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5 killed, including off-duty officer, in Raleigh shooting, police say – WSOC TV

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RALEIGH, N.C. — Five people were killed, including an off-duty officer, in a mass shooting in an eastern Raleigh neighborhood Thursday night, authorities confirmed. Two others, including the suspected gunman, were hurt, they said.

In a news conference Friday morning, authorities identified the five victims. The suspected gunman, who is 15 years old, was taken into custody just after 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Raleigh police told WTVD.

One of the injured was a K-9 officer who was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said. The officer was later released.

“This is a sad and tragic day for the City of Raleigh,” the mayor said in one of the two news conferences the city held Thursday night.

Officers were first called to the shooting call at about 5 p.m. Thursday near the Neuse River Greenway in the Hedingham neighborhood, near Osprey Cove Drive and Bay Harbor Drive.

Baldwin said the police department told her around 8 p.m. that the suspect had been “contained” at a residence in the area. Raleigh police tweeted at about 9:40 p.m. that the suspect was in custody.

“We must do more. We must stop this mindless violence in America. We must address gun violence,” Baldwin said. “We have much to do and tonight, we have much to mourn.”

Multiple law enforcement agencies and first responders were still on the scene well into the night.

>> Channel 9′s Dave Faherty is in Raleigh and is providing live updates, starting at Noon on Eyewitness News.

Scene of active shooter situation in Raleigh on Thursday night

Friday updates

12 p.m.

In east Raleigh, Channel 9′s Dave Faherty spoke to neighbors who said hid inside when they heard gunshots.

“At that point in time, I just took my grandson and we went in, locked up the house and, kind of, went to the center of the house,” Shelly Birdsell said.

Some were fighting back tears as they described the moments after that shooting. Neighbor Saunya Jones described the moment she learned about what had happened.

“The guy that lives down there, he was standing in the middle of the yard, saying that there was a shooter,” Jones said. “And then somebody was on the ground, there was a body on the ground, and they was like, performing CPR. And there was a lady that ran down there.”

11 a.m.

9 a.m.

In a news conference Friday morning, authorities identified the five victims as the following people:

  • Nicole Connors, 52
  • Susan Karnatz, 49
  • Mary Marshall, 35
  • A 16-year-old whose name wasn’t released
  • Off-duty Raleigh Police Officer Gabriel Torres, 29

Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin In a news conference Friday morning, authorities identified the five victims of the Raleigh mass shooting. Raleigh mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin began the update by sharing her condolences.

“There are several families in our community waking up this morning without their loves ones. We grieve for them,” Baldwin said as the news conference began. “Our prayers are also with those who are injured. No one can imagine what they’re all going through, but please know we as a community stand with you today.

“We’re also grateful for the dedicated public safety and law enforcement officers who acted so bravely. But we have doubled our determination now to end senseless gun violence that has its grips on our country, and now on our city.

“I know that brings us sadness and anger. We have to do something.”

Officials said two community centers were evacuated and a school was placed on lockdown during the shooting. The crime scene spanned two miles.

“No neighborhood, no parent, no child, no grandparent — no one should feel this fear in their communities,” Cooper added.

‘Terror has reached our doorstep’: 5 killed in Raleigh shooting, police say

5 a.m.

Officers said the suspected gunman was 15 years old. He had life-threatening injuries when he was taken into custody Thursday, according to a memo from Department of Homeland Security. It is not known if those injuries were self-inflicted.

On Friday morning, officers were spotted searching a home near where the shooting took place, according to ABC11.

Thursday updates

5 killed in Raleigh neighborhood, including officer; Suspect in custody, police say (WRAL)

10:50 p.m.

Gov. Roy Cooper went to the media staging area and addressed the public at a late-night news conference.

“Terror has reached our doorstep,” Cooper said. “The nightmare of every community has come to Raleigh.”

Chief Stella Patterson was away at a professional conference and she was on her way back to Raleigh, Baldwin said.

Neighbors said the shooter was young, dressed in camouflage and had a long rifle. Authorities said that he opened fire along a walking trail.

10:20 p.m.

9:40 p.m.

