11's a crowd in space with new arrivals
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The International Space Station's population swelled to 11 on Saturday with the arrival of SpaceX's third crew capsule in less than a year.
It's the biggest crowd up there in more than a decade.
All of the astronauts -- representing the U.S., Russia, Japan and France -- managed to squeeze into camera view for a congratulatory call from the leaders of their space agencies.
"In this tough situation around the world, I believe you have brought courage and hope for all of us," Japanese Space Agency President Hiroshi Yamakawa said from his country's flight control center, referring to the global pandemic.
A recycled SpaceX capsule carrying four astronauts arrived at the space station a day after launching from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The Dragon capsule docked autonomously with the orbiting outpost more than 260 miles above the Indian Ocean. The hatches swung open a couple of hours later, uniting all 11 space travelers.
"Man, it is awesome to see the 11 of you on station," said NASA's acting administrator, Steve Jurczyk. He noted that this will be the norm, now that SpaceX is regularly flying crews.
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The newcomers will spend six months at the space station. They'll replace four astronauts who will return to Earth in their own Dragon capsule Wednesday to end a half-year mission. NASA deliberately planned for a brief overlap so the outgoing SpaceX crew could show the new arrivals around.
Tennessee officer kills knife-wielder
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A Tennessee police officer fatally shot a man who charged at the officer with knives during a traffic stop early Saturday, authorities said.
Officer Christopher Royer of the Metropolitan Nashville department has been placed on administrative assignment after he shot the man on a Nashville road, department spokesman Don Aaron said at a news conference.
The man died at a hospital, Aaron said. He was not immediately identified.
Royer was on patrol in his police car when he ran a license plate for a white Mercedes sedan, but the plate was actually registered to a green 1998 Chevrolet, Aaron said.
After the officer stopped the Mercedes, the passenger ran out of the car holding a knife in each hand, Aaron said.
The passenger began running around and briefly entered the driver's side door of Royer's police car, police body camera footage released at the news conference showed.
The man then ran toward Royer, who retreated about 25 yards from his police car, Aaron said. Royer could be heard on the video requesting backup, telling the passenger to drop the knives and saying, "I don't want to shoot you."
The man continued running at Royer, who fired three times, the video showed. The man fell onto the street.
"Dude, what are you doing, man, come on," Royer said. "I did not want to have to do that."
Nashville Police Chief John Drake said five officers rendered aid to the man.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation will investigate the shooting and the police department also will review it. The district attorney will decide whether to pursue charges after the agency finishes the investigation.
New Orleans gunfire results in injuries
NEW ORLEANS -- Gunfire in New Orleans' French Quarter early Saturday left at least five people injured, police said.
The shooting happened shortly before 2 a.m. on Bourbon Street.
Two victims were transported to a hospital by emergency medical personnel, two others were taken by private vehicles and one was treated at the scene, police said in a post on Twitter.
None of the injuries were believed to be life-threatening. An investigation is continuing.
Plan in N.Y. aims to bar fired officers
NEW YORK -- City and state politicians announced plans Saturday for legislation that would permanently bar all police officers dismissed or forced to resign for disciplinary reasons from landing another law enforcement job anywhere in New York state.
"These 'wandering officers' are twice as likely to commit physical and sexual misconduct," said City Council Speaker Corey Johnson at the Harlem headquarters of the Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network.
"We simply cannot allow the hiring of bad apples and people convicted of crime," he said.
Johnson, joined by City Council member Francisco Moya and state Sen. Brian Benjamin, said the bill will be proposed in both the city and the state.
"This will be joint legislation with a very simple rule: If you are a police officer and you were fired in your jurisdiction, you cannot get another job as a police officer anywhere in this state," said Benjamin.
"We need to get rid of all the bad cops so we can once and for all get a system where cops truly protect and serve, and the blue wall doesn't protect these cops generation after generation," he added.
A New York Police Department spokesman said the department had not seen the legislation and was unable to comment on the plan.
--Compiled by Democrat-Gazette staff from wire reports