THE NEWS PORTAL

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SOURCE: BuzzFeed

One Dead, 31 Injured After Kenyan University Terror Drill Causes Panic

Some students and staff climbed out of windows several stories up as the tried in an effort to flee the mock attackers.

One person was killed, and 31 others injured, after a practice terrorism drill at a Kenyan University on Monday caused widespread panic among staff and students.

Management at Strathmore University in Nairobi said an "approved safety and security simulation drill" was carried out at noon Monday to test evacuation procedures.

Instagram: @http://ift.tt/1MQULKY

The threat of terrorism against Kenyan colleges is very real. In April this year, almost 150 mostly Christian students were killed at Garissa University in the country's north-east after al-Shabaab militants attacked the school.

The threat of terrorism against Kenyan colleges is very real. In April this year, almost 150 mostly Christian students were killed at Garissa University in the country's north-east after al-Shabaab militants attacked the school.

Tony Karumba / AFP / Getty Images

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Sunday, November 29, 2015

Community Crisis Center Offers Colorado Springs A Place To Heal

Local victim advocates, behavioral healthcare providers, and nonprofit groups are offering short-term services, and looking to the longer recovery ahead.

Justin Edmonds / Getty Images

Surviving a shooting might leave a person emotionally numb or, on the other extreme, hyper-vigilant and fearful.

A wide range of reaction is normal, Colorado Springs emergency responders said on Sunday as mental healthcare providers, volunteers, and victim advocates came together in the wake of a standoff and shooting at Planned Parenthood.

The city's Community Crisis Recovery Center will be open through Thursday to provide a range of resources for residents, and officials are working on other plans for long-term recovery.

"Unfortunately the city of Colorado Springs is practiced in providing some of these services," Colorado Springs Police Department victim advocate Amanda Terrell-Orr said.

Terrell-Orr said the crisis center expects to see several dozen residents who were somehow connected with the shooting, which left three people dead while 300 others sheltered in surrounding businesses. But the center is prepared for more, and she encouraged residents to bring their questions or simply stop by to meet other people who had shared their experience.

"You don't have to feel like you're having a problem to come here for support," she said.

Claudia Koerner / BuzzFeed

In the wake of shootings, natural disasters, and other tragedies, Colorado has been in the forefront of new best practices for responding to community trauma. Similar short-term resource centers were available to people in Aurora, Colorado following the 2012 movie theater massacre. Since then, the state has pushed millions of dollars toward mental health resources, including a mental health crisis hotline, in an attempt to prevent future mass shootings as well as provide support for victims.

Still, it's a system that some advocates have said falls short. Gov. John Hickenlooper said Saturday during a visit to Colorado Springs that the state would reassess its mental health funding, and he later added to CNN there was work to be done to keep guns from unstable people.

"It's a start, and I think we're moving in the right direction," said Gerald Albrent, a disaster response coordinator with behavioral health provider AspenPointe.

At the Colorado Springs crisis center, Albrent said his primary focus was to help people understand their reactions to the shooting and to keep them from being too critical of themselves.

"They're not crazy," he said. "They're going through normal reactions, the sadness, the fear, maybe the anger."

His other focus was to suggest help, from talking with friends to seeing their primary care physician. The experience could also lead to significant symptoms for some people, he said, especially if Friday's events added to previous trauma. He hoped to educate people on what signs to watch out for that would suggest they need to see a mental health professional.

But he expected most people would just need a place to talk and the support of friends and family over the coming days.

"You'll incorporate that experience," he said. "It's a part of you, but it doesn't control you."

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Spiked Baseball Bats Are Appearing All Over San Francisco And Police Have No Idea Why

Police are treating them as possible weapons.

Are they weapons? Acts of public mischief? Some form of mysterious street art?

Pablo Diaz-Gutierrez / AP

Police began discovering the bats on Thursday, Thanksgiving morning, with at least 27 discovered by late Friday, Sgt. Michael Andraychak told the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper.

The bats have been found chained to light poles and parking meters, Andraychak said.

At least one was discovered in the city's popular Fisherman's Wharf area on Friday.

Investigators want anyone with information to contact San Francisco police.

