List of All Articles with Tag 'us crime news'

Multiple people were killed as an active shooter barricaded himself inside a Dollar General store in Florida. Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan confirmed that there were “a number of fatalities” caused by the shooting at the store on the city’s Kings Road on Saturday. “This is unacceptable. One shooting is too much but these mass shootings are really hard to take,” she said, according to WJXT. And she added: “It’s a heartbreaking thing for our community. It’s awful and it has happened in this community way too many times.” State Representative Angie Nixon, who represents the District 13 neighbourhood called the incident “tragic.” “These are things that we want to try to avoid by making sure that our communities are fully resourced, making sure we’re creating a climate of love and not tension,” Ms Nixon told WJXT. Councilwoman Ju’Coby Pittman said she was devastated to see yet more violence unleashed. “I’m tired of seeing all the shootings. The people in this community are hurting,” she said. The shooting took place near the city’s Edward Waters University campus, which issued a campus-wide stay in place order.

Multiple people were killed as an active shooter barricaded himself inside a Dollar General store in Florida. Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan confirmed that there were “a number of fatalities” caused by the mass shooting at the store on the city’s Kings Road on Saturday. “This is unacceptable. One shooting is too much but these mass shootings are really hard to take,” she said, according to WJXT. And she added: “It’s a heartbreaking thing for our community. It’s awful and it has happened in this community way too many times.”

At least four people have been killed and others are being treated for gunshot wounds after a mass shooting at a popular bikers’ bar in California’s Orange County. The Orange County sheriff said those killed included the suspected gunman, identified by The Orange County Sheriff’s Department as John Snowling, 59. Three people died and six others were injured before Snowling was killed by law enforcement. The fatal victims have been identified as John Leehey, 67, Tonya Clark, 49, and Glen Sprowl, 53. The incident began with a domestic dispute between the gunman and his wife. Snowling, a retired law enforcement officer with the Ventura Police Department, opened fire on his wife Marie Snowling and her dining companion. Sheriff Don Barnes said on Thursday that Snowling then continued shooting indiscriminately. A man who approached Snwoling as the gunman retrieved more weapons from his vehicle was fatally shot. Ms Snowling had filed for divorce in December 2022, according to The Los Angeles Times. A neighbour of the couple told the outlet she had moved in with her ailing mother while Snowling was spending most of his time in Ohio, where he owned a property. Read More A ‘domestic dispute’ spilled into historic biker bar Cook’s Corner. It ended with a mass shooting Gunman in Cook’s Corner shooting identified as retired police officer John Snowling

A shopping centre in Southern California was evacuated and a young man arrested after a "suspicious toilet" was left near a movie theatre. Police evacuated the Americana Mall in Glendale on Thursday at about 8pm on suspicion of a bomb, with the alert lifted approximately two hours later, according to KTLA. Upon discovering the toilet, which had been painted in multiple bright colours. police found a note that claimed explosives were hidden within the porcelain. Bomb squads rushed to the scene as shoppers at the mall were herded toward the exits. Explosives experts then examined the toilet but did not find anything suspicious inside. KCAL News' sky camera captured pictures of the lavishly decorated lavatory, which had been left in a paved area next to a what looked like a music stand. It was unclear if the stand was related to the toilet incident. The bomb squad used drones and x-ray equipment to examine the toilet, according to KTLA. Once the x-ray came back clear, a pair of bomb squad members dismantled the toilet and later cleared the area. Rick Caruso, the owner of the shopping centre, released a statement following the incident. “Earlier this evening, a suspicious item and note were left at The Americana at Brand. As a result of our significant investment in security measures, we were able to quickly assist the GPD in identifying and locating a suspect who was then arrested,” he said. “We do not tolerate criminal activity on our properties and will take every step necessary to ensure the safety of our guests, tenants, residents and employees. We extend our gratitude to our security team and to the GPD for their quick response and action in arresting the suspect.” Police have reportedly arrested a 22-year-old man named Timothy Taratchila in connection with the toilet bomb threat. He was identified after police reviewed surveillance footage in which they saw him allegedly placing the toilet near the shopping centre. Mr Taratchila is reportedly from Burbank, and was being held at the Glendale Police Department pending $15,000 bail. The incident left one news anchor in disbelief as he reported exactly what was unfolding the mall. "Your eyes do not deceive you," CBS News' Desmond Shaw said. "I'm going to utter a sentence that I never thought I would utter, that a suspicious toilet has caused an evacuation of one of the most busy shopping centres in the greater LA area,” adding that the situation was "bizarre". Read More F-18 military jet crashes during training flight near San Diego Maui county sues Hawaiian Electric Company over deadly Lahaina fires Largest known gathering of octopuses discovered off California

