NEWS,09.04.2012.

Police investigate racially-charged comments in Oklahoma shootings

 Alvin Lee Watts and Jacob Carl England are seen in a combination of undated pictures released by Tulsa County Sheriff's Office 

Authorities were investigating racially charged comments on the Facebook page of a suspect in the shootings of five black people in Tulsa.Police arrested two white men on Sunday morning, two days after the shootings killed three people in a mostly black Tulsa neighborhood.There was no connection between the victims and the suspects and without a motive, talk of hate crime charges was premature, authorities said."You could look at the facts of the case and come up with would appear to be a logical theory, but we're going to let the evidence take us where we want to go," Tulsa Police Chief Chuck Jordan to old reporters on Sunday."I certainly couldn't make that determination right now."Roommates Jake England, 19, and Alvin Watts, 32, were arrested in the early Friday shootings.Authorities say they don't know which one pulled the trigger, but are charging both.Shortly before the killings, England had lamented on his Facebook page that two years had passed since his father was killed by a black man, whom he referred to with a racial slur."I'm gone in the head," England wrote.Watts, England's roommate, offered words of support to his friend in response to the posting.Investigators are unsure to what extent the killing of England's father played a role in the shootings, said Tulsa Police Major Walter Evans.Among the dead was one woman, identified as Dannaer Fields, 49, and two men, Bobby Clark, 54, and William Allen, 31.The two wounded men, who were not identified, were expected to survive.Oklahoma authorities have said the suspects will likely face state murder charges.A handgun was recovered when the pair was arrested at a home in Turley, a small town north of Tulsa about four miles from the home they shared.A white pickup truck, similar to that described by a witness, was recovered about 10 miles from the suspects' house, police said.The vehicle had been burned, they said.Sometime after the shootings, England posted another Facebook comment complaining: "people talking (expletive) on me for some (expletive) I didn't do it just mite be the time to call it quits ... I hate to say it like that but I'm done if something does happen tonight be ready for another funeral later."Tulsa City Councilman Jack Henderson said he believed the two suspects simply had a grudge against black people.If that proves to be true, he said, he hopes prosecutors pursue twin charges of murder and committing a hate crime."I think that's probably what will happen," said Henderson, the only black member of the Tulsa City Council and whose northside district is where the shootings took place.Before the arrests, some residents worried about whether it was safe to attend church on Easter Sunday, Henderson said.Police had few clues in the shootings and pleaded for help from the public on Saturday afternoon."We were desperate for leads," Jordan said.About 10 of the 40 telephone tips received proved helpful, Jordan said.

 

Renegade North Korean rocket is ready to go

North Korean space officials have moved all three stages of a long-range rocket into position for a controversial launch. The country has vowed to go ahead with the launch in defiance of international warnings against violating a ban on missile activity.Yesterday foreign news agencies were allowed a look at preparations under way at the coastal Sohae Satellite Station in the northwest of the country.North Korea announced plans last month to launch a communications satellite using a three-stage rocket during mid-April celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the birth of North Korean founder Kim Il-sung.Engineers said the satellite would orbit Earth and send back data for weather forecasts and crop surveys.The US, Japan, Britain and other nations have urged North Korea to cancel the launch, warning that firing the rocket would violate UN resolutions and North Korea's promise to refrain from engaging in nuclear and missile activity.North Korea maintains the launch is meant to display its scientific achievement.Experts say the Unha-3 rocket scheduled for liftoff between April 12 and 16 could test long-range missile technology that might be used to strike the US and other targets.

North Korea has tested two atomic devices, but is not believed to have mastered the technology needed to mount a warhead on a long-range missile.Yesterday, reporters were taken by train to North Korea's new launch pad in the hamlet of Tongchang-ri in North Pyongan province, about 50km south of the border town of Sinuiju along North Korea's west coast.All three stages of the rocket were seen in position at the launch pad, with fuelling due to begin soon, satellite station general manager Jang Myong Jin said during a tour of the Tongchang-ri facilities.He said preparations were on track for liftoff and that international space, aviation and maritime authorities had been advised.Japan and South Korea said they were prepared to shoot down any parts of the rocket that threatened to fall in their territory - a move North Korea's Foreign Ministry warned would be considered a declaration of war.