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PARADISE is a neo-noir crime drama series inspired by works such as 'Nightcrawler', 'Drive', 'Max Payne', and 'Shot in the Dark'. Currently ten acts in length, this thread follows the gradual development of Ashton Love, a gonzo photojournalist here in Los Santos to cover crime and urban decay. PARADISE features some adult themes and references to real-world social and political issues, including human trafficking, the drug epidemic, and the destabilization of the East. Some content written around the Ukraine conflict was written prior to invasion. Thread quality drastically improves over time (as I learn to edit!) LATEST CONTENT (UPDATED 29/JANUARY/2024) PARADISE PROJECT WEBSITE CLICKING EACH IMAGE BELOW WILL BRING YOU TO THE CORRESPONDING ACT (Click with middle mouse to open in new tab. Individual scenes contained in spoilers.) BEST BROWSED TO THE ATTACHED MUSIC ON EACH SCENE EACH TRACK IS CHOSEN TO FIT THE THEME THE POST IT'S ON RECOMMENDED & RELATED READS 'Katya Annikova', a story of struggles and sensuality 'The Truth Will Set You Free', story of Yunisa Flores of the LS Daily News One call, that's all! - An Episodic introspective to law and corruption Investigating the Void: A '70s-chic Gumshoe Story

*In your character's bored browsing of the internet, they find a mysterious link to an independent local news project simply titled: 'PARADISE'. The website is quite plain, a basic geocities-style setup. Everything is center-aligned. There's an imageboard comment section below.* ((This thread is NSFW and some posts may contain mature content. Thread is considered IC as a website.)) PARADISE PROJECT LOS SANTOS WEBPORTAL ((EPILEPSY WARNING - Some flashing images ahead. (Not too many))) ((Middle mouse on images will open their hyperlinks.)) BY ENTERING THIS SITE YOU AGREE YOU ARE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER [CONFIRM] [GO BACK] ((UNSPOILER BELOW TO ENTER)) SUPPORT THE FREE PRESS Donate to help us film this shit (it ain't easy): Every bit helps and is put toward our cost of living. And beer. CashApp: AshParadise Bitcoin Address (Bech32): bc1zg4tskar7xfwivy5l643lydlw9re59gtyzwf5mdq ((/banktransfer XXXXX 010003978 Paradise Donation.)) FOR ADVERTISING, PHOTOSHOOTS, OR INTERVIEWS: Send an Email to [email protected] OR [email protected] ((Forum PM myself or @Zetara)) -COMMENTS ARE ENABLED- Username: Comment: ((Character Thread))

*The website's quite plain in display, everything center-aligned: 'anotherdayinparadise.net.'* (( https://forum.gta.world/en/topic/117988-paradise-project-webportal )) Hey there. Butch here. Just would like to give you a warning that there is disturbing content in this article, particularly footage of police Neutralizing a suspect. If that bothers you I'd recommend avoiding this article. Pursuits, high speed chases.. criminals evading the law. They're the lifeblood of a night out stringing, between shootings, brawls and general disputes it's the sound of sirens wailing out into the night that draws a stringer in. It's quiet? Well there goes a dozen sirens. Honestly? When it comes down to it I personally try and avoid pursuits, but I have a habit of catching the tail end of a pursuit... or well. The end of the line. Ha, see what I did there? Whether the suspect continue to run on foot, be tazed, or even go out in a blaze of glory, you'll eventually see it all. Not every pursuit is the side effect of violent crime of course, it's quite common for street racers and joy riders to evade police for their adrenalin hit. I'd wager at least 50% of pursuits I see aren't worth bothering with as they are regularly a joyrider who feels lucky taking a gamble and fleeing from police rather than risking a suspended license or an impounded vehicle. Joke's on them of course.. if police have your plate it'll get impounded anyway when they raid your house. Great way to catch a worse sentence that one, but who am I to judge? Some just can't take the heat and have the urge to put their pedal to the floor. But anyway, I'm probably boring the shit out of you so I'll talk about some pursuit terminations that I personally have witnessed (and documented) within the recent past. First off, it's the 21st of January 2024. Ash and I have just finished documenting the recent raids on multiple apartment blocks when we head back towards Legion Square, spotting a car pulled over by multiple police vehicles. The suspect sits inside.. their car disabled. So what is it that they chose to do you may ask? Well. Obviously they run from the police, Metro Police included.. a stupendously bad idea. But here's the footage. Unfortunately, I wasn't lucky enough to have caught the moment the suspect was arrested following the foot pursuit, but you can see why his decision was ridiculously stupid. Multiple armed officers, armoured vehicles. It's almost like they wanted to spend some amount of time in the pen. It was a rather eventful night on it's own, but a foot pursuit like this? The perfect way to finish the night. Skipping forward to much more recent happenings I'll start with the most recent pursuit. Why not the one the night before? Well, we'll find out when we get there dear readers. It's the 9th of February, about 1am. Close enough to the witching hour that one wouldn't be surprised to find out that the most hectic of arrests are made in the small hours. Here, our suspect has been pit maneuverered into a wall, crashing and ending his pursuit. I had arrived to the scene following the suspect being detained. I had overheard the Officers stating that they had to taze and beanbag the suspect multiple times. Geeze. if that were me I'd have given up the second my car hit the wall. Course our suspect here made claims that police provoked him into evading.. when in reality they pulled him over in the first place for driving an unregistered vehicle. Rather stupid if you asked me. Well. If you don't know what police do with unregistered vehicles used in crime I'll tell you. They get crushed. Hope he didn't pay much for his ride. I would feel bad for the perp, following all the tasers and beanbags.. as well as his car being crushed. But truthfully? I don't. He threatened me after all. Finally.. from now on I will warn you, the following footage may disturb, especially considering the subject matter. It's the 8th of February, close enough to 2am. I'm driving around when I notice sirens, I slowly follow a Sherriff's Department vehicle as it rolls up near Forum Drive. There's cars everywhere so I cross the road. Right as I up my