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Entertainment

Prince Harry can now wear military uniform to Queen’s vigil after being denied

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Prince Harry will be wearing his military uniform when he takes part in a special vigil for Queen Elizabeth II this Saturday, Page Six has confirmed.

A source exclusively tells Page Six that Harry — who was previously told he could not wear the military uniform — did not request the change.

“He was simply prepared to wear whatever his grandmother made plans for. He’s focused on honoring her and that’s it. If they’d like him in uniform, I have no reason to think that he won’t oblige,” our source says.

A source told The Daily Mirror, who first reported the news on Thursday, that it was a “ludicrous situation” in the first place.

“The Duke of Sussex has served his country and is a highly respected member of the armed forces with everything he has done for veterans,” a source told the newspaper. “It is important that the Queen’s grandchildren are all made to feel welcome and comfortable as they grieve their beloved grandmother together.”

Prince Harry will now be allowed to wear his military uniform during a special vigil.
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The Queen’s eight grandchildren, including Prince William and Harry, are expected to stand on Saturday evening for a 15-minute vigil alongside their grandmother’s coffin.

The Queen’s other grandchildren including Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Zara and Peter Philips and Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn will also be taking part in the vigil at Westminster Hall.

It’s unclear whether Harry has been given permission to wear his military uniform for the funeral on Monday as well.

It was announced earlier this week that Harry and his disgraced uncle, Prince Andrew, would be barred from wearing their military uniforms to the Queen’s funeral on Sept. 19.

The Duke of Sussex, 38, was stripped of his military titles when he quit royal life in 2020 and moved to California with his wife, Meghan Markle.

Prince Andrew was forced to quit public life in 2019, after a disastrous BBC interview in which he defended his friendship with the infamous financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and claimed never to have met his sexual abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre. He later shelled out millions of dollars to settle a civil lawsuit with Giuffre.

Prince Harry enjoyed a close relationship with his grandmother.
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As Page Six exclusively reported, Harry — who served two front-line tours of Afghanistan — was “saddened” by the decision.

Read Page Six’s up-to-the-minute coverage of Queen Elizabeth’s passing:

Prince Andrew and Prince Harry had previously both been barred from wearing their military uniforms.
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“Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex will wear a morning suit throughout events honoring his grandmother,” a spokesperson for the Sussexes said in a statement to Page Six on Tuesday.

“His decade of military service is not determined by the uniform he wears and we respectfully ask that focus remain on the life and legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”



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World

Vigil of the Princes: The Queen’s four children to stand watch over their mother’s coffin in London

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King Charles III will symbolically lead the ceremony honouring Queen Elizabeth II when he joins his siblings for a ‘final vigil’ around his late mother’s coffin as she lies in state, it was revealed today.

The new sovereign will be joined by the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex who will all play central roles in the historic ‘Vigil of the Princes’ that takes place at 7.30pm on Friday, just days before the Queen’s state funeral.

The senior royals are expected to replicate the ceremonial act they performed in Edinburgh, where they ‘took guard’ of their late mother’s coffin for 10 minutes. 

Each stood on one of the four corners of the oak coffin with their heads bowed as part of the royal cortège known as the ‘Vigil of the Princes’. 

It is understood that the ban on Prince Andrew wearing military uniform, which has seen him opt for a morning suit for public appearances this week, will be lifted as an exception for the final vigil held in London.

That will likely come as a relief for the Duke, who was heckled during a procession in Edinburgh and had to solemnly bow his head while his siblings saluted as they walked behind their late mother’s coffin as it was transported by gun carriage. 

Meanwhile, Prince Harry – who sacrificed his own HRH style after stepping down as a senior working royal for a life in Los Angeles – will reportedly still be banned from wearing military colours. 

The Sussexes’ official biographer Omid Scoobie tweeted earlier this week: ‘I understand that, unlike Prince Andrew, Prince Harry will NOT be allowed to wear uniform at the final vigil in Westminster Hall. 

‘No doubt a huge blow for the Duke of Sussex, who served for 10 years and this morning spoke of the Queen being his ”commander-in-chief”.’

Princess Anne, the Queen’s lone daughter, made history at the last ‘Vigil of the Princes’ at St Giles’ Cathedral when she became the first female member of the royal family to ‘stand guard’ as part of Monday’s commemoration. 

As many as one million mourners are expected to try and cram into the Palace of Westminster to pay their last respects to Queen Elizabeth II before her state funeral.

Tens of thousands of people have flocked to the capital in recent days, forming a huge snaking queue that has its own dedicated livestream and was more than four miles long by midday on Thursday. 

King Charles III, Anne, the Princess Royal, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward each stood on one of the four corners of the coffin in a ceremony known as the ‘Vigil of the Princes’ as the Queen lay in St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh, earlier this week

King Charles III (furthest left) will symbolically lead the final ceremony honouring the late Queen Elizabeth II, and will be joined by his siblings, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex who will all play central roles in the historic ‘Vigil of the Princes’

It is understood that the ban on Prince Andrew wearing military uniform, which has seen him opt for a morning suit for public appearances this week (above in Buckingham Palace), will be lifted as an exception for the final vigil. He lost that right after the Queen stripped him of his honorary military titles and royal patronages in January

Members of the public – who filed past the coffin in their thousands – were briefly held back to allow the royals to take their place. However, they continued to file past once the vigil began, offering them an extraordinary perspective on the historic moment in Edinburgh

Monday’s ‘Vigil of the Princes’ marked the first time the tradition has taken place since 2002.

