Archive for August 13, 2012

College Station police say a gunman killed one police officer and a civilian and wounded another officer near Texas A&M University. The gunman was wounded and died in custody.

The university, located in College Station, about 90 miles northwest of Houston, initially reported the shooting at 1:29 p.m. ET, and 15 minutes later said a gunman was in custody. The university immediately issued a Code Maroon on its emergency website, instructing students and school personnel to avoid the area.

Update at 4:18 p.m. ET: Witnesses tell The Eagle that the gunman, still unidentified, was shot by SWAT officers, but police have not confirmed that.

Update at 4:13 p.m. ET: College Station police report that the wounded officer was shot in the leg and is listed in stable condition. A female civilian is in surgery at St. Joseph Hospital in Bryan. Two other police officers suffered non-life-threateneing injuries. Earlier, there reports of one person experiencing chest pains and another dizziness.

Update at 4:03 p.m. ET: The gunman has died, police say, the Associated Press is reporting.

Update at 4 p.m. ET: The Eagle names the dead officer as Brazos County Constable Brian Bachman, who was shot while serving paperwork.

The paper also says the gunman has died.

Update at 3:48 p.m. ET: Police say the gunman was shot before being taken into custody.

CNN reports the gunman is the dead civilian, but police have not confirmed that.

Earlier reports indicated the shooting may have resulted during an eviction at a house in the historical district.

Update at 3:43 p.m. ET: Police also say one civilian has died.

Update at 3:36 p.m. ET: The local Eagle newspaper, KBTX and the Associated Press are now reporting that one officer has died.

Update at 3:17 p.m. ET: Two police officers and one civilian were wounded, a Bryan Police spokesman says, the Associated Press reports.

Original post by Douglas Stanglin:

Update at 2:35 p.m. ET: The shooting incident occurred a few blocks off campus, Texas A & M University spokeswoman Sherylon Carroll tells USA TODAY’s Donna Leinwand Leger.

Carroll says she learned of the shooting from the campus police chief, who asked her to alert students, faculty and staff to avoid the area. Within 15 minutes, police called to say the shooter was in custody, Carroll says.

“We are OK now,” Carroll says. “For a while, it was scary.”

Update at 2:33 p.m. ET: The Eagle, the College Station newspaper, reports that the incident appears to have started on Fidelity Street near George Bush Dr., not far from the A&M Former Student’s Association building.

Other media reports say the shooter apparently had barricaded himself into a building.

Update at 2:27 p.m. ET: KBTX reports it has confirmed that more than one law enforcement officer had been wounded.

KBTX quotes a spokesperson for the College Station Police Department as saying there were no confirmed fatalities.

“The scene is reportedly under control and there is no longer a danger to the public,” KBTX report.

Update at 2:22 p.m. ET: The College Station newspaper, The Eagle, reports that police scanners referred to two officers being wounded, but that was not immediately confirmed. (Correction at 2:56 p.m. ET: We earlier wrongly referred to the Eagle as the school newspaper.)

Update at 2:18 p.m. ET: KHOU.com reports that at least two people were shot. KHOU reports that police say the suspect was firing shots from a house near the campus.

Update at 2:14 p.m. ET: Police officer Seaton, in her interview with CNN, said she did not know at this time the extent of the injuries .

Update at 2:12 p.m. ET: Brazos County police scanners report at least two people “are down.”

Update at 2:11 p.m. ET: College Station, Texas, police officer Rhonda Seaton tells CNN that the “multiple people” have been injured.

Update at 2:06 p.m. ET: Here is the university’s initial report on its website:

Avoid Area. CSPD reports an active shooter in the area immediately southeast of the intersection of Welborn Rd and George Bush Drive. Please avoid the area. Residents in the immediate area need to remain inside their residence.

No futher details were immediately available.

via Gunman, officer civilian dead in shooting near Texas A-M.

By Al Arabiya with agencies

Defected Brigadier General Ibrahim al-Jabawi said on Monday that the Syrian regime’s gang-like militia, the Shabiha, were led by Iranian military advisors when they stormed al-Shamas district in Homs.

According to Jabawi, each Shabiha group followed an Iranian military advisor, Al Arabiya news channel reported him as saying

The defected general said Shamas did not have elements from the opposition Free Syrian Army (FSA), but it had people who fled other besieged areas in the central flashpoint city. Criticism is increasing against the FSA for hiding in civilian areas.

Jabawi also reported that 10 civilian men were executed and 350 others were detained.

via Iranian officers led Syrian regime militias in Homs: defected general.