Latest news with #onlinefeud
CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
Social media murder: Calgary family says son was killed following online feud
Dean Visser, seen in this undated photo, died after being stabbed on June 6, 2024, by a teen who he was involved in an online dispute with. (Supplied) The Calgary teen who followed and attacked a 16-year-old boy, stabbing him to death over an online feud, is scheduled to be sentenced Friday, after pleading guilty to a reduced charge. Last June, Dean Visser was killed while walking in the southeast community of Forest Lawn. In the time since his death, his parents and sister try to focus on happy memories; their outdoor family adventures, his goofy faces and love of sushi and lacrosse. 'There's a part missing ,' said Dean's father, Kevin Visser from the family's home in southeast Calgary. 'The fun kid that used to come in and just announce himself, 'I'm here' and make a ruckus… You're waiting for that door to open and him to say 'I'm home'… and he's gone.' Dean and dad Kevin on an outdoor trip Dean and his dad Kevin are seen in a photo taken during a fishing trip. (Supplied) 'I miss him. I am sad that he's gone and I understand that the other mom misses her son too,' said Dean's mom Ruth. 'But I'm sorry she can still talk to them and I can't talk to Dean ever again.' The 17-year-old boy charged with first-degree murder in Visser's death later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder after negotiations between defence counsel Rebecca Snukal and Crown prosecutor Darren Maloney. Kevin said the deal resolved court proceedings much more quickly by avoiding the need of a trial. The killer is now 18 but cannot be named under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. He had been in trouble with the law before and was on probation when he killed Visser. The Crown did not seek an adult sentence, so the maximum is seven years; four spent in custody and three under community service. Court of King's Bench Justice Lisa Silver is set to make her decision at Calgary Courts Centre on June 20. 'I saw him, saw rage' An agreed statement of facts was filed following the killer's guilty plea in May. It says that Visser and the killer 'harboured animosity' toward each other, including through messages on Instagram. On Thursday, June 6, 2024, around 7 p.m., Visser and his girlfriend were walking in the 1300 block of 41 Street S.E., on their way to meet friends. Visser was wearing an expensive hooded sweater from the brand A Bathing Ape (also known as BAPE) and was carrying another BAPE for his girlfriend. The killer spotted them and followed then, with his hood pulled up and a knife in his hand, he ran behind the couple, stabbing Visser three times. Visser shouted 'who are you?' during the attack. The killer responded, 'Give me that BAPE.' Visser said 'you can have the BAPE' giving the sweater to the attacker, who then ran away with the BAPE. Visser's girlfriend and another witness called 911. Paramedics arrived and took him to Alberta Children's Hospital, where Visser died less than two hours later. 'Movies where they show operating rooms in chaos, that's what we saw. There were probably 20 people working on him doing different things … and being able to do nothing,' said Kevin. The killer returned home. His mother called her son's probation officer saying her son had been attacked by Visser. When police arrived at the killer's home and arrested him, he first told investigators he acted in self-defence at a meeting he and Visser set up to settle their feud. When police said they had security camera video of the attack, he changed his story, saying he spotted Visser and rushed to catch up and stab him out of anger because of their feud. 'I blacked out, I saw him, saw rage, and just went forward,' the killer told investigators. Dean with his family in an undated photo Kevin, Ruth, Elisabeth and Dean Visser pose for photos in North Glenmore Park on Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021 in Calgary, Alta. (Britton Ledingham/Britton Ledingham/iEvolve Photo) Social media 'a dangerous tool' Visser was wrapping up his Grade 11 year at Discovering Choices, an outreach school for students facing obstacles. Dean's family said he had challenges dealing with some 'frenemies' before, but his family had never heard about the boy who attacked their son. 'As far as we know, the only way these two boys interacted was through social media and it's a powerful tool and it's also a dangerous tool,' said Kevin. He added that parents need to help their children navigate and be more aware of the dangers it poses. 'Social media life is not real and I think a lot of people don't realize that,' said Ruth. 'A fight over words on Instagram became real one day,' Kevin said. 'It was only real for one of the two people that it was supposed to be a fight. The other person thought it was a war words and he's the one that suffered.' Lacrosse legacy Visser's family's does not want the violent end to be the only thing people remember about his son. 'He was really fun to be around,' said his dad. 'Looking out for people, helping people, goofing off.' Visser was very athletic and especially enjoyed playing lacrosse with the Calgary Axemen, until he graduated out in 2023. He also loved watching Roughnecks games with his family and hoped to get into coaching or refereeing games. On Feb. 22, the Calgary Roughnecks welcomed more than 100 members of Visser's family and friends to a game where they honoured the teen. 'Him and his family spent a lot of time at Roughnecks games and it's something that really brought them together as a family and we thought since they had such a connection to the team and the sport that we wanted to be part of it in any way we could,' said Dustin Edwards, manager of Calgary Roughnecks lacrosse. The Roughnecks worked with the family to create the Dean Visser Youth Player Coaching and Refereeing Development Fund. It's expected to start training youth how to coach and officiate lacrosse games later this year.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