9 p.m.

Five people, including a police officer, were killed in a shooting in a residential area, and multiple people had been shot, Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said in a news conference.

8:27 p.m.

7:34 p.m.

RPD: This is still an active investigation. Sections of the Hedingham neighborhood remain closed. Residents should follow the directions of law enforcement officials on the scene.

7:30 p.m.

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety has made numerous state resources available in response to the active shooting incident in Raleigh this afternoon. State Highway Patrol aviation and local patrol members, State Capitol Police Officers, and Alcohol Law Enforcement Special Agents have all responded and are assisting the Raleigh Police Department at this time.

”DPS is providing any needed resources as requested in this investigation and working with local law enforcement to stop this shooter,” said NCDPS Secretary Eddie M. Buffaloe, Jr.

6:54 p.m.

6:50 p.m.

Raleigh police: Residents in the area of McConnell Oliver Drive, Tarheel Club Drive, and Old Milburnie Road are being advised to remain indoors. Drivers are advised to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.

6:40 p.m.

Residents in the Hedingham neighborhood are told to stay in their homes and call 911 if they see anything suspicious.

5:50 p.m.

The Raleigh Police Department is currently on the scene of an active shooting in the area of the Neuse River Greenway near Osprey Cove Drive and Bay Harbor Drive. Residents in that area are advised to remain in their homes.

No further information has been released.

Active shooter in Raleigh

ABC 11 contributed to this report.

Scene of an active shooter situation Thursday in Raleigh

VIDEO: Authorities respond to several schools across SC after false reports of active shooters

Authorities respond to several schools across SC after false reports of active shooters

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Raleigh shooting: 5 dead, including off-duty cop, others injured

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At least five people were killed, including an off-duty police officer, and two others were injured in a shooting along a North Carolina nature trail on Thursday evening, authorities said.

The suspect, who local police described as a white male juvenile, was taken into custody with life-threatening injuries, according to a briefing memo issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and obtained by ABC News.

“It is unknown if the suspect’s injuries are self-inflicted,” the memo said.

A law enforcement official told ABC News that the suspect is 15 years old.

The shooting occurred in the vicinity of the Neuse River Greenway Trail near Osprey Cove and Bay Harbor drives in North Carolina’s capital city of Raleigh. As the deadly incident unfolded, the Raleigh Police Department took to Twitter to advise nearby residents “to remain in their homes.”

Police block the entrance to I-540 east at Buffaloe Road in Raleigh, N.C., Oct. 13, 2022.

Ethan Hyman/The News & Observer via AP

Raleigh Police Lt. Jason Borneo later told reporters there was no active, ongoing threat. The shooting remains under investigation and a motive was unknown.

An injured officer was treated and released from the hospital, while a second individual remains in critical condition, according to Borneo.

“When we lose one of our own, it is a tragic, heartbreaking day for all of us,” Borneo said during a press conference on Thursday night.

A K-9 officer who has non-life-threatening injuries is among the injured, according to Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin.

“We must stop this mindless violence in America and we must address gun violence,” Baldwin told reporters.

Law enforcement officers block off Old Milburnie Road during a shooting in Raleigh, N.C., Oct. 13, 2022.

Ethan Hyman/The News & Observer via AP

At least three people were transported to WakeMed Health and Hospitals’ trauma center in Raleigh in connection with the incident, a hospital official told ABC News.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said he has instructed state law enforcement to “provide assistance responding to the active shooter in East Raleigh.”

“State and local officers are on the ground and working to stop the shooter and keep people safe,” Cooper tweeted.

Law enforcement stand at the entrance to Neuse River Greenway Trail parking at Abington Lane following a shooting in Raleigh, N.C., Oct. 13, 2022.

Ethan Hyman/The News & Observer via AP

The governor also spoke during a second press conference on Thursday night, describing the shooting as “a senseless, horrific and infuriating act of violence.”

“Tonight terror has reached our doorstep. The nightmare of every community has come to Raleigh,” he said.

North Carolina Department of Public Safety Secretary Eddie Buffaloe, Jr. confirmed that his agency has made state resources available and is “working with local law enforcement to stop this shooter.”

