Mother Calls for Investigation After She Says Utah Officer Put Gun to 10-Year-Old Son’s Head
A mother wants an independent investigation Friday after she says a Utah police officer pointed a gun at her 10-year-old son’s head in what she calls a racially motivated incident.
Jerri Hrubes said at a news conference that she saw a white Woods Cross police officer pull his gun on her son, DJ Hrubes, who is black, while he was playing on his grandmother’s front lawn Thursday north of Salt Lake City. She said her son didn’t have any toys or objects in his hands.
The officer told DJ to put his hands in the air and get on the ground, she said. When DJ asked the officer if he did something wrong, the officer told DJ not to ask questions.
Jerri Hrubes said she raced outside of the house and screamed at the officer, “What are you doing? This is a 10-year-old child.”
She says the officer didn’t respond and got in his car and left.
Woods Cross police didn’t immediately return messages Friday about the events.
Police Lt. Adam Osoro told The Salt Lake Tribune Thursday that the officer mistook the boy for a potential suspect during a pursuit of two armed suspects. Osoro the officer pulled out his gun after the child ran to the side of the house. After getting closer, the officer realized Hrubes was not involved in the incident and left, Osoro said.
Osoro said the officer acted appropriately under the circumstances.
Hrubes said she called dispatch right away to complain about the officer’s actions, and the officer returned to the house later in the day. She said he apologized and DJ hugged him and said it was OK. She said her son doesn’t “have a mean bone in his body” and is mentally delayed and has issues with his sight.
She teared up recounting the encounter and said she’s thankful she taught DJ growing up to heed the commands of officers.
“I support all police officers. I see good in them,” Hrubes said. “But, I do not support putting a child of 10-years-old at gunpoint with no explanation. . . Does he look like he’s 30? Does he look like he’s 18? No.”
She said she doesn’t necessarily want the officer fired, but wants an outside review. She appeared alongside attorney Karra Porter at the news conference, but said she’s not considering any legal action at this time.
Hrubes, who is from Montana, said she was visiting her mother in the town where she grew up: West Bountiful, a suburb of Salt Lake City. She said the incident changes how she feels in Utah, a state where African Americans account for just 1.4% of the state’s population, according to U.S. Census figures.
“As a white mother to a black son, I don’t feel safe in West Bountiful anymore,” Hrubes said. “That changed after yesterday. I do not feel that he is safe. He has not left my sight. It just doesn’t feel like it used to.”
Lex Scott, founder of Black Lives Matter in Utah, said her organization is demanding that the officer be fired or they will protest outside the police agency’s offices. She said the group also plans to file a complaint with the FBI’s civil rights division.
“Holding a gun to the head of a 10-year-old will traumatize that kid for life,” Scott said. “The only apology we will accept is if this officer is terminated.”
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Louisiana Sheriff’s Deputy Filmed Mother Performing Sex Act on 1-Year-Old Son
Authorities say a Louisiana sheriff’s deputy filmed a mother performing a sex act on her 1-year-old boy.
News outlets report St. Gabriel Police arrested Shadrick Jones on Friday on multiple charges including principal to first-degree rape.
The boy’s mother, 26-year-old Iyehesa Todd, was arrested Saturday on a charge of first-degree rape and incest. According to WAFB-TV in Louisiana, she told investigators she was coerced into performing the sex act because Jones had a traffic arrest warrant against her.
Jones, 33, had worked for the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office since 2015. He was fired after his arrest.
It’s unknown if Jones has an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
Sheriff Brett Stassi says someone showed police footage of the incident, which is believed to have occurred early Thursday. He described what he’d seen as “sick.”
Photo Credit: ktla.com/Saint Gabriel Police Department in Louisiana.
Researchers say Dodgeball is more than a game, it’s ‘legalized bullying’
(Meredith) – Most people would call dodgeball a harmless playground activity, but a team of Canadian researchers argue the game is a tool of oppression that can unfairly target students perceived as “weaker individuals.”
The group presented their argument Monday at a conference organized by the Canadian Society for the Study of Education in Vancouver, according to CTV News.
They claim dodgeball – which requires players to eliminate their opponents by hitting them with rubber balls – teaches students to dehumanize each other and creates unsafe conditions in schools.
“Dodgeball is the only game where the human is the target. No other games focus on it,” study co-presenter Joy Butler, a professor at the University of British Columbia, told CTV News.
“It’s tantamount to legalized bullying,” she added.
Butler worked alongside David Burns, a professor at the Kwantlen Polytechnic, and Claire Robson, a professor at Simon Fraser University.
In an abstract of their study, the trio said the “hidden curriculum” of dodgeball reinforces the five “faces” of oppression — which include “marginalization, powerlessness, and helplessness of those perceived as weaker individuals through the exercise of violence and dominance by those who are considered more powerful.”
While the group isn’t calling for schools to ban dodgeball, they want physical education teachers to closely examine the games children are encouraged to play.
“If one thing were to come out of this it would be for P.E. teachers to look at their curriculum and look for balance,” Bulter told the Washington Post. “And that could mean dropping games and including other activities: outdoor education, fitness, gymnastics, aquatics.”
