A 32-year-old man has been charged with a fatal shooting June 4, 2021, in Austin. | Adobe File Photo
Marshawn Pierce allegedly shot 23-year-old Michael Cooper “without any provocation” last week, prosecutors said.
Mental health issues may have played a role in the allegedly unprovoked killing of an Austin man last week, the accused gunman’s lawyer said Tuesday.
Marshawn Pierce, 32, has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, Pierce’s defense attorney told Cook County Judge Arthur Wesley Willis.
“I do believe that may have played a role in this,” the attorney said after prosecutors detailed the allegations against Pierce.
Pierce told detectives he shot 23-year-old Michael Cooper because he was a “snake” who had “tried to set him up before,” Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy said.
Cooper was hanging out at an apartment in the 5200 block of West Le Moyne Street with Pierce’s brother and two other people around 7:25 p.m. Friday when Pierce walked in, Murphy said.
“Without any provocation,” Pierce racked a .380-caliber handgun and shot Cooper once in the head as he sat on a rear stairway, Murphy said.
Cooper was pronounced dead at the scene and a shell casing was recovered.
Pierce was taken into custody during a traffic stop the following day and charged with first-degree murder.
Pierce told detectives he had been talking to his brother and that Cooper only said “what’s up?” to him before he fired the shot, Murphy said. Pierce also allegedly told detectives they could find the gun in his car’s glove box, where it was later recovered.
Pierce, works in construction and lives with his girlfriend, who gave birth to the couple’s child 10 days earlier, his defense attorney said.
North Park Village Nature Center provides an ideal setting for Lyric’s Hansel and Gretel.
There’s no more perfect setting for Lyric Opera’s Hansel and Gretel in the Park than the North Park Village Nature Center, where—after two weeks of cancellations due to hideous weather—they were finally able to perform it this weekend. The leafy, 46-acre preserve is so ideal for this tale of two siblings lost in the woods, nobody in the small, still-masked and COVID-limited audience on Friday even bothered to complain about the 90-degree temperature. …Read More
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers did not show up to the team’s mandatory minicamp on Tuesday. | Jeffrey Phelps/AP
Rodgers’ displeasure with the organization is no secret. For more than a month, he has remained quiet as reports of his rift with the franchise swirled.
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Aaron Rodgers failed to report to mandatory minicamp Tuesday, the strongest message sent so far to the Green Bay Packers that the quarterback is unhappy with the organization.
Rodgers was nowhere to be seen at Clark Hinkle Field when the Packers gathered at 11 a.m. CT to kick off the first of three minicamp sessions, officially making him a holdout.
“My situation has never been about the draft pick, picking Jordan (Love),” Rodgers said about the Packers’ controversial decision to spend their No. 1 draft pick in 2020 on a young quarterback. “I love Jordan. He’s a great kid. A lot of fun to work together. I love the coaching staff, love my teammates, love the fan base in Green Bay. Incredible, incredible 16 years. It’s just kind of about a philosophy, and maybe forgetting it is about the people that make the thing go. It’s about character, it’s about culture, it’s about doing things the right way.
“A lot of this was put into motion last year, and the wrench was just kind of thrown into it when I won MVP and played the way I played last year. So this is just kind of a spill out of all that, but it is about the people. That’s the most important thing.”
Rodgers missed organized team activities for the first time in his career this spring, but those are voluntary. By skipping the start of minicamp, Rodgers failed to meet mandatory attendance for the first time in his career. He’s in danger of being fined $93,085 for his absence after forfeiting a $500,000 workout bonus for missing OTAs, though the Packers could excuse his absence and thus avoid the fine.
In his monthly Q&A with Packers fans Saturday, president/CEO Mark Murphy acknowledged the Rodgers “situation” has “divided our fan base,” but remained upbeat about an eventual agreement.
“As I wrote here last month, we remain committed to resolving things with Aaron and want him to be our quarterback in 2021 and beyond,” Murphy wrote. “We are working to resolve the situation and realize that the less both sides say publicly, the better.”
One possible benefit of Rodgers staying away from minicamp: It will provide Love with extended first-team repetitions, including opportunities to work with top wide receivers Davante Adams, Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Americans consume some 50 billion hamburgers a year. What’s so hard about shaping some ground meat into a patty and cooking it? | stock.adobe.com
With the grilling season already underway, here’s our guide to grilling burgers to perfection.
