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Details emerge in ECU student's death

Submitted by WWAY on Mon, 09/24/2007 - 6:05pm.READ MORE:
WILMINGTON -- We're learning more about the death of that East Carolina student who was visiting Wilmington this weekend. Autopsy results came back Monday. According to the coroner's office, 20-year-old Sam Flinn died of a brain hemorrhage from being hit in the chin. Investigators also say the autopsy revealed that Flinn was hit with a fist, not with an object. Flinn's body was found in front of a townhouse in the Carleton Place, near the UNCW campus. Flinn was a student at East Carolina University and was in town visiting friends. Police think Flinn's death may have stemmed from a fight involving several men. UNCW residents say rumors have been swirling through the campus about what exactly happened early Sunday morning. No charges have been placed at this time. Carleton Place resident and neighbor Edward Dawson said, "I think that that the kid that punched him should be charged with murder. He didn't use -- I guess you can use your fist and that can be considered a dangerous weapon." The Wilmington Police Department is now working with the district attorney's office to decide whether any charges will be filed in the incident. Toxicology reports are not yet available. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information about this case should call the Wilmington police department at (910) 343-3600.

Disclaimer: Comments posted on this, or any story are opinions of those people posting them, and not the views or opinions of WWAY NewsChannel 3, its management or employees. You can view our comment policy here.

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Press conference regarding

Submitted by Guesticle (not verified) on Wed, 09/26/2007 - 1:31pm.
Press conference regarding this today @ 2.
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There should be charges.

Submitted by Winston Salem (not verified) on Wed, 09/26/2007 - 7:10am.
A person died. Race should not be a factor.
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Not a race issue

Submitted by Guest222222 (not verified) on Thu, 09/27/2007 - 12:11pm.
This is not a race issue, this is an issue of responsibility of your actions. Our children are fighting in the street and being killed, kids of all races. Maybe if we taught respect in schools we would not be having this conversation. To those of you trying to throw the race card, it won't work. Black, white, brown the color does not matter we love our children and want them safe, so go to blazes.
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No Charges?!?!

Submitted by David (not verified) on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 10:56pm.
Sam is a great guy and a better friend. Whoever did it needs to be charged for murder. Its plane and simple as that.
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12 people weren't fighting

Submitted by hey you! (not verified) on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 10:39pm.
It was two against three. One kid ran inside to get help left the otherone out side to get killed. it was a huge party the "attcakers" were part of the party. everyone knew them and stuff. The dude got punched and died. No one ment to kill him. And no one said it was a race thing so whut up. It is just UNCW gone WILD>
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I have never heard anything more wrong.

Submitted by Guest89437549874 (not verified) on Thu, 09/27/2007 - 11:26am.
The only things you got right in that entire thing was that it was 3-2, and he died from being punched. The kid that "ran inside to get help" never got inside. Two of the guys with Collins grabbed him and wouldn't let him leave the front yard. He NEVER left Sam to get killed. The people that jumped Sam and his friend were NOT part of the party; they were leaving a party down the street. No one that was friends with Sam knew who the guys were. They were identified by neighbors. Facts should be something you look at before you make an idiot of yourself.
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Fights happen

Submitted by L (not verified) on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 9:18pm.
This happened just like any fight would happen. No one intended for anyone to die. I'm not saying that charges should not be pressed but for people to assume the three guys intended to kill him is absurd! And throwing out the race card! what? it has not been released who did this and you assume that they are thugs and they are bigoted. They go to a University that is basicly all white and they are racists? Doubtful! Fights happen, it is just extremely sad that this one had to end in such a tragic way.
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This happened just like any

Submitted by L (not verified) on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 9:16pm.
This happened just like any fight would happen. No one intended for anyone to die. I'm not saying that charges should not be pressed but for people to assume that these guys intended to kill him is absurd! And throwing out the race card! what? it hasn't even been released who did this and you assume that they are thugs and they are bigoted. They go to a University that is basicly all white and they are racists? Doubtful! Fights happen, it is just extremely sad that this one had to end in such a tragic way.
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If you only had a brain....

Submitted by Emily (not verified) on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 2:07pm.
I am in total disbelief that anyone with half a brain trust the pathetic, inaccurate news reporting that comes from all media outlets in this town.
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Agreed!!

Submitted by G (not verified) on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 10:29pm.
Agreed!!
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Justice or Politics?