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Worldwide Protests Ahead Of Paris Climate Summit

More than 2,000 demonstrations were held around the globe this weekend, according to activists. Although police and rioters clashed in Paris, most protests were peaceful.

World leaders have begun arriving in Paris for Monday's U.N. summit on climate change.

China's President Xi Jinping, left, and his wife Peng Liyuan, arriving in Paris on Sunday.

Yoan Valat / AP

About 150 heads of state are gathering in the French capital for talks that climate activists hope will result in a binding international deal on limiting carbon emissions.

President Barack Obama boards Air Force One in Maryland Sunday for his trip to Paris.

Evan Vucci / AP

With France still under a state of emergency following the Paris terror attacks earlier this month, the planned climate march in the host city was cancelled. Activists instead left pairs of shoes at the Place de le République as a symbolic gesture.

With France still under a state of emergency following the Paris terror attacks earlier this month, the planned climate march in the host city was cancelled. Activists instead left pairs of shoes at the Place de le République as a symbolic gesture.

Banners reading "Paris marches for climate change" in Paris on Sunday.

Eric Gaillard / Reuters

But riots also broke out in the square after police said "violent elements" attacked security forces.

Eric Gaillard / Reuters

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Officer Killed In The Planned Parenthood Shooting Remembered As Kind And Courageous

A police officer and two civilians were killed when a gunman stormed a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood clinic Friday.

David Zalubowski / AP

Nine others were injured with gunshot wounds, including five officers. The suspect has been named by police officers as Robert L Dear, 57. He is in custody.

So far, only the police officer killed in the line of duty has been named.

BuzzFeed News will update this post with information on the civilian victims as more information becomes available.

Garrett Swasey, 44, Colorado Springs

University of Colorado Colorado Springs / Via pressreleases.uccs.edu

Officer Swasey was a six-year veteran of the University of Colorado Colorado Springs' police department.

In a statement, university chancellor Pam Shockley Zalabak said: "It is with great sadness that I share that the tragic events today at the offices of Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs have touched the campus of the University of Colorado Colorado Springs."

University of Colorado President Bruce Benson also released a statement mourning Swasey.

Hope Chapel

"The CU community mourns the tragic loss of Officer Garrett Swasey of UCCS. Our thoughts, prayers are with Rachel, their children and family," Benson said.

Swasey is survived by his wife, Rachel; a son, Elijah; and a daughter, Faith.

According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, Swasey grew up in Massachusetts and was a champion ice-skater during the 1990s. He was also an elder in northeast Colorado Springs church Hope Chapel.

According to the church website, he helped oversee the church's care groups in addition to "sharing his teaching gift as part of the teaching team and sharing his guitar skills on the worship team."

A co-pastor at the church, Scott Dontanville, told the New York Times that Swasey would "disagree with the abortion industry...I don’t think that was on his mind. He was there to save lives. That’s the kind of guy he is.”

A memorial fund has been set up for his family by friends and a public vigils were scheduled to be held.

“He was kind,” his mother told the Washington Post in a phone interview. “He wasn’t arrogant or selfish, and I wish people could hear more about that, about how caring the police really are.”

Early on Saturday morning fellow police officers and other first responders held a procession and escorted the body of Officer Swasey from the crime scene.

President Obama also praised the slain officer's valor in a statement on Saturday. “May God bless Officer Garrett Swasey and the Americans he tried to save — and may He grant the rest of us the courage to do the same thing," Obama said.

On Saturday night, more than 200 university students, Colorado Springs residents, fellow officers, and church members gathered for a candlelight vigil to remember Swasey.

Campus police chief Brian McPike described Swasey as an athletic, enthusiastic police officer who always walked into a room with a smile on his face. McPike had known Swasey before becoming chief and recommended him when he applied for the police job.

"He will never be forgotten," McPike said.

Whenever a difficult situation arose, McPike said Swasey was willing to go. Over the last days, in talking with Swasey's wife Rachel, she told him she knew there was no way her husband wouldn't respond to the shooting.

"He knew the risks," McPike said, "and he loved what he did."

