Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

brooklynite

(93,867 posts)
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 03:59 PM Aug 2016

Brazil police: Swimmers were vandals, not robbery victims

Source: CNN

Civil Police chief Fernando Veloso said at a press conference about four American swimmers: "In theory, one or all of them might be charged for false communication of a crime and for damaging private assets, the gas station. I'm not saying that they are charged right now because of that. We have to finalize the investigation and in theory that could be the case. This is not really a -- this kind of crime will not lead to their arrest."
....

One of the American Olympic swimmers confirmed the account that the surveillance video showed that the swimmers -- Ryan Lochte, Jack Conger, Gunnar Bentz and James Feigen -- were committing acts of vandalism at a gas station when confronted by security guards, Brazilian police said.
....

A firearm was pointed at the American swimmers by one of the security guards at a vandalized gas station in order to control one of them, Brazilian police said. It is not being deemed an excessive use of force.


Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/18/sport/us-swimmers-olympics-robbery-questions/index.html

95 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Brazil police: Swimmers were vandals, not robbery victims (Original Post) brooklynite Aug 2016 OP
Way to represent your country, jerks. ABLEZEROSIX Aug 2016 #1
Lol. Italy all over again. yeoman6987 Aug 2016 #26
Please regale us with further exposition of your no doubt brilliant reasoning. ABLEZEROSIX Aug 2016 #42
There's more to the story coming out yeoman6987 Aug 2016 #47
A co-worker regularly travels to South America and Brazil citood Aug 2016 #60
Wow... you guys are good at inventing things out of nowhere... n/t OBenario Aug 2016 #61
What did I invent? citood Aug 2016 #65
I think this is exactly what happened. MADem Aug 2016 #62
LOL OBenario Aug 2016 #64
Most Olympians are in the 20s, many are still teens. MADem Aug 2016 #67
I dont think that's much of an excuse JonLP24 Aug 2016 #84
I'm not excusing their behavior. They were drunk and behaved poorly. MADem Aug 2016 #85
There is a lot of unknowns with this JonLP24 Aug 2016 #86
I'd like to see the missing portion of that video. MADem Aug 2016 #87
They were trying to leave in their taxi. The guard stopped them and made them pay . . . brush Aug 2016 #94
You know more than what's being reported? Kingofalldems Aug 2016 #66
Eh, just drunks. JackRiddler Aug 2016 #28
Bullshit. ABLEZEROSIX Aug 2016 #41
Are they criminals? JackRiddler Aug 2016 #93
Jerks. apcalc Aug 2016 #2
Apparently they, ... aggiesal Aug 2016 #12
NBC reported that they may have torn down a framed/mounted wall poster stopbush Aug 2016 #36
They're also showing video of them with their hands in the air and a security guard w/a gun. MADem Aug 2016 #80
Why would they do this? bigworld Aug 2016 #3
The article said they were intoxicated. PersonNumber503602 Aug 2016 #6
How often are the athletes blood sampled? I'd like to have NWCorona Aug 2016 #9
Never seen a drunk person? OBenario Aug 2016 #20
Yes. I seen or rather heard him say that he was drunk. NWCorona Aug 2016 #21
The were drunk. n/t OBenario Aug 2016 #8
I think pissing everything away was the primary cause... brooklynite Aug 2016 #14
Because they needed to piss? JackRiddler Aug 2016 #29
drunk and entitled jcgoldie Aug 2016 #38
Rank stupidity and immaturity would be my guess, ABLEZEROSIX Aug 2016 #43
Bingo - I live in Port Orange where he went to high school and where his father coached . DrDan Aug 2016 #52
Lochte is known for being a blockhead, not sure about the others. Odin2005 Aug 2016 #89
What were they thinking? omg secondwind Aug 2016 #4
"Omg I gotta go I gotta go I gotta SHIT THE DOOR IS LOCKED!" JackRiddler Aug 2016 #30
Entitled drunk athletes get roughed up by corrupt security guards who may have PersonNumber503602 Aug 2016 #5
Yeh, I'm never going to get over the national embarrassment. JackRiddler Aug 2016 #31
Did the corrupt security guard awoke_in_2003 Aug 2016 #33
Yes. PersonNumber503602 Aug 2016 #46
I read that a watch was stolen... awoke_in_2003 Aug 2016 #48
Actually the security guard pulled a gun on them to COLGATE4 Aug 2016 #55
I don't see any problem with that.. I don't think. Particularly if the shaking them down stuff is BS PersonNumber503602 Aug 2016 #58
I don't either. One guard against 4 healthy, drunk foreigners. COLGATE4 Aug 2016 #59
Nope. OBenario Aug 2016 #37
Having been to Brazil I'm not quick to except the official statement NWCorona Aug 2016 #7
They lied to police and media. OBenario Aug 2016 #10
How do you know that they lied? NWCorona Aug 2016 #11
Well, it's quite clear. OBenario Aug 2016 #13
And why is the security camera footage edited? Heavily I might add. NWCorona Aug 2016 #15
Sure. I'm Brazilian. OBenario Aug 2016 #16
And I'm not saying that they didn’t lie. I'm saying that I'm willing to wait and see. NWCorona Aug 2016 #18
Oh please... OBenario Aug 2016 #22
I'm not above saying when I am wrong NWCorona Aug 2016 #34
Lochte changed his story from when he first said they were robbed brush Aug 2016 #75
I agree that there's some MAJOR inconsistencies. NWCorona Aug 2016 #77
Sad, pretending a man in his 30's should be excused because of his extreme youthfulness, Judi Lynn Aug 2016 #81
Ryan Lochte apparently told police ... aggiesal Aug 2016 #19
There was no fight on the video B2G Aug 2016 #24
Haven't seen the additional info ... aggiesal Aug 2016 #44
They were drunk off their asses and they had to pee. YOHABLO Aug 2016 #25
Have you seen... OBenario Aug 2016 #27
exactly n/t reorg Aug 2016 #35
Excetionally ignorant, of course, and determined to stay that way. n/t Judi Lynn Aug 2016 #82
I was one of those morons. Odin2005 Aug 2016 #90
If nothing else, we now know beyond all doubt that the "robbery" was bullshit Blue_Tires Aug 2016 #17
however, a guard pointing a gun shook them down to pay for the damage... JCMach1 Aug 2016 #40
Yep! Thank god that's finally reported yeoman6987 Aug 2016 #49
That doesn't look like a gun. n/t OBenario Aug 2016 #54
Seems like investigators in Brazil confirmed the the guard was armed. LisaL Aug 2016 #79
Also written in your link: Judi Lynn Aug 2016 #83
If only they told the full story instead of that bullshit fabrication... Blue_Tires Aug 2016 #92
Michael Phelps found himself a good place for rehab milestogo Aug 2016 #23
A couple of aspirins and an omelette should fix them right up. JackRiddler Aug 2016 #32
the video shows the guard with a gun shaking them down for money JCMach1 Aug 2016 #39
or perhaps you are dreaming reorg Aug 2016 #45
This message was self-deleted by its author OBenario Aug 2016 #50
I agreed with your assessment at first PersonNumber503602 Aug 2016 #51
Pretty ackward way of handling a weapon, isn't it? OBenario Aug 2016 #53
Yeah, that thought came to mind too.. PersonNumber503602 Aug 2016 #57
it'ts not an assessment, it's a fact reorg Aug 2016 #69
The Rio officials said that he pointed a gun at the athletes. They confirmed this! anneboleyn Aug 2016 #72
Yes, he pointed a gun -- the Rio police chief confirmed this! Three minutes are also "missing" anneboleyn Aug 2016 #68
not at 1:16, probably later when they're told to get down reorg Aug 2016 #70
The Rio police chief confirmed this -- why we are debating it makes no sense. He points a gun at anneboleyn Aug 2016 #71
You are missing the point reorg Aug 2016 #76
Ask the Rio police then JCMach1 Aug 2016 #95
Fawk Brazil Lance Bass esquire Aug 2016 #56
But...but Gabby Douglas hates Amurka! muntrv Aug 2016 #63
Helluva way for a host to treat guests, even drunken guests ucrdem Aug 2016 #73
There wasn't such an uproar when the US hockey team trashed their rooms. Skeeter Barnes Aug 2016 #78
That's not possible! ronnie624 Aug 2016 #74
Looks like I get to eat crow. Odin2005 Aug 2016 #88
Damage to a soap dispenser or not, they were shaken down by armed cops for money. N/t Calista241 Aug 2016 #91
 

ABLEZEROSIX

(13 posts)
42. Please regale us with further exposition of your no doubt brilliant reasoning.
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 07:19 PM
Aug 2016

Should Americans who commit crimes in foreign lands be immune from prosecution for some insane, idiotic reason?

citood

(550 posts)
60. A co-worker regularly travels to South America and Brazil
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 08:40 PM
Aug 2016

He's given me some perspective.

First of all...ponder "why does a gas station have armed security?" That's a question nobody seems to have asked. Answer: many businesses have armed security guards at the door, because they can rely on consistent police protection. And these guys act more 'like cops' than a standard US rent-a-cop would. Looking at it, they practically had a platoon of security guards...in the US a gas station would have one hapless clerk hiding behind glass.

Next - these guys pissed on the floor and kicked a door open...something people do when they're stupid and drunk.

The security guards intervene...and then their ticket out of the situation is $400.

Now if I was in the US and kicked a door in, I would not be surprised if the security guard held me until the police got there. And, I would consider myself lucky if the cop allowed me to negotiate my way out of trouble with the owner for $400.

However, if I kicked a door in, and the armed security guard did not wait for police, and had me empty $400 out of my wallet...I would feel like I had been extorted. Somebody who isn't a cop has a gun, and has detained me with a release price of $400...I may even consider that a robbery.

Same outcome - but the absence of police during this 'negotiation', and the presence of the guard's gun, would make me feel differently. And I think this is at the heart of the discrepancy. Lochte isn't used to how situations like this are handled in Brazil - more 'old west' than we're now used to.

Not a complete excuse (although I have yet to actually see footage of this vandalism), but I can understand how Lochte felt 'robbed'.

citood

(550 posts)
65. What did I invent?
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 08:54 PM
Aug 2016

1 - The gas station had security guards. True or false?
2 - The swimmers are reported to have vandalized station. True or false?
3 - The guards detained them. True or False?
4 - The swimmers paid an exit fee of $400 and were allowed to leave? True or False?

What the fuck have I made up so far?

Now onto my OPINION: From the standpoint of somebody who grew up in suburban USA, when a security guard relieves me of cash, instead of waiting for the police to arrive and settle a situation, I might feel like I was extorted, and I can certainly commiserate with Lochte's state of mind here.

Maybe you're just good at accusing people of inventing things?

BTW - do we know for sure there was vandalism? Absent proof of that, the video actually backs up Lochte's story.

MADem

(135,425 posts)
62. I think this is exactly what happened.
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 08:50 PM
Aug 2016

The drunks behaved boorishly and they didn't understand the culture. They were wrong, but they were also strong-armed.

I think henceforth we need to give these kids some major "in country" briefings and offer them security support if they go out in town--maybe even do a few more guided tours/pre-planned events for the athletes--if we continue to hold Olympics in dangerous cities.

 

OBenario

(604 posts)
64. LOL
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 08:52 PM
Aug 2016

"These kids".

It's not wrong to say "they were wrong and should appologize".

Grow up, people.

MADem

(135,425 posts)
67. Most Olympians are in the 20s, many are still teens.
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 08:59 PM
Aug 2016

You can smarm all you want, but a lot of "these kids" are not very sophisticated when it comes to world travel, and they would benefit an In Country brief before they're set loose on a country as informal ambassadors.

I think the person who needs to "grow up" is the one who did not read the full post carefully before whipping out a snarky response. Let me direct you to the bit you apparently missed:


The drunks behaved boorishly and they didn't understand the culture. They were wrong, but they were also strong-armed.


Have a nice day.

JonLP24

(29,322 posts)
84. I dont think that's much of an excuse
Fri Aug 19, 2016, 03:26 AM
Aug 2016

Many of these athletes and in particularly Lochte already travel all over the world to compete in events every year so it isn't like this is their first time outside the US

MADem

(135,425 posts)
85. I'm not excusing their behavior. They were drunk and behaved poorly.
Fri Aug 19, 2016, 04:08 AM
Aug 2016

That doesn't mean the method of extracting retribution from them was particularly appropriate, either. Basically, they were extorted without due process, and with, if that video is accurate, a weapon.

That said, if everyone on the Olympic team were required to sit through a Country Briefing, the think-before-you-act aspect of their behavior might have been mitigated.

People will often live up to expectations. If you don't spell out what those expectations are, you're not giving these athletes any guidelines or benchmarks to guide their conduct.

JonLP24

(29,322 posts)
86. There is a lot of unknowns with this
Fri Aug 19, 2016, 04:17 AM
Aug 2016

The best I could gather was security was trying to hold them from fleeing than a third person intervened as interpretor and something like "pay for this" referring to the damage and $20 US and 100 reals ($51) was given so Im unclear with the specefics of what was said considering the language barrier.