Submitted by Michael (not verified) on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 11:20am.
The assailants are known to the authorities and have been since that evening. There are witnesses and, as one can imagine, conflicting stories about the cause of the fight. I call it an assault not a fight. How safe is anyone when you can't talk to your own neighbor without fear that hot heads won't start an argument and kill you and your friend? I find it interesting that the authorities don't find it convenient for the thug murderer that the main witness has been killed and can't say that he wanted to help his friend who was being beaten by three thugs and died just minding his own business. What justifies any of this? Politics and political correctness? Go the the polls and vote these useless officials out of office and elect those who can do justice and give yours laws some meaning.
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Charges should absolutely be

Submitted by Lucy (not verified) on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 8:39am.
Charges should absolutely be filed in this case. These people are violent and need to be punished for this murder.
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got to wait

Submitted by guesty on Wed, 09/26/2007 - 11:35am.
If he was jumped, yes. If he started the fight, no charges should be made. We will have to wait to see how it pans out.
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Got to wait?

Submitted by rob (not verified) on Wed, 09/26/2007 - 4:09pm.
Even if he did start the fight, have you ever got into a fight? Are you still alive? I have got into fights in my life but no one died? You think it's ok to kill someone No matter how you do it? how old are we? I hope you don't have children you are raiseing with this mentallity.
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No, I'm writing from the grave.

Submitted by guesty on Thu, 09/27/2007 - 10:01am.
No, I didn't say it was ok to kill. But if he started the fight, too bad. If he got jumped then charges need to be pressed. I'm raising my child to try to work out a problem with logic and not start a fight. If the other person is determined to fight then I've told him to whip his ass. I've sparred with you, rob, and I'm convinced you are alive only due to government warnings against using a hair dryer in the shower.
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yes

Submitted by guesty on Wed, 09/26/2007 - 10:34pm.
Yes, I am raising a child. I teach him not to start fights but to try and work it out with their brain and common sense. If the other person is bound and determined to fight, then they get what they ask for. I've sparred with you, rob, in the past and have come to the conclusion you are a complete idiot. I'd imagine you are alive only due to government warnings to not use a hair dryer while showering.
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American White Nationalists Will Force You To Speak Truth

Submitted by Craig Cobb (not verified) on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 7:33am.
We are reporting on the murder of Sam Flinn. I also suspect that the victims of the drive-bys were White. MSM backed up Justin Barker's being kicked into iunconsciousness by 6 blacks and they represented legal penalties as "unjust". Now Wilmington media wants to hide and obfuscate the racial killing of Sam Flinn. We will not allow Sam Flinn's young life to be abused by you self-loathing Whites. We went to Knoxville, Kalamazoo, Topeka (against the Bloody Carr Brothers), Toledo and we will shine the light of truth on your sick, anti-White city as well. Watch and see. http://podblanc.ath.cx/?q=node/7658
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I looked

Submitted by Justin America (not verified) on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 11:46pm.
I looked at your anti-social crap enough to see that in your ignorance you are giving white people a bad name. You are probably the self-loathing white to wich you refer. BTW... white is not capitalized as it is an adjective, just like black or green. I do not believe that Wilmington, NC has an anti-white bias.
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Grow a brain and get your facts straight

Submitted by Carleton (not verified) on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 10:31pm.
As a person who saw this go down with my own eyes, I can tell you that there were only 3 black men, not the 6 you claim. The party had about 20 whites, and while only 2 whites may have started the fight, at least a dozen jumped in. Don't try to make it sound like a mob of blacks jumped a couple of little white boys. If you want to make a point, try doing it without lies. You also ignore the fact that every single person (including WHITES) involved in the fight shares responsibility for the death and injuries. Every single person (including WHITES) had the option to be the bigger person and walk away. This includes Flinn. I suspect that the toxicology will show that Flinn was intoxicated (while underage) which means he, and all the other drunks, were not using their best judgement. All of these things contributed to the unfortunate outcome. So yes, the fight was between blacks and whites, and as such, responsibility has to be shared.
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WWAY TV 3

Submitted by Insane in Wilmington (not verified) on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 10:04pm.
I can't believe you posted this things comments on here.This is total stupidity and just down right nasty hate. How can you allow even for them to post a website that they will use to try to recruit others things like themselves? As for these "haters", your mothers and fathers must be really proud for raising a nasty world hater like yourself. This is a threat against your own kind what is wrong with you? Whoever killed this young man does need to pay for their crime I agree, but to put this off on all of us is just down right hate. Why the police haven't arrested anyone yet is baffling yes but I am sure there will be an arrest made. If not, then this young man had an injustice done to his memory and I pray for his whole family in the lose of a child. May God Bless him and keep him safe. As for the news shame on all of you on here who posted these haters comments. I wonder if you believe in what this thing on here wrote yourselves. I am ashamed to even check anymore posting on this website.
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You are disgusting. Everyone

Submitted by Emily (not verified) on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 7:04pm.
You are disgusting. Everyone like you should be castrated and made to live on an island together.
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check your facts

Submitted by wb (not verified) on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 4:18pm.
I watched your little podcast and read all your comments on the news articles. You seem to have a real problem with facts and here's one I can point out for you. Your side notes on the drive by shootings are incorrect. The man killed was African American. I went to school with him. It wasn't about race. What you seem to be about though is promoting hate. Why don't you check some facts and keep your opinions to yourself until you can back them up?
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Carleton Place

