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Subscribe to RSSPolice are investigating the shooting of two teenage girls in a small Texas community along the Gulf of Mexico. KRIS reporter Lindsay Curtis has the story.
Two teenage girls in a relationship were found with gunshot wounds to the head in a south Texas park, with one of them dying from her injuries, media reports say. Police were searching for their assailants.
Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and Mary Christine Chapa, 18, were found in knee-deep grass in a nature area in Portland by a couple Saturday, said Portland Police Chief Randy Wright, who confirmed to msnbc.com details first reported by the Corpus Christi Caller Times.
Olgin, originally from Ingleside but recently living in Corpus Christi, died; Chapa, of Sinton, was rushed to a hospital where she had surgery and was in serious but stable condition on Sunday, local NBC affiliate kristv.com reported. Wright said Chapa was still in the hospital on Monday.
Friends told kristv.com that the girls had been together five months. Wright said he didn’t have any information about their relationship, noting that “we understood from their friends that they were (in a romantic relationship). I know from … Mollie’s parents that they were very close.”
When asked if police had been able to determine if the girls' sexuality played any role in the shootings, Wright told msnbc.com: “That’s always something that we’re looking for, but as of this point, we have not been able to establish that that had anything to do with the attack.”
He said they had been in communication with Chapa. He noted all indications were that “third parties” were involved in the assault.
“If we had a name, you know, we’d be having a different conversation right now. But we have not been able to gather enough information to identify a suspect yet,” he said. “It appears as if … this was not just a random attack but that’s something that we really have to develop over time.”
Wright said police had recovered a bullet casing from a large-caliber gun at the scene, but they haven’t found the weapon. A resident living nearby reported hearing two loud bangs Friday before midnight but believed they were from firecrackers, the newspaper said.
The park, more of nature area with some parts overgrown and no lights, was generally frequented by visitors during the day. It is located along a bluff overlooking a bay, Wright said, with some homes situated nearby.
“We’re not really sure how they got to the point that they were found,” he said of the girls. “It is a scenic overlook with a wooden deck and there is a place at the edge of the deck where you can actually go down a very steep incline into a grassy area that leads down to the shoreline and that’s where they found.”
Friends of the girls gathered at a local high school on Sunday. Olgin's roommate, Samantha Garrett, told kristv.com that the fun-loving couple hadn’t gotten any negative responses to their relationship and could not think of why anyone would want to harm them.
The crime rate is low in Portland, a bedroom community of Corpus Christi on the Gulf of Mexico, Wright said. The last homicide occurred two years ago.
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Hopefully the survivor will be able to provide some evidence.
Hurts my heart. Two teenage girls, shots to the head. If random and unrelated to their lifestyle it is still a tragedy. If something else, fueled by hatred and intollerance in the name of religion then I just don't know what to say. For those of you posting anything less than sadness for the families and prayers that it won't take two lives -- shame.
Terrible. Worse if it's anti-gay haters as the perps. Unbelievable.
oh my god....how absolutely horrific. find the sub-humans who did that and KILL THEM.....NOW.
Probably some illegal from Mexico.
you sir, get the vote for Ignorant moron of the day!
Well considering Texas has the largest illegal immigrant population aside from California I don't think my comment was that far fetched David Saint! So you get my vote for biggest douche bag of the day, sir!
Why would you even bring it up, Skyler?
In a long life of hard travelling I have established some strong friendships with a few Texans. I don't blame the state, but there's a lot of redneckery there. And, of course, there's people like Dubya putting Texas in an awfully bad light. This atrocity will fall on the head of a neo-con-teabagger, probably a god fearing christian too. Why can't we all just get a bong. "If facism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." Upton Sinclair. To the perp, damn your evil soul to a hell I don't believe in, but there's a special one for you. I'm an old, white Vietnam vet and i despise homophobes, zenophobes, racists and bigots of every stripe! They just take up space and breathe air that a human being could be using.
Everything's bigger in Texas....including the bigots....
Why does this article even mention sexual orientation - why, you ask? Because they want this whole issue to grow and grow and grow and grow - they never want it to die down. This news agency is the absolute worst at keeping issues alive when the rest of the public has accepted things and is sick and tired of hearing about it. Enough already - 2 TEENS is how it should have read..........
"... when the rest of the public has accepted things and is sick and tired of hearing about it." Not only wrong but not original. I read the same in the 60's when the press reported groups killing a black. Before the investigation was concluded. There was reason for it then. There is reason for this now.
sad that its asserted so quickly, but you have to admit the whole issue has taken quite the vitriolic tone...especially from those that call themselves Christians...which tells me they never were one to begin with...when did Jesus teach to hate, or ostracize? The Bible says to "admonish", and teach through example..not just hate them and throw them out like garbage...
I think it's very likely if it were a man and woman dating or married, they would have mentioned that, too. It gives context to the story to offer information about whether the two victims were connected somehow, or just absolute strangers. Probably any connection would have been mentioned: co-workers, siblings, etc.
LadyBren
What is your point exactly?
Fry the f uckers
Fry the ones who did this, that is!! Condolences to the families and friends touched by this horribly unnecessary act of stupidity.
My sincere condolences to the victims of this crime. May Mary Reat in Peace, and hopefully Mollie has a full and speedy recovery.
