Category: CNN Regional

By Kayla Davis, Taylor Lang

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    BROOKWOOD, Ala. (WVTM) — Two people and a dog were found fatally shot inside a Brookwood home Monday, and a 24-year-old man was arrested hours later on a capital murder warrant after authorities found him hiding in an attic crawl space, investigators said.

Finding the victims

Brookwood police were called about 1 p.m. Monday to conduct a welfare check at a home in the 12900 block of Alabama Junction Road after the homeowner, who was out of the country, became concerned about a friend who had been house-sitting.

According to investigators, the homeowner had been unable to reach the house-sitter since the weekend. After accessing doorbell camera footage, the homeowner saw a man behaving suspiciously on the back porch during the late-night and early morning hours of Sunday and contacted the landlord, who requested the welfare check.

Officers entered the home and found Jose Felix Alvarez-Duenas, 31, dead near the front entrance. After clearing the residence, they discovered Jazmine Alexis Bates, 22, dead inside a bedroom closet. Bates was a student at the University of Alabama.

Investigators said both victims had been shot. The homeowner’s dog also was found dead from a gunshot wound.

Officials said Bates had just been visiting Alvarez-Duenas while he was house-sitting and there was nothing malicious about her presence.

The Tuscaloosa County Violent Crimes Unit took over the investigation, assisted by the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene and Cyber units.

Video evidence Authorities identified the suspect as De’Kendrick Crawford, 24, using doorbell camera footage and other evidence collected during the investigation.

Based on video evidence and physical evidence recovered at the scene, investigators obtained a capital murder warrant charging Crawford with the deaths of two or more people.

Suspect and victims knew each other Investigators said both victims knew the homeowner and the suspect through previous employment at a local business. They did not identify the business because they said it did not have a connection to the case.

Investigators noted Crawford and Alvarez-Duenas were no longer friends after a falling out, but said they have uncovered nothing that would explain the killings.

Hiding in an attic Once Crawford was identified in the homicide investigation, authorities launched a countywide operation involving dozens of officers, multiple search teams, cyber investigators and the U.S. Marshals Service.

Investigators executed search warrants for electronic data and simultaneously checked numerous locations before locating Crawford at an extended family member’s apartment in Northport.

Crawford barricaded himself inside the apartment, leading to a roughly four-hour tactical operation involving the Northport Police tactical team, U.S. Marshals tactical officers, drones, canines, fire personnel, tear gas and breaching operations.

Investigators eventually discovered Crawford hiding inside interconnected attic crawl spaces above adjoining apartments. Authorities said he never voluntarily surrendered and was only taken into custody after officers physically located him in the attic. No officers or civilians were injured during the arrest.

He was booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail on the outstanding warrants, and investigators said additional charges are expected as the investigation continues.

Already wanted During the investigation, detectives discovered Crawford was already wanted on outstanding felony warrants stemming from a June incident near the University of Alabama.

Officials said Crawford had been fired from a contractor’s job on campus and allegedly fired several shots from a moving vehicle as he left, striking an occupied building near Coleman Coliseum.

Authorities emphasized Crawford was not a University employee.

Law enforcement had already searched numerous addresses and tracked multiple phones while attempting to arrest him before the Brookwood killings, describing him as actively evading law enforcement for weeks.

Capital murder charges Authorities obtained a capital murder warrant based on the allegation that Crawford killed more than one person during a single course of conduct.

Investigators said additional charges are expected, including possible additional capital murder counts, animal cruelty for killing the dog and charges related to stealing one victim’s vehicle to run from the scene.

Looking for a motive Authorities stressed they have found no evidence that the victims, the homeowner, Crawford’s family or either of his former employers bear any responsibility for the shootings.

They described the attack as unexpected, saying Crawford had little criminal history before the campus shooting and that his escalation into a double homicide surprised even those who knew him. Investigators continue to examine his electronic devices and communications in hopes of determining a motive, but said Crawford has invoked his right not to speak with detectives.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Adam Bartow

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    PORTLAND, Maine (WMTW) — Efforts were continuing on Tuesday to try and save a seagull that was stuck on the roof of the Victoria Mansion in Portland.

Mansion staff said the bird was wedged between the spire and a lightning rod, but video taken by Maine’s Total Coverage showed the gull’s wing was pierced and the bird unable to free itself.

