List of All Articles with Tag 'us crime news'

Atlanta police have arrested three organisers behind a nonprofit group that provides bail and legal support to arrested protesters involved with a monthslong campaign against a sprawling, multi-million dollar law enforcement complex. Marlon Kautz, Adele Maclean and Savannah Patterson – all board members with the Atlanta Solidarity Fund – were charged with one count each of money laundering and charity fraud on 31 May. If convicted on money laundering charges, the organisers could face up to 20 years imprisonment and tens of thousands of dollars in fines. Bail fund organisers and civil rights groups have warned that the arrests mark a rapid and unconstitutional escalation of law enforcement retaliation against demonstrators involved with the “Stop Cop City” movement. Atlanta activists also fear that prosecutors are planning to indict those arrested in connection with the protests as a “criminal organisation” under Georgia’s sweeping state-level statute that has been used to target organised crime. Lauren Regan, executive director of the Civil Liberties Defense Center, called the arrests an “extreme provocation” from Atlanta Police Department and state prosecutors. “Bailing out protestors who exercise their constitutionally protected rights is simply not a crime,” she said in a statement. “In fact, it is a historically grounded tradition in the very same social and political movements that the city of Atlanta prides itself on. Someone had to bail out civil rights activists in the [1960s] – I think we can all agree that community support isn’t a crime.” The Atlanta Public Safety Training Center project has been at the centre of “Stop Cop City” protests and occupations since its proposal in 2021, expected to occupy 85 acres in a historically and environmentally significant forest area owned by the city of Atlanta. The police training facility in the South River Forest has drawn widespread opposition from environmental groups and criminal justice reform advocates. Police have arrested dozens of people during protests, including more than 40 people facing “domestic terrorism” charges. The Atlanta Solidarity Fund – among similar organisations across the country that provide bail support and legal aid – has predated the “Stop Cop City” movement and provided grants to a number of groups in the Atlanta area. The fund also has provided legal aid and bail assistance to protesters facing excessively high bonds, with some as high as $300,000. A statement from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation accuses the three arrested organisers with committing “financial crimes”; an arrest warrant for Ms Patterson connects a “money laundering” charge to reimbursements from the nonprofit to a personal PayPal account for expenses including “gasoline, forest clean-up, totes, [Covid-19] rapid tests, media, yard signs and other miscellaneous expenses.” In a statement defending the arrests, Georgia’s Republican Governor Brian Kemp called bail organisers “criminals” who “facilitated and encouraged domestic terrorism”. “As we have said before, we will not rest until we have held accountable every person who has funded, organized, or participated in this violence and intimidation,” Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr said. The arrests of the bail fund organisers on 31 May comes roughly one week after news of the project’s $67m price tag, more than double the $30m projected cost, and days before the Atlanta City Council’s anticipated vote on 5 June on whether to fund the facility. In a written statement prepared in the event of an arrest, Kautz said that criminal charges against the Atlanta Solidarity Fund “will have repercussions on the ability of movements to create change across the country,” a tactic from “a new playbook that criminalizes the coalition of advocates who are providing financial and physical support to movements.” Fair Fight Action, a voting rights organisation founded by Stacey Abrams in 2018, stressed that “legal aid groups and bail funds are, and have long been, critical resources for those seeking to make their voices heard in their communities.” “The timing of the state actions – just one week before a controversial vote – is not a coincidence,” the group said in a statement condemning the arrests. “Bail funds were integral during the Civil Rights Movement, oftentimes serving as the only path to freedom for arrested protesters. The incendiary rhetoric against and criminalization of these institutions by the Kemp administration represents an alarming escalation of tensions in the face of serious community concerns.” Sherilynn Ifill, former president and director counsel of the NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund, said the arrests “demand explanation” from Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Atlanta Police Department chief Darin Schierbaum. “They may wish to recall that targeting the charitable status [and] legitimacy of groups involved in civil rights organizing has a long and ugly history in the South,” she said. “This is dangerous stuff. It is