The researchers also acknowledged their report would be criticized by many who argue dodgeball is just a fun game, but they insist things can be done differently.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Illinois man breaks into couples home, drinks their booze, and gets naked
DIXON, Ill. (WQAD) — A Dixon man is in jail after police say he terrorized a couple of Dixon homeowners after breaking into their house, drinking their alcohol and getting naked.
June 6th, Dixon Police were told about an unwanted person at a house in the 200 block of South Dement Avenue.
On the way to the house, officers were warned that the burglar was naked and holding a fireplace poker.
The man was identified as Joel E. Gartman of Dixon, 52.
“Gartman was immediately removed from the house and an investigation began.”
According to police, Gartman broke in by tearing the screen and forcing open a window at the rear of the house. After entering the home, Gartman unscrewed light bulbs and took off his shoes. While inside, Gartman stole at least three alcoholic beverages from the refrigerator and walked throughout the house drinking it.
One of the home’s residents was sleeping on a couch on the first floor.
Gartman removed all of his clothes and sat next to the sleeping homeowner while holding a fireplace poker.
The homeowner woke up, realized what was happening and ran upstairs to wake the other resident. A short time later, both homeowners came back downstairs and confronted Gartman, who was still in the house trying to hide.
Joel E. Gartman, age 52, of Dixon Illinois, was charged with residential burglary, (class 1 felony), criminal trespass to residence, (class 4 felony), criminal damage to property, (class a misdemeanor), theft, (class a misdemeanor) and 2 counts of disorderly conduct, (class c misdemeanor).
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Homeless woman sticks man with syringe at Taco Bell drive thru in San Diego
San Diego (KGTV) — A trip to get some fast food in the Midway District turned into a nightmare after an encounter with a homeless woman and a syringe.
Just before noon last Thursday, Ralph Bedoe was in the drive-thru line at a Taco Bell on Midway Drive. It was the busy lunch hour. He ordered but had to wait once he reached the pay window. As he waited, he saw a homeless woman in her 40s about 25 feet away.
“She was rambling, throwing up her hands, talking to herself,” said Bedoe.
He says the woman hit the hood and window of a bus in the parking lot, before she headed toward him.
“She kind of hit my mirror and started rambling … I said ‘Do you need something?’ Don’t know if that’s when something triggered,” said Bedoe.
Bedoe’s driver side window was open. His arm was resting there.
“All of a sudden she pulled up her left hand, which had a bag and a syringe with a needle sticking out. She pushed my hand into the car, and when she pushed my hand, the syringe entered my hand,” said Bedoe.
The woman then smacked his window and wandered off.
“Disbelief, hoping you’re going to wake up from this,” said Bedoe.
As the shock wore off, the new father thought of his 6-month-old son.
“If I did contract something, how is that going to change my life with him? How is this going to change with length of life with him?” said Bedoe.
Bedoe must undergo seven months of blood tests to rule out a myriad of diseases, including Hepatitis and HIV. The uncertainty is nerve-wracking.
“A trip to Taco Bell should not end with a life-changing event,” said Bedoe.
Bedoe was hit with a $3,400 dollar medical bill because he was switching over to new insurance and was not covered at the time. Police have obtained surveillance video from Taco Bell, but haven’t yet released it.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Toddler found dead inside dryer at Georgia trailer park
A 2-year-old Georgia girl was found dead after climbing inside a dryer, authorities said.
Officials from the Brantley County Sheriff’s Office told WTLV that the unidentified toddler was discovered Sunday at a trailer park in Waycross, a town of about 14,000 that is 120 miles southwest of Savannah.
The case has since been turned over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, the station reports.
The agency said a medical examiner found that the girl died of hyperthermia, WJXT reports. A family friend confirmed to the station that the toddler was found dead inside the appliance.
“It’s just an awful tragedy,” neighbor David Williams told WJXT. “She’s a good girl. She’s a good mom, takes care of her kid, goes to work. She does the right thing. For something like this to happen in our neighborhood is just awful.”
“The child was found in the drawer below the dryer,” a GBI spokeswoman told The Post on Friday. “At this time there [has] been no arrest. We will complete our investigation and provide it to the District Attorney’s Office for their review.”
An investigation into the girl’s death is ongoing.
via: https://nypost.com/2019/06/07/toddler-found-dead-inside-dryer-at-georgia-trailer-park-deputies/
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Dad claims he caught Uber driver raping his daughter
A father claims he caught an Uber driver raping his daughter after he tracked her on a new app when she didn’t come home.
The horrified dad allegedly found his 25-year-old daughter being attacked in the backseat of the ride-share car in Baltimore, Maryland.
According to CBS, the dad exchanged “words” with the driver, who then threw his daughter’s handbag at him before driving off.
The alleged sex attack happened in the Mays Chapel area just before midnight on Saturday.
Cops are treating the claims as a rape investigation, reports CBS.
Cpl. Shawn Vinson, of Baltimore County Police, said: “This is a very serious allegation. The father of the victim called the police and the victim is cooperating with police.
“This is an on-going investigation. Uber has worked closely with our detectives in this matter. We will release more information as the investigation progresses but it is vital at this time to withhold specific details to allow our detectives to continue their investigation.”