On Monday, the Portland Fire Department tried to save the bird, but even with their tallest ladder truck and a long pole, firefighters were not able to reach it, coming up about 18 feet short.

Mansion staff said on Tuesday they were reaching out to numerous other businesses to look at other options to reach the bird, that was about 70 feet in the air.

Mansion staff said there is no access hatch to the roof and there are power lines in front of the building, which is why the fire department had to park its truck on Park Street to try and reach the top. A stone wall around the building was also limiting close access.

As of noon on Tuesday, the gull was still alive.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Ben Simmoneau

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    GOFFSTOWN, N.H. (WCVB) — A New Hampshire family already facing a devastating diagnosis for their son says they also had to fight their insurance company to get him a wheelchair his doctor said he needed. Theirs is a familiar story for the increasing number of Americans who say they have struggled to get health insurance to cover necessary treatment or equipment.

Derek and Kara Hamilton say they first noticed changes in their son Owen about two years ago, when he began using his arms to pull himself up the stairs. A visit to a physical therapist a few months later led to a life-changing diagnosis: Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare genetic disorder that causes progressive muscle weakness.

Since then, the Hamiltons say Owen’s condition has made it increasingly difficult for him to walk. While the 8-year-old can still take some steps on his own, his parents say he cannot walk long distances and struggles to make it through a full school day.

“We went trick-or-treating last fall, and he could not walk with his friends,” Kara Hamilton said. “He had to be put in a wagon to finish.”

Owen’s doctors recommended an ultra-lightweight wheelchair, which his parents say would allow him to move more independently and help preserve his mobility for as long as possible. But the family says the insurance provider, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, repeatedly denied coverage for the roughly $6,000 chair, even after multiple appeals.

According to the insurer’s denial, the wheelchair was considered “not medically necessary” because Owen still has some ability to walk. The company’s wheelchair policy required Owen to need the chair full-time before it would approve coverage for the expensive ultra-lightweight model, which the family said is necessary because of his small size.

“So because he can walk today, their answer is no,” Derek Hamilton said. “My mind was blown. I don’t know how you can look at a child with a rare genetic disease and not think that he needs this medical equipment.”

Without the approval, the Hamiltons have been borrowing a wheelchair. They’re not able to afford to pay the cost to purchase one out-of-pocket.

“It will prolong him walking for longer and being more mobile,” Kara Hamilton said. “It’s super important to me. We just want him to live a normal childhood as best he can.”

Owen’s doctor, Julia Shah at Boston Children’s Hospital, argued in support of the request, writing that the wheelchair was medically necessary and warning that without it, Owen faced a higher risk of falls that could further limit his movement.

“The requested wheelchair is not for convenience,” Shah wrote. “It is required because Owen cannot safely and consistently meet his daily mobility needs.”

The Hamiltons say their experience reflects the frustration many families feel when dealing with health insurers.

“Why do we have to fight tooth and nail for just the basic medical care that he needs?” Kara Hamilton said. “It seems like it’s a fight with every type of treatment we have done.”

“I’m learning day by day every time we have to fight for something that their expectation is that people would just quit and go away,” Derek Hamilton said.

After NewsCenter 5 began asking questions about Owen’s case, Blue Cross Blue Shield reversed its decision and approved the wheelchair. Because of privacy laws, the company said only that the approval came after additional information was provided by Owen’s doctor.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Felicity Taylor

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    MONROEVILLE, Pa. (WTAE) — A Monroeville council meeting drew a large crowd as residents debated the removal of a Pride display from the children’s book section of the Monroeville Public Library, with the room reaching capacity 30 minutes before the meeting began and dozens forced to stand in the hallway.

The Pride display was featured in the library’s children’s section from June 1 through June 19. According to the president of the library board, staff removed the display after Monroeville’s municipal manager Alex Graziani asked them to take it down, citing concerns about potential job or funding losses.

The request also followed a Facebook post by Councilmember Bill Krut, who referred to the display as “child sexual grooming.” Graziani said he made the order because he wanted the display changed over to an America 250 and Fourth of July team.

Most attendees were in support of the display and the library.

