REVISED: NIGGLY BEARS AMBUSH FAMILY AT A BACKYARD COOKOUT KILLING 6 & SHOOTING 3 IN WILKINSBURG, PA
"It was premeditated, it was calculated, it was planned," Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala told reporters Thursday in the borough just east of Pittsburgh. "It"s one of the most brutal I"ve seen. I"ve been the DA for 18 years; I haven"t seen something like this."
The suspects remain at large, and authorities haven"t identified them. Zappala said police talked to one victim at the hospital, but "we haven"t developed that enough to give some definite detail to (describe a gunman"s) face."
The first shots rang out from an alley behind a house in the Pittsburgh suburb shortly before 11 p.m. Wednesday. Partygoers tried to escape through the back of the house -- only to have someone open fire from a yard adjacent to the residence, police said.
According to Zappala, a man armed with a handgun first approached those at the barbecue and led them "a relatively short distance along (a) fence" until they were in close range of a second suspect "waiting with an AK-47-type weapon."
"It wasn"t like he was just squeezing shots off randomly," the prosecutor said. "They were all head shots."
Neighbor Jackie Johnson recalled hearing a constant rat-a-tat of about 30 bullets.
"When I came out, people were screaming and running," Johnson told CNN affiliate KDKA-TV. "And bodies were laying on the ... porch."
2 remain in critical condition
Allegheny County authorities said three of the six slain were siblings -- Jerry Shelton, Chanetta Powell and Brittany Powell. Chanetta Powell was eight months pregnant, Allegheny County police Superintendent Charles Moffatt told reporters. Counted among the six slain was her 8-month-old fetus. The other two killed were Tina Shelton and Shada Mahone.
Three people were wounded. Two men were in critical condition, while one woman had already been treated and released.
Most of the victims suffered multiple wounds, Moffatt said. Authorities recovered 48 shell casings.
"All of them, they would light up a room. They loved to laugh and joke and have fun," Jessica Shelton, who lost three children and two nieces in the violence, told reporters through tears.
"And for these shooters out here ... you just didn"t take innocent lives, you made children lose their parents. You got to stop it now," she said.
The district attorney indicated at least one child was in the residence at the time. Several people managed to escape unharmed.
Ballistic tests indicate the gunmen escaped on foot, with no details offered on where they went, how they knew the victims (if at all) or whether they eventually used a getaway car.
Zappala said retaliation may be a motive or there may be some sort of drug connection.
"There"s no indication that this was either a stash house or they were running an operation out of here," he added. "But drugs are definitely in play."
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the shooting.
In video from CNN affiliate WPXI-TV of the shooting aftermath, a woman approached the house and cried out, "I"ve lost my baby."
Another woman grappled to make sense not only of the carnage but also that it happened in her neighborhood.
"This street is always quiet," she told the TV station. "There"s nothing but kids on this street."
Governor: "Must find better ways to stop gun violence"
Zappala said the area of Wednesday night"s shooting hadn"t seen a lot of crime but other parts of the borough of about 15,000 people had.
"I think we need to bring more assets to bear" in Wilkinsburg, he said. "I"d like to see something more proactive."
The mass shooting spurred some Pennsylvania politicians, including Sen. Bob Casey and Gov. Tom Wolf, both Democrats, to urge more to be done to stop gun violence.
"Communities like Wilkinsburg -- and other towns and cities across Pennsylvania like Pittsburgh, York, where I live, and Philadelphia -- know all too well the horrific nature of gun violence in their neighborhoods," Wolf said.
"We must find better ways to stop gun violence and to keep guns out of the hands of criminals."
Johnson similarly had trouble digesting what happened next door to her in Wilkinsburg.
"People"s lives taken like that, just on the drop of a hat," she told KDKA. "It"s just insane.
"And it needs to stop. It has to stop."
CNN"s Emily Smith, Lawrence Crook, Haimy Assefa, Joshua Berlinger and Andy Rose contributed to this report.
