Three people diein explosion of car
ALLENTOWN, Pa. -- A car exploded on a downtown street in what authorities called a "criminal incident," leaving three people dead and leading to a shelter-in-place order for nearby residents and an investigation by federal, state and local authorities.
The blast in Allentown that occurred about 9:30 p.m. Saturday left three males dead, Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim said Sunday afternoon. Autopsies were planned today, and Grim said the victims' names would be released once their identities are confirmed and their families are notified.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is leading the investigation along with the FBI, state police, and city and county authorities. Officials said the blast was believed to have been an isolated incident with no ongoing threat to the public.
"We know there's been a criminal incident," District Attorney James Martin told reporters at Sunday's news conference. "We have a high degree of confidence that the perpetrator was probably killed in the incident."
Priest steps asideamid abuse inquiry
ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. -- A Roman Catholic priest accused of sexual abuse and unwanted physical contact dating to the 1980s is stepping away from his official duties while diocese officials investigate the allegations.
Newsday reported the Diocese of Rockville Centre, which covers Long Island, will be looking into the allegations against Msgr. William Breslawski, who has been serving as the pastor of the Church of St. Anthony of Padua in Rocky Point, N.Y.
The diocese said a letter had come Sept. 25 accusing Breslawski of sexually abusing a relative of the writer's, a middle-school-age child, and referred to a previous complaint about it that had been made in 2002.
A review of files earlier this year had found a notation that said an individual in 2002 had made a complaint, saying a friend who would have been in seventh or eighth grade in 1980 had been abused by Breslawski, who was ordained in 1979, diocese spokesman Sean Dolan said.
The diocese in 2002 told the person making the allegation to have the friend contact officials directly, but nothing came of it, Dolan said. The diocese did try to investigate to find out more, including who the alleged victim could be, and gave the name of the person who made the 2002 complaint to law enforcement in June of this year, Dolan said.
The area prosecutor's office said that it had been contacted by the diocese but that the statute of limitations on a prosecution had run out.
Three people heldin Memphis killing
MEMPHIS -- Three people have been charged in the fatal shooting of a civic leader and former airline executive in Memphis.
Memphis police said on Twitter late Saturday that 22-year-old McKinney Wright, 18-year-old Quandarius Richardson and a 16-year-old were charged with first-degree murder in perpetration of a robbery and especially aggravated robbery in the shooting of Philip Trenary.
Trenary was the president and CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce. He was shot Thursday night near where the chamber was holding its annual "Move It Memphis" race, not far from historic Beale Street.
The 64-year-old Trenary was also the former head of Pinnacle Airlines. An Oklahoma native, he has been lauded for his community work in his adopted city of Memphis.
According to statements made by Wright and the 16-year-old, Richardson and Wright discussed possible robbery targets as they drove around downtown Memphis the night Trenary was shot, a police affidavit said.
-- Compiled by Democrat-Gazette staff from wire reports
A Section on 10/01/2018