camera I capture deputies surrounding a perp. His car's tangled up in a tree. Multiple firearms pointed at him. Right as I up and focus my camera the suspect charges at police. Police open fire and he's shot dead on the scene. I wonder what the fuck was running through his head? Why waste your life like that. I apologize readers the following footage is rather disturbing. But it's the truth. This is what goes on inside Los Santos. I'll avoid poking fun here like I normally would as a man's dead. He wasted his life with one incredibly stupid decision. I don't know how he ended up fleeing police and what crimes me may or may not have committed. But at the end of the day a human life has ended. That's it. That's the end of the line for him. This wasn't an easy article to write, admittedly it's not every day you catch a human life ending on camera in this line of work. I feel for the family of this gentleman who just lost someone they cared for. I feel for the Deputies who went home knowing they had to end the life of another human being. But everyone makes stupid decisions. While the local government and the movie industry love to promote sunny Los Santos, those who live here know the reality is much more grim. I'd like to thank you for reading this article. It's been brewing for a few days. But I didn't know how I was going to tackle such a heavy subject matter. - Butch. DONATE IF YOU CAN PLEASE, THIS SHIT AINT EASY. Every dollar helps put food on the table and thus helps me make more content. CashApp: ButchParadise ((/banktransfer XXXXX 010002614 Paradise Donation.)) -COMMENTS ARE ENABLED- Username: Comment:

*The website's quite plain in display, everything center-aligned: 'anotherdayinparadise.net.' There's a disclaimer at the top of the page that reads:* GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING - 18+ Jackboots and shaven heads line the streets. The smell of CS gas and gunpowder's too familiar now. It's that time again in Los Santos. Following the deputy-involved shooting of Kyle West, rioters flooded the area of Davis Station. Video and photos are enclosed. Once more, PARADISE brings you the first real insight into the civil unrest. The images you're about to see are graphic. Video enclosed shows the entire riot from nearly the beginning to the very end, where it was dispersed. The medical status of the deputy struck by a vehicle and drug to safety by a coworker is unknown. 22:23 - Officers with the LSPD prepare for the worst. In the front-middle of all of them - The Chief of Police. 22:30 - Rioters line up outside the Jersey barriers that block access to Davis Station, armed and ready. 22:32 - First line of defense is breached and CS Gas is launched into the crowd. A stabber runs past me. 22:34 - Brief respite from the chaos. Both sides collect themselves for what's to come. 22:39 - The real hell begins. A frontal assault with bats and knives. A deputy is ran over and drug away. 22:40 - The second wave is driven back. Deputies regroup and form a line of helmets and batons. 22:41 - Los Santos Police Department SWAT arrive on-scene for medical aid and detainment of a person shot. 22:53 - Preparation for a flanking maneuver by rioters through the recreational park. 23:00 - Another frontal assault past the Jerseys. Uninvolved civilians arrive, complicating matters further. 23:11 - A man jumps past the flank over a barrier and begins a melee with his bare hands, not ending well. 23:15 - Rioters arrive in the park as expected, prompting another conflict that's short-lived. 23:24 - Fire Department crews work tirelessly to tend to the wounded while deputies safeguard them. 23:26 - The final line breach is handled. More injured are assisted on either end of the conflict. 23:34 - With the first Jersey Barriers reclaimed, the violence subsides. Street doctors help those outside. 23:36 - One of Davis's older residents (and best dressed) surveys what's become of his home district. 23:42 - A final huzzah for one man who made a grave mistake. He was hauled off after being beanbagged. 23:45 - A special enforcement team of sorts places a high value target of the riot under arrest. 23:47 - The fun's finally over. A lone Fire Marshal holds a side street as I drive out of Davis. In conclusion, protesting is good, rioting is probably bad for your health. Don't show up to a riot in a skirt and sandals. I don't have much more to add here. While this was good footage, it was disappointing to see. That's it, I guess. PARADISE Vol. I: First Impressions PARADISE Vol. II: Sodom & Gomorrah PARADISE Vol. III: Streets of Fire PARADISE Vol. IV: What the Hell? PARADISE: Dangers of Society PARADISE: January Riots PARADISE: Battle of LS Donate to help me afford bills, equipment, and repairs: Every bit helps and is put toward my cost of living. I make zero revenue from PARADISE publications. CashApp: AshParadise Bitcoin Address (Bech32): bc1zg4tskar7xfwivy5l643lydlw9re59gtyzwf5mdq ((/banktransfer XXXXX 010003978 Paradise Donation)) -COMMENTS ARE ENABLED- Username: Comment: ((Character Thread))

*The website's quite plain in display, everything center-aligned: 'anotherdayinparadise.net.' There's a disclaimer at the top of the page that reads:* GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING - 18+ By now it's no secret that South Central Los Santos has relapsed into the levels of violence seen only in the nineties, with no tangible end in sight. With the recent unveiling of the Charleston housing projects, many saw a light at the end of the tunnel, but the war of attrition has only just begun. This is a (very brief) look into the levels of violence witnessed by driving through South Central in just two hours each day for two days in a row. My first foray into South Central brought me to the recently-opened Charleston Housing Projects, where a scene was underway. Children should never be exposed to this level of brutality, but now they'll play atop a half-dozen graves without knowing it. A mass-casualty incident had occurred with over one hundred shots fired and six people dead twenty feet from a playground. As unfortunate as it is, shootouts like this have become so common that residents walk past corpses and don't even care. Honestly? I can't even blame them at this point. The environment's harsh and unforgiving - May as well be a Favela. I move on from this area and drive back home. Wasn't worth staring at doomed souls for too long- it starts to eat at you. This isn't a job I do because I enjoy it. It's a job I do because these people deserve to be more than a statistic. When I