Claudia Koerner / BuzzFeed

Though he was passionate about serving as an officer, Swasey would not want to be defined only by his profession, said Kurt Aichele, a pastor at Hope Chapel.

Swasey saw himself first as a follower of Jesus Christ, and his faith inspired his love of his family and service to his community, Aichele said.

Swasey was one of his closest friends — the two men had known each other for 10 years — and the loss was a difficult one.

"And yet I celebrate that tonight Garrett is united with Christ," Aichele said.

Claudia Koerner / BuzzFeed

Aichele and fellow pastor Dontanville prayed for the community and also for forgiveness of the gunman.

"Garrett would tell you tonight that forgiveness extends to him," Dontanville said.

At a gathering earlier in the day, he and other church members prayed with Rachel Swasey. She reminded them that her husband was in heaven.

"It's the beginning of his watch," Dontanville said, shaking his head at the traditional phrase, end of watch, used to honor fallen police officers. "It didn't end here for him."

This post will be updated as the victims of the shooting are identified.

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Colorado Springs Searches For Answers, Healing After Planned Parenthood Shooting

While questions remain about the alleged gunman’s motives, local leaders detailed the response they said saved lives.

Community members gather at a vigil Saturday at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church in Colorado Springs.

David Zalubowski / AP

As investigators began the long process of seeking answers in the hours-long shooting and standoff that left three people dead, Planned Parenthood officials on Saturday said they believed the tragedy was motivated by opposition to abortion.

Friday started as a normal day at the health center in Colorado Springs — but a normal day at Planned Parenthood also includes a fair amount of attention to security, regional president and CEO Vicki Cowart told BuzzFeed News.

Beyond the near-daily protests at the public sidewalk adjacent to the medical complex, no city or Planned Parenthood official was aware of any previous threat of violence directed at the Colorado Springs clinic. Cowart on Saturday said based on witness accounts, the organization now believes the shooting was "motivated by opposition to safe and legal abortion."

It was close to noon when a staff member in the lobby heard the first gunshot, which Planned Parenthood officials believe took place outside the clinic. The staff's active shooter training kicked in, Cowart said. The health center manager dialed 911, and everyone else silenced their cell phones. The young woman in the lobby ushered waiting patients to the back of the building's exam rooms and offices.

"That probably saved many lives," Cowart said.

Mayor John Suthers was in communication with Colorado Springs Police Chief Peter Carey early in the five-hour standoff and joined the numerous members of law enforcement agencies at the command post.

Among the police and sheriff's deputies who came to the scene were security staff from Planned Parenthood, who gave officers access to interior security cameras and images of the building's layout.

The diagrams were emailed to officers inside the clinic, Suthers said, offering crucial intel.

Through the security cameras, officers in the command post watched the movements of the suspect, later identified as Robert L. Dear. Command post staff passed on the suspect's locations to the officers inside, allowing them to extract the nine patients and 15 Planned Parenthood staff members hiding in other parts of the building.

"It was pretty amazing to watch," Suthers said.

Suthers was also there for the chilling radio call that an officer was down. Other officers remained calm in spite of the tense situation, he said.

He described the suspect's movements as calm and deliberate.

Colorado Springs shooting suspect Robert Lewis Dear of North Carolina is seen in undated photos provided by the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.

El Paso County Sheriff's Office via AP

At first, the alleged gunman sat in a chair, wearing a trench coat and holding what appeared to be an assault weapon, Suthers said. He then moved to a hallway where he had a better vantage point of officers' arrival.

As part of the SWAT response, police drove a bearcat — an armored vehicle — into the lobby of the clinic. They were preparing for a final assault, driving into the area where the suspect was cornered, when he called out to officers, Suthers said.

"Just as those final preparations were taking place, he yelled to people that he was willing to give up," Suther said. "So we watched on the security cameras as he gave himself up."

One police officer and two civilians were killed in the shooting. Nine others were taken to hospitals with injuries, five of whom are police officers.

A day after the tragedy, some normalcy slowly began to return to Colorado Springs. The King Sooper grocery store where many of the 300 bystanders hid allowed them to return for left-behind belongings Saturday morning. By midday, its doors reopened to shoppers.

