Wednesday, October 17, 2007
News No Blaze of Glory: For Asa Coon, This is How it Ended
Posted by Pete Kotz on Wed, Oct 17, 2007 at 3:44 PM
Comments (76)
Showing 1-50 of 76
Assuming this is a real picture, what good does this post do anybody? Is there really anyone out there in need of convincing he did not, in fact, go down in a "blaze of glory"?
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"Making the rounds"? Your rag is making it make the rounds. Thanks for the reminder to never look at your magazine again.
how dare you people show this photo dont you care about the families of the victim asa was a victim and he has a right to privacy people as a society needs to check ourselves why does this keep on happening
A 14 year old's revenge fantasy rarely ends romantically? Who is writing this crap? Are you Scene magazine or rotten.com? I'll never read your mag again. Free Times ftw.
This is the most disgusting thing I have ever scene!!! Are you proud of this? It makes me want to throw up knowing that somebody would post this. Why would you keep up the tortue?!?!?!?!?!
This is pathetic and classless. Is Scene Magazine actually this desperate for attention? This is not in depth news reporting or gutsy journalism. This is an example of a desperate attempt for attention by a company at the expense of a mentally unstable young man who met a tragic end because he didn't get the help he needed. I try to give Scene the benefit of the doubt, but this is inexcusable. I am amazed that mature adults make these kinds of decisions. There are mature adults working at Scene…aren’t there?
More proof that our society in America is coming to a drastic end. First off there is nothing remotely romantic about any shooting. Secondly, to post this picture is a spit in the face of the families effected by this tragedy. This magazine use to be interesting. Now you join the ranks with all the other tabloids. Exploiting tragedies for publicity. Hope it was worth it!
Although this picture shows the results of a tragic life, it is a wake up call. Our children are playing video games and watching movies that show more than this picture. I feel for Asa and his family. I feel for all the children and adults at Success Tech that were scared out of their minds that they would too die that day. Take a step back and imagine a 14 with nothing to live for. No friends, no family, no goals beyond today and this is the ending. Make sure your children, nieces, nephews, cousins, godchildren understand that death is tragic, violent, and final. We will not see Asa in a sequel and he did not have any lives left after he took this one.
I hope a family member of yours dies a traumatic death and has his/her photo splashed all over the internet.
Why I Posted This Picture on Our Website: I remember being a little kid during Vietnam, seeing the photos of flag-draped caskets as soldiers unloaded them from airplanes. I remember the anguish that would arrive in the neighborhood when somebody’s son, somebody’s older brother, wouldn’t be returning. But when you’re a kid, you don’t get it. You didn’t really know that guy who won’t be coming home. And the whole Vietnam thing was just some abstract war taking place in a land you never heard of for reasons you didn’t understand. The newspapers, after all, didn’t show pictures of dead older neighbors lying in a rice field somewhere. It wasn’t until I saw the photos in the newsmagazines that I really understood. They weren’t so reticent about showing bloodied, mangled bodies strewn about the ground. To a kid’s mind, Vietnam was no longer abstract. It was no longer about some old man in a suit talking about geopolitical concerns on the TV. It was about dead older brothers bleeding on a country no one ever heard, for reasons that could never compensate for all that blood. I saw it with my own eyes. It’s something you never forget. That’s why I posted the photo. I understand that thinking adults don’t need any reminders of how senseless shooting up a school is. I understand that a lot of people will find this disturbing and tasteless. Hell, no one at Scene agrees with my decision either. The managing editor refused to put it up. Another editor just dropped me a note calling it sophomoric. The publisher wants it down as well. I can’t say I blame them, nor I can disagree with anyone who posted above. They all have a lot of sound, moral reasons for skewering my ass right about now. But I’m still thinking about those kids, like I once was. The young boys playing shoot-‘em-up videos, watching TV shows where the good guy always gets clipped in the shoulder, and the bad guy always goes down in a blaze of special effects. This is how kids see death. Not as some 14-year-old bleeding like a dead animal on a schoolroom floor, but as action-entertainment, with bold, courageous men doing bold, courageous things. It’s fun, exciting. And it can all be turned off when it’s time for dinner. It’s essentially the same way I saw Vietnam. So as twisted as it sounds, I want teenage boys to Google this picture. I want them to see what it’s like in real life, when it can’t be turned off. Perhaps every young boy plots revenge at some point, imagines himself taking on his tormentors in one gallant stroke, then romantically falling on his sword, at which point all will finally see his pain, his loneliness, his courage. It’s a time-honored American storyline. But in their minds, they never imagine this part, the end, where you look like just another dead thing on a stockyard floor. So take a good long look, kid. I put it up for you. – pete kotz, alleged editor, Scene
Thru my tears I have sat here and read all the posts including Pete's on why he felt compelled to do this. Even though I understand your reasoning, I do not agree with it. Gee, the poor soul that was shot took the time to take the pic and do what with it, sell it to you. Do you honestly think it did anything to actually make him not want this in his life?? The two that were shot have their families already making death threats. No matter what, this picture should not be here, or anywhere else. I have been a loyal reader of Scene for the 12 years I have been in Cleveland. I will NEVER pick it up again! I hope you are fired too!!!
