SACRAMENTO, California—The death of an elderly Sikh man on Friday has turned the work of police into a double homicide investigation as they try to determine whether a shooting in a Northern California suburb last month was a hate crime.
Gurmej Atwal, who was 78, had lost the use of most of his organs after being gunned down in near Sacramento on March 4, his son, Kamaljit Atwal, told The Associated Press. His father had been on a ventilator and unable to talk for most of the time he had been in the hospital.
"We are in a great grief," Kamaljit Atwal said.
But his father did speak briefly with Elk Grove police, who said he and his friend, Surinder Singh, might have been targeted because they wore turbans, which often are confused with the head coverings of Muslims.
Singh, who was 65, died the day of the shooting.
Police said Atwal gave a description of a suspect, which they would not release. Sgt. James Fuller said his department is working overtime on current leads, but the description has been among the most useful. He called Atwal's death "tragic."
"It just adds to the senselessness of the whole investigation," Fuller said.
Atwal and Singh were shot during one of their regular afternoon strolls together in the suburb just south of the state capital.
The violence provoked repeated calls for tolerance from the community, which has collected $52,000 in reward money to go to anyone who provides information that would lead to an arrest.
The shooting also was denounced on the floor of the state Legislature this week. Lawmakers, some wearing turbans as a sign of solidarity, attended American Sikh Day on Wednesday outside the Capitol.
Atwal is survived by 10 grandchildren, four children and his wife, Balbir Kaur. He was born and raised in Punjab, India, before retiring and moving to the U.S. to live with his son. (report from Lien Hoang/Associated Press)
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Moderate earthquake hits off northeastern Taiwan
TAIPEI, Taiwan—Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau says a moderate earthquake has struck off the northeastern coast of the island. No casualties or damage were immediately reported.
The bureau says the magnitude-5.7 quake hit at 9:11 a.m. (0111 GMT) Saturday and was centered at sea 155 miles (250 kilometers) northeast of the capital, Taipei, with a depth of 86 miles (140 kilometers).
Earthquakes frequently rattle Taiwan, but most are minor and cause little or no damage.
However, a magnitude-7.6 quake in central Taiwan in 1999 killed more than 2,300 people. (report from Associated Press)
The bureau says the magnitude-5.7 quake hit at 9:11 a.m. (0111 GMT) Saturday and was centered at sea 155 miles (250 kilometers) northeast of the capital, Taipei, with a depth of 86 miles (140 kilometers).
Earthquakes frequently rattle Taiwan, but most are minor and cause little or no damage.
However, a magnitude-7.6 quake in central Taiwan in 1999 killed more than 2,300 people. (report from Associated Press)
Mild quake shakes Surigao del Sur
A tectonic earthquake – the 17th to hit Mindanao this month – shook Tandag, Surigao del Sur, at 8:44 a.m. Saturday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.
Phivolcs said no damage was expected from the magnitude 2.1 quake, whose epicenter was located 45 kilometers southeast of Tandag.
No aftershocks were expected, Phivolcs said, describing the earthquake as a shallow one.
On Friday afternoon, a magnitude-3.6 quake occurred near General Luna on Siargao Island. It also was tectonic in origin.
Since the start of the month, Phivolcs said it has recorded 17 quakes in Mindanao, most of them in the Surigao area.
The strongest quake recorded in Mindanao this month occurred at sea some155 kilometers off General Santos City on Friday, which registered a magnitude of 5.2.
No damage was reported from the quake and no tsunami warning was issued.
The Philippines sits within the so-called ring of fire, where continental plates regularly collide, causing jolts. Some earthquakes are too weak to be felt but others cause massive damage. (report from Allan Nawal/Inquirer Mindanao)
Phivolcs said no damage was expected from the magnitude 2.1 quake, whose epicenter was located 45 kilometers southeast of Tandag.
No aftershocks were expected, Phivolcs said, describing the earthquake as a shallow one.
On Friday afternoon, a magnitude-3.6 quake occurred near General Luna on Siargao Island. It also was tectonic in origin.
Since the start of the month, Phivolcs said it has recorded 17 quakes in Mindanao, most of them in the Surigao area.