But the medical plaza where the Planned Parenthood clinic has been for about six years remained cordoned off, the lights of squad cars flashing bright against the new snow, as crime scene investigators went to work. The investigation — being assisted by federal law enforcement — is only at its beginning, Carey told reporters Saturday afternoon.

"It was a tough night, and there is much to be done today and in the coming weeks," Carey said.

The quick response of officers from multiple agencies, including the University of Colorado Colorado Springs police, helped save lives, Carey added.

The mayor met Saturday morning with the four injured officers who remained at Penrose Hospital. They were surrounded by colleagues and relatives, and Suthers said they were in good spirits.

"A couple of them are very lucky in terms of where bullets hit," he said.

Suthers added they were all looking forward to healing and getting back to their jobs.

"They felt it was a privilege to be doing their jobs and want to get back at it," he said.

Officer Garrett Swasey was among the three people killed in the shooting. The names of two others, identified only as civilians, have not been released pending autopsies scheduled for Monday and notification of family.

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Porn Actor James Deen Accused Of Rape By Ex-Girlfriend Stoya

Deen’s ex-girlfriend, Stoya, tweeted she was sick of seeing people “idolizing the guy who raped [her] as a feminist.”

Porn and film actor James Deen was accused of rape on Saturday in two tweets from his ex-girlfriend's Twitter account.

James Deen and Stoya in Venice, Italy, in 2013.

Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images

Stoya, who is also a porn actor, on Saturday tweeted the following:

Twitter: @stoya

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Friday, November 27, 2015

At Least Three Injured In Shooting At Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood Clinic

“The area is NOT secure,” police wrote on Twitter.

A man suspected of a shooting at Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs remained inside the clinic Friday afternoon, KKTV reported.

KKTV

The clinic is located in a strip mall shopping center and was previously the site of protests.

A local report from August estimated 300 people gathered after the release of a video in which a Planned Parenthood official discussed the use of fetal tissue for research.

Google Maps

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Police Respond To Reports Of Shooter In Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood Clinic

“The area is NOT secure,” police wrote on Twitter.

Google Maps

Police and fire officials did not immediately return requests for information from BuzzFeed News.

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

More Than A Dozen People Killed In Bombing At Shiite Procession In Nigeria

Islamic Movement in Nigeria / Via islamicmovement.org

At least 15 people were killed Friday in Nigeria after a suicide bombing in the midst of a holiday procession.

Hundreds of moderate Shiite Muslims were celebrating when the explosion took place, the Associated Press reported. A second suspected suicide bomber was detained earlier in the day before he could detonate his explosives.

Reuters reported the death toll as high as 21, with dozens injured. The bombing took place in a rural area along a highway as the procession made its way from Kano to Zaria.

The annual local celebration of Arbaeen lasts seven days and marks the death of an early Shiite leader. According to the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, thousands take part each year.

Leaders of the group said the blast took place around 2 p.m. local time. The victims included men, women, and children.

Extremely graphic images on the group's website purported to show the devastation left by the bombing.

Security officers stand guard at the scene of an explosion at a mobile phone market in Kano, Nigeria on Nov. 18.

Muhammed Giginyu / AP

The attack is suspected to be the work of Boko Haram, the radical Salafist Muslim group that has killed thousands of people in the region in recent years, the AP reported.

Earlier this month, a bombing at a mobile phone market in Kano left 15 people dead, and another attack in Yola killed at least 31 people.

This is a developing news story. Check back for updates or follow BuzzFeed News on Twitter.

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Man Charged With Murder In Shooting Of 9-Year-Old Chicago Boy

Teresa Crawford / AP

A 27-year-old Chicago man has been charged with first-degree murder after police said he lured a 9-year-old boy into an alley and killed him to punish a rival gang.

Corey Morgan is expected to appear in court for a bond hearing Friday afternoon, the Cook County state's attorney office told BuzzFeed News.

Morgan was arrested early Friday following weeks of community outrage for the killing of Tyshawn Lee.

The boy was walking near his grandmother's house on the afternoon of Nov. 2. He was found shot multiple times in an alleyway.

A makeshift memorial where Tyshawn Lee was fatally shot in Chicago.

