(File Photo)
(Pittsburgh, Pa.) Pa State Police at the Rivers Casino are reporting that they have filed charges of defiant trespass against 45-year-old Lisa Pifer of Coraopolis for an incident that occurred on Thursday, July 15, 2021, around 9:46 PM at the Rivers Casino.
Troopers report via release that Pifer entered the casino after knowing that she had previously been told by Troopers that she was banned from the casino.
Microsoft Exchange email hack was caused by China, US says
By ERIC TUCKER Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is blaming China for a hack of Microsoft Exchange email server software that compromised tens of thousands of computers around the world earlier this year. The administration and allied nations on Monday also disclosed a broad range of other cyberthreats from Beijing, including ransomware attacks from government-affiliated hackers that have targeted companies with demands for millions of dollars. A senior administration official says China’s Ministry of State Security has been using criminal contract hackers, who have engaged in cyber extortion schemes and operations for their own profit. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson previously said attribution of cyberattacks should be based on evidence and not “groundless accusations.”
Dangerous conditions complicate wildfire fight in western US
Associated Press undefined
BLY, Ore. (AP) — Erratic winds and dry lightning are among the dangers for crews battling the nation’s largest wildfire. The Bootleg Fire is racing through parched Oregon forests just north of the California state line. It’s already burned an area about the size of Los Angeles. Meteorologists predict critically dangerous fire weather through at least Monday, including lightning that could ignite new fires. Thousands of people are under evacuation orders. Nationwide, about 70 large fires are burning. One fire spreading south of Lake Tahoe jumped a highway, prompting the closure of the Pacific Crest Trail and the cancellation of an extreme bike ride known as the “Death Ride.”
Fetterman leads fundraising in Pennsylvania’s US Senate race
By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democrat John Fetterman is showing his early fundraising prowess in the crowded stakes for Pennsylvania’s open U.S. Senate seat ahead of next year’s election. Fetterman reported $2.5 million raised in the three months ending June 30. That left him with $3 million in his campaign account, far more than any candidate, Republican or Democrat, has reported. Thursday was the Federal Election Commission deadline to file the quarterly report. Fetterman is the state’s lieutenant governor. Leading the Republican money chase is Jeff Bartos, the Montgomery County real estate investor whose campaign said he had just under $1.9 million in his account as of June 30.
(Clay Township, Pa.) Pa State Police in Butler are reporting via release that they are investigating a murder suicide that happened on Saturday .
Troopers say via release that officers were dispatched to the West Sunbury Cemetery in Clay Township early Saturday Afternoon for reports of a suicidal male. Upon arrival, officers found a person dead by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The release identified the deceased man 46-year-old Charles Smith, 46, of Evans City.
Through an investigation, it was determined that Smith shot and killed 39-year-old Terry Bolan of Evans City in Forward Twp. prior to fleeing to the cemetery and taking his own life. It not clear what led to this incident and Troopers continue to investigate.
(Beaver, Pa.) Pa State Police in Beaver sent out a press release over the weekend stating that the Pa State Police in Beaver will be conducting Sobriety checkpoints throughout the area during the remainder of the month of July 2021, in support of Pa State Police’s “Impaired Driving Enforcement Initiative” They are encouraging motorists to drink responsibly and utilize a designated driver when drinking.
(Photos courtesy of City of Beaver Falls Fire Department, used with permission)
(Beaver Falls, Pa.) The City of Beaver Falls Fire Department is reporting via their Facebook page that they were dispatched to the area of A-Plus on 8th Avenue in the City of Beaver Falls for reports of a house on fire around midnight Saturday night, July 17, 2021. As the City of Beaver Falls Police Department and Beaver Falls Fire Chief Mark Stowe were responding to the call they found an abandon house that had previously burned last year on 10th Avenue with a large volume of fire coming from the second floor. Fire crews from the New Brighton Volunteer Fire Dept., Rochester Fire Department and Big Beaver Borough Volunteer Fire Company were already responding with Beaver Falls Fire Department to the first alarm. When the fire on 10th Ave was discovered a second alarm was sounded requesting assistance from Patterson Heights Volunteer Fire Department and Chippewa Township Volunteer Fire Department.
The Facebook report says that multiple hose lines and Tower 11 were put into operation bringing the fire under control in 30 minutes. Crews remained on scene to extinguish hot spots for about an hour and a half before leaving the scene. There were no injuries reported.
Photos are courtesy of Beaver Falls Fire Department:
(Photo by City of Beaver Falls Police Department. Used with permission)
(Beaver Falls, Pa.) The City of Beaver Falls Police Department is reporting via their Facebook page that officers from the City of Beaver Falls Police Department, New Brighton Police Department and the PA Office of Attorney General after an investigation executed a search warrant early Friday morning, July 16, 2021, at 817 9th Avenue in Beaver Falls. Randall Mason of Beaver Falls was arrested as a result of the investigation. Officers also seized 500 grams of cocaine, 140 grams of crack cocaine, $8000.00, 1.5 lbs marijuana, a digital scale, cell phones, and other misc. items.
(Beaver, Pa.) According to a press release from District Attorney David Lozier’s Office on Friday evening, July 16, 2021, homicide charges have been filed in the shootout that occurred in the area of 10th Ave and 10th Street in Beaver Falls on Monday night, July 12, 2021.
Charges of Criminal Homicide are being filed against DECARLOS KAVAUN WARREN, age 20, of Michigan. DECARLOS KAVAUN WARREN is accused of the intentional murder of Dwayne Lee Wells, Aggravated Assault for the shooting of three adult males in addition to Dwayne Lee Wells, among other charges.
