Pittsburgh, Kansas police said a 20-year-old woman who originally said she was robbed and assaulted at knifepoint in Bloomfield because of her political views made the story up.
Ashley Todd -- who has a backward letter "B" scratched into her right cheek -- confessed to faking the story and will be charged with filing a false report, Assistant Police Chief Maurita Bryant said at a news conference Friday.
Todd, of College Station, Texas, admitted there was no robbery or attacker and said she had prior mental health problems, according to Bryant.
It's not yet clear whether Todd's face was mutilated by her, or if she had somebody else do it, because a police report states that she told them she can't remember.
"We suspect she may have inflicted the injuries herself. We don't think anyone else is involved," Bryant said.
Todd said she was driving around in her car, looked in her rear-view mirror, saw a "B," and the first thing she thought of was Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama, according to a police report obtained by WTAE Channel 4 Action News.
On Thursday afternoon, police reported that Todd told them she was using a Citizens Bank ATM at Liberty Avenue and Pearl Street when a man approached her and put a knife to her throat just before 9 p.m. Wednesday.
Police spokeswoman Diane Richard said Todd told them the robber took $60, then became angry when he saw a sticker for Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain on Todd's car. Todd said the man punched and kicked her before using a dull knife to scratch her face, Richard said.
"She further stated that the male actor approached her from the back again and hit her in the back of her head with an object, she doesn't know what the object was, causing her to fall to the ground where he continued to punch her and kick her and threaten to 'teach her a lesson' for being a McCain supporter," Richard said Thursday.
The woman refused medical treatment after the alleged assault, which happened outside the view of the bank's surveillance cameras. That seemed suspicious to police.
"We have robbers here in Pittsburgh, but they don't generally mutilate someone's face like that. They take the money and run," Bryant said.
Speaking to Channel 4 Action News on Friday, Richard said police decided to question Todd because the details of her story weren't adding up.
"We have learned that the victim's statement has a few inconsistencies in it and her statement has changed," said Richard.
Richard said Todd said on Friday she wasn't sure if it was a bumper sticker on her car or a campaign button on her jacket that angered the attacker. Richard said Todd added new details to the attack, saying at one point she lost consciousness.
"She also indicated she was sexually assaulted as well. She indicated that when he had her on the ground he put his hand up her blouse and started fondling her. But other than that, she says she doesn't remember anything else. So we're adding a sexual assault to this as well," Richard said.
Police said they gave a polygraph test to Todd, but they didn't release the results. During a follow-up interview, Todd came clean.
"Miss Todd stated she made up the story, which snowballed and got out of control. Miss Todd stated she was not robbed and there was no 6-foot-4 black male attacker," Richard said.
On Thursday, before police said the story was a fake, both the Obama-Biden and McCain-Palin campaigns released statements about the attack.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the young woman for her to make a speedy recovery, and we hope that the person who perpetrated this crime is swiftly apprehended and brought to justice," the Obama-Biden statement said.
"The McCain campaign is aware of the incident involving one of its volunteers. Out of respect, the campaign won't be commenting. The campaign also confirms that Senator McCain and Governor Palin have both spoken to the woman," the McCain-Palin statement said.
Pittsburgh City Council Member Ricky Burgess is demanding an apology from the McCain-Palin campaign.
Burgess sent a letter to the campaign on Monday. He's asking for an apology because of the actions of a Pennsylvania McCain campaign staffer related to the fake attack story.
For more on that story and to read the letter, click here.
Ashley Todd -- who has a backward letter "B" scratched into her right cheek -- confessed to faking the story and will be charged with filing a false report, Assistant Police Chief Maurita Bryant said at a news conference Friday.
Todd, of College Station, Texas, admitted there was no robbery or attacker and said she had prior mental health problems, according to Bryant.
It's not yet clear whether Todd's face was mutilated by her, or if she had somebody else do it, because a police report states that she told them she can't remember.
"We suspect she may have inflicted the injuries herself. We don't think anyone else is involved," Bryant said.
Todd said she was driving around in her car, looked in her rear-view mirror, saw a "B," and the first thing she thought of was Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama, according to a police report obtained by WTAE Channel 4 Action News.
On Thursday afternoon, police reported that Todd told them she was using a Citizens Bank ATM at Liberty Avenue and Pearl Street when a man approached her and put a knife to her throat just before 9 p.m. Wednesday.
