News Brief: Oct. 3 - 7

Overview:

Thailand: Many Children Dead After Nursery Attack

Kevin Spacey on Trial Over New York Sex Abuse Claim

Chaos on Norman Public School Bus Causing Concern

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International

Thailand: Many Children Dead After Nursery Attack

Ex-police lieutenant Panya Kamrab killed 37 people at a childcare center in northeast Thailand on Thursday.

Kamrab was fired in June due to drug use, specifically the use and possible sale of methamphetamine. The verdict for the case was scheduled for Friday, but may no longer take place as Kamrab killed himself after the attack.

According to the BBC, Kamrab entered the nursery around 12:30 local time, armed with a shotgun, pistol and knife. He then proceeded to shoot several staff members, stab several sleeping children and shoot more people while returning to his house where he took his own life.

Out of the ordinary weather and a bus breakdown became fortunate occurrences for once, as these caused just over 20 children to be present during the attack as opposed to the usual attendance of over 90.

So far, it is unknown what motive, if any, prompted Kamrab’s attack.

Read more here.

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National

Kevin Spacey on Trial Over New York Sex Abuse Claim

Over the past few years, Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey has faced various sexual assault allegations and charges. Recently, Spacey went on trial in New York for an allegation of sexual assault committed 36 years ago.

Anthony Rapp, star of Star Trek Discovery, filed the civil lawsuit against Spacey, accusing him of battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Rapp reportedly seeks $40 million in damages.

The accusations regard a party in 1986, at which time Spacey, 26 or 27, picked up Rapp, 14, placed him on a bed and laid down on top of him.

“I was aware he was trying to get with me sexually,” Rapp said.

Rapp’s lawsuit, however, says the event lasted less than two minutes and “there was no kissing, no undressing, no reaching under clothes and no sexualized statements or innuendo.”

The first appearance of these claims was in a 2017 Buzzfeed article, to which Spacey responded on social media saying, “If I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.”

Spacey has denied the allegation, along with others he faces, all of which you can read more about here.

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Local

Chaos on Norman Public School Bus Causing Concern

Due to overcrowding concerns, numerous parents in the Norman Public School area have decided to drive their kids to school rather than have them ride the bus.

Amy Madden, a parent of a middle school student in the district, told KFOR she stopped sending her son on the bus after cell phone videos he took captured students laying on the floor, standing in the aisles and even fighting one another.

Doug McDonald, who was a bus monitor for Norman Public School up until a few weeks ago, shared similar concerns.

“If it’s overcrowded, and there’s a student sitting on the floor, and our bus driver has to make an evasive action move, brake hard or turn fast, somebody is going to get hurt,” McDonald said.

The district responded by saying the bus of interest, a 71-person bus, has never had more than 55 students on it this year. Furthermore, they recently split the bus’ route and since then, it has never carried more than 45 at a time.

They also note they were recently honored by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as “the first public school district in the nation to receive the Gold Standard Award, and we believe that recognition demonstrates our dedication to student safety.”

Madden isn’t convinced though.

“When I see the buses leaving now, you can still see they’re crowded,” said Madden. “I don’t think it’s been handled.”