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New Straits Times
4 days ago
- New Straits Times
Three killed in explosion at US police training facility
LOS ANGELES, United States: Three people died on Friday in an explosion at a police training facility in Los Angeles, in what one local official called an accident. "Tragically, they were three sworn members who were fatally killed," said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. "No other department members were injured or transported to any hospitals." Speaking to reporters hours after the incident, Luna emphasised that authorities had yet to determine the cause of the blast, but that there was no threat to the community. "Within the last 30 minutes, the LAPD bomb squad rendered the scene safe," the sheriff said. "We have to go back and investigate what happened from the very beginning. I don't have the facts at this point." Homicide detectives and personnel from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were at the scene, along with a bomb disposal unit from the Los Angeles Police Department. An elected city official from the area where the blast took place ruled out terrorism and called it "a tragic accident." "Early on, there were people speculating that this was intentional by, you know, some terrorists, but it was not, is what I'm hearing. It was a tragic accident," said Supervisor Kathryn Barger. The Los Angeles Times newspaper quoted unnamed sources as saying that the facility's bomb squad was moving explosives following a bomb alert when the blast occurred. Law enforcement personnel enforced a large security perimeter around the parking lot where the explosion took place, an AFP photographer observed. Sheriff Luna said it was the largest loss of life for his department since 1857 and that the three people killed had served the country for a total of 74 years. Their names have not yet been released. US Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on X that there "appears to be a horrific incident that killed at least three at a law enforcement training facility" and that investigators were on-site "working to learn more." Mayor Karen Bass said "arson investigators and members of the LAPD bomb squad are assisting" at the scene in the Biscailuz Training Centre in the Monterey Park area. "The thoughts of all Angelenos are with all of those impacted by this blast," she said on X. California Governor Gavin Newsom's office said he had been briefed and was "closely monitoring the situation." Footage from local station KTLA, which helicoptered over the training centre, showed a person in bomb disposal gear working around a truck believed to contain explosives, which law enforcement personnel had covered with a large tent.
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Miami Herald
‘Don't Lie for the Other Guy.' ATF targets straw purchases of guns
In the year Ashley Perez has worked as a cashier for an indoor gun range, she has witnessed a grim trend that firearm retailers have seen in recent years. 'I had a homeless lady come in. ... She was trying to purchase a gun, but just with dollar bills. ... [Another time] a mother came in to buy her younger son a gun, saying, 'It's for me,' while the son was saying it's for him,' the 24-year-old described seeing last summer. Perez and her team at Top Gun Indoor Range Florida in Kendall identified the pattern in both cases almost instantly. They were tell-tale attempts at straw purchases — buying firearms for people legally prohibited from owning them. It's a federal crime that could land an a offender a $250,000 fine and a 15-year prison sentence. A 2022 act signed by then-President Joe Biden tacks on 10 more years behind bars if the gun is used to commit a felony, an act of terrorism or a drug-trafficking crime. In a public campaign, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is warning potential straw purchasers about those steep penalties. . 'The message behind the campaign is simple: If you're buying a gun for someone who can't legally own one, you are committing a crime,' said Florida Department of Law Enforcement Special Agent John Vecchio during a Friday press conference at the gun range. 'You're helping potentially arm someone with dangerous intentions.' Vecchio joined the ATF, Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office and National Shooting Sports Foundation at Top Gun to announce the newest iteration of the 'Don't Lie for the Other Guy' campaign, which aims to curb the crime. Next month, South Floridians can expect to see billboards and posters with messaging that includes 'Buy a gun for someone who can't and buy yourself 15 years in jail.' Listeners of top radio stations and podcasts will hear the same. The 25-year-old, nationwide campaign isn't changing its strategies, but instead focusing on South Florida, which is a magnet for domestic and international gun trafficking. 'The availability of firearms is higher here and the restrictions on sales are a little bit less than they are in some states,' explained Rob Cekada, the ATF's deputy director, on why the crime is prevalent in the area. 