Investigators and family members of a North Carolina woman had not expected to find her remains after she went missing more than a month ago. On Thursday, the police said they found the remains of Allisha Watts, 39, who was last seen on 16 July. Her boyfriend of one year, James Dunmore, was arrested on the same day on suspicion of Watts’ murder, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. Watts’ remains were found in a wooded area of a cemetery near the towns of Candor and Norman, sheriff Pete Herron said. “This is not the outcome that we had been hoping for, but by finding Allisha today... I hope and I pray it brings some closure to family and friends moving forward,” Mr Herron said at a news conference. Watts, who worked in the mental health field, was last seen in Charlotte, North Carolina on 16 July and her Mercedes was found in Anson County, southeast of Charlotte two days later. Mr Dunmore was found unresponsive inside the car, the county sheriff’s office said, according to CNN. It is not yet clear how her remains were found and how she died. Mr Dunmore, 51, who lives in Charlotte, was being held by police. The arrest warrant alleges he “unlawfully, willfully and feloniously did of malice aforethought kill and murder Allisha Watts”. He was arrested in the Charlotte area where Watts was visiting a residence on the day she went missing, police had said. Watts’ sister, Stephanie Johnson, told ABC News that her sister was with Mr Dunmore when she went missing. The two met when Watts drove to Charlotte to visit her cousin, Ms Johnson said. Talking about her sister, she said Watts was a “hard-working, independent, reliable, resourceful, loving, kind, attentive person”. The police said the case “is no longer considered a missing person investigation”. “This is not what we prayed for,” Watts’ friend, Dorothy Brower, told reporters after her body was recovered. “She was found, but it was not how we wanted to find her. She doesn’t deserve what her fate became. Just to dispose of someone who is just one of the best persons you could meet,” she said. Mr Dunmore is being held in the Montgomery County jail without bond . He is expected to appear in court on Monday. “This is an ongoing and active case and investigation, and there’s still much work to be done,” Mr Herron said. Read More Drink-driver who killed charity cyclist and hid body to be sentenced BTK serial killer is in the news again. Here's why and some background about his case Trump arrest live updates: Trump tweets historic mugshot after booking at Fulton County Jail

An Arizona woman who was allegedly kidnapped by a man in a wig posing as an Uber driver escaped after passing a note to a gas station customer pleading for help, according to authorities. The woman was abducted from a car dealership in Phoenix at 7am on Monday, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) said in a statement. The suspect, identified by authorities as 41-year-old Jacob Wilhoit, “restrained” the woman in the car and drove north towards Las Vegas, and they spent the night in a Lake Mead park, the sheriff’s office said. At 5pm on Tuesday, they pulled into a Chevron gas station 150 miles southeast in Seligman, Arizona. The woman signalled to another customer and passed a note with a description of her abductor and his blue Honda van, and begged them to call 911. “Help,” the note read. “Call 911.” The note included a a phone number and that they were headed to “Kingman Las Vegas”. Their van was intercepted by officers from the Department of Public Safety (DPS) heading westbound on the I-40, and Mr Wilhoit was detained without incident, according to authorities. Several firearms were found “in plain view” in his car, they said. Deputies also learned the woman had been reported missing by her mother the previous day, who named Mr Wilhoit as a “person of interest”. Mr Wilhoit has been arrested on charges including aggravated assault, unlawful imprisonment, kidnapping, and other assault and harassment charges. “The victim’s extraordinary action in passing the note, the customer’s willingness to assist, and the quick actions of YCSO and DPS saved the victim from her kidnapper and allowed her to return home with her family,” Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said. Read More The BTK killer’s need for notoriety led to his capture a decade ago. He’s now a ‘prime suspect’ in at least two other murders Ambushed at an LA park, kidnapped and her body dumped in a field: What happened to Andrea Vazquez? California woman who vanished eight years ago reappears to ask police to take her off missing persons list

