NEWS OF THE DAY
From Across the Nation
_1 Escapee captured: A Tennessee convict suspected of killing a corrections administrator before escaping prison on a tractor was captured Sunday, authorities said. The state Bureau of Investigation said Curtis Ray Watson, 44, was caught hours after a confirmed sighting of him in the town of Henning, where he escaped from the West Tennessee State Penitentiary on Wednesday. The state police agency said Watson was on lawn mowing duty when he sexually assaulted and strangled Debra Johnson at the penitentiary. He escaped prison grounds, and the tractor was found nearby, authorities said. Watson had been serving a 15year sentence after pleading guilty to kidnapping.
_2 Body armor: The Senate’s top Democrat announced Sunday that he will introduce legislation to require the FBI to regulate the sale of body armor in the Sen. Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., said the legislation would require the bureau to set standards on who would be eligible to purchase bulletresistant vests and other body armor. The bill is aimed at trying to curb the sale of body armor, which has been used by assailants in mass shootings. The push comes a week after a gunman wearing body armor killed nine people in Dayton, Ohio.
_3 Balloonist hurt: A pilot was injured in Galt (Sacramento County) after his hot air balloon caught on fire and crashed. The balloon went down Saturday in a field at the Hot Air Balloon Festival. The pilot was the only person on board. Authorities say they started an investigation and it is unclear what caused the fire and malfunction.
_4 Deadly fire: A fire early Sunday in Erie, Pa., at a residential building housing a day care center claimed the lives of five children and sent another person to the hospital, authorities said. The victims ranged in ages from 8 months to 7 years, said Fire Chief Guy Santone. Valerie LockettSlupski, standing across the street from the firedamaged house, said she was the grandmother of four of the children, and that they were staying at the day care because their parents were working overnight. A woman who lives at the residence was flown to a hospital for treatment, and a neighbor was also injured.
_5 Klan probe: A Michigan prosecutor says an internal investigation of a white police officer whose house had an apparent Ku Klux Klan document on display will help determine whether there will be further review of the officer’s 2009 fatal shooting of a black man. The Muskegon Police Department opened an internal probe of Officer Charles Anderson after a potential home buyer, who is black, reported seeing a framed KKK application at Anderson’s home. MLive.com reported Prosecutor D.J. Hilson said the investigation’s results will drive reconsideration of the 2009 case. Anderson was cleared of fatally shooting Julius Johnson following a traffic stop. Johnson had fought with Anderson, who said he feared for his life. Anderson has declined comment. His wife has said her husband isn’t a Klan member.