Teresa Crawford / AP

Police later said that the boy's death was a targeted killing in retaliation for previous gang-related shootings. Lee's father, Pierre Stokes, told the Chicago Tribune that he didn't see why anyone who might have a problem with him would take it out violently against his son.

Morgan's brother was fatally shot in what police believe was a gang-related killing in October, the Tribune reported. He had been picked up from a gang "call-in" — a meeting organized by police to reduce gang violence — by his mother. She was injured in the shooting.

Following Tyshawn's death, Morgan was arrested on a weapons charge, but he was released from jail after making bail.

LINK: Chicago Police Say 9-Year-Old Boy Was Targeted And Lured By Shooter

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

This Vine Perfectly Sums Up The Difference Between The U.S. And The U.K.

Six seconds of utter perfection.

A few months back, Beijing played host to the International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships. On Aug. 30, the women's 4x400 relay was held.

Franck Fife / AFP / Getty Images

Before the race, each team had to come out and pose for the cameras...

Patrick Smith / Getty Images

To repeat: ???????????

Patrick Smith / Getty Images

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Thursday, November 26, 2015

A Blimp From New York's Thanksgiving Day Parade Made An Emergency Landing

No one was injured as the blimp deflated on a baseball field.

The blimp had been promoting schoolnyc.com for the Manhattan Institute. No one was injured in the emergency landing, which took place on a baseball field adjacent to a school in South Farmingdale, New York.

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Russia And France Agree To Coordinate Airstrikes Against ISIS

Alexander Zemlianichenko / AP

France and Russia will coordinate their airstrikes with the U.S. against ISIS, French President François Hollande and Russian President Vladimir Putin announced after meeting Thursday in Moscow, the Associated Press reported.

Their remarks mark a newfound unity between world military powers against the terrorist group in Iraq and Syria.

"Terrorism is our enemy," Hollande said. "We know it, it has a name: it's Daesh, the Islamic State."

Hollande also called the downing of a Russian jet by Turkey an "obviously regrettable" incident that showed the need for improved cooperation. Putin said he was open to working with France and the U.S., but he also said there would be "serious consultations" with the U.S. about the downed plane. Turkey is a U.S. ally, and President Barack Obama has noted that Turkey has the right to defend its airspace.

The French president additionally announced that France and Russia would share more intelligence.

LINK: Turkish Jets Shoot Down Russian Warplane Near Syria Border

LINK: France Carries Out Airstrikes Against ISIS In Iraq

LINK: Russia’s Anti-ISIS Airstrike Campaign Begins With Attack On Western-Backed Rebel Areas

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Man Found Guilty Of Murdering Wife And Posting Photo Of Her Body On Facebook

C.M. Guerrero / AP

A 33-year-old Florida man was found guilty Wednesday of second-degree murder for fatally shooting his wife in 2013, then posting a confession and photo of her body on Facebook.

Attorneys for Derek Medina had argued the killing of 27-year-old Jennifer Alfonso was self-defense. One attorney on Wednesday told the Sun-Sentinel that Medina would appeal the verdict.

Medina faces 25 years to life in Florida state prison.

Medina was found guilty of child neglect — Alfonso's 10-year-old daughter was home at the time of the shooting.

The couple had been arguing before Medina shot Alfonso multiple times, he told police after his arrest. He posted about the encounter on Facebook, as well as a photo of Alfonso's body.

But a prosecutor told the jury that Alfonso, a 5-foot 6-inch-tall woman, was likely cowering on her knees at the time of her death, CBS News reported. Her husband, who is 6 feet tall and heavier, had claimed he was the one being attacked.

"He planned to execute Jen, and he executed his plan," prosecutor Leah Klein said in her closing argument, the Miami New Times reported. "He was angry, and he wanted her dead."

LINK: Miami Man Who Confessed To Killing His Wife On Facebook Claims Self-Defense

LINK: Miami Man Who Confessed To Killing His Wife On Facebook Pleads Not Guilty

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Obama's Terrible Dad Jokes Actually Made Sasha And Malia Laugh This Year

Let’s all give thanks for the Obama girls.