North Carolina State Highway Patrol, North Carolina State Capitol Police and North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement are assisting the Raleigh Police Department with the incident.

ABC News’ Will Gretsky, Aaron Katersky and Josh Margolin contributed to this report.



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Off-Duty FBI Officer Involved in Shooting on DC-295: Authorities – NBC4 Washington

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An off-duty FBI officer was involved in a shooting on DC-295 on Saturday, the FBI confirmed.

Though a call came in for a shooting at the intersection of Hayes Street and Kenilworth Avenue NE, the shooting occurred on DC-295 at around 1:30 p.m. for an unknown reason. No injuries or arrests have been reported, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.

The WTOP Traffic Center reported that northbound DC-295 was closed between Pennsylvania Avenue SE and Burroughs Avenue NE and that “southbound travelers should plan for rubbernecking delays.” Lanes have since reopened.

More details about what the FBI called an “FBI Police officer-involved shooting” were not immediately provided.

“The FBI takes all shooting incidents involving our personnel seriously. In accordance with FBI policy, the shooting incident is under investigation by the FBI’s Inspection Division,” the FBI said. 

Correction (Aug. 27, 2022 at 7:43 p.m. EST): This article has been updated to reflect that the initial call for a shooting came in for the intersection of Hayes Street and Kenilworth Avenue NE, but the shots were fired on DC-295.

This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.

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Off-duty New York correction officer arrested in connection to fatal shooting of 18-year-old in the Bronx

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Dion Middleton, 45, was charged in the Bronx County Criminal Court with second-degree murder, as well as first- and second-degree manslaughter, according to a spokesperson for the New York State Attorney General’s office.

Middleton did not enter a plea and was expected to be released later Friday after posting a $1 million bond.

Investigators are looking into the possibility the victim, identified by police as Raymond Chaluisant, 18, fired a water gun at Middleton, sparking the altercation, according to a law enforcement official.

Middleton’s attorney, Joey Jackson, said Middleton was walking when he felt something strike his back and heard objects pelting all around him. Jackson, who is also a CNN legal analyst, said Middleton thought he was being struck by the fragments of a bullet that whizzed by him, and thought there were multiple shots. That’s when he pulled his gun and fired a single shot, Jackson said.

“You’re walking, it’s 1:30 at night, you get something hit in the back, there’s mayhem all over because apparently the person was firing shots everywhere, and it was just kind of mayhem from my client’s perspective,” Jackson said. “He turns around, he sees the guy [Middleton] they engage and, boom, he fires a round, which happened to hit him.”

Jackson said the car then sped off, leaving Middleton to wonder whether anyone was struck by the shot he fired.

“He shot, he discharged his firearm in the direction of a car, not knowing whether he hit anything or anyone,” Jackson said.

Moments after Middleton’s arraignment Friday, the president of the union representing correction officers defended him, claiming he feared for his life.

“Our officer fired a single shot in a situation where he felt his life was in immediate danger, particularly after feeling something hit his back,” said Correction Officer’s Union president Benny Boscio Jr. in a statement. “We are also aware that a NYPD Traffic Agent had also reported being hit with pellets in the same vicinity an hour beforehand. Toy guns no longer resemble toys, as the images of this water pistol demonstrate and they remain an ongoing threat to public safety.”

Police said officers responded to a 911 call for a shooting at the corner of East Tremont Avenue and The Grand Concourse about 1:30 a.m. Thursday, according to the news release. The officers who responded found the 18-year-old in the vehicle with a gunshot wound to the face.

When the officers opened the door to aid the teen, they found the toy water gun, which fires gel water beads, the official said.

Chaluisant was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Investigators at the scene later determined the original location of the incident was near the Cross Bronx Expressway and Morris Avenue, about a half-mile away. Hours later, Middleton was arrested, police said.

Officer ‘will be immediately suspended without pay’

“These very serious charges are in no way a reflection of the officers who work to keep our city safe every day,” New York City Correction Commissioner Louis A. Molina said earlier. “This officer will be immediately suspended without pay, and if the charges are true he will face the full consequences of the law and be terminated.”