The iconic hamburger might appear simple to make, but a lot of times we get it wrong.
Americans consume some 50 billion hamburgers a year. What’s so hard about shaping some ground meat into a patty and cooking it?
Plenty.
We use the wrong grind of beef. We handle the meat and shape them wrong. We cook them wrong.
With the grilling season already underway, here’s our guide to making and grilling burgers to perfection.
What kind of beef should I use?
Choose beef with fat in it. Most cookbooks and burger aficionados say the ideal choice is 80/20 beef chuck. This means it’s 80 percent lean and has 20 percent fat. You can go somewhat leaner if you like with ground beef labeled 85/15. Any leaner be sure to add some moisture like Worcestershire sauce or wine to prevent the burger from drying out. And if you can, grind your beef.
How do I grind my own meat if I don’t have a meat grinder?
You can come close using a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Choose the cut of meat you want — chuck, round, brisket, short rib, sirloin — and make sure it’s super cold. Cut it into 1-inch pieces. Add to the bowl of the food processor and pulse a few times to get chop into smaller pieces. Don’t process it too much or the meat will get mushy.
How should I mix the ground meat?
Make sure it’s cold, and always mix the meat gently so it just comes together. Do not over-mix. If you over-mix the meat (the same holds true when you make meatballs and meatloaf) the meat will be more compact and not as tender. You will go straight to burger hell if the burgers are too compact.
stock.adobe.comWhen you are making hamburgers (or meatballs or meatloaf) mix the meat gently and do not over-mix.
Should I season the ground meat?
You can, but don’t let the seasoned meat sit too long. According to “Weber’s Ultimate Grilling: a Step-by-Step Guide to Barbecue Genius” by grill master Jamie Purviance (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $26.99), allow 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper for each 1½ pound of ground beef. You can mix it in the meat or sprinkle on the outside of the formed patties. If you do the latter, according to Purviance, refrigerate the patties for 30 minutes or less to allow the seasoning to distribute. If you let it sit longer the salt will draw moisture out of the meat, Purviance writes.
What’s an ideal amount of beef to use for each burger?
Plan on a burger that is 6-ounces before cooking. Use a scale if you have one make sure burgers are all equal size. That 6-ounce burger is an ample size for serving as your main dish. But you can make them any size.
What’s the best size shape for a burger?
After handling the meat as little as possible, this is another big rule. You want to match the size of the patty with the bun. Figure there will be shrinkage, so shape the patty about ½-inch larger than the bun. Generally, a 4-inch in diameter patty, with a dimple in the center, that is at least 3/4-inch thick will suffice.
Why should I make a dimple in the center of the formed patty?
If you don’t do this, the burgers will end up more of a round shape and puff up like a tennis ball. The burgers won’t fit the bun and you end up with a top bun that slides off. That also means that you’ll be eating more bun than burger with each bite.
How do you make the dimple?
This is easy and not to be skipped. Once the patty is formed, use the back of a soup or teaspoon or your thumb to make an indentation, about ⅓-inch deep and 1-inch wide in the center of the patty. When the burgers cook, the indentation slowly rise and you get a nice, flat even top.
stock.adobe.comHamburgers like high heat when it comes to cooking them, so make sure your outdoor barbecue grill is properly fired up.
What’s the best way to grill?
Burgers like high heat. This helps form that exterior crust. Cook them on the non-dimpled side first over direct heat. Once a crust develops, flip them over and cook on the other side. Do not press down on the burger. When you do this, you’re beating up that poor burger and pressing all the juices out.
How long should burgers be grilled?
That depends on how you like them done. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) safe internal cooking temperature for ground beef is 160 degrees. That means it’s well done. And the cooking time will depend on the thickness of the burger — but generally at least 5 minutes per side. If you like it at less done than that and depending on the thickness, figure about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare or 130-135 degrees and 150-155 degrees for medium-well.
Here are a couple recipes to help you out:
Brie Burger with Caramelized Onions and Spicy Mayo
Brace yourself: this burger is a tasty keeper. The creamy and rich-tasting brie meets a spicy mayo.
