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Former Metro Nashville Police officer guilty of killing wife www.privateofficer.com
NASHVILLE, Tenn.Aug 27 2011 – Former Metro Nashville Police officer Dean Cartmell has been found guilty of 2nd degree murder in the shooting death of his wife, Shari.
The jury reached the verdict just before 10 p.m. Friday.
Cartmell was charged with the first-degree murder of his wife at their home in northeast Nashville in March 2010. He said it was an accidental discharge, and his wife shot herself. However, police said their investigation found that was not true.
Sentencing was set for October 7.
Source:newschannel5.com
TSA agent pleads guilty to defrauding US government www.privateofficer.com
BUFFALO, N.Aug 27 2011-U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Minnetta Walker, 43, an officer with the federal Transportation Security Administration, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara, to conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Regina R. McCullen, 53, a Customer Assistant with the City of Buffalo Clerk’s Office, pleaded guilty before Judge Arcara, to conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with identification documents.
The conspiracy charge against Walker carries a maximum term of 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, while the document conspiracy charge against McCullen carries a maximum term of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Catherine Baumgarten, who is handling both case, stated that through February 2011, Walker had been employed by the United States Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), as a Behavior Detection Officer, assigned to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport (Buffalo Airport) in Cheektowaga, New York. TSA is an agency responsible for ensuring passenger safety and national security as it relates to the country’s air transportation system. The defendant’s official position required that she observe, detect and analyze conduct and behavior in persons throughout the airport, which indicated a particular traveler could be a threat to aviation security.
As part of her guilty plea, defendant Walker admitted (among other things) that while on official duty, she assisted certain individuals, including Derek Frank, in bypassing the normal security procedures, measures, and requirements at the Buffalo Airport. The defendant’s criminal conduct included allowing Frank to travel under a fictitious name, and permitting Frank to bypass the Ticket Document Checker, whose job is to examine persons, property and other articles entering aircraft and the airport area at the Buffalo Airport. The defendant also on occasion directed Frank to bypass the body image scanner/pat-down security line, and interfered with a screener’s ability to monitor the x-ray of Frank’s belongings.
Defendant Walker also admitted that she alerted two individuals, including Antonio Briggs, to the fact that police officers were conducting undercover surveillance of Briggs. Both Frank and Briggs are pending indictment for narcotics conspiracy charges, and are presumed innocent unless and until convicted in a Court of law.
Sentencing for Walker is scheduled for January 4, 2011, at 12:30 p.m., in Buffalo, N.Y., before Judge Arcara.
Defendant McCullen, meanwhile, while on official duty at the City of Buffalo Clerk’s Office, admitted that she used her official position to illegally produce in July 2010, a birth certificate card issued by the City of Buffalo. While the fingerprint and photograph on the fictitious card was that of Derek Anthony, the name on the birth certificate was that of another person. Thereafter, that same fictitious birth certificate card was used by Derek Frank to travel via airlines between Buffalo, New York and Phoenix, Arizona.
Sentencing for defendant McCullen is scheduled for December 20, 2011, at 12:30 p.m., in Buffalo, N.Y., before Judge Arcara.
Regarding the Walker conviction, United States Attorney Hochul said, “The public has the right to expect that airport security officers will faithfully perform their important role of keeping air travelers safe.” Hochul added, “When a TSA or any law enforcement officer abuses their position of trust, and instead helps others evade the law, this Office will vigorously prosecute that officer regardless of their badge.”
Christopher M. Piehota , Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Buffalo Office stated “In this case, a federal employee who worked as a behavioral detection officer made the choice to interfere and obstruct security measures. Her acts not only defrauded the government but also allowed others to further criminal acts of their own. The public should be assured that the safe travel of our citizens is an absolute priority for the law enforcement community.”
As for McCullen, US Attorney Hochul stated that, “In her particular public office, Regina McCullen was responsible for producing important official identification documents which are regularly used in any number of ways in our society. Such officials must act with the utmost integrity and care. Because McCullen disregarded the responsibilities of her position, and willingly broke the law, she will now be punished accordingly.”
