Man kills 2 Edison co-workers before turning gun on self

The employee critically wounds two other employees at the utility's information technology offices in Irwindale. He was very deliberate about whom he targeted, a source says.

by Richard Winton and Angel Jennings, Los Angeles Times

December 16, 2011

An employee went on a shooting rampage at Southern California Edison offices in Irwindale on Friday, killing two co-workers and critically wounding two others before taking his own life.

The man opened fire at the utility's information technology offices about 1:30 p.m. He methodically picked off co-workers, including some Edison supervisors, a source told The Times.

"He told some people to leave and he was very deliberate about who he shot," the source said. "He did not like management."

One man was found dead next to his work cubicle. The shooter was lying nearby in an open area, a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman said.

A third man was pronounced dead at a hospital. The other two employees, a man and a woman, remained hospitalized in critical condition Friday evening, Sheriff's Lt. Holly Francisco said.

Sheriff's homicide detectives recovered a semiautomatic handgun at the scene. Francisco said it appeared the gunman and the victims had all worked together. The shooter was at work in the morning, she added.

"We don't know if he left and came back," she said. "Witnesses are being interviewed now."

Theodore F. Craver Jr., chief executive officer of Edison International, confirmed that the gunman and three of the shooting victims were employees of the information technology unit. The fourth victim, one of those critically wounded, was a contract worker.

Neither the shooter nor the victims were identified because relatives are still being notified.

"It is a very sad day for us," Craver said outside the gates of the Edison complex. "Our hearts and prayers go out to families of the employees."

About 1,100 people, mostly information technology staff, work in the offices, Craver said. Employees need a key card to get into the facility, he said. The gated complex at 4910 Rivergrade Road, just off the 605 Freeway, consists of two, two-story buildings and the three-story building where the shooting took place.

When the shooting started, employees hunkered down in their offices or break rooms, piling equipment in front of the doors, one worker said.

Baldwin Park Police Capt. Michael Taylor said SWAT officers feared there might be a second gunman and searched the building room by room, rescuing barricaded employees along the way. Some of the workers were seen in TV news reports walking out of the building with their hands up to show they had no weapons.

Employees said Edison, in an email, instructed them not to speak to the media. Hours after the shooting, several workers huddled outside the gates, crying and hugging a manager.

Nearby schools were locked down for a brief period until authorities were sure that the gunman was dead.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-edison-shooting-20111217,0,3292962.story

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'Barefoot Bandit' pleads guilty to more than 30 criminal charges

Rejecting defense claims that Harris-Moore was a psychologically crippled young man victimized by a tumultuous childhood, prosecutors in Washington state painted a picture of an ingenious criminal mastermind who taught himself to fly stolen planes and artfully set up his burglary victims to become repeat targets of future crimes.

"Not only did he keep homeowners under surveillance to determine how and when to break in, but we believe he kept the police under surveillance as well, which helped him evade capture for so long," Island County prosecutor Greg Banks said at Friday's hearing in Coupeville, Wash.

Banks said Harris-Moore, now 20, stole computers, credit cards and Social Security numbers during burglaries, then used them to order merchandise to be delivered to those same homes and offices -- only to break in again and steal it once it was delivered.

He stole a crowbar and bolt cutters from an Ace Hardware store on Orcas Island, then used the equipment to try to break into the store again later, San Juan County prosecutor Randall Gaylord told the court.

"It shows planning, sophistication, premeditation, all the kind of things that run counter to what...some of the other experts may say about him," he said.

He said Harris-Moore surveyed citizens' homes on Camano Island, where he previously lived with his mother, and nearby Orcas Island, to gauge when homeowners would be gone -- at which time he would break in and help himself.

"He would eat their food, take their shoes, put on their clothes, and make that place his own during the time that they weren't there," Gaylord said.

