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A St. Louis County police officer keeps watch over a home in the 4800 block of Lockwig Trail in north St. Louis County on Friday, March 5, 2021, where Bobby McCulley III allegedly shot and killed a woman and her two children. (Christian Gooden/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)
A St. Louis County police officer keeps watch over a home in the 4800 block of Lockwig Trail in north St. Louis County on Friday, March 5, 2021, where Bobby McCulley III allegedly shot and killed a woman and her two children. (Christian Gooden/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)

Police: Man killed wife, 2 kids, himself

ST. LOUIS -- A St. Louis-area man fatally shot his estranged wife and two of her children before fleeing with the couple's baby, and killing himself hours later as officers closed in on him, authorities said Friday.

The killings happened late Thursday in north St. Louis County, said St. Louis County police spokeswoman Tracy Panus. On Friday, police identified the victims as Roseann McCulley, 34; her 13-year-old son, Kayden Johnson; and her 6-year-old daughter, Kaylee Brooks.

Officers responding to a report of a shooting found all three dead. Police also learned that a 1-year-old girl -- the daughter of Roseann McCulley and 35-year-old Bobby McCulley III -- had been taken.

Court records show Bobby McCulley III filed for divorce on Feb. 28. The two slain children were not his biological children, police said. Police believe that Bobby McCulley held the family members against their will for hours before killing them and leaving with the baby.

An Amber Alert was issued, and the baby was found safe with relatives just before 5 a.m. Friday.

Judge extends hold on S.C. abortion law

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- A new South Carolina law banning abortions will remain on hold, after a judge extended a temporary restraining order Friday.

U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis' extension runs through March 19. Her original order, issued last month, had been set to expire at midnight Friday. On Monday, Lewis is to preside over a hearing on Planned Parenthood's request for an injunction halting the law altogether while a lawsuit seeking to overturn it is resolved.

Lewis initially suspended the "South Carolina Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act" on its second day in effect after a lawsuit from Planned Parenthood. The measure requires doctors to perform ultrasounds to check for fetal heartbeats, which can typically be detected about six weeks after conception. If one is detected, the abortion can be performed only if the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest, or the mother's life is in danger.

The new law doesn't punish a pregnant woman for getting an illegal abortion, but the person who performs the procedure can be charged with a felony, sentenced up to two years in prison and fined $10,000 if found guilty.

Opponents of the state's ban have argued that many women don't know they are pregnant at six weeks, especially if they are not trying to conceive.

About a dozen other states have passed similar or more restrictive abortion bans, which could take effect if the U.S. Supreme Court were to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 court decision supporting abortion rights. Federal law supersedes state law.

Drop of sanctuary-areas appeals sought

WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden's administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to dismiss three pending appeals stemming from his predecessor's efforts to block federal grants to cities and states that don't cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

In joint filings Thursday, acting Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar indicated that the new administration had resolved federal litigation with California, New York state, New York City and other so-called sanctuary jurisdictions.

The cities and states sued after former President Donald Trump's administration threatened to withhold the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants, which are often used to buy equipment or pay for police overtime. Byrne, a New York City police officer, was murdered in the line of duty in 1988.

Lower courts were divided on the legality of the Trump policy, and both sides were appealing. The Trump administration had asked the Supreme Court to hear a case from California, while New York City and a group of states led by New York were seeking review of a ruling they lost.

The Supreme Court had been deferring action on the appeals while the new administration decided how to handle the cases.

Zoo vaccinates 9 great apes for covid-19

SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Zoo has vaccinated nine great apes for the coronavirus after a troop of gorillas in its Safari Park became infected, officials said Thursday.

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Four orangutans and five bonobos received covid-19 injections in January and February. Three bonobos and a gorilla also were expected to receive the vaccine, which is experimental.

It was developed by Zoetis Inc., a U.S. firm that produces medicine for animals.

The vaccinations followed a January outbreak of covid-19 at the zoo's Safari Park. Eight western lowland gorillas got the virus, probably by exposure to a zookeeper who tested positive for covid-19, officials said, even though employees wore masks at all times around the gorillas.

"That made us realize that our other apes were at risk," said Nadine Lamberski, chief conservation and wildlife health officer for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. The gorillas are recovering after having symptoms ranging from runny noses to coughing and lethargy.

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