the newest of us - he's only been around for a year or so.

    SOME of us don't go for the publicity, don't dress up, and don't wear masks, but we still patrol our neighborhoods and help people when we can. Some of us don't even call ourselves "heroes", just concerned citizen patrolmen, extreme altruists (X-Alts), and other less-lofty titles. Some of us have been doing this under your collective noses for as long as 20 years, and have never been in jail, or had any complaints. Especially from those we help. Some of us dress in colorful costumes and do nothing but homeless outreach, keeping people alive on the streets (like Thanatos in Vancouver, look HIM up!). The costume is used to draw attention to the cause. Some of us simply do outreach or neighborhood crime fighting without costumes. Some of us are animal right activists, some are environmentalists, some just help by shoveling snow off of people's drives.

    A great many of us are trained in relevant fields - we have tons of soldiers, cops, EMT/Paramedics, nurses, security guards, firefighters, private investigators, high-level computer geeks, etc. Sure, we have our share of basement-dwelling kids and thrill-seekers, but those tend to get weeded out pretty quickly if their heads and hearts aren't in the right place. Phoenix stands apart, both by choice and consensus. Most of us predicted he'd end up in jail, and unfortunately, he has.

    Point is, we come in all flavors, from quiet and in the background, to media-hounding insanity.
    So while you guys are yukking it up, try to remember that this man is NOT typical in our group.
    Find out the real truth for yourselves.

  9. Article is Wrong - Guy Has Become a Pest by iggymanz · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Officer at scene says there was no fight. Friends involved said there was no fight. This "super hero" in fact is just a self-filled Super Pest, who is becoming obnoxious and running up to people being boisterous and having a good time and spraying them with pepper spray. This character did some good in the past but now he's delusional and a nuisance. Police have warned him before that if he continues to jump into situations of which he has no understanding, he'll be arrested for assaulting people with pepper spray. Add to this that this "super hero" is a mixed martial artist, that makes him dangerous to the public. He should be locked up, he's crossed the line.

    1. Re:Article is Wrong - Guy Has Become a Pest by Aeiri · · Score: 4, Informative

      Uhhh.... okay. Friends claim there is no fight, fine. They still hit a random guy with their car: http://vimeo.com/30307440 I'm no fan of vigilantism and I think he was being a self-righteous ass in this instance, but there WAS crime being committed, people were getting attacked.

  10. Superhero saved my life by kangsterizer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I know, sounds as cheesy as it can get.

    Still - I, for one, already got into a fight with bad people. 6v1 with knifes kind of bad people, who just wanted my belongings and more likely, just something to hit, because I'd gladly leave my belongings and keep on living like anybody else.

    As it was inside a moving train, I "resisted" for a few minutes, and people just went away (mind you, no one called for help, police, guards, etc), leaving me with my problems. It became bad when they took out the knifes.
    Well, lucky day, that's when a super hero came in and kicked them out. An ex military, and the kind you just see in movies. It was easily won 2v6 (and I'm no fighter).

    I'm glad he was there. Next time he'll call 911 instead and watch me die, right? Thanks for the tip police it sounds like the right thing to do!

    I'm telling you, in any situation like that where you know you're actually able to help (obviously this guy was) - fucking do it. If you're not, then do call 911.

  11. Re:Getting maced isn't THAT bad. by Beelzebud · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Coward cops need to use pepper spray, or physical restraints on unarmed, non-vilolent women? You volunteered to have military grade OC sprayed in your face, they did not.

  12. Re:Getting maced isn't THAT bad. by geekoid · · Score: 4, Insightful

    a) There was no reason for him to do that.
    b) You are telling me it didn't hurt when you got sprayed? if you are, you are a fucking liar, and a disgrace. Pepper spray hurts, a lot. You had to undergo special training to deal with it, civilians do not. I also have undergone training, and have been maced, and tear gassed. It hurts and takes someone right there telling you not to touch your eyes.
    c) There was no situation to pacify.

    There is nothing wrong with proper use of pepper spray, that is NOT the issue. Abuse is the issue.
    You are basically saying "Hey, he abuses people in the least abuses way possible, so no big deal."

    This particular person has a recorded history of abuse.

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  13. what's good for Wall street is good for America! by Thud457 · · Score: 3, Funny

    ok, let's get the facts straight, these uppity women were out disturbing the peace. And even worse, they were out in public not escorted by a older male relative. And they were dressed like sluts.

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff