The United States has been charging the headlines - not just for its spiking COVID-19 tally but for the Black Lives Matter protests that have turned violent in many states. After making the headlines for police brutality and law officers resorting to extreme measures to disperse peaceful protestors in cities like Portland. But two isolated incidents just a week apart have drawn an unfortunate connection - both involve AK-47s, one person used it, the other didn't but only one ended up dead.
Anti-masker fires AK-47 at cops - ARRESTED
One Adam Zaborowski, a 35-year-old Pennsylvania resident, engaged in a violent gun fight with the state law officers last week, an incident which drew nationwide attention. Over what? A face mask.
It all started when Zaborowski visited a local cigar shop and was asked to wear a mask, which has been made mandatory in most locations outside of the home starting July 1. Zaborowski angrily refused, pulled a gun and shot at the clerk. When the state cops showed up at his door the next morning, Zaborowski opened fire at the police with an AK-47. The shootout left at least 7 officers injured and the shooter was arrested after being hit in the buttocks and leg, which he is expected to recover from soon.
Zaborowski is charged with 22 counts including attempted homicide, aggravated assault, and robbery, police said. His bail is set at $1 million.
Justifying his actions, his attorney John Waldron revealed that "he just wasn't dealing well with the loss of his job, the loss of his child, just not handling the pandemic well."
BLM protestor carries AK-47 - DEAD
In another incident from last week, one Garrett Foster of Texas, had an unfortunate fate. He was carrying an AK-47 at a Black Lives Matter protest near the state Capitol in Austin. It is a common practice for gun-rights supporters to carry rifles at protests in Texas and it's legal to do so. On July 25, Foster had spoken to a journalist in a brief interview about why he carried his rifle.
"They don't let us march in the streets anymore, so I got to practice some of our rights," Foster said. "If I use it against the cops, I'm dead."
But it was later that night, Foster was dead. He was not shot by the police, but a motorist who had confronted the protestors. The driver opened the fire and shot Foster thrice, and he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