In one case, when sheriff's deputies were waiting for him at a house he had previously burglarized, Harris-Moore showed up with a key to the house and entered, he said. "He was ID'd, but before they could get a hand on him, he sprayed pepper spray and was gone. He was on his way out the door almost as fast as he came in."

Harris-Moore's two years on the lam came to an end in July 2010, when he was recognized at a resort in the Bahamas and arrested. He had flown to the islands in a plane stolen from Indiana.

Judge Vickie I. Churchill was expected to impose a sentence of up to 10 years Friday afternoon, after defense lawyers finished presenting their case.

Harris-Moore's attorney, John Henry Browne, warned that imposing a lengthy prison term could ruin the young man.

"Colton has a tremendous spirit. And I'm afraid...that his spirit will be killed and destroyed by a lengthy sentence," he told the court. "Yes, punish him. But make the punishment proportionate to who he is and what he's done."

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/

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Justice Department faults Seattle police use of force

The finding comes after a more than eight-month investigation into the police use of force, said Assistant Atty. Gen. Thomas E. Perez of the department's civil rights division. He was joined at a Seattle news conference by U.S. Atty. Jenny A. Durkan of the Western District of Washington.

“Our investigation has revealed that inadequate systems of supervision and oversight have permitted systemic use of force violations to persist at the Seattle Police Department,” Perez said. “Our findings should serve as a foundation to reform the police department and to help restore the community's confidence in fair, just and effective law enforcement.”

But the federal investigation did not find that police had engaged in discriminatory policing, according to a letter sent by officials to the city.

“Our investigation raises serious concerns on this issue,” federal officials wrote. Investigators noted that parts of the city believe that the police department engages in discriminatory policies because of the widely reported incidents involving violence against minorities.

“This perception can significantly undermine the trust necessary for SPD to conduct effective policing in minority communities,” investigators said.

The federal probe was launched last spring and is not tied to any specific incident. But it came after a Native American wood carver, John T. Williams, was fatally shot by police in 2010. The American Civil Liberties Union and more than two dozen other community groups called for the investigation.

Williams was holding a piece of wood and a knife as he crossed the street, according to a police video of the incident. Officer Ian Birk left his car to chase Williams and shouted for him to drop the knife then fired several shots. A folded knife was recovered.

Birk maintained that he was threatened by Williams, but a later review board found the shooting was unjustified. Birk eventually resigned.

Though the Williams incident was the most well-known nationally, there were others. Officers were recorded using anti-Mexican epithets as they beat a Latino man, wrongly believed to be a robbery suspect. There were also incidents of African American males being beaten.

“For many years, the city of Seattle periodically has faced accusations of police misconduct, including claims of excessive force and discriminatory policing techniques. Over the last decade, the city has responded to these allegations by implementing significant measures to improve police oversight, including developing and refining an elaborate police accountability system,” investigators said.

In its letter sent to Seattle city officials, including Mayor Michael McGinn, the federal officials said they found “a pattern or practice of constitutional violations regarding the use of force that result from structural problems, as well as serious concerns about biased policing. Resolution of our findings will require a written, court-enforceable agreement that sets forth remedial measures to be taken within a fixed period of time.”

But the federal authorities also said they were aware of the special problems that the Seattle police department faced and that could have contributed to officers' overreaction.

“We were mindful of the realities police officers face and the service they provide,” they wrote. In Seattle, “those realities include the backdrop of the murders of five police officers in and around Seattle, and the attempted murder and wounding of a sixth officer. These deaths were the result of unprovoked, unexpected attacks against on-duty uniformed officers by members of the community. We do not underestimate the impact that these events have on all police, and particularly on SPD officers.”

The Justice Department looked at a sample of police reports on the use of force between Jan. 1, 2009, to April 4, 2011. Federal investigators said they found that when Seattle officers used force, they did so in “an unconstitutional manner nearly 20% of the time.”

