Listen Now: We Came to the Forest

Summary

We Came to the Forest: A Deep Dive into Tragedy and Secrecy

Podcast: Business Movers
Host: Wondery
Episode: We Came to the Forest
Release Date: January 27, 2025

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Introduction: Unraveling a Tragic Confrontation

In the gripping episode titled We Came to the Forest, Wondery's Business Movers delves into a harrowing incident that unfolded in an Atlanta forest, culminating in the death of an activist named Vienna Forrest. Host Matthew Sheaer navigates through a labyrinth of conflicting narratives, uncovering layers of secrecy and questioning the official account of the tragic shootout.

Setting the Scene: Vienna Forrest's Last Evening

The story begins by painting a vivid picture of Vienna Forrest's life leading up to the fateful night. On a chilly January evening, Vienna decides to rekindle her spirits by going on a date with her partner, Tortuguita.

• Vienna Forrest [01:11]: "On a chilly evening in January, an activist named Vienna Forrest goes on a date with her partner in Atlanta. It's been a long, rough month for Vienna, the longest in some ways she can remember, and she spent much of it lying low, crashing on the floor at a friend's house."

Her partner, affectionately known as Tortuguita, encourages her to step out of her troubled period:

• Tortuguita [01:41]: "And we went to get Vietnamese and Mexican food, just got a whole buffet. It was and Tortequito is like at their peak. They're so happy they quit cigarettes. They were just really doing good."

A Night at the Starlight Drive-In

Vienna and Tortuguita, along with two friends, decide to visit the iconic Starlight Drive-In, one of Atlanta's last remaining drive-in theaters.

• Tortuguita [02:14]: "Me and Torte, to save on tickets, hid under a blanket and the person manning the gate caught us. They're like, next time tell your friends to hide their legs better because Torte's legs were sticking out from under the blanket. But they let us go through."

The couple shares an intimate moment, enjoying the movie Megan, a film about an overprotective, malignant doll reminiscent of Chucky.

• Vienna Forrest [02:50]: "The film that night at the Starlight is Megan. The one about the overprotective, malignant doll."

• Tortuguita [03:10]: "Watching them, they seem like they didn't have care in the world. Or at least they didn't show it. They had this sort of resolve about things and they just. It seemed like they were just ready for whatever was to come."

The Tragic Confrontation: A Deadly Sweep

Approximately 36 hours after the serene evening at the drive-in, a joint task force comprising dozens of law enforcement officers from various agencies descends upon the same Atlanta forest. Their mission: to dismantle an activist camp protesting the construction of the nation's largest police training facility.

Matthew Sheaer [00:00] sets the stage for the impending conflict:

• "In the depths of an Atlanta forest, a clash between activists and authorities ended in tragedy. But the official narrative doesn't add up."

The authorities are on edge, having received alarming briefings about potential traps, including booby traps and improvised explosive devices.

As the officers methodically search the forest, tensions mount. Their nervousness is palpable as they handle vacant tents with weapons drawn, maintaining a facade of composure despite the underlying anxiety.

The Flashpoint: Shots Fired

The atmosphere deteriorates rapidly when unexpected gunfire erupts, shattering the uneasy calm.

• Tortuguita [04:21]: "Sir, quick question. Can you get the fuck out, please?"

• Tortuguita [04:35]: "Oh, shit. Is this target practice?"

• Vienna Forrest [04:53]: "Real shots."

These moments capture the sheer panic and chaos that engulf both the officers and the activists. A faint, alarming transmission over the radio hints at the severity of the situation:

• Vienna Forrest [04:56]: "Surprised, unnerved, the officers tense up, drop their hands to their sidearms."

The confrontation culminates in a violent shootout, leading to the tragic death of Vienna Forrest. The official reports, however, leave many questions unanswered, hinting at possible inconsistencies and a potential cover-up.

Aftermath: Questions and Concealed Truths

In the wake of the confrontation, We Came to the Forest explores the aftermath, where conflicting testimonies and missing evidence cast long shadows over the official narrative. Allegations emerge pointing to high-level law enforcement involvement in obscuring the truth, raising concerns about accountability and transparency.

Matthew Sheaer [05:16]:

• "From Wondery Campside Media and Tenderfoot TV. I'm Matthew Scher and this is We Came to the Forest. This is episode one. Paradise Foundation Foreign."

These lines underscore the continuation of the investigation, promising listeners a thorough exploration of what truly transpired in the forest and the motivations driving both the activists and the authorities.

Themes Explored: Justice, Activism, and Human Complexity

The episode delves deep into themes of justice and activism, portraying activists as idealistic dreamers fighting for environmental causes, while also shedding light on the intricate motivations of local officials. The human aspect is emphasized, illustrating how personal struggles and societal pressures can lead to life-altering decisions and, in this case, tragic outcomes.

Conclusion: A Quest for the Hidden Truths

We Came to the Forest invites listeners to question the established narrative and seek out the concealed truths behind Vienna Forrest's death. Through exclusive recordings and eyewitness accounts, the podcast challenges perceptions of justice and the lengths individuals will go to protect their beliefs.