Five family members have been found dead in a home in northeast Ohio in an apparent murder-suicide, authorities say. Police in Uniontown, Stark County, made the grisly discovery after performing a wellbeing check at a home in the 13000 block of Carnation Avenue around 7.30pm on Thursday. Officers found five dead family members, and described the incident as a domestic dispute that “turned deadly”. The victims were identified as Jason Dunham, 46, Melissa Dunham, 42, Renee Dunham, 15, Amber Dunham, 12, and 9-year-old Evan Dunham. The Stark County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office are helping Uniontown police with the investigation. Uniontown is a town of approximately 7,000 residents, situated 50 miles south of Cleveland. Read More GOP support for gun restrictions slips a year after Congress passed firearms law Philadelphia officer to be fired over shooting death of Black man as new video contradicts police account Donald Trump’s weight and height in Georgia arrest records raises eyebrows

A woman has been charged with animal cruelty for allegedly abandoning her dog at a Pennsylvania airport before boarding a flight to a resort in Mexico. Allison Gaiser, 44, allegedly ditched her brown-and-white male French bulldog at Pittsburgh International Airport on 4 August after she was denied boarding by the airline because it did not meet the criteria for an emotional support animal, the Allegheny county police said on Thursday. She also did not have a proper kennel required to bring the animal onto a flight, the authorities said. After leaving the ticket counter, Ms Gaiser was seen on surveillance cameras pushing the dog in the stroller back toward a moving walkway enclosure, next to glass exit doors in the airport's short-term parking lot. She later moved to an area where a county police officer found the dog unattended in the stroller about 40 minutes later at around 5.03am, authorities said. The dog, which was licensed and had an identification microchip, was found unharmed and turned over to an animal care facility. He was later sent to a foster home and is doing well, the police said. Authorities were waiting for Ms Gaiser when she returned to the airport about 12.30am on 10 August. She admitted leaving the dog behind because the airline wouldn't allow it on the plane but claimed to have made arrangements with her mother to pick up the animal at the airport, according to the Associated Press. She allowed the police to review text messages between her and her mother, but authorities said it was apparent that no immediate arrangement was made for Ms Gaiser's mother to pick up the dog. The mother said she only found out about the incident when Ms Gaiser's ex-husband shared a news story about the dog being left at the airport. Ms Gaiser has been charged with one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty, summary violations of animal cruelty, animal neglect and abandonment of animals by owner. Her initial court hearing is scheduled for 16 October. "There are many pets still looking for a home, and we would encourage anyone interested in adoption to reach out to Animal Friends at 412-847-7000," the police department said on Facebook. Read More Dog owner documents rescued maltese’s ‘journey to walking again’ after she was suddenly paralysed Dogs being killed, poisoned, beaten and mutilated on massive scale, says RSPCA Britney Spears called out by PETA over her alleged decision to buy new puppy instead of rescue

The son of a Los Angeles County fire captain has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping and murdering a California woman who was shot and abducted from a park. Gabriel Sean Esparza, 20, has been charged with multiple felonies including murder, kidnapping and attempted rape of 19-year-old Andrea Vazquez. Mr Esparza entered a not-guilty plea when he made his first court appearance for the brutal slaying on Wednesday. Prosecutors have formally filed seven charges against the suspect, according to a criminal complaint submitted in Los Angeles Superior Court. These also include attempted murder, kidnapping to commit another crime, assault with intent to commit a felony, and two counts of attempted forcible rape. Vazquez was randomly kidnapped on Sunday while in a car with her boyfriend in a Whittier park. While Vazquez and her boyfriend were sitting in the parked car at Penn Park, an armed man approached them and began shooting. Vazquez’s boyfriend fled the scene and when he returned, he “discovered blood” near it and Vazquez was gone. Vazquez’s body was found the following day in Moreno Valley. Read More Andrea Vasquez: California woman shot and kidnapped from boyfriend’s car found dead Ambushed at an LA park, kidnapped and her body dumped in a field: What happened to Andrea Vazquez?