Police spokeswoman Diane Richard said Todd told them the robber took $60, then became angry when he saw a sticker for Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain on Todd's car. Todd said the man punched and kicked her before using a dull knife to scratch her face, Richard said.
"She further stated that the male actor approached her from the back again and hit her in the back of her head with an object, she doesn't know what the object was, causing her to fall to the ground where he continued to punch her and kick her and threaten to 'teach her a lesson' for being a McCain supporter," Richard said Thursday.
The woman refused medical treatment after the alleged assault, which happened outside the view of the bank's surveillance cameras. That seemed suspicious to police.
"We have robbers here in Pittsburgh, but they don't generally mutilate someone's face like that. They take the money and run," Bryant said.
Speaking to Channel 4 Action News on Friday, Richard said police decided to question Todd because the details of her story weren't adding up.
"We have learned that the victim's statement has a few inconsistencies in it and her statement has changed," said Richard.
Richard said Todd said on Friday she wasn't sure if it was a bumper sticker on her car or a campaign button on her jacket that angered the attacker. Richard said Todd added new details to the attack, saying at one point she lost consciousness.
"She also indicated she was sexually assaulted as well. She indicated that when he had her on the ground he put his hand up her blouse and started fondling her. But other than that, she says she doesn't remember anything else. So we're adding a sexual assault to this as well," Richard said.
Police said they gave a polygraph test to Todd, but they didn't release the results. During a follow-up interview, Todd came clean.
"Miss Todd stated she made up the story, which snowballed and got out of control. Miss Todd stated she was not robbed and there was no 6-foot-4 black male attacker," Richard said.
On Thursday, before police said the story was a fake, both the Obama-Biden and McCain-Palin campaigns released statements about the attack.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the young woman for her to make a speedy recovery, and we hope that the person who perpetrated this crime is swiftly apprehended and brought to justice," the Obama-Biden statement said.
"The McCain campaign is aware of the incident involving one of its volunteers. Out of respect, the campaign won't be commenting. The campaign also confirms that Senator McCain and Governor Palin have both spoken to the woman," the McCain-Palin statement said.
Pittsburgh City Council Member Ricky Burgess is demanding an apology from the McCain-Palin campaign.
Burgess sent a letter to the campaign on Monday. He's asking for an apology because of the actions of a Pennsylvania McCain campaign staffer related to the fake attack story.
For more on that story and to read the letter, click here.
So why would this person do something like this?
45 comments:
I believe it's all for attention, that's normally why people hurt themselves or make up stories, to see what happens and how others react. Todd certainly got peoples attention with her story but when it got too serious she decided it was time to let it go. Even though she looks like a fool she still got her 15 minutes of fame.
i think that she did it because she wanted the attention, she is sick in the head, and she is a strong follower of the mccain-palin campain. i think she thought in her head that this would bring a lot of media attention to her and it would help the campain for mccain by making people think that obama supporters are violent people.
yay for html
Judging by the fact that the whole country is talking about this situation, I believe Todd got exactly what she wanted. She was eagerly searching for attention and thats exactly what she got.
That's pretty sad to want attention so bad that you make up a story of a 6'4'' black man attacking you because of your political views. She sure did a good job at making this story such a big deal for nothing; she created a nice little mess, and now a Pittsburgh City Council Member, Ricky Burgess, is demanding an apology from the McCain-Palin campaign. Politics sure brings out the best in people, huh?
I believe it's just a bad publicity stunt. I mean it's not the best way to bring attention to a canidate,but it also could have been to show that Obama supporter's are bad people. I don't think either campaign or the people who support them are bad.
I think the reason why she did this was to get attention, and probably to see how people would handle the situation. She also probably wanted a pity party for herself...apparently she didnt think the people around her were showing her enough attention, so she took in nation wide.
The attention factor is probably the main motivation behind this act of stupidity; however, we must also consider the possibility that Todd was truly trying to help out the McCain campaign. She wanted to create a situation in which the nation would feel sympathetic toward her and denounce the Obama camp for their influence over crazy, face-carving robbers. In her moment of glory, however, she failed to realize that if she uses a mirror to carve out the B on her face, it would turn out backwards. Todd probably believed that what happened to her will cause people to stop voting for Obama because clearly, Obama is associated with criminals. In all her brilliance, Todd's plan backfired, making herself look like an idiot. Although her intentions were good - or maybe not so good - she only ended up hurting the McCain campaign.