The pleas are a part of an ongoing investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Piehota; Transportation Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, under the direction of Federal Security Director, Derek DePietro; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Dale Kasprzyk; NFTA Transit Police, under the direction of Chief George Gast, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, under the direction of James C. Spero
Source:wkbw.com
Police using social media to track “Flash Mobs” www.privateofficer.com
CLEVELAND OH Aug 27 2011 — The “flash mob” phenomenon is posing new challenges for police and community leaders.
In cases across the country, it’s escalated to violence and vandalism.
Local police now team up with federal officials to sniff out the mobs.
Even if there is an arrest, the crime is considered minor nearly 100 percent of the time, with charges such as vandalism, disorderly conduct, or simple assault.
Still, the flash mob threat is now important enough to put in the hands of Homeland Security.
The Fusion Center, located on the ninth floor of the Justice Center in Cleveland, monitors Internet communication from Ashtabula to Lorain counties and all communities in between.
The group was originally organized to monitor potential terror activity and alert appropriate law enforcement.
They are now monitoring social media to root out the mobs.
“The challenge to law enforcement is to know when you have a group that is there for trouble or have a group that is there for fun and communicate,” Cuyahoga County Sheriff Bob Reid said.
“Our goal is to catch that message as soon as it goes out so that we’re not caught off guard,” Cleveland Police Spokesman Sammy Morris said.
Among the analysts are Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s deputies, Homeland Security agents and Cleveland police officers.
The challenge is having enforcement in place before the mob assembles.
“We’re dealing with a younger age group that aren’t real sophisticated. To pick up on what we are looking for is not very difficult at all,” Fusion Center Director Bill Schenkelberg said.
Local rapper Machine Gun Kelly’s flash mob publicity stunt at Strongsville’s Southpark Mall was not detected beforehand.
It took the trouble to a new level.
“You get copycats that do that. They see some of the success story that this individual had, now all of the sudden they are doing it for their own selfish purposes, Sheriff Reid said.
The two greatest deterrents are a strong police presence and tips from parents and kids.
Source:WKYC-TV
Store security officer investigation leads to arrest of burglar www.privateofficer.com
Novato police on Wednesday arrested a 19-year-old Novato man on suspicion of five burglaries from the Lucky supermarket in downtown Novato. With help from a loss-prevention officer and store surveillance video, Taylor Nason Lizarraga was identified as a suspect in five shoplifting incidents between early June and late July and now faces five felony burglary charges.
Police obtained Lizarraga’s name and tracked him down at his house on Merritt Drive, where they asked him to go down to the police station with officers. After an interview, he was arrested at 1 p.m. Wednesday and booked at Marin County Jail.
In addition to the burglaries, Lizarraga faces a felony count for receiving stolen property and a misdemeanor probation violation.
Oklahoma teacher busted for giving students booze www.privateofficer.com
Some parents say they are outraged at this sixth grade teacher’s behavior.
“We’re shocked, people are hurting right now,” Edie Preston said.
She says one of her sons was a student in Farrell’s class last year.
Parents say Farrell has been a teacher at Dover Schools for several years.
“We’ve had at least two parties on record where juveniles were drinking and that’s always a concern. It’s against the law and it’s unsafe,” West Henry said, Kingfisher County Sheriff’s Department.
The affidavit states, at one party, Farrell brought Mike’s Hard Lemonade and several minors drank it.
At the second party, witnesses told deputies she brought a 30 pack of Keystone beer and a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey.
They say she even stayed the night, sleeping on the couch until 10 a.m. the next morning.
“Everyone in this town is upset, we would love to resolve this as quickly as possible,” Preston said.
We tried to talk to school administrators about Farrell or if any disciplinary action will be taken, but they could not comment.
We even stopped by the superintendent’s house who lives across the street from the school.
No one answered the door.
Some parents and staff members say they were told not to talk about this situation to the media.
Some were even concerned about retaliation on their children.
But many said they are happy this situation was finally brought to the attention of authorities.
We tried to get a comment from Farrell but we could not reach her.
Investigators say she did admit to giving alcohol to students at both parties.
In the affidavit, she reportedly admitted it was a bad idea.
