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Wednesday, 18 May 2022

Buffalo supermarket shooting: What do we know so far?

The massacre at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, is still under investigation, but here are the basics

19 May 2022, 03:47

5 min read

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- On Saturday afternoon, a white gunman in body armor killed 10 Black shoppers and workers at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. Another Black person and two white people were wounded. Federal officials are investigating the shooting as a hate crime; a state-level murder case is already underway.

A look at what we know so far:

WHAT HAPPENED IN BUFFALO?

The gunman opened fire at around 2:30 p.m. Saturday outside Tops Friendly Market, a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood in the western New York city.

The gunman began shooting in the parking lot. Inside, he exchanged gunfire with a security guard, who was killed, as he stalked through the aisles shooting shoppers.

Wearing a helmet camera, the gunman livestreamed the shooting on Twitch. The gaming platform said it took down the video in less than two minutes.

At one point, the video shows, he aimed at a white person hiding behind a checkout counter, but said “Sorry!” and didn't shoot.

When police confronted the gunman as he exited the store, he put his rifle to his neck. He then dropped the gun and surrendered.

WHO ARE THE VICTIMS?

Police said the 13 victims, including the wounded, ranged in age from 20 to 86. Most were over age 50.

The security guard, retired Buffalo police officer Aaron Salter, 55, drew words of praise from President Joe Biden for his selfless efforts to stop the bloodshed.

The dead included Heyward Patterson, 67, a church deacon who was at Tops to give rides to shoppers who needed them, and Ruth Whitfield, 86, who had just come from her daily visit to her husband in his nursing home. Andre Mackneil, 53, was picking up a cake for a child's birthday. Katherine Massey, 72, was “a beautiful soul” who was killed while shopping, sister Barbara Massey said.

Celestine Chaney's family learned of the 65-year-old's death in the massacre from seeing the gunman's video as it circulated online. The mother of Roberta Drury, 32, also saw the horrifying images.

The others killed in the shooting were Margus D. Morrison, 52, Geraldine Talley, 62, and Pearl Young, 77. The injured included three people who worked at Tops: Zaire Goodman, 20, Jennifer Warrington, 50, and Christopher Braden, 55.

WHO IS THE ACCUSED GUNMAN?

Police have identified the gunman as Payton Gendron, 18. He lived with his family in Conklin, New York, a small town about 200 miles (320 kilometers) southeast of Buffalo.

He graduated from high school in June 2021 — two weeks after state police took him to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation after he said he aspired to murder-suicide, according to authorities. He was released about a day later. Officials said there was no specific threat or basis for criminal charges.

He told authorities it was a joke — but it really wasn't, according to an online diary that recounts months of active, detailed planning for a livestreamed attack on Black people. The diary, kept on the chat platform Discord, was private until about a half-hour before the shooting, when a small group of users got invitations to view it, and some accepted, the company said. Discord said it removed the diary upon learning of it.

Investigators have said they are looking into all Gendron’s social media postings.

A separate, online screed that he apparently authored says the attack was meant to terrorize nonwhite, non-Christian people into fleeing the U.S. The diatribe resounds with white supremacist, anti-immigrant and antisemitic beliefs that reflect an increasingly prominent conspiracy theory about a plot to reduce white people's global influence by “replacing” them. In a visit to Buffalo on Tuesday, Biden called on the nation to "reject the lie.”

Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia has called the massacre “an absolute racist hate crime” by a man with hate in his "heart, soul and mind.”

Gendron has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers have declined to comment. He is jailed ahead of a court hearing Thursday.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE RIFLE USED IN THE SHOOTING?

Officials said the AR-15-style rifle was purchased legally, but New York doesn't allow sales of the ammunition magazines that were used.

Gendron bought the weapon within the past few months at a store near his home. Vintage Firearms owner Robert Donald said he has records of the sale but didn't recall Gendron or the transaction. He said Gendron passed an instant background check on the day he bought the weapon.