According to the release an arrest warrant has been issued for DECARLOS KAVAUN WARREN. Federal agencies have been asked to assist in his arrest and extradition back to Beaver County.
At about 9:30 on the evening of Monday, July 12, 2021, there was an exchange of gunfire in the vicinity of 10th Street and 10th Avenue in the City of Beaver Falls. Police say that 5 people were shot in total. Two of the victims were fatalities, two were life flighted to Pittsburgh Hospitals, underwent surgery and police continue monitoring their condition and the fifth individual was treated at the hospital and released.
The two fatalities were: Dwayne Lee Wells, age 31, of Beaver Falls and Youngstown. Monte Carlos Warren, age 30, of Michigan.
The Coroner has ruled the causes of both deaths to be homicide
Harrisburg, PA – As part of his ongoing law enforcement reform efforts, Governor Tom Wolf today joined the Pennsylvania State Police to announce the launch of a new electronic database for use by law enforcement agencies in the hiring of law enforcement officers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
“This is an important tool for our law enforcement agencies. It will help agencies identify potential red flags in candidates, which helps agencies invest in better employees they’ll want to train and retain and keep officers with a history of misconduct away from roles where they can cause further harm,” Gov. Wolf said. “Law enforcement reform is crucial to improving public safety. This, along with the reforms my administration has implemented over the past year, will make our commonwealth safer for everyone.”
The database, established by the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (MPOETC), will contain information on law enforcement officers who have a history of criminal charges or discipline for actions ranging from excessive force to discrimination. It will be used to augment the enhanced background investigation process for the hiring of law enforcement officers.
Additionally, for the first time in the state’s history, law enforcement agencies are required to maintain and provide all employment records, including performance evaluations and reasons for separation, pertaining to a previously employed law enforcement officer to a prospective hiring agency.
“The database established by MPOETC is an added tool to assist in the hiring process of law enforcement personnel who are ultimately held to a higher standard of professionalism throughout the commonwealth,” said Colonel Robert Evanchick, commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. “I would like to thank all of the MPOETC commissioners, staff, information technology personnel, and members of the PSP who worked tirelessly to ensure the database was operational by July 14.”
The database was created as a result of Act 57 of 2020, which was unanimously approved in the General Assembly and signed by Governor Wolf on July 14, 2020. It required MPOETC to develop a database to hold separation records of all law enforcement officers in the commonwealth defined as peace officers.
As required by law, on July 14, 2021 the database was operational and temporary regulations went into effect.
“The database is up and running, every department must participate, and it will save lives,” said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “This is a down payment on reform, one of many steps we need to take to fulfill the promise of safety and the promise of justice, so that every Pennsylvanian can be, and can feel, safe in their own community.”
The development of permanent regulations will occur over the next year in accordance with the Regulatory Review Act and are required to be completed by March 2023. During this time, MPOETC will seek input and feedback of stakeholders and the public. In addition, MPOETC will also use this time to test and refine the database and associated regulations to ensure compliance in carrying out the purposes of Act 57.
The database will contain more than 1,300 agencies and approximately 30,000 to 35,000 officers. Pennsylvania State Police Troopers and Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement Officers are included. Currently in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania there are 1,063 municipal law enforcement agencies with more than 22,000 officers.
“We’re not perfect. We recognize we have a few ‘bad apples’ in our bunch, and I think I speak for all of us when I say we want those bad apples out too. We want to continue to do the things we need to do, to restore a reputation that has been tarnished over the past year or so, by the actions of those few thoughtless individuals. We want to nurture that public trust that once again fosters faith in local law enforcement and inspires little girls and boys to become police officers,” said York City Police Chief Michael Muldrow. “I commend Governor Wolf, our legislators and the commission for taking these first steps — with the changes found in Act 57, the new database and the reporting requirements that come with it. It will undoubtedly help to fill in some of the cracks those individuals have been able to slip through. We’re going to take it from there, pushing to be best versions of ourselves, not because it’s mandated, but because it’s the right thing to do.”
“Act 57 is the culmination of robust police accountability legislation, nonviolent direction action inspired by a diverse array of Pennsylvanians’ grassroots mobilizing efforts to address and correct deep inequities in policing and society at large,” said state Representative Chris Rabb (D-Philadelphia). “With bolstered transparency measures adopted through the regulatory process, the proper resources and administrative rigor, this state inter-departmental law enforcement misconduct database has the potential to identify and ultimately reduce the number of law enforcement agency applicants with documented disciplinary actions against them that endanger community safety.”
“The launch of this police misconduct database moves us a step forward toward true police reform, accountability and transparency,” said state Representative Donna Bullock (D-Philadelphia), chairwoman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus. “Members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus started advocating for this database after meeting with the mother of Antwan Rose who was fatally shot in 2018 by an officer sworn in just hours before. This database is a direct outcome of her advocacy, the Police Reform Working Group and many others.”
“The establishment of the police hiring database of all law enforcement officers is a critical step toward improving transparency and strengthening the bonds between the community and law enforcement,” said state Senator Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia). “Bad actors often compromise the ability of police to effectively protect people by undermining the trust which is essential for a healthy relationship between the community and law enforcement. This is progress but we still have work to do.”
Addressing law enforcement reform is a priority for Governor Wolf. In June 2020, the governor announced comprehensive police reform executive actions in the wake of the death of George Floyd when in Minneapolis police custody and subsequent protests in Pennsylvania and across the country.
For more information on the Act 57 separation database, visit mpoetc.psp.pa.gov.