get back out on the road, I find two people dead near the Strawberry clothing store, shot to death. A man was already there, pilfering their pockets of whatever they had to offer him- phones, guns, money. Something catches my eye- another body, but with people stood nearby. Guy in a green jacket was looting a corpse around back. Black hoodie guy walks up and points a gun at him. Green jacket guy runs away and gets into his car, and shots fill the air. Add one more body to the pile- now at a total of five strewn around the area, with enough brass to film a live-action DOOM. Not really surprised, and I saw it coming. Noone came by to collect the dead, so they lied there for two more hours. Life is a gift, but not all of us get the same nice gift given to us. If you're fortunate enough to live outside rough areas? Cherish it while you can. It isn't the fault of these souls they have to resort to this to get by, it's just how it is in SC. With no business in South Los Santos and zero youth programs to steer anyone in the right direction, I don't see it changing. In a democracy, you have to be a player. Gangs in South Central are just playing the game, but with bullets, not ballots. And with noone reporting it other than myself, many will treat it as 'out of sight, out of mind'. But it's there still. Los Santos News Network, eat your heart out. I'm doing what you never will: Showing LS as ugly as it really is. PARADISE Vol. I: First Impressions PARADISE Vol. II: Sodom & Gomorrah PARADISE Vol. III: Streets of Fire PARADISE Vol. IV: What the Hell? PARADISE: Dangers of Society PARADISE: January Riots Donate to help me afford bills, equipment, and repairs: Every bit helps and is put toward my cost of living. I make zero revenue from PARADISE publications. CashApp: AshParadise Bitcoin Address (Bech32): bc1zg4tskar7xfwivy5l643lydlw9re59gtyzwf5mdq ((/banktransfer XXXXX 010003978 Paradise Donation)) -COMMENTS ARE ENABLED- Username: Comment: ((Character Thread))

*The website's quite plain in display, everything center-aligned: 'anotherdayinparadise.net.' There's a disclaimer at the top of the page that reads:* GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING - 18+ A pursuit through the major metropolitan areas of Los Santos occurred today, the 6th of January 2022, 03:30, involving a hit & run and kidnap suspect. The pursuit terminated in Little Seoul after a long twenty minutes with the individual barricading himself inside the Seoul 24/7 with a hostage. Sheriff's Office, Los Santos Police Department, and the San Andreas State Park rangers were all involved in the takedown and rescue. The suspect did not survive the standoff with Law Enforcement personnel. Video and images of the pursuit and barricade enclosed. The images below are in chronological order. The hostage survived the incident and was ushered out of the Little Seoul 24/7 by Sheriff's Department Special Enforcement Bureau. No Law Enforcement media relations employees were available for comment as the situation was brought to a close. Be safe driving out there, folks. You never know when someone like this whackjob will run you over and snatch you up. Or better yet, move off this bum-ass island to somewhere better like Mexico City or Kabul or something. PARADISE Vol. I: First Impressions PARADISE Vol. II: Sodom & Gomorrah PARADISE Vol. III: Streets of Fire PARADISE Vol. IV: What the Hell? PARADISE: Dangers of Society PARADISE: Davis Riots 02/JAN Donate to help me afford bills, equipment, and repairs: Every bit helps and is put toward my cost of living. I make zero ad revenue from PARADISE publications. CashApp: AshParadise Bitcoin Address (Bech32): bc1zg4tskar7xfwivy5l643lydlw9re59gtyzwf5mdq ((/banktransfer XXXXX 010003978 Paradise Donation)) -COMMENTS ARE ENABLED- Username: Comment: ((Character Thread))

((OOC NOTE: Part of the riot (the shooting) was voided. It's a little late as I was informed a few days afterwards, however keep that in mind for the future!)) *The website's quite plain in display, everything center-aligned: 'anotherdayinparadise.net.' There's a disclaimer at the top of the page that reads:* GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING - 18+ A situation in South Central following an organized protest at 22:00 2/JAN/2022, that immediately turned deadly as gunmen opened fire on deputies and vice-versa, with multiple clashes over an hour between rioters and Law Enforcement personnel. Video and photos are enclosed. The following is a first look into the violence that has occurred. The images you're about to see are graphic. Video spans the entire first half of conflict at the Davis Station barricades, including the rush past the barriers, the initial shootout between gunmen and Law Enforcement, and the brawl following. 22:14 - The protest turns violent as rioters armed with bats storm the barricades put up by Sheriff's Office. 22:19 - Protestors breach the Deputy's lines and are hit with beanbag rounds to drive them back over the barriers. 22:21 - A gunman opens fire on deputies during a long shootout between multiple rioters and law enforcement entities. Multiple uninvolved civilians are struck during the exchange by both parties, with an approximate three or four casualties. 22:25 - Sheriff's Office pincers the scene from two angles. It turns violent again as armed rioters assault the line. 22:25 - (Continued.) 22:25 - (Continued.) 22:25 - (Continued.) 22:30 - Sheriff's Office angles inward, CS gas deployed. The violence perpetuates with melees between the two sides. 22:30 - (Continued) 22:35 - Sheriff's Office retreats back to the barricades, having driven off the initial attack upon Davis Station. 22:35 - (Continued.) 22:39 - LSPD safeguard the Mission Row Station behind barricades and Jersey barriers. 22:40 - LSPD D-Platoon on the move, responding to a threat deeper within the city. Businesses along the Lotus Block, Atlee Street, boarded up in preparation for an outbreak of violence. Los Santos: Hell on Earth. America's asshole dressed up pretty in a sequined skirt and studded with rhinestones. Vinewood is dead, the glamour is gone. All that's left is the smell of smokeless powder and CS Gas. If there's a higher power, they left this place behind. Fend for yourselves, and stay safe. PARADISE Vol. I: First Impressions PARADISE Vol. II: Sodom & Gomorrah PARADISE Vol. III: Streets of Fire PARADISE Vol. IV: What the Hell? PARADISE: Dangers of Society Donate to help me afford bills, equipment, and repairs: Every bit helps and is put toward my cost of living. I make zero revenue from PARADISE publications. CashApp: AshParadise Bitcoin Address (Bech32): bc1zg4tskar7xfwivy5l643lydlw9re59gtyzwf5mdq ((/banktransfer XXXXX 010003978 Paradise Donation)) -COMMENTS ARE ENABLED- Username: Comment: ((Character Thread))