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS:
1 to 1¼ pounds 90% lean ground sirloin or ground beef of choice
1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
⅓ cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons white wine, optional
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 jumbo onion, peeled, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce (see note)
⅓ cup reduced-fat or regular mayonnaise
3 ounces brie cut into 8 slices
4 thin sandwich buns or bun of choice
4 pieces green leaf lettuce
4 slices tomato
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, bread crumbs, wine, salt and pepper. Shape into four equal-size patties about 1/2-inch thick, making an indentation in the center of the patty; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion slices, sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté about 15 minutes or until just beginning to brown. Sprinkle with brown sugar and continue to cook until the onions become deep brown in color, about 15 minutes more. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the sweet chili sauce and mayonnaise; set aside.
4. Preheat the grill to medium-high and oil the grates when grill is hot. Or heat a skillet with a bit of olive oil over medium-high heat. Grill the burgers about 4 minutes one side, flip and move to a cooler part of the grill and continue cooking, about 5 minutes more or until they reach desired doneness. Or if using a skillet, turn and reduce the heat and finish the cooking. About 2 minutes before removing from the grill, place 2 pieces of brie on top of each burger and allow it to melt.
5. Build your burger: Toast the buns if desired. Spread one tablespoon of the spicy mayonnaise on each bun half. On the bottom half, place a lettuce leaf and top with tomato and a burger. Place a generous dollop of caramelized onions on top of the burger. Top with other bun and serve.
Cook’s note: Look for sweet chili sauce near the Asian ingredients in most grocery stores. You can also use it as a dipping sauce for spring rolls or egg rolls.
Grilled Bacon Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Blue Cheese
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS:
8 slices bacon
1 large onion, halved and sliced thin
¼ teaspoon table salt
1½ pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled and chilled (1 cup) (optional)
4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
DIRECTIONS:
1. Process bacon in food processor to smooth paste, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Cook bacon in 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, breaking up pieces with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned in spots but still pink (do not cook until crisp), about 5 minutes. Drain bacon in fine-mesh strainer set over bowl. Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate and let cool completely. Reserve bacon fat.
2. Add 2 tablespoons reserved fat to now-empty skillet and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and salt and cook until well browned, about 20 minutes. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
3. Break ground beef into small pieces and spread into even layer on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with bacon and gently toss to combine using 2 forks. Divide beef mixture into 4 equal portions, then gently shape each portion into ¾-inch-thick patty. Using your fingertips, press center of each patty down until about ½-inch thick, creating slight divot.
4. For a charcoal grill: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes. For a gas grill, turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave all burners on high.
5. Clean and oil cooking grate. Season patties with pepper. Place patties on grill, divot side up, and cook until well browned on first side, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip patties, top with blue cheese, if using, and continue to cook until well browned on second side and meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare) or 130 to 135 degrees (for medium), 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer burgers to platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve burgers on buns, topped with onions.
From “The Ultimate Burger” by America’s Test Kitchen (America’s Test Kitchen, $26.99).
WASHINGTON — Liberals have cheered the highly public legal and financial jeopardy ensnaring the National Rifle Association, seeing the gun lobby’s potential demise as the path to stricter firearms laws.
But, it turns out, the NRA’s message has become so solidified in the Republican Party that even if the organization implodes from allegations of lavish spending and misuse of funds, its unapologetic pro-gun point of view will live on, as the heated debate increasingly shifts from Washington to the states.
Not even the shift in power to Democrats in the White House and Congress has been enough to push through new federal restrictions, and states continue to pass laws with far-reaching protections for gun owners.
Ever confident, the NRA, which is based in Fairfax, Virginia, says the suggestion it is receding is magical thinking on the left. The group promises it will emerge from its failed bankruptcy effort stronger, particularly as it seeks to relocate to the decidedly pro-gun rights state of Texas.
The durable nature of the NRA’s clout is an exemplar of how difficult it is to claw back control from an entrenched lobbying powerhouse that has planted deep roots in the American political system with money, organization and relentless messaging.
“The NRA built up an impressive mountain of power over the course of 40 years. And despite their recent fall from grace, that power doesn’t disappear overnight,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said in an interview.
Not to say there is no hope for gun control — far from it, said Murphy, whose own views are shaped by the massacre of 20 children in Newtown, Conn. on Dec. 14, 2012, and the subsequent (successful) effort by the NRA to stop gun legislation in the aftermath.
He said Democratic gains in Congress, despite the efforts by the NRA to stop candidates, are one measure of a change in the dynamic. Another is a shift in some public opinion. A Gallup poll in 2019 found the percentage of people viewing the NRA favorably dropping below 50% for only the second time in three decades.
