Latest news with #PoliceChief
CBC
3 hours ago
- CBC
Montreal police clamp down on vehicle thefts, but assaults and robberies are up
During the SPVM's annual review, police Chief Fady Dagher updated Montrealers on the SPVM's hiring goals, what types of crimes are down and which ones are proving more challenging to fight against.
CNN
4 days ago
- CNN
Guy Bartkus: What we know about the man the FBI believes bombed a fertility clinic
Before the man police believe detonated a large explosive that blasted through a fertility clinic in the California desert community of Palm Springs on Saturday, people who knew Guy Edward Bartkus should have alerted authorities about his warning signs, the city's police chief said. 'There were people in chat rooms, there were people who were connected to him, who had to have known, in my opinion, that he was up to nefarious deeds,' Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills told CNN, adding, 'That should have been brought forward.' Mills said the investigation has determined Bartkus, 25, 'was chatting with people in online groups, in online forums, as well as posting stuff on YouTube where he was experimenting with different types of explosive materials. That should have been reported.' With Bartkus having been killed in the bombing, sources say authorities are trying to determine a possible motive based on his prolific online presence and through a search of his residence about an hour northeast of Palm Springs. Officials also released a photo of Bartkus, asking the public to report anything they may know about the suspect and his movements ahead of the explosion. 'The subject had nihilistic ideations,' Akil Davis, the FBI's assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles field office, said at a Sunday news conference. According to FBI research of past violent actors, nihilistic ideation refers to a 'preoccupation with themes of violence, hopelessness, despair, pessimism, hatred, isolation, loneliness, or an 'end-of-the-world' philosophy,' said retired senior FBI profiler Dr. Mary Ellen O'Toole. 'Nihilistic ideation is a very pessimistic view of the world.' The FBI's insight into Bartkus' views comes from their discovery of his writings, including a suspected manifesto, sources said. One law enforcement source said authorities are also aware of a rambling audio recording posted online that could be associated with the incident, in which a man describes his intention to attack an in vitro fertilization clinic. In the oftentimes incoherent audio message, the speaker discusses various grievances about his life and criticizes IVF while referring to himself as 'anti-life.' He said the government should not restrict an individual's 'right to die,' and babies should not be permitted to be born without their prior consent. Experts are quick to point out that trying to attach logic to heinous acts of violence is often an unsatisfying endeavor. For example, O'Toole says the attacker's suspected view about consent by the unborn 'is not logical and has no basis in reality.' In addition to being nihilistic, she said grievances expressed by violent offenders can also be 'shallow, illogical and nonsensical, because they are a blending — a hodgepodge of different types of superficial information the offender found online or read about — in a very superficial way.' O'Toole says, 'most offenders who write manifestos do not conduct deep scientific dives into the information they use to create their personal themes or life-philosophies. They stitch together unrelated, unscientific, and often illogical ideas that simply appeal to them and bolster their justification for their lethal behavior.' In the FBI's latest public update on the Palm Springs bombing, Davis, who leads the bureau's Los Angeles division, said, 'This was a targeted attack against the IVF facility.' Davis said Bartkus also attempted to live stream the bombing, although it remains unclear whether he was successful in broadcasting the incident. Live streaming a suicidal act of violence is what the New York Police Department has referred to as 'dying live,' said John Miller, CNN Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst who previously oversaw counterterrorism operations for the NYPD. Intelligence analysts see the public showcasing of an attack as a way for a perpetrator to not only gain attention, but to also control the narrative of their own life and its final moments. 'When people tell their life story, they never cast themselves as the villain, or the enemy or the failure,' he said. 'They cast themselves as the hero or at least the victim who is dying for a more meaningful purpose than simply suicide.' While investigators continue to dig into Bartkus' past, those who knew him said he previously took interest in flammable material. In an interview with The New York Times, the suspect's father, Richard Bartkus, said his son would tinker with model rockets, stink bombs, and smoke bombs, but not actual explosives. The elder Bartkus said his son accidentally burned down the family home in 2009 while playing with matches. Richard Bartkus, who said he had not seen his son in a decade, told the Times the suspect in the attack 'wasn't dumb,' adding, 'But he wasn't a leader. He was a follower. If somebody came along and said this was a good idea, he'd probably go along with it.' As authorities continue to dig into the suspected attacker's past, one major question for law enforcement remains: Did he have any outside help or inspiration to bomb the clinic? Mills, the Palm Springs police chief, told CNN Monday he was 'very confident' Guy Edward Bartkus acted alone at the scene of the explosion that rocked the fertility clinic, but added, 'we want to make sure that, through social media, that others did not help him in any way.'