Police: Man charged in fatal shooting outside Virginia bar

Police in Virginia say a Norfolk man has been charged in a March shooting that killed three bystanders in their 20s when a fight broke out at closing time outside a bar

19 May 2022, 00:02

2 min read

NORFOLK, Va. -- A Virginia man has been charged in a March shooting that killed a newspaper reporter and two other young bystanders when a fight broke out at closing time outside a Norfolk bar, police announced Wednesday.

One of the victims was Sierra Jenkins, 25, of Norfolk, a reporter for the region's daily newspaper, The Virginian-Pilot. The March 19 shooting also claimed the lives of Devon M. Harris, 25, and Marquel S. Andrews, 24, both of Portsmouth.

Antoine M. Legrande Jr., 24, was charged with three counts of second-degree murder and related charges on Tuesday, Norfolk police said in a statement.

Legrande was arrested in Norfolk with the help of U.S. Marshals and the city police department's special operations team, the statement said. Police said Legrande had a gun when he was arrested and that he is being held without bond. It's unclear if Legrande has hired an attorney who can speak on his behalf.

“Today’s announcement is an important first step in providing justice for the families of these three innocent victims,” Norfolk City Manager Chip Filer said in a statement.

Police Chief Michael Goldsmith noted that Legrande's arrest came after a lengthy investigation that included following up on tips from the community.

The shooting happened just before 2 a.m. Police had said an argument that preceded the shooting may have started over a spilled drink. But Jenkins' father, Maurice Jenkins, told the Pilot on Wednesday that he still has questions about the motive.

“I don’t believe that’s really what this is about,” Jenkins said. “I won’t be surprised if we start hearing that there’s a lot more to what caused this to happen."

Jenkins said he was heartened by the arrest.

“For our family, going through what we’re going through — two months without knowing who’s behind something like this is — it’s eating us up,” he told the Pilot.

Prosecutor talking to experts in killing of Patrick Lyoya

A prosecutor says he will only decide whether to charge a white Michigan police officer in last month’s fatal shooting of Patrick Lyoya, a Black man, after he finishes discussing it with experts

19 May 2022, 00:26

2 min read

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- A prosecutor said Wednesday that he will only decide whether to charge a white Michigan police officer in last month's fatal shooting of Patrick Lyoya, a Black man, after he finishes discussing it with experts.

Kent County prosecutor Chris Becker acknowledged that the “investigation appears to be moving painstakingly slowly,” six weeks after Grand Rapids Officer Christopher Schurr shot Lyoya in the back of the head during a struggle.

“It is imperative that I review all the facts and evidence before making a charging decision,” Becker said. “In this situation, my decision can only be made by taking the time to gather all the available information, both from (state police) and from state and national experts.”

State police submitted a report on April 28, but Becker said he requested more information.

“I ask for your continued patience,” he told the public in a written statement.

Schurr killed Lyoya, 26, on April 4, minutes after stopping his car because the officer said it didn't match its license plate. Lyoya didn't produce a driver's license and began to run.

The officer quickly caught him and the pair grappled on someone's lawn while a bystander recorded video. Schurr shot Lyoya in the head after demanding that Lyoya “let go” of his police Taser.

Schurr hasn't spoken publicly about what happened.

Man gets life in shooting death at online sale that went bad

A former football player for the University of Alabama at Birmingham has been sentenced to life in prison in the death of a nursing student shot during an online sale that went bad

19 May 2022, 01:27

3 min read

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- A former football player for the University of Alabama at Birmingham was sentenced on Wednesday to life in prison in the death of a nursing student who was shot during an online sale that went bad.

Carlos Stephens, 24, was convicted in April of capital murder in the 2020 shooting death of Destiny Washington, 20.

The shooting happened on UAB’s campus during the sale of $90 AirPods. Stephens claimed he fired in self-defense after Washington’s boyfriend pulled a gun first.

Jefferson County Circuit Judge Kechia Davis said the case was “tragic on so many levels," al.com reported.

“This is so sad for me because two young lives were taken from Jefferson County. Two young Black lives, and I feel like they were both on the road to being very successful – Destiny Washington and Mr. Stephens,” she said.