There have been two such ceremonies in the past: in 1936, with the death of King George V in 1936, and in 2002, during the Queen Mother’s funeral.

That vigil was attended by the royal’s four grandsons – King Charles, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, and the Earl of Snowdon.

Millions of people across the UK are being urged to fall silent for two minutes during the closing moments of the Queen’s funeral on Monday – as part of a double moment of nationwide reflection honouring Her Majesty. 

The plea comes as Buckingham Palace today unveiled new details about the historic commemoration, which broadcasting experts predict will become the most-watched television event in history, viewed by billions around the world. 

Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral will ‘unite people across the globe and resonate with people of all faiths’, according to The Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk, the man in charge of the historic occasion on Monday. 

He said that it was ‘both humbling and daunting’ to have the ‘honour and great responsibility’ to run an event that will be watched by billions of people around the globe. 

The Queen’s children stood guard over her coffin at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. Pictured is King Charles (centre front), Princess Anne (left), Prince Andrew (centre back) and Prince Edward (right)

King Charles III’s son Prince Harry has been banned from wearing military uniform at the final vigil for the Queen at Westminster Hall – but Prince Andrew will be allowed to ‘as a special mark of respect’ for his mother, it has been claimed

The Queen’s children stand by their mother’s coffin in a sombre ceremony that has been honoured since the death of King George V in 1936. Pictured left: Princess Anne made history as the first female royal to take part in the ‘Vigil of the Princes’

King Charles, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex will all play central roles in the historic Vigil of the Princes that takes place at 7.30pm on Friday, just days before the Queen’s state funeral 

 The King kept his hands joined and also looked towards the floor as members of the public filed past

The procession which took Queen Elizabeth’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall arrived at 3pm yesterday

He added: ‘The events of recent days are a reminder of the strength of our Constitution, a system of government, which in so many ways is the envy of the world.

‘The Queen held a unique and timeless position in all our lives. This has been felt more keenly over the past few days as the world comes to terms with her demise.

‘The respect, admiration and affection in which the Queen was held, make our task both humbling and daunting. An honour and a great responsibility.

‘It is our aim and belief that the state funeral and events of the next few days will unite people across the globe and resonate with people of all faiths, whilst fulfilling Her Majesty and her family’s wishes to pay a fitting tribute to an extraordinary reign. 

King Charles looks tearful as he marches with Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Anne, Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence yesterday. The family will march behind the coffin again after the state funeral on Monday

A two-minute silence will mark the end of the Queen’s funeral on Monday – with a one-minute silence taking place at 8pm the night before. It comes after thousands of people watched Her Majesty’s  coffin being carried from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster on Wednesday (pictured)

More than a million people are expected to pack into London to witness the state funeral, dwarfing the numbers seen during Wednesday’s ceremonies in the capital. 

Members of the public stand on bollards and cling to lampposts in an effort to get a better view as the Queen’s procession makes its way along Whitehall from Buckingham Palace

On Monday morning, the doors of Westminster Abbey will open at 8am as the congregation of 2,000 VIPs begin to take their seats, three hours before the service begins at 11am. 

Hour-by-hour guide to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on Monday, September 19 

6-8.30am: Last vigil at Queen’s coffin in Westminster Hall 

At dawn on the last day of national mourning, the King’s bodyguards will begin their final vigil at the Queen’s oak coffin in the Houses of Parliament. It will then close at 8.30am in preparation for the procession.

9am: Big Ben will strike

Big Ben will strike, before the bell’s hammer is covered with a leather pad to muffle it for the rest of the day, out of respect for the late monarch.

10.30am: Queen’s coffin is carried from House of Parliament to Westminster Abbey

The Queen’s coffin will be moved onto the state gun carriage which will be outside the north door of Westminster Hall.

From there, it will be pulled by naval ratings using ropes instead of horses from the Hall to Westminster Abbey.

Enormous crowds of mourners are expected to line the streets in Westminster as King Charles and senior members of the Royal Family follow the coffin as they did at the funeral for Princess Diana and for Prince Philip. The military will also join the procession. 

The coffin arrives at 10.52am before being carried into the Abbey. 

11am: The Queen’s coffin is carried to the High Altar

Around 2,000 guests including members of the Royal Family, Prime Minister Liz Truss, former British premiers, foreign dignitaries including US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and possibly Japanese Emperor Naruhito, and other VIPs, will fill the Abbey and watch as the Queen’s coffin is moved down the nave to the High Altar, before the nation falls silent.

11-12pm: The state funeral at the Abbey

The state funeral will be led by the Dean of Westminster and the Archbishop of Canterbury. 

It is being televised and is expected to be beamed to millions around the world – and could well be one of the most watched live events in human history. 

Royal experts believe that the choice of the Abbey could be both because it is so big – it has a capacity of 2,000 though can hold as many as 8,000 – and more live TV broadcasts have already been held there.