Submitted by ummmm (not verified) on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 1:13pm.
What the hell are you even talking about? You need to just stay home and keep watching pay per view wrestling or whatever it is folks like you do.
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Are you serious? No charges

Submitted by UNCW Student (not verified) on Mon, 09/24/2007 - 11:51pm.
Are you serious? No charges have been pressed? What is wrong with Wilmington police? I am a UNCW student and this outrages me. To see a visitor come into our town and be killed and nothing be done about it is absurd. Who thinks they can kill someone and get away with it. If the person is man enough to punch an innocent kid, then they should come forward and turn themselves in. You man, I hope you feel tough now. The friends of Sam saw what happened that night, but still no charges have been pressed? Someone knows who did this, and they should come forward. This will plague our city and the people who are in charge of this case, if nothing is done, should be stripped of all responsibilities because it is obvious that they can not do their job. Waiting for toxicology results and waiting for an autopsy, is this their plan to catch the killer? No, there is something else going on here, who knows what it could be. But this is not right, and someone should step in and do the right thing.
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Get the facts

Submitted by Michele (not verified) on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 10:27pm.
I'm embarrassed that you are a UNCW student with this statement. Get the facts and then write a statement that goes with them. No one is getting away with anything and this kid was not an innocent by standered. And there is nothing being covered up like you think. They didn't even know exactly how he died that night (you should know that since you got the email sent to every UNCW that stated that fact) and just got the autopsy today. Think and get the facts before you write something!
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Get the facts

Submitted by Laura (not verified) on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 9:32pm.
As a UNCW student I am sad that you are one with these comments. You need to get the facts and then maybe you could have a rational statement that went with them. Like No charges YET said, this was no innocent kid that got hit, he jumped in the fight by himself. There is nothing being covered up with the investigation. They found out today how the kid died exactly. At the scene the police did not know right away how the kid died. (you should know this since you got the email sent out to every UNCW student, that stated this.) They cannot convict anyone of anything before knowing how the kid died and get all the evidence
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No charges YET!

Submitted by Carleton (not verified) on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 7:07pm.
No charges have been filed b/c at this time the police cannot definitively say who exactly punched Flinn. There were over a dozen young men involved in the fight. Most of them had been drinking heavily. It was very dark outside. As you can imagine, there are several conflicting stories. When and if the police can determine exactly who caused the death, they will file charges. The police are doing the best job possible. Also, you seem to think that someone just walked up and sucker punched this young man. That was NOT the case. As I mentioned above, close to a dozen people were fighting. Flinn clearly made a choice to be involved in that fight. If you want to be outraged, but outraged at the underage young men (if you can call them men) who made the choice to drink heavily and get into a fight. No one twisted their arms. This was their choice. The blame for this death falls squarely upon these young men and whoever hosted the party and supplied the alcohol.
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Another incorrect statement

Submitted by hello (not verified) on Thu, 09/27/2007 - 11:37am.
No, close to a dozen people were not fighting. It was 3-2, Sam being on the side with only two. I was there. I spoke with the police but they have somehow either forgotten how many people were involved, or just want people the think it was 2-1. No one there was "drinking heavily". You weren't there and you have no idea how intoxicated anyone was. Some people weren't even drinking. There were girls there as well, which you also don't know because you weren't there. The blame for this death is on no one but Collins. Drinking alcohol did not kill Sam, a fist did.
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Carleton, what you said is

Submitted by Guest111 (not verified) on Wed, 09/26/2007 - 2:07am.
Carleton, what you said is deeply offending, I was there the night of the crime and you are incredibly wrong. We may have been drinking a little, but what Sammy did was not irresponsible at all. He stepped outside for less than ten minutes and was jumped for absolutely no reason by 3-8 guys he had never met. This cannot be called a fight because there were not two sides. I'm so sick and tired of everyone making up their own stories, think about if your friend was killed for no reason and you saw him under a white sheet. You need to get your facts straight before you start accusing people for things that did not occur. Anyways no matter what we were doing, there is no way that we should be punished by seeing our friend die before our eyes. You should consider thinking about someone other than yourself maybe.
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I never said

Submitted by Carleton (not verified) on Wed, 09/26/2007 - 12:35pm.
I never said that anyone deserved to die or that anyone deserved to see their friend die. What I did say is that there are many factors that lead to Flinn's death and that all responsible parties need to be held accountable. If you want to drink and party like an adult, then you have to stand up and accept responsibility like one. Flinn's death is a very, very sad thing. I have prayed that his family and friends be comforted. PS- If you were actually there, you'd know exactly how many men Flinn was fighting with, not some silly range of 3-8. Why don't you get your facts straight.
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