"Stop that car!" someone shouted out, seemingly simultaneously with someone firing what sounded like warning shots -- a staccato, measured burst. The car continued coming. And then, perhaps less than a second later, a cacophony of fire, shots rattling off in a chaotic, overlapping din. The car entered the intersection on its momentum and still shots were penetrating it and slicing it. Finally, the shooting stopped, the car drifted listlessly, clearly no longer being steered, and came to a rest on a curb. Soldiers began to approach it warily.This experience, witnessed by Getty photographer Chris Hondros, describes an incident in January where US soldiers in Iraq left nine children orphaned, killing their unarmed, civilian parents. Now, as Boing Boing points out, a fund has been started specifically to help these children. Learn more, and how to donate, here.
The sound of children crying came from the car. I walked up to the car and a teenaged girl with her head covered emerged from the back, wailing and gesturing wildly. After her came a boy, tumbling onto the ground from the seat, already leaving a pool of blood.
"Civilians!" someone shouted, and soldiers ran up. More children -- it ended up being six all told -- started emerging, crying, their faces mottled with blood in long streaks.
3.24.2005
Iraqi orphans fund:
Thank you very much for mentioning the Hassan Family Fund on your site. We're starting to make progress and should be getting the first moves in place to get Rakan to medical treatment soon! God Bless and Happy Easter.
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