It's that time of year again when the president has to pardon a turkey on national TV because...well, I don't know. It's in the constitution, maybe? Someone should check that.

Carlos Barria / Reuters

Well, once again the president dragged his daughters, Sasha and Malia, out for the ceremony.

Nicholas Kamm / AFP / Getty Images

Remember last year when the girls had absolutely NO time for their dad's lame jokes?

Ugh, parents. I mean, look at that double side eye.

Well, this year America's dad-in-chief actually scored some laughs with his terrible puns. ?

Carlos Barria / Reuters

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Protesters Clash With Chicago Police After Release Of Officer Shooting Video

Demonstrators chanted “16 times” and “mic check,” referring to the lack of audio accompanying the dash-cam video.

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Chicago Releases Video Of White Police Officer Fatally Shooting Black Teen 16 Times

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel addresses the media prior to releasing the video.

Fox 6 TV / Via fox6now.com

Chicago officials on Tuesday released a graphic dash cam video of a white police officer fatally shooting a black teenager 16 times in 2014 after a judge ordered them to make it public.

Officer Jason Van Dyke was also charged with first-degree murder in the death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, which was captured by the camera.

"Anyone who is there to uphold the law cannot act as if they are above the law," Mayor Rahm Emanuel told reporters. "Jason Van Dyke does not represent the police department."

Watch video of the shooting here:

Officials also appealed for calm Tuesday, noting that while the public had a right to peacefully demonstrate, criminal acts would not be tolerated.

"We're not predicting doom and gloom," Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarth said. "We are predicting protests, which is something that we do two or three times a day in the city of Chicago."

The city had refused to release the video of Van Dyke shooting McDonald, arguing that doing so could jeopardize the ongoing investigation in the death. However, a judge last week ordered the Chicago Police Department to release the video no later than Wednesday, sending city officials scrambling to work with civic leaders and appeal for public demonstrations and reaction to be peaceful.

At right, an autopsy diagram shows the location of wounds on body of McDonald.

AP / ABC

In April, the Chicago City Council approved a $5-million settlement with the family, the terms of which prohibit attorneys from releasing the dash cam video.

Michael Robbins, a lawyer for the McDonald family, told BuzzFeed News that his clients were not looking forward to the "very graphic and disturbing" footage being made public. However, Robbins, who has seen the video, said it was important that the public "learn the truth of what happened."

Van Dyke is no longer on the city's payroll, officials said.

LINK: http://ift.tt/1P7gj9P

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

19 People Infected In E. Coli Outbreak Linked To Costco Chicken

LM Otero / AP

At least 19 people across seven states have been infected with a strain of E. coli bacteria in an outbreak federal health officials believe is linked to rotisserie chicken salads sold at Costco Wholesale stores.

Five people have been hospitalized as a result of the outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Tuesday. Two had developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a form of kidney failure.

"The epidemiologic evidence available to investigators at this time suggests that rotisserie chicken salad made and sold in Costco stores is a likely source of this outbreak," the CDC said in a statement. "The ongoing investigation has not identified what specific ingredient in the chicken salad is linked to illness."

Fourteen of the infected people either purchased or ate the Costco chicken salad before becoming ill, officials said.

As of Monday, six of the infections were in Montana, five in Utah, and four in Colorado. California, Missouri, Virginia, and Washington had each recorded one case.

People began falling ill on Oct. 6, with the last recorded case on Nov. 3.

"Ill people range in age from 5 years to 84, with a median age of 18," the CDC said.

Costco told public health officials on Friday that it removed the rotisserie chicken salad from all stores nationwide. It has also stopped production of the product until further notice, the CDC said.

The product is labelled "Chicken Salad made with Rotisserie Chicken" with item number 37719 on the label. Officials are urging people to throw the salad away, even if some of it has already been eaten.

It comes after the restaurant chain Chipotle suffered its own E. coli outbreak in Washington and Oregon earlier this month, which resulted in 42 people falling ill.

More incidents of the illness possibly linked to Chipotle were reported in California, Minnesota, Ohio, and New York last week.