*In your character's bored browsing of the internet, they find a mysterious link to an independent local news project simply titled: 'PARADISE'. The website is quite plain; white background and black text accompanying a slew of images that are blurred until clicked. Everything is center-aligned. There's an imageboard comment section below.* My name's Ash. I'm an independent crime photojournalist. I've run pieces on Flint, Detroit, Baltimore, and Portland. None of those places hold a candle to the island of Los Santos in the slightest, but they don't pretend. Los Santos may be fake, but the images you're about to see are 100% real. This is an uncensored look into what the news media won't cover. Your sunny tropical paradise in its naked glory. GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING - 18+ 04:00 AM AUG 04 2021 First impressions weren't great. I landed on the island and got in my waiting van, needing to travel through the fabled South Central to make my way to the city's center. On my way, I noticed something peculiar in an alley to my right. A man was there with a few more. He had an UZI sub-machine gun in his right hand, pointing the muzzle at two guys he'd proned out against the wall. An armed robbery less than an hour in was how I knew I'd struck my grim gold. I booked a room at a motel I'll neglect to name and got a horrible few hours of sleep. Fucking jet lag. 09:33 AM AUG 04 2021 Street fight in El Burro Heights, at nine in the morning. You'd think these kids would be in school, but not here. Learning isn't necessary for the unfortunate life most are living in Los Santos. Held down by the government's ineptitude and false promises. Social programs that never come to fruition. I watched these two duke it out for three minutes. 10:38 AM 04 AUG 2021 Three guys hit the novelty shop together. They parked on the walkway and bought ski masks. I love a good masquerade. 10:43 AM 04 AUG 2021 The desperate and the dispossessed of Mission Row was one of the few truths this city had to offer me. Though, it didn't seem as bad in person. Maybe Los Santos projects its hate here and blames the homeless for the problems in the rest of the town. That's just an opinion. 10:00 PM 04 AUG 2021 A group gathers around the 24/7 I caught that fight at. Seems there's some kind of Sheriff's scene here. Couldn't tell you what about, I wasn't able to get close enough for that kind of blurb to put here. 10:11 PM 04 AUG 2021 Los Santos Police Department... tactical? Staging for something. Might have been something big. Didn't take the risk in following them there. Those SWAT guys don't play around. 10:33 PM 04 AUG 2021 Found this guy shot to death in the middle of the street. People were driving around him like he wasn't just lying there bleeding. One guy ran over his legs in a delivery van. Come rain, shine, or gore, the package got there, I guess. I called for Fire Department, but they didn't arrive in the ten minutes I waited. There were motorcycles swarming me so I left. 00:45 AM 05 AUG 2021 Some kind of police operation behind the Pillbox Bank. Probably a search warrant, if the last image is anything to go off of. I climbed a fire escape to take these pictures. Someone followed me up- homeless guy. He took one look at me leaning over the edge with a camera and left. He didn't even say anything. I don't blame him, honestly. Fucking weird. 03:34 AM 05 AUG 2021 Blood in the streets in the district of Rancho. Brass litters the blacktop like glimmering gold. No-one cares, and the world keeps turning. Somewhere out there, someone has been shot. Maybe we'll never know. 03:55 AM 05 AUG 2021 Two guys try to strong-arm me into not taking any pictures of the car accident they're involved in, for some reason. They were stuffing a motorcyclist into the back seat of a white car. I'll film where I please, unless there's a sign. Sorry, gents. Just the way the cookie crumbles. If you don't like film you shouldn't have moved to LS. 04:14 AM 05 AUG 2021 I found this girl shot outside of a strip club. One in the stomach. She was still conscious and lucid. She complained about the photograph until I started dressing her wounds and called EMS. Fire Department arrived and took care of her. I hope she's alright now, because she sure wasn't looking good when I arrived. 04:18 AM 05 AUG 2021 I was interrupted from helping the Fire Department by gunfire on an adjacent street. Twelve shots. Then six more. The rounds were going off even as I was driving toward the hair-raising reports of two or more handguns. When I arrived, I found another man lying face-down in an alleyway. He'd been shot to death, there was no way around that. I took a picture. As I was adjusting my focus, another man walked up and began running his pockets. I'm pretty sure he took everything. Sheriff's Department caught the guy being a vulture. He had a gun on him. Maybe it's an open-and-shut case. Maybe he's just a buzzard. 04:41 AM 05 AUG 2021 This deputy begged me to put him in 'the paper.' I didn't get a very good image because they were leaving anyway. Some kind of gunfight happened under the Strawberry Overpass. Right in the heart of the homeless camp, too. 06:09 AM 05 AUG 2021 A trucker is beaten up while making a delivery on the beach. Such a pretty view to be jumped to. That trucker should thank the attacker for such a thrilling and beautiful experience. 08:04 AM 06 AUG 2021 Two men get in an ego battle outside the bar I was at. Fists start flying while my camera's rolling. Checkered shoes won, and then he took it further. He stomped the guy on the ground until I saw blood leaking from his nose and he stopped groaning. Guy just walks off. It's only a murder of a dude you don't even know. Don't worry, scumbag. You'll get yours one day. 06:14 AM 07 AUG 2021 I foolishly go back to that bar the next day. When I'm just about to pull up, I hear shots pop off around the corner. I waited a few minutes then pulled around. There was a guy there- he'd been shot at least a dozen times. I couldn't help him even if I tried. The only way I can help him is by making sure he's not just a number in a drawer. This image makes him immortal. 