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A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 14 February 2022
Hate crime probe sought in Mississippi attempted shooting

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS the chase and gunfire
Associated Press have sparked social me-
RIDGELAND, Miss. (AP) — dia complaints of racism in
Attorneys for a Black deliv- Brookhaven, about 55 miles
ery driver are calling for a (90 kilometers) south of the
federal hate crimes probe state capital, Jackson. The
of the attempted shooting local NAACP chairman has
of the driver in Mississippi, called on city’s Black po-
saying it’s another example lice chief to resign, but the
of Black Americans facing chief says he has no inten-
danger simply for going tion to do so.
about their daily activities. “I’m not going anywhere
The FedEx driver, 24-year- until God makes that deci-
old D’Monterrio Gibson, sion,” Collins told the Daily
was not wounded in the Leader. “That’s between
Jan. 24 incident. One of his me and God. Until God
attorneys, Carlos Moore, calls me I’m not worried
said Thursday that he be- about what anybody says.”
lieves police are not taking Moore compares the in-
the investigation seriously. cident to the killing of Ah-
Two white men are facing maud Arbery, a 25-year-
charges, but Moore said old Black man who was
the state needs to upgrade FedEx driver D’Monterrio Gibson, second from left, stands with his legal team of attorneys, Rodney running empty-handed
those charges to attempt- S. Diggs, left, Carlos Moore, second from right, as they listen to a James A. Bryant II, also a lawyer through a Georgia subdi-
ed murder. and member of their legal team, speak during a news conference in Ridgeland, Miss., Thursday, vision in 2020 when three
Moore said Gibson had Feb. 10, 2022. white strangers chased him
done nothing wrong be- Associated Press down and blasted him with
fore two white men tried away from another house released on Feb. 1. Police he is seeking mental health a shotgun. The white men,
to stop him, with one of the on the same large lot. told local news outlets that treatment and is on unpaid including a father and son,
men holding a gun. He said the pickup driver the elder Case was the sus- leave from his job. were convicted of murder
“He was simply Black while tried to cut him off as he pected pickup driver, while “I have real bad anxiety and sentenced to life. De-
working,” Moore said dur- left the driveway. Gibson Brandon Case was the since the incident,” Gibson fense lawyers said they sus-
ing a news conference. swerved around him and man in the street. Gregory said. pected Arbery had com-
A Justice Department then encountered a sec- Charles Case is charged Jim Masilak, manager of mitted crimes in their neigh-
spokesperson confirmed ond man who had a gun with conspiracy. Brandon media relations for FedEx, borhood, but prosecutors
to The Associated Press on pointed at the van and was Case is charged with ag- said in response to ques- said there was no evidence
Thursday that the depart- motioning for him to stop. gravated assault. tions from AP Thursday: of that. The three still face a
ment received a request to Gibson said the man fired The attorneys who rep- “FedEx takes situations of federal hate crime trial.
look into the case and will as he drove away, damag- resent the men — Terrell this nature very seriously, About 68% of Brookhaven’s
review the request to de- ing the van and packages Stubbs for the father and and we are shocked by 12,000 residents are Black.
termine any next steps. inside. He said the white Dan Kitchens for the son this criminal act against The city is in Lincoln Coun-
Gibson said he was wear- pickup chased him to the — did not immediately re- our team member. ... The ty, where District Attorney
ing a FedEx uniform and interstate highway near spond to two phone mes- safety of our team mem- Dee Bates said informa-
was driving an umarked Brookhaven before ending sages that the AP left for bers is our top priority, and tion will be presented to a
van that FedEx had rent- the pursuit. each of them Thursday. A we remain focused on his grand jury for a decision on
ed when he dropped off Two white men from person in Stubbs’ office said wellbeing. We will continue charges once police com-
a package at a house in Brookhaven, 58-year-old he was in court, and a per- to support Mr. Gibson as we plete their investigation of
south Mississippi. He said as Gregory Charles Case and son in Kitchens’ office said cooperate with investigat- the Gibson incident. Wit-
he was leaving, he noticed his son 35-year-old Brandon he was out of the office. ing authorities.” nesses, including Gibson,
a white pickup truck pulling Case, were arrested and Gibson said Thursday that Nobody was injured but will be able to testify.q

West Virginia school district

investigating religious event

a Feb. 2 religious revival state” and, “My faith, my “It was reported to my staff
event that occurred at choice.” The Fellowship of that some students were re-
Huntington High School, Christian Athletes had invit- quired to attend a religious
saying he believes some ed Nik Walker Ministries to event during the school
students’ rights have been hold a revival at the school, day,” Saxe said in the state-
violated. which was advertised as a ment. “At this point in the
Cabell County Schools Su- voluntary event. School of- investigation, it is my belief
perintendent Ryan Saxe ficials have said there was that some students’ rights
announced the investiga- supposed to be a sign-up have been violated. As the
tion in a statement issued sheet to attend but that investigation continues, we
Huntington High School senior Max Nibert holds signs he plans
to use during a student walkout at the school in Huntington, on Friday. About 100 stu- two teachers mistakenly must follow due process,
W.Va. on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022. dents at the high school took their entire classes. which takes some time, in
Associated Press walked out in protest on That prompted complaints addressing any responsible
Wednesday during an ad- from some parents and employee while working to
Associated Press West Virginia school super- visory period, chanting, from students who orga- ensure a situation like this
Huntington, W.Va. (AP) — A intendent is investigating “Separate the church and nized the walkout. never occurs again.”q