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Two Arrested After Five People Shot Near Black Lives Matter Protest In Minneapolis

Two men have been arrested after five people were shot Monday night near an ongoing Black Lives Matter protest outside a police station in north Minneapolis, police said.

The shootings occurred about a block away from the precinct, Minneapolis Police Department spokesperson John Elder told BuzzFeed News.

All five people suffered non-life-threatening injuries, Elder added.

Three gunshot victims were transported to North Memorial Medical Center by private vehicle, Elder said. The other two victims were taken to the Hennepin County Medical Center by ambulance.

Misky Noor, a spokesperson for Black Lives Matter Minneapolis, told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday that one person required surgery after being shot in the stomach.

Police said officials were searching for three white males believed to have been involved in the shootings.

Officers said Tuesday that a 23-year-old white man was arrested in Bloomington, to the south of Minneapolis.

Police later announced a second arrest in the city's south of a 32-year-old Hispanic man.

"Dozens of officers responded almost immediately attending to victims and secured the scene," police said in a statement. "Additional resources were called in and are actively investigating the shootings, interviewing a multitude of witnesses. The Police Department is working to identify suspects. The police are asking that anyone with information to please come forward."

Adja Gilersleve, a spokesperson for Black Lives Matter Minneapolis, told BuzzFeed News on Tuesday the group did not yet have any detailed information on the suspects.

"Other than there was four of them that were white and all in masks," she said. "One of the protesters approached one of them because they were acting sketchy, and, after an altercation, found out that the shooter [had] on a bulletproof vest."

Noor told reporters Tuesday that protesters initially confronted four white men filming the encampment and began to "escort them away" when the men refused to remove their masks. The men then opened fire, she said.

"What happened last night was a planned hate crime and an act of terrorism," she said.

Noor was highly critical of the police response, accusing them of ignoring the threat of white supremacists to protesters and instead focusing their attention on peaceful demonstrators.

"We will not bow to fear or intimidation. Black Lives Matter exists to fight this type of dangerous white supremacy," she said.

Earlier this week, Black Lives Matter Minneapolis shared footage on social media showing what it said were armed white supremacists on their way to the protests.

Facebook: video.php

Sources told Minnesota's Star Tribune newspaper that authorities are "weighing" whether to treat the incident as a hate crime.

Kyle Loven, a spokesperson for the FBI's Minneapolis division, told BuzzFeed News the bureau was aware of the incident. "We are currently coordinating with Minneapolis police to assess the matter and determine if federal action is appropriate," he said.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office gave the same statement to BuzzFeed News.

The incident comes after protests erupted in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of 24-year-old Jamar Clark, an unarmed black man, by police on Nov. 15.

Jamar Clark is seen in an undated photo released by his sister, Javille Burns.

Javille Burns / AP

Authorities have said Clark was shot during a struggle while they were trying to protect an assault victim.

Protesters have said Clark was handcuffed when he was shot and have called for videos related to his death to be released.

The Department of Justice has opened an investigation into whether Clark's civil rights were violated.

A statement from Eddie Sutton, Clark's brother, that was shared by Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison after Monday's shooting read: "Thank you to the community for the incredible support you have shown for our family in this difficult time. We appreciate Black Lives Matter for holding it down and keeping the protests peaceful. But in light of tonight's shootings, the family feels out of imminent concern for the safety of the occupiers, we must get the occupation of the 4th Precinct ended and onto the next step."

However, a spokesperson inside Black Lives Matter said there was more than just one opinion within the family about what to do, and told BuzzFeed News "we are working closely with them."

Black Lives Matter Minneapolis will reconvene at the 4th precinct today, according to the spokesperson. The protests will begin around 2 p.m.

The group sent a tweet requesting supplies, and told BuzzFeed News in an email they're expecting a "very big" crowd.

In a video statement, Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges said she "abhorred" the attacks.

Facebook: video.php

After the 23-year-old was arrested, Hodges said: "Proud that [Minneapolis Police Department] has arrested one suspect in last night's abhorrent shooting. We are sparing no efforts to bring any and all those responsible to justice."

In a Facebook post on Tuesday morning, Sen. Al Franken, who represents Minnesota, said he was "horrified" to learn of the shooting.

