Filmmaker jailed in grenade launcher terrorism hoax
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PHOENIX (AP) - A Phoenix man has been accused of dressing his 16-year-old nephew in a sheet and sending him into a busy street with a fake grenade launcher, then filming the masked teenager pointing the faux weapon at passing cars.
Authorities said it was all to see how fast city police would react to a mock terrorist act.
Michael D. Turley was arrested Monday, nearly two months after the bizarre film was posted to Google Inc.'s YouTube site. He posted $5,000 bond and was released.
In the film, the narrator who police identified as Turley, said he wanted to see how long it took authorities to respond. The introduction to the video mentions the July 20 theater shooting in Aurora, Colo., that killed 12.
"Given this event, I wanted to run a little test here in Phoenix, Arizona," Turley said. "I want to find out how safe I really am, and I want to know the response time of the Phoenix police department."
The YouTube clip showed the masked teen marching back and forth at an intersection with the rocket-propelled grenade launcher on his shoulder.
The first officer found Turley and the teen in a neighborhood, standing in Turley's driveway.
The officer calmly told the boy to put down the weapon and Turley to put down the camera. He didn't draw his gun.
Officer James Holmes, a police spokesman, said Turley told the officer they were just filming a movie, and the officer took down their names and left.
After interviewing people who called 911 and later seeing the video posted on YouTube, police arrested Turley.
"It surprised us that he actually put that video on YouTube," Holmes said.
The police response took just over three minutes from the first call, and a helicopter and SWAT team was dispatched as backup, Holmes said.
Turley, 39, doesn't have a listed phone number. He didn't immediately respond to messages sent Wednesday through the YouTube account.
Police said Turley was charged with creating a false impression of a terrorist act, endangerment, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and misconduct involving simulated explosives.
Holmes said police are recommending charges of endangerment and knowingly giving a false impression of a terrorist act for a juvenile court to decide whether to file against the teen, whose name was not released because he is a minor.
Authorities said it was all to see how fast city police would react to a mock terrorist act.
Michael D. Turley was arrested Monday, nearly two months after the bizarre film was posted to Google Inc.'s YouTube site. He posted $5,000 bond and was released.
In the film, the narrator who police identified as Turley, said he wanted to see how long it took authorities to respond. The introduction to the video mentions the July 20 theater shooting in Aurora, Colo., that killed 12.
"Given this event, I wanted to run a little test here in Phoenix, Arizona," Turley said. "I want to find out how safe I really am, and I want to know the response time of the Phoenix police department."
The YouTube clip showed the masked teen marching back and forth at an intersection with the rocket-propelled grenade launcher on his shoulder.
The first officer found Turley and the teen in a neighborhood, standing in Turley's driveway.
The officer calmly told the boy to put down the weapon and Turley to put down the camera. He didn't draw his gun.
Officer James Holmes, a police spokesman, said Turley told the officer they were just filming a movie, and the officer took down their names and left.
After interviewing people who called 911 and later seeing the video posted on YouTube, police arrested Turley.
"It surprised us that he actually put that video on YouTube," Holmes said.
The police response took just over three minutes from the first call, and a helicopter and SWAT team was dispatched as backup, Holmes said.
Turley, 39, doesn't have a listed phone number. He didn't immediately respond to messages sent Wednesday through the YouTube account.
Police said Turley was charged with creating a false impression of a terrorist act, endangerment, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and misconduct involving simulated explosives.
Holmes said police are recommending charges of endangerment and knowingly giving a false impression of a terrorist act for a juvenile court to decide whether to file against the teen, whose name was not released because he is a minor.
I used to think Arizona was beautiful. But people just muck it up and make it real ugly.
I'm surprised the transvestite terrorist wasn't shot. He certainly looks like he's a real threat with that weapon and the standard-issue terrorist mask he's got on, wearing a dress or not.
I did not shoot them, drug gangs. It was bad. We pulled up and came back to the Northwest.
Kudos to the citizens of Phoenix. The liberal gas bags would have loved if you blazed this idiot down, as AZ loves freedom. And Freedom means you may be armed.
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Run into a lot of nice folks down there. Most all people are armed and for good reason. Drug runners and illegal aliens galore. My ranch in Scottsdale was obviously in a very nice area. Had two Mexican runners capped off my front entry road.
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You carry there. I always did.Â
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Meat head was lucky some dope did not give him lead poisoning.  Chances are good, whoever did would not have been convicted.
As many of you so aptly state at times, you can't fix stupid.Â
"...rocket-propelled grenade launcher..."
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Arizona is a concealed carry State. He makes the rest of us with RPGL permits look bad.Â
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And no, I am not glad to see you.
What a freaking idiot. He should have been left behind bars without bail. Teach that nitwit a lesson!
Not to bright Skippy!
What an idiot. Guess this would've been a good opportunity for the police to beat the crap out of the guy to test the response of medic one.
Charges should also be filed against the Stupid 16 year old (unless he was deceived by his DUMB uncle).
If I was that kids parents, I would shoot the uncle myself. What the hell was he thinking to put his nephew in that kind of danger.
I wonder how he would have felt if the police shot & killed his 16 year old nephew. What an idiot.
Pointing an RPG is a deadly threat.
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Responding with lethal force is justified.
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No way to know it was a kid.... no way to know the RPG is fake.
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It would be a justified shooting.
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They got very lucky.
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The 16 year old is lucky the right cop showed up. He could have been shot with this little stunt.
 @Surveyor1 Yep.... As far as I am concerned..... clean shoot! Too many nuts these days who will hurt others.....
A 3 minute response time is pretty damn good. Wow this guy is an idiot.
Point, squeeze, launch, boom, hop in car. 2 and a half minutes later the police show up, and after that the helicopters arrive. Not bad response times really, but it goes to prove that in reality a terrorist can get away with nearly anything unless the we, the people, stay alert and get involved (follow the car, or thwart the act). It shows we really CAN"T have enough 'boots on the ground' to be everywhere, all the time.
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I hope the filmmaker is given a modest fine at most, as it did point out some useful information and no real harm was done.
 @theToucan Interesting you feel the fine/punishment should be light..... Many children and adults have lost their lives for packing a toy/mock weapon... Most were ruled clean shoots....... If not all....
 @Funky-Munky Interesting you feel any display of a weapon is cause for firing on someone. At least, that is my take on your statement. I really don't care how many have been shot, most were when raising the weapon towards a member of law enforcement, or in a darkened (at night) household) Not in broad daylight, nor with someone filming.
@theToucan @Funky-Munky Umm.. did you read the first paragraph. He was pointing it at cars. Anyone would have been perfectly justified to take out grenade boy.
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To the original point, yes there was harm done. In terms of cost, the risk of injury to others, and anyone that may have needed real emergency response might not have gotten it because of this terrorist threat which would likely be considered a priority. These idiots should pay for all of it.Â