Florida man arrested for threatening utility workers restoring power after Hurricane Milton
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(NEW YORK) — A man was arrested Wednesday for threatening utility workers who were restoring power in Hillsborough County, Florida, following mass outages caused by Hurricane Milton, according to officials.
Crews were working on a road repair when the man allegedly verbally threatened them and drove his vehicle toward them in an intimidating manner.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has identified the suspect as 57-year-old Kenneth Ray Velasco.
When the incident occurred, a power line crew was working on a road that was closed for repairs, creating a traffic delay. The man was in his vehicle and grew impatient.
He backed into a utility pole and fence, causing an estimated $1,000 in damage, according to official reports, and then attempted to flee the scene.
When the linemen tried to prevent him from leaving, he drove toward them in a deliberate manner that caused them to jump out of the way and also threatened to shoot them, officials said.
“Linemen have been working tirelessly to restore power after the storm,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “For this person to threaten their lives and deliberately endanger them, all because of a traffic delay, shows a disturbing lack of regard for the safety of others and the critical work being done.”
Velasco was pulled over in a traffic stop and charged with aggravated assault and felony criminal mischief for vandalism of property, according to the sheriff’s office.
He was arrested without incident, officials said.
“We’re grateful no one was seriously hurt, and this suspect will face the full extent of the law for his egregious crimes,” the sheriff said.
As of Wednesday evening, nearly 20,000 residents of Hillsborough County are without power.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
ABC News’ Victoria Arancio contributed to this report.
(PHOENIX) — All charges were dropped Thursday against Tyron McAlpin, a disabled Black man in Arizona who had been facing charges of felony assault and resisting arrest after a pair of Phoenix police officers punched him and shocked him with a stun gun. McAlpin is deaf and has cerebral palsy.
The incident, which took place on Aug. 19, was captured on both surveillance video and police body-worn camera. The officers said they were investigating an assault at a nearby Circle K, and McAlpin fit the description of the suspect given by a bystander. However, the original description of the suspect was for a white man who had been creating a disturbance in the store. They also claimed that McAlpin became combative and tried to run when they approached him.
McAlpin’s lawyers said the video shows otherwise.
In the video, police are seen pulling up to McAlpin and ordering him down to the ground. He doesn’t appear to immediately comply. The video then shows the officers punching him 10 times in the head and shocking him with a stun gun four times while yelling: “Get your hands behind your back.” McAlpin’s attorney said he didn’t know what was going on and could not hear the commands.
A union for the department’s officers argued that people should know what to do if a police car comes up and uniformed officers approach and that the officers had to force McAlpin to comply, not knowing he was deaf at the time. The union also said McAlpin took a fighting stance and bit the officers.
“After reviewing all evidence presented, Maricopa County Superior Court Commissioner Nick Saccone determined there was sufficient evidence for the felony charges against the suspect due to his actions against the officers,” Phoenix Law Enforcement Association President Darrell Kriplean said in the weeks after the incident. A Maricopa County judge ruled that there was probable cause for the arrest and that there was cause for the charges.
The Phoenix Police Department said it stood behind its officers and suggested people avoid making judgments about the incident until all the evidence was reviewed. The police department also said that it is investigating the arrest.
On Thursday, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell made an announcement that all charges against McAlpin had been dismissed.
“I promised I would personally review the case including a large volume of video recordings, police reports, and other materials that have been forwarded to my office,” she said.
With the support of senior attorneys and after hearing from members of the community, Mitchell said, “I have now completed my review and have made the decision to dismiss all remaining charges against Mr. McAlpin.”
The incident came after the Department of Justice in June released a report concluding that the Phoenix Police Department engaged in civil rights violations including racial discrimination and bias against the disabled. Their investigation found “systemic problems” within the department’s policies, training, supervision and accountability systems that were “perpetuated” for years.
The DOJ opened its investigation in August 2021 after complaints about use of excessive force among Phoenix police. The department said it welcomed this inquiry to help them understand how they can better serve the community.
(NEW YORK) — Tropical Storm Francine was forecast to strengthen into a hurricane early Tuesday ahead of its expected landfall in Louisiana on Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center said.
The storm’s winds remained at about 65 mph just after midnight, the center said in its 1 a.m. CT update on Tuesday.
