Off-duty Philly cop shoots panhandler he thought had a gun
An off-duty Philadelphia cop shot a panhandler who approached his car because he thought the man was carrying a gun, according to reports.
The detective, who was driving an unmarked car and wearing civilian clothes, was stopped in traffic soon before 9 p.m. in the Kensington neighborhood when the man walked up to the driver’s side of his car, video published by NBC Philadelphia shows.
The cop then fired four rounds through his window, hitting the man on in the stomach, according to the report. The man was critically injured in the shooting, but expected to survive.
The officer had his windows up and could not hear what the panhandler was saying to him, NBC reported.
He believed the man had a weapon and was trying to rob him, according to several local reports.
The detective, a seven-year veteran, was placed on paid leave while the department investigates.
via: https://nypost.com/2019/05/23/off-duty-philly-cop-shoots-panhandler-he-thought-had-a-gun/
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Kansas Buffalo Wild Wings Managers Said It’s OK To Refuse Black Customers
May 22– May 22–Managers at an Overland Park Buffalo Wild Wings regularly made derogatory comments about African American customers and allowed employees to refuse them service or give them poor service, according to a federal lawsuit filed Monday.
The plaintiff’s lawyer, Gerald Gray, said white employees refused to serve black customers because, they said, “blacks don’t give good tips.”
The lawsuit was filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Kansas by a former employee of the Buffalo Wild Wings at 105th Street and Metcalf Avenue, who is suing the company for fostering a “racially hostile work environment,” and for racial discrimination, age discrimination, discrimination based on a disability and retaliation. It names as defendants Buffalo Wild Wings and the parent company Inspire Brands.
The employee, Gary Lovelace, says he was fired after reporting his concerns about discrimination and workplace safety. Lovelace, a 55-year-old black man, worked as a cook at Buffalo Wild Wings for 12 years before he was fired.
A Buffalo Wild Wings spokesperson told The Star Thursday that the company is conducting an internal investigation of the allegations but will not comment on pending litigation.
“Buffalo Wild Wings values an inclusive environment and we have no tolerance for discrimination of any kind,” the spokesperson said.
Management at the Overland Park location did not immediately respond to The Star’s request for comment.
According to the lawsuit, much of Lovelace’s troubles began after the hiring of a new general manager in late 2016 or early 2017.
In addition to witnessing management’s derogatory comments about African American customers, Lovelace said, he was consistently subjected to racial comments that were dismissed as jokes despite his complaints.
In one instance, an assistant general manager introduced Lovelace to another employee as the “angry black man.” Lovelace does not believe the manager was disciplined after he reported the incident, according to the suit.
The lawsuit also said Lovelace was targeted because of his age and disability.
His general manager was angered when he requested breaks from working in the freezer when it triggered his asthma, the lawsuit says, and the manager complained that Lovelace was old when it took him a long time to finish a task.
Lovelace was unable to get pay raises or promotions despite his efforts, and his general manager consistently complained that he was overpaid, the lawsuit said.
He was consistently asked to take out the trash and clean floors, even though it wasn’t part of his job description and management “tried to force Mr. Lovelace to work less favorable shifts” despite his seniority, according to the lawsuit.
This occurred despite Lovelace reporting to management that the younger workers incorrectly rotated products, creating health risks, Lovelace said.
In 2017 Lovelace was regularly disciplined for arriving late to work because of his role as a caretaker for a sick family member, the suit says. He was told that, rather than informing managers ahead of time, he should call in sick and not come in when he had to be late to work.
According to the suit, younger, non-African American employees did not receive similar treatment.
“Mr. Lovelace became fearful and was often stressed due to the tension he faced on the job during his shifts over the last year of his employment,” the suit said.
Lovelace reported his concerns of discrimination to management multiple times but was ultimately fired in October of 2017 for arriving late to work.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Infant dies after being left inside Florida day care van
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A baby girl, just a few months old, died on Wednesday after being left in a day care van in Florida, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Police responded to a call about an unresponsive baby at the Ewing’s Love and Hope Preschool and Academy around 1 p.m. The infant was found in a car seat inside the van. She was transported to the hospital, where she died.
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Assistant Chief Brian Kee told CNN that preliminary information shows she was in the van from around 8 a.m. till the call came in.
Temperatures in the area reached as high as 92 degrees on Wednesday, according to CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen.
Kee said the day care facility uses the van to pick up some children in the morning, and it was a day care worker’s responsibility to make sure all children were out of the van.
According to the center’s website, it opened in 2015 and have programs ranging from after-school care for school age children to care for infants beginning at 6 weeks old.
CNN called the facility. The person who answered had no comment.
The center cares for around 14 children, and no others were injured, Kee said.
On average, 38 children die each year in hot cars, according to the safety organization Kids and Cars. That’s about one death every nine days. Last year the fatalities were the highest recorded with 52 deaths. Between 1998 and 2018, Florida had the second highest deaths with 88, according to NoHeatStroke.org.