'One of the reasons we picked Miami ... there's a lot of firearms trafficking that begins here and ends up in the Caribbean and also ends up in Mexico as well.' But the real danger behind straw-purchasing, Cekada says, is how it arms South Florida felons and encourages violent crimes. The deputy director's latest investigation, he shared, is still turning up illegally traded guns at crime scenes that happened in Miami and Margate and are linked to two Florida straw purchasers who bought more than 48 firearms. A 2024 ATF report confirms the pipeline nationwide, revealing that of the 7,000+ cases between 2017 and 2021 in which firearms were peddled, 60% of the 'end users' had at least one prior felony conviction. 'Rarely do we recover a firearm at a crime scene that was purchased by the perpetrator,' said Hayden O'Byrne, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, at the briefing. He added that retailers such as Top Gun and other federal firearm licensees play a large role in preventing straw purchases, calling them 'the first line of defense.' FFLs are individuals or businesses allowed to manufacture, import and deal firearms and are required to renew the permit with ATF every three years. Because Florida gun laws require only federal firearm licensees — not private sellers — to conduct background checks when transferring firearms, employees such as Perez are crucial to preventing the crime. 'We look out for signs, that's the first thing we do. The second we see a person walk through the door, we see the way they stand, the way they're speaking, if they're grabbing their phone too much,' she said. 'We want our hands [clean], and we want to do it the right way and the legal way.' That's why the 'Don't Lie for the Other Guy' campaign is teaching retailers how to identify straw-purchasers. 'This is a two-prong approach,' said Joseph Bartozzi, president of the NSSF, which launched the campaign with the ATF in 2000. 'Part of it is we help to work with the retailers like this to teach them about how to identify the red flags.' The other half? To warn everyday people unaware of the crime's severity before they make the mistake. Bartozzi cleared up that though money is a key motivator for those initiating straw purchases, it's not the only one. Peer pressure and 'a sense of loyalty' to family or friends explain why some participate in the crime. Others are emotionally manipulated or threatened with physical harm by those barred from owning guns themselves. Some just don't know it's illegal. 'It's not just criminal, but even unwitting, law-abiding people that might be caught up with a boyfriend or girlfriend,' he said. 'We want to make sure everyone understands that it is a crime, even if it's unintentionally related to a crime that's going to be committed later on.'
NDTV
4 days ago
- NDTV
Three Killed In Explosion At Los Angeles Police Training Facility
Los Angeles: Three people died Friday in an explosion at a police training facility in Los Angeles, in what one local official called an accident. "Tragically, they were three sworn members who were fatally killed," Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. "No other department members were injured or transported to any hospitals." Speaking to reporters hours after the incident, Luna stressed that authorities had yet to determine the cause of the blast, but that there was no threat to the community. "Within the last 30 minutes, the LAPD bomb squad rendered the scene safe," the sheriff said. "We have to go back and investigate what happened from the very beginning. I don't have the facts at this point." Homicide detectives and personnel from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were at the scene, along with a bomb disposal unit from the Los Angeles Police Department. An elected city official from the area where the blast took place ruled out terrorism and called it "a tragic accident." "Early on, there were people speculating that this was intentional by, you know, some terrorists, but it was not, is what I'm hearing. It was a tragic accident," Supervisor Kathryn Barger said. The Los Angeles Times newspaper quoted unnamed sources as saying that the facility's bomb squad was moving explosives following a bomb alert when the blast took place. Law enforcement personnel enforced a large security perimeter around the parking lot where the explosion occurred, an AFP photographer saw. - 'Horrific incident' - Sheriff Luna said it was the largest loss of life for his department since 1857 and that the three people killed had served the country for a total of 74 years. Their names have not yet been released. US Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on X that there "appears to be a horrific incident that killed at least three at a law enforcement training facility" and that investigators were on-site "working to learn more." Mayor Karen Bass said "arson investigators and members of the LAPD bomb squad are assisting" at the scene in the Biscailuz Training Center in the Monterey Park area. "The thoughts of all Angelenos are with all of those impacted by this blast," she said on X. California Governor Gavin Newsom's office said he had been briefed, and was "closely monitoring the situation." Footage from local station KTLA, which helicoptered over the training center, showed a person in bomb disposal gear working around a truck believed to contain explosives, which law enforcement personnel had covered with a large tent.