“There’s no doubt that their political muscle is reduced,” Murphy said, adding that the Georgia special elections for U.S. Senate, won by Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock in January, are a clear indication of that. “Democrats who support universal background checks are winning all over the country, including in states where you would have thought the NRA had a stranglehold.”
One of Biden’s first executive orders was on gun control. On Monday, the Justice Department announced model legislation for red-flag laws, which permit police to ask for the removal of firearms from people who may present a danger to themselves or others.
In March, the House passed two bills requiring background checks on all firearms sales and transfers and allowing an expanded 10-day review for gun purchases. But the legislation faces strong headwinds in the Senate, with some Republican support required for passage.
At the same time, though, the NRA has been growing, with 225,000 additional dues-paying members since January, its ranks now swelling to more than 5 million. Its embattled leader, Wayne LaPierre, has led the fund-raising efforts for nearly three decades, selling himself as an aggressive guardian of the Second Amendment right to bear arms.
He positioned the lobby as the major antagonizer of Democratic administrations. Then, in 2016, the organization spent more than $30 million on behalf of Donald Trump’s campaign, according to Federal Election Commission data. The effort paid off — after back-to-back mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, Trump seemed inclined to take action on extensive background checks but backed off after a phone call with the NRA.
But those successes were happening while the NRA was having major problems within. By 2018, the organization had a $36 million deficit due to lavish spending. A class action lawsuit by members over mismanagement and a lack of transparency followed in 2019. And then, Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James sued to disband the group, arguing it was “fraught with fraud and abuse.” In D.C., the attorney general sued over improper diversion of funds.
The NRA filed for bankruptcy in January, but the effort was rejected by a judge. During the trial, an embarrassing deposition by LaPierre emerged in which he said he’d borrowed a friend’s 108-foot yacht to hide multiple times between 2013 and 2018 after threats following multiple mass shootings.
Even with that inner turmoil, the NRA has also been behind hundreds of successful efforts to loosen gun laws in the states — most recently working to persuade states to abandon requirements that people get training and pass background checks to carry concealed handguns.
Six states have passed legislation removing or weakening concealed-carry permit requirements this year, most recently Texas. About 20 states now allow people to carry concealed weapons without a license.
Four more states have passed legislation banning police from enforcing federal gun laws, a preemptive shot at any new measures passed by Democrats.
The NRA is far from the only pro-gun group at the table in state legislatures now. In Utah, one of the first states to remove permit requirements this year, it was just one of at least six gun rights groups speaking in favor of the bill at the Capitol — and it wasn’t the most outspoken one.
The number of generally pro-gun rights states outnumbers those that pass gun control measures 40 to 10, although the latter have more people, so the country’s population is about evenly divided between the two camps. And a Pew Research Center report released in April found the number of Americans who favor stricter gun laws has declined this year to 53%, down from 60% in September 2019.
“Gun rights, the Second Amendment, the right to keep and bear arms is bigger than any organization,” said Jordan Stein, communications director for the Gun Owners of America, one such group.
Gun owners would continue fighting if the organizations who often help them organize and coordinate around the issue were gone, he said.
Recent gun sales suggest a new zeal for owning a weapon. Gun dealers sold more than 2 million firearms in January, a 75% increase over the same month last year and the biggest-selling January on record, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, an industry trade group. The FBI, meanwhile, reported 4.3 million firearm-related background checks, the highest monthly total since the system was created over two decades ago.
While the NRA is easily the best known gun lobby, Josh Horwitz, the executive director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, said the real players are the state gun groups.
“The groups that work at the state level are much more powerful than they used to be,” Horwitz said. “Even if the NRA went away tomorrow, and it may, (Senate Republican leader) Mitch McConnell is still going to be checking in with whatever the Kentucky gun rights alliance is, and the Ohio legislature is going to be checking in with the Buckeye Firearms Association.
“We’re in a generational battle,” he added. “Guns in America is going to be a big fight for a long time.”
Despite its troubles, the NRA remains confident in its prowess.
The organization, which in January reported total assets of about $203 million, liabilities of about $153 million and $31 million in bank loans, said in court papers it saw revenues drop about 7% because of the coronavirus pandemic. To cut costs, it laid off dozens of employees and canceled its national convention.