‘Appalling beyond words’
The woman’s dad was able to trace her daughter to West Timonium and Jenifer roads via an unidentified app.
Police said the incident was “isolated” and they do not believe there are other victims.
Uber put safeguards in place in America last year to prevent sexual assault and to keep riders more secure.
They included a way to contact 911 through the app, GPS tracking of every ride and annual checks of criminal and motor vehicle records of drivers.
Customers can also designate trusted friends and family to track their ride.
In a statement to CBS, Uber described the allegations as “appalling beyond words.”
The firm added: “We removed the driver from the app as soon as this report was sent to us. We will work with police on their investigation.”
via: https://nypost.com/2019/06/07/dad-claims-he-caught-uber-driver-raping-his-daughter/
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Lesbian couple beaten on London bus after refusing to kiss for men
A lesbian couple was viciously beaten on a London bus when they refused to kiss each other to entertain a gang of men — and authorities have made arrests in the case, local police announced Friday.
Melania Geymonat, 28, originally from Uruguay, and her girlfriend, only identified as Chris, an American — were on their way back from a date late last month on the top of a double-decker bus when the group began to harass them, Geymonat shared in a Wednesday Facebook post.
“We must have kissed or something because these guys came after us,” Geymonat wrote. “I don’t remember if they were already there or if they got on after us. There were at least four of them. They started behaving like hooligans, demanding that we kissed so they could enjoy watching, calling us ‘lesbians’ and describing sexual positions. I don’t remember the whole episode, but the word ‘scissors’ stuck in my mind.”
She said that she started making jokes in an effort to calm things down — but to no avail. The men began throwing coins at the pair and becoming even more enthusiastic, she said.
The situation quickly escalated to violence.
“The next thing I know is that Chris is in the middle of the bus fighting with them,” she shared. “On an impulse, I went over there only to find her face bleeding and three of them beating her up. The next thing I know is I’m being punched. I got dizzy at the sight of my blood and fell back. I don’t remember whether or not I lost consciousness. Suddenly the bus had stopped, the police were there and I was bleeding all over. Our stuff was stolen as well.”
Geymonat said she’s not sure if her nose was broken in the fracas, but she hasn’t been able to go back to work.
She told Metro UK that she was shaken by the homophobic assault — because she’d always felt safe as a gay woman in London.
“What upsets me the most is that VIOLENCE HAS BECOME A COMMON THING, that sometimes it’s necessary to see a woman bleeding after having been punched to feel some kind of impact,” Geymonat wrote. “I’m tired of being taken as a SEXUAL OBJECT, of finding out that these situations are usual, of gay friends who were beaten up JUST BECAUSE.”
Geymonat moved to the country in February and is on a year’s sabbatical from her medical studies, according to the Metro report. Chris is also now living in the UK, and the couple was heading to her place in Camden Town when the assault occurred.
London’s Metropolitan Police have issued an appeal for witnesses, or anyone with information about the attack.
In a Friday tweet, the police department’s Roads and Transport unit shared that they had made a break in the case.
“Arrests have now been made and the investigation remains ongoing,” the tweet said.
London mayor Sadiq Khan condemned the assault in a Friday tweet.
“This was a disgusting, misogynistic attack,” he wrote. “Hate crimes against the LGBT+ community will not be tolerated in London.”
via: ttps://nypost.com/2019/06/07/lesbian-couple-beaten-on-london-bus-after-refusing-to-kiss-for-men/
Photo Credit: nypost.com/facebook
Boy brings meth to class; turns parents in for drug possession
KENNEWICK, Wash. – An elementary school student is being praised by police after they say he brought what he suspected were drugs to school and turned his parents in for possession, according to KEPR.
Police said the boy brought a baggie of meth to school and told a teacher he did not want to return home because he was fearful.
According to KEPR, the boy told a school resource officer about his parents’ behavior in an interview.
Armed with a warrant, police searched the home and reportedly found drugs. Both Daniel Staton O’Leary, 29, and Jennifer Ann Edwards, 29, were arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance.
The boy and his younger sibling were taken into protective custody, KEPR reported.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Florida man pours salt in Walmart to ‘get rid of evil spirits,’ sheriff says
Meredith) — A man in central Florida poured salt on the floor of a Walmart store and told deputies it was to “get rid of evil spirits” around him, according to the Pasco Sheriff’s Office.
Dameon Dean Cantrell, 38, was arrested early Sunday morning.
According to WPEC, a store manager told investigators that Cantrell poured salt on his feet and on the Walmart floor before walking into the woods nearby.
It is unclear if the salt he allegedly used was his own or if it was salt from the Walmart store’s shelves.
Police found Cantrell laying in the woods, but still on Walmart property. He was arrested and taken to the Land O’Lakes Detention Center, according to jail records. He was charged with misdemeanor trespassing on property other than structure or conveyance with a bond set at $150.
According to arrest records, this is the fifth time Cantrell has been arrested since Nov. 2017.
Pasco County is about 35 miles north of Tampa.
Photo Credit: kmov.com/Pasco Sheriff’s Office