Online Citizen
5 days ago
- Online Citizen
Singapore man charged for allegedly making drug-laced vapes at home in first local case
SINGAPORE: A 41-year-old man who allegedly manufactured drug-laced electronic vaporisers in his Yishun flat has been charged in what is believed to be the first case of its kind in Singapore. Mohammed Akil Abdul Rahim was charged in court on Thursday (17 July) with five offences under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act. He had previously faced two charges under the Poisons Act for possessing and selling etomidate, a classified poison that has increasingly been detected in illegal vapes. The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said Akil had been producing e-vaporiser pods containing etomidate at home with the intent to sell them. Vapes and Chemicals Seized in Yishun Flat On 11 December 2024, authorities raided a flat at Block 269B Yishun Street 22 and uncovered a large cache of vaping equipment and components. The haul included 569 empty pod casings, 534 pod components, 1,485 pod covers, 100 loose vape pods, and other related items used to assemble the drug-laced devices, known as 'Kpods'. Later that night, shortly after midnight, Akil allegedly sold 100 pods outside the same flat. Each pod contained 150ml of liquid, which tests later confirmed was laced with etomidate—an anaesthetic agent typically used in clinical settings. At around 5.30am on the same day, Akil was also allegedly found in possession of 26.4g of white powder containing the same substance. Accused to Plead Guilty Appearing in court via video link, Akil informed the judge that he understood the charges and intended to plead guilty to all of them. He declined legal representation, stating: 'I don't want to waste the court's time.' He has been in remand since 20 June. A prosecutor from the HSA told the court that a plea bargain would be offered. Akil is expected to enter his plea on 23 July. He also faces a separate charge under the Passports Act. On 20 January, while applying for a new passport, Akil allegedly told the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) that he had left a bag containing his passport and NRIC at a coffee shop. Investigations later revealed the statement was false. Authorities Mulling Stricter Vaping Regulations In a written parliamentary reply on 8 January, the Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed that a licence is required for the import and sale of etomidate, which is classified as a poison under the Poisons Act. The HSA said it takes a 'serious view' of the illegal sale and misuse of etomidate and warned that 'stern actions' would be taken against offenders. MOH, HSA, and other enforcement agencies have stepped up efforts to clamp down on illegal vaporisers. In light of the growing prevalence of drug-laced Kpods, authorities are said to be considering tightening regulations on vaping. Members of the public who wish to report vaping offences or the sale of vaping products may contact HSA's Tobacco Regulation Branch at 6684-2036 or 6684-2037 during office hours from 9am to 5.30pm on weekdays.