Prosecutors said new DNA results are expected in just a matter of weeks in their case against a Massachusetts man accused of murdering his wife, Ana Walshe. Ms Walshe, 39, was last seen at her home just after midnight on New Year’s Day. Her body has not been found, but prosecutors are trying to prove that her husband, Brian Walshe, murdered and dismembered the mother-of-three. In a court appearance on Tuesday, prosecutors said they are awaiting the results of DNA testing as they continue to build their case against Mr Walshe, WHDH reported. The convicted art fraudster was arrested on 8 January on charges for hindering the police investigation after prosecutors said that traces of blood and a knife were found in the basement of her family home. On 17 January, he was charged with his wife’s murder. While court proceedings continued on Tuesday, another search for Ms Walshe was conducted in a wooded area of Peabody, Massachusetts. The search location was less than a mile from the Peabody Transfer Station where investigators said they found evidence in this case back in January. But the search yielded nothing, according to Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrisey’s office. “Two persons in the Peabody community unconnected to the prosecution of Brian Walshe contacted State Police investigators with their belief that an area of that community may be of investigative interest in that matter,” spokesman David Traub said in a statement. “A search of that area by the Massachusetts State Police SERT team yielded nothing.” Police in Cohasset first announced that Ms Walshe was missing in a statement on 5 January and asked for the public’s help in finding her. Authorities said that she was last seen at her home shortly after midnight on New Year’s Day, and described her as being 5 feet 2 inches tall, 115 pounds, with brown hair, brown eyes and an olive complexion. They state that she speaks with an Eastern European accent. She had been due to take a ride-share car from her home to Boston’s Logan Airport to take a flight to Washington DC, where she works in real estate, police said. Tishman Speyer reported her missing on 4 January, and police in Cohasset performed a welfare check at the family home. A criminal affidavit in the case states that Mr Walshe told police that he last saw his wife at their home early on 1 January when she took an Uber or Lyft to the airport. He also told authorities that he went to a Whole Foods and a CVS in Swampscott, Massachusetts, 40 miles away, on 1 January and took his child to get ice cream the following day. The affidavit states that police did not find that any Uber or Lyft ride had taken place on New Year’s Day, and Ms Walshe never took a flight to DC or arrived in the city by any other means of transport. Prosecutors also say they reviewed video footage of Whole Foods and CVS and did not see Mr Walshe at either location. The search for Ms Walshe initially focused on wooded areas near the family’s home. Officials said that 20 troopers from a specialised search and rescue were joined by three police K9 teams and a police helicopter in the search. State police divers also searched a small stream and drained the home’s swimming pool. Ms Walshe lived with her family in Cohasset, Massachusetts, but worked in real estate in Washington DC during the week. Ms Walshe was born in Belgrade, Serbia, and was working at the Wheatleigh Hotel in Lenox when she met Mr Walshe in 2008. After their 2015 marriage, they had three sons between two and six years old. The couple’s three young boys were placed in the care of the Department of Children and Families following Mr Walshe’s first arrest. Read More Ana Walshe: Timeline of missing Massachusetts mother’s disappearance Desperate searches for two missing women who vanished days apart in Colorado resort town

