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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 17 March 2020

Ex-governor's candidate in Florida says he's entering rehab

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Sunday night that he re- I have never used meth-
Former Florida candidate solved to seek help after amphetamines," Gillum,
for governor Andrew Gillum conversations with his fami- 40, said earlier. "I apologize
disclosed Sunday that he ly and deep reflection, call- to the people of Florida
is entering a rehabilitation ing the decision "a wake- for the distraction this has
facility, saying he had fall- up call for me." caused for our movement."
en into a depression and "Since my race for governor According to police, fire
alcohol abuse after losing ended, I fell into a depres- rescue crews were called
his bid for the state's high- sion that has led to alcohol to the Miami Beach hotel
est post. abuse," he said, pledging around 1 a.m. Friday re-
The Democrat's statement to work to "heal fully and garding a suspected drug
came days after Gillum show up in the world as a overdose. Police say Gillum
was named in a South Flori- more complete person." and two other men were in
da police report Friday that He said he would be step- the hotel room. In this Nov. 10, 2018 file photo, Andrew Gillum the Democrat
said he was "inebriated" ping down from "all public "Mr. Gillum was unable to candidate for governor speaks at a news conference in Talla-
and initially unresponsive facing roles" at this time. communicate due to his hassee, Fla.
in a hotel room along with "I want to apologize to my inebriated state," the po- Associated Press
a male companion where family, friends and the peo- lice report said.
authorities found baggies ple of Florida who have Police say one of the men turned for a welfare check Florida and frequently ap-
of suspected crystal meth- supported me and put their came into the hotel room and was allowed to leave pears on cable news chan-
amphetamine. faith in me over the years," and found Gillum and Tra- the hotel for home, accord- nels as a political commen-
Gillum, the former Talla- he added, requesting pri- vis Dyson, 30, apparently ing to the police report. tator.
hassee mayor who ran for vacy for his family. under the influence of an Gillum was the first black In 2019, the Florida Com-
governor in 2018, was not In an earlier statement after "unknown substance." Of- nominee in a major political mission on Ethics found
charged with any crime. the police report became ficials began chest com- party to run for governor in probable cause that Gil-
The Miami Beach police public, Gillum said that he pressions on Dyson and he Florida. He lost narrowly to lum violated state ethics
report said Gillum was al- was in Miami Beach for a was taken to a hospital, Republican Ron DeSantis in laws when he accepted
lowed to leave the ho- wedding and did not use where authorities say he is the 2018 election. gifts during out-of-town ex-
tel for home after he was illegal drugs. in stable condition. Since then, Gillum has cursions with lobbyists and
checked out medically. "While I had too much to Gillum had stable medical mounted an effort to reg- vendors and failed to re-
Gillum said in his statement drink, I want to be clear that signs when authorities re- ister Democratic voters in port them. q

5 dead, including officer and gunman, in Missouri shooting

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Go. gas station and conve- eran and was active in the
Five people including a po- nience store, and the gun- Army reserves. Officer Jo-
lice officer and a gunman man ran inside and began siah Overton, whose injuries
have died in a shooting at shooting customers and are not life-threatening, has
a Missouri gas station after employees, Williams said. been with Springfield po-
the gunman went inside The first two officers who ar- lice for two years, he said.
and opened fire, police rived were shot. “Both officers showed sig-
said Monday. Other officers pulled the in- nificant bravery and were
The dead also include jured officers from the store heroic in their actions,” Wil-
three citizens, Springfield and then went inside, find- liams said.
police Chief Paul Williams ing three citizens dead. The The identifies of the other
announced Monday, and gunman also was found victims have not been re-
an officer was injured along dead, apparently from a leased pending notifica-
with another citizen. self-inflicted gunshot, Wil- tion of relatives.
Williams said police re- liams said. Police are still working to
ceived reports of “multiple Full Coverage: Shootings Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams gets emotional during a determine a motive for the
shooting calls throughout Officer Christopher Walsh press conference as he talks about five people including a po- shooting, the chief said.
the city” late Sunday. As died at a hospital, Wil- lice officer and a gunman that died in a shooting at a Missouri He said it was too early to
officers were responding, liams said. He was with the gas station after the gunman went inside and starting shooting, comment on the impact
witnesses reported a ve- Springfield police for 3 1/2 police said Monday, March 16, 2020, in Springfield, Mo. the shooting had on his
hicle crashed into a Kum & years, was an Army vet- Associated Press department.q