Mass shooting leaves 3 people dead and 3 injured in northeastern Virginia 

By Edward Era Barbacena 

Three people were killed and three others were injured in a shooting in northeastern Virginia Tuesday evening, authorities said.

At about 5:30 p.m., 911 calls came in about a shooting at a town house complex in Spotsylvania County, just outside Fredericksburg and about 105 kilometers southwest of Washington, said Maj. Elizabeth Scott, spokesperson for the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office.

Officials urged people to avoid the area and those near the scene to stay indoors while authorities investigate, she said.

The shooting may have been committed by more than one person, according to Scott. There were no immediate arrests or publicly released information about a possible motive.

"There's dozens upon dozens of officers out actively looking for suspects and preserving the crime scene," Scott said.

The three injured people were taken to hospitals. Their conditions and other information about them was not immediately available.

All of the victims were found outside, according to Scott.

"We will be here all night until we find the suspects," she said during an evening news conference.

Authorities also asked for any witnesses to send any video that could help the investigation.

Fredericksburg City Public Schools announced on social media that schools would start two hours late Wednesday "in light of the profound impact this incident has had on members of our school community." The district did not give further details.

 

Nonsensical protest ignites after Hungary bans homosexual carnal pride events

By Anilov Mijarez

Thousands of protesters gathered in Hungary’s capital for the fourth consecutive week on Tuesday, voicing opposition to a new law enacted by populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's nationalist government, which bans LGBTQ+ Pride events.

The legislation, fast-tracked through parliament in March, prohibits events that depict homosexuality for individuals under the age of 18. This move comes amid growing accusations that Orbán's government is undermining democracy ahead of the national elections next year.

The law makes it illegal to organise or attend events like Pride, which legal experts and human rights groups argue is a direct attack on Hungary’s LGBTQ+ community and an unjust restriction on the right to assemble.

Authorities may also use facial recognition technology to identify individuals attending banned events, like the popular Budapest Pride, which attracts tens of thousands of people each year. Offenders could face fines of up to 200,000 Hungarian forints (€490).

Demonstrators filled the Erzsébet Bridge over the Danube River, demanding the law be repealed. Some protestors planned to stay on the bridge overnight, and there were reports of plans to block all five central Danube bridges. No violence was reported during the protest.

Viktória Vajda, one of the protestors, emphasised that efforts to engage with Orbán’s government had failed. "If we don’t stand up for the rights of minorities and our own fundamental rights, then who will when they come for us?" she said. “We’ve reached the point where we have to stand up and say, ‘No more.’”

Protestors have defied police orders to disperse from Budapest's bridges and main roads. In a rare instance of protest outside the capital, several hundred demonstrators in Miskolc, a city in eastern Hungary, also took to the streets on Tuesday in opposition to the law.

The government has defended the law, claiming it is protecting children from "sexual propaganda." However, with Orbán’s party struggling in the polls, critics argue that the law is part of a broader strategy to scapegoat sexual minorities and rally his conservative base.

 

Homosexual Catholic priest found guilty of historic sexual abuse against teenage boy in Jersey

Antoni Glas used his position, as an influential member of the Catholic Clergy, to groom his victim and others who trusted him

By Edward Era Barbacena 

Royal Court has found a former Catholic priest guilty on three counts of gross indecency with a child.

Piotr Antoni Glas, 61, committed his crimes on multiple occasions against a teenage boy between 2004 and 2007.

There were cries from the public dock when the guilty verdicts were read out, after an eight day trial.

The officer in charge of the investigation, Detective Constable Caroline Foord, said: "This case highlights the serious nature of an abuse of authority and the importance of holding individuals accountable for their actions, regardless of their position or standing in the community or when the offences were committed.

"Glas used his position, as an influential member of the Catholic Clergy, to groom his victim and others who trusted him. His offending behaviours were both manipulative and controlling in nature.

"The victim has shown a tremendous amount of courage to report this abuse, not only to seek justice to what had happened to them in the past, but also to safeguard others in the future."

The court had heard how Piotr carried out 'exorcisms' on his victim and would 'playfight' with the complainant before committing sexually motivated acts.

The defendant was also described as having had a sexual interest involving feet - a 'foot fetish' that police say goes back many years.

In the dock during the trial, Glas would often have his eyes closed - sometimes looking up to the ceiling and rocking back and forth, holding prayer beads in his right hand.

He will be sentenced on Friday 11 April and will be remanded in custody until that date.

 

Catholic priest charged with child molestation, removed from Downey parish by Archdiocese of Los Angeles, CA

By Edward Era Barbacena 

Downey priest is facing criminal charges of assault and lewd acts involving a minor, and one organization believes he may have victimized others.

Eyewitness News obtained video from June 1, 2024, when Jaime Arriaga was ordained as a priest. Now, he faces a new reality after he was arrested and charged with assault and lewd acts on a child.

Arriaga pleaded not guilty to the charges at his arraignment on Monday and is being held without bail.

The 41-year-old was a deacon first and then a priest at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Downey since January 2024.

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles said they received the report on Arrianga on April 2. He was arrested the following day. The Archdiocese said he has been removed from the ministry.