Also we have no idea what athletes are briefed or not but Lochte has been all over the world and has a history of similar behavior like public urination at the University of Florida.

MADem

(135,425 posts)
87. I'd like to see the missing portion of that video.
Fri Aug 19, 2016, 04:31 AM
Aug 2016

I'm firmly in the Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right camp on this matter. Lochte was loaded and might have caused damage (there's no video of that, though), and we're pretty confident, that people don't sit down with their hands in the air for amusement--they had a gun pointed at them. They parted with cash under circumstances that may not have been clear.

I doubt the athletes get a proper briefing--if they did, there'd be fewer problems. Staying out until dawn at clubs or brothels would probably not be recommended.

brush

(53,474 posts)
94. They were trying to leave in their taxi. The guard stopped them and made them pay . . .
Fri Aug 19, 2016, 10:19 AM
Aug 2016

for the damage they did.

You call it stong-arming.

The guard probably had a different view of the situation — like he might lose his job if he let these vandals get away without compensation the business for the damage they did.

They were drunk, did damage to property and lied about it. It's a problem they created and then didn't have enough sense to just apologize profusely, pay up and hope that would make the situation they created go away.

 

JackRiddler

(24,979 posts)
28. Eh, just drunks.
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 05:34 PM
Aug 2016

It's disrespectful but all this "representing" gets on my nerves. No country wins medals, no country is responsible for individuals being dicks or assholes, no individual "represents" a place just because they can swim faster than others, etc. etc.

 

ABLEZEROSIX

(13 posts)
41. Bullshit.
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 07:14 PM
Aug 2016

They compete under the flag of the United States and claiming that they do not represent this nation is absurd.

 

JackRiddler

(24,979 posts)
93. Are they criminals?
Fri Aug 19, 2016, 08:32 AM
Aug 2016

They have a debt for any crimes or bad acts they committed, but they have no obligation to you to "represent" anything on your behalf, and if you feel you're "represented" by them and it damages you somehow then that's your magical thinking, certainly not mine.

And that magic piece of cloth! Whatever. Last I looked they don't organize sports meets without constant reference to nations, but the fact is, the athletes get the medals, not the countries.

stopbush

(24,378 posts)
36. NBC reported that they may have torn down a framed/mounted wall poster
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 06:11 PM
Aug 2016

and also kicked in the bathroom door.

MADem

(135,425 posts)
80. They're also showing video of them with their hands in the air and a security guard w/a gun.
Fri Aug 19, 2016, 12:55 AM
Aug 2016

Three minutes of the video is conveniently missing, too.

I think it's a case of drunks behaving badly, and private security dispensing justice at gunpoint.


bigworld

(1,807 posts)
3. Why would they do this?
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 04:10 PM
Aug 2016

You have everything in the world going for you, you're a damn Olympian, and you piss everything away by being a jackass and destroying a gas station bathroom? How senseless. How stupid.

jcgoldie

(11,584 posts)
38. drunk and entitled
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 06:56 PM
Aug 2016

I'm going to guess never worked a day in their life. That is not to downplay the dedication of Olympic athletes. Obviously that requires a massive amount of work to reach that level. I still think they may be a bit insulated from the real world.

DrDan

(20,411 posts)
52. Bingo - I live in Port Orange where he went to high school and where his father coached .
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 08:28 PM
Aug 2016

A more arrogant person would be hard to find (his father) He strutted around the Y where he coached like he owned it.

PersonNumber503602

(1,134 posts)
5. Entitled drunk athletes get roughed up by corrupt security guards who may have
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 04:13 PM
Aug 2016

taken advantage of their own power in the situation. I have no idea if that's what actually happened, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's how it turns out.

I have little sympathy for these guys though. Good job at making the US look bad by your actions.

 

JackRiddler

(24,979 posts)
31. Yeh, I'm never going to get over the national embarrassment.
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 05:36 PM
Aug 2016

How will we ever hold our heads high again?

PersonNumber503602

(1,134 posts)
46. Yes.
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 08:08 PM
Aug 2016

No, not really. I thought read that the security guards pulled a gun on them and took their belongings. Was that BS? I wasn't making a statement of fact, but just making stuff up from my imagination.

 

awoke_in_2003

(34,582 posts)
48. I read that a watch was stolen...
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 08:16 PM
Aug 2016

but the same person claiming that was seen (on video) taking off a watch while coming through security on his way back to the Olympic Village after the incident.

