Gotham Gazette October 27th, 2008
No Laughing MatterBy Roger Mortimer
Officer Amanda Selby inspects the grisly scene in Crime Alley early this morning.
A brutal crime wave swept across the city last night, leaving nine dead and two wounded in throughout the city. The victims are not known to be connected in any way, making the crimes all the more frightening at the brutality and randomness of it. Police have no leads, and no one is even certain if the crimes were done by one person or many, though all the crimes have a sort of calling card. Of the dead are two suspected gang members, a clerk at a pawn shop, a mother and her child, a man at a bar and the bartender, an unidentified man, and a homeless man.
The crime wave started with the two gang members. Cops reported shooting, but by the time they arrived at the scene two bodies were left out front of the abandoned Opera House, which had seen tragedy earlier when the Wayne family was murdered in front of their only child. Witnesses saw a car speeding away. Bullets were found in a dumpster nearby, suggesting that someone had hidden behind the dumpster during a gunfight. Police report that one of the victims had a knife wound in his chest and a broken neck, while the other died of a single gunshot wound to the head. The plaque nearby had a smiley face carved into it, though police aren’t sure if it was new.
While looking for the killer, police found a bum nearby, his head cut off, with the cheeks cut into a gruesome mocking of a smile. And yet just a little while away, a pawn shop was burned down, killing a clerk. A witness says he saw a man enter the store, then leave before it burned with several duffel bags, though he could provide no further information on the man’s appearance.
In a nearby bar, a man came in and opened fire with a sub automatic weapon, killing two and severally wounding a woman. A man who survived said that he was beaten by the killer, who told him to tell the police that “The Joker did this”, then cut his cheeks in the same manner as the homeless man. He is in sever condition.
Also in Crime alley a body was found of a college student, who had just gotten out of a bar. His face was mutilated beyond recognition, and he had several knife wounds in his chest. Witnesses say they saw the man about to get into his car when another man approached him, but that was the last they saw of him.
In the eastern side of town, police found two bodies, a mother and her child, in their home. The mother appears to have died of a self inflicted gunshot wound to her head, but police suspect foul play as the child was found in the same wound, with his skull fractured and his cheeks cut in a smile.
Police refuse to release names of the victims until the nearest family members are notified, and have no further information on the possible identity of this frightening killer.
Wayne Home Destroyed in FireBy Alexander Knox
Wayne Manor as seen from across the pond, shortly after the blaze was extinguished.
The fire destroyed Wayne Manor on Thursday afternoon, causing irreparable damage to the building. The fire blazed for hours before firefighters arrived on the scene, and they were unable to do anything to salvage the structure. Luckily, both Bruce Wayne and his butler were in downtown Gotham. No one was harmed in the fire. Insurance investigators report that the fire started in the East Wing, and quickly spread to the rest of the house. They suspect it was caused by faulty wiring. It had an estimated insurance value of over three million dollars.
The manor had stood for almost two hundred and fifty years, and was home to of seven generations of the Wayne family. Records show that Bruce Wayne's great-great-grandfather, Henry Wayne, used the manor to help slaves fleeing to the North via the Underground Railroad. In 1978, the Manor was put under the protection of the Gotham Historical Preservation Society due to the importance of the Wayne family in the development of Gotham City.
Although Bruce Wayne himself was unavailable for comment on the fire, his butler told reporters that, “Master Bruce is distraught over the loss of his family's home.” Currently, Wayne's time is occupied salvaging what remains of his family heirlooms from under the collapsed rubble of his former home.
Gargoyles Trounce Metropolis with a Kryptonite FinishBy Stanton Kiel
Bruce Ironstaunch poses for photographers at half-time.
Last night the Gargoyles defeated the Supermen 27-7. Bruce Ironstaunch delivered crushing tackles all night despite his injury, and Canada Fitzgerald made three stunning interceptions in the third quarter to make up for an early fumble.
In the first half, the Supermen were making strong plays but Gotham held them at the ten yard line. Samuel "L" Jackson led the team to victory after Coach Powers bamboozled Metropolis by calling for the same shotgun play six times in a row. Just when the Supermen were getting used to it, they broke the pattern and scored another touchdown.
Though the Gargoyles will be flying strong after their victory, it will be a long Halloween next week if they don't break their tying streak with Green Bay.