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Indianapolis FedEx shooter bought two weapons used in killings legally last year despite FBI concerns

The 19-year-old who killed eight people at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis late Thursday night purchased the two assault rifles used in the attack legally months after being investigated by the FBI due to his potential for violence, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms traced the two…

3 people killed and 2 injured in shooting in Kenosha, sheriff’s department says

Three people were killed and two others injured with gunshot wounds in a shooting early Sunday morning at The Somers House Tavern in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Sgt. David Wright told CNN. The shooting happened inside the tavern and the first call came in at 12:42 a.m., said Wright. The two…

Covid-19 vaccine demand is slowing in parts of the US. Now an uphill battle starts to get more shots into arms

When health officials in Ohio’s Mercer County opened their first Covid-19 vaccine drive-thru clinic in January, available slots filled up instantly, and more than 500 people were vaccinated in a single day. Nearly three months later, with plenty of vaccine supply on hand and eligibility open to all residents 16 and older, officials struggled to…

Morris Brown’s reaccreditation could signal more longevity among HBCUs

It is no secret that at some point, something went very wrong at Morris Brown College. It was a disappointing, though not unfamiliar story. A school with a dedicated faculty and loyal students had run into financial challenges that eventually made it impossible to operate. On April 13, the historically Black college in Atlanta became…

In the age of active shooters, a new mantra has emerged: ‘Run. Hide. Fight.’

It’s a nightmare scenario: You’re at a mall, shopping with friends. Or maybe buying some last-minute groceries for dinner. All of a sudden, you hear gunshots. What do you do? It’s a reality many of us struggle to accept, but with the frequency of mass shootings in the United States, experts say it’s something you…

Philanthropist and New York Public Library revivalist Vartan Gregorian dies at 87

Vartan Gregorian, the philanthropist and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient whose work revitalized the New York Public Library, died Thursday at age 87 while hospitalized for “testing related to stomach pain,” according to a statement by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Gregorian served as the Carnegie Corporation’s president in New York City and the…

Search is underway for two missing people off the coast of Pismo Beach, California

A search is underway for two people who were last seen in the water near Dinosaur Caves Park in Pismo Beach, California, on Saturday, the US Coast Guard said in a news release. “The beach goers are reported to be a white woman with blue hair wearing a bathing suit and the other a black…

Mike Mitchell, a founding member of the band that recorded ‘Louie Louie,’ has died

Mike Mitchell, lead guitarist for the Kingsmen for more than six decades, died Friday on his 77th birthday, according to a publicist for the group. Mitchell was the last founding member still playing with the Portland, Oregon, band best known for its confounding rock cover of the R&B song “Louie Louie.” “We are deeply saddened…

Minnesota governor expresses regret for mistreatment of journalists during Daunte Wright demonstrations

Minnesota’s governor expressed regret Saturday after the alleged mistreatment of journalists covering demonstrations in Brooklyn Center by law enforcement, as attorneys representing news organizations released a letter calling out several examples throughout the week — including the arrest of a CNN producer. At least 100 demonstrators have been arrested during protests over the death of…

Actor Felix Silla, famously known for his role as Cousin Itt on ‘The Addams Family,’ dies at 84

Actor Felix Silla, who portrayed Cousin Itt on the 1960s TV series “The Addams Family,” died on Friday. He was 84. Silla passed away after a battle with pancreatic cancer, his manager Timothy Beal told CNN. “He was a great friend, a great client and he will be missed,” Beal said. Fellow actor and Silla’s…

These are the victims of the Indianapolis FedEx shooting

Samaria Blackwell dreamed of being a police officer. John Weisert would have celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary in the fall. Amarjit Sekhon and Jasvinder Kaur were the backbones of their families and members of Indianapolis’ close-knit Sikh community. Instead of coming home from a normal shift at a FedEx shipping facility in Indianapolis, they and…

Minneapolis and other US cities increase security ahead of Derek Chauvin trial verdict

With jury deliberations in Derek Chauvin’s trial in the death of George Floyd expected next week, Minneapolis and other US cities are preparing for protests and possible civil unrest. The verdict in one of the most closely watched police brutality trials in decades could come next week as the Minneapolis metropolitan area and other cities…

Two more bodies identified as search continues for missing crew of ship that capsized off Louisiana coast

