El músico Sergio Tusen, conocido popularmente como "Tato Tambora"(i), el cónsul de República Dominicana en Nueva York, Eligio Jáquez (c), y el director de oficina de Cultura dominicana, Ray Andújar, hablan durante una ruda de prensa para presentar la campaña "Un instrumento musical para tu pueblo", en Nueva York (EE. UU.). (Foto: EFE/Ruth Hernández)
El consulado de República Dominicana en Nueva York y la Dirección de Cultura Dominicana en el Exterior anunciaron este martes una iniciativa para enviar instrumentos musicales para el uso de jóvenes en diversos municipios de ese país.
«Un instrumento musical para tu pueblo», que contará con una campaña de medios en Nueva York, tiene como objetivo recolectar entre la diáspora dominicana en la Gran Manzana todo tipo de instrumentos, en respuesta a una necesidad expresada por distintos alcaldes dominicanos cuando han visitado esta ciudad, explicó hoy en conferencia de prensa el cónsul Eligio Jáquez.
«Siempre que viene un alcalde, van al consulado a pedir un instrumento para sus bandas. Queremos dar respuesta a los alcaldes haciendo un aporte de la comunidad en el exterior enviando instrumentos», indicó en la conferencia en la nueva sede de la Dirección de Cultura dominicana en el Alto Manhattan, corazón de la comunidad dominicana
Fotografía de varios instrumentos musicales que han sido donados a jóvenes durante una ruda de prensa para presentar la campaña «Un instrumento musical para tu pueblo», en Nueva York (EE. UU.). (Foto: EFE/Ruth Hernández)
Jáquez recordó los beneficios de la música, entre ellos que fomenta el aprendizaje y la memoria, modula la velocidad de las ondas cerebrales, ayuda a las plantas a florecer y contribuye a regular las emociones, entre otros.
El cónsul hizo un llamado a la comunidad a unirse a la iniciativa que ya ha dado sus frutos porque han recolectado ya instrumentos, entre ellos güiros y tamboras, dos piezas básicas en la interpretación del merengue, y durante la conferencia acudieron algunas personas con instrumentos.
Explicó que la idea surgió del músico Sergio Tusen, conocido popularmente como «Tato Tambora» que dirige su propia banda, y que también expresó su deseo de que este programa experimental sea un camino para ayudar a jóvenes dominicanos en su país porque «hay muchas necesidades».
Fotografía de varios instrumentos musicales que han sido donados a jóvenes durante una ruda de prensa para presentar la campaña «Un instrumento musical para tu pueblo», en Nueva York (EE. UU.). (Foto: EFE/Ruth Hernández)
La campaña de recaudación de instrumentos se realizará en radio, televisión y redes sociales por un mes, y a ella se han sumado conocidos músicos dominicanos como los cantantes Rafa Rosario, de la famosa banda de merengue Los Hermanos Rosario, y el intérprete de salsa Henry García, que han grabado videos exhortando a donar instrumentos, dijo Tusen.
Afirmó que «por cada instrumento que se done, se sacará a un joven de la calle». «Quien practica música está entretenido, es muy difícil que caiga en la delincuencia», sostuvo, mientras que el director de oficina de Cultura dominicana, Ray Andújar, señaló que «en esta iniciativa no hay límites» y que tanto el consulado como la delegación cultural pueden recibir las donaciones de instrumentos.
PHILADELPHIA. — Jason Wingard, the first Black president at Temple University, is resigning after a tumultuous tenure of less than two years and amid a surge of violence that has affected the north Philadelphia campus.
The university announced Tuesday evening that the board of trustees had accepted Wingard’s resignation, which takes effect Friday, and lauded him for what it called significant contributions to the university’s mission.
“Given the urgent matters now facing the university, particularly campus safety, the board and the administration will ensure the highest level of focus on these serious issues,” the announcement said. “We understand that a concerted and sustained effort must be undertaken as we attempt to solve these problems.»
Officials said “a small group of senior Temple leaders” would be designated to guide the university while another president is being sought.
“This group will have many years of experience at Temple and devotion to its mission,” the announcement said. “Each will have discrete responsibilities for the university’s essential functions and provide a stable foundation for us as we look toward the search for our next president.”
Wingard, 51, has led the 33,600-student university since July 2021.
The Temple Association of University Professionals was preparing to hold a no confidence vote next month regarding Wingard and two other officials, with members citing concerns over falling enrollment, financial issues, and labor disputes. During an emergency town hall meeting earlier this month, faculty members spoke of a reduction of faculty positions, non-renewal notices on contracts, and increasing class sizes, WHYY reported.
Wingard told a panel of state lawmakers last week that Philadelphia’s homicide rate has wrought a climate in which students, faculty, parents and staff are afraid.
A Temple University police officer was shot and killed near the north Philadelphia campus last month. Officer Christopher Fitzgerald, 31, was shot after pursing three people dressed in black and wearing masks in an area where there had been a series of robberies and carjackings. Two youths were arrested nearby, and an 18-year-old suspect was taken into custody the following morning in neighboring Bucks County.
