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U.S. NEWS A5
Saturday 9 April 2016
Teen suspect faces murder charge in Austin student’s killing
WILL WEISSERT Mourners observe a moment of silence during a vigil for University of Texas at Austin student Ha- ported the fire also called
Associated Press ruka J. Weiser on the campus in Austin, Texas. Weiser, an 18-year-old dance major, was identified police when she saw the
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A as the homicide victim found in Waller Creek earlier in the week. surveillance video, Acev-
homeless 17-year-old has edo said.
been arrested, and police (Rodolfo Gonzalez/Austin American-Statesman via AP) Criner wasn’t arrested for
said Friday he’ll be charged the fire but was instead
with murder in the killing of Weiser’s family said she had “not violence.” that they’ve caught the taken to a shelter. Police
a University of Texas dance planned to take on a sec- guy.” found him there Thursday
major whose body was re- ond, pre-med major soon The slaying shook a cam- Police released surveil- and took him into custody
covered in the heart of the and to travel to Japan this lance video that showed without incident. The arrest
bustling campus — unnerv- summer to see relatives. In pus that’s home to about a man they said was a sus- warrant said his clothing
ing one of the country’s a statement Friday, they pect walking a women’s matched that of the man
best-known schools. said “we are relieved to 50,000 students. Univer- bicycle. Firefighters recog- on the surveillance video
Investigators said Mee- hear” an arrest had been nized the man on the video and that he was in posses-
chaiel Criner wasn’t a uni- made. sity President Greg Fenves as Criner, whom they had sion of the bike and Weiser’s
versity student and wasn’t “We remain steadfast in our spoken to in connection duffel bag and some of her
believed to have been in desire to honor Haruka’s called Weiser’s slaying with a trash fire near the other belongings, including
Austin long. Police Chief Art memory through kindness UT campus on Monday. her laptop.
Acevedo said Criner could and love,” the family said “horrifying and incompre- An Austin resident who re- Texas Department of Family
face additional charges Protective Services spokes-
in the slaying of 18-year- hensible” and described it woman Julie Moody said
old Oregon native Haruka Criner “had been in Child
Weiser. as an attack on the entire Protective Services care”
“We are very certain that but that she couldn’t elab-
the subject we have in cus- school community. orate on where, for how
tody ... is responsible for long or provide any further
the death of this beautiful “It was unsettling,” said details, citing privacy rules
young woman,” Acevedo and the ongoing criminal
said at a campus news 20-year-old Jasmine investigation.
conference. Police have not released
Weiser was last seen leav- Chavez. “I feel better now many details on Criner’s
ing the campus drama background, though a per-
building Sunday night. Her son with the same name
body was found Tuesday and birthdate as the sus-
in a creek near the alumni pect is listed in driver’s li-
center and UT’s iconic foot- cense records as having
ball stadium, an area that lived in Texarkana, about
hums with activity day and 350 miles (563 kilometers)
night. northeast of Austin.q
Video shows officer fatally shooting ax-wielding woman
GALLATIN, Tenn. (AP) — Au- comes amid a national de- carrying in her belt. She was see Bureau of Investigation Sweatt. The captured vid-
thorities in Tennessee have bate and increased scruti- also carrying a ninja star spokeswoman Susan Ni- eo was immediately hand-
released video in which a ny over police treatment of and a folding knife, he said. land said. ed over to the Tennessee
police officer fatally shoots black people and several The footage was captured According to Sweatt’s Bureau of Investigation at
a woman approaching deaths that have made in- from a camera on Spray’s daughter, Alainna Sweatt, the scene before it was
him while wielding a medi- ternational headlines. vest as well as from another the 40-second video has returned to the police de-
eval-style ax. “As (Sweatt) continued ad- officer’s vehicle. been edited and doesn’t partment, he said.
The video, released Thurs- vancing and making ag- Sweatt had become tell the full story. Spray is on administrative
day, shows Gallatin police gressive movement with combative when Sumner “Before they start judg- leave pending an internal
Officer James Spray telling the ax toward our officer, County sheriff’s Deputy ing, people should see the investigation. Storment said
40-year-old Laronda Swe- Officer Spray fired two Gary Pickard accompa- entire, unedited video, so Spray had no disciplinary
att, who was holding the shots, striking Sweatt both nied housing authorities to they can make their own history or complaints since
ax, multiple times to stop times,” a news release from serve an eviction notice on conclusions,” Alainna Swe- joining the department
approaching him before Gallatin police said. her Wednesday, authorities att said. three to four years ago af-
shooting her, The Tennes- Gallatin police spokesman said. Storment said the rest of ter working for other law
sean reported. Bill Storment said one of the Sweatt had injured Pick- the video footage shows enforcement agencies, in-
The suspect was black; the bullets struck the handle of ard before Gallatin offi- officers driving to the scene cluding Nashville’s Metro
officer is white. The shooting a sword that Sweatt was cers showed up, Tennes- and their efforts to revive Parks Department.q