“Public libraries exist to reflect the communities they serve,” said Kelly Meredith, a member of the Monroeville Public Library Board of Directors. “Providing access to age-appropriate materials that represent different people, families, and life experiences is not an attempt to influence a child’s identity.”

Meredith also addressed accusations against library staff.

“We are particularly concerned by comments suggesting that library staff were acting as groomers. Such accusations are inaccurate, inflammatory, and unfair to dedicated public employees,” she said.

Some residents supported the removal of the display.

“When the use of our taxpayers’ money and taxpayers’ buildings are being utilized to push an agenda targeted toward minors, this is where dads, grandfathers, veterans, and men of God will not be silenced anymore,” said Monroeville resident Jim Aiello. “We’re standing up. We will raise our children according to our godly values and our way of life.”

Many supporters of the library display called for Krut to step down or vowed to vote him out during the next election.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Madilyn Destefano, Brandon Hogan, Pattrik Perez

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    SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. (WESH) — A car driven by a suspected fentanyl trafficker broadsided another vehicle Tuesday in Seminole County, killing the two people inside it, according to the Casselberry Police Department.

Deputies with the sheriff’s office attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the suspect’s vehicle around 11:51 a.m. on 25th Street near State Road 417 in Sanford. The suspect failed to stop and drove away, CPD said in a statement.

CPD said the sheriff’s office did not pursue the vehicle out of concern for public safety.

As the suspect traveled southbound on U.S. Highway 17-92, at times exceeding speeds of 100 mph, he crashed into another vehicle near Sunnytown Road around 12:04 p.m., police said.

The two occupants of the other vehicle died, and the suspect was taken into custody at the scene of the crash before being transported to a local hospital, CPD said.

WESH 2 spoke with Kelly Tuite, who was parked nearby and heard the crash. She said it sounded like an explosion.

“(One of the cars) was split in half. There was smoke everywhere. The pole was on fire. It was traumatic seeing that. I really haven’t seen anything that bad up close like that,” she said. “I pray for the families, and I hope they get the justice that they deserve.”

Casselberry police are investigating the crash as a traffic homicide.

Criminal charges are forthcoming, police said.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is released

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Morrissey Walsh

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    YORK, Pa. (WGAL) — In a room full of community stakeholders, leaders, and members of law enforcement, York City Police Commissioner Michael Muldrow was able to share more context after an officer shot a dog and wounded its owner when responding to a call in June.

“Moments like these, and doing difficult work like this, are important, not to change people’s minds; they’re important because I believe that this community, who you represent, deserves an explanation,” said Police Commissioner Michael Muldrow. “Simply put, that’s why we do things like this, because we should. We have a difficult job, and we do have authorities and things we have to do, but we also need to be able to explain that to the community that we’re dealing with.”

Body camera footage explained Muldrow played the body camera footage of the officer involved in the shooting at the meeting but it was not released to the general public.

The footage only lasted a matter of minutes. The police department was called out by neighbors for a report of a person “terrorizing” a home, breaking out the windows with a baseball bat, according to Muldrow.

On scene, the officer asked people down the street if they had seen anything, and then went to knock on the door of a rowhome apartment on the 300 block of West Philadelphia Street. In the video, the officer knocked on the door of the apartment, and a dog is barking in the background. The officer was radioing to dispatch, waiting at the door, and got no response. The officer went back outside to take photos of the damage to the windows before going back inside to knock on the door a second time.

The dog was still barking, and the police radio was still going off when the officer knocked. On the body camera footage, a faint “who is it?” can be heard. It appears the officer did not hear the question and turned to leave.

What happened next only lasted a matter of seconds.

“Tension inside. Tension inside the apartment. Tension inside for the dog. Tension inside for the owner. Door gets cracked open. Dog goes for it,” said Muldrow.

Out of the open door, the dog charged at the officer. The officer ran away, as the dog continued to chase the officer, growling and barking.

Then, the officer grabbed his gun, firing off three shots. Muldrow said one of the shots ricocheted into the leg of the dog’s owner, who came out of the apartment after the dog. The officer immediately went to put a tourniquet on the man’s leg and called for backup.

Other officers began to arrive at the scene, assessing the situation. According to York City Police Internal Affairs, the dog was on the ground, not moving, for over two minutes.

