Latest news with #StateBureauofInvestigation
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
Snapchat used to plan deadly Catawba County party shooting, search warrants reveal
CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Investigators believe a deadly mass shooting at a house party in Catawba County was not random, and now, newly unsealed search warrants reveal how social media and cell phones played a role in planning the violence. The shooting happened on June 1, 2025, at a large house party on Walnut Acres Drive, where nearly 100 people attended. More than 80 shots were fired, killing one person and injuring at least 11 others. PREVIOUS: Ninth arrest made in Catawba County mass shooting case According to the search warrants, suspects used Snapchat to talk about the attack both before and after it happened. One of the suspects, Garon Killian, allegedly told others ahead of time that he planned to 'air it out,' a phrase witnesses said meant he intended to 'open fire.' Investigators now believe this shooting was tied to a criminal gang network. During interviews with authorities, Killian said he, along with Toland Huff Jr., Ke'Andre Mack, Zachary Bates, and Izaiah Mitchell, were all involved in gang activity. Gang activity suspected in Catawba County mass shooting as four suspects face judge He reportedly admitted they often used their phones to talk about illegal operations, and he told agents he used his phone to discuss the shooting before and after it happened. The warrants also detail a meeting that happened at a Waffle House on May 30, just days before the shooting. FBI sources said Killian and Huff met with others there and discussed the upcoming party, warning that if Raekwon Craig, who they called 'Leek,' hosted the event, 'they better watch out.' That story was backed up by another witness, who told the State Bureau of Investigation that she was with Killian and Huff at a house in Lenoir before the shooting. She said Killian mentioned the party and told them to 'scope it out.' Shots, screams heard on neighbor's security camera down the street from Catawba County mass shooting investigation After the shooting, Killian and several others reportedly fled to Charlotte. He later admitted to handling a High Point handgun believed to have been used in the attack, court documents state. Now, law enforcement is digging into the suspects' cell phones and digital footprints, asking for everything from GPS data and IP addresses to messages and app usage, from May 1 to June 4. Investigators believe access will help understand the full scope of who was involved. So far, nine people have been arrested in connection with the shooting. Charges range from attempted first-degree murder to helping minors obtain alcohol: Garon Killian, attempted first-degree murder Toland Huff Jr., attempted first-degree murder Izaiah Mitchell, attempted first-degree murder Ke'Andre Mack, attempted first-degree murder Zachary Bates, attempted first-degree murder Charles Rodell Kincaid III, attempted first-degree murder Zoe Braswell, accessory after the fact Raekwon Craig, aiding underage alcohol possession Patrick Tolbert, aiding underage alcohol possession Police said this investigation remains open and ongoing. Anyone with further information, photos, or video is asked to call the Catawba County Sheriff's Office at 828-464-3112. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
2 bills head to NC governor's desk to expand ICE operations
Two bills are hitting the North Carolina Governor's desk that would help ICE expand its deportation efforts in the state. They divided the legislature directly by party lines, and it's a perfect example of the issue that's currently dividing much of the country. As protestors in Los Angeles continue their demonstrations, legislators in North Carolina are cracking down on undocumented immigrants. House Bill 318 would expand the law that passed in November and would require sheriffs to notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement within two hours after an undocumented immigrant is scheduled to be released, and require they be held for 48 hours before doing so. It also expands the types of crimes that trigger the requirement to now include any felony, Class A1 misdemeanors against a child in the womb or involving sexual assault, and DWI offenses. Senate Bill 153 requires more state agencies to work with ICE, and it would train them to check whether people are here illegally. That would include the departments of public safety, corrections, highway patrol, and the State Bureau of Investigation. It also directs agencies to stop providing state benefits to noncitizens, including unemployment compensation. It also allows victims of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants to sue cities and counties if they create sanctuary policies, and it forbids the UNC school system from keeping information from federal immigration officials. Gilberto Pagan is the director of Hispanos del Sur, a conservative Hispanic organization, and he's in favor of the bills. 'I think generally speaking, it's about safety, it's about everybody's safety across the whole state, and that includes immigrant communities and everybody who lives here,' Pagan said. Earlier this week, pro-immigrant rights groups spoke out against recent immigration raids. Both bills passed the legislature on Tuesday. Gov. Josh Stein wouldn't answer whether or not he will sign them into law. His office told Channel 9, 'He has made clear that if someone commits a crime and they are here illegally, they should be deported.' Stein has 10 days to veto the bills or they'll become law. In the meantime, organizers plan to protest in First Ward Park this Saturday at 11 a.m. It's the same day that President Donald Trump has called for a parade in Washington D.C. to celebrate the Army's 250th birthday. June 14 is also Trump's birthday. (VIDEO: Supporters in Charlotte call for release of SEIU leader after ICE protests)
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
FBI offers $15K reward after 12 hurt, 1 killed at Catawba County house party