Justin Trudeau, Canada"s recently elected prime minister, is visiting the US this week. Thursday evening he"ll be dining at the White House the first official state dinner for a Canadian leader in roughly 20 years.
People are excited. And I meanreally excited.
"Seriously, with his looks, heart, and mind, hes dreamy," an anonymous senior Obama administration official told Politico. The official went on to refer to Canada"s leader as "my new political crush."
This hilariously off-message Obama official is far from alone: Trudeau-mania is definitely a thing. Since Trudeau swept to power in October elections, his good looks, charm, and earnestly left-wing politics have made him into an international celebrity. Think Obama in mid-2008, before all the partisanship and bitterness.
And, like Obama, the celebrity is backed up by a pretty substantive policy agenda. Trudeau"s election has ushered in major new policy shifts on issues ranging from Syrian refugees to marijuana legalization.
So here"s a brief guide to Canada"s new dreamboat prime minister: where he comes from, why he"s become such a phenom, and what his agenda actually is.
Trudeau is a scion of a major Canadian political dynasty (Boris Spremo/Toronto Star/Getty Images) Pierre Trudeau in 1974, with then-wife Margaret and son Justin at a Toronto Maple Leafs game.
Though Trudeau"s persona resembles Obama"s, his background is closer to George W. Bush except imagine if W had been Ronald Reagan"s son rather than George H.W."s.
Trudeau"s father, Pierre, was prime minister for a huge stretch of time: from 1968 to 1979, and then again from 1980 to 1984. He remains the towering figure in the history of Canada"s Liberal Party and Canadian liberalism, rivaled only by his predecessor, Lester Pearson.
"Progressive modern Canada was created largely under the rule of [Pearson and Trudeau]," Guy Lawson writes in the New York Times. He continues:
The earliest major political initiative of Pierre Trudeau in the late 60s was to decriminalize homosexuality. The state has no business in the bedrooms of the nation, he said. In rapid succession, Trudeau legalized abortion, funded the arts and promoted a race-blind immigration policy.
Trudeau wasn"t just accomplished; he was also a media sensation. In 1981, after he had separated from his wife, the actress Kim Cattrall (you know her as Samantha in s*x and the City) called up Pierre to ask him out.
So, if anything, even the Reagan/Bush comparisons understates Justin Trudeau"s family legacy: His father was both a towering historical figure and a cultural icon. Almost a cross between FDR and JFK.
Trudeau"s political rsum is extraordinarily thin
Early in life, Trudeau didn"t seem particularly interested in the family business. After attending McGill, Canada"s most prestigious university, he worked as a snowboarding instructor, a bouncer at a bar in British Columbia, and a high school math teacher.
He started getting national political attention in 2000 after giving a moving eulogy at his father"s funeral. He won a parliament seat on the Liberal ticket in 2008, and ultimately became the party"s leader in 2013.
During this time, a lot of Canadian political observers dismissed him as a lightweight a somewhat ironic label, given the fact that Trudeau had beaten a Conservative legislator in a televised boxing match in 2012. Yes, seriously:
What was I saying? Ah, yes, lightweight. The knock was that Justin traded on Pierre"s legacy but had no real experience or command of the issues.
The incumbent Conservative Party, for example, ran an ad in the 2015 election where a fake "hiring committee" looked at Trudeau"s rsum for prime minister. They decide that despite his "nice hair," Trudeau was too inexperienced to be trusted with power. The ad ends with what became a major anti-Trudeau slogan: "He"s just not ready."
It wasn"t clear whether Trudeau would ever surmount this perception. For most of their campaign right up until the end, in fact Trudeau"s Liberals trailed either the Conservatives or the left-wing third party, the New Democratic Party (NDP).
So when the Liberals actually won the October 19 vote outright, largely on the back of anti-Conservative sentiment, a lot of people weren"t really sure what they"d be getting from a Trudeau-led government. What came next seems have surprised almost everyone.