The strongest quake recorded in Mindanao this month occurred at sea some155 kilometers off General Santos City on Friday, which registered a magnitude of 5.2.
No damage was reported from the quake and no tsunami warning was issued.
The Philippines sits within the so-called ring of fire, where continental plates regularly collide, causing jolts. Some earthquakes are too weak to be felt but others cause massive damage. (report from Allan Nawal/Inquirer Mindanao)
Tornadoes, severe weather strike US, 1 killed
MONTGOMERY, Alabama—Officials say tornadoes have touched down in the southern state of Alabama, killing one person and causing multiple injuries.
The severe weather was part of a system that has already slammed the South and killed nine people in Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley said Friday night that one person was killed in the state. No further details on the death or the injuries were immediately released.
The storms began late Thursday in Oklahoma, then pushed into Arkansas. By late Friday, tornadoes had also been reported in Mississippi and strong winds knocked down trees in Georgia.
In Alabama, the governor declared a state of emergency for all counties. In Mississippi, a state of emergency was declared for 14 counties. (report from Associated Press)
The severe weather was part of a system that has already slammed the South and killed nine people in Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley said Friday night that one person was killed in the state. No further details on the death or the injuries were immediately released.
The storms began late Thursday in Oklahoma, then pushed into Arkansas. By late Friday, tornadoes had also been reported in Mississippi and strong winds knocked down trees in Georgia.
In Alabama, the governor declared a state of emergency for all counties. In Mississippi, a state of emergency was declared for 14 counties. (report from Associated Press)
Strong quake shakes buildings in Tokyo
TOKYO – A strong earthquake of magnitude 5.8 hit central Japan on Saturday morning, the US Geological Survey said Saturday.
The quake, which shook buildings in Tokyo, struck at 11:19 am (0219 GMT), 83 kilometers (52 miles) north of the capital and at a depth of 20 kilometers, the USGS said.
Operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) said the tremor did not disrupt the emergency crews who are working around the clock to cool crippled reactors at a nuclear plant hit by a devastating earthquake and tsunami last month.
That earthquake – the biggest ever recorded in Japan -- struck on March 11, triggering a huge tsunami and leaving 13,591 people dead, with another 14,497 still unaccounted for.
Tens of thousands of people lost their homes, while many others were forced to evacuate after a series of explosions at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant sent radiation spewing into the air.
The radiation leaks have resulted in bans on produce from the affected area and hurt the fishing and farming industries because of public fears over radioactivity in food.
On Friday, Japan's government ordered TEPCO to offer payouts to tens of thousands of people made homeless by the ongoing crisis.
The total cost from collapsed or damaged houses, factories and infrastructure such as roads and bridges is estimated to reach 16-25 trillion yen over the next three fiscal years, according to the Cabinet Office.
There were no immediate reports of any damage or casualties from Saturday's quake, which the Japan Meteorological Agency said had a magnitude of 5.9 and struck at a depth of 70 kilometers underground. (report from Agence France-Presse)
The quake, which shook buildings in Tokyo, struck at 11:19 am (0219 GMT), 83 kilometers (52 miles) north of the capital and at a depth of 20 kilometers, the USGS said.
Operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) said the tremor did not disrupt the emergency crews who are working around the clock to cool crippled reactors at a nuclear plant hit by a devastating earthquake and tsunami last month.
That earthquake – the biggest ever recorded in Japan -- struck on March 11, triggering a huge tsunami and leaving 13,591 people dead, with another 14,497 still unaccounted for.
Tens of thousands of people lost their homes, while many others were forced to evacuate after a series of explosions at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant sent radiation spewing into the air.
The radiation leaks have resulted in bans on produce from the affected area and hurt the fishing and farming industries because of public fears over radioactivity in food.
On Friday, Japan's government ordered TEPCO to offer payouts to tens of thousands of people made homeless by the ongoing crisis.
The total cost from collapsed or damaged houses, factories and infrastructure such as roads and bridges is estimated to reach 16-25 trillion yen over the next three fiscal years, according to the Cabinet Office.
There were no immediate reports of any damage or casualties from Saturday's quake, which the Japan Meteorological Agency said had a magnitude of 5.9 and struck at a depth of 70 kilometers underground. (report from Agence France-Presse)
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