The investigation is ongoing and charges could be filed once the case is submitted to the district attorney’s office, according to Kee.
via: http:// https://pix11.com/2019/05/22/infant-dies-after-being-left-inside-florida-day-care-van/
Boy sells popcorn to help pay for grandfather’s medical bills
GOSHEN, Ind. (KMOV.com) – An Indiana boy is selling popcorn to help pay for his grandfather’s medical bills; his grandfather is waiting for a heart transplant.
Owen Holmes said he desperately wanted to do something to help his grandfather, adding the two have always had a strong relationship.
“When I was younger, when I went to his house, he’d always make model rockets and we’d go launch them in the park,” said Owen. “I just hope we’re able to make it through. I just hope he’ll be able to make more model rockets again. That’s one of my biggest memories
His goal was to raise $100 but he has already raised $300. His new goal is $500.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Teacher allegedly threatened to ‘shoot up’ school, had signal to warn some colleagues
An elementary school teacher in North Carolina threatened to “shoot up” her school — and plotted a secret message to warn colleagues before she was to open fire, authorities said.
Kristen Michelle Thompson, 38, abruptly resigned from her position at Pathways Elementary School on Friday after teachers reported that she made “threats to shoot up” the building in Hillsborough, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday.
An arrest warrant obtained by WRAL shows that Thompson told three fellow teachers that she would give them a signal in advance before carrying out the shooting, promising to tell them “the squash is ripe” before executing the attack.
Another educator at the school also reported Thompson saying that any day she did not start shooting at the school was a “good day,” according to the arrest warrant.
Thompson, of Durham, was charged Tuesday with communicating a threat of mass violence. A judge set her bond at $1,000 and ordered her to return to court on June 14.
“A threat of school violence is understandably unsettling for the community,” Sheriff Charles Blackwood said in a statement. “Please know that the school and law enforcement are working together as a team to ensure the last few weeks of the school year are safe and productive for our students.”
A school district spokesman told the News & Observer that authorities were contacted immediately once administrators learned of Thompson’s alleged threat.
Attempts to reach Thompson Wednesday were unsuccessful and it’s unclear if she’s hired an attorney.
Photo Credit: nypost.com/Orange County Sheriff’s Office
Florida teacher charged with bringing gun, knives to school
SEMINOLE, Fla. — Authorities say a Florida teacher was arrested after bringing a handgun and knives to the elementary school where she worked.
The Tampa Bay Times reports 49-year-old Betty Jo Soto was arrested and fired Monday. Pinellas County Schools Police say she faces two misdemeanor charges of carrying a concealed weapon.
A district spokeswoman says Soto was exhibiting “suspicious behavior” Monday at Starkey Elementary School in Seminole. The principal notified police. An arrest report says officers searched a backpack in Soto’s fourth grade classroom and found a 9mm semiautomatic pistol. Police also reported finding two knives.
Soto has a concealed weapons permit, but that doesn’t allow her to carry weapons on school property.
Soto recently learned her teaching contract wouldn’t be renewed, but school officials wouldn’t say when Soto was told.
via: https://nypost.com/2019/05/22/florida-teacher-charged-with-bringing-gun-knives-to-school/
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Man allegedly hiding drugs in butt accidentally shoots himself in testicles
A bungling felon from Washington state made a series of blunders when he shot himself in the testicles and tried to hide the weapon — all while storing drugs in his anus, a report said Wednesday.
Cameron Jeffrey Wilson, 27, was carrying a pistol in his front pocket while in his Cashmere, Wash., apartment on April 5 when the firearm accidentally discharged and pierced his groin and thigh, according to the Wenatchee World News.
Wilson, who is a 13-time convicted felon, told his girlfriend to dispose of the weapon before heading to the hospital, the paper said.
When the ex-con finally went to the hospital, a balloon of marijuana slipped out of his anus while a doctor was operating on the gunshot wound, court records show.
Cops also arrived at the hospital when alerted of the gunshot wound and searched Wilson’s car where they discovered a bag of meth in the blood-stained jeans he was wearing when he shot himself.
The officers issued an arrest warrant for Wilson and he turned himself in to police on April 18.
As he was being processed at the Chelan County Regional Justice Center, Wilson was strip-searched and another balloon of marijuana slipped from his anus, the paper said.
While in jail, Wilson made a number of calls to his girlfriend and asked her not to cooperate with investigators working on his case. Authorities were listening in on the calls.
The convicted felon was charged with possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of meth, possession of a controlled substance in a correctional facility, and four counts of tampering with a witness.
Wilson was being held on $110,000 bail and is due in court on June 18.
Photo Credit: nypost.com/Chelan County Department of Corrections
Ice-T Tells Amazon He Almost Shot a Delivery Driver Who Was ‘Creeping up to My Crib’
Ice-T had some strong suggestions for Amazon Tuesday.