For those intrigued by this complex tale of ambition, confrontation, and secrecy, We Came to the Forest offers a compelling narrative that demands attention and reflection.

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Notable Quotes:

• Vienna Forrest [01:11]: "On a chilly evening in January, an activist named Vienna Forrest goes on a date with her partner in Atlanta."

• Tortuguita [02:14]: "Me and Torte, to save on tickets, hid under a blanket..."

• Tortuguita [04:21]: "Sir, quick question. Can you get the fuck out, please?"

• Vienna Forrest [04:53]: "Real shots."

• Matthew Sheaer [00:00]: "In the depths of an Atlanta forest, a clash between activists and authorities ended in tragedy."

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For those eager to uncover more about this tragic event and the ensuing investigation, We Came to the Forest is available on the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Dive deep into the layers of this compelling story and uncover the hidden truths that lie beneath.

Transcript

[Matthew Sheaer]

In the depths of an Atlanta forest, a clash between activists and authorities ended in tragedy. But the official narrative doesn't add up. We Came to the Forest, a new investigative podcast from Wondery Campsite Media and Tenderfoot TV peels back the layers of secrecy surrounding a deadly confrontation that shook a community to its core. Through exclusive recordings and never before released eyewitness accounts, host Matthew Sheaer exposes the hidden truths behind a nighttime shootout that left one activist dead and countless lives forever changed. As we dig deeper, we uncover a web of conflicting testimonies, missing evidence, and allegations of a cover up reaching the highest levels of law enforcement. From the idealistic dreams of young environmentalists to the complex motivations of local officials, this story challenges our understanding of justice, activism and the lengths people will go to to protect what they believe in. What actually happened in that forest? You're about to hear a clip from We Came to the Forest. Make sure to follow We Came to the Forest on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts wondering.

[Vienna Forrest]

Campsite Media On a chilly evening in January, an activist named Vienna Forrest goes on a date with her partner in Atlanta. It's been a long, rough month for Vienna, the longest in some ways she can remember, and she spent much of it lying low, crashing on the floor at a friend's house. Her partner, who goes by Tortuguita, that's little turtle in Spanish, has decided that it's time for her to get out of the house.

[Tortuguita]

And we went to get Vietnamese and Mexican food, just got a whole buffet. It was and Tortequito is like at their peak. They're so happy they quit cigarettes. They were just really doing good.

[Vienna Forrest]

A couple hours later, Vienna and Torte pack into a sedan along with two other friends and drive across town to a movie theater called the Starlight. The Starlight's pretty famous in Atlanta. It's one of the last real drive ins in the country. Still has that old school neon sign out front.

[Tortuguita]

Me and Torte, to save on tickets, hid under a blanket and the person manning the gate caught us. They're like, next time tell your friends to hide their legs better because Torte's legs were sticking out from under the blanket. But they let us go through.

[Vienna Forrest]

The couple stays there together, curled up in the backseat, hands laced together in the dark. Even as the movie gets underway, the.

[Tortuguita]

They were always just like someone I felt comfortable with. They were I'm feeling bad, I can lay my head on their chest and they'd comfort me.

[Vienna Forrest]

The film that night at the Starlight is Megan. The one about the overprotective, malignant doll.

[Tortuguita]

The modern day Chucky, if you will. Took a while for me to remember what the movie was because I wasn't paying attention to the movie so much, but yeah.

[Vienna Forrest]

As the movie winds down, Vienna turns to her partner.

[Tortuguita]

Watching them, they seem like they didn't have care in the world. Or at least they didn't show it. They had this sort of resolve about things and they just. It seemed like they were just ready for whatever was to come.

[Vienna Forrest]

About 36 hours after the date, at the drive in, in an event that will permanently, violently alter the trajectory of Vienna's life, a joint task force of law enforcement officers sweeps through a forest a few miles to the southeast. This task force, made up of dozens of officers from several different agencies, has been assigned to clear the woods of activists who are camping there in an attempt to stop the construction of the largest police training facility in the country. These officers are nervous. They've been warned in a briefing about the possibility of booby traps and even improvised explosive devices. But they're doing their best not to let it show. As they press forward, packing up vacant tents with knives, they joke about what they'll say if they happen to find one occupied.

[Tortuguita]

Sir, quick question. Can you get the fuck out, please?

[Vienna Forrest]

There's some more laughter and then everything just kind of shatters open.

[Tortuguita]

Oh, shit. Is this target practice?

[Vienna Forrest]

Surprised, unnerved, the officers tense up, drop their hands to their sidearms.

[Tortuguita]

Real shots.

[Vienna Forrest]

The mood now is adrenalized. Sharp edged, the squadron of cops begin to move towards the sound of the gunfire. A very faint transmission comes over the radio from just across the forest. Man. Deaf. Legendary.

[Tortuguita]

That sounded like suppressed gun violence.

[Vienna Forrest]

From Wondery Campside Media and Tenderfoot tv. I'm Matthew Scher and this is We Came to the Forest. This is episode one. Paradise Foundation Foreign.

[Matthew Sheaer]

You can binge all episodes of We Came to the Forest ad free on Wondery plus. Join Wondery plus in the Wondery app or on Apple podcasts.