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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhite Michigan couple arrested after gun pulled on Blacks
Earlier DU thread: "She's got the gun on me": Video shows white woman pulling pistol on black mother, daughter in MI
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Source: Associated Press
By COREY WILLIAMS
July 2, 2020
A white couple was arrested after at least one handgun was pulled on a Black woman and her daughters during a videotaped confrontation in a restaurant parking lot in Michigan, authorities said Thursday.
Jillian Wuestenberg, 32, and Eric Wuestenberg, 42, were charged Thursday with felonious assault, Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper said in a release. It was not immediately clear when they would be arraigned or if they have attorneys who could comment on the allegations.
Cellphone video captured the confrontation Wednesday outside a Chipotle in Orion Township, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northwest of Detroit.
Jillian Wuestenberg can be seen outside her vehicle shouting get the (expletive) away! Get away! while pointing a handgun.
She eventually gets back in her vehicle which is driven away by her husband.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/a9a76dcc1b4a3d011d9c8278158154cd
onethatcares
(16,184 posts)someone's gonna pay.
and
Stupid should hurt.
uponit7771
(90,364 posts)LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)cwydro
(51,308 posts)Always with an uplifting and cheery post, no matter to whom you are responding.
Glad to see you boo!
MagickMuffin
(15,952 posts)Glad they have changed their minds and are going to charge them, which is exactly what they should have done immediately.
Otherwise more white "people" would be emboldened to behave like that and get away with it.
Hopefully the Wuestenberg's spend time in jail, LOCK THEM UP, they are a danger and threat to citizens.
I saw the video of this incident earlier and it was appalling.
GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)MichMan
(11,971 posts)Brother Buzz
(36,463 posts)until the whole thing is adjudicated.
GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)I was just happy they did not hit them with a misdemeanor. At least there is a decent chance they will lose their gun ownership rights.
tblue37
(65,487 posts)MoonlitKnight
(1,584 posts)GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)But good for the goose ...
MoonlitKnight
(1,584 posts)And these are the ones who get those rights restored right away.
2naSalit
(86,775 posts)Let the chips fall where they may.
leftyladyfrommo
(18,870 posts)And/or jailed and publically humiliated when they are videotaped doing this stuff? And they usually lose their job.
It's like kids who murder someone over some drug deal. Does it never occur to them that it will be the end of their life when they do that? The rest of their life will be in prison somewhere.
Tipperary
(6,930 posts)Apparently these two fine specimens have a habit of being assholes in public.
pnwest
(3,266 posts)this video, it totally plays like a gun crazy Karen. The long version shows the girls being upset that she bumped into one of them, she was apologizing, everybody was shouting, and the girls stood behind their car and wouldnt let them leave. THATS when the gun came out. This totally plays like the girls created a situation to bait someone into acting like that so they could have the notoriety of having a Karen experience.
Please dont flame me as being a white apologist, I am appalled every time I see one of these videos - and was appalled when I saw the short version of this one. Then I saw the longer one with the pre-amble.
Ferrets are Cool
(21,110 posts)require that a gun be pointed at another person?
pnwest
(3,266 posts)they were in her face, shouting , swarming her - very aggressive - and then the standing behind their car to prevent them leaving - or trying to get them to hit her with the car. I saw the longer version on Reddit, trying to figure out how to post it here.
Im not saying the whole situation wasnt ridiculous, but this version very conveniently omits the lead-up to the gun coming out - where the woman was acting reasonably, just trying to get in her car and leave.
Kaleva
(36,342 posts)Betty88
(717 posts)Little bit more to this story than at first.
Kaleva
(36,342 posts)StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)Drive away.
Nothing in that video shows any justification for that woman to grab her gun, jump out of the car, and threaten to shoot that family. Nothing.
And obviously the authorities, who not only saw both videos but have more information than you have, agree that she was in the wrong and do not agree with you that she was "acting reasonably."