anti-democratic and menacing to organizing and protest – core protected activity in a democracy.” State Senator Josh McLaurin lambasted Mr Carr for what he called an “attempt to score cheap political points by being reckless with people’s lives.” “This empty, 1990s-style tough-on-crime bull**** is tired and dangerous,” he said. Georgia state Rep Saira Draper, whose district includes the area where the arrests were made, said she is “deeply concerned” about the case and the “grossly excessive” use of a SWAT team and helicopters to make the arrests. “What I do know is weaponizing the powers of the state for political gain is abuse of power,” she said. Atlanta City Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari also said the case deserves “the utmost scrutiny and sensitivity as it moves through the legal process.” Read More Marjorie Taylor Green falsely claims slain Georgia activist killed police officer at Cop City protest Autopsy strengthens case that ‘Cop City’ activist didn’t fire first before being gunned down by police

A Florida school teacher was killed in an apparent murder-suicide with her 10-month-old baby discovered crying and unharmed in a crib. Amanda Hicks, 26, was found stabbed to death on 27 May after police went to an apartment in Port St Lucie to carry out a welfare check that had been requested by the family of an adult male. Port St Lucie police say that when officers arrived at the home in Peacock Run Apartments they could hear the infant crying inside and when they entered discovered Hicks and the male - later identified as Hicks’ fiancé, dead on the floor from a gunshot wound. The baby was removed from the property and placed with a family member. Investigators said in a statement that Hicks “was killed by an adult male who then took his own life.” Police say that Hicks and the unidentified 25-year-old were “romantically involved.” Port St Lucie Police Sgt John Dellacroce told Fox News Digital that the man had repeatedly called a family member who didn’t pick up the phone - with the final call taking place at 11.50pm. About an hour later, the sound of a gunshot was captured on surveillance video. “His family member didn’t answer the phone and saw all these missed calls the next morning and tried to call him back but couldn’t get a hold of him,” Mr Dellacroce said. He said the relative called police to request a welfare check as soon as they say the missed calls the next morning. Hicks was a sixth-grade reading teacher at Dr David L Anderson Middle School in Martin County, school officials confirmed. In a message sent to parents and staff, school principal Darcia Borel said that Hick’s death was a tragedy. “It is with great sadness that we write to inform you about the tragic passing of one of our teachers, Ms Amanda Hicks,” Ms Borel wrote. “The Port St Lucie Police Department has confirmed that Ms Hicks was the victim of a homicide. While words will never be enough to convey the shock and sadness this news has brought to our school family, it is more important than ever to come together to support one another through our grief journey.” Read More Tourists flee Florida beach in terror as gunshots ring out in harrowing video of Hollywood shooting Hollywood beach shooting – live: Photos show suspects on the run after nine shot on Florida boardwalk A sunny Memorial Day at the beach upended by gunfire: What we know about the shooting in Hollywood, Florida

A suspected “serial killer” and convicted child rapist was arrested in Austin, Texas, days after he identified himself in a chilling phone call to police. Austin Police Department and Texas’ Lone Star Fugitive Task Force apprehended Raul Meza Jr, 62, at bus stop near Parmer Lane on 29 May, days after he confessed to killing his 80-year-old roommate Jesse Fraga in Pflugerville last month. During a 14-minute phone call, on 24 May, Meza also implicated himself in the 2019 murder of Gloria Lofton at her home in Austin. “My name is Raul Meza and you’re looking for me,” Meza said on the call, Detective Patrick Reed told a press conference on Tuesday 30 May. Meza then detailed his relationship with Fraga and the manner in which he murdered him, including details that had not been made public, Mr Reed said. Fraga’s body was discovered at his home with a belt around his neck on 20 May after the former probation officer’s family requested a welfare check over concerns they hadn’t spoken to him in over a week. Meza reportedly fled the scene with Fraga’s car. Austin Police Sergeant Nathan Sexton added that the Travis County medical examiner noted a puncture mark on Fraga’s neck and a severed cervical spine. Meza also told Mr Reed he had been in and out of prison, adding: “I got out in 2016, I end up murdering a lady soon afterwards. It was on Sara Drive.” Based on details provided by Meza as well as medical information, Mr Reed and his partner Detective Katy Conner identified Meza’s second victim as Lofton, who was strangled on 9 May 2019. “I will let you know that Mr Meza said he was ready and prepared to kill again and he was looking forward to it,” Mr Reed informed the press. After his arrest, Meza was charged with two counts of capital murder, but authorities said they are investigating his ties to “multiple cold cases that have a similar M.O. [modus operandi]”. In 1982, Meza pled guilty to the rape and murder of eight-year-old Kendra Page while she was riding her bike near Langford Elementary School. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison but was released on parole in 1993, after serving 11 years. During the press conference on Tuesday, Deputy US Marshall Brandon Filla described Meza as “the worst of the worst” while interim assistant city manager Bruce Mills said it was a “travesty of justice” Meza had been allowed back on the streets. In an interview with KVUE, Kendra’s sister Shawn Page reacted to the news of Meza’s arrest. Explaining how her family tried to keep Meza in prison, Shawn said: “To find out this has happened to so many other people, it’s a tragedy. My dad knew he was dangerous, and no one would listen to us.” Meza’s rap sheet dates back to 1975, when he robbed a convenience store in Austin with three other teenagers. Meza, 14 at the time, shot the store attendant Derly Ramirez, paralysing him. In 1976, he was reportedly sentenced to 20 years in jail for aggravated robbery before being released on parole in 1981. Meza is being held in Travis County Jail. If you have been raped or sexually assaulted, you can contact your nearest Rape Crisis organisation for specialist, independent and confidential support. For more information, visit their website here. Read More Cameron Robbins: Search called off for teen who ‘jumped off cruise ship as a dare’ Debt ceiling news – live: House votes to approve McCarthy-Biden deal as opposition collapses Iowa building collapse – live: Survivor lost leg in rescue as two others feared trapped in Davenport wreckage Jeffrey Epstein’s island: What really happened there? Trump news – live: Trump ‘caught on tape’ discussing classified papers, trashes DeSantis and Christie

Five teenagers were arrested in connection with the beating of three US Marines by a crowd of young people they had asked to stop lighting fireworks. The violent incident, which was captured on video, took place at Southern California‘s San Clemente Pier over Memorial Day weekend. The suspects, four of whom are boys and one girl, face felony charges of assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. The city also says that four other local students were identified and have been citied with misdemeanour assault charges. First responders gave medical aid to two Marines, who refused to go to the hospital, and investigators later found a third Marine who had also been attacked. The video seemingly shows that the incident started when a teenage male punched a man in the back of the head. The man then charged the teenager before being surrounded by a group of people who hit him until the fight was broken up by a man and woman. One of the Marines, Hunter Antonino, told KCAL that he and his two friends were at the pier when 30 teenagers arrived and began to set off fireworks He said that when he was hit in the face by debris he asked the group to leave. “They were lighting off fireworks, they were being belligerent, they were being obnoxious and annoying other people, so I went up to them and told them to stop,” he said. San Clemente mayor Chris Duncan told The Los Angeles Times that the incident was unacceptable. “The barbaric assault on off-duty Marines at the San Clemente Pier goes against everything we stand for in San Clemente, and it’s no excuse that teenagers were involved,” he said. “I want to assure our community, especially our military and veteran community, that we take this matter with the utmost seriousness and will not tolerate this kind of behavior in our city. The fact that this incident occurred over Memorial Day weekend is particularly tragic.” Read More Video shows mob attack US marines who asked them to stop lighting fireworks Highly decorated Marine officer nominated to be next commandant Critics say Biden is lying about how his son Beau died in Iraq – they are ignoring the full story

A dispute between two groups of people escalated into a shooting that injured nine innocent bystanders on the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk in Florida – and now authorities are searching for three possible suspects. The Hollywood Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have asked for the public’s help in identifying three people who are suspected of being involved in the Memorial Day mass shooting that left four children and five adults injured. On Monday (29 May) evening, the two groups engaged in gunfire on the busy boardwalk during the holiday weekend. Footage from the boardwalk showed frantic beachgoers running for their lives and seeking cover from the gunfire. Audio recordings revealed bystanders making panicked calls to 911. Children between the ages of one and 17, as well as adults ranging from 25 to 65, were injured in the melee. As of Tuesday evening, six people remained in stable condition in the hospital while three had been discharged. Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy called the shooting “completely unacceptable”, adding that the shooters were reckless with their firearms. After the shooting, authorities detained several people in connection to the shooting and recovered five handguns, two of which were reported stolen from the Miami area and Texas, after the shooting. Two people, Morgan Deslouches and Keshawn Stewart, were arrested for firearm-related charges. Neither person was suspected of being a shooter in the incident, according to police. Mr Deslouches, 18, was arrested and charged with grand theft of a firearm, carrying a concealed firearm and removing serial numbers from a firearm, according to the Associated Press. He is being held on $20,000 bail. Mr Stewart, 18, was charged with carrying a concealed firearm. He is being held on $15,000 bail. Hollywood Police are still searching for the three other suspects and have released images of the suspects via video surveillance. One of the suspects was last seen wearing a yellow hooded sweatshirt and black shorts. Another was last seen wearing a grey sweatshirt, black joggers and sandals. The other was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt and carrying a black backpack. As of now, police have not identified the three possible suspects. Police are asking anyone with information to contact the department at 954.764.4357 or email hollywoodpdtips@hollywoodfl.org. Information can also be provided to Broward Crime Stoppers at 954.493.8477 or BrowardCrimeStoppers.org. Read More A sunny Memorial Day at the beach upended by gunfire: What we know about the shooting in Hollywood, Florida Dramatic 911 calls capture chaos of mass shooting on Hollywood beach boardwalk in Florida FBI seeking photos, videos to identify suspects in Florida Memorial Day beach shooting

Police in Hollywood, Florida are searching for suspects wanted in connection to a mass shooting that left nine victims – including four children – injured on a beach boardwalk in Hollywood, 20 miles north of Miami. The shooting unfolded at about 6.15pm local time near the beach boardwalk in Hollywood, Florida, on Monday as families and friends gathered to enjoy the Memorial Day holiday. Police said a fight is believed to have broken out between two groups on the seafront, which then escalated into gunfire. Chilling video from the incident shows terrified crowds fleeing the busy boardwalk. At least nine people were injured in the mass shooting, including a one-year-old baby and a 17-year-old. Hollywood Police Department spokesperson Deanna Bettineschi said one victim was in surgery late on Monday while the others were stable. Several persons of interest were detained following the incident with two arrested for firearm charges. Now, police are searching for three people in connection to the shooting. Authorities released images of the three suspects and are asking the public for help identifying them. Read More Tourists flee Florida beach in terror as gunshots ring out in harrowing video of Hollywood shooting A sunny Memorial Day at the beach upended by gunfire: What we know about the shooting in Hollywood, Florida Ron DeSantis called out for ‘ignoring’ Hollywood beach shooting: ‘He doesn’t care’

On 27, October, 2018, Robert Bowers, then 46, allegedly walked into the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and began shooting at worshippers. He allegedly killed 11 people before he was shot and wounded and surrendered to police. Mr Bowers now faces 63 federal counts, including 11 counts each of obstruction of free exercise of religion resulting in death as well as hate crimes resulting in death. He could face the death penalty if convicted. He has pleaded not guilty. Nearly five years have passed since the shooting, but Mr Bowers' trial is only now kicking off in earnest. The trial began on Tuesday and is expected to last until late July. In the months leading up the shooting, Mr Bowers was allegedly spewing bigoted and antisemitic vitriol online, investigators say. He allegedly called immigrants "invaders" and posted racist memes, including some that accused Jewish people of being the "enemy of white people." On the day of the shooting he reportedly posted a message to a web forum, saying "I can't stand by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I'm going in." He then allegedly proceeded to murder 11 people at the synagogue. After his arrest, police learned that Mr Bowers had 21 weapons registered to his name. He was otherwise unknown to law enforcement. They then began to review Mr Bowers' online presence, finding an account on Gab — a supposedly free speech oriented, right wing social media alternative to the likes of Twitter — where he allegedly posted a steady slew of hate. His bio included the phrase "Jews are the children of Satan" and his posts consisted of anti-Jewish slurs and conspiracy theories, according to the New York Times. The conspiracy theories included allegations that Jewish people were smuggling Muslims into the US, and another showing an image of the Auschwitz concentration camp, with the photo doctored to make its infamous gate read "Lies