The shooting happened during the sale of a pair of AirPods that Washington's boyfriend was selling to Stephens' girlfriend. The transaction went sour amid accusations of counterfeit money and a fake product and ended with a deadly shot fired by Stephens.

Stephens surrendered to police two days after the shooting. His attorneys claimed their client fired in self-defense only after Washington's boyfriend pulled a gun and threatened to “blow him away.”

Washington’s parents, Randy and Tora Washington, stood before the court Wednesday and delivered an emotional impact statement, at one point addressing Stephens.

“Destiny did not get a choice on Dec. 17, 2020. The choice that you made on that night to discharge a gun toward her vehicle comes with consequences,’’ Tora Washington said. “It may not be a consequence that you think is fair, but your parents will get a chance to hear your voice, see your face, and hug you. I will never get to do those things again with Destiny on this earth.”

Tora Washington said her daughter was set to graduate with a nursing degree from Lawson State in May 2021. She was in a dual enrollment program at UAB and was looking forward to furthering her education at UAB.

“She knew at an early age that she wanted to help people,’’ she said. “For career day at age 6 – she dressed the part. She wanted to be a nurse. She was a people person and did not mind helping anyone.”

Following sentencing, more than a dozen of Stephens’ family members were allowed to hug him and briefly speak with him one at a time.

Monday, 16 May 2022

Jury selection for Florida school killer enters 2nd phase

Jury selection in the penalty trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz has entered its second phase with the attorneys asking questions of potential jurors individually

17 May 2022, 04:46

5 min read

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Jury selection in the penalty trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz entered its second phase Monday with the attorneys asking questions of potential jurors, with one candidate comparing it to being interviewed for “the toughest job of my life.”

The attorneys asked the jurors about their views of the death penalty and knowledge of the Feb. 14, 2018, shooting at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that left 14 students and three staff members dead.

Cruz, 23, pleaded guilty in October to 17 counts of first-degree murder, so the 12 jurors eventually selected will only decide whether he is sentenced to death or life in prison without parole. Eight alternates will also be picked.

During the morning session, Cruz's attorney, Casey Secor, delved into the potential jurors' beliefs with questioning that lasted 45 minutes or more, partly because of legal wrangling over some of his questions. It took almost four hours to question the initial three potential jurors, the first of a pool of 400 who said during earlier screening that they could serve from mid-June through September, the scheduled duration of the trial. They are expected to return for questioning over the coming weeks.

The prosecution, meanwhile, asked a few basic questions and was done — except to repeatedly object when they believed Secor's questions went over the line by being too specific to the Cruz case. Because of the extended amount of time it was taking to question prospective jurors, Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer later changed to questioning jurors in groups over the objection of Cruz's attorneys.

The sides' opposing strategies became apparent from the first potential juror questioned, a woman of about 40. While the potential jurors’ names are being announced in court, The Associated Press is not using them to protect their privacy during the trial.

The woman told lead prosecutor Mike Satz that while she is familiar with the Stoneman Douglas shootings, she doesn’t know many details. She told him she could follow the law and impose the death penalty if required.

Secor, a death penalty specialist, asked the woman that if she were the ruler of an island, would it have a death penalty. She said it would not. Asked why, the woman paused for several seconds.

“I understand how some acts are just unexplainable,” she said. “But I am just human, right? And I do not have the power to understand what caused someone to commit an act. No one has that power except God. ... Nothing is going to bring the victims back.” Because of prosecutors' objections, her interview lasted almost 90 minutes. She passed the screening and was told to come back for a third and final round of questioning in a couple weeks.

The prosecution or defense can ask Scherer to dismiss a juror for cause if they can convince her that the candidate can't be fair to their side. Each side also has 10 peremptory challenges to dismiss a juror for any reason other than race or gender. Because of the complexity of the case, Scherer has indicated she may give each side more.

To be selected, the jurors must agree they can put aside their knowledge of the case and base any decision on what is presented at the trial. They must also agree they could impose the death penalty if they believe the evidence requires it, but also don't believe all killers should be executed.

