Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 7 March 2018

No police search at home of man who shot self by White House

case. Justin Ford was dis- Washington D.C., the lead
traught when told of his investigative agency, did
roommate's death by an not immediately respond
Associated Press reporter, to a request for comment
saying he had been texting about whether the shoot-
Burgess for days about rent ing was still being investi-
with no answer. He said gated. Gainesville Police
he also hadn't heard of Department spokesman
the shots fired outside the Officer Ben Tobias said he
White House. "I must have did not see "any records
seen him four days ago or of requests for assistance
something," Ford said, add- from any agency regard-
ing that it wasn't unusual for ing this incident." Burgess
Burgess to leave for a few worked as a clinical case
days at a time. "Sometimes manager at the University
he would just leave and go of Florida's Child Protection
on a camping trip or some- Team, a unit that responds
thing." to child abuse over a wide
Ford accompanied a re- area of central Florida.
porter inside Burgess' room, Deborah Field, a friend
and was shocked when and former co-worker, said
he saw the gun case. Ford Burgess was a magnet for
said the quiet, 6-foot-2, the kids they helped, and
bearded man had been had a "courageous laugh"
a gentle, generous room- and positive attitude in a
The bedroom of White House gunman, Cameron Ross Burgess, is seen with empty gun case on mate since he had moved highly traumatic environ-
bed, Tuesday, March 6, 2018, in Gainesville, Fla. Four days after he fatally shot himself outside the
White House, Burgess' apartment sat untouched by investigators on Tuesday. His roommates had in last August. ment. She said she knew
not been questioned by police and didn't even know that he had died. "I had no idea about him he'd sought help from a
(AP Photo/Jason Dearen) having a gun," he said. psychiatrist in the past, and
Police say Burgess fired mul- had been upset about the
By JASON DEAREN on Tuesday. His roommates apartment he shared with tiple shots outside the White school shooting in Parkland
JAY REEVES had not been questioned two others on a tree-lined House on Saturday before in addition to job pressures.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — by police and didn't even street just a few blocks turning the gun on himself "The stuff we saw and
Four days after he fatally know that he had died. from the University of Flor- in front of dozens of onlook- heard, no one should have
shot himself outside the An open, empty handgun ida campus, where he ers. President Donald Trump to see and hear these
White House, a Florida case sat on the unmade worked helping abused and first lady Melania Trump things, but we do it" she
man's apartment sat un- bed of Cameron Ross Bur- children. There were nine were in Florida at the time. said about working with
touched by investigators gess in the Gainesville rounds still inside the gun The Metropolitan Police in abused children. q

20-year-old sues Dick's, Walmart over new gun policies

By GILLIAN FLACCUS ing legally bought the AR- Josephine counties both Watson did not know about Watson, of Gold Hill, Ore-
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A 15 used in the attack. ask a judge to put a stop to the restrictions when he gon, could not be reached
20-year-old man from Or- The lawsuits, obtained by the retailers' new gun sale tried to buy a rifle, his attor- for comment.
egon has filed lawsuits The Associated Press, are policies and award puni- ney Max Whittington, told Walmart spokesman Randy
against Dick's Sporting believed to be the first filed tive damages because of The Oregonian/Oregon- Hargrove said the retailer
Goods and Walmart, alleg- over the new gun policies the "willful nature of the dis- Live, which first reported on plans to defend the new
ing the two retailers discrim- enacted in the wake of the crimination." the lawsuits Monday. Whit- policy.
inated against him when Feb. 14 shooting in Florida. Legal papers say a store tington did not immediate- "We stand behind our deci-
they refused to sell him a Oregon law allows resi- owned by Dick's Sporting ly return a call from the AP sion and plan to defend it,"
rifle this week because of dents to buy shotguns or Goods in Medford, Ore- on Tuesday. he said. "While we haven't
his age. rifles starting at 18. gon, refused to sell Wat- Watson is not part of an or- seen the complaint, we will
Dick's and Walmart re- Tyler Watson's lawsuits filed son a .22-caliber Ruger rifle ganized effort to push back respond as appropriate
stricted gun sales to people against the retailers in two on Feb. 24. The suit says a against the retailers' policy, with the court."
21 and older in the wake separate counties claim he Walmart in Grants Pass, Or- the lawyer added. A representative from
of the Florida high school faced age discrimination egon, refused to sell him an "He was really just trying to Dick's didn't immediately
massacre. The 19-year-old from Dick's and Walmart. unspecified type of rifle on buy a rifle," Whittington told return a call from The AP on
accused in the school slay- The lawsuits in Jackson and March 3. the newspaper. Tuesday.q