"I Voted For Trump, But I'm On Elon's Side Here" — MAGA Is Choosing Sides In Trump/Musk's Breakup, And The Reactions Are Priceless
As the whole world knows by now, former besties Donald Trump and Elon Musk have beef. This week, their bromance turned into an online feud after a string of chaotic posts slamming each other went viral, all because of differing views on Trump's "Big, Beautiful, Bill." Trump's Vice President JD Vance quickly took Trump's side on X, saying he's "proud to stand beside him." Twitter: @JDVance And followed it up with another, vouching for Trump's character. Twitter: @JDVance Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon had a much more dramatic response, immediately calling for Elon Musk's deportation. "They should initiate a formal investigation of his immigration status because I am of the strong belief that he is an illegal alien, and he should be deported from the country immediately," Bannon said in a phone interview with the New York Times. Related: "We Don't Import Food": 31 Americans Who Are Just So, So Confused About Tariffs And US Trade Well, conservative voters (many who claim to have supported Trump) are not holding back their reactions to the Trump vs. Elon feud, and many, surprisingly, are team Elon. Here's what they're saying over on the r/LeopardsAteMyFace and r/Conservative subreddits: This person told Elon to "Burn it down." This MAGA voter took Elon's side, accusing Trump of being immature. Related: AOC's Viral Response About A Potential Presidential Run Has Everyone Watching, And I'm Honestly Living For It "I'm with Elon." "We all know Trump isn't that mature, unfortunately." This user said Trump and Elon need to check their "crazy big egos." This person compared Trump and Elon to "petty immature teenagers." This user claimed the feud won't be a big deal in the long run, and called it "business as usual." This user questioned if the fued was a performance. And finally, "This is how a Democrat gets elected in 2028." What are your thoughts on the Trump vs. Elon feud? Let us know in the comments below. Also in In the News: People Can't Believe This "Disgusting" Donald Trump Jr. Post About Joe Biden's Cancer Diagnosis Is Real Also in In the News: Republicans Are Calling Tim Walz "Tampon Tim," And The Backlash From Women Is Too Good Not To Share Also in In the News: JD Vance Shared The Most Bizarre Tweet Of Him Serving "Food" As Donald Trump's Housewife
Al Bawaba
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
Kanye West begs Trump and Elon Musk to "Please Stop Fighting" in viral plea
ALBAWABA - Kanye West jumps into Elon Musk and Donald Trump's viral online feud. Kanye West, now known as Ye, has openly appealed for peace between two of the most divisive people on the internet: tech billionaire Elon Musk and former US President Donald Trump. This is a strange development that could only happen in 2025. As tensions between Trump and Musk reached a dramatic peak this week, the rapper-turned-presidential hopeful-turned-pariah tweeted a call for reconciliation that went viral on X (previously Twitter). 'Broooos, please noooooo ,' Ye shared something on Musk's platform, X. "You two are so loved by us." Broooos please noooooo 🫂 We love you both so much — ye (@kanyewest) June 5, 2025 His remarks coincided with a growing online rivalry between Trump and Elon Musk that has enthralled millions of people and rocked the political and business worlds. Elon Musk's assertion that Donald Trump's name was there in the disclosed Jeffrey Epstein documents sparked the dispute, and it swiftly spread throughout X via fiery threads and viral memes. Trump, who never backs down, responded with a subtly implied threat that if the attacks continue, federal subsidies and government contracts for Musk's businesses, including SpaceX, may be in jeopardy. Trump's words were mostly limited to his Truth Social platform, but Musk's enormous impact on X, where his postings frequently receive hundreds of millions of impressions, far outstripped their reach. Elon Musk taking a picture with his phone \ US President Donald Trump ( SAUL LOEB and NICHOLAS KAMM / AFP) There were immediate real-world repercussions from the social media controversy. Investors' cautious and hesitant response to the high-profile controversy hurt Tesla's stock as well as Trump Media & Technology Group's shares. Kanye West's latest foray into the turbulent whirlpool of politics and pop culture is his attempt to mediate a peaceful resolution. Ye was once a strong Trump supporter who visited the White House in 2018 while wearing MAGA caps. He later started his own presidential campaign and broke with both parties. But in recent years, a series of antisemitic outbursts and unpredictable actions have damaged his public image. Restoring public trust has not been greatly aided by his recent attempts to portray those remarks as a "social experiment." LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 02: Kanye West (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images via AFP) Nevertheless, Kanye West's remark draws attention to the peculiar power dynamics that are currently taking place on digital platforms. Political power used to entail command of the national discourse. It might be the algorithm's owner today, and Musk has the advantage in visibility and narrative control thanks to his hold on X. It's unclear if Kanye West's internet outreach will have any effect. Trump and Elon Musk have yet to directly address the rapper's post. However, Kanye West's straightforward appeal, "Broooos please noooooo," may be the most cohesive message of solidarity we receive during an election season when social media conflict appears to match real policy discussion.
