SF Rampage Suspect Misses Arraignment

The man accused of speeding through the streets of Fremont and San Francisco killing one man and injuring 19 others did not make his scheduled court appearance Thursday because he remains in the psychiatric ward at San Francisco General Hospital.

Omeed Aziz Popal, 29, whose arraignment was scheduled for 9 a.m. at the San Francisco Superior Court Thursday, is accused of driving his SUV into 54-year-old Stephen J. Wilson of Fremont, killing him, and then driving into San Francisco and hitting as many as 14 to 19 people.

The number of victims and criminal charges continues to change in the investigation, NBC11's Traci Grant reported.

SLIDESHOWS: Aerial Images From SF | Ground Images From SF | Ground Images From Fremont | Police Investigate SUV

According to police, the latest number of people injured during Tuesday's hit-and-run rampage throughout San Francisco is 19. It was originally reported nine people were injured. That number increased to 14 Wednesday.

The new injury total of 19 includes a police officer who was hurt during Popal's arrest.

"When the officer went to take the suspect into custody, the suspect threw his car into reverse and smashed one of the police cars. The officer suffered injuries as a result of that," San Francisco Fire Department spokesman Neville Gittens said.

Gittens said that number of injuries reported could increase as inspectors continue to investigate reports from people who said they were also hurt on Tuesday but went to hospitals and doctors on their own.

Popal is facing dozens of serious charges in San Francisco, including assault with a deadly weapon, a felony count of battery on a peace officer causing injury and a felony count of reckless evasion from police. Fremont police said they plan to recommend a charge of murder.

If convicted on all charges, Popal could face life in prison, according to the district attorney's office.

Relatives of Popal arrived in court Thursday for his arraignment, but after he didn't show, they shielded their faces and walked somberly out of the courtroom, Grant reported.

"These crimes evidence a blatant disregard for human life and caused terror on our city's streets," San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris said in a statement issued Wednesday evening.

Wilson was struck by a car and killed south of Ferry Lane on Fremont Boulevard in Fremont about 11:50 a.m. Tuesday.

One of the victims told NBC11 News she was injured in more than one way, "Physically, I'm in a lot of pain. Mentally, I'm scared to go outside," said Vera Jenkins DeFrantz.

Popal's family said he has been under a lot of stress since returning from Afghanistan for an arranged marriage.

In court, a deputy district attorney told the judge that after he was arrested, Popal told police that he "wanted to kill a police officer but he didn't see any" and that he had "thought about killing people since the day before. "

"What's important in this case is we must do a thorough investigation into all the circumstances leading up to what happened, and as I said, state of mind will be a major issue in this case," said public defender Jeff Adachi.

Adachi said Popal has asked for a court-appointed attorney because they can't afford to retain Majeed Samara, the attorney who has represented Popal for the last few days.

LA replies:

What you say about motive is fascinating. As has often been said at VFR, a person’s subjective motive for taking a particular political position matters less than the fact that he takes that position. The position has its own structure and dynamic, and will lead in a certain direction and play a certain part in the politics of the time, regardless of what the person may subjectively feel is his motive and reason for having that position. It is liberalism that fosters the incorrect emphasis on a person’s subjective desire and choice rather than on objective reality. This is seen in the transformation of criminal law for example. In the past, motive was a minor or non-existent factor in determining guilt and punishment; the fact that a person had committed a certain act was what mattered, not what he was thinking about it. But now the motive has become all. All we care about is why the person, the choosing entity, chose to do this thing, not the fact that he did it. While examination of motive obviously has a legitimate place in criminal law and in moral thought, we have carried the emphasis on it way too far.
The same applies to politics, or for that matter to jihad. The specific motivations that drive a particular Muslim to go on a rampage against non-Muslims are less important than the fact that he is a Muslim who is attacking non-Muslims, and thus playing a part in the general jihad. Some Muslims belong to terrorist organizations and are consciously waging jihad. Others just get suddenly “angry” at Britain or at Jews for their unfairness to Muslims and decide to kill some Britons or Jews. Others have “mental problems” and go on a rampage against non-Muslims. Why does one express his “mental problems” by going on a rampage against non-Muslims? Because he’s a Muslim. That’s what matters. The objective meaning of his act is that he is a Muslim seeking to mass murder non-Muslims.
People are different, and have a wide range of motivations for their actions. But, though liberalism denies it, people also fall into broad classes that matter socially and politically. The class “Muslim” matters.
http://www.amnation.com/vfr/archives/006317.html

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