Farrell is charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Illinois security guard sent to prison for having gun illegally www.privateofficer.com
Belleville IL Aug 27 2011 A man who was working for a security firm was sentenced Thursday to 18 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a gun.
Patrick D. Liddell, 41, of Belleville, received the 18-month term and three years of supervised release. His prior felony conviction was for crack cocaine dealing.
He pleaded guilty on April 29 after an FBI agent and trooper from the Illinois State Police discovered he had a gun under his vehicle seat on Aug. 24, 2010. The Bersa 380 handgun was loaded with hollow-point ammunition and a loaded clip was also found in the vehicle while Liddell was working for KLM Security at a construction site in East St. Louis.
Liddell’s boss, Kim L. McAfee, pleaded guilty earlier this week to 38 counts for lying in a civil rights investigation and about underpayment of his employees. McAfee’s sentencing is in December.
Liddell was the first of McAfee’s employees to be prosecuted as a result of the investigation into McAfee and his security company. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin F. Burke handled the case.
Source:www.bnd.com
A message on a mirror www,privateofficer.com
Charlotte NC Aug 27 2011 Caitlin Boyle was struggling with a chemistry class and feeling down one evening two summers ago when she decided to turn her mood around.
“You are beautiful!” she scribbled on a piece of notebook paper, which she stuck on a community college bathroom mirror for a stranger to find.
She posted what she’d done on her food-and-fitness blog, healthytipping point.com , and asked her readers to do the same. They did. And a movement, of sorts, was born.
“I remember thinking, ‘I wonder who will find this note, and how it will make them feel?’ ” says Boyle, 27, who moved to Charlotte from Orlando, Fla., last year. “I was just having a really bad day and I wanted to do something nice for somebody else.”
Within three days, 75 of Boyle’s blog readers told her about anonymous notes they’d left.
Within weeks, Boyle started http://www.operationbeautiful .com . There, Boyle posts photos of the self-affirming anonymous messages others leave or find, along with the stories behind them.
Within months, Boyle had a book deal with a major publisher, Gotham Books. “Operation Beautiful: Transforming the Way You See Yourself One Post-it Note at a Time” came out last summer, and two more books are in the works.
She’s captured big media attention, including the Oprah Winfrey Network and NBC’s “Today Show.”
She speaks about Operation Beautiful at colleges nationwide and updates the site almost daily with correspondence she gets from people who have both left and received the anonymous notes. They have spanned the globe, reaching as far as Australia and the South Pole.
Boyle says her goal is loftier than simply brightening strangers’ moods. She says she’s trying to banish “fat-talk,” or the negative thoughts people have about themselves, and replace them with affirming messages.
It’s good for both the receiver and the sender, she believes.
“The sneaky thing about Operation Beautiful is that when you write down these messages for other people, you’re really saying them to yourself,” Boyle says.
A positive impact
Psychologists say that while finding an affirming post-it note probably won’t change how a woman feels about herself, it can have a positive – if unmeasurable – impact.
Melinda Harper, an associate professor of psychology at Queens University of Charlotte and a licensed clinical psychologist who works with adolescents and young adults, says she asks patients to place affirming notes for themselves on mirrors or in calendars where they can see them every day.
It’s part of what psychologists call Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which challenges people to identify positive things about themselves so that, over time, they will reframe how they see themselves.
Finding an anonymous post-it left by a stranger may make more of an impact, Harper says, because people often dismiss compliments from friends or family members.
“What I like is the anonymous piece of it,” Harper says. “Here’s someone anonymously putting that out there and encouraging you to believe that about yourself.”
And research shows, Harper says, that “kindness, altruism, taking a moment to give something back to someone else or to extend a compliment can generate a boost in one’s mood or self-esteem.”
Boyle says she’s received emails from readers who say Operation Beautiful has changed their lives.
The most haunting, she says, came from a Canadian teenager who was frail from a deadly eating disorder. She went into a bathroom stall to throw up a sandwich after a therapy session and found a post-it: “You’re good enough the way you are. You’re beautiful. Operationbeautiful.com”
She wrote Boyle, saying that the note was the inspiration she needed to get healthy. Within months, she’d gained 30 pounds.
