Don’t you love it, it is always just “a man” when the news media doesn’t want to say “immigrant” or “refugee” and one is left reading the story to try to figure out who the man might be, what brought him to North Dakota, and what his motive might have been for taking a hatchet to a neighbor (or what his mental illness is).
Diversity is strength alert!
This man’s name is Kokouvi Mawuena Afidegnon and his photo is at right. Is he a refugee? Fargo is a resettlement site for Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota and they would know if he is a refugee or another legal immigrant (TPS? Diversity visa lottery winner? Student visa?). Or, is he an illegal alien? Couldn’t a reporter simply call the Lutheran contractor to find out if he is one of theirs?
From inforum.com (Hat tip: ‘pungentpeppers’):
WEST FARGO – A West Fargo man was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and reckless endangerment after police say he attacked a neighbor with a hatchet late Friday afternoon.
West Fargo police arrested Kokouvi Mawuena Afidegnon after they were called to the scene in the 200 block of Eighth Avenue West around 5:30 p.m.
A woman fled to neighboring residence after the reported attack by the time officers arrived, a police news release said. Afidegnon was taken into custody without incident at his residence.
Police say the woman was walking to her vehicle when she was attacked by Afidegnon. She was able to escape by running to a nearby residence where Afidegnon threw the hatchet through a front window, police said.
The female was transported to Essentia Hospital by F-M Ambulance. The condition of the female is unknown.
Learn more about what is happening in your state with refugees!
As I said in a post about refugee resettlement in New Jersey over the weekend, here is a list of all the state refugee coordinators and it’s a good place to start your research on what is happening in your state with refugee “placement.”
Call or e-mail your state coordinators and politely ask: who (from what country) is being resettled in your state, how many have been resettled in recent years, find out who the resettlement contractors are and ask for the state plan. State coordinators are supposed to submit a plan to the Office of Refugee Resettlement every couple of years (I have my doubts though about whether they do it!).
And, I’ll mention this in most posts for the next few weeks: You have an opportunity to comment to the US State Department which is asking for input on the size and scope of the refugee program for fiscal year 2015.
As for Kokouvi Mawuena Afidegnon, if anyone finds out if he is a refugee or other legal immigrant, let us know!