06:23 AM 07 AUG 2021 Another body, less than five hundred feet away. I passed by him as I was driving away from the first one. He looked like he'd been there a while, and he'd been beaten to death with something. My guess was a brick or a bat. Who could tell? People kept using the clothing store, walking right around him like he didn't exist. People have a habit of that in LS it appears. 07:43 AM 07 AUG 2021 Yet another body outside this goddamn clothing store. This time, someone appeared to give a shit, but only because he was blocking the glass doors from opening with his inconvenient dead self. I'm sure they would have gone around otherwise. Los Santos is such a beautiful hellscape. Enjoy it while you're here, and remember, life is short and can end at any time. The photographs you've seen today were taken in only three days of roaming Los Santos. Every minute, every hour, something like this is happening. It's up to you whether or not you want to acknowledge it and push for change, or keep drinking the nightclub kool-aid and push those rose-tinted glasses further up on your nose. I'll be back for volume two at some point. PARADISE VOLUME II: SODOM & GAMORRAH PARADISE VOLUME. III: STREETS OF FIRE Donate to help me afford bills, equipment, and repairs: Every bit helps and is put toward my cost of living. I make zero revenue from PARADISE publications. Bitcoin Address (Bech32): bc1zg4tskar7xfwivy5l643lydlw9re59gtyzwf5mdq ((/banktransfer XXXXX 010003978 Paradise Donation)) -COMMENTS ARE ENABLED- Username: Comment: ((Character Thread))

*In your character's bored browsing of the internet, they find a mysterious link to an independent local news project simply titled: 'PARADISE'. The website is quite plain; white background and black text accompanying a slew of images that are blurred until clicked. Everything is center-aligned. There's an imageboard comment section below.* My name's Ash. I'm an independent crime photojournalist. I've run pieces on Flint, Detroit, Baltimore, and Portland. I'm documenting my finds in Los Santos thus far, currently one week in to the 'City of Saints.' I've found zero saints, only sinners in different suits. A city ran on drugs, guns, and sex. This is an uncensored look into what the main networks don't cover. Your sunny tropical paradise in it's naked glory. GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING - 18+ 05:35 AM AUG 08 2021 I awaken from my slumber in some god-awful shithole to go about my day. Another four hours of rest. It probably isn't healthy, but I do it anyway. Driving down the road I stumble across two men who'd been bludgeoned to death and ran over, right across the street from some fancy lounge. A lone off-duty police officer who was passing by was the only law enforcement to arrive. She called the emergency number for backup, but none arrived. Fire Department showed to confirm death. 07:42 AM AUG 08 2021 I park up at the Sheriff's Station in South Central to edit some footage. While I'm there, I notice a group off to my left, and a guy reaching into his waistband. I got my camera up and ready and managed to photograph him drawing a TEC-9 from inside his purple coat. I guess he saw my van and thought I was trouble, because he decided to climb onto the roof of the Sheriff's Station to use the balcony as a vantage point, then crouched down like he was going to pounce on me. Not sure what to say. 09:48 AM AUG 08 2021 Traffic stop in Chinatown on a rental car. Guy must've been doing some stupid shit, because they were there for a while. Parked across the street to see if I could get any good shots. It's either hell on Earth or snail's pace this early. 04:28 AM AUG 09 2021 Hot pursuit in the middle of Legion Square. Caught it on film as they were speeding by. Looked like unmarked units. Whoever was being chased had considerably fucked up, or so it would seem. 04:49 AM AUG 09 2021 Beating on Forum Drive. Medics were onscene when I arrived. Don't have a clue what it was over. Didn't ask. 04:44 AM AUG 10 2021 Guy in a suit shot down on Brouge Avenue within eyesight of the fire station. His pockets were inside out, and he'd been there a while. Noone had cared to call it in or pick him up. I did, but nobody showed up. 04:48 AM AUG 10 2021 Another body, this time on the loading dock of a hardware store. He'd been beaten to death with hammers or something. Guess we know where they got them. 02:36 AM AUG 11 2021 A woman's being arrested for pulling her licensed firearm on two men who were fistfighting her boyfriend. SHAFT code violations, whatever those are. I didn't read that far in. Deputies let her talk with her boyfriend before they took her away to county, which was decently kind of them. Stuff always seems to happen at the Blue Lion. Phenomena. 03:55 AM AUG 11 2021 Cameras are rolling on what appears to be a normal traffic stop on Carson Avenue. We were situated on a rooftop three blocks away, using a tripod on top of my partner's van. As we're filming, we notice all four occupants of the vehicle suddenly exit- followed swiftly by a barrage of gunfire, as they shoot down the deputy parked behind them. They scatter like cockroaches, no further gunfire heard. They could've all gotten away. Cops have cameras too. In due time... 04:39 AM AUG 11 2021 Sheriff's Deputies detaining a man on Carson and Forum. Dirtbikes kept swarming them- and myself, like mosquitos. You can hear those goddamned two-strokes from a hundred yards. Why are there so many? 07:42 AM AUG 11 2021 The same off-duty police officer from my first photograph is back, but this time, in her uniform. But still equally alone. She stared at my van for a while, probably thinking I was going to shoot her. It must be terrifying having no backup and noone to call to for help if shit hits the fan. Law Enforcement need to hire for the morning. Badly. 09:08 AM AUG 11 2021 I notice two guys creeping around in a Gauntlet. One of them had a tactical mask on, the other nothing at all. Took a pre-emptive photograph because I knew something was about to go down. I cruise to Brouge Avenue and find the driver of that Gauntlet dead on the ground. Looked like he'd been ventilated. Didn't get too close. People were looting him. 11:42 AM AUG 12 2021 LSPD Air-One making a landing at the helipad on top of Mission Row. One of my more innocuous shots, but it's pretty. The pilot must have been higher than me on the way back from Vegas because he took two minutes to land and kept banging the skids on the ground. Thought he was going to crash the fucking thing. 