COLGATE4

(14,732 posts)
55. Actually the security guard pulled a gun on them to
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 08:32 PM
Aug 2016

keep them from taking off until the police (who had already been called) arrived.

PersonNumber503602

(1,134 posts)
58. I don't see any problem with that.. I don't think. Particularly if the shaking them down stuff is BS
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 08:37 PM
Aug 2016

I'm just glad they didn't continue to act stupid and try to run the guard over.

 

OBenario

(604 posts)
37. Nope.
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 06:37 PM
Aug 2016

He was arrogant, acted as a jerk, gave some 300 interviews, saying that he was robbed, and kept lying again, and again, and again.

He received a quite respectful treatment by police. A regular Brazilian vandalizing a gas station would be in prison by now.

NWCorona

(8,541 posts)
7. Having been to Brazil I'm not quick to except the official statement
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 04:17 PM
Aug 2016

I'm willing to wait and see before I condemn these swimmers.

 

OBenario

(604 posts)
10. They lied to police and media.
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 04:19 PM
Aug 2016

That's it.

Having been to the US I also know "American exceptionalism" is an excuse for everything. "What? An American? Doing that in Brazil? Impossible. We are exceptional".

That's bullshit, sorry.

 

OBenario

(604 posts)
13. Well, it's quite clear.
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 04:25 PM
Aug 2016

"Having been to Brazil, I know they must be lying and our athletes are saints and have done nothing wrong".

Tha't American exceptionalism.

Their reports are full of contradictions and their version was proven false by security cameras.

NWCorona

(8,541 posts)
15. And why is the security camera footage edited? Heavily I might add.
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 04:29 PM
Aug 2016

And yes. I'm willing to take the official line of Brazil with a grain of salt. Do you know anything about the corruption in the headlines? Very recently I might add.

 

OBenario

(604 posts)
16. Sure. I'm Brazilian.
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 04:30 PM
Aug 2016

There is a lot of corruption.

But that doesn't change the fact that they lied. Period.

NWCorona

(8,541 posts)
18. And I'm not saying that they didn’t lie. I'm saying that I'm willing to wait and see.
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 04:35 PM
Aug 2016

There's obvious inconsistencies in their stories but that video is edited to the point that it raises questions.

 

OBenario

(604 posts)
22. Oh please...
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 04:59 PM
Aug 2016

The things they said were stolen were not stolen.
They lied about everything. From the time they left the Olympic Village, to the time they returned.
They didn't mention anything about the incident at the Gas Station.

You give them too much credit, sorry. If these were Brazilian swimmers doing this in the United States, I'd never had the guts to defend them.

brush

(53,474 posts)
75. Lochte changed his story from when he first said they were robbed
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 09:29 PM
Aug 2016

That they lied is not even in question anymore.

Today the ones pulled off the plane admitted that Lochte made up the robbery story.

Lochte is in his early 30s, no longer a kid. He needs to immediately apologize to the people of Brazil, the Olympic committee, his team and to the American people, and hope that makes this drunken foolishness go away.

Otherwise he and the others have to face the music of possible legal consequences.

NWCorona

(8,541 posts)
77. I agree that there's some MAJOR inconsistencies.
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 09:43 PM
Aug 2016

There's still a lot of time missing from the footage.

I also posted a link to the story about his teammates flipping on him. Are they back in the states yet?

Judi Lynn

(160,217 posts)
81. Sad, pretending a man in his 30's should be excused because of his extreme youthfulness,
Fri Aug 19, 2016, 01:24 AM
Aug 2016

and hell, who among us hasn't torn up a bathroom because he/she couldn't get in to use it while drunk?

Besides, they are Americans, after all, and Winners! Yay! We're always Number One.

aggiesal

(8,864 posts)
19. Ryan Lochte apparently told police ...
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 04:37 PM
Aug 2016

and then had a phone interview with NBC, and said that
"... he and his teammates were mugged at gunpoint by at least
one man posing as a police officer. ..."

Video from the gas station (imagine that, a gas stations with video
surveillance) shows that the four swimmers where breaking down
the bathroom door when they couldn't open it.

Video also shows that one of the swimmers got into a fight with the
Security Guard that came by to see what happened. Apparently the
guard was armed, but never pulled from the holster. So the story
that Lochte gave about a gun pointed at his head, never happened.

