UPDATE - Occupy Protester Shot By Oakland Police Is Scott Olsen, A Marine Vet With 2 Tours In Iraq (PHOTOS)

Details and several photos are below.

• Watch video of the shooting HERE

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Members of Occupy Oakland carry away Marine Veteran Scott Olsen, a Veterans for Peace member, after he was hit by a tear gas canister shot by the police near the City Hall.

A U.S. Marine veteran is in a critical condition in hospital tonight after being injured by a police gas canister during last night's Occupy Oakland protests, which saw running battles break out between authorities and protesters as a crowd tried to reclaim an encampment.

Scott Olsen, 24, of Daly City, California, an Iraq veteran and member of Veterans for Peace, suffered a skull fracture and brain swelling after being hit in the head during the riots. Officers had cleared the site of demonstrators around 12 hours earlier in a dawn raid where at least 85 people were arrested.

More photos are here and here.

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Scott Olsen, 24, of Daly City, California, an Iraq veteran and member of Veterans for Peace, suffered a skull fracture and brain swelling after the incident.
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• Watch video of the shooting HERE

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The injured man is Scott Olsen, a Marine Corps veteran twice deployed to Iraq and member of Veterans for Peace.  He is in the hospital now in stable but serious condition with a fractured skull, struck by a police projectile (believed to be a tear gas cannister) fired into the crowd.

After protesters run to the aid of the injured Marine, Oakland Police deliberately throw a flash grenade into the crowd.  Whatever you think of the Occupy movement, police behavior of this kind is criminal and should be prosecuted.

Address for the hospital where Scott Olsen is recovering, if you wish to send a card.

Highland Hospital
1411 E. 31st Street
Oakland, CA 94602

Comments

[john]

From Twitter:

wanderinghome Elijah Nouvelage
by occupyoakland
@MMFlint: "Scott Olsen (Iraq War vet shot in head by cops w/ tear gas) @OccupyOakland) now in a medically-induced coma & on a respirator."
1 hour ago

[neil]

hey scott I know your wounded
soon you'll be repaired
you need to know you are a brother
fighting a system thats not fair
when the people are united
and all the liars fall
you know you did your bit
you are a hero not a fool
like those who remain unmoved
sold themselves as willing slaves
into a system that devalues life
in so many different ways
you need to get well quick
get back up on you feet
hold the lines with your brothers and sisters
untill the world is fully at peace

..peace..

[Danny]

Hey mate get better and maybe also come out and tell us why you went and served as an occupying force in an illegal war? for what the police did to you, its not even close compared to what you did to iraqi civilians! You killed 2m civilians in order to get 20cents off your gas bill! and now crying about taxes against the rich, what the shit did you think you was doing in iraq? fighting and murdering for those same people you are protesting now!

[nfries88]

Danny, man of us found out the truth of the war only after serving. Don't hold it against Mr. Olson.

Get better soon, Olson.

[Big M]

nfries88, every single person in the military knows that the invasion/occupation was based on lies. They were exposed years ago. I hold it against him, and every single son of a bitch over there killing people and helping to turn that country into an environmental nightmare, when nobody there did a damned thing to us, and couldn't if they wanted to.

That being said, f*** cops!

[Paul]

@Danny ... Wow, that kind of vindictiveness is so opposed to the spirit of this movement. Young people join the military for all sorts of reasons. None of us has any idea what drove Mr. Olson to make his decision. We also shave no idea how he felt about the war itself. The age we are trying to birth is an age of tolerance and aperspectivity. His actions now are what is important. People change. Punishing someone for their past is completely counterproductive. Please use that fiery energy to create positive change!

[stk33]

I like it how while liberal media is mourning Iraq occupation, million+ of killed Iraqis (guess by whom?), here, when convenient, being Iraqi Veteran suddenly becomes an honor, and is proudly underlined in all stories. While I'm absolutely not saying that shooting him was right, still, if I was someone who was killing Iraqis, I'd rather keep quiet about it. Two tours = double the killings. You already forgot these videos of the soldiers shooting at civil cars in Iraq right at the street as they pass by? go and remind yourselves, google "Blackwater shoot people for sport".

I wonder if Germans are or ever have been paying special respect to "USSR Veterans".

[Officer I don't give a fuck]

We own the streets, and we'll pop off any marine any day, any time, cause that's what we're paid to do. We don't give a fuck about you or your service.

[Former Marine]

The cops and government are our TRUE ENEMY!!

[jman]

Did people miss the part about him being involved in Veterans For Peace? Think I read he's also a member of Iraq Veterans against the war. He obviously reached the same conclusion on the war the rest of us have and was trying to do something about it. And he was a marine, not Blackwater employee, so thats silly and irrelevant, too. Come on people, let's think before we write.

[debryon]

My prayers are with you Scott Olsen. My heart truly rises to the hope you go on to have a long and healthy life.

[Carlos]

Respect Scott! May peace & love bring healing. The past is over what matters is now, now that you support peace. All of us on this planet have evil pasts, one does not need to be in a military to cause havoc & destruction. Our very actions here will effect actions elsewhere on the planet. All these infiltrators in the movement trying to create divisions with hate are part of the same force that sends troops out around the world to die for corporation's interests. So know that!