It began just like any other Wednesday night at the popular biker bar. Motorcycle riders and enthusiasts had gathered for drinks, food and fun with friends at Cook’s Corner, one of the most famous biker bars and restaurants in southern California. But, this one night took a devastating turn when a gunman opened fire, leaving at least three people dead and many others injured. The mass shooting suspect – identified by authorities as retired police officer John Snowling– was then shot and killed by responding officers. Reports suggest that Snowling’s wife Marie Snowling, who is being treated in hospital for gunshot wounds, was the target of the attack. Now, the southern California biker community has been left reeling, as the latest community rocked by the effects of gun violence in America. Cook’s Corner has been met with an outpouring of love and support on its Instagram account in the wake of the mass shooting. “I’m still trying to process what happened tonight,” Diana Simon, who works at Cook’s Corner, wrote on Facebook. “The loss and what it has done to all I care about. We are a family at Cook’s Corner. Marie lights up every room she walks in. Her smile and enthusiasm for life… it’s just so wrong. It all doesn’t feel real.” Here’s what we know so far about the shooting: The deadly shooting At around 7.04pm on Wednesday 23 August, authorities received a 911 call about a shooting at Cook’s Corner biker bar in California’s Orange County. Police said that the gunman opened fire at the bar, killing at least three people. Another six victims were injured including five who were hospitalised with gunshot wounds. Witnesses told CBS and KCAL News that the gunfire began in the picnic area. They said they initially heard about five or six shots before a brief pause. Shortly after, the shooting continued with an increased volley of fire. One witness told the outlet that he and a cook barricaded themselves in the kitchen to hide from the gunman. They armed themselves with a frying pan and waited until it was safe to come out, he said. The cook had been shot in the arm during the encounter. The witness also claimed that a pregnant woman had begged the gunman to spare her, saying “please don’t shoot me, I’m five months pregnant”. The gunman allegedly told her to “get out of here” and let her leave. Another man was not so fortunate, however, with the witness saying his friend was fatally shot in the back by the gunman. Police said that officers arrived on the scene of the shooting around two minutes after the 911 call came in. There, they encountered the gunman who was fatally shot at the scene. Six victims were taken to Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo for treatment. Two are in critical condition while four others are in stable condition. The suspect The suspected gunman was identified on Thursday as retired police officer John Snowling. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office said that Snwoling had been employed by the Ventura Police Department from 1984 until his retirement in 2014. According to an article published in 2012, Snowling led a patrol task force within the agency. Local media reports said that the incident began as a domestic dispute between the shooter and his wife, Marie Snowling. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department said it was looking into reports that the suspect first shot his wife at the bar. Despite earlier reports that Ms Snowling had not survived, her father William Mosby told The Orange County on Thursday that she is recovering from her injuries at Providence Mission Hospital Mission Viejo. “Her friend in the bar said she was shot in the lower jaw,” Mr Mosby told the outlet. “I’m extremely relieved, what I heard was the worst.” Mr Mosby described Snowling as a “crazy husband” who couldn’t cope with Ms Snowling’s request for a divorce. Ms Snowling’s friend Betty Fruichantie also told NBC that the two were enjoying a live performance at the popular biker’s bar when the gunman entered the establishment. “We were sitting there listening to the band and all of sudden, from behind us, we hear shooting. A bunch of shooting,” Ms Fruichantie said. “I thought it was just firecrackers, she didn’t say anything. People were getting shot. People were getting shot.” Ms Fruichantie said that Ms Snowling had recently filed for divorce and was staying with friends. The reaction The devasting shooting has left many in shock, including community members, gun control groups and lawmakers. In a press conference, undersheriff Jeff Hallock described the night as “difficult” for everyone involved and for the community. “I want to start off by offering condolences to the families of the victims and to the entire Trabuco Canyon community,” he said. California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that he was monitoring the shooting “and coordinating with local officials as more details become available”. Orange County supervisor Katrina Foley tweeted: “We must do more to protect survivors. Another domestic dispute led to another mass shooting. This as US v. Rahimi, being heard by SCOTUS following Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal decision ruling this lifesaving federal ‘red flag’ law unconstitutional. We must do more to protect survivors.” Senator Dave Min from Orange County said he was "devastated" by the news. “Our district is one of the safest areas in the country, and yet we too are repeatedly afflicted with the scourge of mass shootings,” he said. “An office park in Orange, a church in Laguna Woods, a bar in Trabuco Canyon. There is no place in America that is safe from the scourge of gun violence. There is no community not affected.” There have been more than 400 mass shootings in the US so far in 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Read More Cook’s Corner shooting – live: Ex-cop John Snowling named as suspect who killed three in California biker bar Gunman in Cook’s Corner shooting identified as retired police officer John Snowling At least four dead in shooting at historic California biker bar

A three-year-old was struck by a stray bullet while jumping on a couch in New York on Monday night. Lovely Toney was at home in an apartment complex in the hamlet of Ridge, Long Island, when police arrived looking for murder suspect Gary Jones. Detectives were in the building to interview Jones’s friend, who is a resident in the same complex, and soon found that the suspect was there at that moment too. They subsequently instructed everyone to leave the apartment, before Jones came out of another room and began shooting. Of the multiple shots fired, three rounds went through the wall into the apartment next door and a bullet struck Lovely, causing her to bleed heavily. Describing the harrowing scene to CBS, Lovely’s father James Toney said: “No three-year-old, any child, should experience anything inside their home. She was fresh out of the tub, dripping wet from getting out of the bath.” “She just jumped on the couch, and she must have had her hand up, because the shot went through the hand, through the stomach,” he added, explaining: “I turned around and my daughter was standing there with blood running.” Lovely was rushed to hospital and underwent life-saving surgery. At a press conference Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison released bodycam footage of the incident and praised the “heroism” of apartment residents and the “quick action” of police officers and detectives at the scene, without whom the incident could have resulted in “horrific tragedy.” Mr Harrison explained that the “timely manoeuvre of getting that three-year-old child into a vehicle, rushing to a hospital” were what saved Lovely’s life. Referring to the family’s trauma, he said: “I have a grandson who is three years old. I can’t imagine going through that same situation.” “But I will say thank God for the men and women of this department,” Mr Harrison finished. Jones was found dead in the neighbouring apartment later, as a result of self-inflicted gunshot wounds. The murder suspect was wanted by police for allegedly killing his girlfriend in Central Islip in June. Read More Woman arrested and charged with threatening to kill judge presiding over Trump’s Jan 6 case Cook’s Corner shooting – live: Four killed, including gunman, and 6 injured at California biker bar Philadelphia officer to be fired over shooting death of Black man as new video contradicts police account Will Donald Trump go to prison?