Did she really think that it was going to help anyone. Because it only created a proplem. She was probably doing just to get attention.
I agree that the reason for a person to make up some randome is for attention. This person obviously has too much time on her hands and needed something to do. in this case, she decided to make a very untrue story, but was caught in her lies. This is partially the reason why America is becoming less and less high in standard to other countries.
Everybody wants their 15 minutes of fame. It's really ignorant to overlook her history of mental illness though. I don't understand why an apology was asked of from the Republican campaign though...they can't control someone else's actions. But then again, i guess the question here is why does anybody do the things they do?
i believe she did it because she did not want obama to win and she wanted to help mccain out by doing this and she wanted attention because she probably do not get that much attention. because she wanted to be on tv
i believe she did this to get 15 minutes of fame! She only wanted attetion and people to notice her but the moment th politions get involed and the case gets really serious she freaks and backs out. i think she does have something wrong up stairs and should get some help because this was unnessacry. i also think she was trying to prove something and it failed.
I think that Todd is mentally unstable and is or was under alot of pressure. With election day creaping up on everyone, she was attempting to make a huge national scene attempting to make the Obama followers bad. The republicans are trying anything and everything to try to get back into the race and defeat Obama. I guess Todd figured her assult by a big black man would do the trick, yet she was caught in the act.
ezequielsavedra7
My opinion is that Todd, the fake victim, did this so that the citizens can be brainwashed into thinking that if you are not for Barack Obama that crimes will be committed to those against him. I agree with dionepompa4 that all Todd wanted is her 15 minutes of fame, but now all she got out of it is injuries and a backwards B on her cheek.
Obvious answer: she wants attention and she's willing to do whatever she can to get it. She is a very confused woman. There are other ways to campaign for your choice candidate.
The only reason someone would do something like this is either for attention or they are very obviously not in their right mind. I mean if someone wasn't bright enough to make it the correct way, even if they did look in the mirror, they weren't going to get away with it very easily. I would think if someone wanted to get the police and government involved they would think it out fully, and not be caught so easily. But, I suppose it just shows how some people just don't have common sense.
A person would do this so he or she would get her fifteen minutes of fame. Since Joe the plumber is becoming well known she probably wanted to become well known and meet the canidates, too. She thought as long as she kept making up stuff, she would meet them.
well it's texas A&M. I belive she just wanted attenion. I think she tried to get people to believe that obama supporters are criminals. Todd thought her publicity stunt would attract a few more votes for McCain.
I honestly she, in my opinion, is just a very stupid, attention-whore (pardon my language Mr.Perry). She's stupid because she lied about getting attacked, and for beleiving it would help the McCain campaign. And she's an attention-whore because it basically was all for attention either way you look at it.
it's pretty obvious that this person did this for attention. The fact that she said that a b was carved on her face because she supported McCain really doesn't make any sense. The only problem with this though is that this story was engulfed by the media. I bet that if something like this happened a year ago then this publicity stunt would not have made it this far. But because this happened a month before the election, this story became so popular. I also think that Todd did this because she wanted to show that only barack obama supporters would do this. I think that Todd just wanted more people to vote for McCain and so she did this stunt.
Well, according to the letter, Todd will be given a psychiatric evaluation. A much needed one in my opinion. It's depressing to see one person to go to such ridiculous and absurd lengths in order to promote a candidate. To create a fake scene and harm yourself in order to ruin an opponent's campaign is pitiful. If only she went through such lengths in high school she may not have attended aTm...
I think the lady had/has some serious mental problems. I mean, why would you hurt yourself and then blame it on someone who never existed..? or she could have wanted it for the "fame" and attentio... or another scenario could be that she's some crazy person really in to politics and she was trying to make Obama look bad... But at any rate, i'm pretty sure she just wanted attention...
ok thats crazy she's just trying to put attentoin on her self and thats not gonna work....and just because people arent voting for mccain there violent....
I think some people need to start thinking about the consequences before they attempt acts of foolishness. Does Ashley really think her actions would benefit the McCain-Palin campaign? Some may say that she did this to get attention, but is this the kind of attention we all want? To be laughed and ridiculed by people from everywhere. It really just made her look like an idiot. I think that if a person really wants to help in the political campaign, they should do so otherwise. Volunteering and donations would be a really good idea compared to what is seen here.