I understand why you posted the picture. While it is disgusting and I think a bit further than Scene should have allowed it to go, I do hope that kids will see that death is not beautiful or heroic... especially when you're running around a school shooting innocent people. It's a sad reminder that school shootings are increasing more and more and now striking closer to home.
Even though I do think that the the idea of this horrific photo is being spread around like common trash in the street, I totally agree as to why you posted it. I Work with kids in that age group and all they talk about is how cool it is for some of the most violent acts to happen. i've seen a mob of kids go into a classroom just to pick on one kid. children need to understand and see reality. violence in any case is not acceptable and instead of hiding it and sheltering them from the results this is the biggest eye opener i've ever seen. Also For all the people complaining about the posting you obviously googled it as well so think before you speak!
Well, gee Ashley maybe people read C-Notes daily to keep up on music and Cleveland news that isn't covered by other news sources. Actually, how people got to this blog site didn’t really occur to me, but thanks for bringing it to my attention that people like you are actually searching for this kind of thing.
whoever posted this i wish you fate worse than death. i feel bad for the guy that alledged humans drove him to this. i feel bad for the whole family, they are not being treated right
You are absolutely pathetic!!!!!! How can you show a picture like that!!! He was just a child, a child that was continously tormented and riduculed every day. I would just like you to think how you would react if that was your son or daughters picture!!! I would be absolutely ashamed if I was you!!!
Perhaps, if something was done to the 3 school kids that beat him up just days before, this might not have happened! It is an ugly reality! How come nothing was done to those that made fun of and that beat up this troubled kid! It is sad all the way around!
Wow... People can't take the reality. This is what it looks like, people. This is what it looks like no matter where in the world you are and regardless of whether it is the results of "14 yr old" revenge fantasy or misdirected foreign policy. Suck it up, people. Some people should be exposed to MORE of this stuff... Some people SHOULD be distrubed much more than they are.
Yes, the picture is a little too much,to my understanding Asa went thru hell at home also, not just in school.But did that give him the right to go and take that out on everyone else?No, right is right wrong is wrong. If we keep making excuses for why these children are killing each other we will never solve the problem, people need to see how it really ends!! As far as the children who tease him, they may have push the button that told him to go. But Asa family is more to blame than anyone.
This picture above represents the evil, srcutinizing america as it is and always will be. To be quit-frankly Asa Coon did this because he thought he would get everyone who hurt him back. And Im leaving all of my personal info, if any body wishes to disagree please email me. And to the blog editor, or sensorship of this web and magazine you should be terminated monday morning. I think that it is unfair to put Asa on " A PEDAL STOOL" that young man was disturb, he need therapy. And what is sad "everyone in america" says "oh my child could have went there to school that day" AND GUESS WHAT the little "a$$hol3s" who fuck3d with him everyday, and made him cry... probley were your kids! This is disgrace... to the city of cleveland, because you allowed people to view the picture. AND I GOT NEWS FOR EVERYONE> this kind of drama starts with the school!Ive been in many fights during middle school, cleveland is a rough city for the most part. And once not a teacher or security guard gave two sh1ts if you complained that you were gonna get jumpd after school. Im 18yrs female, Puerto rican and white decent. I attended Jane Adams High school. And I was a white girl in a mostly black populated school. Of course some people got there white jokes in , but i never thought once to shoot up the school. And what happens, asa does it and automaticly the GOV> and city want to blame it on kids listing to Marliyn manson, well parents and government officals blame types of things on rockstars because they dont want to take the heat because they fucked up. The school should have steped in a long time ago, Oh my bad the teachers complain about there pay so taking the time out of there "underpaid day" to help a child with home issues would be to much to ask for. ITS THE SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS THEY ALL SUCK and I listen to Marilyn manson and he does not promote blowing up the school! I think that you people "OF CLEVELAND" forgot about little "melissa King" of west cleveland. On May 1, 2004 she was beaten by 2 dozen children who attened her scchool. She was technically beaten on school grounds but the school security didnt want to help her, so they said it happened off grounds. The act of violents took place that day based on once again " Racism". Obviously this is a problem our inner city children deal with, maybe it starts at home. And this is the EXACT reason KIDS like me drop out of school! there to fucked up to the begain with. and who ever posted the pic will spend a little time in jail, and the rest of the time in hell. Have a nice day!
