 April 14, 2009
Long before Dearborn police say Anthony Powell used a shotgun to kill 20-year-old Asia McGowan and himself at Henry Ford Community College on Friday, he apparently sparked a following of haters online who dubbed him "a special brand of idiot." Powell, 28, best known as Tony48219 through one of his YouTube accounts, ranted about atheists, racism, the role of women in relationships and his desire to kill himself and reached a level of menacing vitriol that apparently helped lead to the suspension of at least two of his accounts in the past year. After the shooting, Powell's family said they had tried to get him treated for long-term depression. On Monday, Detroit police said they are investigating some online users' claims that they reported Powell's suicide talk to authorities. "Until all the facts are determined, the department is not providing more information," said Detroit Sgt. Eren Stephens-Bell. Powell apparently had several online incarnations. One, Tony48075, sparked such outcry that in January 2008, someone added the screen name to UrbanDictionary.com as a definition of a racist, sexist "dumbass." Powell posted at least 18 YouTube videos, based on the suspended account information shown in one of them. In some of the clips he denounced atheists, calling them "tools of the devil" who are filled with hatred and rage. In other videos, Powell said women should be obedient to their husbands -- and he said he was contemplating suicide. "There's no point to me living anymore," he said in one. He said he would have to use his shotgun, "and that's not gonna be pretty." YouTube users have been commenting on videos relating to Powell and McGowan since the Friday shooting. "Clearly he was mentally bruised," one commenter wrote. Some asked that all videos related to Powell be removed, considering the deaths. "It's not funny anymore," one wrote. To view one of Powell’s videos, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP2qJ316dV0" target=”_blank”>click this link. Warning: It contains bigoted, offensive language and frequent use of swear words. CONTACT AMBER HUNT: 313-223-4526 OR ALHUNT@FREEPRESS.COM |
Murder-suicide shocks Dearborn campus
By LORI HIGGINS, ROBIN ERB, and MELANIE D. SCOTT
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS
The murder-suicide that left two students dead today at Henry Ford Community College sparked anxiety and fear as shocked students and staff were ordered to stay in classes and offices during a two-hour campus lockdown today.
Police found the bodies of Asia McGowan, 20, of Ecorse and Anthony Powell, 28, of Detroit in the MacKenzie Fine Arts Center on the Dearborn campus. They had been in a theater class Friday morning.
• PDF:http://www.hfcc.edu/contact/documents/Map_Directions_Jan2008.pdf" target="_blank"> Map of the Henry Ford Community College campus.
Police believe Powell shot McGowan, then himself, said Gregg Brighton, deputy chief with the Dearborn Police Department.
The shootings left Turahn McGowan mourning his daughter, who he described as an up-and-coming actress.
“My daughter was a sweet, talented young lady who treated people beautifully. She has been in movies and was on her way up,” said McGowan, 48.
His daughter had dreams of becoming a famous choreographer and actress. Her Facebook page was loaded with videos of dance routines that she choreographed during the past year.
McGowan said Powell was not dating his daughter.
“There were a lot of predators out there and I kept a lot of guys away from my daughter,” McGowan said. “I never met this guy, but if I had I would have told him to leave her alone.”
Brighton said eight detectives, including four investigators from the Michigan State Police, were interviewing witnesses.
Christian Plonka, a sixth-grader at Bryant Middle School and an aspiring actor, saw the pair struggling down the hallway, said his mother, Kelly, who accompanied her son to police station for questioning.
He was in the fine arts building, in part, preparing for Henry Ford’s upcoming performance of the "Odyssey," in which he plays a role.
“He ran down the hall to see what was going on because he thought the rest of the cast was out there,” she said.
Instead, she said, the boy saw the couple struggle briefly, recognized McGowan from his theater classes, then heard what turned out to be gunshots, his mother said.
Later, Plonka said he didn’t want to once again relive what he saw, saying only that “I’m pretty rattled.”
Officers initially were responding to a 12:40 p.m. report of an assault in the building. While en route to the campus, a second call reporting gun shots came in.
As police officers entered the building, they heard a single gunshot, and found the two bodies in the classroom.
The 17,000-student college had light attendance today — a religious holiday — and it appeared that no class was using Room F-111 at the time of the shooting, officials said.
Responding officers escorted some students from the building while the college activated its emergency notification system to alert students and staff by cell phone and emails that the campus was being locked down. Some students learned by word-of-mouth.
Matthew Head, 19, was in another building when a campus security officer told students to gather in one room.
“They told us there was shooting going on in front of the fine arts building,” said Head, of Detroit.
By this evening, college officials had opted to cancel classes that were scheduled Saturday morning. A bulletin on the college’s web site indicated the campus would be closed until Monday.
Marjorie Swan, vice president and controller for the college, said earlier today that counseling services will be offered to staff and students, she said.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the young woman who lost her life,” Swan said.
Outside Henry Ford’s Science Building just after 2 p.m, Henry Ford student Joumana Naeym, 19, of Dearborn said she still was trying to understand what happened.
Meanwhile, public safety officers were put on alert at nearby University of Michigan’s Dearborn campus, but told there was “no threat” to the U-M campus, according to a statement issued by Rick Gordon, the police chief at the U-M campus.
Staff writers Chastity Pratt-Dawsey, Niraj Warikoo, Amber Hunt, Gina Damron and Megha Satyanarayana contributed to this report.
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