Listen Now: We Came to the Forest

Summary

Podcast Summary: "We Came to the Forest" – Episode: "Paradise Foundation"

Introduction

In the gripping premiere episode of "We Came to the Forest," host Matthew Scher delves into the mysterious and tragic events that unfolded in an Atlanta forest. Titled "Paradise Foundation," this episode uncovers the layers of secrecy and conflicting narratives surrounding a deadly confrontation between activists and law enforcement, leaving a community in turmoil.

Vienna Forrest and Tortuguita’s Last Night

The story begins with Vienna Forrest, an activist who has endured a particularly challenging month. Seeking solace and connection, Vienna goes on a date with her partner, Tortuguita—a nickname meaning "little turtle" in Spanish. As Vienna describes her emotional state, she reflects, "It's been a long, rough month for Vienna, the longest in some ways she can remember" (01:15).

A Simple Evening Turned Unsettling

On the evening of January, Vienna and Tortuguita decide to unwind by grabbing Vietnamese and Mexican food, enjoying a buffet that leaves them feeling content and optimistic. Tortuguita shares, "They're so happy they quit cigarettes. They were just really doing good" (01:46).

The couple then heads to the Starlight, one of Atlanta’s last genuine drive-in theaters, famous for its nostalgic neon sign. To save on tickets, they attempt to hide under a blanket, but are caught by the gate attendant. Tortuguita humorously recounts, "They let us go through. Next time tell your friends to hide their legs better because Torte's legs were sticking out from under the blanket" (02:19).

Inside the theater, Vienna and Tortuguita settle into the backseat, enjoying each other’s company in the darkness. Tortuguita expresses the comfort she feels, saying, "Someone I felt comfortable with. They were I'm feeling bad, I can lay my head on their chest and they'd comfort me" (02:44).

The Movie Night

The film of the night is "Megan," a modern take on the overprotective, malignant doll archetype, reminiscent of the infamous Chucky. Although Tortuguita admits she wasn’t fully attentive to the movie, the atmosphere between the couple remains serene. Vienna observes, "They had this sort of resolve about things and they just. It seemed like they were just ready for whatever was to come" (03:14).

The Tragic Aftermath

Approximately 36 hours after their peaceful date at the drive-in, a joint task force known as the Paradise Foundation conducts a massive sweep through a nearby forest. This operation targets activists protesting the construction of the country’s largest police training facility. The task force comprises officers from multiple agencies, all on edge due to warnings about potential booby traps and explosives.

As the officers methodically search the forest, the tension is palpable. Tortuguita’s urgent plea, "Sir, quick question. Can you get the fuck out, please?" (04:25), marks the abrupt escalation of events. Laughter among the officers quickly dissolves into chaos as gunfire erupts. Tortuguita panics, exclaiming, "Oh, shit. Is this target practice?" (04:39).

The sudden violence forces officers to drop their hands to their sidearms, heightening the sense of danger. Amidst the confusion, a faint transmission disrupts communication: "Man deaf." Tortuguita identifies the sound as a suppressed gunshot, stating, "That sounded like suppressed gun." (05:21).

Unraveling the Truth

As the episode progresses, host Matthew Scher leverages exclusive recordings and firsthand accounts to piece together the true sequence of events. The narrative challenges the official reports, suggesting a possible cover-up involving high-level law enforcement officials. The conflicting testimonies and missing evidence raise critical questions about justice and the lengths to which individuals and institutions will go to protect their interests.

Notable Quotes

• "It's been a long, rough month for Vienna, the longest in some ways she can remember." - Vienna Forrest (01:15)
• "They're so happy they quit cigarettes. They were just really doing good." - Tortuguita (01:46)
• "Someone I felt comfortable with. They were I'm feeling bad, I can lay my head on their chest and they'd comfort me." - Tortuguita (02:44)
• "Sir, quick question. Can you get the fuck out, please?" - Tortuguita (04:25)
• "Oh, shit. Is this target practice?" - Tortuguita (04:39)
• "That sounded like suppressed gun." - Tortuguita (05:21)

Conclusion

"We Came to the Forest" masterfully intertwines personal narratives with investigative journalism to shed light on a complex and unsettling incident. "Paradise Foundation" not only highlights the personal lives of those involved but also exposes potential systemic issues within law enforcement operations. As Vienna and Tortuguita’s story unfolds, listeners are compelled to question the veracity of official accounts and ponder the broader implications for justice and activism.

Listen to More

For those intrigued by this episode, "We Came to the Forest" offers a deep dive into similar stories of conflict, secrecy, and the pursuit of truth. Subscribe to the podcast on the Wondery app or your preferred platform to stay updated with new episodes.

Transcript

[Matthew Scher]

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 Scher 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 protect what they believe in. What actually happened in the forest? I'm about to play a clip from We Came to the Forest Follow We Came to the Forest on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Tortuguita]

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, they.

[Tortuguita]

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. 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.

[Tortuguita]

That sounded like suppressed gun.

[Vienna Forrest]

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

[Matthew Scher]

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