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A6 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 26 auguSt 2017

Suspected gunman had history of violence, mental illness

with tourists had been con- man had been fired from illness. A court document
victed of violent crimes at his job as a dishwasher at from April 2010 appears
least twice since the 1980s the restaurant. to confirm that. Burns was
and struggled with mental One Virginia’s customer, facing drug charges at the
illness, according to legal Peter Siegert IV of Gales- time and a Circuit Court
records. ville, Maryland, said a man judge ordered a mental
Thomas Demetrius Burns, wearing an apron and a evaluation. “The defendant
53, remained hospitalized ball cap came into the din- has schizophrenia and re-
Friday, the day after he was ing room and announced: peatedly accuses defense
shot by police to end a hos- “There’s a new boss in counsel of working against
tage standoff that followed town.” Siegert said the man him,” Judge Kristi Lea Har-
the slaying at Virginia’s res- held a revolver at his side. rington wrote in her order.
taurant on a busy street of The gunman ordered pa- She gave no further details.
shops and upscale eateries trons to get on the floor and Burns remained Friday at
in downtown Charleston. crawl toward the back of the Medical University of
Authorities released his the restaurant, Siegert said, South Carolina, under the
name Friday. Charleston and they fled through rear guard of sheriff’s deputies.
This photo shows Thomas Demetrius Burns. Authorities say Burns, police say Burns marched exits as he shouted “get Charleston County sher-
a fired dishwasher shot and killed the executive chef at a into the restaurant with a out!” Three hours later, po- iff’s spokesman Maj. Eric
crowded Charleston restaurant and then held a person hostage gun at lunchtime Thurs- lice freed one hostage who Watson said Burns had not
for about three hours before being shot and wounded by police. day and killed Virginia’s also wasn’t injured. been formally charged. He
(Charleston County Sheriff’s Office via The Post And Courier via AP) 37-year-old executive chef, Charleston Mayor John did not know the suspect’s
By RUSS BYNUM The man who police say Shane Whiddon. Authorities Tecklenberg said Thursday condition and the hospital
Associated Press killed a Charleston chef and one of the restaurant’s the gunman appeared to declined to release infor-
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — inside a restaurant filled owners have said the gun- have a history of mental mation. q

Man charged after car pulls into St. Louis rally, hurting 3

By JIM SALTER bing one of them. Rela- “I looked up and saw the
Associated Press tives and friends have said car pushing through pro-
ST. LOUIS (AP) — A man was Herring was a transgender testers,” De Mian said. “I
charged Thursday after au- woman. Police and wit- could see this car was be-
thorities said he pulled his nesses offered differing ac- ing aggressive so other pro-
car into a group of demon- counts of what happened. testers were running up to
strators protesting a police The vigil began at a com- try to stop it.”
shooting in St. Louis, injuring munity garden that honors The car drove away but
three people. Mark Colao, transgender people. Activ- was stopped by police
59, faces a felony count of ist Heather De Mian said about a block from where
resisting arrest by fleeing Thursday that after the vigil, the protesters were struck.
and misdemeanor charges 40 to 50 people marched Police were initially called
of leaving the scene of an to an intersection and to Herring’s apartment
accident and operating a blocked it to protest Her- building because a stab-
vehicle in a careless and ring’s death. bing was reported. In a
imprudent manner. It’s not Police spokeswoman probable cause statement,
clear if he has an attorney Schron Jackson said in a A car drives up to a group of protesters blocking Manchester Detective Jamie Simpher
who can comment on his news release Thursday that Avenue in St. Louis on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017. Three people said a fire broke out around
behalf.Police said the three a car pulled up, stopped, suffered minor injuries when the car pulled into a group of 2 a.m. Tuesday on the
people suffered minor inju- honked and attempted to demonstrators protesting a police shooting in St. Louis. balcony above Herring’s
ries Wednesday night dur- drive around the protest- (David Carson /St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) apartment. He said Herring
ing a candlelight vigil and ers before some of them two women and a man — requested treatment, Jack- and her partner, Kristy Lynn
protest in honor of Kenny surrounded the car and had jumped onto the car son said. De Mian, who uses Thompson, went upstairs
“Kiwi” Herring, who was fa- began hitting it with their and fell off when the driv- a wheelchair, was shooting and accused the man liv-
tally shot by officers Tues- hands and a flag pole. er pulled away, Jackson video of the protest. She ing there of starting the
day after allegedly stab- The injured protesters — said. None of the injured gave a different account. fire.q