Time Business News
12-07-2025
- Time Business News
National Firearm Trace Data See Significant Surge in Requests
Gun violence has traditionally been viewed through a criminal justice lens, but growing evidence suggests it should also be treated as a public health crisis. A recent analysis by Suzuki Law Offices, leveraging trace data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), paints a picture of systemic risk that stretches beyond crime scenes and into the everyday realities of American life. The Epidemiology of Firearm Traces Between 2017 and 2023, law enforcement submitted nearly 3 million firearm trace requests a 52% increase in just seven years. While some might interpret this trend as improved police efficiency or greater use of investigative tools like eTrace, it also suggests something far more concerning: the sheer volume of guns ending up in the wrong hands. Firearm traces aren't just forensic tools they're symptoms of a deeper societal pathology. Each trace represents a weapon recovered at a crime scene, often after being used in a shooting, robbery, or act of domestic violence. Taken collectively, these traces form a data-driven diagnosis of America's escalating gun problem. From Legal Sale to Violent Act: A Shortening Time Frame One of the most alarming trends in the Suzuki Law analysis is the shrinking time between a firearm's legal purchase and its recovery in connection with a crime. Known as 'time-to-crime' (TTC), this metric dropped from 4.2 years in 2017 to 2.9 years in 2023. Short TTC values are particularly dangerous from a public health standpoint because they indicate rapid movement of guns into illicit use. In 2021, more than 30% of recovered firearms were traced back to a purchase made within the previous 12 months, meaning thousands of guns entered criminal circulation almost immediately after purchase. Privately Made Firearms: A Ghost in the System The rise of privately made firearms (PMFs), or 'ghost guns,' represents another dimension of this growing public health concern. These weapons, which lack serial numbers and are often assembled from kits, are nearly impossible to trace. Suzuki Law's study reveals a 1,600% increase in PMF recoveries from 2017 to 2023. In 2023 alone, nearly 27,500 ghost guns were recovered. More than 1,600 were linked to homicides, and over 4,000 were tied to other violent crimes. Their prevalence reflects the ease with which untraceable weapons can now be acquired and deployed, a trend that has outpaced regulatory capacity and community preparedness. Communities at Risk: Demographic and Geographic Impacts The data also reveals troubling disparities in who is affected. States like California, Texas, and Florida consistently lead in firearm recoveries, a function of both population size and trafficking patterns. But these numbers also point to deeper regional vulnerabilities urban areas with high poverty rates, limited access to healthcare, and overburdened law enforcement often experience the brunt of gun violence. Demographically, the majority of crime guns are now tied to purchasers under 35 years old. Women now account for more than one in five firearm traces. These shifts suggest the epidemic is not confined to any single demographic or region, reinforcing its classification as a broad public safety and health issue. Repeat Offenders and Multiple-Sale Traces From 2019 to 2023, about 14% of traced pistols were used in more than one criminal incident sometimes multiple shootings. Most of these occurred within three years of the firearm's original sale. Additionally, trace requests tied to multiple-sale purchases where a single buyer legally purchases multiple firearms in one transaction have doubled. These patterns mirror the way infectious diseases can spread quickly within a population when unchecked, signaling a need for early detection and containment strategies. Firearm Loss, Theft, and Public Vulnerability More than 1 million firearms were reported stolen from private citizens between 2019 and 2023. The vast majority of those thefts occurred outside commercial settings, such as private homes and vehicles. Lost firearms nearly 15,000 of them reported by dealers in 2023 alone also contribute to a pool of unaccounted-for weapons that pose risks to public safety. The public health framework demands attention not only to the act of gun violence itself, but to the availability, traceability, and accountability of firearms in our communities. A missing firearm is not just a lost object it's a latent threat. An International Angle: Border Trafficking and Spillover Risk Suzuki Law's analysis also highlights the growing risk of cross-border gun trafficking. In 2023, 43% of firearms recovered in Mexico that were traced back to the U.S. originated in Texas, with Arizona and California following closely. These weapons fuel violence in regions controlled by drug cartels, but the risks don't stop at the border. Trafficking networks span communities, implicating both domestic and international safety. Public Health Interventions for a Safer Future Treating gun violence as a public health issue invites new solutions. It shifts the conversation from punishment to prevention, from blame to behavior change. It opens the door for collaborations between medical professionals, educators, social workers, and policymakers. The ATF trace data, as compiled and interpreted in this study, should be central to any such effort. From safe storage campaigns and trauma-informed community support to more intelligent regulation of firearm sales and manufacturing, there is room for action at every level. Conclusion: Prevention, Not Reaction Gun violence is more than a law enforcement problem it is a public health emergency. By recognizing trace data as a reflection of broader social failings, we can begin to craft interventions that treat causes rather than symptoms. The Suzuki Law study offers a blueprint. It's time we use it to build healthier, safer communities for all. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