It is also believed that it could be a better place for large crowds to gather to pay their respects, since it is in Central London.

And the Abbey was the setting for many of the most important events of the Queen’s life – from her Coronation to her wedding to Prince Philip. The Princess Royal and the Duke of York, and the Queen’s sister Princess Margaret, were also married there.

Other royal funerals have been held at the Abbey, including Princess Diana’s in 1997 and the Queen Mother’s in 2002. The funeral of Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Philip’s uncle, was also held there in 1979.

At the end of the service, the Last Post and Reveille will be played. There will also be a national two-minute silence.

12-1pm: Queen’s coffin is carried to Wellington Arch via The Mall

The Queen’s coffin will then be placed back on the state gun carriage, before the royal funeral procession will solemnly move through Parliament Square, Whitehall, Constitution Hill and The Mall, past Buckingham Palace, to arrive at Wellington Arch at 1pm.

1-4pm: The coffin is transported to Windsor

Then the coffin will be transported to Windsor, where the Queen spent much of the last years of her life, to her final resting place at St George’s Chapel via the Long Walk, arriving at 3.15pm.

4pm: Queen will be buried at St George’s Chapel by her husband Prince Philip

The committal service conducted by the Dean of Windsor will then begin, and will also be televised around the world.

Before the last hymn, the Imperial State Crown, sceptre and orb will be removed from the Queen’s coffin by the crown jeweller. 

Then at the end of the service, a lament will be played by a lone piper as the coffin is lowered into the Royal Vault, where she will be buried alongside her husband the Duke of Edinburgh, her beloved parents, and her sister Margaret.

7pm: King Charles attends private family burial service at chapel

King Charles and his closest family will return to the chapel for a private family burial service, where – as the late Queen did for her father – the monarch will scatter earth upon the coffin. 

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Her majesty will then be carried on the the gun carriage that conveyed her mother and father to their funerals from Westminster Hall, arriving at 10.52am.

Moving elements of the funeral will include the sounding of the Last Post at 11.55am as the service nears its end, followed by a two-minute national silence which will be observed by the abbey congregation and by millions across the UK.

The Reveille and then the National Anthem will then take place, and finally a Lament played by the Queen’s Piper which will bring the service to a close at noon.

It has also been confirmed that at 12.15pm the Queen’s children and members of the Royal Family will walk behind her coffin to Wellington Arch when it leaves Westminster Abbey before Her Majesty is taken to Windsor to be laid to rest next to her beloved husband Prince Philip. 

Her Majesty’s hearse will arrive at the Long Walk at 3.15pm, where the public will be able to give their final respects.

There will be a televised ceremony at St George’s Chapel in Windsor at 4pm on Monday. The King will scatter earth on his mother coffin at 7.30pm at a private family service. 

For eternity Her Majesty will be next to her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, her father King George VI and mother, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

After the state funeral, attended by some 2,000 guests, including visiting heads of state and other dignitaries, the late queen’s coffin will be transported through the historic heart of London on a horse-drawn gun carriage before being driven by the state hearse to Windsor. 

The procession will arrive at the west gate of Westminster Abbey at 10.52am when the bearer party will lift the coffin from the gun carriage and carry it into the Abbey for the state funeral service, the Earl Marshal said.

The service will begin at 11am and will be conducted by the Dean of Westminster.

The Prime Minister and the Secretary General of the Commonwealth will read Lessons, while the Archbishop of York, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and the Free Churches Moderator will say prayers.

The sermon will be given by the Archbishop of Canterbury who will also give the commendation, while the Dean will pronounce the blessing.

At around 11.55am the Last Post will sound, followed by two minutes of silence to be observed in the Abbey and throughout the UK.

Reveille, the national anthem and a lament played by the Queen’s piper will bring the state funeral service to an end at around 12 noon.

The bearer party will then lift the coffin from the catafalque and will move in procession through the Great West Door returning to the State Gun Carriage positioned outside the West Gate.

After the service the Queen’s coffin will be returned to the gun carriage by the bearer party and a procession will travel to Wellington Arch at Hyde Park.

The King and the royal party will take up their same places behind the coffin as when they escorted it to the Abbey, while the Queen Consort and Princess of Wales will travel to the site by car as will the Duchess of Sussex and Countess of Wessex.

The route will be lined by the Armed Forces from Westminster Abbey to the top of Constitution Hill at the Commonwealth Memorial Gates.

The Procession is formed of seven groups, each supported by a service band. 

Mounties from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police will lead, immediately followed by representatives of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, NHS, along with detachments from the Armed Forces of the Commonwealth.

At Wellington Arch the royal family will watch as the Queen’s coffin is transferred to the new state hearse, whose details the Queen approved, before it begins its journey to Windsor Castle.

The Earl Marshal said that at 3.06pm, the state hearse will approach Shaw Farm Gate on Albert Road, Windsor, and join the procession which will be in position.

At 3.10pm the procession will step off via Albert Road, Long Walk, Cambridge Gate, Cambridge Drive, George IV Gate, Quadrangle (South and West sides), Engine Court, Norman Arch, Chapel Hill, Parade Ground and Horseshoe Cloister Arch.