Last month, a federal judge in Dallas dealt another blow to the lobby when he dismissed its bankruptcy case, because he found it was not filed in good faith.
But it has also balanced its budget and is again in the black after years of deficits.
“Coupled with our typical excellent report card on legal and legislative advances and wins, the record is clear: the NRA is as strong and effective as ever as we confront President Biden’s anti-gun agenda,” said Andrew Arulanandam, the NRA’S managing director for public affairs.
“Any suggestion to the contrary is wishful thinking from our adversaries.”
___
Associated Press writers Gary Fields and Lindsay Whitehurst in Salt Lake City contributed to this report.
Rich Zinanni was a year out of college when his alma mater, Bishop McNamara, had an opening for a physical education and business teacher with an opportunity to coach.
“Well, I thought I could try it and see if I liked it,” Zinanni said.
That was in 1970, and he’s still at McNamara, so it’s pretty clear he loved it.
Now, Zinanni is ready for a victory lap. The Fighting Irish’s head football coach since 1975, he will spend one more season on the sideline before handing the reins to coach-in-waiting Alan Rood.
Zinanni will retire with one of the greatest resumes in Illinois history. His 364 wins in 46 seasons rank third all-time behind Ken Leonard, who has 393 victories in 41 seasons at Gridley and Sacred Heart-Griffin, and Frank Lenti, who had 374 in 34 seasons at Mount Carmel.
The Irish won four state titles in the 1980s under Zinanni and another in 2015. They also had three runner-up finishes and 36 IHSA playoff berths.
Why retire now?
“I’ve been kind of looking at it the last couple years,” Zinanni said. “I have a great staff, a bunch of enthusiastic guys. I’ve been looking for a young guy to come in and take over.”
That guy is Rood, whose resume is strikingly similar to his mentor’s. Rood played at McNamara before going on to Northern Illinois, also Zinanni’s alma mater. Rood also coached at NIU and Eastern Illinois as well as at Morton and St. Viator.
In 2015, Rood started the football program at Von Steuben. After playing a JV schedule the first year, he led the Panthers to winning records in each of their first two varsity seasons.
So with the coaching transition settled, what’s next for Zinanni?
Among other things: travel with his wife Jane and spending more time with his eight grandchildren, including helping three of them in the businesses they’ve started.
Plus, Zinanni said. “I’ve got to get my golf game back.”
The state titles are among his career highlights. But there were many others, including playing golf with legendary Notre Dame coach Ara Parseghian and spending time in the UCLA quarterback room with Troy Aikman.
The years have flown by, Zinanni said.
“(When) you have a good place to go to work at every day,” he said, “it’s not like a job.”
Change at Providence
Like Zinanni, Providence coach Mark Coglianese plans to step down after the 2021 fall season.
Coglianese has been on the Celtics staff for 35 years, first as an assistant to Matt Senffner and for the last 15 seasons as head coach. Providence is 103-64 during that span with the Class 7A title in 2014, a 6A runner-up finish in 2009 and 11 playoff berths.
“I’m ready to move on,” said Coglianese, who plans to remain as boys track coach.
“This is maybe a good time,” he said. “They’re both such long seasons. Track is January to June, football is never-ending with offseason lifting, morning workouts and summer practices.”
Zach Elder takes over at Taft
Zach Elder, Taft’s defensive coordinator the past five seasons, is the Eagles’ new head coach.
He takes over for John Tsarouchas, who resigned after five seasons to take a teaching and coaching position in Alabama.
“I’m excited and at the same point in time, I’m super nervous,” Elder said. “Generally, I’m the guy with butterflies in my stomach every game.”
But he also feels confident in taking over one of the city’s rising programs. The Eagles were 26-20 under Tsarouchas, with the school’s first Public League title in 46 years and multiple state playoff berths.
“There are little tweaks we’re going to make, but I think the foundation is really good,” Elder said.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Criminal gangs divulged plans for moving drug shipments and carrying out killings on a secure messaging system secretly run by the FBI, law enforcement agencies said Tuesday, as they unveiled a global sting operation they said dealt an “unprecedented blow” to organized crime in countries around the world.
The operation known as Trojan Shield led to police raids in 16 nations. More than 800 suspects were arrested and more than 32 tons of drugs — including cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines and methamphetamines — were seized along with 250 firearms, 55 luxury cars and more than $148 million in cash and cryptocurrencies.