If she had shot and killed the black woman, would you still insist she shouldn't have been charged with anything?
pnwest
(3,266 posts)car and wouldnt let them drive away.
Kaleva
(36,342 posts)Pointing a gun at someone with intent to instill fear without justification can land you in prison.
pnwest
(3,266 posts)doesnt being blocked from leaving amount to justification?
Kaleva
(36,342 posts)The only time one can draw and aim a gun at another is when one would be justified in shooting and killing the person. I don't see that being the case here.
LiberalFighter
(51,084 posts)StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)Um, no.
radius777
(3,635 posts)This was a typical argument that happens in parking lots and stores everyday across America.
The black women/girls were not a threat to anyone.
The white woman simply wanted to 'show who was boss' by pulling out the gun - potentially risking the lives of many people including innocent bystanders.
PTWB
(4,131 posts)While the longer video showed more context, there absolutely was no justification to pull a gun. None! I am a gun owner and even have a concealed carry license.
I would never ever pull a gun in that situation. Im glad this woman was arrested.
Im still waiting in the St. Louis couple to be arrested.
The longer video has been posted.
The fact that she got inside of her vehicle before coming out with the gun means it could have been prevented. She should have stayed inside her car. There was no need to bring out her gun. It seems as if white folks are always justifiably in fear of their lives when a black person is involved
I'm sure law enforcement saw both videos as well.
MyNameGoesHere
(7,638 posts)Please explain the criteria for whipping out a gun. Because if you see this as a valid reason I'm going to need to start carrying. Perhaps when the restaurant gets my order wrong I should whip out the gun? What's the new normal? Maybe that person walking toward me is eyeballing me the wrong way, whip out my gun?
Iggo
(47,565 posts)Do you think its okay to shoot and kill someone for gettin in your face?
cwydro
(51,308 posts)do if someone gets in their face during this pandemic time.
I've seen LOTS of threats of violence. Probably just tough internet talk, but still.
Iggo
(47,565 posts)I've lived like that before, and eventually it catches up to you.
radius777
(3,635 posts)who willfully risk the lives of many - is very different from threatening deadly force in a typical parking lot squabble (against harmless girls).
cannabis_flower
(3,765 posts)And I would have felt very intimidated by the girls. They got close to her car and were yelling at her. One of them was blocking the car from backing up. I think she thought that one of them was about to grab her and pull her out of the car. I don't think she should have drawn her gun though but I can see how she was afraid. What she should have done is roll up the window and lock her door.
As far as apologizing for bumping the girl, I don't know whether it was necessary or not, that part isn't shown in the video. Apparently she wasn't hurt. From experience, I know that you are asking for trouble if you go around demanding that people apologize to you. People who are rude enough to bump into you and not apologize usually won't apologize anyway.
pnwest
(3,266 posts)pnwest
(3,266 posts)Tipperary
(6,930 posts)pnwest
(3,266 posts)gonna pile on...just saying dont accept everything presented to you as gospel truth.
Chemisse
(30,817 posts)The mother and daughter were ALL over this couple in the most obnoxious way. It didn't show the push or shove but if it was so grievous they could have filed a complaint. They didn't have to be so aggressively rude.
I can understand why the white woman flipped out, but pulling a gun was way over the top. If they felt they couldn't drive away because the mother was behind the car, they should have just parked and called the police.
That's the problem with guns; when you have one, right there on your person, they become the solution to every problem.
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)But when she pulled the gun, bothsiderism flew out the window and she committed felonious assault. Period. One woman yelling and one woman waving a gun in her face are NOT equivalent in any way ...
Unless you're among those who believe that black people are more inherently dangerous than white people.
RVN VET71
(2,697 posts)and I hope she goes to jail for it.