00:19 PM AUG 12 2021 Accused of trespassing for standing on the roof of a parking garage by none other than John Corporation himself. Circled the block a few times in a Jester RR and roamed around my car like I couldn't park on a public street. Claimed that he told us to get down and we "aggressively refused." He asked what's up and I said me. People care more about their rooftops than the shootouts happening 500 feet from their office doors. 01:52 PM AUG 12 2021 Some jackass almost runs me over trying to bolt from the cops on foot. Gets tased and eats concrete. He was really verbal and tried to get in my face about the cameras. The officers held him back and let me film. Thanks. 02:30 AM AUG 13 2021 I meet two pretty chill people on the corner of Strawberry and Vespucci. One of them's homeless, and carries a bat for his defense in town. With what I've seen so far I frankly can't blame him. While we were talking, some asshole in a red pickup truck runs him over and keeps going. He was fine, only caught a knock off the fender. I helped with medical until Fire Department arrived. The police officer who showed up was a bit of a cunt, but beggars can't be choosers. 03:30 AM AUG 13 2021 Sheriff's Deputies put a suspect from a pursuit into custody. I could hear him fighting from where I was standing. They had a hard time getting him under control, but he eventually relented and they were able to put him in a car. My week in Los Santos has taught me something vital, but maybe it's just my opinion. Grain of salt. This island is the modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah. A city fueled by sex and violence like no other I've ever seen. Those who want to survive either adapt or ignore it the best they can and carry on with their lives. Your children shouldn't have to see dead bodies on their way to school. And I shouldn't have to resort to shock value to get my point across. Something has to be done or the next generation will have no future. PARADISE Vol. I: First Impressions PARADISE Vol. III: Streets of Fire PARADISE: Dangers of Society Donate to help me afford bills, equipment, and repairs: Every bit helps and is put toward my cost of living. I make zero revenue from PARADISE publications. Bitcoin Address (Bech32): bc1zg4tskar7xfwivy5l643lydlw9re59gtyzwf5mdq ((/banktransfer XXXXX 010003978 Paradise Donation)) -COMMENTS ARE ENABLED- Username: Comment: ((Character Thread))

*In your character's bored browsing of the internet, they find a mysterious link to an independent local news project simply titled: 'PARADISE'. The website is quite plain; white background and black text accompanying a slew of images that are blurred until clicked. Everything is center-aligned. There's an imageboard comment section below.* My name's Ash. I'm an independent crime photojournalist. I've run pieces on Flint, Detroit, Baltimore, and Portland. I'm documenting my finds in Los Santos thus far, currently now nearly a month in to my stay on the island. This is what the major news networks won't cover- Crime on the day-to-day. A raw look into the real Los Santos, behind the mask of Vinewood glamour. GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING - 18+ 08:17 AM AUG 13 2021 I start my day off strong and early. Slept well for once. Davis is full of three-and-four deep sedans. Everyone's all masked up and ready for action, and it's a Friday morning. Somewhere along the line I find one of those cars flipped. Guy inside had been shot a few times, and the car rolled over on its roof. His friend ran off and left him- there was blood leading from the car across into an adjacent alley. There's not much he could have done for him, anyway. The deputy in charge of the scene was helpful in this case. Fisher or Fischer or something like that. 02:02 AM AUG 15 2021 I walk outside of the apartment block a friend lives in and spot a man lying face-up in the parking lot. Called for coroner's and police, but they didn't arrive until around 4:15 AM, where I caught them on my swing back around. Lots of bodies, not enough time. 02:28 AM AUG 15 2021 Bomb threat at the Yellow Jack Inn. All I wanted was a drink, but I got pictures, instead. Spoke with an officer of the LSPD for a few minutes while I was up on a billboard getting good angles. Turns out the whole thing was a hoax, guy caught charges for making threats on top of everything else he'd racked up. 05:18 AM AUG 15 2021 A teenager mourns the loss of his friend outside a block on Forum Drive, Chamberlain Hills. I arrived right after Coroner's were taking him away. Sad reality of life in South Central. 05:26 AM AUG 15 2021 Not too long after I'd taken that photo, police were back on that block- this time arresting a murder suspect. They sounded pretty sure they'd caught their guy. He had been stopped in the act, with the body of the victim right next to him. Two murders in thirty minutes, less than twenty-five feet apart. The density of homicides in South Central is unrivaled. 06:09 AM AUG 15 2021 Traffic stop on a four-occupied sedan on the Jamestown projects block. Law enforcement are very careful around these parts, and for good reason. The place is an ambush waiting to happen. 06:54 AM AUG 15 2021 Less than two hours after I'd seen him at a scene on Forum Drive, a deputy is shot dead in the middle of the road. Co-workers frantically work to save his life, but he didn't roll away in an ambulance. Death will come when you least expect it. 09:50 AM AUG 15 2021 Standing around in the parking lot of the block my friend's letting me stay at when a Dominator comes screeching up, nearly hitting us. My partner tells him to watch his driving. He gets out in a bulletproof vest and motorcycle helmet and says "he's debating whether to kill us or not." For a brief moment, I consider running him over in my car. He pulled a gun on us, then shoved it away and walked off. Cops were called, since he'd done it in front of quite a few witnesses who didn't take kindly to having pistols waved at them. Sheriff's Department pulled out the big guns on him. Good shots from above. 4:47 AM AUG 16 2021 In a particularly wild twist, I witness the guy in the orange hoodie here steal a masked biker's motorcycle and speed off on it. Around thirty minutes later, I spot orange hoodie in an alleyway with some friends. I pull aside. Gunfire erupts. When I return, one's dead on the ground, with orange hoodie bleeding out, and a third wandering around the scene. Sheriff's Deputies arrive in force to take control of the situation, placing the third suspect under arrest shortly afterward. Seemed to me like our masked biker is some sort of vigilante. If he's a good enough shot to kill two in a three-on-one gunfight and survive, he's doing something right. Can't endorse vigilantism, though. Bad for one's health. 