She did this for the lil fame she was gonna get for it. She also wanted to make mccain and palin suppporters to come up and so the the mccain supporters can go down which is why she sayed a black guy did all this in her lie. she is supid for doing this now she will be known for a lier and with a B on her cheek for life
She definitely wants attention, but i think she did it to attempt to ruin the obama campaign...it's just amazing to me what some people are like...
I suppose this woman wanted a bit of attention, that is definitely part of it. But honestly I think she's just a good ol' racist. I wish Americans would just swallow their pride and learn to deal with other countries and their citizens. I don't think the majority of America is racist, but it's a bigger chunk than people think. There's a lot of hate out there, and people just haven't learned to let it go
I think that th3 woman made this up because she wanted attention. Some people are so starved for attention that they will go to extremes to get it. I think that she had to motive for it other than she is crazy, which she admitted to. I also think that the McCain campaign owes an apology...they really lost me on that part. Why would they have to apologize for a crazy person?
This person would do something like this because she is crazy. i think she did this because she wanted to get famous and to get attention. it worked for her...there was a nice thinking behind the story
The most likely reason of couse for someone to do this is for attention, but then again Todd might have also done this just out of complete hatred toward Obama and the Democrats. She's probably a conservative person who can't stand the idea of having an African-American president. She might be prejudice since she said that her attacker was a black male. The fact that that she stated her attacker was a black male shows that she is trying to convince the nation that all black males even Obama are capable of cruel and violent acts.
to be able to come up with a story like that shows how much attention this lady needs. But no matter what she got the attention she wanted.
I think this lady has some mental issues! I don't see why anyone would do this just for some attention! She looks real dumb now all over U.S! I guess she got what she wanted! She also tries to make Obama an his party look bad but it didn't work! Instead it makes herself and McCain look like fools! I think shes racist to!
This story is outrageous! She definately just did this for attention. If she was going to try to get attention, she could have been smarter and drawn the "B" the right way.
I think she only did it to get attention. I see people doing crazy things alot now to get attention. I think she thought she would help McCain by this.
There are only two reasons for someone to do something like this. They rather wanted attention(obviously) or to show people that people who vote for Obama do this. The fact that someone this desperate for attention cannot be described. Also you could tell that she did this herself is that the b is backwards meaning that she thought it felt right she made the b making it look backwards for anyone looking at her.
For attention. She does have some...mental issues though. The whole story makes me laugh. Especially the backwards "b". She got a lot of national attention, so I suppose she got what she wanted. And since she's been publicly embarrassed, probably got what she deserved too.
I think she did this thing were not help anyone.She was fool, I dinot like people who making the stories, and try to lie to other people, and make hte attention for her. She got that, but at the same time, she also needed to facing the law for her action.
Really? Is this what people to do get attention now? She did it for her fifteen minutes of fame, and that's what the country will recognise it as too.
I think that the whole thing was simply for attention and that is exactly what she got. It did not help anything in this election it just created a problem.
I think that she is really dumb. She was probably just trying to get attention. And to be honest it was not really worth it.
she must not have anything important to do with her life. why else would she make up a story about getting beat up? it's either that or she wanted the attention. if it's attention that she wanted ............... well she got it. everybody's talkin about her. i for one think it's sad.
I think all she wanted was attention. Someone who has had past mental issues would want to get attention over something like this. I think that she just wants to make a big deal out of the whole situation and it's easy because of the upcoming presidential election.
the woman is insane, theres no defying that. she has mental problems and just wants attention. why would anyone in there right mind. lets face it shes an aggie, theres not much more to say. any way if your trying to help either campaign, try a different way, it's not gonna work out branding yourself with a backwards B, basically, the woman did it to herself in front of a mirror.
i really think she made all that up jus to be on the news or something.. i agree with the police on this on the pieces to her story dont add up. sh said that first he beat her then she switched it up and told us that he sexually assalted her... she's making stuff up. she got the attention she ws looking for
Well 1st of all shes an AGGIE!!!! So that right there tells you something, shes stupid and has nothing else better to do with her life! She did all that for her 15 minutes of fame? She really must not have a life. She needs help! After everything all she has afterwords is cuts and bruises and a backwards B,wow she really accomplished something!
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