Investigators were still collecting evidence Monday after 12 people were wounded and one was killed in a mass shooting that happened at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday on Walnut Acres Drive in Catawba County. The FBI is offering a $15,000 reward leading to the identity, arrest, and successful prosecution of suspects. READ MORE: Deputies respond to mass shooting at party in Catawba County At least two people fired shots where there were about 100 people at a house party, deputies said. Channel 9's Dave Faherty spoke with a witness who said a gunman fired from a wood line above the home. Deputies are looking into the possibility the gunmen walked in from the road. The FBI, State Bureau of Investigation and Catawba County sheriff's deputies were back at the scene Monday morning. Shawn Patrick Hood, 58, was shot and killed inside the home at the party that had people as young as 16 years old. There was a coverage charge for people without identification, according to a Snapchat post. Investigators said multiple weapons were used in the shooting and as many as 80 rounds were fired. No one has been charged in connection with the shooting. One of the shooting victims spoke with Faherty. Some people at the party returned fire possibly saving lives, said Quentin Malone, who still had a bullet lodged in his ankle. 'I was trying to run and get out but since there was so many people, people were just falling over each other and tripping over each other,' Malone said. 'I just, honestly, I froze. I didn't know what else to do. And if there weren't other people there that started firing back, I honestly think it would have been way worse than what it was.' Alcohol Law Enforcement is involved in the investigation and agents are looking into the possibility of people drinking underage. Investigators are expected to be at the scene until Wednesday. The FBI is asking anyone who has video, pictures , or tips about the shooting to contact them here. VIDEO: Deputies respond to mass shooting at party in Catawba County
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Ukrainian commander faces trial for failing to stop torture within his unit
Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation has completed its probe into Colonel Oleh Poberezhniuk, commander of the 211th Pontoon Bridge Brigade, accusing him of knowingly allowing torture and abuse of soldiers under his command to continue unchecked, the officials said on May 29. According to the official statement, investigators determined that from February to July 2024, Poberezhniuk was aware of repeated instances of torture and cruel treatment carried out by a subordinate officer but failed to take any action. The officer in question, Senior Lieutenant Vladyslav Pastukh, allegedly beat, humiliated, and tortured fellow servicemen. Pastukh, who is no longer with the unit, is the son of the brigade's chief of staff and a close associate of Poberezhniuk. Authorities say this personal connection likely influenced the commander's decision to conceal the crimes and avoid reporting them to law enforcement. Pastukh was charged with abusing his authority in December 2024 after allegedly beating, humiliating, and torturing fellow service members. The commander faces up to 12 years in prison if convicted."Instead of protecting the rights of his subordinates, the commander effectively became complicit through criminal inaction, enabling further abuse," the bureau said. Such actions, it added, not only violate the law but also pose a serious threat to the internal discipline of Ukraine's Armed Forces during wartime. Poberezhniuk has been charged with inaction of military authority under martial law, a serious offense under Ukraine's Criminal Code, carrying a sentence of seven to 10 years in prison. The case has been forwarded to Poberezhniuk and his legal team for review before being submitted to court. The Prosecutor General's Office is overseeing the case. The charges follow a December 2023 Ukrainska Pravda investigation that revealed a pattern of systemic abuse within the brigade, including beatings, extortion, and reports of a soldier being tied to a wooden cross. The report also highlighted widespread nepotism, with multiple family members serving within the same unit. Following public outcry, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi suspended Poberezhniuk, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov ordered an internal investigation. How much does a Russian drone attack on Ukraine cost? The question is more complicated than it soundsBeginning overnight on Saturday, May 24, Russia rained down nearly a thousand drones and missiles on villages and cities across Ukraine in three nights of large-scale aerial attacks, as civilians spent hours sheltering underground. Russia's bombardment killed more than a dozen people and injured dozens more, in one ofThe Kyiv IndependentAndrea Januta We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Portnov reportedly met controversial Zelensky staffer, Ukraine's investigations chief before being killed in Madrid
Former Ukrainian top official Andriy Portnov met in Ukraine with Oleh Tatarov, deputy head of the Presidential Office, and Oleksii Sukhachov, director of the State Bureau of Investigation, days before he was killed in Madrid, Ukrainska Pravda reported on May 29, citing undisclosed sources. Portnov was shot dead by unidentified attackers outside the American School in Madrid on May 21. Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that two or three people are believed to be involved in the attack, though no arrests have been made so far, and the motive remains unclear. Portnov served in the administration of pro-Kremlin President Viktor Yanukovych between 2010 and 2014. After the EuroMaidan Revolution, he lived alternately abroad and in Ukraine and was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2021 over allegations that he was involved in corruption. Four sources confirmed to Ukrainska Pravda that Portnov was in Ukraine between May 17 and 18 and held meetings with senior officials overseeing Ukraine's law enforcement agencies, including Tatarov and Sukhachov. The sources said they were unaware of the topics discussed. Tatarov is the most controversial official in President Volodymyr Zelensky's administration. He was charged with bribery before joining the administration, but the corruption case against him was obstructed by law enforcement agencies and courts and eventually closed. According to the media outlet's sources, Portnov has recently been seeking ways to have U.S. sanctions against him lifted. He also reportedly gathered information on the activities of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and civil society activists in Ukraine. The Kyiv Independent submitted official requests for comment to the Presidential Office and the State Bureau of Investigation but did not receive an immediate response. Portnov led the legal team of then-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko from 2005 to 2010 and sat in the parliament between 2006 and 2010. After 2010, he became the head of Yanukovych's main judiciary department and deputy head of his administration. The ex-official left Ukraine for Russia and later Austria after Yanukovych was ousted in the EuroMaidan Revolution in 2014, but returned to Ukraine in 2019. Portnov fled Ukraine again in 2022 after Russia's full-scale invasion broke out, even though the travel ban for military-age men was already in effect. Read also: Hated, tainted, and covertly pro-Russian — Andriy Portnov, the top Ukrainian ex-official shot dead in Spain We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
