Family members: Man shot at Miami Airport was loving, gentle

MAITLAND - Family members of the Orlando-area man who was shot to death at Miami International Airport by federal air marshals on Wednesday read a brief, handwritten statement Thursday that described him as loving and gentle. Relatives of Rigoberto Alpizar, 44, also asked about 30 news reporters stationed outside Alpizar's house on Gillis Court to leave.

``Rigoberto Alpizar a was a loving, gentle and caring husband, uncle, brother, son and friend. He was born in Costa Rica and became a proud American citizen several years ago. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him, Jeanne Jentsch of Wisconsin said as her brother, Steven Buechner, also from Wisconsin, stood at her side. A Christmas wreath hung on the front door.

On Gillis Court, where steady rains came down Thursday, friends and neighbors recalled a man who was by all accounts gentle and friendly. After Hurricane Charlie toppled trees and power lines in Central Florida, Alpizar offered to run an electrical line from his generator across the street to Janice Tweedie's house so the retired registered nurse could have electricity. He offered to help clean up the limbs and branches.

That's the kind of neighbor the people on Gillis Court are remembering.
''I cried when I heard it on TV,'' Tweedie, 68, said. ''He and his wife are just as friendly as puppies,'' Tweedie said. ``I felt like if something ever happened to me, I could call on him to help me.''

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/13361102.htm

I HAVE seen people questioning what else the FAMs could have done and why he was on the plane in the first place.

Although you are trying to reframe it as 'what else the FAMs could have done', that was not exactly the sentiments being expressed. It was more like 'they did exactly the right thing'. Vast difference in tone, don't you agree?

I HAVE seen a couple of posters claiming they would have "blown him away"...THAT seems to be more what you're getting at.

I'm in the "what else could the FAMs have done?" camp unless the basic information changes. I think the incident was extremely unfortunate, but I don't see that the FAMs had a choice, based on their training and mission.

Ok. Fine. We will have to disagree on that.

I'm in the "what else could the FAMs have done?" camp unless the basic information changes.

Uh hello? The original story put out at the time of the shooting was bullshit. We are now in the 'revised official story to fit the obvious disconnect form the original story' mode. What exactly would lead you to question the actions of the authorities in this case?

version of the story about the man on the London subway who was shot five times in the head by the cops that had been trailing him?

who MURDERED him.

It makes me wonder if police would have reacted the same way if the victims had been blonde, or female, or had an American accent. It seems like being dark-skinned is reason enough to be considered a likely terrorist. I just want to say that I don't believe the marshals were consciously racist, and I'm sure they believed he was a threat, but I wonder how many of these "assumptions" are being made in split-second decisions.

Some even gloating, some even admiring: "It was a good shot," etc.

justify his killing in my mind. To blame this poor man and accuse him of saying he had a bomb when so many witnesses said they never heard him say that is nothing more than lying to save yourself. If he had a bomb and wanted to blow up the plane why would he be running off the plane? None of it makes sense. What has this country become?

Very sad

I hope she doens't contemplate suicide or anything over this. Sorry but that would be about were my head is at, she is probably a much better person than me though.

it is common for widows to feel Guilty for not Saving their Loved One. She must be protected. My children helped me. My daughter reminded me not to let the Bad thing that Happened take all of the Light with it.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/3514066.html

"Buechner works for the Council on Quality and Leadership based in Towson, Md., a nonprofit organization focused on improving life for people with disabilities and mental illness, the organization said in a statement."

From the article you posted: "David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association, said he thinks the shooting may prove more "reassuring than disturbing" to the traveling public his organization represents. Armed police boarded the aircraft after the shooting, with some passengers in hysterics. McAlhany said he remembers having a shotgun pressed into his head by one officer, and hearing cries and screams from many passengers aboard the aircraft after the shooting in the jetway." Did those travelers feel reassured by this action? I sure don't.

Trigger happy, poorly trained law enforcement officials quite reassuring when I'm ready to fly:puke: Why do I get the feeling that this is just another exercise in conditioning the American sheeple for the oncoming tide of fascism. I remember when this sort of incident was taken care of without resorting to lethal force. But now it is a death penalty offense. What's next, shot for complaining about the shoddy airline service? Executed for being somehow vaguely threatening?

No, I don't find this reassuring at all, in fact I find this sort of incident scary as hell, and I won't be flying anymore unless I absolutely have to. So hey, corporate airlines, thank those trigger happy FAM thugs for driving away at least one paying customer.

I can't stand this Horror much longer.

Yes, it's always gone on, on so many levels, but I was busy raising kids and teaching high school.

I've experienced personal loss too Now; To the Women of the Alpizar Family, I know you will learn that the pain becomes a shrine to your/their own strength (never to be "given to 'Jesus'", or anyone else - Yours!) - part of the sweetness in remembering ALL of the Blessings Rigoberto Really Did Bring into All of Your/Their Lives; like my husband's, his "individuality" has been "harvested"; it can be good "food" to our Lives together, as you see him still, somehow, Any-how, Any-"where". That which called him forth has not finished what "it" is saying. I guess you might call it remembering Rigoberto's Goodness because it lives Still in All of You in the facts of the real blessings of what "was-is" your Life Together; You can See this Now, perhaps Rigoberto, like Others, was/is/were "ripe" Fruit, changed now into its Other Orders of Other-ness, whatever that "is". In any case, You will See Him "again". Let the Pain be Food to Your Strength.

Hare Krsna! Hare Rama!

He wasn't thinking clearly, and he panic because he thought a bomb was aboard the plane. Couldn't these men wrestle him to the ground before firing FIVE shots?

spent keeping Americans 'safe'. Now I forgot, is it the Department of Homeland Security and its agents OR the terrorists that we are supposed to fear???? Just wondering.......

:scared:

:hide:

...when we've got all of the facts?