(sigh) Really wanted to move on to other topics but I evidently am not adequately explaining my point.
The story circulating IS - a cop was beaten to death with a FE (I keep messing up typing fire extinguisher repeatedly).
It is not true. Let us for the sake of argument work with my definition - that if you are "beaten to death" - you don't walk home from work and suffer from injuries incurred earlier. You die fairly soon afterward OR at least, you are hit repeatedly with an FE.
And I use this definition because it is clear from what I read online that THIS is the image the writers wish to convey.
One cop died - so ANY story claiming any cop was killed pertains to that person. That person - was Sicknick.
To my knowledge - one instance of FE use occurred - we saw it. An eight pound FE was tossed at someone with a helmet on and bounced off.
Whomever it was they clearly shrug it off.
Other persons in videos are clearly being BEATEN. (Unless any of them were Sicknick, none of those persons died. Even the man being crushed in the doorway is identified, and he is thankfully recovering). But not with an FE. No one died on the scene. Hence, no one "beaten to death".
So only two ways is the story true - one is, Sicknick IS the cop in the FE video and somehow he died later from that injury. You and I both believe that is unlikely - and the writer can't know it either.
The other is that somehow Sicknick was beaten in a completely different incident involving an FE. To my knowledge - there isn't one and again - the writer can't know that.
____
MY WHOLE POINT is - the writer is promoting a story which according to evidence is utterly false no matter how you define anything and not supported by any facts that anyone knows. It's a lie. If this were fact-checked by Politifact, they'd be close to Pants On Fire.