I thought this was some random persons webpage until I read the posts.......what a low blow Scene, it's hard to believe I actually expected more out of you all.
Yea well a cleveland cop, that dont suprise me. I remember the first MAYDAY beating I encountered. A group of kids followed me and my cousins after school on May 1, 2002. Two African American girls walked up to me, and hit 3 times in the back of my head on west 106th the bridge right after westtown plaza. I passed out and as they were walking towards me a cleveland cop drove by. That heartless son-of-bitch didnt give two shits what happened to me! Selfish pigs
This will never contribute to anything constructive...the experience itself is nothing elevating in spirit or otherwise. It is not even enlightening as cynics and skeptics will have you believe. So editor, you suck!!
I dont really like seeing these pictures but as a society we need to see graphic pictures or at least realize the world we are living in. We think we are amune from seeing anything grafic and we are better than seeing these things. We need to see these pix because most of us think this is something that we are all above but this is something that is in our towns our schools and our own backyards. We try to shelter ourselves and believe the best in our surroundings and think it cant happen to us. Also those of you feeling bad for the family need to allow that family to see what they were responsible for. Dont fool yourselves they were as responsible as this young man was. With the history that has been reported they pulled the trigger as hard and reclessly as he did. Feel guilt for this family not sorrow.
okay, i totally flabbergasted by some of these seriously vile responses! "feel guilt not sorrow" well how many beers did it take to make such a heartless comment? what if that was ur son. u left that gun where u thought he wouldn't find it. I mean seriously u people talk of this soul as if he was Lucifer's own breed. This is a sin. God is totally protecting him in heaven. Do some of u people have lonely cold hearts, because u cant always blame the parents thats not always the best excuse, and in this case most people fail to realize he was a freshman. Fourteen years old, he had a mind of his own. Look at the Collinbine kids. They came from "perfect families" and they killed. My mother is a drug addict. I watched her do heroin. So if this is the hypothesis, then i should be a heroin addict? Right? His parents are the blame for him not being supervised properly, such as academically, mentally, and physically. I completely agree on that. But, to say its all "there fault" is pretty fucked up. It just concerns me that people have these "general opinions" like their doctor Phil. I'm 18 years old. I've seen first hand at what experiences are like for us young adults out here in the ghetto. And you my friend "Doug" completely proved my point. Adults these days are extremely "naive", and narrow minded.
this is so nasty!!!!!!!!!you people are sick dont you guys care about peoples feeling!!!i hope somebody reports you!!!!!!!!i would sue you if i was the mother of the child!!!!!i know he hurt students,teachers but this is be on point!!!!!!!!!this shit is not romantic students are still trying to get over this and you guys wanna put this up!!!!!what is wrong with ya'll!!!!!!!!you lost respect from alot of your reader and who ever thinks this its entertainment well guess what its not so back up because this is getting outta hand!!!!i dont feel sorrow but this is messed up do you know that this can turn in to trouble!!what are students who go to school suppose to think you stupid dumb sack of shit!!!!!!!im a student n i dont think this is amusing or funny or romantic you gotta be out your mind to do something like this!!!!!!may god bless your soul who ever wrote this because this is a sin!!!!!!!!may god have mercy on ur soul for wat u did!!!i hope u feel guilt n pain just like us students!!!!!!!so how you going to expain this to ur reader well you cant!!!!!!!