Under Florida law, the jury will have to decide whether aggravating factors the prosecution will present — such as the number of victims, Cruz's planning and the cruelty he demonstrated — outweigh such mitigating factors as his long history of mental and emotional problems, his possible sexual abuse and the death of his parents. For Cruz to receive a death sentence, the verdict must be unanimous. If even one juror disagrees, he will receive a sentence of life without parole.

The second potential juror, a woman of about 20, said that sentencing someone to death “is a big decision that would take a lot of consideration." But she also believed that sentencing a first-degree murderer to death “is the most reasonable position."

“Sort of an eye for an eye,” she said. But, under questioning by Satz, she said she didn't think a death penalty should be automatic. She was dismissed after the defense objected.

The third potential juror, a man of about 60, said his cousin was recently released from prison after 40 years for killing someone when they were teenagers. At first, he said he could impose a death sentence if the prosecution made its case. But when pressed by Secor, the man indicated the death penalty might be the appropriate punishment for Cruz.

“This is way beyond anything any of us had ever thought of. This isn't one person and one victim,” he said. “This is mass murder — what else could it be?" He then referenced Saturday's killing of 10 people in Buffalo, New York, allegedly by an 18-year-old, saying, “This seems to be a thing happening in our country.” He was told to come back for further questioning.

Overall on Monday, 10 of 17 jurors questioned passed the second phase and will be brought back for the third round.

NY teen found dead after 13 years; SC sex offender charged

Authorities in South Carolina say they've found the body of a 17-year-old girl from New York who disappeared while visiting Myrtle Beach on spring break 13 years ago

17 May 2022, 01:09

3 min read

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The body of a 17-year-old girl from New York who disappeared while visiting South Carolina's Myrtle Beach on spring break 13 years ago has been found and a sex offender has been charged with murder, kidnapping and rape, authorities said Monday.

Brittanee Drexel was last seen April 2009 when she was walking between hotels in Myrtle Beach. Her boyfriend, who stayed home in Rochester, New York, became concerned when she stopped answering texts.

Drexel was kidnapped that night by Raymond Douglas Moody, who raped and killed her before burying her body the next day in the woods, Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver said Monday at a news conference.

Drexel’s body was found last Wednesday in Georgetown County, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) down the coast from where she disappeared. The discovery came after a flurry of tips and investigation that included Moody's arrest May 4 on an obstruction of justice charge.

Investigators remained silent about the break in the case until Monday, when Moody, 62, was charged. Jail records did not indicate if he had a lawyer.

Sheriff Weaver said Moody has an “extensive sex offender history” but did not provide details. Moody is on South Carolina's sex offender registry for 1983 convictions in California for sodomy by force of someone under 14 and kidnapping, according to State Law Enforcement Division Records.

The sheriff, the Myrtle Beach police chief, the FBI agent in charge of South Carolina and solicitor all said little Monday about what helped them crack the case after 13 years of wild rumors that included stash houses for sexual abuse victims' bodies to be fed to alligators and rumored links to other missing women.

Arrest warrants said Drexel was strangled the night she disappeared.

Police said dental records backed up by DNA testing confirmed Drexel's remains had been found last week.

“It's a good day to soberly be reminded of Brittanee and all that she and her family have had to go through,” Solicitor Jimmy Richardson said.

Drexel's parents made another trip to the Myrtle Beach area this week, but this one was different than the other visits that involved candlelight vigils, media interviews and updates from investigators without answers.

“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter The search for Brittanee is now a pursuit of Brittanee's justice," said Drexel's mother Dawn.

She thanked all the investigators who worked to find her daughter.

“This is truly a mother’s worst nightmare. I am mourning my beautiful daughter Brittanee as I have for the past 13 years,” she said.

Myrtle Beach Police Chief Amy Prock was working for the department when Drexel disappeared and said she never forgot the case as she rose through the ranks.

“It’s not the final chapter we had been hoping for," Prock said Monday. "Every police officer has that one case that frequents their every waking thought.”

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