Make Money." Days before the shooting he called then-president Donald Trump a "globalist" — often a term carrying antisemitic implications — and said "there is no #MAGA as long as there is a k*** infestation." The omitted word is a racial slur used against Jewish people. Police claim that after being shot and wounded at the synagogue, Mr Bowers said: “These people are committing genocide on my people. I just want to kill Jews.” His defence attempted to have that quotation barred from consideration at his trial, arguing he made the statement before he was read his Miranda warning. A judge denied the motion. The alleged gunman worked as a trucker before the shooting. Prosecutors are arguing that hate drove Mr Bowers' alleged attack on the synagogue. “The depths of the defendant’s malice and hate can only be proven in the broken bodies” of those killed, and through “his hateful words,” Assistant US Attorney Soo C Song said during her opening statement. Prosecutors claimed in an earlier filing that Mr Bowers allegedly “harbored deep, murderous animosity towards all Jewish people.” The defence — after unsuccessfully arguing against the use of Mr Bowers' statements to police and for a change of venue — have filed a notice of mental infirmity again his potential sentencing, according to court records. They claim Mr Bowers has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and epilepsy. His attorneys have also offered a plea deal in exchange for the removal of the death penalty. Read More Gab: Inside the social network where alleged Pittsburgh synagogue shooter posted final message Synagogue shooter 'listened to noise and noise told him his people were being slaughtered', says Jewish doctor who spoke to Robert Bowers Trial for accused gunman in Pittsburgh synagogue massacre slated to start

Elizabeth Holmes has surrendered to a federal prison in Texas to begin her 11-year sentence over the Theranos scandal which rocked the high-flying tech world of Silicon Valley. The 39-year-old disgraced tech entrepreneur reported to Bryan, the minimum-security federal prison camp in Texas, on Tuesday after exhausting all remaining legal avenues to cling onto her freedom. Holmes was convicted in January 2022 of four counts of fraud and conspiracy for lying about the capabilities pf her biotech company’s blood testing technology and conning investors out of millions of dollars. She was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison and ordered to pay $452m in restitution to investors – including $125m to media mogul Rupert Murdoch. Holmes had been given until 2pm local time to surrender to the prison camp where she will see out her 11-year sentence surrounded by other white-collar, non-violent female offenders. Her two children – two-year-old William and three-month-old Invicta – will be allowed to visit their mother in the facility. The prison camp, which runs a work-focused program where all inmates are required to hold a job for at least 90 days, is a marked difference from Holmes’ life years earlier when she was seen as the darling of Silicon Valley. The saga began two decades ago when Holmes dropped out of Stanford University in 2003 at the age of 19 to found Theranos. The blood lab company aimed to develop medical devices that could diagnose hundreds of diseases and medical conditions with just a pinprick of blood. Over the next 10 years, Theranos boasted about its capabilities to transform the healthcare industry and grew to a value of $9bn, attracting investments from the likes of Murdoch, former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and the heirs to the Walmart fortune. The company amassed an influential board of directors including former presidential cabinet members George Shultz, Henry Kissinger and James Mattis. Holmes, meanwhile, was catapulted onto magazine covers and became heralded as the next Steve Jobs while her personal fortune reached $4.5bn. But the technology didn’t do close to what Holmes claimed it could. In 2018, Holmes – Theranos CEO and founder – and Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani – Theranos chief operating officer and Holmes’ live-in romantic partner – were both indicted on fraud charges and the company was dissolved. She was allowed out on bail and while awaiting trial – which was stalled due to the Covid-19 pandemic – Holmes became pregnant with her first child with her partner, hotel boss Billy Evans. She became pregnant with her second child following her conviction. During her trial, Holmes sought to paint a picture that she had simply been under the control of Balwani, 57, and that she never intended to mislead investors about the technology’s capabilities. The jury didn’t buy it and she was convicted of four counts, which could have landed her with up to 20 years’ prison time. Balwani was also convicted of 12 counts of fraud and conspiracy at his trial and was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison. He began serving his sentence in Southern California last month. Since her conviction, Holmes has fought to stay out of prison claiming that she was treated unfairly by prosecutors