[Wish you well Danny]

Danny, you survived two deployments to Iraq and, ironically, was injured by our own people. This is very sad! My prayers are with you and your family. Thanks for caring and standing up for all of us. I pray that you recover quickly. May the world come to its senses and may peace rain down on us soon.

Thanks again, Danny! May God be with you!

[Jay Stuart Jr.]

From Tinnamen Square to Oakland Square Welcome to U.S.A.

[Jay Stuart Jr.]

To prove my point in one small way: U.S police is being sent to Israel for training against the U.S. Intifdadah that is swinging the pendulms, while big people with ties and suits are being mum. One small example. Most of the spies caught in U.S. were jews including top notch guy at NASA trying to sell U.S. nuclear secrets to Israel. Look up who all the spies were, and you will know. These spies are from the same country that we give billions of dollars to kill arabs, keeping the cycle of terrorism churning. However, I must say, people of the united states are awakening. As the famous saying goes " you can fool all the people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all the time". See AIPAC white paper written by University of Chicago and Harvard Universities which spells out how U.S. is controlled by zionist jews and Israel.

[Common Sense]

Is this Jay Stuart guy for real? That is just a ridiculous thought fueled by bigotry and not facts.

Get better Scott

[Jeff L]

Sadaam was a dictator so ruthless his own people did not dare stand against him, Kadaffi is dead at the hands of his own people I think the war in Iraq is something not to comment about I mean look who did get hit probably the guy with the balls at the front of it all. Miliatary dictators are a thing of the past and thats what the Iraq war was about and the negligence of the people to move over the border to Afghanistan to quash Alqaida from their suicide bombings of markets in the region and such. How can you take a verbal piss on someone who has just sacrificed themselves, these are the people that you need to support because if you dont have their support you wont just be getting tear gassed get it?

[Jeff L]

If you want to make up a conspiracy theory that suicide bombings from Alqaida and radical muslim groups dont happen please go over to the middle east preaching this and be ripped limb from limb by the local people who have to suffer this religous insanity.

[neil]

I have spent a long time with the people of the middle east,and know them well.......,freemasonic zionist worms sqids need to know their game is up and all that they do and have done will be exposed to the world,and that their colonialist suprremacist mindset will be wiped out,as it is not needed in the world

[Sean Ayala]

Sear Scott,
All I have to say to you is, get well and have a speedy recovery!
- Semper Fidelis!

_To the rest of the world and specifically the occupy movement. What the hell are you All doing?
Talk about put the cart in front of the horse. I know as Americans we can find a lot to botch about, all you have proven is most of 'us' around the world are tired with the current systems our forefathers have placed before us.

True we have problems. But you have to stand for something and seek a change towards some defined goal!
How about we reseat our government with a better representation of
"we the people" to reflect the drastic diversity of our nation. Or have anyone with holdings a certain cap reinvest resources, or share money with the poor. Something, other than taking action as you have!

I look at all the occupy supporters on TV I so many hurt and confused faces, now my brother Marine is hurt. Someone ultimately needs to Speak up and lead as well as take responsibility for this temper tantrum you so convinced our people into. Take responsibility for being a crappy grass roots leader, get your shot together and define what your bitching about define your objectives and how about solutions which have been thought out and make sense. If not please tell everyone how great you actually have it everyone go home, go to school or work or seek work. Now people are getting hurt I'm lookinginto who is actually responsible, like this Marine, the Police were doing their job, when this accident happened.
Sgt / Officer Candidate, Combat Veteran from Austin, TX

[hard thinker]

Yes, everyone - please stop taking action! We need to 'reseat' our government. Obviously the police where only doing their job. They are not responsible for their actions.

Establishment sympathizers please remain in your freedom cages - it is for your own safety! We promise to fix everything like we always do for you.

[citizen]

I sincerely hope you remain an officer candidate only. the thought of you leading other people is frightening.

[Texas Dar]

Please People, Think.......thAre was a time I said ....Tea Baggers, ........Yes I had no clue what I was saying. It was all I heared on MSM. Thought it was the term.................Boy did Dar feel like "Shit-Crap", for not doing my homework.............

Soooooooooo, lets say that many of our GI's belived what the MSM told them about the war. Well, Shit, im gona enlist and Protect our Country..........Many have found out the truth. In the service, on the DB, and at the work place from someone who knew the truth........

How many are still blind and think the Flu Shot is REAL...........Come On, who is so misinformed that ya'll think the flu shot, or any Vaccine is good for you.............?

Dont ever get another shot for you or yr pet..............Google, Dr Mercola, everything you read is the truth. The goverment, CDC, WHO, Big Pharma, Bill Gates, George Soros, are Going to "Kill" 7 Billion People by 2100...........

Dont take my word for it, check it out for yr self.........The goverment has it down sooooo smoth, most cant see the lye. So cut the Man some slak, and, Sir, get well soon........!

[Concerned]

What police state can boost a single protester shot [by teargas] in its streets after weeks of protest. How jaded you folks on the Left are, how hypocritical are your folks Left of Center; how shameful has you people of the press whom would know the truth if it bit you in the ass.

[Funny Guy]

My guess; not s single Marine has posted here.