“Francine will likely become a hurricane today, with significant strengthening expected before it reaches the coast,” the update said.
Weather officials issued a series of hurricane warnings and watches for coastal areas as the storm has churned in the Gulf of Mexico. Strong winds are extending about 140 miles outward from the storm.
Francine is expected to make landfall Wednesday afternoon in southwestern Louisiana as a Category 2 storm with 100 mph winds.
A Storm Surge Warning was in effect for High Island, Texas, to the mouth of the Mississippi River and Vermilion Bay in Louisiana. A Hurricane Warning was in effect for the Louisiana coast from Sabine Pass eastward to Morgan City, officials said.
The storm is expected to bring rain to much of the coast from northeastern Mexico through Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Most areas in the storm’s path will see between 4 inches and 8 inches of rain, with a few areas getting as much as 12 inches.
“This rainfall could lead to considerable flash and urban flooding,” weather officials said.
(WASHINGTON) — Federal and local law enforcement and officials in Washington, D.C., are ramping up preparations to ensure a safe and peaceful transfer of power on Jan. 6, 2025, and on Inauguration Day.
In September, the Department of Homeland Security designated Jan. 6 a National Special Security Event (NSSE) and approved D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s request for additional federal resources.
The District is anticipating that there will be no declared winner on election night and, “We could enter a period where we have pervasive misinformation and disinformation about the outcome of the election,” D.C. Assistant City Administrator Chris Rodrigez warned on Tuesday.
“For a period, perhaps days or weeks, where the country, and in many respects the world, will be sitting and waiting for the declared winner,” he added.
Although there are no specific threats to the city, officials are planning ahead for any and all threats, including continued pervasive misinformation and disinformation about everything ranging from COVID to political polarization and violence. They noted that social media will be the “epicenter” of false information.
Preparation for Inauguration Day began in the aftermath of the deadly Jan. 6. insurrection. Five people died during or after the attack, including four protesters and one police officer. Approximately 140 police officers were injured during the attack, according to the Department of Justice.
Bowser told ABC News that one of the biggest lessons D.C. learned was to have “better coordination among the federal branches, and that is what the National Special Security Event status provides.”
D.C. Police Chief Pam Smith told reporters on Tuesday that close to 4,000 additional law enforcement officers will be deployed to D.C. between Jan. 6 and Inauguration Day.
In addition to law enforcement, the mayor is considering an advance request to the Department of Defense for National Guard support. Normally, a state’s governor would call out the Guard, but because D.C. is not a state, it must go through DOD. However, the Capitol Police can now call up the National Guard for support without needing the Capitol Police Board’s pre-approval.
“We have also implemented changes that will hopefully ensure that we will not need to call the National Guard unless it is a last-case scenario,” Capitol Police told ABC News.
Like D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department, U.S. Capitol Police have focused on expansion in the four years since Jan. 6. Capitol Police told ABC News that it has strengthened partnerships and coordination with local and state officials.
Capitol Police had a wave of resignations and retirements after Jan. 6, but over the past four years has hired several hundred people and now has 2,100 officers on staff. The agency also added 140 civilians to serve in various roles such as intelligence specialists, operational planners, and emergency management specialists, as well as a new Rapid Response Team.
A source familiar with security planning told ABC News to expect a security footprint similar to that of the State of the Union or the recent NATO Summit in Washington in July.
However, officials are prepared for any and all threats, noting it is a “fluid, unpredictable security environment,” which includes extremist groups and the potential for civil unrest.
“If you see something, say something” noting that the pipe bombs found at the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee headquarters were placed the night before the insurrection “most likely to distract law enforcement,” Rodrigez urged residents.
Bowser told the council to anticipate robust fencing around the Capitol from Jan. 6 until Jan. 21.
She also noted that if Vice President Kamala Harris wins the presidential election, the city’s challenges will differ from a win by former President Donald Trump.
The mayor said in the event of a Harris win, “The issue is probably a million people will be here who are celebrating and who are in good spirits, and that also presents its challenges to make sure everybody can do it safely.”
“I think that the United States Capitol Police are prepared to ensure a peaceful transfer of power at the Capitol, regardless of the victor,” she added, noting that her team has experience handling large-scale historic inaugurations, including former President Barack Obama’s election.