But if the full video shows her being -- as is described here -- besieged by the woman and her daughters and that they actually blocked her car to keep her from leaving, she will likely not go to jail but will, instead, get levied a fine. But, regardless of the circumstances, she is obviously not a "responsible" gun owner by any definition, and needs to have hers taken away. If convicted -- as she should be -- of a felony, I think she loses the right to own or carry, so there's that.
Still I have to wonder at he folly of the African American woman shouting at an angry -- and foolish -- white woman pointing a gun at her. Even seeing only the edited bit of the video, I was appalled at the danger she put herself in when she could have walked away and called the police -- which she ultimately did. But what in hell was she thinking? Her daughters were with her and could have been killed or injured because of her arguing with the crazy woman with the gun.
As for the "I am not a racist, I just threaten to murder black people in shopping mall parking lots" woman, I agree with a commenter above 100%: even if she felt threatened -- and I think she did -- she should have remained in her car, rolled up the windows, and called the police, -- not threaten to kill people.
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)Once she did that, nothing else really matters.
RVN VET71
(2,697 posts)I was looking at what's likely to happen to her in court and speculating that, owing to the "mitigating" circumstances she will probably get little or nor jail time although she will have to pay a fine and, most likely, join the highway clean-up crews for 6 months to a year.
Also, I have no doubt, not a quark's worth, that if the racial roles were reversed and the gun-wielder were a black woman the police would have tracked her down, beat her up, maybe killed her -- and other family members -- and if they didn't kill her she'd be doing some hard time in a penitentiary.
American justice -- at its most exposed.
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)Some folk on DU think that mouthing off at a white woman justifies having a gun pulled on them and their life threatened. I can only imagine what reaction they'd be willing to defend if the black woman had threatened a white woman with a gun.
RVN VET71
(2,697 posts)And I mean crazy in the sense of suffering a cognitive impairment of some sort.
My feeling in this matter: she's got an 80% chance of not going to jail although she will pay a fine and do community service.
My feelings if the situation had been reversed and it was the Black woman who pulled a gun on the white woman: the Black woman would have not a chance in hell of avoiding jail in addition to paying a heavy fine, but only if she wasn't shot dead by the police as soon as they arrived -- and maybe before they even got out of their squad car.
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)Chemisse
(30,817 posts)And I can certainly look at both sides up until the minute the gun came out. There is nothing wrong with fair-mindedness. Just because I strongly support BLM does not mean I am going to automatically side with people in a conflict just because they are black.
I think the initial incident (the white woman bumping into the girl - not shown) was probably pretty rude. The mother and daughter had a choice as to how to react to this. I don't blame them at all for calling the woman to account for it; in fact I admire people who are willing to stand up for themselves. I do blame them for the relentless and extreme way that they went about it, going so far as to block the woman from getting in her car and running behind the car to prevent her from driving away. That caused the situation to escalate. Anybody - black or white - would have been very angry at this point. The woman then had a choice as to how to respond to this. She also made a bad choice, only hers was MUCH worse (bothsideism ends here, with this choice).
The white couple were arrested and lost their guns, which is good, and they clearly wound up being the villains in this story. But I am disgusted in varying degrees with all four of the people in this incident.
So don't insinuate that I am racist because I like to be impartial and analytical rather than caught up in passions.
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)Unless the black woman did something to put her in immediate fear of her life, nothing she did up until then is relevant to the discussion.
The black woman did not "escalate" the situation. The situation was escalated when the white woman got out of her car brandishing a gun. That's totally on her.
I did not insinuate you are a racist, so you might want to check yourself there.
Chemisse
(30,817 posts)You said this, which (obviously) would be part of a racist belief system: "Unless you're among those who believe that black people are more inherently dangerous than white people."
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)I wasn't referring you, was I?
If you are, then that would speak for itself.
SiliconValley_Dem
(1,656 posts)an entitled white woman runs into the girl after the girl made room and then doesn't apologize until she flings a passive aggressive "sorry you're upset with your lives" type of apology.