This picture is a sad, poor and immuture taste to show people reality, especially kids. I think they'll get a taste of reality later down the line living in this world. I don't agree with the actions that Asa decided to do but, for a troubled juvenile child that no one would help after showing multiple signs of calling out for help and being tormented by schoolmates for the way he dressed,music he listened too, and not being a "normal". Not even to mention being beaten on by 3 schoolmates days before the shooting. He took it in his own hands becuase no one else was doing anything for him. I would never think that someone would actually post that picture. As i said before I dont agree with the actions he took, but maybe just maybe people, teachers, schoolmates, and society should realize what you say, the things you do, and how you treat people that are different from you can result into violence or problems. Tasteless! For all you people that agree with the editor who posted this photo
You have no idea how this family feels I personally know his cousin and she told me this has nothing to do with his family life he was always made fun of and never left alone he was jump the day before this happen and he got suspended for it not the other kids he was always miss treated because of the teacher tell me if you had to go through this torment everyday that you wouldnt want to take action when no one else will Fuck this Website and i hope the makers of this website get sued for everything they are worth
I cant say that I agree with the posting of this picture- but I cant say I disagree either. If this was my child, I would be mortified. If this child had shot my kid, I wouldnt be so mortified. With medicalization being made to excuse these kids for their deviant behaviors- why are we all surprised at the outcome? More and more our society makes excuses as to why our children are "acting up." How about some better parenting skills? How about some discipline? How about not making excuses for the bullies of our society? I'm sorry, but no longer are we in a society that can say, "kids will be kids" because juveniles today are above and beyond that sort of ideology. How can we put 16 year old kids on trial as adults- if we have the "kids will be kids" mentality? I mean which is it? Kids are kids or kids should be treated as adults? How can you treat them like an adult when they have never had to take responsibility for one single action they have ever taken? They are not held responsible for anything- medicalization has taken over and given everyone an excuse... "he was depressed... or he was struggling with ADD.... or he was bullied..." then why wasnt the bully held responsible for treating soemone poorly? Why wasnt the little ADD kid disciplined at home? Stop spoiling all these kids, or leaving them to fend for themselves because of poor parental supervision then expect them to make adult decisions. They arent capable of it. Our society needs to crack down- parent the children we are having with discipline and love- take responsibility and stop placing blame on anyone we can point a finger at. We live in a society that expects everyone to watch everyone, yet when we see something, we are to mind our own business, and blame the government, the schools, the parents, the media- um hello... we are all responsible! Today, no one wants anyone else to discipline their child, we want to put them all on meds because we cant handle thier ourburts or behavioral issues, we want to sugar coat every aspect of our children- and we wonder why other countries are smarter than our kids? We are all a product of the evironment we have all participated in creating- now suck it up and deal with it.
I am writing to comment on the ASA Coon Pic and Story... My hats off to scene magazines for having the balls to print and picture the story. Furthermore I have a story for the scene magazine about me... I got convicted In 06 of a Federal Felony for a financial crime, now employers are shutting the doors on me for being honest In which I think Is totally unfair... Furthermore, I was charged with crimes I never been convicted of and everytime I get a background check, that pop's up like If i was convicted of the crime. So I welcome scene magazine to get my story.
This is sick I cant believe someone fucking took a picture of that. And you know I'm a "goth" but just becuase someone dresses in black and doesnt believe in god does not mean they are a bad person... this is fucking sick!!
You Know what i am very very tired of this shit being passed around like its fun to look at someone close to my family and all you mother fuckers who think its funny i hope you all rot in hell this is not right and i hope his mother sues the fuck out of you and best believe im going to report this. Do you think we want to get up on her or anywhere and see someone close to our family like this no we dont we have been throuogh enough let Asa R.I.P WE LOVE YOU ASA AND WE WILL NEVER FORGET YOU!!!