I can't understand how people can shoot another for absolutely no reason. These young girls might have been gay, SO WHAT!! Regardless of their sexual preference, color or gender, NO ONE deserves to be shot for no reason. PERIOD.
I can only hope that the low life that did this is captured quickly, prosecuted agressively and if found guilty punished harshly. If warranted, as I suspect it will be, impose the death sentence.
after reading some of the comments here i know why i cant stand either party! i would like to stick you all in a box and leave you there til you can all get along. my guess is alot of you would never come out!
You mean Gov. Perry can't pray the gay away....
Didn't homosexuals read the memo? Only Dick Cheney's daughter is allowed to be gay....
We have no idea whether this brutal act of violence was motivated due to this couples sexual preference. So, let's take a deep breath for a moment and hope for the full recovery of the surviving victim. However, if this was motivated due to sexual preference, I'm just thankful that in Texas, they do adhere to the old saying, 'Eye for an Eye.
Either way, my thoughts go out to the family of the decedent and to the sorrow of the survivor. I hope you fully recover and are able to fight through this very difficult time.
All you're doing is justifying their murder. You're no better than the killer who likely thinks like you.
@One more newzday tuesday:
That someone like you thinks it's stupid, only reinforces my belief that it's a correct position to have. You do nothing but make excuses for brutal acts. I could care less about your 'God', I'm not chained to your cross.
Prayers for both of the young ladies and their families.
Maybe they got shot by some guy that got rejected by one of them when he wanted to take her out for a roll in the clover, and fonund out they licked eachother.
Why do you have to be so disgusting? Someone was murdered here and another lies in the hospital! Can't you show some respect, or what's your point in posting at all?
How sad! I hope that the despicable person is caught and brought to justice. They were both kids and one is dead.
Old Texas law: If you catch your spouse cheating, you may kill them both as long as it's with one bullet. I wonder if these two were in a 69 configuration ...
Well, whatever the motive may have been...you know Westboro Baptist Church, American Family Association, and all those other Right Wing Zealots are probably jumping for joy over the fact that a Lesbian is dead, and another one is in the hospital.
isn't this what god wants
Tragic killings of such young girls and I hope this is not a hate crime, regardless of the reasons, it is such a loss. My prayers and thoughts go out to the girls' families and hope the police catch the killer or killers quickly. I'd like to think we've progressed past such hate crimes and can accept or at least tolerate different values, lifestyles and religions without resorting to this. Let the murderer(s) explain themselves to God on judgement day.
The NRA should arm all homosexuals so they can defend themselves against armed white religious homophobes....
Where does the article mention that the shooter was white? or religious? or homophobic? wait until the facts are in first jackass.
Hate Crime = Death Penalty. 'nuf said.
Paul's letter to the Romans needs to be read in context in order to understand what it is really saying. In Romans 1:21-28, Paul talks about people who refused to acknowledge and glorify God (v. 21), the worshipping of idols (v23), people who were more interested in earthly pursuits than spiritual pursuits (v.25), people who gave up their natural, innate passion for the opposite sex in search of pleasure (v. 26-27), and people who live lives full of covetousness, malice, envy, and hatred of God (v. 29-31).
Homosexuality is a natural part of human sexuality (for verification, check out the APA website). This reference is talking about heterosexual people who gave up their natural orientation to have s e x with people of the same gender in what Paul calls, "Their search for pleasure." It is not talking about gay people who naturally are attracted to people of the same gender.
The Scripture you are referring to is Romans 1. The Scripture speaks of people who gave up their NATURAL, innate passion for the opposite s e x in search of pleasure. This is referring to straight people who gave up their natural sexual orientation to have sex with people of the same gender in what Paul calls, "Their search for pleasure." It is not talking about gay people who naturally are attracted to people of the same gender.
You are right when you stated that we need to, "Study the words," of Scripture. The Bible was not meant to be interpreted literally. Jesus did not interpret Scripture literally. If he did, he would have stoned the woman caught in adultery and would not have allowed his apostles to pick wheat on the Sabbath. Jesus applied Scripture using reason and compassion. Using reason to understand the cultural influences in the Bible is what allows us to differentiate between cultural norms which no longer apply and spiritual truths which do. If we did not use reason when reading and interpreting Scripture, people would still use Scripture to defend slavery.
Scripture does not condemn homosexuality when it is put in historical and cultural context and read using, as Jesus did.
In Romans 1:1-17, Paul is greeting the Romans. In Romans 1:18-20, Paul talks about the wrath of God being revealed to the godless and wicked.
In Romans 1:21-28, Paul talks about people who refused to acknowledge and glorify God (v. 21), the worshiping of idols (v23), people who were more interested in earthly pursuits than spiritual pursuits (v.25), people who gave up their natural, innate passion for the opposite sex in search of pleasure (v. 26-27), and people who live lives full of covetousness, malice, envy, and hatred of God (v. 29-31).
Romans 1 condemns people who abandon God in what Paul calls, "Their search for pleasure." It is not talking about gay people who naturally are attracted to people of the same gender.
Where does it say that gays deserve to die?
Gee, morphine, thanks for telling me that I am free of sin.
That's a load off my mind!
sarc/
Horrifying.
I grieve for their families and loved ones. This is one of the rare times where I sincerely hope the killer(s) are brought to Texas-style justice.
Another redneck in revolt because he can't deal with the fact that he's an ignorant @!$%# who likes to fu*ck his sister in the name of God. Yay!