Facebook: Sen.Franken

Amy Klobuchar, the state's senior senator, also condemned the "acts of violence" and called for peace.

Facebook: amyklobuchar

Mike Hayes contributed to this report.

LINK: Minneapolis Police Clash With Protesters In Wake Of Fatal Shooting

LINK: Minneapolis Police Describe Use Of Force After Night Of Clashes With Protesters

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Monday, November 23, 2015

Donald Trump Defends Retweet Of Fake Crime Statistics

Fox News / Via youtube.com

Leading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump scoffed Monday at the suggestion that he check every statistic on his Twitter account after he posted an image containing made-up statistics on race and murder.

Trump told Fox News' Bill O'Reilly in an interview that he believed the image came from credible sources.

"Am I going to check every statistic?" Trump asked.

Twitter: @realdonaldtrump

"This was a retweet," Trump added. "It came from sources that are very credible, what can I tell you."

The graphic attributed its data to an agency that doesn't exist and stated the vast majority of murders of white victims were killed by black offenders. In reality — based on the most recent set of FBI crime statistics — most white victims are killed by white offenders, and most black victims are killed by black offenders.

It wasn't immediately clear who made the graphic, but the exaggeration of black-on-white crime is a familiar tactic within white supremacy circles. Charles Johnson of Little Green Footballs identified the the graphic was first tweeted from an account whose profile photo is the modified swastika used by a Nazi religious movement. The account has since been made private.

During Monday's interview, O'Reilly questioned Trump's claim that he had heard similar statistics from credible sources, including radio shows. O'Reilly offered advice that Trump check the facts he tweets or take a break from Twitter.

"Don't do this," O'Reilly said. "Don’t put your name on stuff like this."

Trump added that he believed his supporters knew he had no racist intentions.

"I think people know better than that," he said. "I’m probably the least racist person on earth."

LINK: Donald Trump Tweeted Made-Up Statistics About Race And Murder

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Family Of Homeless Man Beaten To Death By Police Reaches $4.9 Million Settlement

Footage from a security camera that shows much of the altercation between Fullerton police officers and Kelly Thomas.

Pool / Getty Images

A Southern California city has reached a $4.9-million settlement with the family of a homeless man who died after he was beaten by police officers during an arrest in 2011.

The death of Kelly Thomas, a 37-year-old man with schizophrenia, in Fullerton sparked protests when photos showed his bloodied, swollen face in his hospital bed.

A bloody picture of Kelly Thomas drew audible gasps during a preliminary court hearing.

Pool / Getty Images

Three Fullerton police officers were fired and later charged with murder and manslaughter for their actions, which were captured on surveillance video.

A jury, however, found two of the officers not guilty in 2014, and charges were dropped against a third. Their attorneys claimed Thomas' death was not caused directly by the force used by the officers, who also believed the mentally ill man posed a threat.

Ron Thomas, the father of Kelly Thomas, stands at a news conference in a file photo.

Damian Dovarganes / AP

A civil wrongful death lawsuit filed by Ron Thomas, Kelly's father, remained in the court system, but on Monday, city officials announced they had reviewed a settlement, which was awaiting final approval by the city's insurance company.

Thomas told the Associated Press the settlement was $4.9 million.

The city previously reached a $1-million settlement with Cathy Thomas, Kelly's mother, who is divorced from Ron.

LINK: Massive Uproar After Two Police Officers Found Not Guilty In Beating Death Of Schizophrenic Man

SOURCE: BuzzFeed

The New Argentine President Celebrated His Victory By Dancing Like Your Dad

♫ ‘Cause this is election, election night! ♫

♫ It was close to miiiiidnight and Argentina's conservatives were no longer lurking in the dark... ♫

♫ Under the moooonlight, Mauricio Macri had just won 51.4% of country's heart... ♫

Agence France-Presse / Via youtube.com

♫ He tried to daaaance, but joy overtook the moves that he was making... ♫

Agence France-Presse / Via youtube.com

♫ He looked like your daaaaad, with wedding dance moves that would cause surprise... You're paralyzed! ♫

Agence France-Presse / Via youtube.com