The city’s correction officers maintain security at jails and other detention centers.

Middleton has been a correction officer since 2013 and his current job was working at the department’s firing range in Rodman’s Neck in the Bronx, according to a Department of Correction spokesman.

Middleton went home and then to sleep after the shooting, according to another law enforcement official. He was then believed to have gone to his job, the official said. Middleton was arrested by police at the gun range Thursday afternoon, the official said.

While in custody, Middleton made incriminating statements to investigators, the official said.

Investigators are still searching for surveillance video of the shooting.

The NYPD said in a tweet Thursday, shortly after it announced Middleton’s arrest, the bead blasters, which “shoot gel water beads propelled by a spring-loaded air pump” qualify as air rifles, which are illegal in New York City.

A police spokesperson said the tweet was not in response to the shooting, but because other cases involving gel water beads have occurred recently.

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Amazon announces policy shift for off-duty workers that could impact union efforts

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Check out what’s clicking on FoxBusiness.com.

Amazon employees are now barred from accessing buildings and working areas if they are not scheduled to work that day, the company announced.

The policy shift comes amid a feud with unions, who have criticized the policy as potentially hindering their ability to hold union drives and meetings.

Employees are also barred from accessing the buildings before or after their shift, under the new policy.

The Amazon.com, Inc. BHM1 fulfillment center is seen before sunrise on March 29, 2021 in Bessemer, Alabama. (Photo by Patrick T. FALLON / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) (Photo by Patrick T. FALLON / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

“There’s nothing more important than the safety of our employees and the physical security of our buildings,” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said. “This policy regarding building access applies to building interiors and working areas.”

WHY AMAZON IS A KEY RECESSION INDICATOR: INVESTMENT EXPERT

The spokesperson said off-duty employees are not prohibited from meeting with co-workers in “non-working areas” away from the company’s facilities.

Amazon said the new off-duty policy “will not be enforced discriminatorily” to punish union efforts.

EASTVALE, CA – AUGUST 31: A worker sorts out parcels in the outbound dock at Amazon fulfillment center in Eastvale on Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda/MediaNews Group/The Press-Enterprise via Getty Images) (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda/MediaNews Group/The Press-Enterprise via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The move comes on the heels of a vote by Amazon workers at a warehouse on Staten Island, New York to unionize in April.

The new policy, enacted Thursday, could hinder union organizers’ efforts to meet with co-workers, they said.

MEET PROTEUS: AMAZON’S FIRST ‘FULLY AUTONOMOUS’ MOBILE WAREHOUSE ROBOT

Rev. Ryan Brown, an Amazon warehouse worker in Garner, North Carolina, who is trying to get his warehouse to follow Staten Island’s vote, called the new policy “a direct response” to unions.

“On our days off, we come to work and we engage our co-workers in the break rooms. This was a direct response to that, to try to stop organizing by any means necessary,” Brown said.

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Amazon explained the new policy as a safety concern.

FILE – A truck arrives at the Amazon warehouse facility on the Staten Island borough of New York, April 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez, File) (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez, File / Associated Press)

“One part of this is knowing who is in our buildings at any given time, so we can quickly find and account for everyone in the event of an emergency,” a notice to employees said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Off-duty officer who was running for the Rhode Island state Senate was arrested for allegedly punching political rival at abortion rights rally

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Rourke said she was deescalating a situation with a counterprotester “when my Republican opponent Jeann Lugo punched me multiple times in the face.”

The incident was caught on video, which appears to show Rourke stepping into an altercation at the protest and almost immediately after, getting punched in the face.

Lugo was charged with simple assault and disorderly conduct after turning himself Saturday afternoon, Erik Yanyar of the Rhode Island State Police told CNN.

“Following the demonstration, the Rhode Island State Police and Providence Police Department received complaints of physical assaults that occurred during the demonstration. As the result of a joint investigation between the two agencies, a Providence Police Patrolman, identified as Jeann Lugo, age 35, was arrested on a State Police affidavit and arrest warrant on the charges of simple assault and disorderly conduct,” Rhode Island State Police said in a statement.