At approximately 3.40 pm the King and other members of the royal family who are walking in the procession join it at the Quadrangle on the North side as it passes into Engine Court.

Members of the Queen’s, the King’s and the Prince of Wales’s households will be positioned at the rear of the coffin.

The Queen Consort with the Princess of Wales, and the Duchess of Sussex with the Countess of Wessex will again follow by car.

At 3.53pm, the procession will halt at the bottom of the West Steps of St George’s Chapel in Horseshoe Cloister.

The bearer party will lift the coffin from the state hearse, from where it will be carried in procession up the West Steps.

At 4pm a committal service conducted by the Dean of Windsor will then begin, and will also be televised around the world. 

King Charles and his closest family will return to the chapel for a private family burial service, where – as the late Queen did for her father – the monarch will scatter earth upon the coffin. This will happen at 4pm. 

The Prime Minister will meet a small proportion of world leaders attending London for the Queen’s funeral.

It is understood those meetings will be held between the country mansion of Chevening House and Downing Street over the weekend.

The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman said on Thursday that Downing Street could not yet confirm which world leaders Liz Truss will be meeting on the day.

The Queen: All you need to know following her passing and a look back at her 70-year reign

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Entertainment

Princess Anne Made History as First Woman to Participate in the Vigil of the Princes

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On Monday evening, Queen Elizabeth’s four children—King Charles, Princess Anne, and Princes Andrew and Edward—came together at St. Giles’ Cathedral to conduct a solemn ritual. As Queen Elizabeth’s coffin lay at St. Giles, the four children joined the Royal Company of Archers to stand guard around the coffin in something called the Vigil of the Princes. They stood there for around 10 minutes.

King Charles III, Prince Edward, Princess Anne, and Prince Andrew hold a vigil at St Giles’ Cathedral.

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Per the BBC, “The symbolic move sees four people – in this case King Charles III, Princess Anne and Princes Andrew and Edward – position themselves at each side of the coffin to stand guard for a short time.”

Anne’s participation was significant; she became the first woman royal to take part in this ceremonial vigil. It is widely expected that the Vigil of the Princes will take place once again in London, with the Queen’s children and grandchildren participating.

“I was fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest Mother’s life,” Princess Anne wrote in a tribute to her mother. “It has been an honour and a privilege to accompany her on her final journeys. Witnessing the love and respect shown by so many on these journeys has been both humbling and uplifting.”

The Vigil of the Princes has only taken place twice before—following the death of King George V, and following the death of the Queen Mother in 2002. It is called the “Vigil of the Princes” because George V’s four children—then-King Edward VIII, and Princes Albert, Henry and George—stood guard at their father’s coffin on January 28, 1936 at Westminster Hall.

The vigil took place once again for Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother in 2002, when then-Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, and their cousin Viscount Linley stood vigil around her coffin.

PA Images//Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth will lie in state today through Sunday, September 18, and her funeral will take place on Monday, September 19.

Emily Burack (she/her) is the news writer for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram. 



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US

Hugs and anger, prayers and hope: Vigil held at Drake Park for Bend Safeway shooting victims

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(Update: Adding video of Monday evening vigil)

Funds raised for sister of shooting victim; slain worker hailed as hero; shopper heard dozens of shots, thought ‘I was going to die’

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Sunday night’s Safeway shooting on Bend’s Eastside resulted in the tragic deaths of a customer at the front of the store and employee in the produce section at the rear who is being hailed as a hero for trying to wrestle the gun away.

Hours after police gave new insight into what took place, a vigil was held Monday evening at Drake Park, hosted by Central Oregon Moms Demand Action, to honor both Bend men and share hugs, tears and a swirl of emotions, from sadness and frustration to anger and a commitment to seek change and prevent future tragedies. More than 100 people were on hand.

Bend resident Glenn Bennett, 84, was shopping at the store and was near the front entrance when he was fatally shot. A GoFundMe page says Glen lived with his sister and helped pay for their home.

Moments later, a Safeway employee, 66-year-old Donald Surrett Jr., was also shot and killed in the rear of the store, in the produce section. Police say Surrett engaged with the shooter in an attempt to disarm him. His efforts may have helped prevent further deaths.

“Mr. Surrett acted heroically during this terrible incident,” Bend police Communications Manager Sheila Miller said at Monday’s news conference.

Surrett’s sister-in-law also has created a GoFundMe page to assist with expenses.

Debora Jean Surrett, the ex-wife of the Safeway employee killed in the attack, told The Associated Press in a phone interview that Surrett served in the Army for 20 years as a combat engineer.

He wasn’t deployed to active combat zones, but during the 20 years they were married from 1975 to 1995, they were stationed in Germany three times and lived on military bases across the U.S.

“They’re trained to be the first ones to go into war and the last ones to come home,” she told the AP.

People who were in the area when gunfire broke out Sunday night came back Monday to retrieve any property they left there, including cars and bikes.

Bend resident Laura Patterson said she was hiding inside a Safeway office when the shooting broke out and returned Monday to retrieve her wallet today, which she dropped while she was running for safety.