The seeds of the sting were sown in 2018 when law enforcement agencies took down a company called Phantom Secure that provided customized end-to-end encrypted devices to criminals, according to court papers. Unlike typical cell phones, the devices don’t make phone calls or browse the internet — but allow for secure messaging. As an outgrowth of the operation, the FBI also recruited a collaborator who was developing a next-generation secure-messaging platform for the criminal underworld called ANOM. The collaborator engineered the system to give the agency access to any messages being sent.
ANOM didn’t take off immediately. But once other secure platforms used by criminal gangs to organize drug trafficking underworld hits and money laundering were taken down by police, chiefly EncroChat and Sky ECC, gangs were in the market for a new one and the FBI’s platform was ready. Over the past 18 months, the agency provided phones via unsuspecting middlemen to more than 300 gangs operating in more than 100 countries.
Intelligence gathered and analyzed “enabled us to prevent murders. It led to the seizure of drugs that led to the seizure of weapons. And it helped prevent a number of crimes,” Calvin Shivers, assistant director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, told a news conference in The Hague, Netherlands.
The operation — led by the FBI with the involvement of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the European Union police agency Europol and law enforcement agencies in several countries — dealt “an unprecedented blow to criminal networks, and this is worldwide,” said Dutch National Police Chief Constable Jannine van den Berg.
Australian Federal Police Commander Jennifer Hearst called it “a watershed moment in global law enforcement history.”
The ANOM app became popular in criminal circles as users told one another it was a safe platform. All the time, police were looking over the shoulders of criminals as they discussed hits, drug shipments and other crimes.
“There was a void that was created by a lack of these encrypted platforms,” Shivers said, of the initial move to take down apps previously used by gangs. “So that created an opportunity for collaboration with our international partners, to not only develop the specific tool but also to develop the process of gathering the intelligence and disseminating the intelligence.”
The FBI collaborator effectively created a “blind copy” channel so that every single message sent by ANOM users ended up on a server run by the agency, court documents say.
Since October 2019, the FBI has has cataloged more than 20 million messages from a total of 11,800 devices — with about 9,000 currently active, according to the documents, which cited Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Australia and Serbia as the most active countries.
They say the number of active ANOM users was only 3,000 until Sky, one of the platforms previously used by criminal gangs, was dismantled in March.
While primarily used in drug trafficking and money-laundering, an FBI agent quoted in the documents says “high-level public corruption cases (also were ) initiated as a result.” The agent said a goal of Trojan Shield was to “shake the confidence in this entire industry because the FBI is willing and able to enter this space and monitor messages.”
Law enforcement agencies from Sweden to New Zealand described the operation as having a significant impact.
Swedish police prevented a dozen planned killings and believe that they have arrested several “leading actors in criminal networks,” according to a statement from Linda Staaf, the head of Sweden’s national criminal intelligence unit.
Finnish police said Tuesday that nearly 100 people have been detained and more than half a ton of drugs confiscated, along with dozens of guns and cash worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. In Germany, the general prosecutor’s office in Frankfurt said that more than 70 people were arrested Monday and drugs, cash and weapons were also seized.
In Australia, authorities said they arrested 224 people and seized more than four tons of drugs and $35 million. New Zealand police said they had arrested 35 people and seized drugs and assets worth millions of dollars.
“Today, the Australian government, as part of a global operation, has struck a heavy blow against organized crime,” Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters. “Not just in this country, but one that will echo around organized crime around the world.”
European police last year delivered a major blow to organized crime after cracking an encrypted communications network, known as EncroChat, used by criminal gangs across the continent.
In March, Belgian police arrested dozens of people after cracking another encrypted chat system and seizing more than 17 tons of cocaine.
The latest operation went even further.
“The success of Operation Trojan Shield is a result of tremendous innovation, dedication and unprecedented international collaboration,” Shivers said. “And the results are staggering.”
____
Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand. Associated Press writers Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin, Jari Tanner in Helsinki, and Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Frank Bajak in Boston contributed to this report.
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN – JANUARY 24: Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers drops back to pass in the first quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the NFC Championship game at Lambeau Field on January 24, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears have had a pretty good offseason. When the highlight was them signing Andy Dalton, things were looking bleaker. Then the day of the 2021 NFL Draft hit and things started to feel better. The Bears traded up to select Justin Fields out of Ohio State University.