World of a blogger
Boyle says she’s not getting rich from her life as a blogger; when asked where she and her husband live, she’s quick to point out that their home in Myers Park is a rental.
She says it was her first book deal that gave her the financial push she needed to quit her job as an urban planner for a small consulting firm and focus on her blogs and book writing full-time. She says she’d considered becoming a physical therapist for a while – hence the chemistry class where Operation Beautiful was born – but decided to follow the path to full-time blogging and book writing.
And write she does. Three times a day, Boyle updates her healthytippingpoint.com blog, often posting photos of what she ate that day, healthy food recipes, notes about an upcoming race, or books she’s reading.
She says part of what she believes has made her blog so successful is that she’s willing to blog about almost everything that is going on in her life, with the exceptions of details about her marriage or “secrets that are not my secrets to tell.”
Learning through life
Now that Operation Beautiful has caught flight, Boyle says she’d like to develop a curriculum for girls or young women who are already starting Operation Beautiful clubs in their middle schools, high schools and colleges.
“You look at media today and it is hyper-sexualized,” Boyle says. Society tells little girls “that how good they are with the opposite sex is more important, as opposed to how smart they are or how funny they are.”
Boyle acknowledges that she has no psychology training, but she says her own life experiences and hearing about others’ struggles through online communities have given her the background she needs to write about issues like raising confident children, handling bullying, choosing friends and dealing with toxic family members.
Her blog carries a disclaimer stating that she’s not a medical expert and that the advice she gives is based only on her life experience.
“So much of Operation Beautiful is hearing other people’s stories and … validating those stories and giving them a voice.”
Source:www.charlotteobserver.com
Police stop teens in school shooting plot www.privateofficer.com
ST Tammany Parish LA Aug 27 2011 The three boys accused of plotting a shooting spree at Lakeshore High School appeared in a St. Tammany Parish courtroom Thursday morning for an hourlong closed-door hearing — their fourth since their arrests four weeks ago.
Scott Threlkeld, The Times-Picayune Lakeshore High School Parents drop off their children at Lakeshore High School in St. Tammany Parish Monday, August 8, 2011, on the first day of school.
Despite a motion filed Wednesday by The Times-Picayune seeking access to the proceedings, any outcomes of Thursday’s hearing remain a secret.
For about an hour, prosecution and defense attorneys gathered around Judge Mary Devereux’s bench before Court Administrator Adrienne Stroble announced that the judge had taken no action on the newspaper’s motion, instead scheduling a hearing for Sept. 9.
The 15-year-olds — Todd Warren Singleton, Jacob Todd Keller and Daniel Antoine Hopkins — were originally booked with conspiracy to commit terrorism. If convicted, the charges could send them to juvenile jail until their 21st birthdays.
The charges have since been amended, but citing a strict gag order and sealed juvenile case files, no one at the St. Tammany Parish courthouse will say what they were amended to.
The trio allegedly called themselves “Day Zero” and planned their shooting spree for the first day of school. They intended to kill at least one student, a teacher and anyone who tried to stop them, then commit suicide, according to St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain.
A fellow student alerted school officials, who contacted the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Strain said documents on the boys’ computers described the spree in detail. They spent weeks planning the attack, he said. He would not specify whether they had any weapons.
The boys were scheduled to enter preliminary pleas on Aug. 15, but Singleton’s attorney, Jack E. “Bobby” Truitt, filed a motion requesting Devereux remove herself before the hearing could get under way.
The question of removal was heard, also in secret, on Aug. 18 by Judge August J. Hand. The court will not confirm Hand’s ruling, again citing the gag order and sealed file, although two September hearings scheduled in the matter remain slotted for Devereux’s court.
It is unclear whether the boys have yet entered preliminary pleas. They are still being held at the Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center near Robert on $500,000 cash bonds.
While juvenile court proceedings are typically confidential, Louisiana law grants access to cases involving certain violent crimes. The motion filed Wednesday by The Times-Picayune says the public has been illegally barred from the hearings.
Stroble said that the boys’ defense attorneys, who requested the gag order and secret proceedings, will be given an opportunity to respond to the newspaper’s motion before Devereux makes a ruling.