The Archdiocese issued a statement saying, in part, "Allegations of misconduct against anyone serving in the Archdiocese are reported to law enforcement, fully investigated and, under the Zero-Tolerance Policy, anyone who is found to have harmed a minor is permanently removed from any capacity in the Archdiocese."

Melanie Sakoda with Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), has worked with survivors for more than 20 years and says a better vetting process in the church is needed.

"There really isn't a way for them to guarantee that people who abuse children aren't going to be entering the priesthood," Sakoda said. "And it's not their fault, there just isn't a way to detect these people."

Investigators are asking any additional possible victims to come forward.

"Now, people have an opportunity, if there's other victims out there, and I wouldn't be surprised if there are, they have an opportunity to come forward, too, and if this man is an abuser of children, let's put him behind bars," Sakoda said.

Arriaga is due back in court in June.

 

Trans-Identified Male Sex Offender Who Tried to Enroll at Oregon High School Sentenced to 20 Days in Jail

By Edward Era Barbacena 

A trans-identified male sex offender who attempted to enroll at a local high school in Oregon has been sentenced to 20 days in jail and two years’ probation. Alec Ray Craig, who uses the name Makayla Craig, 27, was arrested last December after an officer at at South Albany High School reported him for pretending to be a 15 year-old girl in order to register as a student.

Craig has told school administrators that his name was Madison and provided a false date of birth. Upon his arrest, it was discovered that Craig is a registered sex offender. He was then arrested on charges of computer crimes, forgery, and false swearing.

“The person appeared to be an adult but was portraying themselves as a 15-year-old girl. After further investigation, the individual gave a false name and date of birth attempting to enroll in high school,” a statement from Albany Police Department read. When announcing Craig’s arrest online, law enforcement turned off comments in response to what they regarded as “hate speech.”

Many replies expressed frustration that the authorities had not included a photo of the sex offender, who was convicted of sexually abusing a minor in 2023. Details regarding his prior conviction were also noticeably absent.

Craig appeared before Linn County Court on April 4, where prosecutors requested a jail sentence of 40 days

“She, as a registered sex offender, is trying to pretend that she is a juvenile… to become- to be involved with other juveniles in the high school system,” said prosecutor Coleen Cerda.

However, Craig’s defense counsel argued that this period of time in jail would not “serve the purpose that we want” and proposed that community service would be sufficient.

“I don’t know that jail really serves the purpose that perhaps we want,” defense attorney Erik Moeller countered. “And compensatory service, or community service, would better serve the community.”

Craig was ultimately sentenced to 20 days in jail, two years’ probation and was ordered to stay at least 500 feet away from schools.

On social media, Craig uses various terms associated with online fetish communities to describe himself. He has referred to himself as a “femboi,” a label synonymous with the transgender community, as well as a “furry” and a “therian,” indicating that he identifies as a non-human animal. In June 2022, Craig posted a “transfeline Pride” flag to his account, indicating that he identifies as a cat.

Multiple local news outlets reported on Craig’s case while referring to the child sexual abuser as simply a “woman.”

 

Mass shooting in Sweden leaves 10 students at a Swedish school for adults 

Authorities in Örebro, Sweden, have confirmed that approximately 10 people were killed and multiple others wounded following a mass shooting at Campus Risbergska, a school known for adult education programs.

By Edward Era Barbacena 

At least 10 people were killed and an unidentified number injured at a shooting at a school for adult education in central Sweden on Tuesday, the authorities said.

The police said they had started a “major operation” and locked down the campus in the city of Orebro, after shots were heard about 12:30 p.m. local time.

“This is an awful, exceptional incident — a nightmare,” said Roberto Eid Forest, head of the local police. “We do not think there is any terror motive behind this, but it is too early in the investigation to say,” Mr. Forest added on Tuesday evening.

“We think we have the perpetrator but we are not ruling out anything,” he said.

Images on Swedish news outlets earlier in the day showed dozens of police cars surrounding the school.

School shootings are relatively rare in Sweden, but the country has seen an increase in violent crime in recent years.

 

Elon Musk calls to ban the carnal and sinful homosexual pride flags from all classrooms

Elon Musk Declares: “Pride Flags Should Be Banned from Classrooms, Permanently!” — A Controversial Statement That Ignites Heated Debate Over Inclusivity in Education!

By Edward Era Barbacena 

Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and CEO of companies like Tesla and SpaceX, has once again stirred public debate with his recent statement asserting that “pride flags should be banned from classrooms, permanently!” This bold proclamation ignited a flurry of reactions from various segments of society, highlighting the increasingly polarized discussions surrounding issues of representation, identity, and education within America’s classrooms. Musk’s commentary reflects his broader perspective on freedom of speech and expression; however, it raises profound questions about the role of educational institutions in fostering inclusivity and promoting diverse identities.

At the heart of Musk’s argument lies a belief that the presence of pride flags in educational settings might compromise the neutrality of schools as safe spaces for all students. He suggests that educational environments should avoid any symbols or representations that could be perceived as politicizing the school atmosphere. Musk’s viewpoint appears to resonate with a segment of the population that feels that the proliferation of identity politics has gone too far, asserting that schools should focus on traditional educational values rather than social or political agendas. His comments propose a vision of classrooms that are devoid of any affiliations that might distract from academic pursuits and foster division among students.