Month: June 2021

The Biden administration unveiled a new national strategy on Tuesday to help combat a rise in domestic terrorism, which includes adding prosecutors and other law enforcement officials across the government. The strategy seeks $100 million to add key personnel in the departments of justice and homeland security, and calls for monitoring federal employees who could pose an inside threat.

President Biden said in a statement: “Domestic terrorism — driven by hate, bigotry and other forms of extremism — is a stain on the soul of America. It goes against everything our country strives for, and it poses a direct challenge to our national security, democracy and unity.” One of the main focuses of Biden’s strategy is to improve the sharing of information across federal agencies to track domestic terrorism, a key failing that investigators say contributed to the Jan. 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol by radical supporters of former President Donald Trump.  “This is a project that should unite all Americans,” Biden added. “Together we must affirm that domestic terrorism has no place in our society. We must work to root out the hatreds that can too often drive violence.”

Police in Albertville, Alabama say an employee at a water distribution plant opened fire on co-workers early Tuesday, killing two and injuring two before taking his own life.  The shooting occurred at the Mueller Co. plant, which employs more than 400 people and makes water distribution and measurement products, giving the city of Albertville its nickname, “Fire Hydrant Capital of the World.”

Michael Lee Dobbins and David Lee Horton of Boaz, Alabama died in the shooting around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday. The shooter was later identified as Andreas Deon Horton, 34, of Dekalb County.  Police have not determined a motive, and confirmed there was no known familial relation between the Hortons and that they had “no ties” other than working at the same place. The two wounded employees were taken to a hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The shooter used a handgun to fire an unknown number of rounds at his co-workers before fleeing, and was later found dead in the vehicle from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head in Guntersville, about 15 miles away from the factory. Multiple weapons were recovered from the vehicle.