How Trudeau became not just prime minister but a celebrity (Justin Trudeau/the Toronto Zoo) I mean, COME ON!
There are basically two parts to Trudeau"s rise to international celebrity: the toxic legacy of his predecessor, Stephen Harper, and the fact that he"s just too d**n charming for words.
For the Canadian left, Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper"s defeat in 2015 was an extraordinary relief. Harper first took power in 2006 and had governed in a nasty, fairly divisive fashion. He cast himself as the champion of "old stock" (read: white) Canadians. He exploited wedge issues, like prejudice against Muslim immigrants, to hold on to power in an overwhelmingly liberal country. His Conservatives managed to govern for more than a decade by taking advantage of splits between Canada"s left-of-center parties, winning a series of elections without ever securing the loyalty of the median Canadian voter.
The prospect of more than a decade of Harper in power was, for many Canadian liberals, unbearably terrifying. In American terms, it would have been like George W. Bush running for a third term in 2008 and having a serious shot at a victory.
So when Trudeau won in 2015, Canadian liberals were overjoyed. Even some leftists who voted for the NDP, and not the Liberals, were thrilled just to see Harper out.
Consequently Trudeau took power with a deep reservoir of goodwill. And then he proceeded to build on that by being absolutely adorable.
I don"t just mean handsome (though let"s be real: I do kinda mean handsome). It"s that Trudeau displayed an impressive deftness at picking up on left-wing social issues, the kinds of things his father also emphasized, and highlighting them in a way that made him seem compassionate, thoughtful, and open-minded.
Trudeau"s vision of Canada is one that appeals to many Canadians" sense of what their country, at its best, should be: an open, tolerant, progressive beacon for the rest of the world. As one young Canadian put it in an interview with Bloomberg, Harper "pushed Canada to act just like the United States. At least with Trudeau, we have our identity back."
While the Harper government messed with Canada"s asylum process to block Syrians from entering, Trudeau announced a plan to admit a total of 25,000 new Syrians by March. In December, he personally greeted the first batch of refugees on their arrival in Canada:
He committed to attending Toronto"s Pride Parade, the first such prime minister to do so:
(Toronto Pride)
He announced a commitment to do appoint a Cabinet that "looked like Canada," and then went on to appoint the most diverse Cabinet in the nation"s history:
(Geoff Robins/AFP/Getty Images)
He talks about feminism in compelling, meme-worthy bites:
Trudeau is the perfect prime minister for the social media age. He intuitively gets the kind of affirming identity politics that speaks to huge numbers of people on the internet.
And if you go viral, it"s often not just in one country. Trudeau"s inherent charming appeal his decency, tolerance, and cuteness made him into a global icon for cosmopolitan liberalism, especially in contrast to the increasingly foul politics you"re seeing in other parts of the world.
In a contest between Donald Trump and Justin Trudeau for the world"s heart, Trudeau wins in a knockout.
Justin Trudeau has an ambitious policy agenda (Aaron Vincent Elkaim/Getty Images)
It"s really easy, when you"re talking about Trudeau, to get distracted by the cuddliness of his politics and ignore the actual, er, politics. But it turns out that if you actually pay attention to Trudeau"s agenda, he"s taking Canada in a profoundly new and more liberal direction.
One personal priority of Trudeau"s, for instance, is nationwide marijuana legalization. He campaigned on it, and promised to get working on it "right away" after being elected. It"s a bit tricky to implement: His government has to get around international anti-drug treaties as well as some resistance from Canada"s provinces.
On economics, Trudeau"s government has already lowered taxes on the middle class while increasing them on the rich (people making $150,785 or more). Most radically, his government is considering creating a basic income a system wherein the government unconditionally pays every Canadian a certain amount of money per year.
His refugee policy has gone well beyond letting more Syrians into Canada. He"s already given an additional $75 million to the UN High Commission on Refugees, and fully restored a federal program (weakened by Harper) that would provide temporary health benefits to refugees in Canada.