The report also noted that Seattle officers resorted to weapons such as batons and flashlights too quickly, “57% of the time, it is either unnecessary or excessive,” it said. It also found deficiencies in supervisor oversight on the use of weapons and inadequate policies and training in how to stop pedestrians.

“The solution to the problems identified within the Seattle Police Department will require strong and consistent leadership along the chain of command, effective training and policies and vigilant oversight,” Durkan said.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/

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From Google News

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Death of FAMU drum major ruled a homicide

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.–Florida A&M University drum major Robert Champion was beaten to death and his case has been ruled a homicide, according to the State Medical Examiner's Office in Orlando.

The cause of death was blunt-force trauma suffered during a hazing incident involving members of the FAMU Marching 100 band, the office said in a release issued Friday. The full autopsy report is expected to be made public next week.

Champion was a previously healthy 26-year-old who collapsed and died within an hour of the hazing incident, during which he suffered multiple blows to his body so severe that he bled out into his soft tissue, according to the summary. There were no signs of drugs or alcohol in his body.

• STORY: Hazing culture mars marching bands' glamour

• STORY: New criminal probe of FAMU officials

He collapsed on a bus outside an Orlando hotel after the Florida Classic football game Nov. 19. His death has set off a series of criminal and administrative inquiries, the suspension of the school's longtime director of bands, Julian White, and a rancorous political fight between Florida Gov. Rick Scott and the university's board of trustees that threatens the administration of FAMU President James H. Ammons.

Troy Harris, FAMU student body vice president, called the news "very, very unfortunate."

"At least we know now that we have accurate information to base our actions off of," Harris said. "Our condolences are still with the family."

On Thursday, the governor called on the trustees to put Ammons on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigations, setting off a protest march to the governor's mansion by hundreds of students who back the president.

Ammons and board of trustees Chairman Solomon Badger issued a joint news release after receiving the medical examiner's report:

"This information is extremely upsetting for all of us, even though it confirmed what we suspected. We again convey our deepest condolences to the Champion family. We will continue to cooperate with all agencies looking into the matter and are committed to creating a safe environment for the entire FAMU community and ensuring that this never happens again at FAMU."

The autopsy revealed extensive bruising of Champion's chest, arms, shoulder and back, with extensive bleeding under the skin and within deep muscles. The autopsy found no external bleeding, no injuries to his internal organs and no bone fractures.

The summary also says Champion had no evidence of natural disease except for a slightly enlarged heart.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are conducting a criminal investigation into Champion's death. The Sheriff's Office said Friday that the final autopsy report has been handed over to homicide investigators, who are finalizing the investigation into Champion's death and the hazing activities that led to it.

"Homicide investigators have interviewed the vast majority of the individuals present during this incident," the Sheriff's Office said in a news release. "In the coming days and weeks investigators will be working with the State Attorney's Office to identify the charges that are applicable."

Willie Meggs, state attorney for the 2nd Judicial District, isn't involved in the Champion investigation. However, Meggs said it's possible multiple people could be charged as principals in his death or for having aided and abetted the death.

"What we do is we look at the relative culpability of everyone involved," Meggs said. "That's what we do in every case. Clearly, multiple people can be charged."

Three band members were arrested this week in the unrelated injury of a young woman who suffered a cracked thigh bone and blood clots in her legs. She said she was severely beaten as part of a hazing initiation to join the Red Dawgs, a group within the Marching 100.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2011-12-16/famu-band-hazing-death/52013732/1

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From the Department of Justice

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Iraqi National Pleads Guilty to 23-Count Terrorism Indictment in Kentucky

Defendant Participated in Numerous Efforts to Kill U.S Troops in Iraq with IEDs

BOWLING GREEN, KY -- Iraqi citizen Waad Ramadan Alwan pleaded guilty to federal terrorism charges today in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Thomas B. Russell, announced Lisa Monaco, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; David J. Hale, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky; and Elizabeth A. Fries, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Louisville Division.

