Officer cleared in shooting of man with BB gun in Raleigh

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Authorities in North Carolina say a police officer acted lawfully when he shot a man who was fleeing on foot with a BB gun. The Raleigh News & Observer reports that Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman released her findings on Thursday. A Raleigh police officer had shot Keith Collins six times on Jan. 30. Police said a 911 caller had reported a man with a gun outside a Big Lots store. Freeman said state law allows officers to use deadly force against what they consider imminent harm, and that being forced to make split-second decisions factors into what is reasonable.

JAIL OFFICER-ASSAULT CHARGE

North Carolina jail officer accused of fighting inmate

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina jail officer has been accused by the sheriff’s office of picking a fight with an inmate. The Charlotte Observer reports that Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said that the fired officer had been arguing with the inmate. He said the inmate then threw an empty paper cup at officer Darryl Shavers. McFadden said Shavers then initiated physical contact with the inmate. And he called Shavers’ conduct “deeply disappointing.” Shavers was arrested on felony assault charges in connection with the incident on Aug. 20. He was fired on Thursday, but online record indicate he has not yet been jailed.

BC-SMALL BUSINESS STRUGGLES-ANN ARBOR

Small businesses in college towns struggle without students

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Small business owners in college towns across the U.S. are hoping for the best when students return — and bracing for the worst. That includes the owners of the bars, restaurants and other retailers on South University Avenue near the University of Michigan, which have been hit hard financially since the COVID-19 pandemic sent tens of thousands of their customers back home in mid-March. Those that have been able to withstand the exodus thus far are praying they can hang on long enough to still be standing when business as usual resumes and are scrambling for new strategies.

RACIAL INJUSTICE-CHARLOTTE POLICE

North Carolina police supervisor disciplined for comment

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A supervisor at a North Carolina police department has been disciplined after saying officers were about to “hammer” demonstrators protesting George Floyd’s death in June. The Charlotte Observer reports the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police sergeant was suspended for two weeks without pay after comments he made during the June 2 protest in which officers deployed tear gas, pepper balls and other chemical agents against largely peaceful demonstrators. Witnesses and participants have detailed injuries from the protests, in which nearly 200 people were blocked from escaping the tear gas as police officers advanced on them from two directions.

AP-NC-FRAUD CHARGES-VIRUS LOANS

Feds: Man lied on paperwork to get $400K in CARES Act loans

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Federal authorities say a North Carolina man lied on some paperwork to get $400,000 in U.S. government loans that are for businesses struggling during the coronavirus pandemic. The Charlotte Observer reports that David Christopher Redfern was charged Tuesday with wire and bank fraud. Federal prosecutors said that Redfern applied for loans available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. It was passed by Congress earlier this year. The loans were for a construction business based in Trinity, which is about an hour northeast of Charlotte, the U.S. government said. The company was formed in January 2020, court filings show.

BC-US-RONNIE LONG-NEW HEARING

North Carolina man freed after 1976 rape conviction vacated

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina man who spent 44 years in prison for a rape he says he didn’t commit has been freed. Ronnie Long’s conviction was vacated on Thursday and he was released from the Albemarle Correctional Institution shortly after 5 p.m. Earlier this week, a federal appeals court had granted a new hearing for Long. A judge had criticized North Carolina for defending Long’s conviction despite the possibility that investigators withheld evidence. Long was a 20-year-old Black man living in Concord when he was accused of raping a white woman. Long’s attorneys have said that more than 40 fingerprints collected from the scene were never shared and didn’t match Long’s.

SCHOOL SYSTEM-RANSOMWARE ATTACK

North Carolina school system closes after ransonware attack

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina school system is closed to students after officials discovered a ransomware attack. The Asheville Citizen Times reports Haywood County Schools is closed for the rest of the week following an announcement on Wednesday. The system says there will be optional workdays for staff. School staff discovered the attack on Aug. 24 and classes were canceled for the next three days. According to the school system, a third-party attacker asked for ransom in exchange for stopping the attack. The district took services offline to contain the incident and contacted the N.C. Department of Public Safety.

MAN STABBED-HOTEL

Police say man in critical condition after stabbing at hotel

HIGH POINT, N.C. (AP) — Police say a man was stabbed in his hotel room in North Carolina and is in critical condition. The High Point Enterprise reports police officers were dispatched to a hotel Wednesday after the desk clerk reported that a woman said her boyfriend needed emergency medical attention. When officers arrived, they found the man had suffered a stab wound. The unidentified 31-year-old man was taken to a Greensboro hospital, where police said he was listed in critical condition on Thursday. An investigation into the incident is underway, but police aren’t releasing any additional information.