The bodies of two men found inside a commercial vessel that capsized earlier this week off the Louisiana coast have been identified. Lafourche Parish Coroner Dr. John King identified the two men as Anthony Hartford, 53, of New Orleans and James Wallingsford, 55, of Gilbert, Louisiana. The bodies of the two men were found inside…

Google Doodle celebrates Laura Bassi, one of the first European women to earn a PhD

Google takes many opportunities to celebrate trailblazers with its homepage doodles. On Saturday, the search engine featured Laura Maria Catarina Bassi, an Italian physicist and professor who was a pioneer for women in science. Born in 1711, Bassi debated top academics on the history of philosophy and physics by age 20, an impressive achievement given…

Man tops off helicopter proposal with five engagement rings

Picking out the perfect engagement ring can be a lot of pressure for someone preparing to propose. A man in Atlanta seemed to have a solution — just propose with five rings. In a video posted to Instagram, William Hunn gets down on one knee and presents five rings to his girlfriend of about a…

One killed, one wounded in shooting at a Nebraska mall

A person has died after being shot Saturday at Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska, police said. The victim, described as an adult male, was taken by ambulance to Bergan Mercy Hospital in critical condition and died there, a police news release said. He hasn’t been identified yet. Later, an adult female later walked into CHI…

18-year-old from Ohio arrested with AK-47 in Times Square subway station, police say

An 18-year-old from Ohio is facing weapons charges after officers patrolling a Times Square subway station on Friday found him with an AK-47 and a loaded magazine, police said. Saadiq Teague, of Canal Winchester near Columbus, was arrested Friday afternoon, the New York Police Department said. Teague was sitting down while charging his phone at…

At least 100 people arrested on tense sixth night of protests as Daunte Wright’s loved ones mourn for his son

As Daunte Wright’s loved ones reflected on a son who will grow up without a father, a peaceful march and protest calling for justice in his death devolved into unrest and, authorities said, at least 100 people were arrested. Police declared a demonstration at the Brooklyn Center Police Department unlawful Friday night, after protesters began…

Phoenix nonprofit plans to vaccinate 500 homeless people in 5 days

More than four months after the first coronavirus vaccine hit American arms, a week-long drive to vaccinate the homeless against Covid-19 is underway in Phoenix. With the goal of vaccinating 500 people in a five-day period that ended on Friday, it’s a project that builds on the work of Phoenix-area nonprofits to care for the…

Indianapolis was already seeing a spike in homicides when a gunman killed 8 at a FedEx facility

When a gunman killed eight people and wounded several others at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis on Thursday night, the city was already experiencing a plague of rising homicides. The killings mark the latest mass shooting in America — a troubling recurrence that has seen at least 45 such tragedies in the US since March…

The Sikh community is in mourning as 4 members were among the victims of the Indianapolis shooting

The latest mass shooting in the US at a FedEx facility struck deeply into the Sikh community in the Indianapolis area after it suffered the loss of four members in the bloody onslaught. “Our community has a long road of healing physically, mentally and spiritually to recover from this tragedy,” Maninder Singh Walia, a member…

Loneliness won’t end when the pandemic ends

When the world goes back to normal, Shanan Cale’s life won’t change much. She’ll still work mostly from her home in California. She’ll mother her two college-aged daughters. And she’ll continue to ponder intimacy and connection as a 54-year-old woman experiencing loneliness. “Post-pandemic, even now that I’m vaccinated and everyone in my household is vaccinated…

A student harnessed the power of beets to make healing from surgery safer — and more equitable

Dasia Taylor didn’t expect to become a nationally recognized scientist at 17 years old. The Iowa student has dedicated her life to equity work, from serving as one of her school district’s diversity equity leaders to participating in her high school’s Black History Game Show club. But when her junior year chemistry teacher at Iowa…

Liberty University files lawsuit against former president Jerry Falwell Jr.

Liberty University has filed a lawsuit against former school president Jerry Falwell Jr. that alleges he breached his employment contract and conspired to withhold damaging information from the university’s board of trustees. The university’s lawsuit alleges Falwell was dishonest with the executive committee when negotiating an exceptionally generous severance package, when he knew a brewing…

Portland police disperse crowd with pepper spray after officer fatally shoots suspect

Police in Portland, Oregon, said they used pepper spray and smoke canisters to break up a crowd that gathered on Friday as they investigated the fatal shooting of a suspect by police in Lents Park. A suspect who has only been described as a White male was fatally shot Friday morning by an officer responding…

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