Man Arrested For Killing Geese In Springfield Was Not Haitian | HuffPost Latest News




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Log InGo Ad-FreeNEWSPOLITICSENTERTAINMENTLIFEPERSONALVOICESSHOPPINGGAMESU.S. EditionOpen editions submenuCrimeDonald TrumpRacismj.d. vanceSomeone Was Arrested For Killing Geese In Springfield — But It Wasn’t A HaitianBrian Comer, a 64-year-old white man, was accused of illegally hunting geese at a golf course on the day Trump amplified racist lies about Haitian immigrants in the city.By Pocharapon NeammaneeAssociate reporterOct 3, 2024, 04:24 PM EDTLEAVE A COMMENTLOADINGERROR LOADINGA 64-year-old white man in Springfield, Ohio, was accused of illegally hunting geese at a golf course pond as former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, were spreading racist lies that Haitian immigrants in the area were eating geese and people’s pets.Brian Comer was charged with a misdemeanor in connection with the Sept. 10 incident. According to an arrest affidavit obtained by HuffPost, a golfer at Rocky Lakes Golf Course in Springfield reported seeing a Canada goose floating in a pond and Comer using a shotgun to shoot another bird.Advertisement

Comer didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment from HuffPost, but court records show he entered a guilty plea. A court spokesperson told HuffPost he paid $200 to cover a fine and court fees. Journalist Steven Monacelli first posted about the arrest on Thursday on X, formerly Twitter.The geese were hunted at a pond on the Rocky Lakes Golf Course in Springfield, Ohio, shown here via Google MapsGoogle MapsAccording to the affidavit by an Ohio Division of Wildlife officer, the golfer approached Comer about the dead goose in the pond, and Comer said there would be several more dead geese in a few minutes. Comer reportedly then got on his lawnmower with a shotgun and fired twice, killing a second goose. Advertisement

The golfer told police that Comer picked up the first goose and tossed it into the weeds and then broke the neck of the second bird, which had been wounded, according to the affidavit. Officers who spoke with the golf course manager the following day learned that Comer was an employee, according to the affidavit. The manager told authorities that she allowed several individuals, including Comer, to hunt on the property and claimed he should have all appropriate licenses and permits. However, when authorities checked with the Division of Wildlife’s licensing and harvest database, Comer did not have certifications to hunt migratory birds, according to the affidavit. Advertisement

Comer told authorities over the phone that he was cutting the grass at the course that day and wanted to shoot a few geese but admitted he did not have the necessary license and permits, according to the affidavit. He instead said he believed he was permitted to do so, thinking the golf course had a nuisance permit. (The state allows the killing of geese under nuisance permits only from March to August.)According to court records, Comer was arraigned on Sept. 18 on a fourth-degree misdemeanor count of prohibited activities against state-owned wild animals. The incident at Rocky Lakes Golf Course happened on the same day as the presidential debate between Trump and the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris. During the debate, Trump repeated the baseless claim that Haitian immigrants in Springfield were eating pets. At a rally two days later, he falsely accused immigrants of taking ducks and geese from Springfield parks and trails. Advertisement

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has said it found no proof of Haitian immigrants taking geese or ducks; a viral photo of a Black man holding a goose was actually taken in Columbus, where there has also been no evidence of Haitian immigrants harming animals, USA Today reported. A Facebook post that spread a rumor about a Haitian immigrant killing a cat has also been debunked, and the woman behind it told NBC News she regretted posting it. In spite of that, the racist lies have spread on far-right social media accounts and among Republican politicians. The racist tales have caused real harm against Haitians who are legally living in Springfield, according to a local nonprofit. The Haitian Bridge Alliance has filed a criminal affidavit seeking Trump’s and Vance’s arrest after attributing more than 30 “widespread bomb and other threats” against their community.Go Ad-Free — And Protect The Free PressThe next four years will change America forever. But HuffPost won't back down when it comes to providing free and impartial journalism.For the first time, we're offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless newsroom. We hope you'll join us.You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again. We won't back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can't do it without you.For the first time,  we're offering an ad-free experience. to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you'll join us.You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again. We won't back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can't do it without you.For the first time,  we're offering an ad-free experience. to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you'll join us.Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.The group filed a supplemental affidavit on Wednesday following the vice presidential debate, claiming that Vance effectively admitted on stage that he had been lying about Haitians in Springfield when he protested CBS’ fact-checking about their legal status. Advertisement

“Not only did Vance lie again during the debate about legal Haitian immigrants in Springfield, by protesting fact checking, he admitted he was lying,” Subodh Chandra, the Haitian Bridge Alliance’s lead counsel, said in a statement. “He knows the harm he’s inflicting and doesn’t care. That’s criminal.” RelatedDonald TrumpRacismj.d. vanceSpringfield, OhioTrump’s Lies Have Put A Target On Haitian Immigrants In Small TownsHaitians Want Trump Arrested For 'Harmful Lies.' The Campaign Responded With Another Lie.Vance Won’t Stop Attacks On Haitians Legally In U.S., Falsely Claims They’re ‘Illegal Aliens’ Go to HomepageLEAVE A COMMENTSuggest a correction|Submit a tipAdvertisement
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Old white men are eating the dowgs. They're eating the cats.