Sunday, July 5, 2009

Update # 4

Just got off phone from Hunter. He was in a building at the airport with other Press types. They heard Mel was arriving. Commotion started outside and they were told to get to other end of airport. They went running outside and saw people running towards an area. He went there just as an ambulance was pulling out. Saw very large pool of blood. Told 2 to 3 dead.

Person there told him that rocks had been thrown at soldiers and one (soldier/police)walked up to the fence and started shooting. I need to clarify that Hunter did not see this but was told this from the protesters. He has no confirmation that this is what happened. People were showing Hunter the brass and it appeared to be 5.56. He did not see any on the ground and does not know if this was from the shooter. Said everyone was scrambling around trying to find some.

Protest organizers are trying to send people home. They do not want any more blood shed. Crowd has calmed down but it was very tense when Hunter first arrived. police/army had pulled back from fence. Few people are leaving and he said the crowd is a lot better now. He got pictures of the blood. He did not hear the shots personally.

He did see an older man in a white shirt reach down into the blood pool and cover his hands. He then wiped them on his shirt to make it look like his blood or that he had been involved. Hunter saw what he thought was an AP photographer take the man's picture. Hunter said if you see it on the web, don't believe it. It was faked.

He is heading back into the crowd and will update if anything warrants further coverage. Plans on posting pics and his write up when he gets back to hotel. It will be better than mine. Doing this from hastily scratched notes while confirming his safety.

9 comments:

  1. HS- I placed your site on my favorites roll July 3...I'm also going to 'tell' Carlos about your site-he also posts on the situation in Honduras...
    Thank you - again - for your truth-telling reporting...
    C-CS

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  2. Praying for your safety and for all of those in Honduras.

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  3. Looks like he called it on the staged photo:

    http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/pictures/HND314.htm

    good work!

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  4. Hunter, great reporting, i am on San Pedro Sula, my blog is at http://gerardoparedes.wordpress.com

    We are worried because of the actions of Zelaya, he is trying a power grab, this is a fight against communism. And one we will fight alone because barry obama is not on our side

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  5. Hunter great job on reporting i have been talking about what is happening in Honduras over the last few days on my blog.

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  6. I have posted about the faked photo, with a hat tip to LDG, at http://legalinsurrection.blogspot.com/2009/07/reuters-runs-staged-photo-of-bloody.html

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  7. If a shooting actually took place, I don't know if it's proper to call the photos "faked." I would like to hear some confirmation of what actually happened.

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  8. phil, you will never hear any 'confirmation' of what actually happened, ever. the spin machines from all sides are all warmed up, so it will be 'a cruel and heartless attack by government forces on peacefull citizens', or 'a desperate defense of the airport, by a soldier set upon by crazed terrorists.'
    the important fact is that that man was not involved, and used the blood to further his own adgenda. And he was able to.

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  9. Excellent Job!! Check out your photos at the NAM News Network... www.namnewsnetwork.org

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