Woman [McCain supporter] Attacked At ATM, Assailant Carves Letter ["B"] Into Her Face

The Pittsburgh Channel ^ | October 23, 2008

[MountainLoop]

PITTSBURGH -- A 20-year-old woman who was robbed at an ATM in Bloomfield was also maimed by her attacker, police said.

Pittsburgh police spokeswoman Diane Richard tells Channel 4 Action News that the victim was robbed at knifepoint on Wednesday night outside of a Citizens Bank near Liberty Avenue and Pearl Street just before 9 p.m.

Richard said the robber took $60 from the woman, then became angry when he saw a McCain bumper sticker on the victim's car. The attacker then punched and kicked the victim, before using the knife to scratch the letter "B" into her face, Richard said.

Richard said the woman refused medical treatment after the assault, which happened outside the view of the bank's surveillance cameras.

The robber is described as a dark-skinned black man, 6 feet 4 inches tall, 200 pounds with a medium build, short black hair and brown eyes. The man was wearing dark colored jeans, a black undershirt and black shoes.

[livius]

She may or may not have been mugged. I don’t think her refusal of medical treatment was any big deal, because according to a family member who was an EMT, many conscious crime victims are sort of in (emotional) shock at the time and just want to go home.

But I think it’s bizarre that any criminal would take the time to do this - and do it so neatly. I certainly don’t think it’s impossible, but unless I get a little more evidence, I’m not really convinced that she’s not a publicity hound. I think we need more evidence.

[jennyjenny]

Actually I need to correct my prior post. Fox did say the photo was reportedly taken by her, they did not say it was taken in the mirror. Sorry.

[onemiddleamerican]

She really ought to have it looked at.

I agree, especially with the big bruising at the (left?) eye, also looks like small bruising below the left cheekbone, and the smaller bruising under the right eye and another smaller bruise at the outer portion of the upper right cheek, and a little redness/roadrash on the left cheek, too.

I wonder if all that bruising came from when she says the guy hit her in the back of the head - and if that caused her to hit the ground face-first. Would that kind of "landing" mash her nose into the ground and cause the bruising along the facial areas that it appears in the photo. No burst blood vessels in the eye, so it doesn't look like she got socked straight in the eye. Just thinking this through.

[cdga5for4]

The B forward or backwards in itself doesn’t mean anything. There are plausible reasons for it to be either way.

[jennyjenny]

Again, to be clear, Fox was saying “reportedly” the photo being shown was taken by her. That is what they were told. They did not say it was a mirror shot. I was wrong on that part of it.

[jwalsh07]

Well, she said she got punched in the back of the head. Does she have a lump on the back of her head?

[omega4179]

if its on her left cheek and she took a picture of the mirror then it should appear as her right cheek backwards?

[omega4179]

if the angle is right the flash would not ruin the picture.

[jwalsh07]

My problem isn’t the orientation of the B. It’s the severity of lack thereof of the injury. As stated earlier, I’ve seen knife wounds, both cuts and stab wounds, and this doesn’t qualify for either. Couple that with the size and strength of her alleged attacker, the neatness of the wound etc, and it screams hoax.

It's easy enough to do the B with a knife or a fingernail. I guess the question is pretty simple. Is it an attackers knife or her fingernail.

[psw0585]

Sorry if I offended you. Some other drive-by artist came out and called me a TROLL straight-up just before your post. So, if it seemed that I was inferring that you were dismissing everything I had to say on the grounds that you assumed I wasn’t a doctor, well, yeah. You’re right. Now, if you have an issue with my conclusions and observations, I’d love to hear it.

[mware]

If she took the photo in the mirror wouldnt the image be reversed?

[psw0585]

This was taken with a flash, but not self-shot. Don’t believe me? Take a camera, hold it out at arm’s length, let it meter and focus, and snap the shutter. With a flash at 2.5 - 3.0 feet’s distance, your face would be horrendously over-exposed. Washed out completely. In a mirror, the flash glare would completely obscure the image. Try it.

[jennyjenny]

Zactly. She did finally go to a doctor so I’m sure that will come out. The doc should also be able to tell if the “B” was self-inflicted.

[Miss Behave]

Any certified Handgun Defense instructor will tell you that you use deadly force only to neutralize the threat. If the threat ceases, deadly force ceases immediately.

You shoot to neutralize only. You do not shoot to kill. If the threat persists, you shoot to neutralize only, again. This is the only proper manner.

[jennyjenny]

I’m not arguing with you, really. I simply posted what was said on Fox. I also said, “FWIW” when I posted it. I don’t take pictures of myself. I’m sure you are 100% correct.

[TruthHound]

FROM HOTAir: Update VII: I spoke with two executives at the College Republicans on the record about this story. Charlie Smith, the National Chair, and Ethan Eilon, the Executive Director, both say the photo is legitimate and that it came from Ashley Todd, the victim in this case. The attack began at 8:50 pm ET and Ashley called the police at 9:30 PM ET. Initially, she was robbed, ran away after the robbery, and the robber followed her to her car. At that point, he became enraged at the bumper sticker and began beating her and scratched the ‘B’ into her face. Ashley went to the hospital early this morning after initially refusing medical attention last night, and had an MRI and/or a CAT scan. Doctors believe her cheek will heal fully.

Eilon spoke with her personally today about the incident and confirmed the above with me. He first met Ashley in June, when she came to DC for training with the College Republicans. She works for them as a contract employee. She does not work for the McCain campaign. Both Eilon and Smith expressed revulsion over an attack on a young woman just getting involved in politics, but they consider this the act of a lone lunatic.

I’m not going to blame people for keeping a healthy skepticism on this case, but so far, the two media reports appear to check out.

These conspiracy theorists about this being self-inflicted make me want to puke. I thought this was a conservative board. Like Malkin says above, skepticism can be healthy, but give the girl a break. Let the story unfold.

[psw0585]

...maybe she she set it on auto-timer. But in that case, the “B” would not be inverted, unless the image itself was prior to publication. In any case, it wasn’t shot in a mirror, or at arm’s length.

[cyberaxe]

You shoot to neutralize only.

.....CCW holder here.....

.....two to center mass and one to head.....

.....threat neutralized.....

[Your Nightmare]

Not to pile on, but the report said the guy was wearing a black t-shirt. It was 9pm and late October in Pittsburgh. Isn’t it a little cold for a t-shirt.