Black Child Burned Alive in Arizona

Racism Forum

Malik Thomas, a 9-year old was doused with gasoline and set on fire by a group of White childen. Two weeks after incident no one has been charged. Motorists and bystanders had smothered the flames before fire officials arrived. An Mexican child claimed that he was also a target, but was able to get away.

The Arizona Pinal County Sheriff dept has released very little info on the crime to the family or media. Spokesman say because of investigation. Sheriff told family that clothing Malik was wearing had been lost but Fire dept said they have it in a locker.

Vive Mayor Mike Johnson requested Bureau of ATF and FBI to assist in investigation.

" We want justice for Malik" said mother, Pamela Bishop. "

Thats horrible, but why is this in the racism forum? Was the attack racially motivated?

I think that's why they want to get the FBI involved. They usually take care of so-called "hate crimes," don't they?

Whether racially motivated or not, its terrible any way you think of it.

Accusations fly in burning death of 9-year-old black boy in May
By Amanda Lee Myers
the Associated Press
Tucson, Arizona

advertisementTwo children fought to save the life of their 9-year-old friend who was burned to death after the boys began horsing around with gasoline and matches in Arizona City, authorities said Wednesday.

Pinal County Sheriff Chris Vasquez responded to allegations that the May 14 death of the black boy, Malik Thomas, was racially motivated in a case that has sheriff's officials and family representatives hurling accusations and contradicting basic facts of the investigation.

Meanwhile, the head of an Arizona chapter of a civil rights organization said the investigation has been a textbook example of ineptitude.

Sheriff's spokesman Mike Minter said Malik and his 9- and 11-year-old white friends found a milk jug filled with liquid at a construction site in the small town of Arizona City, about halfway between Tucson and Phoenix. They began kicking the jug around a room, then tossed matches at it.

"The fumes had built up in the room and an explosion occurred," Minter said. "The black boy was standing in front of the other boys and the explosion engulfed him."

The third-grader died later at a hospital.

Family representatives have asserted that the two boys doused Malik in gasoline and intentionally set him on fire. They also say that Malik told family members and officials before he died that the boys threw gasoline all over him and then threw a match at him.

Vasquez said the only thing Malik was able to say before being intubated and then going into surgery was that he was hurt and wasn't the one who threw the match.

Doctors said there were no signs Malik's clothes were saturated with a flammable liquid.

He said he couldn't be more sure the death was a tragic accident — not a hate crime.

"His friends did everything they could to get Malik to stop, drop and roll and tried to bat out the flames," Vasquez said. "They tried to save his life, and in my opinion, that's not indicative of someone committing a racially motivated crime.

"When someone commits a racially motivated crime, they're not going to try to save the person's life," Vasquez added. "They're going to flee and these boys stayed. They never left his side."
He added that Malik and one of the boys were inseparable and that the two were seen together so often that they were dubbed "Batman and Robin."

A family representative said Vasquez's characterization of the relationship between Malik and the other boy as close friends is "absolutely untrue."

"They knew each other, they went to school, they did play from time to time," said Art Mobley, a friend and spokesman for the family. "Malik called everybody his friend."

The Rev. Jarrett Maupin, head of the Arizona chapter of the National Action Network, a civil rights organization founded by the Rev. Al Sharpton, said he is disappointed with the investigation.

"The sheriff doesn't want the attention turned on his ridiculous, unorganized and unorthodox investigation," Maupin said.

I dont know if it was racially motivated or not...

THOUGH...the truth might be told if people can get Al Sharpton or his reps to leave the picture.

The accusations most likely started when they got involved. As Usual.

Their explanation is dumb, though. They found a milk bottle filled with gas (possible), they started playing with it and spilling it all over the place (also possible), then started throwing matches at it (now, come on, seriously?)...

If he was burnt to the point that he died, how were they able to tell that his clothes weren't saturated with the gasoline? That poor kid. Unfortunately, at this point, unless the other boys confess to having doused him with the gas, it doesn't look like a hate crime... esp if the victim, and one of the "suspects" were such close friends that they were inseperable. Also, they would have fleed the scene... that, I agree with. No matter what, this is such a horrible thing to happen to anyone, especially a child. That saddens me.

Years ago, here in San Diego, there was a group of children that went down in the canyon to play. This is in an area where the military used to do A LOT of practice war games (that's going back... waaaaaaaay back), and the canyons in this area are known to have mortar shells. Well, these kids found one, from digging. One picked it up and began playing with it. It finally went off, and killed two of the kids. BOTH of the third graders that died were my mom's students, at that time. She was devestated. Was the kid who was playing with it, responsible for their deaths? NO. It was an accident.

I just hope that the truth is found out... and that the family of this boy, who died from the burns, can find some shred of peace. No parent should have to bury their child.

Has conservative news shows reported this crime? The girl from Aruba is reported daily.

ANYONE but him!!!!

With Al Sharpton on the case, the entire thing will be nothing but a circus in the media, and about nothing but this being racial based.

What lawless said. If the two boys who performed this act were truly acting out of stupidity, then they don't deserve to have their entire lives to be ruined by Mr. Sharpton. They're going to need enough councilling as it is.

Though like I said: they started throwing matches at the gasoline tank thing? Wtf?

Mystic, you brought up some really good points here, esp in that last post.


And you're right... having passion for something is great. We all have it, for something in our lives. But, if that one thing causes you to be obsessive about it, and you're overboard, eventually (or maybe too soon) people WILL turn their heads, in disgust, because they DONT want to hear it anymore.

You left out that Superman is a white guy.

It's not that they are antiAmerican... it's that malcolm almost seems antiwhite.

I was about to make the same observation. Apparently anything that remotely involves white people is racist. Presumable Russia is a racist country because almots 90% of their population is white.

[QUOTE]malcolm xx said this in post #17 :
[B]

No African soccer team has an Black coach in WC although the teams have all Black players;

Actually I know for a fact that you are wrong because Alngola has a black manager and a white Goalkeeper also Toga have two white midfielders. Where does that leave your little theory?

Have a wee look if you want

Angola

I'm no expert in these matters, but that coach looked "Black".


Kady bar the door!

Yes Malcolm a manager and a coach are the same I can give you an example if you ask me.

As for the players simple it is to make you look like what you reall are. You said that the African teams are all black players and all white managers, yet with this one team we have a Black manager and a white Goalie so what does that say about your theory.

As for the reality of things sunshine well the reality is on that FIFA webapge staring at you probably making you fell stupid when in truth you should feel embarresed because it's people like you that are all talk and no fact or reserach that does damage to the race equality movement and gives power to white supremacy groups and for that YOU should feel ashamed.

The question is are there any Black WC soccer coaches out there anywhere?

If so, did they apply for the job of one of the soccer teams of Africa or other countries? Did they have the qualifications and experience the other coaches have?

My opinion on this matter is that it is probably relative to skills, availability and opportunities of the coaches and not a racist issue.

If an African soccer team wanted to hire a strictly African or "Black" coaches they would do it. If they wanted only Black players or White, Latin or any race of players they could do that but they chose the better players and coaches who would bring something more than their skin color to the team.

To me that is not racist.