Alwan, 30, a former resident of Iraq, pleaded guilty to all counts of a 23-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals abroad; conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction (explosives) against U.S. nationals abroad; distributing information on the manufacture and use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs); attempting to provide material support to terrorists and to al-Qaeda in Iraq; as well as conspiracy to transfer, possess and export Stinger missiles. Alwan was indicted by a federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Ky., on May 26, 2011.

Alwan faces a maximum sentence of life in prison under the sentencing guidelines and a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for April 3, 2012, at noon in federal court in Bowling Green before Judge Russell.

Alwan's co-defendant, Mohanad Shareef Hammadi, 24, is charged in the same indictment with attempting to provide material support to terrorists and to al-Qaeda in Iraq, as well as conspiracy to transfer, possess and export Stinger missiles. Hammadi has entered a plea of not guilty to all charges and is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. A trial date for him has not been scheduled. Hammadi and Alwan were first arrested on criminal complaints on May 25, 2011.

“The successful investigation, arrest, interrogation and prosecution of Mr. Alwan demonstrates the effectiveness of our intelligence and law enforcement authorities in bringing terrorists to justice and preventing them from harming the American people,” said Assistant Attorney General Monaco. “I applaud all the dedicated professionals in the law enforcement and intelligence communities who are responsible for this successful outcome.”

According to the plea agreement and other court documents filed in this case, from about 2003 through 2006, Alwan knowingly conspired to kill U.S. nationals in Iraq. During this period, Alwan was in Iraq where he conspired with others to plant and detonate numerous IEDs against U.S. troops in Iraq. For instance, Alwan admitted that he and his co-conspirators planted an IED in a road near the Salah ad Din province in Iraq in an attempt to kill U.S. troops that traveled on this particular road. In addition, the FBI found two latent fingerprints belonging to Alwan on a component of a separate IED that was recovered by U.S. forces in Iraq in 2005.

Alwan also admitted today that from about October 2010 through May 2011, he knowingly taught and demonstrated to another individual in Kentucky how to manufacture and use an IED. Specifically, Alwan drew diagrams of different types of IEDs and also provided detailed oral instructions on how to manufacture and use those IEDs. He provided these diagrams with the intent that they be used to train others in the construction and use of such IEDs for the purpose of killing U.S. nationals overseas, including officers and employees of the United States.

In addition, Alwan admitted that from about September 2010 through May 2011, while in Kentucky, he knowingly attempted to provide material support and resources to terrorists and to al-Qaeda in Iraq, including money, weapons, and expert advice and assistance. On multiple occasions, for example, Alwan transferred money believing it would be provided to al-Qaeda in Iraq for the purpose of murdering U.S. employees or U.S. nationals overseas. In addition, he also transferred Stinger surface-to-air missile launcher systems, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, C4 plastic explosives, grenades, machine guns and sniper rifles, believing these items would be provided to al-Qaeda in Iraq for the purpose of murdering of U.S. employees or U.S. nationals overseas.

Finally, Alwan admitted that on March 16, 2011, while in Kentucky, he conspired with another individual to transfer, receive, possess and export two Stinger surface-to-air missile launcher systems.

Neither the bomb-making instructions, nor the Stinger missiles nor the other weapons or money transferred by Alwan while in Kentucky were actually provided to al-Qaeda in Iraq, but instead were carefully controlled by law enforcement as part of an undercover operation.

“Today in open court, Waad Alwan admitted to engaging in terrorist activities both here in the United States and in Iraq. He acknowledged he had built and placed numerous improvised explosive devices (IEDs) aimed at killing and injuring American soldiers in Iraq, and he admitted that he tried to send numerous weapons from Kentucky to Iraq to be used against American soldiers,” said U.S. Attorney Hale. “Bringing Alwan to justice is the result of a comprehensive effort by many in our law enforcement and intelligence communities. The FBI agents of the Louisville Division, along with the federal and local law enforcement members of the Joint Terrorism Task Forces here in Kentucky and our many other partners are to be commended. Their collaborative effort successfully thwarted the ongoing intentions of an experienced terrorist. The guilty plea today sends a strong message to anyone who would attempt similar crimes that they will face the same determined law enforcement and prosecution efforts.”