9:35 AM AUG 16 2021 Myself and a few friends make the mistake of cruising around old abandoned industrial areas in my van. We head to Elysian Island- there's a trucking depot there with posted signs, so we go to a lot that doesn't belong to them to drive around and check out the old docks and machinery. A green Gruppe Six pickup truck starts chasing us before long, from Elysian Island all the way through Cypress Flats, El Burro Heights, La Mesa, and finally Mission Row Station. When the guy gets out of his truck he introduces himself as a "Protections Officer." It was ruled a 'misunderstanding' by the Police Department. What confuses me the most is the audacity to chase civilians in an unmarked car... as private security. Professional standards, right? 6:18 AM AUG 18 2021 Traffic stop on the Los Santos Freeway. Guns are drawn and both driver and passenger are brought out of the vehicle. No good details on this one, but I have a feeling it had to do with a situation I'd seen earlier where a deputy was shot near the Chianski mountain range. 9:23 AM AUG 18 2021 This is broken, can I return it? Two people are shot inside a car on Roy Lowenstein Boulevard during broad daylight. No further details about the shooting could be dug up, but they both left in Coroner's vans. 11:56 PM AUG 18 2021 Street fight in Chinatown erupted down the road from a bar. Guy on the ground was brutally beaten and had his money stolen right out of his wallet. The thief threw the empty billfold in the victim's face and ran off after kicking him in the ribs. I didn't stick around to try to talk to anyone. When I tried to offer medical aid they didn't seem to want it. 11:15 PM AUG 19 2021 I get pulled over on Forum Drive, probably matching a suspect of something or another. While I'm sitting there getting ready a gunfight erupts less than thirty feet to my left. I get let go from the stop, pull on my press badge, and film. Gangster shot down an LSPD canine handler, and in turn, the deputy who pulled me over shot the gunman dead. Neither of them made it. 11:52 PM AUG 19 2021 I walk outside my friend's apartment again and two people are shot in front of me. I lift my camera as the gunman runs past- he doesn't notice me, tunnel vision, I guess. It probably helped I was behind something, anyway. He zooms past me, gun in hand. I'd later film this same guy killing a third in not long after these pictures were taken. 1:06 AM AUG 20 2021 LSPD operation at a block I've unfortunately been to one too many times by now. SWAT were outside holding the door. Couldn't get much closer than I did here, didn't want to, either. 1:50 AM AUG 20 2021 The same guy from earlier shoots at someone out front of the DMV apartments and hops in his buddy's sports car to get away. Unfortunately for him, he did not get away, as he was killed by police during the pursuit after exchanging gunfire with them. If you'd believe it, we were just about to leave this location on merit of nothing happening, too. Lucky find. 2:17 AM AUG 20 2021 Los Santos Sheriff's Department in hot pursuit of... A taxi. Hazarding a guess he did something to warrant such a response. I was reeling video when they passed, and it came out wonderfully. 2:20 AM AUG 20 2021 I take a bathroom break inside a 24/7 on Davis and Macdonald Street. When I'm on my way out, a gunfight erupts a block over, near the public library. I used the digital recorder I bought at Seeker's to get a quick snip of the ambience of Davis. Blood and brass on the steps of the public library- A deadly reminder of how violence has taken precedent over knowledge. 4:39 AM AUG 21 2021 Another massive brawl, this time outside a corner store on Strawberry Avenue. Fists and feet fly. A passerby starts kicking one of the guys who'd lost the fight in the head. Our masked vigilante whips a Glock out on him and makes him back off, then picks all the injured up. Everyone goes about their day like that hadn't just happened. I'm not gonna get preachy at the end of this issue, I've had two before this to do that. By now, anyone who's regularly read these articles understands my prerogative. I want change. I can't force change, but I can try, by exposing reality. The island's gorgeous, but it's wasted potential. A dying flame. Gone are the days of movie studios and superstars. This is the here and now Los Santos. But it doesn't have to be. PARADISE Vol. I: First Impressions PARADISE Vol. II: Sodom & Gomorrah PARADISE: Dangers of Society Donate to help me afford bills, equipment, and repairs: Every bit helps and is put toward my cost of living. I make zero revenue from PARADISE publications. Bitcoin Address (Bech32): bc1zg4tskar7xfwivy5l643lydlw9re59gtyzwf5mdq ((/banktransfer XXXXX 010003978 Paradise Donation)) -COMMENTS ARE ENABLED- Username: Comment: ((Character Thread))

*In your character's bored browsing of the internet, they find a mysterious link to an independent local news project simply titled: 'PARADISE'. The website is quite plain; white background and black text accompanying a slew of images that are blurred until clicked. Everything is center-aligned. There's an imageboard comment section below.* My name's Ash. I'm an independent crime photojournalist. I've run pieces on Flint, Detroit, Baltimore, and Portland. I'm documenting my time in Los Santos thus far. I'm two months into my stay here on the island. This is a raw look into the star-studded hell on Earth Los Santos has become. All images are free for use by anyone for any reason. GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING - 18+ 8:23 AM AUG 22 2021 I'm roused from sleep by the chatter of gunfire outside my apartment. All brass, no blood. People can't aim. A drive through Davis wouldn't hurt anything, it was eight AM after all. I made my way there and was graced by a street fight as I arrived, more than I could have asked for on such a hushed morning. It didn't last particularly long. 8:48 AM AUG 22 2021 I make my way down the street to Little Seoul. There's a cruiser in the road with a few deputies surrounding it. Deputy-involved shooting, he had no chance. His life was taken for a traffic stop. I helped how I could and left. 5:34 AM AUG 23 2021 High-speed chase through the county with a company Burrito van. Some real acrobatic shit was going on. Against my better judgement I got close enough to film more or less the entire thing. A deputy blocked me off so I wouldn't be hit by the van. Thanks, deputy. You're a champ. 