News Roundup 12/6/19


Official: Sailor used service weapon to kill at Pearl Harbor

Just days before the 78th anniversary of the Japanese bombing that propelled the United States into World War II, a U.S. sailor shot three civilians with his service weapon and killing two of them, before taking his own life at Pearl Harbor. Rear Adm. Robert Chadwick, commander of Navy Region Hawaii, stated the military will be evaluating whether security will need to be increased before the annual ceremony celebration on Saturday. The shooter was identified 22-year-old G. Romero. It was said he used his service rifle to shoot the victims, then killed himself with his service pistol. Chadwick stated that there has been no motive found for the incident.

Source: Associated Press

Report: Teen who died in US custody unresponsive for hours

On Thursday ProPublica published a footage showing the U.S. Border Patrol cell where a 16-year-old Carlos Hernandez Vasquez from Guatemala died of the flu and was found hours later on May 20. The footage is calling into question the Border Patrol’s treatment of Hernandez Vasquez. The cellmate discovered him around 6am and quickly got the attention of a Border Patrol agent followed shortly by a physician’s assistant who attempted a single chest compression. The video shows Carlos stopped moving at about 1:39 a.m and Border Patrol logs states an agent performed a welfare check 3 times before 6am. The Border Patrol has since reduced the number of people in custody.

Source: Associated Press

US gains a robust 266,000 jobs; unemployment falls to 3.5%

Hiring in the U.S. jumped last month to its highest level since January, adding 266,000 jobs. Unemployment rates dipped to 3.5% from 3.6% in October and wages rose to a solid 3.1% in November compared with a year earlier. Monthly job growth has picked up since summer, averaging 205,000 over the past three months,. This is up from just 135,000 in July. Steady job growth has helped reassure consumers that the economy is expanding and that their jobs and incomes remain secure. 

Source: Associated Press

US flu season arrives early, driven by an unexpected virus

The U.S. winter flu season is off to its earliest start in more than 15 years. Health officials have stated illness in the South has begun to spread more broadly, and there’s a decent chance flu season could peak much earlier than normal. The last time the flu season began this early was in 2003-2004. Some experts state that the early beginning of flu season might mean that a lot of suffering is in store, while others state it is too early to tell. Dave Osthus, a statistician, stated that many Americans may be sick at the same time due to the early start of the season. 

Source: Associated News 

Official: Pensacola shooter was Saudi aviation student

On Friday morning, an aviation student from Saudi Arabia opened fire in a classroom building at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola. The attack left three dead in addition to the assailant. It prompted a massive law enforcement response and a lockdown at the base, because this was the second attack on a U.S. Navy base this week. The assailant was a second lieutenant in the Saudi Air Force. Authorities are investigating whether the attack was terrorism-related. Authorities stated that all the shooting took place in a single classroom and a handgun was used. President Donald Trump has tweeted his condolences to the families of the victims. 

Source: Associated Press