The Providence Police Department said in a statement on Twitter Saturday that it was “criminally investigating the behavior of an off-duty officer last evening during a protest where a female was assaulted. The officer has served for 3 yrs and placed on administrative leave w/pay this morning, pending a criminal investigation and administrative review.”
The department confirmed in a later tweet that Lugo was “the off-duty officer involved in this incident.”

Lugo said in a now-unavailable tweet that he is stepping down from the state Senate race.

“I will not be running for any office this Fall,” Lugo said. His Twitter account is no longer available.

CNN reached out to the Providence Fraternal Order of Police to inquire about possible legal representation for Lugo but did not hear back Saturday night.

“Political violence like this is exactly why people like me often don’t run for office. Working-class candidates and Black and Brown candidates face violence and threats all across the country,” Rourke, who is Black, said in her statement.

Two other people were arrested at the rally, according to authorities.

Video shows the alleged assault

Video shot by Bill Bartholomew and shared with CNN appears to show the moment Lugo allegedly punched his then-state Senate opponent at the abortion-rights rally Friday evening.

Rourke had spoken at the rally, which was organized by the WOMXN Project. Rourke is a board member of the group.

The incident occurred after a man livestreaming the event was surrounded by rally attendees who asked him to leave. Rourke is seen in the video wearing a pink shirt asking the man to leave.

Suddenly, a man wearing a green jacket punches the man livestreaming the rally on the side of his head. Rally attendees immediately come to the aid of the man who got punched and push the man with the green jacket off him.

Amid the chaos, video appears to show Lugo confront Rourke and punch her in the face with a right hand before backing away.

Rourke filed a report with Providence police Friday night and with Rhode Island State Police Saturday morning. She was seen at a local hospital and told CNN in a statement she had a headache and ringing in her ears from the punch.

Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza called the incident “immensely disturbing” after he said he saw the video.

“Unfortunately, I am limited in what I can say publicly due to LEOBOR (Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights.) With that said, I’ve seen the video and it’s immensely disturbing. Those responsible will be held fully accountable,” the mayor said in a tweet.



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Off-duty Rhode Island police officer suspended for allegedly punching woman at abortion protest

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A Rhode Island police officer accused of punching a woman at an abortion protest while he was off-duty was suspended from his job with pay Saturday while the Providence Police Department conducts a criminal investigation into his actions.

Democratic state Senate candidate Jennifer Rourke, who also serves as the Rhode Island Political Cooperative Chairwoman and a state Senate candidate, on Saturday morning tweeted video of the alleged assault. 

“I’m a reproductive rights organizer & State Senate candidate. Last night, after speaking at our Roe rally, my Republican opponent – a police officer – violently attacked me. This is what it is to be a Black woman running for office. I won’t give up,” she wrote.

The Providence Police Department confirmed Saturday that Jeann Lugo, who was also vying for the Republican nomination for the same state Senate seat, was the officer in question. 

“The PPD is criminally investigating the behavior of an off duty officer last evening during a protest where a female was assaulted,” the department said earlier Saturday. “The officer has served for 3 yrs and placed on administrative leave w/pay this morning, pending a criminal investigation and administrative review.”

Lugo told the Providence Journal that he was “not going to deny” the punching allegation, but added that “everything happened very fast.”

“As an officer that swore to protect and serve our communities, I, unfortunately, saw myself in a situation that no individual should see themselves in,” he said in the email to the Boston Globe. “I stepped in to protect someone that a group of agitators was attacking.”

Lugo did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.

Video of the event posted online shows two other individuals involved in a physical altercation at the protest right before a woman, apparently Rourke, is seen being hit. The video does not show what happened between Lugo and Rourke prior to Rourke being hit.

“I’m a Black woman running for office,” Rourke told the Journal. “There was no need, no need for any of this. I’m not going to give up.”

In a call with The Associated Press, Rourke said the incident occurred as she was attempting to escort a counterprotester who had agreed to leave. As she was leading the man off the premises, she said, another physical altercation broke out, at which point she was punched in the face multiple times by Lugo.

