Biodun.BBC: James Shaw Jr

Wednesday, March 13, 2019

BREAKING: Assault on minister rattles New Zealand lawmakers

Date created : 14/03/2019 - 06:58 GMT/ZULU

Greens leader James Shaw (L), who is Climate Change Minister and whose party is part of the ruling centre-left coalition, was not seriously injuredAFP/File

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Wellington

by Louise Healy and Biodun Iginla, France24

A senior New Zealand government minister was assaulted in an early-morning street attack Thursday that left him with a black eye and shook up Wellington's normally laid-back political atmosphere.

Green Party co-leader James Shaw was walking to the parliament building known as the Beehive when a man punched him in the face in what his office described as an unprovoked attack.

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While Shaw's office played down any political aspect to the assault, Trade Minister David Parker told reporters the attacker "was said to be shouting things out about the United Nations".

Shaw, who is Climate Change Minister and whose party is part of the ruling centre-left coalition, was not seriously injured.

His office said two members of the public helped him and he continued to parliament, attending a meeting before going to hospital for a precautionary check-up.

He suffered a black eye, telling stuff.co.nz "it looks worse than it is".

Police said a 47-year-old man was arrested and would appear in court Friday charged with injuring with intent.

Political violence is practically unheard of in New Zealand, a nation of about 4.5 million where most government ministers do not have a regular security detail.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that "in New Zealand, you just don't expect these things to happen".

"We have an environment in New Zealand where politicians are accessible, and that's something we should feel proud of," she told reporters.

"We are after all, here to serve people. But today's events really show we cannot take that for granted."

Wellington mayor Justin Lester said it was "a sad day for democracy".

"This is outrageous behaviour and if undertaken by a Wellingtonian, shameful," he tweeted.

"Elected representatives of all hues show courage to represent New Zealanders and we are lucky to have unparalleled access to them."

There was condemnation from across the political spectrum, with the leader of the conservative National Party Simon Bridges tweeting: "Violence is never OK."

Ardern said Shaw had told her he was doing fine" and she had told him to take whatever time off he needed to recover.

Sunday, April 22, 2018

Shattered windows at the Waffle House in Nashville, 22 April — Image captionPolice examined the scene for clues

by Kathy DiNuzzo and Biodun Iginla, BBC News, Nashville

A nude gunman has killed four people at a Waffle House in Nashville in the US state of Tennessee, police say.

The man burst into the restaurant at 03:25 (08:25 GMT) in the suburb of Antioch and opened fire, reportedly with a semi-automatic rifle.

Four other people were wounded. One of them wrestled the weapon from the man, who then fled the scene on foot.

Police are hunting for the suspect, whom they identified as Travis Reinking, 29, from Illinois.

James Shaw Jr, the customer credited with saving lives by taking the gun off the killer, has told US media he does not feel like a hero because "it feels selfish".

How did the attack unfold?

Arriving in a pick-up truck, the killer shot two people outside the restaurant, before firing more shots inside, Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said.

Waffle House where shooting occurred — Image captionThe shooting occurred in the small hours of Sunday in a suburb of Nashville

Police say he was naked except for a green jacket, which he shed as he left the scene.

He was armed with an AR-15 rifle, a weapon commonly used by mass shooters in the US, media reports say.

Similar rifles were used in the Las Vegas shooting last October that killed 58 people, and the Florida school attack in February that left 17 students and staff dead.

Debate over gun control intensified following the Florida shooting, with mass protests and school walkouts across the country demanding stricter legislation in recent weeks.

America's gun culture in 10 charts

How did Mr Shaw intervene?

At the start of the shooting, the customer ran to the restaurant's toilet area, Mr Aaron said.

When the firing stopped and the gunman was looking at his weapon, Mr Shaw rushed him, wresting the rifle from his hands and tossing it over the counter.

Grazed by a bullet himself, the 29-year-old said later he had simply seen his chance and taken it, the Tennessean reports.

"I remember I was like 'Dang, I'm basically in a barrel'," he said. "There is no place for me to go."

"I distinctively remember thinking that he is going to have to work for this kill," he continued. "I had a chance to stop him and thankfully I stopped him."

"I grabbed the gun and kept it down," Mr Shaw said. "He had one hand on it. I pulled it away and threw it over the bar."

While being treated in hospital for his injury, he was told by a girl that he had saved her life.

"I didn't do it to be [a] hero," Mr Shaw said.