Source:nola.com
Mall patron charged with gun offense www.privateofficer.com
Glendale CA Aug 27 2011 A 27-year-old South Gate man was arrested Wednesday evening after he ran from police inside the Glendale Galleria, where a patron allegedly spotted him carrying a gun, police said.
Nathaniel Gonzales, who is on federal probation for drug violations, was taken into custody about 7 p.m. after police officers chased him from the mall through the Anoush Banquet Hall on the 400 block of West Colorado Street, according to police reports.
A mall patron called police about 6:51 p.m. after noticing Gonzales carrying a gun in his shorts pocket as he walked in and out of the mall near Target, according to police reports.
The patron told police that Gonzales was acting suspicious.
“I have to give credit to the person who called this in,” police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said. “If you don’t call us, something bad can happen.”
Community service and security officers searched for Gonzales on video footage from surveillance cameras inside the mall and spotted him talking on a cell phone, according to police. As they looked at the video, they noticed a bulky item in his pocket.
Plain-clothes Glendale police officers approached Gonzales and displayed their badges, but he turned and ran away, according to incident reports.
Officers ordered Gonzales to stop, but he ran through the mall parking lot and across Columbus Street to the banquet hall, police said.
Gonzales entered the empty banquet hall, ran through the building and out a rear exit, where he was arrested on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a concealed weapon and resisting arrest, police said.
Officers searched a large container used for pickling vegetables near the banquet hall’s exit and found a loaded North American Arms Guardian pistol, which the employee told officers wasn’t there before Gonzales ran through the building.
The gun had been reported stolen on April 27 in La Habra, according to police.
Detectives are still trying to determine whether Gonzales was the one who stole the gun, Lorenz said.
Three men charged with groping at UC Berkeley campus www.privateofficer.com
Berkeley CA Aug 27 2011 Three men were arrested in Berkeley earlier this week on suspicion of misdemeanor sexual battery after women were groped on or near the UC Berkeley campus, police said.
None of the three victims was injured, police said.
“I wouldn’t classify these as a trend,” said UC Berkeley police Spokesman Lt. Marc Decoulode. “Periodically we have sexual grabs in the area, but it is a little surprising to have three in two days. They were not related and in all cases suspects were arrested.”
On Sunday at 1 a.m. a woman walking through campus just east of Oxford Street was approached by a man who asked directions. The man “inappropriately grabbed her groin area and breasts” a UC Berkeley crime alert said. The woman screamed and pushed the man’s hands away and ran to Oxford Street where she flagged down a security officer who called police.
UC Berkeley police later arrested Edward Jesus Mosqueda 32 of San Pablo, in connection with the incident.
Also on Sunday about 10:30 a.m., a female parent of a UC Berkeley student was groped near campus in the 2100 block of Channing Street. The victim hit the man with her purse and the man walked away, police said.
Police later arrested Ruben Vincio Palate, 42 of Richmond.
On Monday about 9 p.m. a 19-year-old female student who was walking with two friends on Durant Avenue near Bowditch Street was “grabbed inappropriately” by a man who approached from behind. Police arrested Torra Dimirra.
Court security officers finds drugs on man www.privateofficer.com
During a screening by McHenry County Government Center security officers, David N. Harman of Wonder Lake was found to have illegal pills in his possession, a McHenry County Sheriff’s Office news release said.
Harman, 31, 3705 Greenwood Drive, was charged with Class 4 felony unlawful possession of a controlled substance.
Harman was found with Suboxone, a prescription medication used to wean opiate dependence, the release said. The medication itself is also highly addictive.
Source:Northwest Herald
Man commits suicide after shooting into businesses www.privateofficer.com
VALLEY CITY, N.D. Aug 27 2011(AP) — Preliminary autopsy results show that a Valley City man who allegedly fired rifle shots into two businesses before being found dead in his crashed truck died of a single gunshot wound.
Barnes County Sheriff Randy McClaflin says the death of 21-year-old Matt Schaefer is an apparent suicide. He says no one else is being investigated in Schaefer’s death.