“I truly believe, in the beginning, like the inspector showed me, believe as they saw and said in other body camera footage, they initially believed the dog was dead. And once he reanimated momentarily, then there was decisions being made on whether or not to put the dog down. But the officer that was trying to decide on even putting the dog down, because of how bad he was fatally wounded, felt uncomfortable in a city environment with other people around, whether or not he could actually take the shot to put him down and not cause any more harm, like what he was already witnessing next to the victim.”

Muldrow addresses community’s questions The shooting on June 16 left the community with a lot of questions, and on Tuesday, Muldrow shared more details beyond what was initially released by the police and the D.A.’s Office, as well as what was shared on social media by bystanders, through showing body camera footage to a group of community members, including representatives from the York County SPCA, York City Council, and Lt. David Godfrey.

“I do appreciate this opportunity coming in. This video has a lot of context that, typically, we’re not privy to,” one person said.

Some community members say seeing the body camera footage helped them better understand the situation.

“What did society do? Nowadays, they run with a story without getting the full knowledge of what really happened. That’s where the problem is. The people that were out there harassing [the officer] and cussing out the officer had no idea that he put his gun away. He put that tourniquet on [the victim’s] leg to stop the bleeding to assist him. He was still in shock when he did his job,” one community member said.

Community conversation sparks new idea Others asked if more could have been done for the dog after it was hurt.

“Once we realized that the young man who got shot was fine and was going to survive, then to me I felt like, okay, now let’s turn our attention to this animal and get him or her some services,” another person said.

Muldrow explained that police are legally required to render aid to people, not animals. He said the dog remained completely still for over two minutes, leading the officer to believe it was dead. When the dog began moving, officers were unable to clear the buildings or safely put the dog down due to the number of people at the scene.

Muldrow also addressed the question of whether this situation could have been handled differently, like with a taser or pepper spray.

“The likelihood that pepper spray is going to stop an enraged animal isn’t hot,” commented Muldrow. “Why not a taser? Because tasers aren’t meant for small objects. They target large portions of the body because you have to have two engaged prongs to be able to create the arc of electricity necessary to stop the threat that’s in front of you, on a human being. Two shots of placement. The goal target on a taser is a human torso. The size and the target that a human torso presents is not the same as a moving dog.”

The meeting also inspired new ideas for handling similar situations in the future.

“I want to put together a committee that we can reach out to some to say, hey, can you come and help? Whether it’s having unfortunately to put the dog to sleep, or brush it off, or be able to do something on the scene to help?” Shelley Metzler said. Metzler is the founder of West York BARk, an organization made up of volunteers who search for lost pets, rescue found pets, and respond to emergencies involving an animal.

Metzler says the list could have local veterinarians as well as animal hospitals. So first responders could call them right away. West York BARk says community conversations like this one play an important part in making change.

“I also see the need now for, medical side to come to incidents like this to help the officers work with whatever’s happening with the animal,” Metzler said.

DA rules shooting “thoroughly justified” York County District Attorney Tim Barker ruled this shooting “thoroughly justified.”

“The Pennsylvania State Police is conducting the investigation into this incident. The investigation is active and ongoing at this time. Initial information provided for my review from this investigation, however, which includes the officer’s Body Worn Camera (“BWC”) and Mobile Video Recording (“MVR”) footage, allows me to make specific findings and legal conclusions that the remaining investigation could not possibly contradict,” Barker said. “Accordingly, I find that the indisputable video evidence establishes that the York City Police Department officer was completely and thoroughly justified in using his service firearm to defend himself from an immediate threat of death or serious bodily harm.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Breana Ross

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    GLEN BURNIE, Md. (WBAL) — Weekend storms caused significant damage, closing the Cromwell Light Rail station in Glen Burnie and leaving many residents without power and struggling with disrupted commutes.

A Baltimore Gas and Electric representative described the damage in Glen Burnie as severe, with 24 broken utility poles and power lines resting on Light Rail equipment. Crews are working to repair the damage, but the station remained closed Tuesday, forcing commuters to find alternative transportation.

“I’ve never seen this before in the 13 years I’ve been living here,” said Georgina Brown, of Glen Burnie.

Commuters arriving at the Cromwell Light Rail station were met with a shocking sight: Power lines draped across the station.