Rourke said she has never interacted with Lugo before and did not know he would be at the protest.

“I’m disappointed he chose to use violence in this way. As a police officer, he’s trained to deescalate. He did not do what he was trained to do,” she said.

Rourke sought medical care and received a CT scan on Saturday afternoon. She said she was doing OK but was experiencing a lot of tenderness in her face and ringing in her ears.

She said she had pressed charges against Lugo.

At midday Saturday, Lugo tweeted that he was dropping out of the race.

“I will not be running for any office this fall,” he said.

His Twitter account appeared to have been deactivated shortly afterwards.

Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza tweeted that he had seen the video and called it “immensely disturbing.” Elorza said he was “limited” in what he could say publicly, but added, “Those responsible will be held fully accountable.”

The altercation occurred during a Friday protest outside the Rhode Island State House in Providence that was in response to the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that had provided a constitutional right to abortion.



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Off-duty cops in NJ can smoke weed without getting fired

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The boys in blue are free to smoke some green in the Garden State.

Off-duty police officers in New Jersey are allowed to get high on the state’s legal weed without facing discipline, according to acting Attorney General Matthew Platkin.

Platkin sent a memo to police chiefs Wednesday detailing the policy —  which allows officers 21 and older to consume cannabis in all forms while off the job — a week before recreational pot hits the shelves in the state, according to the memo.

“[Police departments] may not take any adverse action against any officers because they do or do not use cannabis off duty,” the memo states, as a reminder to comply with the Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy.

The memo adds that a weed-tainted urine test isn’t cause for firing a cop.

“An employee shall not be subject to any adverse action by an employer solely due to the presence of cannabinoid metabolites in the employee’s bodily fluid,” it states.

New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin issued the memo which said a urine test that comes up positive for marijuana isn’t cause to fire a police officer.
AP

By contrast, NYPD honchos have said they don’t want their officers to go pot — forbidding marijuana use among off-duty cops despite the drug’s legalization in the Empire State last year.

“With regard to recently passed state legislation that legalized the recreational use of marijuana, uniformed and civilian members of the service are reminded that the use of marijuana is still strictly prohibited,” said a memo sent by the commanding officer of the NYPD medical division last April.

In March 2021, then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, allowing adults 21 and over to light up.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act into law, and marijuana is set to be sold in stores in the state next week.
AP

The law also prohibits New York employers from discriminating against workers for weed use outside of work —  though that stipulation may not apply to all government employees, such as law-enforcement officers.

“All existing patrol guide procedures regarding its prohibition as well as drug screening procedures remain in effect. Members are reminded that they must be fit for duty at all times,” the memo stated.

Voters in New Jersey approved a constitutional amendment allowing the recreational sale of cannabis to people 21 and older in November 2020. Sales at retail shops are set to begin April 21.

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Two men charged in shooting death of off-duty Texas deputy Darren Almendarez

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Two men have been charged in the shooting death of an off-duty Texas deputy who was gunned down after leaving a grocery store Thursday night and a third male is being sought, authorities said Friday. 

Joshua Stewart, 23, and Fredarius Clark, 19, are both charged with capital murder in connection with the death of Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Darren Almendarez.

The deputy had just come out of a Joe V’s Smart Shop with his wife when he saw a Nissan Altima backed up to his truck and two males under the truck, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said. 

“Possibly a catalytic converter that was being stolen,” Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said at a news conference Thursday night. “We’re not sure. Those details are still being investigated. But, he intervened. He intervened to try to stop a crime.”

Almendarez, 51, told his wife to go somewhere safe and he approached the suspect vehicle, which by then had three people inside, authorities said.

As he walked over, he was fired upon and struck multiple times. The deputy managed to return fire and shot at least two suspects, 

They then fled the parking lot. Almendarez was taken to a hospital where he later died. 

Stewart and Clark arrived at a hospital in the suspect vehicle a short time later with gunshot wounds, authorities said. A third male described as between 17 and 19 years of age is being sought by investigators for questioning. 