This case is being investigated by the Louisville Division of the FBI. Assisting in the investigation were members of the Louisville and Lexington Joint Terrorism Task Forces, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Bowling Green Police Department.

This prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Bennett and Bryan Calhoun from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Larry Schneider from the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department's National Security Division.

http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2011/December/11-crm-1658.html

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From the FBI

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Potomac River Rapist Cold Case

Potomac River Rapist Cold Case
Help Us Catch a Murderer and Serial Rapist

12/15/11

Christine Mirzayan was 29 years old, a National Academy of Sciences intern, and had a promising career ahead of her on the summer evening in 1998 when she was walking home from a cookout in Washington, D.C. Tragically, she never made it. Her killer—a serial rapist who had previously attacked eight other women—is still at large.

Today, the FBI and its law enforcement partners are reaching out to the public—and a reward of up to $25,000 is being offered by Washington's Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)—for assistance in apprehending the offender known as the Potomac River Rapist.

Between 1991 and Mirzayan's murder seven years later, the Potomac River Rapist brazenly and brutally preyed upon women in the Washington area. Victims were attacked in their homes, and included an 18-year-old babysitter and a mother whose infant was in the house at the time of the attack. Seven of the nine attacks have been linked by DNA, and all are linked by the offender's similar violent methods.

“It is believed the suspect lived in, spent a considerable amount of time in, or was otherwise familiar with the areas of the attacks,” said Special Agent Erin Sheridan. “The suspect is generally described as an African-American male of medium build who is currently believed to be in his 40s or 50s.”

A task force—made up of the FBI, MPD, Maryland's Montgomery County Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia—is working to capture the Potomac River Rapist. Using a variety of digital platforms such as FBI.gov, social media, radio spots, and digital billboards, the media campaign provides information about the case and the offender.

“We believe that someone in the public will help solve this case,” Sheridan said. “Because law enforcement is in possession of DNA evidence that can either positively link the suspect to his crimes or exclude innocent parties, the public, should not hesitate to provide information, even if it is just the name of a potential suspect.”

Witnesses at the time of Mirzayan's murder helped artists create a composite sketch that has since been age-enhanced. That individual is being sought in connection with the case.

Most of the assaults followed a similar pattern. “The rapist used a blitz attack, surprising his victims with force—sometimes wielding a knife or screwdriver—and throwing a blanket or towel over their heads,” said Capt. David Gillespie of the Montgomery County Police Department. “He often stalked his targets, breaking into their homes and waiting, sometimes for hours, for them to come home.”

“It has been more than 20 years since this predator began stalking, hunting, and sexually assaulting women,” said Todd Williams, an MPD detective who is part of the Potomac River Rapist Task Force. “He became increasingly violent during these attacks and killed Christine Mirzayan by bludgeoning her with a boulder. He is extremely violent and dangerous and needs to be caught and taken off the streets.”

We need your help. Law enforcement agencies are asking anyone with information to contact the MPD at (202) 727-9099 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the police department's TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411. You can also submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov.

http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/december/seeking-potomac-river-rapist/potomac-river-rapist-cold-case

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From the Department of Homeland Security

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Working Together as a Nation to Counter Violent Extremism

This effort is based on the simple but powerful premise that our homeland security begins with hometown security. Indeed, we believe that well-informed and -equipped families, communities, and local institutions represent the best defense against terrorist ideologies.

We must all be part of the effort to keep our families and communities, our businesses, our social networks, and our places of meeting and worship, secure and resilient.

http://blog.dhs.gov/2011/12/working-together-as-nation-to-counter.html

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