Biden in NYC, ex-cop who killed Black teen to be freed, Sarah Palin in court: 5 things to know Thursday
Biden to visit New York City to discuss fighting gun crime
President Joe Biden will meet with New York City Mayor Eric Adams Thursday to discuss combatting gun crime, just weeks after two NYPD officers died in the line of duty. Biden's visit comes amid deepening national concern over public safety and recent attacks on police officers. Adams and other New York officials are asking for several changes, including federal assistance in curbing the flow of guns into the state. The president will speak "about the steps the administration has taken so far to reduce crime, gun crime, and how we can be a strong partner for New York City and other cities grappling with increased gun violence," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul will also be in attendance for the president’s visit.
- Fallen NYPD officer's 'final gift' was to save 5 lives through organ donation
- A second New York City police officer has died following a shooting in Harlem
- No 'surrender': Mayor Eric Adams lays out gun violence plan after NYPD officers killed
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Formal charges to be filed against two suspects in Minnesota shooting
Formal charges against two students in a fatal shooting at an alternative school in Minnesota could be filed Thursday, according to authorities. The two students were in custody Wednesday after a shooting that left one student dead, one critically wounded and a community in shock and mourning. The tragedy outside South Education Center in Richfield stemmed from an undisclosed disagreement involving five students, Police Chief Jay Henthorne said. "The shooting was not random," Henthorne said at a news conference Wednesday. "The five students did know each other. An altercation, possibly related to a previous dispute, took place." He also said no other suspects were being sought and that the community was safe.
- 1 student dead, 1 injured after shooting outside Minnesota school, authorities say
Hearing for ex-teacher charged with plotting US attacks, training all-female ISIS battalion
A detention hearing is scheduled Thursday for a U.S. woman charged with plotting bomb attacks in the U.S. and training an all-female battalion to fight for the Islamic State in Syria. Allison Elizabeth Fluke-Ekren, 42, a former teacher and resident of Kansas, was charged in 2019 with providing support to a known terrorist organization, according to court records. The case remained sealed until she was caught and transferred to federal authorities in Virginia. Fluke-Ekren rose in stature with ISIS while her former husbands were killed, according to court records. Counterterrorism experts said it is extremely unusual for a woman – especially an American citizen – to participate in an international Islamic terrorist organization. But a dozen cases over the last decade of U.S. citizens or permanent residents revealed women shedding traditional caretaker roles to recruit fellow warriors, train others to use rifles and explosives, and even kill.
- Allison Fluke-Ekren is a rarity to experts: a woman alleged to have a senior role in ISIS
Ex-Chicago cop who killed Black teen in 2018 to be released from prison
The 2018 conviction of former police officer Jason Van Dyke for the killing of Black teenager Laquan McDonald was the first time in roughly half a century that a member of the police force was found guilty of murder for an on-duty killing in Chicago. It gave hope to many residents that officers could be held accountable. Van Dyke's scheduled release from prison on Thursday after serving about three years and four months – less than half of his sentence of six years and nine months – show things aren't so simple. The shooting of McDonald by Van Dyke, a white officer, eventually led to a court-ordered consent decree that resulted in several reforms, including the creation of a civilian-led police oversight board and new rules governing probes into police shootings. But reforms have come slower than expected and the city has struggled to meet some of the consent decree's deadlines.
- 'Protecting every single resident': Chicago approves new layer of civilian police oversight
- Police don't all act 'the same way': White officers use force more often, Chicago police study finds
Palin to resume court battle with New York Times after COVID infection
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is due back Thursday in a New York City courtroom, more than a week after the start of a trial in her libel lawsuit against The New York Times was postponed because she tested positive for COVID-19. The trial will begin in federal court in Manhattan where Palin will be the star witness. She's seeking unspecified damages based on claims that an editorial in the Times hurt her budding career as a political commentator. A judge put off the trial last week to give an unvaccinated Palin time to get over any possible symptoms. Away from court, she caused a stir by being sighted dining out at an upscale Manhattan restaurant twice, both shortly before and after her positive test results were made public. Palin, 57, has publicly said she won't get a shot. The Republican's defamation case survived an initial dismissal that was reversed on appeal in 2019, setting the stage for a rare instance that a major news organization will have to defend itself against libel claims involving a public figure.
- Earlier coverage: New York Times' editorial page editor says Sarah Palin is not getting an apology
- 'If God wants me to do it, I will': Palin hints she may run for Senate against Lisa Murkowski in 2022
Contributing: The Associated Press