Police found to kill bank-heist hostage
STOCKTON, Calif. -- The hostage who died during a bank robbery and chase in Northern California was killed by police, not the suspects, authorities said Monday.
The results of a preliminary ballistics report show that Stockton police fired the bullet or bullets that killed 41-year-old Misty Holt-Singh, said Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones.
Holt-Singh was found dead at the end of last month's bank robbery and chase, which included a running gunbattle between the three suspects and police before a final shootout.
Police have said the sole surviving suspect, Jaime Ramos, 19, used Holt-Singh as a human shield, but they could not immediately tell whether she died from police gunfire or shots fired by the suspects.
Holt-Singh was one of three women taken hostage during the July 16 bank robbery. Holt-Singh was a customer whose 12-year-old daughter was waiting outside in the car. The other two women were bank employees.
A police pursuit and shootout followed when the robbers, armed with three handguns and an AK-47, fled with the hostages in a sport utility vehicle owned by one of the employees. The two bank employees survived the ordeal by either jumping or getting thrown from the SUV as it sped through town during the hour-long chase.
Kin of slain man say video key in case
CINCINNATI -- Family members of a man fatally shot by police at a southwestern Ohio Wal-Mart say they believe store video will provide answers about what happened that day and vindicate him.
The family's attorney and the father of John Crawford III said Monday that they requested surveillance video and communications between police and store security from Aug. 5, when Crawford was shot in the Dayton suburb of Beavercreek. Police said Crawford, 22, waved an air rifle at customers and was fatally shot by officers when he wouldn't drop it.
Crawford's father said in a telephone interview that his son wasn't a bad person.
"He was a good son and a good father to his two children," John Crawford Jr., of Jackson, Tenn., said. "I am positive he will be vindicated once the facts are known."
Family attorney Michael Wright said in a telephone interview that they haven't heard back from authorities or Wal-Mart about their requests for the video and other material.
After ruling, Florida redraws districts
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The Republican-controlled Florida Legislature on Monday swiftly approved new maps that will alter several of the state's congressional districts after a judge ruled the current districts were illegally drawn to benefit the GOP.
The changes would reshape the boundaries of seven of the state's 27 congressional districts, but it's not certain if the revised map will result in a change to the makeup of Florida's congressional delegation. Republicans currently hold a 17-10 edge even though President Barack Obama twice carried the state.
The vote was largely along partisan lines as Democrats complained that the new map still doesn't reflect that Florida is a battleground state with a divided electorate.
The map heads to the desk of Gov. Rick Scott, who plans to sign it into law quickly, his spokesman said. The first real test of the new map comes later this month when Circuit Judge Terry Lewis reviews it.
California fire crews fear storm gusts
SAN FRANCISCO -- Fire crews expected more erratic winds Monday from nearby thunderstorms as they tried to gain ground on two wildfires that were threatening nearly 750 rural homes on land in a national forest in Northern California.
The two fires threatening homes in the Klamath National Forest had burned through nearly 25 square miles of dry timber near the community of Etna in Siskiyou County.
A mandatory evacuation order was issued for about half a dozen homes.
-- COMPILED BY DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS
A Section on 08/12/2014