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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 11 July 2017

Afghanistan combat vet charged with killing wife, trooper

By CHRIS CAROLA noted that signs had al-
Associated Press ready sprung up around
A New York state police the area to pay tribute to
trooper responding to re- Davis. “It’s not just the po-
ports of gunfire was shot lice who suffer a loss like
to death by a soldier who this,” Beach said. Justin
had just killed his wife at Walters, 32, was barefoot
their home near his Army and clad only in shorts
base, authorities said Mon- when he was taken to a
day. town court around 4 a.m.
Trooper Joel Davis was ap- Monday to be charged
proaching the couple’s with murder. He was in an
home in rural Theresa, near orange jail uniform and
the Canadian border, shackles when he was re-
when Staff Sgt. Justin Wal- arraigned Monday eve-
ters shot him in the torso ning in LeRay Town Court,
with a rifle, leaving him in where he was ordered
a roadside ditch, police held without bail for grand
and court documents said. jury action.
Another trooper arrived His assigned lawyer, Eric
and found Davis, who died Swartz, waived a prelimi-
about an hour later at a nary hearing. He said the
hospital. next appearance would
Walters’ wife, Nichole Wal- be in Jefferson County In this screen shot from video provided by WWNY-TV, Army Staff Sgt. Justin Walters is escorted by
ters, was found dead in Court later. He wouldn’t New York State Police officers, Monday, July 10, 2017 outside the Le Ray Town Court in Le Ray,
the driveway, with multiple comment further, saying N.Y., after authorities say Walters killed his wife and State Police Trooper Joel Davis, 36, who had
responded to reports of shots fired at the couple’s rural upstate New York property. Walters sur-
gunshot wounds. A female he had only met Walters rendered after the Sunday night slayings and was charged with two counts of murder. A second
friend of hers, who was liv- minutes before court. woman living on the couple’s property was also shot, but her injuries weren’t considered life-
ing on the property, also Walters, a native of Zee- threatening, police said.
was shot, suffering non-life- land, Michigan, joined the (WWNY-TV via AP)
threatening injuries, police Army in 2007 and did two
said. Davis, 36, had been one-year tours in Afghani- was stationed at Fort Drum, mander, Maj. Gen. Wal- valor to run toward acts of
a state police trooper for stan, in 2009 and again home of the 10th Mountain ter E. Piatt, called the slain terrible violence, to sacri-
four years, after 10 years from March 2011 to March Division. trooper a hero. fice for the safety of strang-
as a county sheriff’s depu- 2012, Army officials said. He Fort Drum’s senior com- “It takes an uncommon ers,” Piatt said. q
ty in the area, police and
friends said.
“He truly did love being a Official:
law enforcement officer,” FBI arrests Hawaii-based soldier on terror charges
family friend Chris Fletcher
said. “One of his last texts
to another one of his cous- By AUDREY McAVOY He said the soldier was with ed 34-year-old Ikaika Kang er Army Airfield. His rank
ins was he couldn’t believe LOLITA C. BALDOR the 25th Infantry Division at on Saturday. was sergeant first class.
he got paid to do what he Associated Press Schofield Barracks in Hono- Laanui said the FBI will have Kang enlisted in the Army in
does.” HONOLULU (AP) — A U.S. lulu. more information when December 2001 just months
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said official said Monday that No other details were avail- a criminal complaint has after the Sept. 11 attacks.
“the entire New York family an active duty Army soldier able. been filed. He served in Iraq from
grieves” for Davis, a mar- has been arrested by the The official was not autho- Laanui said Kang is sched- March 2010 to February
ried father of three teenag- FBI in Hawaii on terrorism rized to discuss the matter uled for an initial appear- 2011 and Afghanistan from
ers who was commissioner charges. publicly and spoke on con- ance in federal court on July 2013 to April 2014.
of a youth baseball league The official said that the sol- dition of anonymity. Monday afternoon. Kang was assigned to
in his tight-knit community. der was arrested because FBI spokesman Arnold His military service record the headquarters of the
State police Superinten- of connections he had with Laanui said that SWAT said Kang was an air traffic 25th Combat Aviation
dent George P. Beach II the Islamic State group. team special agents arrest- control operator at Wheel- Brigade.q