NEWS OF THE DAY
➊ Statue toppled: A statue of abolitionist Frederick Douglass was ripped from its base in Rochester, N.Y., on the anniversary of a speech he delivered in that city in 1852. Police said the statue was taken Sunday from a park along the Underground Railroad where Douglass and Harriet Tubman helped shuttle slaves to freedom. Police were continuing their investigation Monday and no arrests had been made. The statue was found about 50 feet from its pedestal with damage to its base and a finger. On July 5, 1852, Douglass gave a speech, calling the celebration of Independence Day a sham in a nation that enslaves its Black citizens.
➋ Planes collide: At least eight people, including three children, were killed when two airplanes collided over Lake Coeur d’ Alene in northern Idaho, the Kootenai County Sheriff ’s Office said Monday. One of the aircraft was a float plane operated by Brooks Seaplanes of Coeur d’Alene, which operates scenic flights. That plane was carrying five passengers, including three children, and a pilot. The second airplane was a Cessna 206 that was carrying at least two people. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are headed to the scene.
➌ Deadly carjacking: A 13yearold girl was killed and three of her siblings were injured during a carjacking of a family van in Pico Rivera (Los Angeles County). A family of six had stopped for food, leaving their children, ages 18, 13, 11 and 8, in the van with the air conditioning running, a sheriff ’s statement said. A man jumped in, ordered the children out and sped off before they could comply. The children either jumped or were ejected from the van. The 13yearold girl struck an object and died. The van struck another vehicle, became disabled and Jose Elias Aguilar, 26, allegedly attempted to take another vehicle. Fruit vendors held him until deputies arrived.
➍ Mall shooting: A man has been arrested on a murder charge in connection with a recent shooting at an Alabama shopping mall that left an 8yearold boy dead and three other people injured, authorities said. Hoover police announced the arrest of Montez Coleman, 22, in the shooting Friday that killed Royta Giles Jr. Police Chief Nick Derzis said Coleman, who had been sought on a capital murder warrant, also is charged with three counts of seconddegree assault in the wounding of a man, woman and girl — all innocent bystanders. They were each treated for gunshot wounds and subsequently released from medical care. At least three people fired guns, and Derzis said investigators are seeking to identify the others involved. ➎ Racial justice: A white woman walking her dog who called the police during a dispute with a Black man in New York City’s Central Park was charged Monday with filing a false report, a misdemeanor. In May, Amy Cooper drew widespread criticism for calling 911 to report she was being threatened by “an African American man” when bird watcher Christian Cooper appeared to keep his distance as he recorded her rant on his phone. Amy Cooper was ordered to appear in court on Oct. 14. She apologized after the incident, saying she “reacted emotionally.”