“Now that you have regular people making your home deliveries,” the musician and actor said on Twitter, “Maybe they should wear a Vest with AMAZON DELIVERY on it.”
That’s because he says he almost shot a delivery driver who seemed to be “creeping up” to his home earlier in the week.
One fan asked “Was he not wearing a delivery man uniform?” to which the “Law & Order: SVU” star responded that the individual was not wearing “ANY uniform.”
“Just regular people workin,” Ice-T wrote. “I ain’t mad at them. Just sayin. That … ain’t safe.”
Ice-T heard back from hundreds more fans, as well as Amazon Help and Dave Clark, the company’s senior vice president of worldwide operations.
“Just saying… thanks for the suggestion. We MF’ing love you and our drivers,” Clark wrote. “Lots of innovations coming on this and many that already exist to help you track your package and delivery on a map. Thanks for being a customer.”
Amazon Help promised to “be in touch soon” and thanked Ice-T for his feedback.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Costa Mesa Male Nanny Charged With Molesting 2 Boys Under His Care
A man who worked as a nanny across Southern California has been charged with molesting two boys who were under his care, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.
Matthew Antonio Zakrzewski, 30, of Costa Mesa was arrested May 17 after getting off an international flight at a local airport. He faces three counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 and one count of oral copulation of a child under 10. He also faces a possession of child pornography charge.
Zakrzewski has pleaded not guilty and is being held on $1 million bail, according to the DA’s office.
An investigation began in early May when a Laguna Beach couple reported to police that Zakrzewski had touched their 8-year-old son inappropriately. The parents were concerned for the safety of their son and other children.
The parents apparently hired Zakrzewski through one of his several babysitting websites. Laguna Beach police eventually discovered there was a second victim, a 7-year-old Los Angeles boy.
Authorities did not provide additional details about either of the alleged crimes or victims.
“It was actually sickening to me and the rest of the detectives we put all of our focus into this investigation,” Laguna Beach Police Sgt. Jim Cota told KTLA.
Police found child porn on Zakrzewski when he was arrested, and more evidence was discovered when his home was searched. At least one video seized in the investigation features Zakrzewski, Cota added.
On a website advertising his services, Zakrzewski described himself as a “manny” with more than six years of childcare experience who takes care of children between 3 months and 14 years old.
The website includes the suspect’s qualifications, including work with special needs children and that he provides “overnights” and “travel care.” The site prominently features photos of Zakrzewski with shirtless young boys in pools and in a photo shoot.
“If you would like a fun-loving, energetic person that will engage your child as well as care for them and keep them safe, then I hope you will give me a chance to take part in your family,” the website reads.
Laguna Beach police said Zakrzewski worked as a babysitter for families across the region, but didn’t specify where else he was employed.
Police are asking for the public’s help in finding any other potential victims. Anyone with information about Zakrzewski or possible additional victims can call 949-715-1300.
“It’s quite disturbing, and I have a felling there’s going to be plenty more in this investigation,” Cota said.
Zakrzewski is scheduled to appear in court on May 31.
via: https://ktla.com/2019/05/22/costa-mesa-male-nanny-charged-with-molesting-2-boys-under-his-care/
Photo Credit: ktla.com/Orange County District Attorney’s Office
Mississippi lawmaker punched wife for not getting undressed for sex fast enough
A Mississippi lawmaker is accused of drunkenly punching his wife in the face, and all because cops say he didn’t think she undressed for sex quickly enough.
The Clarion Ledger reports GOP Rep. Doug McLeod was arrested over the weekend in Lucedale, and a George County Sheriff’s Department report seen by the Sun Herald reveals some disturbing details.
Deputies say when they responded to a domestic violence call at McLeod’s home around 9 p.m. Saturday, an apparently intoxicated McLeod opened the door, holding a boozy beverage and proclaiming, “Are you kidding me?” at the sight of the officers.
He was slurring his speech and had trouble walking, per the report, and inside the home, deputies found his shaking, scared wife, her face bloodied from what cops say was a punch to the nose by McLeod.
Deputies say they also found blood on the couple’s bed and on the bedroom floor.
Another woman present told cops McLeod’s wife had run to her room, and the two women barricaded themselves inside, with McLeod allegedly yelling from the hall to the second woman that he would “kill her [expletive] dog.”
McLeod’s wife told cops her husband had “just snapped” as he often does while drinking. McLeod, 58, was charged with misdemeanor domestic violence and is free on $1,000 bail, but he’s apparently not taking many calls.
“I have attempted to contact Rep. McLeod to request his resignation, if in fact, these allegations are true,” GOP House Speaker Philip Gunn said Tuesday, calling McLeod’s alleged behavior “unacceptable for anyone,” per the AP.
Gov. Phil Bryant also weighed in, calling allegations of abuse “reprehensible,” per WJTV. Bryant “trusts local authorities to … thoroughly investigate this matter,” per a statement from his office.
Photo Credit: pix11.com