Trudeau has also restructured Canada"s role in the fight on ISIS. He ended Canada"s participation in bombing runs against the group, which was quite minimal to begin with. But he stepped up Canada"s support role, tripling the number of Canadian trainers on the ground and committing Canadian special forces to help target airstrikes hitting ISIS targets.
This recommitment was celebrated by the United States.
"The Canadian announcement is the kind of response the secretarys been looking for from coalition members," Pentagon spokesperson Peter Cook said at a press briefing, "as the United States and coalition partners push to accelerate the campaign against [ISIS]."
The warm response to Trudeau"s ISIS announcement is emblematic of the current state of US-Canada relations. Under Trudeau, Canada and the US are on better terms than they have been in years.
Under Harper, US-Canadian relations were polite but not especially close. The ideological gap between Obama and Harper was just too large to breach.
Trudeau, by contrast, shares Obama"s generally progressive commitments. Shortly after his election, Trudeau reached out to Obama. They immediately struck up a warm rapport, partly based on Obama giving Trudeau advice about being young, exciting political phenom entrusted with power.
There was an air of mentorship but not in a paternalistic way, Ben Rhodes, Obamas deputy national security adviser, said to the New York Times. Trudeaus going to be on the stage for a long time. Hes got a ton of talent.
So tonight"s state dinner isn"t just a formality. It"s a celebration of a strengthened US-Canada relationship as well as Justin Trudeau"s bold, sexy vision for a new Canada.
Marvel"s Captain America: Civil War - Trailer 2 - REACTION
Chadwick Boseman has revealed some fascinating new information on the character of TChalla/Black Panther in Marvels upcoming Captain America: Civil War, via Marvel.com. Boseman, who has played James Brown and Jackie Robinson and has been cast as the lead in the Thurgood Marshall biopic, has done a lot of research and preparation to play the Black Panther. The actor discussed how he carefully chose his accent for the character, his place in the film, and how it feels to be portraying this character in a film before his own solo debut.
Panther"s on the board. #CaptainAmericaCivilWar pic.twitter.com/aFrOhsQDua
Tony Stark (@Iron_Man) February 8, 2016
You meet me as the Prince of Wakanda, Chadwick Boseman says of his characters debut in Civil War, stressing that the audience should not expect to see an origin story in this film. You meet me as a politician/monarch, not as a superhero. [But,] I am already a Black Panther.
#TeamIronMan pic.twitter.com/IXzdYOG4l3
Tony Stark (@Iron_Man) March 8, 2016
The Get On Up actor had to do his fair share of comic book research for the character prior to arriving on the Civil War set.
I was not totally familiar [with him], Chadwick Boseman admits. I think what you try to do is just get your hands on every single comic book you can find that has the character in it, or him being mentioned or anything. Ive just tried to read them allnot like its really work. It is work dont get me wrong it is work, but its just sort of reading them like a kid, you know? Because when you just read it like its work, youre just trying to get through it. Its putting yourself in that mind frame to go through the mythology in a fun way.
#CaptainAmericaCivilWar Final Trailer Teaser #TeamIronMan https://t.co/ikL4zbLVEf #BlackPanther @theblackpanther pic.twitter.com/aElvXwr9lw
We Are Wakanda (@WeAreWakanda) March 9, 2016
Black Panthers home of Wakanda will not actually appear on screen, to the dismay of many fans who were hoping to see a glimpse of the highly technologically advanced country. Were going to have to wait for Black Panthers solo outing in 2018 to see Wakanda in all of its glory. However, the presence of Wakanda is said to be felt throughout the film, and what happens in Civil War will tie-in to the Black Panther solo film. TChallas decision to leave the country of Wakanda to be in America the reason for which is not yet known, though some have speculated that he is specifically heading after Sebastian Stans character Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier will more than likely be referenced in his solo film.