“I live 15 minutes from here, but I always catch the bus over here, but I didn’t know it was a disaster like this,” said Angel Montejo, a resident.

A Maryland Transit Administration representative stood across from the Light Rail station on Tuesday, directing commuters to use free shuttles and buses as alternatives.

However, some people are frustrated with the situation.

“I have appointments I need to go to at the doctor’s and stuff, and because now that the Light Rail is shut down, you have to catch the bus, and the buses, half of them don’t even come on time,” said Patrick Allen.

“Basically, the buses are crazy right now because they don’t know where they are going to go,” Montejo said. “I know that there are a lot of people that are using buses, and that’s terrible for them because they’re going to be late for work or things like that.”

A BGE mobile command center is parked across from the train station. A BGE representative told WBAL-TV 11 News the utility has an increased number of staff and more than 400 contractors working around the clock to clean up and restore power across the region.

Peter Dunn, of Glyndon, said he has been receiving text updates from BGE since Saturday, but the estimated restoration times keep changing.

“It just keeps getting pushed back again and again, and that’s very frustrating because I can’t quite plan things,” Dunn said. “When your power is out, you realize just how many things you depend upon. I mean, you know, I go to use my microwave, and of course it doesn’t work, or any other appliance that I’ve gotten spoiled enough to be accustomed to.”

BGE representatives acknowledged the frustration and asked for patience as they work to repair the damage.

“Customers have every right to be frustrated when they don’t have power again for even one minute,” BGE spokesman Nick Alexopulos told WBAL-TV 11 News. “Estimated times of restoration, that’s an ETR, that’s when we estimate you’ll get your power back, they fluctuate based on a lot of different variables. It’s an initial estimate based off our assessment of the damage. As we begin the work to make repairs on the job that would restore your power, things may change. The damage may be more severe than we thought. There may be additional weather that comes in that means we have to pause the work … What’s important is that customers continue checking for updated estimated times of restoration.”

BGE stated that most customers affected by Saturday’s storm should have their power restored by 11 p.m. Tuesday, while those impacted by Sunday’s storm should expect restoration by Wednesday night. Repairs at the Cromwell Light Rail station are expected to take several days.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Carmela Karcher

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    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KOVR) — A startling image is circulating on social media showing a dog left for dead at a Stockton apartment complex. Police are now taking action, but those who retrieved the pet say this is unacceptable.

It’s an image that stopped many in their tracks: a picture of a dog in its crate, thrown away in a dumpster.

“I saw the picture, I was like, wait, is this a dog?” Claudia Martinez said. “Someone said, ‘Go ahead and go and check it out to see if the pup is still there.'”

That’s exactly what she did, and she wasn’t the only one.

With an address to the Riverbank apartments in Stockton and a startling picture, two strangers, Martinez and Alexandria Galindo, rushed over to the complex with the hopes that this little animal was still alive.

“You’re driving out there with hope in your heart,” Galindo shared. “It was very, very unsettling to see it just tossed like that, like trash.”

Both Martinez and Galindo arrived and found it was too late.

“I had pulled it out and then I put it into my truck, covered it, and then All Creatures [Veterinary Emergency Clinic] on West Lane went ahead and took it from me,” Galindo explained.

The picture of the dog hit social media over the holiday weekend.

Stockton police were called and now, the department and Stockton Animal Services are working closely as part of an active animal cruelty investigation.

For these animal advocates, it’s a sign of troubling times.

“It’s happening way, way too many times,” Galindo said. “It’s not so much even just the deceased, we’re seeing that a lot more often, but it’s the constant abandonment of dogs.”

“If you can’t take care of the dog, give it to someone who can,” Martinez added. “It’s sad. It’s like a baby human in the dog’s body. They can’t say anything.”

For them, it’s past time that action needs to be taken so the voiceless can finally have a way to speak up.

“Something should be done, and has to,” Martinez said. “This has to stop. We need to put an end on this.”

“I’m hoping there’s a solution,” Galindo continued. “[We need] more extreme laws on the abandonment of dogs and the cruelty of animals…see if there’s something that we can’t go ahead and try and do to get it going on a different path.”

CBS Sacramento reached out to Stockton Animal Services and they said they did not want to comment on this incident.

The Riverbank apartment complex said they were unaware of the situation and are now looking into exactly what happened.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.