Here is her account of what happened:

“I was in, cashing a Scratch-It (lottery ticket) because I won $30 in Safeway. And I cashed it, and there wasn’t Scratch-Its available at the counter. So I moved over to where the machine is, to the left, which is towards 27th (Street) and I put $20 in the machine.

“One of the employees, a young gentleman with blonde hair, came running in from the exit near 27th and told Sophia, the manger, ‘Sophia, someone’s shooting in the parking lot!’ Of course I stopped, I saw her go out. She turned around and ran back in.

“I heard a couple (of gunshots) out there — I could hear them, and then it was coming in. So I ran back into an office, right there. Somebody was shutting the door, and I ran in there and got under a desk and sat there and sobbed.

“It was so loud — I heard 25 or more shots, and I thought they were at the door of the office because I have not been around gunshots before. When it got quiet, the gentleman with me went and knocked on the door a couple times, and we waited. I did hear somebody yell, ‘Get down on the ground!’ earlier, and I assumed it was the police, because I heard sirens.”

I asked Patterson what thoughts were was running through her head as she heard the gunfire.

“I was going to die,” Patterson said.

Patterson said her brother-in-law and sister also were at the scene and were not injured. 

   

 

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US

Windsor Hills crash: Vigil honors victims of horrific Windsor Hills crash

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WINDSOR HILLS, Calif. (KABC) — A somber vigil was held Friday evening to honor the victims of a multi-vehicle crash in Windsor Hills that killed six people, including a pregnant woman who died along with her young son.

Asherey Ryan was on her way to a prenatal doctor’s appointment at the time of the fiery collision on Thursday, her sister Seana Kerr told ABC7. Ryan’s 11-month-old son Alonzo Quintero and her boyfriend, Reynold Lester, were also among the deceased victims.

“Everybody’s heartbroken,” Kerr said in an interview. “She literally walked out the door, because we all live together, and she said, ‘Ok, I love y’all. I’m going to my doctor’s appointment to check up on the baby.’ We asked, ‘Oh, why don’t you leave our nephew here?’ She said, ‘No, I want to take my son for a ride.’ So, knowing that really, really broke our hearts.”

Lester’s family told ABC7 that the 24-year-old security guard was the father of the unborn child, who was listed as “baby boy Ryan” in online coroner’s records.

Two other women and a man were also killed but their names weren’t made public Friday.

Shortly after 1:30 p.m. Thursday, a Mercedes-Benz coupe ran a red light at high speed and caused the crash involving as many as six cars near a gas station at the intersection of Slauson and La Brea avenues, according to the California Highway Patrol.

READ ALSO | Woman was heading to prenatal checkup with infant son, boyfriend before deadly Windsor Hills crash

The California Highway Patrol said 37-year-old Nicole Lorraine Linton, who was injured in the collision, was taken into custody at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

Prosecutors said they could receive the case as early as next Monday and will then decide whether to file criminal charges.

“I drove to the scene,” Kerr said. “I ran past the police officers just because I wanted to feel her energy one more time. Yesterday, I truly lost it. My family was broken yesterday, and we’re still broken.”

Alonzo would have turned one-year-old on Aug. 17, his family said.

Meanwhile, Ryan’s mother said family members have set up a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses.

Ryan was a stay-at-home mother and a student, according to her family.

WATCH | Drivers left in shock after violent Windsor Hills crash kills 6: ‘It could’ve been me’

The Mercedes-Benz coupe never appeared to brake as it flew through the intersection and CHP Officer Franco Pepi said detectives are looking into whether Linton had a medical episode or was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Several people were flung from the cars and two vehicles caught fire. News video from the scene showed the charred and mangled cars, as well as a child’s car seat among the debris covering the street.

Surveillance video showed the Mercedes careening through an intersection, striking at least two cars that exploded in flames and were sent hurtling onto a sidewalk, winding up against the gas station’s corner sign. A fiery streak led to one car. One vehicle was torn in half.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office released the following statement Friday afternoon:

“My heart goes out to the families that lost loved ones in the horrific car collision that occurred yesterday in Windsor Hills. This incredible tragedy has sent shockwaves throughout Los Angeles and the loss of so many precious lives will have a lasting impact on those that are closest to them.Our office is in close contact with the lead law enforcement agency investigating. A prosecutor has already been assigned and will be working with law enforcement throughout the weekend. We will provide updates as more information becomes available. The case could be presented to us as early as Monday.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2022 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.



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US

Milwaukee El Rey shootout, vigil for security guard killed

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Milwaukee El Rey shooting vigil

A vigil was held Sunday night after two people were shot and killed following a disturbance at Milwaukee’s El Rey grocery store Saturday morning, one of them a security guard.

MILWAUKEE – Two people were shot and killed following a disturbance at a Milwaukee grocery store Saturday morning, July 9, authorities said. A vigil was held Sunday evening for the security guard killed on the job. 

The shootings took place at the El Rey on Cesar Chavez Drive. It’s one of three Milwaukee locations for the Hispanic grocery store.

Police said the ruckus spilled into the parking lot where a man and two security guards exchanged gunfire. The man and one of the security guards were killed, and a bystander suffered minor injuries, police said.

Security guard identified

Family of the security guard who was killed identified him as Anthony Nolden, 59, known as “Uncle Tony.” His family said he loved working in this community, and based on what was said at the vigil Sunday evening, the community loved him, too. 