Authorities believe Schaefer fired three shots into the Brothers III convenience store and a single shot into the Dakota Silver liquor store on Tuesday afternoon, after having an altercation with workers at the liquor store. No one was hurt.
Schaefer’s body and a rifle were found a short time later in his pickup truck, which had crashed into a power pole near Baldhill Dam on the Sheyenne River north of the city.
Police officer settles lawsuit against ballistic shield company www.privateofficer.com
BELLEVILLE IL Aug 27 2011• A ballistic shield manufacturer settled on Friday afternoon a lawsuit brought by Jon Brough, the Belleville police officer disfigured by shotgun blast from a holed-up suspect, after a judge imposed harsh sanctions against the company’s attorneys.
Circuit Judge Lloyd Cueto imposed the sanctions against lawyers for shield-maker Safariland, saying they hid information during the litigation process. The lawyers were required to produce documents to Brough’s lawyers so they could pursue their case.
A stash of documents was turned over at the last minute, right as the case was set for trial earlier this week.
The settlement, for an undisclosed amount, was filed under seal Friday afternoon in St. Clair County Circuit Court.
“It is settled for a substantial amount of money,” said Bruce Cook, a Belleville lawyer representing Brough. He declined further comment.
Safirland’s lawyers–W. Wylie Blair and Keith Phoenix–couldn’t be reached for comment.
Cueto wrote in an order filed on Friday: “The discovery violations committed by defense counsel were not mere delays or insignificant mistakes that occurred inadvertently but rather deliberate or intentional, systematic, dishonest conduct. Their violations undermined the entire system. Their actions showed a disregard of the Court’s authority because they believe that they alone decide discovery matters.”
Discovery is the process were each side shares information relevant to the case.
Brough, a 22-year police veteran, was shot on Nov. 10, 2006, while he and other officers stormed a home in Belleville looking for Larry Sicka, a double murder suspect. Sicka, who was alone in the home, committed suicide after the shooting.
A controversy developed over why police were ordered to storm the house. Belleville Police Chief Dave Ruebhausen was place on administrative leave three days after the incident, and later fired. Mayor Mark Eckert said the firing had nothing to do with the Brough shooting and that is was over a difference in management styles.
The city wasn’t named as a defendant.
Brough underwent multiple reconstructive surgeries to his face but will not see or smell again.
The shield, typically used by riot police, was carried by the officer and protected his body. He was shot in the face. The lawsuit, filed in 2007, says the shield was defectively designed.
Safariland is a major provider of law enforcement and security products.
Jury selection was set to begin earlier this week. That was delayed as Cueto refereed the discovery drama.
Cueto said he had never imposed such sanctions, which almost assured Brough a victory at trial, in his 17 years on the bench. The move meant a jury would only consider damages.
“The striking of pleadings is to be granted only in the most egregious and systematic, deliberate or intentional discovery violations,” he wrote.
Undisclosed settlement reached after judge imposed harsh sanctions.
Source:www.stltoday.com
TSA agent arrested at Memphis airport with gun www.privateofficer.com
Memphis TN Aug 27 2011 A Transportation Security Administration employee at Memphis International Airport was arrested by airport police Wednesday after he was accused of carrying a handgun into the main terminal building.
The gun was found during a security check at the terminal’s “A” concourse in a bag belonging to TSA employee Richard Banks III. He told airport police that he forgot the handgun, a 9mm Glock 17, was in the bag.
John Greaud, vice president of operations at the airport, said bringing the gun to the airport was not intentional.
“He had just grabbed a bag and tossed his clothes in it because he needed to change once he got to work and he didn’t realize a gun was in there,” Greaud said. “The normal process was followed. It made no difference that he was an employee. The proper procedures were followed.”
A report from the Memphis International Airport Police Department says Banks was issued a misdemeanor citation for unlawful possession of a weapon in lieu of being held in custody.
95 year old California man survives being stung over 600 times by bees www.privateofficer.com
Redondo Beach CA Aug 27 2011 Louis Todero, a 95-year-old Redondo Beach resident, was stung up to 600 times when he was swarmed by “thousands of bees” on Wednesday, August 24, according to Redondo Beach Police. The attack occurred just before 3:00 p.m.