Also, Ive gone to South Africa, gone to some places, to see some things that I think relate to the character, Boseman said, and let those things fuel your workouts, fuel your sessions when you work on the part. Captain America: Civil War co-director Joe Russo praised the work Chadwick Boseman did on his accent, saying he found a regional accent based on where Wakanda would be.
OFFICIAL: Ryan Coogler to direct Marvel"s #BlackPanther! https://t.co/x9WYGXbjwS pic.twitter.com/JUvZEgVAUf
Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) January 12, 2016
Chadwick Boseman appearing on set for the first time in the Black Panther costume was a very emotional day for many on the set, according to Joe Russo. He also doubled down on his praise of Bosemans portrayal, detailing how the character moves like no other character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Hes not the strongest, [and] hes not necessarily the fastest, but hes strong and hes fast, Boseman states.
Ryan Coogler, director of Creed and Fruitvale Station, has been tapped to direct Chadwick Boseman in the solo Black Panther movie, set to release in February, 2018.
Meanwhile, there should be a new Captain America: Civil War trailer that drops sometime today, and it may or may not heavily feature a certain web-slinging teenager. Disney has confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that Captain America: Civil Wars runtime is 2 hours and 27 minutes, making it the longest Marvel Studios film thus far.
Time to pick a side Empire"s exclusive new Captain America: Civil War cover revealed: https://t.co/Ys0ENWZWq5 pic.twitter.com/9EKzAVjGLB
Empire Magazine (@empiremagazine) February 19, 2016
Captain America: Civil War opens in theaters on May 6, 2016. The superhero film stars Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Emily VanCamp, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, and Frank Grillo, along with William Hurt and Daniel Brhl.
[Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images/Marvel Studios]
TMZ Sports caught up with Gonzalez on Wednesdayand asked him about the former Texas A&M quarterback"s recent tear of partying.
"That kid doesn"t get it, does he." Gonzalez responded.
He was asked about career prospects for Manziel, who"s expected to be cut by the Cleveland Browns:
"It"s on the verge of being over. I don"t know who"s gonna give him a shot. He might get one more shot, and he better take advantage of it, otherwise it"s over. Who"s gonna put up with that? If you"re not good and you"re messing up, people aren"t gonna take a chance on you."
Meanwhile, TMZ spotted Manziel rolling into Hollywood nightclub Warwick on Wednesday night. That"s three nights in a row at Tinseltown establishments.
Manziel"s been reported to be on a partying tear the last two weeks, including stops in Miami and Las Vegas for UFC 196 with Josh Brown.
All the while, Manziel"s domestic violence case is in the hands of the Dallas County district attorney.
Officials received the file from the Dallas Police Department last week. DPD completed its three-week investigation Thursday into whether Manziel should be charged with domestic violence in an alleged attack on his ex-girlfriend.
Police did not charge Manziel, and now a grand jury will decide whether there is enough evidence to indict him on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge.
Manziel is accused of kidnapping, hitting and threatening to kill Colleen Crowley in January. Prosecutors review grand jury referrals before presenting them to the grand jury.
Star Wars’ Star Daisy Ridley Talks Episode VIII at 2016 Oscars | MTV News
After being propelled to international stardom as Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Daisy Ridley could be looking to headline another movie franchise.
Deadline contends the 23-year-old is among a number of young actresses being considered for the role of Lara Croft in the long-developing Tomb Raider reboot from Warner Bros. and MGM.
The website cautions that while conversations have taken place, its very early in the casting process, and no offers have been made.
Roar Uthaug (The Wave) is on board to direct the film, which has been in the works since 2011 (it was originally targeted for release in 2013, to coincide with Square Enixs video game reboot Tomb Raider).
Archaeologist-adventurer Lara Craft was famously portrayed by Angelina Jolie in two movie adaptations, 2001s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and 2003s Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, which grossed a combined $432 million worldwide.
The murder of the Brooklyn rapper 19 years ago has remained one of the music industrys biggest mysteries, and now on the anniversary of his death, a number of conspiracy theories have lived on. Some believe his killing was the work of rival mogul Suge Knight and carried out by the LAPD, others believe that Biggie never died at all and faked his own death.