When news spread of a shooting at the El Rey grocery store on Cesar Chavez Drive, NaTeisha Nolden picked up her phone.

“Instantly, I closed my Facebook. I called my uncle on Messenger. No answer. I’m texting him. No answer. I’m calling his phone. I’m still texting. No answer,” said NaTeisha Nolden.

Nolden’s “Uncle Tony” worked as a security guard at El Rey. He never called her back. 

“It’s real heartbreaking that I never get to talk to him no more. No phone calls. No birthday cards, like, nothing,” said NaTeisha Nolden.

Milwaukee police said they were called to the store just before 10:30 Saturday morning, where there was a shootout between Anthony Nolden and a 36-year-old Milwaukee man. Both died.

Shooting scene outside El Rey on Cesar Chavez Drive

“I’m angry. I’m not even going to lie. I’m angry,” said NaTeisha Nolden. “These guns don’t make no sense.”

NaTeisha Nolden spoke at Sunday’s vigil for her uncle exactly 23 years to the day from when she buried Anthony Nolden’s brother – her father. 

“I feel, like, a hole in my heart all over again, like I’m repeating the death of my father all over again after 23 years,” said NaTeisha Nolden.

She said her uncle stepped in as a father figure when her dad was shot and killed in 1999. Her grandmother’s only two sons are now both gone due to gun violence.

“I’m looking out the window constantly. Who’s going to be next?” said NaTeisha Nolden. “Who am I going to get a call about next? Is it going to be me? Another family member? A friend? It’s heartbreaking. It’s ridiculous. It’s ridiculous.” 

Police have not provided any information about why the 36-year-old Milwaukee man showed up at El Rey with a gun Saturday morning.

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US

NYPD officer Jason Rivera mourned by hundreds in Harlem vigil

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Hundreds gathered for a somber vigil outside the NYPD’s 32nd precinct in Harlem Saturday evening, one day after a crazed gunman killed one officer and critically injured another.

The vigil came after a rookie Officer Jason Rivera, 22, was killed and his partner Officer Wilbert Mora, 27, was critically injured when they were shot by a man in apartment after responding to a domestic incident.

“He was always smiling, a friendly guy,” Officer Victor Guzman of the 32nd precinct said of Rivera. “He was young, 22 years old. It’s a lot.”

Rivera and Guzman went through the police academy together, Guzman told The Post.

“When I’m going through everyone’s academy pictures, he was a very cheerful guy, always smiling. Always happy,” Guzman said.

The crowd spilled out into the street, with some holding candles and others signs of support for the department. A nearby tree was wrapped in a blue ribbon and decorated with red, white and blue candles and bouquets of flowers.

An NYPD officer attends a vigil for slain Officer Jason Rivera outside of the 32nd Precinct in Harlem on Jan. 22, 2022.
DANIEL WILLIAM MCKNIGHT
An NYPD officer is comforted during Saturday night’s vigil.
DANIEL WILLIAM MCKNIGHT
Flowers and candles are placed outside of Harlem’s 32nd NYPD precinct.
DANIEL WILLIAM MCKNIGHT

A police officer from the 115th precinct Queens said he felt it was his duty to attend the evening’s vigil.

“It’s a fellow police officer. It’s the right thing to do. It’s a time to come together.”

The crowd of mourners included NYPD officers and local leaders Mayor Eric Adams and New York State Attorney General Letitia James.

An emotional Adams told the crowd the city was in a “battle” with a small number of people looking to “hold the city hostage with violence.”

”We know some would say 95 percent of the city is good. I say 99 percent of the city is good. Let’s weed out that 1 percent,” Adams said.

New York City mayor Eric Adams speaks to the crowd during the vigil on Jan. 22, 2022.
DANIEL WILLIAM MCKNIGHT
Mourners attend the vigil for officer Jason Rivera on Jan. 22, 2022.
DANIEL WILLIAM MCKNIGHT

Since the new year began, five NYPD officers have been shot on the job.

“We are not going to be intimidated by those who believe we should look down on the men and women who put on their bulletproof vests, stand on street corners protecting children and families as though they should be ashamed of the occupation that they are holding in the city,” Adams said.

“They are not ashamed. I was not ashamed to wear that uniform and they are not going to be ashamed to wear that uniform.  I have the backs of my police officers.”

“I say 99 percent of the city is good. Let’s weed out that 1 percent,” NYC mayor Eric Adams said as he spoke to those who attended the vigil on Jan. 22, 2022.
DANIEL WILLIAM MCKNIGHT

As he did at a press conference outside of Harlem Hospital on Friday night, the mayor pleaded to the federal government to help stop the flow of guns into the city.

Adams’ Chief advisor, Chaplain Ingrid Lewis Martin, told The Post the city has to “do better” against gun violence.

“He went to help a mother who cried out because her son was being violent towards her. He ended up losing his life so now his mother and family mourn,” he said.

“When we know that our children have guns, it’s our obligation to let the police know. When we know our neighbors have guns, it’s our obligation to let the police know.”