That came after some great news about Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. There is apparent drama between him and the Green Bay Packers that might actually cause his departure. If he leaves the Packers, it would change the entire landscape of the NFC North and even the National Football League as a whole.
The Chicago Bears would love to see Aaron Rodgers leave the Green Bay Packers.
The Bears have been dominated by Aaron Rodgers for his entire career. He seems to play better against them than any opponent he will face. That is why the news out of minicamp is great to see on Tuesday. Rodgers skipped the team meeting to open their mandatory minicamp which now officially makes it a holdout. It is honestly shocking how things are unfolding up there in Green Bay.
It is a beautiful sight for Bears fans but it is honestly very surprising. A player of this level doesn’t just hold out very often. He is annoyed with the way the Packers have been run over the last few years. They haven’t drafted him and help in the first round of the draft at any point in his career. They traded up to select his eventual replacement in Jordan Love during the 2020 NFL Draft which is what started all of this drama.
This is the first time that Aaron Rodgers is missing this event in 16 years. It is surprising as mentioned before but he seems to be at peace in his personal life. He has all of these things going well for him there so he probably wants to be happy in his NFL life either. If Green Bay isn’t that place for him to feel that way, that would be awesome.
Now, the Bears just need to focus on developing their quarterback. This kid feels different than any other quarterback they have ever had. While the Packers had Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, the Bears kept trotting out lesser quarterbacks who couldn’t get it done.
It would be nice to see Fields take over the reins as the best quarterback in the division. The Bears might change their entire outlook of the season based on Rodgers’ decision. Right now, things are off to a good start with him not reporting to minicamp. If he wants to not play for Green Bay and dominate the division anymore, that is fine with us.
Hailie Deegan has been named to replace 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan for two races in the Tony Stewart/Ray Evenham Camping World SRX Series beginning at Knoxville (Iowa) Speedway on June 19, and again July 10 at Slinger Speedway in Wisconsin.
The opportunity comes at the invitation of Evernham himself, who found that Kanaan had other commitments to race on those dates. Meanwhile, Kanaan will appear in the season opener June 12 at Stafford, CT as well as at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH on June 26, Lucas Oil Raceway near Indianapolis July 3, and the series finale at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway on July 17.
Deegan, 19, who currently drives races full time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, is the first female driver to win in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and has three victories on that circuit. She now has the opportunity to show her mettle (and possibly win) against some of the biggest names in motorsports including Tony Stewart, Bill Elliot, 2021 Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves, Michael Waltrip, Willy T. Ribbs, Marco Andretti, Ernie Francis Jr., Bobby LaBonte, and Paul Tracy.
“It’s an honor to be a part of SRX and I’m grateful for the chance,” Deegan said in a release. “I love racing. I started when I was eight in the Lucas Oil Off-Road Series and, for the last five years, I’ve been on pavement working my way up the racing ladder. The challenge of SRX really appeals to me. Competing on different tracks – asphalt and dirt – with other drivers from all sorts of disciplines, including Tony Stewart, himself, Bill Elliot, 2021 Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves, Michael Waltrip, Willy T. Ribbs, Marco Andretti, Ernie Francis Jr., Bobby LaBonte, and Paul Tracy, is a unique opportunity that doesn’t come around every day.” Attachments area
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Two gunmen opened fire and shot Jeffrey King at a Citgo gas station on Stony Island Avenue.
Chicago police are searching for three people wanted in a fatal shooting last month at an Avalon Park gas station on the South Side.
One of the men struck the 26-year-old victim in the face on May 28, causing him to fall down at a Citgo Gas station in the 8300 block of South Stony Island Avenue, police said.
Two gunmen then opened fire and struck Jeffrey King multiple times, authorities said. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center and pronounced dead.
Chicago policePolice say these three people are wanted in a May 28 murder in Avalon Park.
Surveillance video released by police allegedly shows the three entering the Citgo Gas station that day.
Shootings have doubled over last year in the 4th police district, which stretches from South Shore to Hegewisch and includes Avalon Park. The district has seen 69 shootings this year through May 2, up from 34 during the same period in 2020, according to police statistics.
Murders have spiked 57% over last year in the district. Eleven people in the district have been murdered so far in 2021, a jump from the seven people murdered in the same period last year, according to the statistics.
Police asked anyone with information on the shooting to call Area 2 Detective Weber #20489 at (312) 747-8271 or [email protected].
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