A strange theory claiming that Biggie Smalls may have been killed by his friend and fellow rapper is one of the most prevalent, though entirely unsubstantiated.
As the New York Daily News noted, some conspiracy-minded rap fans believe that Sean Combs may have orchestrated the murder of the rapper, whose real name was Christopher Wallace.
Conspiracy theorists believe that Diddy saw how much rap mogul Suge Knight profited from album sales after the death of Tupac Shakur and saw an opportunity to do the same.
Smalls had been embroiled in the East Coast/West Coast rap feud for months and Diddy leaped at the chance to disguise himself behind smoke and mirrors, the theorists believe.
It seems crazy, but the conspiracy theorists point to the huge wave of popularity Biggie Smalls and by extension, Sean Combs found after the murder. The report notes that Puff Daddy (as he was then known) released his first commercial album three months after Biggies death, hitting the top of the Billboard 200 chart.
It has been 19 years since we lost Biggie Smalls. RIP to the legend. pic.twitter.com/d85k5ltZSO
Rappers Said (@RappersSaid) March 9, 2016
Combs also had the No. 1 single for Ill Be Missin You, his tribute to Biggie Smalls.Biggie Smalls was gunned down on March 8, 1997, in Los Angles. A man riding in a Chevrolet Impala SS pulled up to the side of Biggies SUV opening fire. Biggie was struck four times and taken to Cedar-Sinai Medical Center, but died during emergency surgery.
While the conspiracy theory that Biggie Smalls was killed by best friend Sean Combs may seem a bit outlandish, there are many other theories about the still unsolved murder of the rapper.
Faith Evans, who was Biggies wife at the time of his death, has recently called for the case to be re-opened, telling HuffPost Live that she believes the LAPD knows the identity of Biggies killer.
We know he was murdered, but we believe that the LAPD knows whos responsible. Thats what we believe, she said.
While his death may remain unresolved, Evans said Biggie Smalls lives on through his music.
Were just happy that were here to preserve his legacy and [make sure] his kids are happy and theyre living great lives, she said. They realize the importance that he played in his short time, not only on this earth, but even shorter time in the music industry. He, obviously not knowing, he definitely built something for them.
Others are remembering Biggie Smalls on the anniversary of his death, including rapper Lil Kim who Biggie helped reach the big time. She joined his Junior Mafia in 1995, and credits much of her success to his support.
#RIPBIG today marks the 19th anniversary of the rapper"s death, here are 18 of his best quotes and lyrics https://t.co/vhVkQg4Grn
AlliedIMDetroit (@AlliedIMDetroit) March 9, 2016
He knew I would be the number one female artist, she told Entertainment Weekly. He knew I would be the biggest female rapper. I think I inspired him to want to do different things and be different. We were a match made in heaven, like Sonny and Cher or Ashford and Simpson.
A full rundown of the other conspiracy theories surrounding the murder of Biggie Smalls can be found here, via the New York Daily News.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau listens as President Barack Obama speaks during a bilateral news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House on Thursday, March 10.
7 photos: Canada"s Justin Trudeau visits U.S.
First lady Michelle Obama and Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, sing along with schoolchildren March 10 during a program at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington.
7 photos: Canada"s Justin Trudeau visits U.S.
President Obama welcomes Prime Minister Trudeau to the Oval Office of the White House on March 10.
7 photos: Canada"s Justin Trudeau visits U.S.
The two couples wave from the White House balcony on March 10.
7 photos: Canada"s Justin Trudeau visits U.S.
The two leaders listen to the Canadian national anthem during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on March 10.
7 photos: Canada"s Justin Trudeau visits U.S.
A fife and drum corps performs during the arrival ceremony on the South Lawn.
7 photos: Canada"s Justin Trudeau visits U.S.
Trudeau greets students from Washington"s Patterson Elementary School after he arrived at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Wednesday, March 9.