Rivera, who grew up in Inwood and joined the force in 2020, said that wanted to join the NYPD to “better the relationship between the community and the police,” he wrote in a letter obtained by The Post. He was the first in his family, who are immigrants, to become a member of the department.

Members of the FDNY were among those in attendance at the vigil for slain NYPD officer Jason Rivera on Jan. 22, 2022.
DANIEL WILLIAM MCKNIGHT
A man places a candle in a roadside vigil in honor of NYPD officer Jason Rivera on Jan. 22, 2022.
DANIEL WILLIAM MCKNIGHT

Rivera, Mora and a third officer responded to a domestic disturbance call around 6:15 p.m. on Friday night from a woman who said she needed help with her son.

Authorities said Lashawn McNeil, 47, allegedly swung open a door in the apartment at 119 West 135th St. and opened fire on Rivera and Mora when they approached the bedroom he was in.

A third officer shot McNeil in the head and arm as the alleged shooter tried to flee. McNeil was in critical condition at Harlem Hospital on Saturday, police said.

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US

Chicago firefighter dies: Prayer vigil planned at Engine 94 in Portage Park, where Mashawn Plummer was stationed for CFD

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CHICAGO (WLS) — Firefighters and loved ones will gather Wednesday morning to remember a fallen Chicago firefighter and EMT.

There was a procession Tuesday night in honor of 30-year-old Mashawn Plummer. He died five days after he was critically hurt in a fire on the Northwest Side.

Dozens of firefighters, family and friends lined the streets to honor Plummer during the procession from Loyola University Medical Center to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.

“I loved this,” said Shirley Simmons, a friend. “He got his honor. He got his special treatment. I’m quite sure the family is very, very proud.”

A lifelong neighbor of Plummer and his family, Simmons said the ceremony honored a one-of-a-kind man.

“He was just, like, the kid on the block that likes to do things for people. Mashawn would give you the shirt off his back,” she said.

Plummer is survived by his mother, father and four sisters.

“I didn’t know him, but there’s no way to put into words what it’s like losing someone,” said a Chicago firefighter who didn’t want to be named. “It’s not easy. It’s just not.”

A prayer vigil will be held Wednesday at 7:50 a.m. at Engine 94 in Portage Park, where Plummer was assigned.

One civilian died in the blaze in the 3100-block of North Marmora Avenue in Belmont Central, and two others were injured Thursday.

The fire broke out just after 2 a.m. in the basement of a two-story apartment building next to St. Ferdinand Church.

RELATED: Chicago firefighter among 3 critically injured in Belmont Central apartment fire; 1 killed

Plummer, who had just celebrated his first anniversary with the Chicago Fire Department, was first taken to Community First Hospital and then transferred to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood where he could be treated in their specialized severe burn unit.

He was listed in critical to very critical condition for the duration of his hospitalization. The fire department confirmed he died Monday afternoon.

Sen. Dick Durbin, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Governor JB Pritzker also tweeted to honor Plummer after his death.

The last line-of-duty deaths in the department were two firefighters who died of COVID-19 last year.

Edward Singleton, a 33-year veteran of the department, died April 14 from complications of COVID-19. The 55-year-old worked at the firehouse at Midway Airport and leaves behind a wife and two adult children.

One week earlier, Mario Araujo became the first firefighter of the department to die from the coronavirus. Araujo, 47, joined the fire department in October 2003 and spent most of his career on Truck 25, which operates out of Engine 102 in Rogers Park on the North Side. He was single.

In May of 2018, diver Juan Bucio died while searching for a missing boater in the Chicago River. Bucio, 46, lost contact with his dive partner during the search. Bucio was briefly a Chicago police officer before joining CFD, moving to the dive team as soon as he could.

The cause of the Belmont Central fire is still being investigated.

Sun-Times Media contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2021 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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Health

Minorities facing higher AIDS transmission rates especially in Houston

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HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A vigil was held at Sam Houston Park for World AIDS Day to honor the 33 million people who have died due to HIV-related illness since the start of the HIV Epidemic.

The Houston Health Department, along with other community partners hosted the vigil on the 33rd annual World AIDS Day in downtown Houston. It was one of several events held across the Houston area on Wednesday.

President Joe Biden’s administration announced a new initiative in conjunction with the CDC to reduce the number of new HIV diagnoses and to end the HIV epidemic by 2030.

John Huckaby, CEO of the AIDS Foundation Houston said this could have a significant impact on local organizations including AIDS Foundation Houston that works to provide resources and preventative services to the community.

“We’re very grateful that the federal government is increasing the resources at the community level,” Huckaby said. “So that agencies like ours can continue to develop strategies and interventions to really move us toward ending the epidemic. We believe we can get there.”

According to AIDS Foundation Houston, one in seven people nationwide are unaware of their HIV status.

Both Houston and Harris County have higher rates of new HIV diagnosis and people living with HIV, than the rate for the state of Texas and the United States, according to the latest data report.

Huckaby told ABC13 that the African American community comprises 50% of all people living with HIV in the Houston area, and Hispanic or Latinos comprise 28.5% of people living with HIV in the Houston area.

“What’s worrisome to us is among recent cases, the Latino community comprises 37% of the total population of those recently diagnosed,” Huckaby said. “So we know that we have real concerns among persons of color in our community and their vulnerability to HIV.”