BTW, you didn't have to mention "American exceptionalism", that post
was trying to point out how these 4 athletes exhibited "American exceptionalism"
and not in the pool, by lying to both the police and the media, until the
video showed otherwise.

 

B2G

(9,766 posts)
24. There was no fight on the video
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 05:03 PM
Aug 2016

The guard, who was an off duty police officer, and may very well have been wearing or flashed his badge, did un-holster his gun and point it at them.

There is also 3 minutes of footage that was edited out of the video that was released.

All of that was discussed in the press conference.

aggiesal

(8,864 posts)
44. Haven't seen the additional info ...
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 07:42 PM
Aug 2016

But I did see that authorities have indicted Lochte and Feigen for false reporting of a crime (ABC News)

 

YOHABLO

(7,358 posts)
25. They were drunk off their asses and they had to pee.
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 05:16 PM
Aug 2016

Yeah they showed some arrogance and stupidity .. but "American Exceptionalism" ? As if they could not have done the same stupid thing in any city in the U.S. OH please.

 

OBenario

(604 posts)
27. Have you seen...
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 05:29 PM
Aug 2016

... how Americans reacted to these news?

"Brazil is a shithole"
"Brazilians are savages"
"Rio is a shithole"
"Our poor little victimized children are at risk at the hands of those corrupted cops, oh my God"

Why did it take a confession and security camer for SOME Americans to start giving some credit to what Brazilian authorities say?

Yep. American exceptionalism.

 

yeoman6987

(14,449 posts)
49. Yep! Thank god that's finally reported
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 08:17 PM
Aug 2016

Vindicates the swimmers big time. They didn't realize they were paying for damages. However none spoke Portuguese and that's not how you pay for damages with a gun. Funny how guns are ok suddenly around here.

LisaL

(44,962 posts)
79. Seems like investigators in Brazil confirmed the the guard was armed.
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 10:19 PM
Aug 2016

So they were held at gun point, and apparently had to hand over money for damages to this bathroom. Which presumably could have been interpreted by them as robbery.


"Using video footage, accounts from witnesses and testimony from the swimmers, investigators said a security guard had brandished a gun after one or more of the athletes vandalized the gas station bathroom."

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/19/sports/olympics/police-say-ryan-lochte-lied-about-gunpoint-assault.html?_r=0

Judi Lynn

(160,217 posts)
83. Also written in your link:
Fri Aug 19, 2016, 01:52 AM
Aug 2016
RIO DE JANEIRO — Soon after the first news media reports surfaced Sunday morning of an armed assault on four American swimmers, the athletes were interviewed at the United States Olympic team’s hospitality house by State Department officials, national swim team officials and Olympic officials. They all agreed that the swimmers should avoid further attention and that the United States Olympic Committee would soon put out a statement. But Ryan Lochte, a 12-time medal winner, left the hospitality house and walked across the street to Ipanema Beach, where he gave a lurid interview to NBC, describing a gun-to-head holdup by men identifying themselves as police officers.



In his original account, Mr. Lochte said the car had been pulled over by armed men, one of whom put a gun against his head before taking the cash from his wallet. But police investigators said Thursday that Mr. Lochte and the others had acted more like small-minded vandals than the victims they claimed to be.

Making a stop around 6 a.m. Sunday at a Shell gas station, the men were obviously drunk, the station’s owner said. They broke a soap dispenser in the bathroom, damaged a door, tore down a sign and urinated around the premises, the owner told reporters.

“One of them was really worked up,” said Mr. Veloso, the police chief, who described Mr. Lochte, 32, as a kind of elder ringleader of the group.

So they peed all over the place, leaving that filthy job for some lowly worker to be exposed to, because he's (or she's) poor, and can't spend his life thinking of himself, and being pampered like a highly valued pet, and that's what he was born to do. (Democrats don't see things that way.)

Why not? Oh, they're Number 1!

[center][/center]
(Democrats don't see things that way.)

JCMach1

(27,544 posts)
39. the video shows the guard with a gun shaking them down for money
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 07:04 PM
Aug 2016

the part they left out was that they had done some damage and were being asked to pay for it.

Then Lochte lied to his mom about being robbed. She blabbed to the media. That's when things got out of control.

They paid for the damage, so this really should be a non-story.


guard with gun comes in around 1:16

Response to reorg (Reply #45)

PersonNumber503602

(1,134 posts)
51. I agreed with your assessment at first
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 08:23 PM
Aug 2016

but I put the video in full screen, and now I'm not sure if that's him just pointing his finger or not.