Joshua Stewart (right) and Fredarius Clark (right) are charged with capital murder for the death of Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Darren Almendarez.
Harris County Sheriff’s Office
Law enforcement officers investigate the scene where Harris County Sheriff Darren Almendarez was killed on March 31, 2022 in Houston.
AP

Almendarez, a 23-year veteran of the sheriff’s office who was most recently assigned to the auto theft division, was remembered Thursday night as a “fighter.” He was recently the focus of a sheriff’s office spotlight video where he offered steps to avoid buying a stolen vehicle and other tips. 

At the time of his death, he had purchased groceries and was planning to have a cookout to celebrate his sister’s birthday Friday, Gonzalez said. 



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Off-duty Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Darren Almendarez dies after shooting outside Joe V’s Smart Shop

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HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — Two men have been charged with capital murder in the death of off-duty Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputy Darren Almendarez, who was shot in a grocery store parking lot.

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said Almendarez was shot while confronting suspected car burglars outside the Joe V’s Smart Shop in the 2900 block of FM 1960 at Aldine Westfield at about 8:35 p.m. Thursday.

“We got one male shot in the chest,” first responders could be heard reporting on radio traffic.

Deputies said Almendarez and his wife were walking back to their truck when he saw a black, four-door Nissan Altima backed up to his vehicle. Two men were under his truck, and it appeared that they were trying to steal the catalytic converter, officials said.

Gonzalez said Almendarez told his wife to stay back as he approached the suspects’ car, which had three men inside. That’s when one of the three men started shooting.

The deputy was hit several times but was able to shoot back, hitting at least two of the suspects.

The suspects then sped off.

Almendarez was transported to Houston Northwest Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Two of the suspects, 23-year-old Joshua Stewart and 19-year-old Fredarias Henry Clark, arrived at the same hospital in Altima from the parking lot. Both men had gunshot wounds.

Stewart is in jail and is expected to appear in probable cause court early Saturday morning, officials say.

In 2019, Stewart had a charge in Harris County for unlawful carrying of a dismissed weapon, records show.

In November 2020, Clark was convicted of criminal trespassing and later unlawful carrying of a dismissed weapon.

Police are looking for a third man, believed to be a 17- to 19-year-old Black man with a medium complexion and braided hair, for questioning.

Video from the scene shows just how much gunfire there was. The windshield of the suspects’ car was covered in bullet holes.

Gonzalez said Almendarez protected his wife in his final moments alive.

“At a personal level and as sheriff, that’s evil. We’ve got evil individuals that are out there,” Gonzalez said of the shooting.

Almendarez was a 23-year veteran with the sheriff’s office. He was assigned to the auto theft division.

“Because I know him personally, professionally, I can say he would have done the same thing,” Chief Deputy Edison Toquica said. “Ironically, it just happened to have been his truck.”

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner released a statement Friday morning about Almendarez’s death.

“I am deeply saddened by the death of Deputy Darren Almendarez. We mourn with our brothers and sisters at Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and we extend our support to them as they grieve the loss of the 23-year veteran. Law enforcement is an inherently dangerous job, but what happened is unacceptable. It is a terrible day when a family trip to a grocery store ends in violence and loss of life. Deputy Almendarez will be remembered as a loyal public servant who died while protecting his wife. I ask everyone to join me in praying for the deputy’s family, his coworkers, and for the senseless violence to end.”

Gov. Greg Abbott also released a statement, saying that the state would be ready to provide all resources necessary to bring justice to the family and loved ones of Deputy Almendarez.

“Deputy Darren Almendarez lost his life while answering the call to serve and protect his fellow Texans. This tragedy is a heartbreaking reminder of our law enforcement officers’ sacrifices both on and off duty. The State of Texas is ready to provide all resources necessary to bring justice to the family and loved ones of Deputy Almendarez. I ask that Texans join Cecilia and me in prayer for Deputy Almendarez’s family and the continued safety of all of our law enforcement officers across the Lone Star State.”

Deputies investigated a second crime scene less than a mile down the road at a Circle K, where investigators taped off the parking lot and towed away an SUV.

At that scene, authorities collected a gun they thought was related. However, ABC13 has learned that the weapon is not connected to this shooting based on surveillance video.

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