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News Brief: April 7 – April 14

International

United Patriots Planned to Overthrow Democratic System in Germany

Investigators have uncovered the “United Patriots,” a gang who was allegedly planning to target substations and power lines as well as kidnap a high-profile targets in an effort to “cause conditions similar to civil war and ultimately to overthrow the democratic system in Germany.”

Germany’s Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is believed to have been among those “marked” for kidnap.

“There are forces that intend to destabilize the state and democracy,” Lauterbach said. “They are using the COVID-19 protests. This is a small minority in our society, but they are highly dangerous.”

In total, investigators claim to have identified 12 suspects of the United Patriots, a group with ties to the Reichsburger (Citizens of the Reich). The group was arrested in a series of raids on Wednesday, April 13.

National

The Brooklyn Subway Shooter: Who and How They Found Him

Frank James, 62, was arrested on Wednesday, April 13, as the Brooklyn subway shooter.

Early on Tuesday, April 12, James, for motives still unknown, allegedly fired 33 times in the Brooklyn subway, hitting 10 people. A key, a neon construction jacket and a gun were left at the scene.

Those items led the investigation to a person of interest hours after the attack. Authorities named James a suspect on Wednesday and urged anyone with information to come forward. James called in a tip on himself and was arrested shortly thereafter.

For more on the charges and the investigation, click here.

Elon Musk Offers to Buy Twitter

On Thursday, April 14, Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk made Twitter an offer: to buy the company via acquiring all the shares in Twitter he does not own for $54.20 per share, equating to a total value and offer of $41.4 billion. Musk is currently Twitter’s biggest shareholder.

“I invested in Twitter as I believe in its potential to be the platform for free speech around the globe, and I believe free speech is a societal imperative for a functioning democracy,” Musk said in a letter he sent to Twitter’s board on Wednesday, April 13. “However, since making my investment, I now realize the company will neither thrive nor serve this societal imperative in its current form. Twitter needs to be transformed as a private company.”

On Thursday, April 14, Twitter issued a statement confirming the offer had been received and that its board would carefully review the proposal for the best course of action for both the company and its shareholders.

Local

Tulsa Man Impersonates U.S. Marshal

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Monday, April 11, Randy Cantwell was arrested for impersonating a U.S. Marshal.

Cantwell approached a car dealership requesting to look at an Audi. When employees told Cantwell the vehicle was not yet ready to drive, Cantwell claimed to be a federal marshal and could leave with the vehicle.

Employees blocked the vehicle in, and Cantwell walked away from the lot. Authorities were contacted and Cantwell was arrested. Cantwell told the police he became a marshal after former President Trump enacted martial law.

David Jurney Wins Film Educator of the Year Award

David Jurney, mass communication instructor at Oklahoma Christian University, received the Film Educator of the Year Award at the Austin Revolution Film Festival, attended by Eagle Film. 

According to a Facebook post by post by Oklahoma Christian, this award “recognizes a college level film educator who exemplifies excellence in all facets of higher education—teaching, mentoring and film production.”

Jurney said he appreciated the award.

“It was a nice honor from a very good film festival where I know film education means a lot to them,” Jurney said.

Jurney produced the film “10 Minutes,” which was nominated for best U.S. Short Drama and was one of only 150 accepted entries from a total of 3,000 submissions.

“OC is blessed to have such a decorated film educator,” Oklahoma Christian said in their post. “Congratulations, Jurney and Eagle Film!”

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