SiliconValley_Dem
(1,656 posts)i saw the longer video. and while I wish people could to e down the level of vitriol when there are disagreements like someone bumping into someone else, this did not need guns drawn into it.
you meed to rethink your biases to think this woman was in any way justified
Chemisse
(30,817 posts)Maybe you need to back up and stop being so quick to call someone 'biased.'
SiliconValley_Dem
(1,656 posts)I replied to you as pnwest and then you replied to me as Chemisse
Chemisse
(30,817 posts)Iggo
(47,565 posts)The Magistrate
(95,255 posts)Nothing in that would have justified a blow, let alone production of a deadly weapon.
Chemisse
(30,817 posts)I can understand why the white woman flipped out, but pulling a gun was way over the top. If they felt they couldn't drive away because the mother was behind the car, they should have just parked and called the police.
That's the problem with guns; when you have one, right there on your person, they become the solution to every problem.
fishwax
(29,149 posts)Johnny2X2X
(19,114 posts)This is why concealed carry permits require more screening and training. This was nothing and they both got their guns out for no reason other than to terrify people.
Both of the charged people are idiots and hotheads who cannot be trusted with guns. They listen to all this gun rights propaganda and were just itching to use their own.
SiliconValley_Dem
(1,656 posts)so there's that.
Johnny2X2X
(19,114 posts)Also think concealed carry could be Ok with limits and training.
But Ill say this, I would never consider carrying a gun, you know why? Because I dont want to shoot anyone, period. I am pretty seasoned and street smart, been in violent situations, fights, and even been mugged more than once, as well as jumped by a group of people. Not one time would a gun have not made each situation much much worse. In fact, I think other times I lost my temper I might have done something stupid with a gun, like these folks.
Now I know some people with the perfect temperament to carry, most of them have some type of training though. Today they give out carry Licenses like candy, its a joke, I know people who Cannot control their temper who carry guns, I know people who have mental problems who carry. Its way too widespread. It makes everything more dangerous.
SiliconValley_Dem
(1,656 posts)I'm fairly knowledgeable on what it takes to get a concealed weapons permit in Michigan. They hand them out like candy here, especially to white people. You have to take a test that an average sixth grader could pass and then you have to give them the names of two or three references. Usually the gun nutters just give out each other's names as references. Never do they ask a wife if there is any history or indications of mental instability.
Yes, once they get that they are just looking for a reason to use it.
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)that these people pulled a gun on them, even though the authorities obviously beg to differ.
SiliconValley_Dem
(1,656 posts)NRaleighLiberal
(60,019 posts)pnwest
(3,266 posts)StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)And they did not charge the black woman with anything. So the "lead-up" might matter to you, it doesn't in any way change the fact that the white woman was in the wrong and the black woman was not.
SiliconValley_Dem
(1,656 posts)Kaleva
(36,342 posts)rgbecker
(4,834 posts)She really fucked up.
RandiFan1290
(6,242 posts)onetexan
(13,058 posts)Hope this will teach them a lesson not to brandish their guns to terrorize people of color.
onethatcares
(16,184 posts)some form of court ordered supervision with fines and costs. It will change their lives in more ways than they know. No more alcohol, no smoking the weed, p.o. can stop by their job and house at any time, random urinalysis. all those nice things the system is all about.
Plus it looks like they have means so the system won't really want them to leave.
yep, they haven't a clue.
Response to Eugene (Original post)
geralmar This message was self-deleted by its author.
ecstatic
(32,731 posts)Lock 'em up!
tenderfoot
(8,438 posts)And doesn't it figure that there is a slew of seething assholes defending them.
tblue37
(65,487 posts)The Huffington Posts Philip Lewis tweeted that Eric Wuestenberg had been fired from his job at Oakland University following the charges. Eric Wuestenbergs profile has been deleted from the schools website. A cached version of that page shows that he previously worked as the schools coordinator of veteran support services. Oakland University is located in Rochester, Michigan.
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