CTV News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Police consider whether ‘King of the Hill' actor's sexual orientation played a role in his killing
In this image taken from video, Jonathan Joss, talks to reporters following a fire at his San Antonio, Texas, home on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (KSAT via AP) HOUSTON — Investigators are looking into whether the sexual orientation of 'King of the Hill' voice actor Jonathan Joss played a role in his shooting death in Texas, authorities said Thursday, walking back a previous statement about the potential motive. Joss' husband has claimed the person who killed the actor yelled 'violent homophobic slurs' before opening fire outside his home in San Antonio on Sunday night. A day after the shooting, San Antonio police issued a statement saying they had found 'no evidence whatsoever to indicate that Mr. Joss' murder was related to his sexual orientation.' But during a news conference on Thursday, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said the statement was 'premature' and that whether Joss' sexual orientation played a role in the shooting 'is part of the investigation.' 'I will own that and simply say again that we simply shouldn't have done that. It was way too early in the process for any statement of that nature to be issued,' McManus said. The police chief said many in the LGBTQ2S+ community 'are feeling anxious and concerned' after Joss' shooting and that 'a lot of it has to do with that premature statement.' 'The loss of Jonathan Joss was tragic, most heavily felt by the LGBTQ+ community,' McManus said. Texas does not have separate hate crimes charges. But if homophobia is found to have been a motive in the shooting, that could result in a harsher sentence at trial under the state's hate crimes law. 'We gather the facts, and we give those facts to the district attorney's office. And then that hate crime designation is determined at sentencing,' McManus said. The actor's home burned down in January. Joss' husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, has said that they were checking mail there Sunday when a man approached them, pulled out a gun and opened fire. In a statement, de Gonzales said he and Joss had previously faced harassment, much of it 'openly homophobic.' Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, who is a neighbor of Joss, is charged with murder in the shooting. Ceja Alvarez has been released on a US$200,000 bond. Ceja Alvarez's attorney, Alfonso Otero, did not immediately return an email seeking comment Thursday. McManus said police had been called to Joss' home and his neighborhood about 70 times over the past two years related to 'neighborhood type disturbances.' 'Sometimes (Joss) was the caller. Other times, the neighbors were calling on him,' McManus said. The San Antonio Police Department's mental health unit as well as a unit known as SAFFE that works with residents to help prevent crime 'had extensive engagements with Mr. Joss, making repeated efforts to mediate conflicts and connect him with services that he may have needed,' McManus said. The January fire at Joss' home is still being reviewed by arson investigators, McManus said. Joss lost all his belongings in the blaze and his three dogs were killed. Actors who worked with Joss, along with friends and fans have honored Joss' memory with tributes. 'His voice will be missed at King of the Hill, and we extend our deepest condolences to Jonathan's friends and family,' the show's creators and producers — Mike Judge, Greg Daniels and Saladin Patterson — said in a statement on the animated series' Instagram page. ___ Juan A. Lozano, The Associated Press
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Tacoma pauses search for new police chief
The City of Tacoma has pressed pause on its search for a permanent Police Chief. City Manager Elizabeth Pauli made the announcement on Friday. 'This decision is in service to ensuring the long-term success and alignment of City leadership,' her statement reads. This move allows for Hyun Kim, who will begin serving as Interim City Manager starting on June 30, to align decision-making for a permanent chief with the evolving vision and future priorities of the city government. 'It is prudent to empower the city's new leadership to play an integral role in confirming the appointment of a permanent Police Chief,' Pauli's statement goes on to say. Interim Chief Patti Jackson will continue to serve in her leadership role for the time being. 'I am focused on ensuring all transitions are smooth, and that our community continues to be exceptionally well-served,' Pauli's statement says. 'I understand how critically important this position is to the community and I am grateful for the ongoing input I receive from the community and, as a management team, we look forward to continued engagement.' Avery Moore resigned in February from the position of Police Chief after 35 years in law enforcement. He chose to retire and move into the next phase of his life. Jackson was sworn in as Interim Police Chief in March.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pflugerville police chief retires during ‘administrative investigation'
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Pflugerville Police Chief Jason O'Malley retired from the department Thursday. 'Currently, there is an administrative investigation in which the Police Chief is named,' the city of Pfluegerville said. 'The City does not comment on active investigations.' O'Malley had been chief of the department since he was appointed in 2021. Prior to being selected as chief, O'Malley served as a commander in the department since July 7, 2020. Pflugerville Police commander chosen to take on police chief role The city said his law enforcement career spanned over 25 years. According to the city, the current acting Police Chief is Lieutenant Chet Vronka, who will remain in the position while the city begins its selection process for the next chief. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