“He’s a remarkable man…He got stung all over his neck, his arms and his eyes. He’s just lucky to still be here,” his daughter Louise told ABC News on Thursday.
Medical experts state that it is possible to die from as few as 50 stings if you are among the approximately 4% of people who are allergic to bee venom.
According to L.A. County Vector Control, a “swarm cluster” can consist of 3,000 to 50,000 bees, and the aggressiveness of the bees that attacked Mr. Todero indicates they are probably Africanized Honey Bees, called “killer bees.”
The bees had their hive in the roof of an apartment house on Ruxton Lane and became agitated when an exterminator attempted to remove them, according to the police. Mr. Todero lives nearby with his daughter and was out taking a walk when he passed the building.
“They tried to warn him, `Don’t come. Don’t come,”‘ Louise Todero told ABC News. “But I don’t think he heard them even though he had his hearing aids in.”
The bees reportedly also attacked the exterminator and responding firemen, but they were wearing protective gear.
It was first estimated that Mr. Todero had been stung around 200 times, but hospital officials reportedly increased that number after removing and counting the stingers. Sgt. Phil Keenan, spokesman for the Redondo Beach Police Department, announced that Todero is “doing fine.” “Most men would have died, but he’s taking it in stride,” Keenan told the L.A. Times.
Louis Todero was still hospitalized in Torrance as of Thursday, August 25, but is reported to be in good condition. He was scheduled to go home on Wednesday, but hospital officials decided to delay his release as a precautionary measure.
The bee hive was set to be removed on Thursday evening, but the large number of media crews caused Redondo Beach Police to order a delay until there is less activity in the neighborhood. The street was reportedly covered with dead bees after the attack on Mr. Todero. It is now cordoned off for public safety, Sgt. Keenan said.
Africanized honey bees, also called “killer bees,” arrived in Southern California in 1994 and are closely related to the European honey bee used in agriculture for crop pollination and honey production, according to Living with Africanized Honey Bees. (LA County West Vector Control District)
Africanized and European honey bees look identical and both can sting only once. They have the same venom and protect their colony by stinging in defense.
The differences are that Africanized honey bees (1) respond quickly and in larger numbers; (2) defend a larger area around their hive and will pursue intruders one-quarter mile, or more; (3) nest in small cavities and sheltered areas.
Essortment explains that, “a bee’s stinger is…a small barbed stinger that has a venom sack attached that can continue to pump venom into your system for 20 minutes after you have been stung. It can also release a hormone into the air that will make other bees in the area more aggressive and apt to sting also. So it is imperative to remove the stinger as quickly as possible and stop the venom from pumping.” http://www.essortment.com/bee-sting-treatment-22011.html
L.A. County Vector Control urges anyone stung by a bee to quickly go to a safe area and remove the stinger. They recommend scraping the stinger out with a fingernail or credit card if tweezers are not available. Avoid squeezing the venom sac. Then wash the area with soap and water. For multiple stings or hypersensitive individuals, seek immediate medical attention. More at…www.lawestvector.org
Woman arrested for trying to smuggle endangered birds to China www.privateofficer.com
Los Angeles CA Aug 27 2011 A woman was arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle two endangered birds that were wrapped in socks and taped to her body as she tried to board a flight from Los Angeles International Airport to China, the Transportation Security Administration said Friday.
TSA officers found one of the birds taped to the woman’s chest, while another was taped to her leg as she walked through a security checkpoint inside the Tom Bradley International Terminal around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, said Nico Melendez, a TSA spokesman.
The woman was was identified by sources close to the investigation as Xia Jian Pan, who was carrying a Chinese passport.
The species of the bright yellow birds was not immediately reported.
Pan was scheduled to board China Southern Airlines Flight CZ-328, bound for Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in China, authorities said.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife officers arrested the woman on suspicion of smuggling and exporting an endangered species out of the United States, Melendez said.
The woman’s arrest comes the same week that another traveler allegedly tried to smuggle snakes and turtles beneath his clothing at Miami International Airport.
The man was arrested Thursday after walking through a body scanner, which detected the reptiles, the TSA said.
Source:dailybreeze.com
