Man dressed like The Joker slain by police in park

[Raiden]

Man dressed like The Joker slain by police in park

FRONT ROYAL, Va. – A soldier dressed and wearing face-paint like Batman villain The Joker was shot and killed by police in the Shenandoah National Park after he pointed a loaded shotgun at them after a chase, an FBI affidavit says.

Army Spc. Christopher Lanum, a suspect in the stabbing of a fellow soldier at Fort Eustis, was killed hours after the attack when officers attempted to stop the minivan he was driving, according to court documents filed Wednesday that first disclosed the weekend shooting.

Lanum's girlfriend Patsy Ann Marie Montowski, a passenger in the van, was hit by gunfire and treated at a hospital. She was arrested Wednesday evening and charged with being accessory after the fact to assault, authorities said.

A lawyer for Montowski was not listed in court documents.

According to the FBI affidavit filed in federal court in Montowski's case, Lanum was dressed in The Joker outfit at the time of an argument early Sunday with his Fort Eustis suite mate, Spc. Mitchell Stone. Montowski told the FBI that Lanum idolized the character.

Stone told emergency workers that Lanum stabbed him and used a stun gun on him, authorities said, adding he was taken to a hospital for serious injuries and later released.

Stone told emergency workers that Lanum stabbed him and used a stun gun on him, the affidavit said. Stone was taken to a hospital for serious injuries and later released.

Lanum and Montowski fled in her van, which a park ranger spotted about 200 miles northwest of the base, according to authorities. The ranger called for help, and Lanum led police on a slow-speed chase before running over a spike strip laid down by police and crashing, they added.

The FBI said Montowski told them that Lanum handed her the shotgun and asked her to kill him, but she refused. The affidavit says Lanum pointed the gun at police, his finger on the trigger, and refused commands to drop the weapon. A trooper fired through the driver's side window, Lanum's shotgun discharged, and police fired several times.

The trooper and park rangers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of internal investigations, according to a joint state police, FBI and National Park Service release.

 

[JP]

Now if only those same cops could head on over to the bat-boards.

 

[Drizzle]

"Wanna know how I got these scars? I pointed a loaded shotgun at a cop once. He didn't like that. Not. One. Bit."

 

[Manic]

Call NCIS. Gibbs will get the full story.



Or was this the army? Because if that's the case, call the CIDC. They don't have a TV show, though.

 

[Alex The Great]

"Wanna know how I got these scars? I pointed a loaded shotgun at a cop once. He didn't like that. Not. One. Bit."

 

[Johann Krauss]

lol

 

[Jennifer Walters]

They don't have enough bullets in the world for that, JP.

 

[DeGenerate10]

Those cops to Batman: Was that so damn hard?

 

[chaseter]

Now if only those same cops could head on over to the bat-boards.

This is win on a whole nuvva leval

 

[Dew k. Mosi]

Those cops to Batman: Was that so damn hard?

 

[AnorexicBatman]

Where's your realism now Nolan?



Talk about a real fan. He had the shotgun, the makeup, the van... everything but Harvey Dent and Batman .....

 

[Ghostvirus]

Why So Stupid?

 

[Eggyman]

He died? Guess he never heard of the healing power of laughter.

 

[Knightsaber Priss]

That guy died like a wuss. He insults the name of the Joker by not going out with more flair.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

What a freak. What is wrong with these people? They get bullied at school? Not enough love from their parents? Well that's tough ****, deal with it. Don't go on a spree and take it out on other people.

"I'm glad your dead!" [/JackJoker]

 

[Cunning Stunts]

Even more proof that people who think they're just as "badass" as The Joker...

DIE!

 

[Majic Walrus]

I wonder if the popularity of this article is because of TDK or if the man's actions are because of the popularity of TDK. Either way... If you've got to go it's best to go to the city mourge dressed as the goddamn Joker.

 

[SuBe]

I wonder if he was Joker 89' or TDK Joker. If he dressed up as 1989 Joker, he deserved it.

 

[terry78]

I am so glad our police are closet fanboys. They recognize supervillainy when they see it. Though the real crime is mixing purple colors with green.....hellooooo.

 

[Drakon]

Where's your realism now Nolan?



Talk about a real fan. He had the shotgun, the makeup, the van... everything but Harvey Dent and Batman .....

Even had his own Harleen....

 

[GuardianofOa]

Just one more damn thing for annoying Dark Knight fans to talk about. God will it ever end?

 

[Logan's Lady]

Just one more damn thing for annoying Dark Knight fans to talk about. God will it ever end?

nope... never

Feels even more real when stuff like this happens within 50 miles of where you live.

 

[huskerwebhead]

Now if only those same cops could head on over to the bat-boards.

Just one more damn thing for annoying Dark Knight fans to talk about. God will it ever end?

*sigh* I'm with ya....

 

[Knightsaber Priss]

What's up with the hostility towards the Bat Boards? I could understand if it was over enthusiasm for a festering cesspool of a movie like Bayformers 2, but the Dark Knight? An actual good movie? Just lighten up for God's sake. Are you like Marvel fans?

 

[kane9321]

Why so serious?