WASHINGTON: A 97 year-old World War II veteran has become the oldest homicide victim in crime-ridden Baltimore after he was beaten to death in his pajamas for refusing to leave his home.
Wadell Tate was killed on July 21 by burglars inside the rowhouse he had owned for six decades, the Washington Post reported in its Wednesday edition.
Baltimore, a port city about an hour northeast of the US capital, has seen 211 people killed this year, according to city figures.
“They took away his right to die on his own,” Tate’s 65 year-old daughter Sylvia Swann told the Post.
Baltimore, a city of 2.8 million, is troubled by drug use, poverty and racial segregation problems.
In 2016 violent crime in Baltimore was up 22 percent and murders up 78 percent, according to Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Over the weekend activists called for a 72-hour cease-fire, and held rallies and vigils. Nevertheless two people were killed.
There is little trust between residents and the police as Baltimore struggles with the aftermath of rioting in 2015 following the death in police custody of 25-year-old Freddie Gray.
City police came under scathing criticism after the death of Gray, who suffered a severed spine while being transported in the back of a police van with his hands and feet bound.
In April a federal judge approved a consent decree requiring the Baltimore police to implement sweeping reforms.
The Baltimore city government and police agreed on the decree last year, but the administration of President Donald Trump, promising to empower police to crack down on crime, has sought to delay and modify it.
WWII vet murdered in his pajamas in crime-ridden US city
WWII vet murdered in his pajamas in crime-ridden US city
Australia holds day of reflection to honor victims of Bondi Beach attack
- The gun attack, Australia’s worst in nearly 30 years, is being investigated as an act of terrorism targeting Jews
SYDNEY: Australia held a day of reflection on Sunday to honor those killed and wounded in a mass shooting that targeted a seaside Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach a week ago.
The gun attack, Australia’s worst in nearly 30 years, is being investigated as an act of terrorism targeting Jews. Authorities have ramped up patrols and policing across the country to prevent further antisemitic violence.
Australian flags were flown at half-mast on Sunday on federal and New South Wales state government buildings, with an official minute of silence to be held at 6:47 p.m. local time.
Authorities also invited Australians to light a candle on Sunday night “as a quiet act of remembrance with family, friends or loved ones” of the 15 people killed and dozens wounded in the attack, allegedly carried out by a father and son.
“At 6:47 p.m., you can light a candle in your window to remember the victims of the antisemitic terrorist attack in Bondi and support those who are grieving,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on social media platform X late on Saturday.
Albanese, under pressure from critics who say his center-left government has not done enough to curb a surge in antisemitism since Israel launched its war in Gaza, has vowed to strengthen hate laws in the wake of the massacre.
On Saturday, the government of New South Wales, which includes Sydney, pledged to introduce a bill on Monday to ban the display of symbols and flags of “terrorist organizations,” including those of Al-Qaeda, Al Shabab, Boko Haram, Hamas, Hezbollah and Daesh.
Around 1,000 surf lifesavers returned to duty at Bondi Beach on Saturday, restarting patrols after a halt sparked by the shooting on the first evening of the Jewish festival.
A day earlier, Australia’s Jewish community gathered at Bondi Beach for prayers, while hundreds of swimmers and surfers formed a huge circle in the waters off the beach to honor victims.
Alleged gunman Sajid Akram, 50, was shot dead by police at the scene. His 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, who was also shot by police and emerged from a coma on Tuesday afternoon, has been charged with 59 offenses, including murder and terrorism, according to police. He remained in custody in hospital.
Authorities believe the pair was inspired by militant Sunni Muslim group Daesh, with flags of the group allegedly found in the car the two took to Bondi.