Nationwide, Black and brown communities are disproportionally impacted by the HIV infection rate.

Dr. Allyssa Harris, the dean of nursing at Prairie View A&M University, said one of the factors that contribute to those alarming numbers is access to affordable healthcare.

“It really is about access to care and lack of insurance, and so people really not seeking care on a variety of issues just because of money issues, or no insurance or things like that,” Harris said. “Or not having the time, being able to ask time off of work or their normal life duties to seek care for things. We really want to improve access across the board.”

Harris said it is also important for the community to eliminate the stigma surrounding preventative care, getting tested for HIV regularly, or talking about safe sex measures.

“If you are not being offered an HIV test, you should ask to be tested,” Dr. Harris said. “You need to think about your risk behaviors, what behaviors you’re engaging in, and whether they are putting you at risk for acquiring HIV or a sexually transmitted infection. I think that is vitally important, especially to women. When we think about HIV transmission in women, especially minority women, they are at greater risk for heterosexual transmission and people think it’s related to IV drug abuse and it really isn’t, among women, the rates are much higher in African American and Latino women than in other groups.”

The Houston Health Department offers free and confidential HIV and STI testing at its health centers. To schedule an appointment, you can call 832-393-5010 or visit the Houston Health Department’s website.

For more updates on this story, follow Roxie Bustamante on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Copyright © 2021 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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World

Hong Kong national security police arrest organizers of annual Tiananmen vigil

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Police had sought details concerning the group’s funding and membership in relation to an accusation it was working as a “foreign agent,” in violation of the city’s sweeping national security law, according to a letter seen by CNN late last month.

The letter said the group, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, had 14 days to submit the information, or face up to six months’ imprisonment.

Under the law, which was imposed by Beijing last year, authorities have wide-ranging powers to crack down on political crimes.

The arrested members of group included vice chairwoman and barrister Chow Hang-tung, as well as standing committee members Leung Kam-wai, Tang Ngok-kwan and Chan Dor-wai, the group said.

Chow posted on social media early Wednesday morning that police were ringing her doorbell and attempting to open the door.

In a statement Wednesday morning, police confirmed they had arrested four individuals under the national security law, though neither the statement nor the police press office would identify their names or that they were members of the Hong Kong Alliance.

The four individuals are accused of failing to comply with the implementation of the national security law, said police.

“Police operations are continuing, and it cannot be ruled out that more people may be arrested,” the statement added.

The Alliance, formed more than three decades ago to support those protesting for democracy in Beijing, said on Sunday that it would not comply with the police request, which included orders to hand over its members’ personal details, as well as all meeting records with political groups in Hong Kong, Taiwan and overseas.

The city’s security agency released a statement later Sunday with a “solemn warning” that “endangering national security is a very serious crime,” and that the Alliance “should immediately turn back before it is too late.”

But the group doubled down on Tuesday, submitting a letter to police arguing they had insufficient grounds to request materials. In their letter, the group added that it was not a “foreign agent,” and that police had yet to explain why they believed the group was linked to foreign forces.

Tsui Hon-kwong, a member of the alliance, said on Tuesday that a judicial review had been filed to challenge the police request.

In response, Carrie Lam, the city’s leader, criticized the group for disobeying police. “I must strongly condemn (the Alliance’s) statements,” Lam said on Tuesday. Security Chief Chris Tang also warned on Tuesday that those who do not comply with national security police orders would face consequences.

Hours later, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, the arrests were carried out.

The Hong Kong Alliance has held an annual candlelight vigil on the anniversary of the Tiananmen pro-democracy crackdown since 1990.

The events of Tiananmen Square began with protesters in Beijing, mostly college students, gathering in the heart of the Chinese capital to mourn the death of an ousted former leader — then, to push for governmental reform and greater democracy. In the early hours of June 4, 1989, the Chinese military entered the square, with orders to put down the protests.

No official death toll has ever been released, but rights groups estimate hundreds, if not thousands were killed. The protests and crackdown have been wiped from the history books in China, censored and controlled. The annual candlelight vigil in Hong Kong has been, for decades, the only mass memorial held on Chinese soil.

But the vigil’s days appear to be numbered. Several core members of the Alliance, including former lawmakers Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho, are serving prison sentences over charges of unauthorized assembly.

This year’s event was banned by authorities, citing coronavirus restrictions. Hong Kong’s Security Bureau also warned that attending or promoting any June 4 rally could violate the national security law and result in imprisonment.

Under the security law, protesters, journalists and pro-democracy figures have been arrested; newsrooms have been raided and forced to shut down; and textbooks, films and websites face new censorship.

A number of other activist organizations and civic groups — many of which, like the Hong Kong Alliance, have been a key part of the city’s political and social fabric for decades — have folded after facing pressure from police.

Authorities in Hong Kong have repeatedly denied they are using the law to crackdown on political opposition or stifle dissent.

“I am confident that the police is using this power properly, based on the evidence that they have, to ask for the information,” said Lam last Tuesday when asked about the Alliance. “We respect civic society.”

However, she warned, the law will be “fully implemented” to “stamp out any activities that will endanger national security.”

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