Jay Polk in red hoody standing behind his family during a celebration at Freedom Plaza (Civic Center).
NEW NEW UPDATE from 1/12/12: A reporter from a local news website who has been researching this story, says this in an email this morning: “He [Jay] died in the line of duty and what he was doing is supper, duper classified,…”
NEW UPDATE from 1/11/12: There is research still going on over this case about whether Jay Polk was killed or not. It is still possibly true that he was killed. To speculate why the DoD has not publicized his death yet, we understand that in certain black ops where lives are still in danger, info is carefully squeezed out – or not at all – until it’s over.
UPDATE FROM EDITOR: Unfortunately for all involved, there have been some real questions raised as to the validity of Jay’s death. Our original source was within Occupy San Diego, but who is now having second thoughts themselves. Their source was reportedly a member of Jay’s family. Others have been making calls and have found NO confirmation of his death, either at the DoD site, Jay’s hometown, there’s no funeral home, no obituary, no report of his death except via this family member. And that person is not returning calls.
Jay Polk – presente! uh, wait …
Sergeant Jay Polk was (maybe) killed while on active duty in the US Army.
Chef Jay as he was known, was part of the original band of activists who began Occupy San Diego in late September of last year.
In tasks and responsibilities for those first heady days and weeks of the San Diego version of Occupy Wall Street, Jay migrated over to the kitchen and food line, where he took up its management. And manage the food line he did – as he and other volunteers handed out free meals to the occupiers and homeless people alike over the next couple of months. At one point, the tent village that the movement had erected in the plaza next to City Hall, was handing out from 500 to a 1,000 meals a day!
Jay was a master sergeant in the US Army. In fact, at least two of the San Diego police officers ordered to monitor Occupy San Diego had been trained by Jay, and they still called him “Sarge.”
There is (maybe) a memorial for Jay this Thursday, January 12th, from 5 to 9 pm at Freedom Plaza Civic Center, with a candle light vigil at 6:30. There is also plans for a potluck and an effort to raise money for Jay’s family.
He leaves a family, his wife partner Julie and 4 children, 2 of them newborn.
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
Frank Has this been confermed by outside sources other that OSD , ie. Family, government or other wise . .I cant find anything anywhere to conferm this. .
Not to my knowledge.
Thank you for writing about Jay. He will be greatly missed. Please come join us to celebrate his life on Thursday.
Thanks to the OB Rag for continued support and highlighting this very sad and shocking loss. I only knew Jay from the Occupy but he was a really hard and dedicated worker. He never needed acknowledgement or credit, he just kept doing things for everyone. My heart goes out to his family.
Hi OB Rag,
I would like to know when and where is the funeral?
Thank you in advance.
RIP Jay. Thanks for your selfless service. My thoughts go out to his family and friends.
Everyone, please read our update – above – that serious questions have been raised as to the validity of Jay’s death.
I got to know Jay real good during this movement. He has made me laugh my ass off with his witty sarcasm when times were hard. So I highly doubt he would want us to cry IF! this has happened. Those of you who know him would probably agree. He is a very selfless man willing to help people for his country. I missed him when he left, I miss him now, and I always will miss him.
To Jay’s friends: a number of individuals are trying to track down and verify this story. Please stay tuned for updates and clarifications.
I have read the update, and know about the sad rumours strted by non-OSD members. Regardless, I write to inform you and your readers that I am one of the admins for the event page on FB.
http://www.facebook.com/events/283710275011748/
The memorial will not be postponed nor cancelled. It will proceed as scheduled. Those who wish to celebrate a truly generous man and member of the Occupy San Diego family are welcome to attend and share their grief with us. Jay Polk was loved by his family and so many friends, and we will memorialize him on Thursday. See link above for details.
dead or alive, Jay was a good man and continues to be so, wherever he is.
Shouldn’t this story be pulled for the time being until confirmation can be made? It’s a pretty substantial slippery slope.
No, it’s an on-going story and investigation. Plus many people rely on the OB Rag for updates into this. “Slippery slope” to what, ol’ bearded one?
A reporter from a local news website said this to us in an email this morning: “He [Jay] died in the line of duty and what he was doing is supper, duper classified,…”
I see on Facebook that the memorial for Jay is going to happen.
Yes.
So is Jay dead or Alive? Pretty strange to not have a confirmation yet have a memorial.
There is a reporter and news website working on the story, and they have told me they believe he is dead, and that his family has been notified.
So is this story true or not? I am waiting confirmation to write about it. There is something strange about it. How could his mission be ” supper, duper classified”, and yet he had mentioned in his FB wall that he was going to Syria? and how come that an Occupy activist goes to war for the interests of the 1% ? There are a lot of contradictions in this story.
This man isn’t in the AKO database…SF or not he would have a profile for e-mails, access to iPerms, DEERS, all that good stuff. I’m sorry, but I think your friend Jay was a fraud.
The good folks at This Aint Hell did all the investigative work in trying to track Jay down in the system that we know as the DoD.
http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=28596
http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=28611