 

OBenario

(604 posts)
53. Pretty ackward way of handling a weapon, isn't it?
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 08:31 PM
Aug 2016

I mean, why would he put his entire arm inside a car full of people in that position?

PersonNumber503602

(1,134 posts)
57. Yeah, that thought came to mind too..
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 08:35 PM
Aug 2016

It matched up with the claim that the gun was put to one of the heads, but they have since retracted that claim.

*I'm not defending the actions of these swimmers in any way.

reorg

(3,317 posts)
69. it'ts not an assessment, it's a fact
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 09:00 PM
Aug 2016

It would never occur to me to comment on a video without watching it in full screen, several times ... on a 32 inch screen.

So, no, absolutely not. You definitely see it when he pulls the hand back a few seconds later. Unless he drops his 'weapon' inside the car, he never has it in his hand. His left hand, BTW.

Plus, what the guy with the bleached hair says in his interview with the American journalist, every sentence is an obvious lie, which you know when you have seen the video.

anneboleyn

(5,611 posts)
68. Yes, he pointed a gun -- the Rio police chief confirmed this! Three minutes are also "missing"
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 08:59 PM
Aug 2016

right after the crucial part begins, which the Rio police claimed were being withheld. Seriously. I am NOT a fan of Lochte but pointing a gun at them and collecting money (the athletes can be seen holding their hands up and handing over $$$) is extortion and would be illegal in the United States. It was confirmed by the Rio officials that the "security guard" had a gun and pointed it at the athletes.

reorg

(3,317 posts)
70. not at 1:16, probably later when they're told to get down
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 09:04 PM
Aug 2016

Do you know how Olympic swimmers look like from up close?

They are big guys with very broad shoulders, packed with muscles. If I were a security guard I would not approach them without a weapon, especially if they're drunk and become violent.

anneboleyn

(5,611 posts)
71. The Rio police chief confirmed this -- why we are debating it makes no sense. He points a gun at
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 09:15 PM
Aug 2016

them, and the three minutes at a crucial point are edited out, yes they are then standing outside of the taxi (the three minutes missing includes everything that would have shown what exactly happened in the taxi) and handing over money. They are also being held at gunpoint while they are sitting on the ground. This is why they are holding their hands up because they are being held at gunpoint.

As I said the Rio officials confirmed the gun, period. Yes Rio officials confirmed that the "security guard" had a gun and pointed that gun at the athletes. That is extortion. If this was ANY ATHLETE OTHER THAN LOCHTE NOBODY WOULD BE ARGUING THAT HE "deserved" this treatment.

reorg

(3,317 posts)
76. You are missing the point
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 09:37 PM
Aug 2016

I commented on post 39. Read it and get back to me, my friend.

I don't doubt that somebody else held them at gunpoint while they had to get down on the ground. How you reach the conclusion that this equals "extortion" is a mystery to me. There are many possible reasons why an armed security guard may point a gun at someone, obviously. What the bleached hair guy said in his interview are obvious lies, though.

 

Lance Bass esquire

(671 posts)
56. Fawk Brazil
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 08:33 PM
Aug 2016

We are Americans.
Gods CHOSEN people.
How dare they lock up our Red White and Blue Olympic Warrior's.

Thats whats wrong with this country nowdays .

If Ronald Reagan was president the troops would be on their way to liberate our mom's apple pie eating hero's.

Bunch of brown skin Latin types think they can have their way with the good ol' USA.

I'm just glad John Wayne ain't alive to see this travesty.

Be rolling in his grave.


Gotta go and take my Prozac.

USA #1

ucrdem

(15,512 posts)
73. Helluva way for a host to treat guests, even drunken guests
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 09:17 PM
Aug 2016

Yanking passports and dragging athletes off their plane was way out of line, and sending a camera crew and swat team to arrest that elderly IOC official from his hotel like in an episode of COPS was insane and provocative. Are they planning to go to war with Ireland or what?

Skeeter Barnes

(994 posts)
78. There wasn't such an uproar when the US hockey team trashed their rooms.
Thu Aug 18, 2016, 10:08 PM
Aug 2016

IIRC, they were drunk too. None of them were barred from leaving that country. I think it was Nagano Japan. All this seems a bit much for no more than what occurred. Rio officials would look better by just asking for an apology and telling them to leave.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Brazil police: Swimmers w...