Like i said before.....this picture, to decide to put it on here is tasteless! I dont quite understand how some could feel comfortable enough to take the picture and then feel free enough to post it. Its sick enough to think that a Cleveland cop took the picture.... So how much money did he make?? Theres nothing romantic about death or dying, your choice of words show just how stupid people are. "To show kids reality", whatever thats the biggest load of crap i've ever heard. I'll never read or touch this magazine again!
wow this is sick... how could u post this? i meen i was looking for it but now that i have seen it.... its wrong.. why would u take a pic of a 14yr old that just shot himself?... idk thats just me
i dont think that this pic should be posted all over the internet....it is a disturbing picture that could have been kept in the hands of the authorities and not sent back and forth all through the internet. i understand that asa coon had a terrible hard tired life due to the carelessness of a cracked out mother and living in a poor place to call home which leads to this tragic fatal killing of himself. BUT there are other ways of getting over problems instead of killing yourself. i feel that his mom should be punished as well because there shouldn't have even been a gun in a 14 year olds sight to get a hold on....then go on a shooting rampage. but other then that i have nothing else to say.........
Listen these people are ignorant this picture is all over the fucking world i cant stand that people get off on this type of shit.. Asa was a good kid he didnt deserve this shit but people are inconsiderate of others and I hope the people who get off on this or people who made him do this live with it the rest of there lives because he didnt deserve to die. he was to young.... Im very tired of every where i look i seen my causin-in-law on the internet his death picture at that its sick that people like to put this shit all over the internet and we cant keep calling the news about it because they sick of hearing about it.. I hope someone in his family sues the shit out of all the dumb fucks who posted this shit its sick....Asa WE LOVE YOU R.I.P
OH YEAH ONE MORE THING THE ASS WHOLE WHO POSTED THIS PICTURE SHOULD BE FIRED BECAUSE THIS IS 2007 WE AINT VETRINS OK WHAT EVER YOU SAW WAS PROLLY BACK IN LIKE THE 800'S BUT ITS A DIFFERENT YEAR SO LET HIM R.I.P WE AINT IN THE STONE AGE ANYMORE (SORRY TO THE OLDER CROWDS IN HERE) BUT COME ON NOW LEAVE THIS SHIT ALONE ITS OVER AND DONE WITH LET HIM REST DAMN AND ANOTHER THING I THINK IM GOIGN TO WRITE TO THIS MAGAZINE BECAUSE I DONT APPRECIATE MY CAUSIN BEING SEEN LIKE THIS.....I HOPE YOUR FIRED ASS WHOLE
This is so sad to see. This is what happens when you bully you think hes crazy well he is hes crazy because you made him all those times you took the piss out of him for his hair, nails, dress sence, just because he chose difrent because he didnt fit in you pushed and pushed until there was nothing left of him he became a ghost to you all but now the world knows who he is But it should never have been like this. I hope your happy with yourselfs.
This is so sad to see. This is what happens when you bully you think hes crazy well he is hes crazy because you made him all those times you took the piss out of him for his hair, nails, dress sence, just because he chose difrent because he didnt fit in you pushed and pushed until there was nothing left of him he became a ghost to you all but now the world knows who he is But it should never have been like this. I hope your happy with yourselfs.
This is so sad to see. This is what happens when you bully you think hes crazy well he is hes crazy because you made him all those times you took the piss out of him for his hair, nails, dress sence, just because he chose difrent because he didnt fit in you pushed and pushed until there was nothing left of him he became a ghost to you all but now the world knows who he is But it should never have been like this. I hope your happy with yourselfs.
I say this is a picture that should be seen!all the shootings going down by young kids should be seen as a waste ....LOOK CLOSE PEOPLE THIS COULD BE YOUR CHILD...PAY CLOSE ATTN. TO YOUR CHILDREN.
I disagree with most people on this blog in that I don't see why it's a bad thing that this picture was put up. "AM" mentions if it had been Pete Kotz son, he wouldn't have wanted the picture put up. Well I disagree. If I had a son and it had been him, I would WANT people to see what his social situation had done to him. In reality, the pathetic ones are all you who point the finger at Kotz for posting this picture. We need to grow accostomed to pictures like these. There will be many, many more in the years to come. Most of you who post don't see past the bigger picture. All you see is a fourteen year old dead in a pool of blood and before you even stop to consider why, or the circumstances or the true meaning, you simply shriek "ew sick" like some first graders and then go and blame the poster.
Great job. The pic should have been posted. People w/ negative attitudes toward the pic are wrong and are wearing blinders in their american dream lifestyle. Carry on.
Too bad this little bastard didn't just shoot himself to begin with.. Boo Hoo his family my azz sorry folks but an aware parent does not NOT KNOW thier kid is having these kind of problems, they probably didnt care, the innocent people he killed and thier families we should feel compassion for. this kids better off dead.