during trial and that she should be allowed to remain out of prison while she appeals the conviction. An appeals court denied her request and said she must report to prison where she can continue to appeal her conviction behind bars. She asked the judge that she be allowed to remain free through Memorial Day weekend so that she could sort out childcare for her two children, before surrendering to authorities on 30 May. Weeks before beginning her sentence, Holmes admitted that she had made “many mistakes” in a new interview with The New York Times. “I made so many mistakes and there was so much I didn’t know and understand, and I feel like when you do it wrong, it’s like you really internalise it in a deep way,” she said. Read More Elizabeth Holmes news – latest: Theranos founder to surrender to Texas prison today to begin 11-year sentence As Elizabeth Holmes heads to prison for fraud, questions remain about her motives Elizabeth Holmes requests May 30 as new date to report to prison after losing her bid to remain free

A chilling video of the mass shooting at Florida’s Hollywood Beach on Memorial Day has showed people panicking and scrambling for safety. Nine people – six adults and three children – were wounded in the shooting in 1200 block of N Broadwalk near the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort, 20 miles north of Miami. Local reports said several victims were taken to Memorial Regional Hospital and Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. Live cam footage showed people frantically running from the scene after gunshots were heard. Chaos and the fear at the scene are palpable from the video showing beachgoers running away. According to police officials, the shooting was the result of an altercation between two groups. Reports said one person of interest was detained while the search for another continues. Eyewitnesses described the aftermath of the mass shooting. “I saw a young man that was on the ground bleeding and they were applying pressure to prevent the bleeding,” Vance Hendricks, who was visiting from Philadelphia, told CBS News. Police urged people to avoid the area where the shots were fired. “If you are looking to reunite with a family member, we have set up a reunification area at Johnson St and N Ocean bus loop,” said a tweet. Read More At least nine people wounded in Memorial Day mass shooting at Florida beach Police investigating shooting near beach boardwalk in Hollywood, Florida Police: Puerto Rico assailants targeting drug rival killed 2 and injured 13

At least nine people, including a one-year-old, were injured in a shooting that took place on Memorial Day at a boardwalk in Hollywood, Florida. Gunfire broke out around 6.30pm local time along the Hollywood Oceanfront Broadwalk between Johnson Street and Garfield Street on Monday (29 May). The shooting seemed to be a result of a dispute between “two different groups”, according to Hollywood Police Department public information manager Deanna Bettineschi. Videos from the incident on Monday (29 May) evening showed crowds of people running for cover as gunfire occurred. Police swiftly responded to the incident and began treating those who had suffered gunshot wounds. The victims include four children between the ages of one and 17 years old, as well as five adults between 25 and 65 years old. As of Monday evening, one victim was in surgery while eight others were stable. The Hollywood Police have detained one person of interest while searching for one additional suspect. Here’s everything we know so far. How the shooting unfolded Gunfire suddenly erupted around 6.30pm on Memorial Day (29 May) as individuals and families walked along the Hollywood Oceanfront Broadwalk near Johnson Street and North Broadwalk. The boardwalk, which is lined with shops and eateries, is a popular tourist destination as it is approximately 20 miles north of Miami. However, it was expected to be even busier due to the holiday weekend. The shooting occurred after two groups began having a dispute, according to Ms Bettineschi, the public information manager for the Hollywood Police. One witness, Jamie Ward, told the Associated Press that several young men were fighting in front of one of the stores when one pulled out a gun. Security camera footage from the boardwalk showed people frantically running and taking cover near a convenience store, a Ben & Jerry’s and a Subway shop as the gunfire began. Another witness, Alvie Carlton Scott III, told AP he was on the beach when he heard gunshots. Mr Scott said he hid behind a tree and then fled the area after a police officer told people to run. The mayor of Hollywood, Josh Levy, said in a statement that he was “deeply saddened and angered” by the shooting. “People come to enjoy a holiday weekend on the beach with their families and to have people in complete reckless disregard of the safety of the public and to have an altercation with guns in a public setting with thousands of people around them is beyond reckless,” Mr Levy said in a press conference. Footage posted to social media from witnesses showed law enforcement, first responders