12:34 AM AUG 23 2021 Civil dispute at the local occult shop on Mission Row's Atlee Street. Neither side could really decide who was in the err so they were made to go their separate ways. I stood around and watched for a while. The two guys being trespassed claimed the owners were racist, and the owners claimed the two men were sexist. What a gargantuan mess. 3:07 AM AUG 23 2021 One hell of a scene outside The Vault at Pillbox Hill. Police trucks and all. Couldn't get close enough for context. 8:43 AM AUG 24 2021 Deputy went missing at a scene in Strawberry. During all of that, there were repeat incidents of hammer attacks around Davis from presumably the same guys who initiated the first call. They caught at least two of them to my knowledge. I caught pictures of the third biking all over Davis. Brazen, you have to admire the balls on the guy. 8:45 AM AUG 24 2021 Escort services are abundant in Los Santos, both on street corners and on public advertisement agencies. I offered these two cash in exchange for an anonymous interview, but they called me weird. So instead, I took their picture. Guess I am. 9:47 AM AUG 24 2021 Traffic stop right outside the cheapo plastic surgeon in Mission Row. The driver must have had warrants, because they'd got her in a high-risk formation, led her out of the car- the whole shebang. I feel the most sorry for the car itself. That red is gorgeous. 11:55 PM AUG 25 2021 Another scene on Vespucci and Strawberry. A road often traveled means a road often prowled around. 11:18 AM AUG 27 2021 Gang activity and an argument at a 24/7 leads to deputies pulling up in force to investigate. Things thankfully went back to normal when they left, but the tension was thick enough to be cut with a knife. I expected blood. 6:46 AM AUG 28 2021 A shooting in Davis leaves one dead and a car filled with holes. I received a tip from a reader that there was something going on, and arrived just in time to speak with some of the deputies onscene and get some details. Based on the evidence we all saw, it was probably a drive-by shooting. Killed without a chance to react. He didn't know what hit him. 1:30 AM AUG 28 2021 Hot pursuit through Davis. This guy must've cut twenty different alleys trying to escape. No idea if he did! It was entertaining while it lasted, though. 11:26 AM AUG 31 2021 Someone gets blasted outside the nightclub I was outside of. Didn't catch the shooting itself, only the aftermath. Right in the heart of Rockford Hills. Bullets don't discriminate where you're from or where you're at. You are not safe in your ivory tower. A fire marshal was trying to save his life when I got close enough to see what was going on. 2:22 AM SEP 01 2021 Two guys creeping around in a black car with hoodies, masks, and gloves. Certainly not up to no good, and no cause for alarm. I took pictures and called it in. They didn't come back when cruisers started swinging through. 6:18 AM SEP 01 2021 Some guy's beating the shit out of another guy's Baller with a wrench. The owner shows up, wrench guy runs at him, and gets blasted out of his socks with a .45. The guy with the wrench's friend there starts shooting at the Gallivanter's owner. Then me. He didn't make it far. I must've called the police four times, my friend another two. Nothing. 3:23 AM SEP 02 2021 Sheriff's dominate a scene on Forum and Carson. They used the less-lethal on the guy in yellow. He fell down. 3:40 AM SEP 02 2021 Just down the road, police shoot the hell out of some guy in his car. They pushed up behind a cruiser as cover. He didn't make it out of there alive, a coroner's van took him right across the street. 12:59 AM SEP 03 2021 Trouble in Jamestown. When isn't there? Particularly today. From my perch I saw a shooting, a fight, and enough police presence to make Times Square jealous. A Los Santos Police helicopter was spying on the people scattered around below. 12:59 AM SEP 03 2021 More hell on Roy Lowenstien Boulevard. The citizens of Jamestown can't catch a break from flashing lights. SWAT and SWT were swarming the place like a Hispanic Bin Laden was holed up inside that house. They left empty-handed. A starless sky overcasts a starless city. A place where some dreams are made, and most dreams are broken. I'm not sure how to wrap this volume up other than scratching my head and wondering what led to it all. How could a place with such massive potential crumble and fall? History repeating itself? How could a city filled with millions feel so empty and desolate? Enjoy it all while you can. After all, "When in Rome..." PARADISE Vol. I: First Impressions PARADISE Vol. II: Sodom & Gomorrah PARADISE Vol. III: Streets of Fire PARADISE: Dangers of Society Donate to help me afford bills, equipment, and repairs: Every bit helps and is put toward my cost of living. I make zero revenue from PARADISE publications. BTC (Bech32) ((this is not real, use the /banktransfer!)): bc1zg4tskar7xfwivy5l643lydlw9re59gtyzwf5mdq ((/banktransfer XXXXX 010003978 Paradise Donation)) -COMMENTS ARE ENABLED- Username: Comment: ((Character Thread))

*In your character's bored browsing of the internet, they find a mysterious link to an independent local news project simply titled: 'PARADISE'. The website is quite plain; white background and black text accompanying a slew of images that are blurred until clicked. Everything is center-aligned. There's an imageboard comment section below.* GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING - 18+ 03:55 AM AUG 11 2021, CARSON / BROUGE AVENUE On the 11/AUG/2021 at 03:55 AM myself and another Project PARADISE journalist were filming a traffic stop in Davis from a vantage point. While our video and DSLR cameras were rolling, all four occupants of the vehicle exited with firearms and opened fire. It is unknown as to the medical condition of the deputies who were involved in this shooting. All four of the suspects escaped on foot, and no further gunfire was heard in the area. Let this be a shocking example of how dangerous this city truly is. Any information that could lead to arrest should be forwarded to the Los Santos County Sheriff's Office. If this video and these images disturb you, that's a good thing. It means this place hasn't desensitized you yet. There's a war going on in your streets, and the folks on top don't seem to care. Push your politicians for change. It doesn't have to be this way. PARADISE VOL I: FIRST IMPRESSIONS PARADISE VOL II: SODOM & GAMORRAH Donate to help me afford equipment, an apartment, and repairs: bc1zg4tskar7xfwivy5l643lydlw9re59gtyzwf5mdq ((/banktransfer XXXXX Ashton Love Paradise Donation)) -COMMENTS ARE ENABLED- Username: Comment: ((Character Thread))