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U.S. NEWS Monday 19 February 2018

Passenger says teen driver panicked, hit the gas outside NSA

day morning and hand- by bullets, but the driver to identify her son because
ed the keys of the rented was left with an apparent he’s a minor.
black sport utility vehicle shrapnel injury. Authorities have not filed
to his teenage friend. They Brown said he “grabbed charges. The vehicle’s
were heading to Brown's the driver’s head and three occupants were re-
brother's house from Wash- shoved it under the steer- leased from custody.
ington, D.C. Another pas- ing wheel.” The FBI is investigating the
senger, who has not been Brown said shots were fired shooting. It has confirmed
publicly identified, was also right before the SUV hit a that one of the theories it’s
in the car. concrete barrier next to a considering is that the driv-
Brown said he went to visitor’s gate. er turned in error and pan-
sleep. But he was jolted The teen driver’s mother, icked.
awake by police officers Sharron Brown, 37, was also The FBI has not detailed the
In this file image made from video and provided by WUSA TV-9, from the NSA shouting out- interviewed by The Wash- moments of the shooting
authorities investigate the scene of a shooting at Fort Meade, side Fort Meade. Some of ington Post. She is not relat- or explained the police of-
Md. on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. A passenger in the vehicle them banged on the ve- ed to Javonte Brown. ficer’s decision to shoot.
that was fired on outside the National Security Agency campus hicle's doors and windows. She and Brown said the Javonte Brown said he
says the unlicensed teen driver made a wrong turn, panicked
and hit the gas. Others pointed guns as the driver had a gash on the takes responsibility for
(WUSA TV-9 via AP) SUV kept moving. At least top of his head that might handing the keys over to
one officer fired, striking the have come from a frag- his friend. But he and the
FORT MEADE, Md. (AP) — A turned onto a restricted- windshield several times. ment or shrapnel. She teen’s mother questioned
passenger in a vehicle that access road that leads to The occupants weren't hit asked the newspaper not the use of force.q
was fired upon outside the the top-secret installation."I
National Security Agen- woke up with him slapping
cy campus says the unli- me in the face screaming,
censed teen driver made a 'I'm going the wrong way. I
wrong turn, panicked and don't know how I got here,'"
hit the gas. Brown said.
Passenger Javonte Alhajie "I was screaming at him,"
Brown told The Washing- Brown continued, "'How the
ton Post this weekend that hell did you do this? And
the 17-year-old driver was why aren't you stopping?'"
following GPS directions to Brown, 24, told the news-
reach a friend's house in a paper that he had been
Maryland suburb, but he too tired to drive Wednes-

4 survivors of Grand Canyon

helicopter crash still critical

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Authori- taken to a Las Vegas trau-
ties say four people who ma center.
survived when a sightsee- A spokesman for University
ing helicopter crashed at Medical Center of South-
the Grand Canyon earlier ern Nevada says the four
this month are still hospital- survivors are still listed in crit-
ized in critical condition. ical condition as of Sunday.
Three British tourists were The National Transportation
killed on Feb. 10 when the Safety Board is investigat-
helicopter from Las Vegas ing the cause of the crash.
went down on tribal land Preliminary findings are ex-
outside Grand Canyon Na- pected before the end of
tional Park. the month, though a full
The pilot and three other report won't be done for
Britons were injured and more than a year.q