LITTLE ROCK — QUOTE OF THE DAY “The American people are not going to have any patience for a politically selfinflicted wound to our economy.” President Barack Obama Article, 1A
Shooter of 3 in police station is slain
GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, N.J. - A man who had been arrested over allegations of stalking an ex-girlfriend overpowered an officer inside a police station, grabbed her gun and shot her and two other officers before being killed by police early Friday, authorities said.
All three wounded officers were expected to recover.
Eddie Jones III, 39, of Willingboro overpowered officer Ruth Burns inside the station in Gloucester Township, a Philadelphia suburb, police said. He fired at her and at two officers who had been in a nearby room and came rushing to aid their colleague. The two officers fired on Jones, killing him.
Sgt. James Garber was shot multiple times and underwent emergency surgery for a gunshot wound in the abdomen; his life was saved by a bullet-resistant vest. He also suffered a graze wound in the head.
Sgt. Kevin Thine suffered a laceration to his abdomen and a graze wound in the chin. Burns was shot in the foot.
The shooting will be reviewed by the state attorney general, as is customary with all shootings involving police officers. But Camden County prosecutor Warren Faulk said initial evidence shows that the officers responded to gunfire that was initiated by the suspect, and returned fire to save their lives and those of other officers in the building.
Car crashes into bus bench, kills two
RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Police said two people have been killed and two others severely injured when a car plowed into a bus bench in the Southern California city of Riverside.
Officer Bryan Galbreath said the accident occurred about 1 p.m. Friday when a car drove onto the sidewalk, crashed into a light pole and then into a bench where four people were waiting for a bus.
A woman and a girl were pronounced dead at the scene. A man and a woman were taken to the hospital with severe injuries.
Galbreath said the driver has been detained and police are investigating whether the driver was intoxicated.
Crapo won’t fight driving-drunk counts
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Michael Crapo, the Idaho Republican arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, doesn’t plan to fight the charges when he appears in court in January, a spokesman said Friday.
Meanwhile, results from a secondary blood alcohol test performed at the jail show the three-term senator registered a higher level about an hour after being arrested than when he was first tested by the police officer who stopped him.
Police have said Crapo registered a blood alcohol level of 0.11 percent when he was pulled over early Sunday in the Washington suburb of Alexandria, Va., after running a red light. But a secondary test performed after Crapo was taken to the jailhouse - the one that will be used in court - registered at 0.14, nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent, according to a law enforcement official with knowledge of the arrest. The official wasn’t authorized to release information publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
“He does not plan to contest the charges,” said Crapo spokesman Lindsay Nothern, adding that Crapo has consulted with a local Virginia attorney ahead of his Jan. 4 court hearing.
Crapo has apologized and taken responsibility for the incident in a statement, but he hasn’t spoken publicly about the arrest. He wasn’t immediately available to comment Friday.
Interfaith leaders gather in Newtown
NEWTOWN, Conn. - Religious leaders from different faiths gathered Friday on a snowy soccer field to mark two weeks since the Connecticut elementary school massacre and pray for healing.
A few dozen residents joined representatives from Roman Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist, Congregational, Buddhist, Muslim and other places of worship.
“Your faith leaders want you to know that we continue to stand with you as we all continue to deal with this great tragedy that has befallen our beloved community of Newtown,” said the Rev. Jack Tanner, of Newtown Christian Church. “It is only the beginning of a long healing process that we will all go through.”
A gunman shot his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14 and killed 20 first-grade students and six adult staff members. He also killed his mother before going on the school rampage and then committing suicide.
Front Section, Pages 4 on 12/29/2012