and good samaritans attending to victims of the shooting. The victims Police said nine people, including four children, suffered gunshot wounds. The victims were taken to Memorial Regional Hospital and Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital to be treated for their injuries. The names of the victims have not yet been released, though preliminary information indicated that the victims included a one-year-old child, three people under the age of 17, and five people between 25 and 65 years old. However, Yanet Obarrio Sanchez, a spokesperson for Memorial Healthcare System told USA Today that the hospital was tending to six adults and three children, it is unclear if the hospital was treating the 17-year-old victim as an adult The suspects One person of interest in the shooting has been detained but authorities are searching for an additional suspect, Ms Bettineschi said in a press conference. The suspect is described as a Black male with dreadlocks. He was last seen wearing a black short sleeve shirt and camouflage shorts. Ms Bettineschi said anyone with videos or photos from the incident should send them to hollywoodpdtips@hollywoodfl.org. Read More Hollywood shooting – live: Manhunt under way for suspect as baby among nine shot on Florida beach boardwalk One-year-old among nine people wounded in Memorial Day mass shooting at Florida beach boardwalk Video shows tourists fleeing Miami beach in terror at mass shooting

Nikki Alcaraz vanished without trace while on a roadtrip from her home in Tennessee to California with her boyfriend Tyler Stratton. Ms Alcaraz, 33, was initally thought to have been last seen in the New Mexico town of Moriarty on 6 May. Officials have seen indicated that she was spotted again at a California Walmart on 27 May. Authorities and her desperate family are appealing for information about her whereabouts. The missing person case has drawn comparisons to the Gabby Petito investigation after sheriff’s deputies in Torrance County pulled the couple over after receiving reports that Mr Stratton had assaulted Ms Alcaraz. The officers let them go without pressing criminal charges after Mr Stratton claimed he had also been hit. Here’s what we know about the case. The trip Nikki Alcaraz, a mother of two also known as Nikki Hernandez, left her home in Cheatham County, Tennessee, in her 2013 Jeep Wrangler with Tennessee plates in late April bound for Orange County, to visit family. Ms Alcaraz was travelling with her boyfriend Mr Stratton and a pet dog. On 4 May, sheriff’s deputies in Torrance County, New Mexico, pulled the couple over after receiving a report that he had struck Ms Alcaraz. Mr Stratton told authorities that he had also been hit, and both declined to press charges. Authorities have since released photos showing Ms Alcaraz with a black eye, cuts on her face and severe bruising on her arms after the alleged assault. “He beat her up pretty badly,” her brother Josh Alcaraz told Fox5. “A truck driver had to pull him off of her, call the police, the police picked him up, took him a couple exits down and dropped him off. She was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, and a broken hand or wrist.” Ms Alcaraz was taken to a Super 8 motel in the town of Moriarty. A friend travelled from California and stayed with her overnight at the motel. The plan was for the friend to take her back to California. On 6 May, Ms Alcaraz left the motel and told the friend she was going to try to find her boyfriend. Her family said this was the last time she has been seen alive. Her sister Toni Alcaraz told WKRN that she received a text on 8 May saying she was in Arizona, and planned to continue the trip to California. She hasn’t heard anything since then. Toni Alcaraz told the news site it was highly unusual not to hear from her for an extended period. Ms Alcaraz’s licence plate was picked up near Flagstaff, Arizona, on 9 May. Her phone has reportedly been switched off. This week, a Cheatham County deputy told News 2 that Ms Alcaraz was seen at a Walmart in Redding, California, on 27 May. A photo released by the county District Attorney General Ray crouch shows her selling her phone at an ecoATM. No other information was provided and authorities are still seeking the public’s help in finding her. Missing person investigation Toni Alcaraz said she filed a missing persons report in New Mexico as that was where she was last seen. Josh Alcaraz said he feared that his sister’s vehicle might have broken down in the desert or come off the road. "We would like everybody to keep their eyes open, and if you see the Jeep, if you see him, if you see her, call somebody. Call the police," he told Fox5. Officials in Cheatham County, Tennessee, are working with law enforcement agencies in New Mexico and California to try to locate Ms Alcaraz. “Due to a history of domestic assault we believe she is in danger,” the Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post appealing for information. Mr Crouch, the county DA General, told WKRN his office had requested a nationwide extradition for Mr Stratton, who is also missing. Mr Stratton is wanted on an unrelated arrest warrant for theft and begged for the public’s assistance. Family say they are holding onto the hope of finding Ms Alcaraz alive. “If you see the Jeep, if you see him, if you see her, call somebody,” Josh Alcaraz told Fox5. “Obviously, worst-case scenario is very present in the back of my mind. I’m trying to hold out hope.” Ms Alcaraz, who is also known as Nikki Cunningham, is 5’6” with brown eyes and black/brown hair. She also has several distinctive tattoos. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to call police in Moriarty on 505-832-6060 or 505-834-2705. Mr Stratton’s family have reportedly not filed a missing person report, according to online reports. Gabby Petito comparisons The allegations of assault on a cross-country road trip have been drawing comparisons to the 2021 disappearance and murder of vlogger Gabby Petito. Petito set off from her home in New York in July that year with her boyfriend Brian Laundrie. The couple was pulled over in Utah by officers from the Moab Police Department on 12 August after receiving reports that Laundrie had struck Petito. They were allowed to continue separately after Laundrie claimed he had been hit by Petito. After a nationwide search and international media attention, Petito’s remains were found in the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming in September. Laundrie later shot himself in the head and left a suicide note confessing to killing Petito. Petito’s family is suing the Moab Police Department for failing to follow the law and protect her during the traffic stop. An independent review of the domestic assault incident found the officers had made several mistakes, and should have been classified as a domestic assault. Petito’s family are also suing Laundrie’s parents Chris and Roberta for emotional distress. Read More Search for missing woman who vanished on cross-country roadtrip with her boyfriend sparks Gabby Petito comparisons Bombshell letter where Brian Laundrie’s mother vowed to ‘dispose of body’ is given to Gabby Petito’s parents Louisiana high school graduate who fell off boat in Bahamas is lost at sea as Coast Guard calls off search

Disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is about to begin her 11-year prison sentence after being found guilty of defrauding investors, including media mogul Rupert Murdoch, over fake claims about the company’s blood-testing capabilities. As well as being handed jail time over her role in misleading investors, Holmes was also ordered to pay $452m in restitution. Follow the latest updates live “This is a fraud case where an exciting venture went forward with great expectations and hope, only to be dashed by untruth, misrepresentations, hubris, and plain lies,” Judge Davila, presiding over the case, said before handing down the prison sentence to Holmes. “I suppose we step back and we look at this, and we think, what is the pathology of fraud? Is it the inability or the refusal to accept responsibility or express contrition in any way? Now, perhaps that is the cautionary tale that will go forward from this case.” Ahead of being sentenced, Holmes, who has long maintained she did not intend to defraud anyone, told the court: “I am devastated by my failings. “Every day for the past years I have felt deep pain for what people went through because I failed them. I regret my failings with every cell of my body.” Where will Holmes serve her sentence Holmes, who requested 18 months of house arrest as a punishment, will begin her sentence at Federal Prison Camp Bryan in Texas – an all-female facility 100 miles from Holmes’ hometown. The minimum security prison houses around 500 inmates, and runs a variety of programmes intended to prepare prisoners for life after incarceration, according to Camp Bryan’s handbook. Holmes’ day will begin at 6am, when inmates are woken up for meals and work; people failing to comply with the strict wakeup rules are subject to punishments. Inmates are then counted at five different times during the day, when they must assemble in specific areas (once again, punishments are doled out to those who are not present at these times). The prison features a study, game room, and work programmes that see all inmates take part in a six-week course on the importance of efficiency in the workplace before they are placed into a role – with some prisoners earning as little as $0.12 in some assignments. According to the handbook, “All designated inmates are required to develop a financial plan to meet their financial obligations”, which for Holmes will mean reparations of $452m. How will Holmes keep in touch with her family? Holmes is married to Billy Evans, and the pair have two children, William, 2, and newborn Invicta. She lives around 100 miles from her family, who will be permitted to visit at weekends. Inmates at Camp Bryan are also permitted to take part in video sessions with their friends and family, according to the handbook, as well as to send and receive text messages. Prior to beginning her sentence at Camp Bryan, Holmes spent the weekend with her husband and children at the beach.