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 TenderfootTV, 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 Schaer 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?
“We Came to the Forest” is available now, wherever you get your podcasts.
In the depths of an Atlanta forest, a clash between activists and authorities ends in tragedy, but the official narrative doesn't add up. I'm Matthew Cher and on my new podcast We Came to the Forest from Wondering Campside Media and Tenderfoot TV, we peel 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, we expose the hidden truths behind a shootout they left one activist dead and countless lives forever changed. As we dig deeper, we uncover a web of conflicting testimonies and missing evidence. 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 wonder Campsite Media. On a chilly evening in January, an activist named Vienna Forest 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 Tortugita that's a little turtle and Spanish, has decided that it's time for her to get out of the house.
And we went to get Vietnamese and Mexican food. Just got a whole buffet and torch Guito's like at their peak. They're so happy they quit cigarettes. They were just really doing good.
A couple hours later, Vienna and tort 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. So's that old school neon sign out front.
Me and to sab ont tickets hit under a blanket the person manning the game, cause they're like, next time, tell your fence to hide their legs better, because towards legs were sticking out from under the blanket. But they let us go through.
The couple stays there together, curled up in the back seat, hands laced together in the dark, even as the movie gets underway.
They were always just like so when I felt comfortable with they were, I'm feeling bad, I can lay my head on their chest and they'd comfort me.
The film that night of the Starlight is Megan, the one about the overprotective, malignant doll.
The modern day Chucky. If you took a while for me, I don't remember what the movie was because I wasn't paying attention to the movie so much. But yeah.
As the movie winds down, Vienna turns to her partner watching them.
They seemed like they didn't have a 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.
About thirty six hours after the date of 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 were camping there attempt to stop the construction of the largest police training facility of 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, hacking up big intense with knives. They joke about what they'll say if they happen to.
Find one occupied, so quick question, can you get the fuck out?
Please?
There's some more laughter, and then everything just kind of shatters.
Open, oh shut? Is this target? Pucker?
Surprised? Unnerved? The officers tense.
Up, drop their hands to their side arms.
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 that sounded like suppressed.
From Wondering Campsite Media and Tenderfoot TV. I'm Matthew Cher and this as we came to the forest. This is episode one Paradise Found Binge. All episodes of We came to the forest. Add free on Wondery Plus. Join Wondering Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.