Fitzgerald was the first Temple University officer killed in the line of duty, said Jennifer Griffin, the university’s public safety director. A father of five children, he joined the school’s police force in October 2021.
The university had also recently seen a six-week strike by graduate students who are teaching and research assistants. Union members earlier this month ratified a new contract after overwhelmingly rejecting an earlier agreement and extending their walkout.
Emergency personnel work at the site of a deadly explosion at a chocolate factory in West Reading, Pa., Friday, March 24, 2023. (Photo: AP/Ben Hasty/ Reading)
Last week’s fatal blast at a Pennsylvania chocolate factory highlighted the combustibility of food plants in general and chocolate making in particular.
The powerful explosion at 75-year-old R.M. Palmer Co. — which makes chocolate eggs, bunnies, bars, coins and other treats — killed seven, sent 10 to the hospital and damaged several other buildings in West Reading, a small town 60 miles (96 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia, where it has long had a factory.
Local, state and federal investigations are ongoing. Pennsylvania State Police said “everything’s on the table,” as fire marshals try to pinpoint the origin and cause. Some workers told relatives they smelled natural gas before the blast, although the gas utility UGI said it received no reports of a gas leak.
A look at some of the hazards of food manufacturing and what may have been behind this fatal blast:
THE RISKS
In general, commercial ovens and furnaces, commercial refrigerant using ammonia and combustible dust produced by ingredients like cocoa powder and corn starch are primary explosive hazards at food plants, according to Holly Burgess, technical lead for industrial and chemical safety at the National Fire Protection Association, a nonprofit group that produces hundreds of codes and standards.
“Most people, if you’ve not been in any sort of food manufacturing, you don’t understand what your hazards are and what you’re looking at,” Burgess said.
Chocolate companies and other food manufacturers must take steps to mitigate the risk of fire and explosion from dust. Smaller particles that stay aloft pose a greater danger than bigger particles that quickly fall to the floor.
“It is a common concern at many food production facilities handling fine combustible particulates,” said Bob Zalosh, a retired professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and a consultant on industrial fire and explosion hazard mitigation and investigations.
Food manufacturers are supposed to determine the combustibility of the dust, perform a hazard analysis and then take steps to manage it, adhering to the fire protection association’s standard for preventing dust explosions in food processing plants.
Common methods for controlling dust include dust collectors and industrial vacuum cleaners.
Emergency responders and heavy equipment are seen at the site of a deadly explosion at a chocolate factory in West Reading, Pennsylvania, Saturday, March 25. (Photo: AP/Michael Rubinkam)
THE PALMER BLAST
One possible explanation for the blast is an explosion of highly flammable powdered starch, which candy companies often use to cast chocolate into shapes such as Easter eggs, said Terry Wakefield, a business consultant and food scientist who used to run a manufacturing facility that supplied chocolate to R.M. Palmer.
The shock wave from an initial explosion could have jarred any dust accumulated on ceilings and other surfaces, he said. «And now you end up with a massive amount of starch, which combusts, and those explosion clouds move faster than sound and they have unbelievable force,” said Wakefield, who made his assessment after watching video of the explosion that was captured by a TV station’s weather camera.
“A lot of people don’t realize that starch could do that sort of thing,» he said.
Based on the kinds of candy Palmer makes, the company likely used the starch-casting method, according to Wakefield.
Officials at the family-owned company have not responded to questions from The Associated Press.
Dust explosions have long been a problem in manufacturing. Between 1980 and 2017, nearly 400 combustible dust fires and explosions killed 185 people and injured more than 1,000 across multiple industries, including food, chemical, paper, pharmaceutical and metal processing, according to the U.S. Chemical Safety Board.
In 2008, an accumulation of sugar dust ignited and blew up the Imperial Sugar plant in Port Wentworth, Georgia, killing 14.
WORKPLACE SAFETY RECORD
At least two workplace accidents have happened at Palmer since 2018, according to federal records.
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which regulates workplace safety, visited Palmer’s West Reading plant in 2018, when an employee lost the tip of a finger while cleaning a pressurized valve. The company agreed to pay a $13,000 fine.
In 2019, OSHA investigated an accident at Palmer’s plant in nearby Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, when a conveyor belt was turned on while a worker was cleaning a roller, according to federal records. The employee’s arm was broken in multiple places. The company settled with OSHA for $26,000.
And in January, records show, OSHA levied a penalty of more than $12,000 after an inspection at the Wyomissing plant. Details of that case were not available.
The online records did not say anything about combustible dust, or any other explosive hazard at Palmer.
LITIGATION FILED
A woman who lived next door to the plant filed suit Tuesday, alleging Palmer was negligent in failing to maintain its equipment and prevent the blast. Betty Wright was “lifted from her feet and blown across the room,” suffering injuries to her neck, back, hip and leg, the suit said. She also lost belongings.
A statement from Wright’s lawyers at Morgan & Morgan said the firm has put together a “team of experts so we can understand what caused this catastrophic explosion.»
¿A qué edad deben empezar a jugar los niños? ¿Cuántos entrenamientos deben realizar a la semana? ¿Cómo llamar la atención de un cazatalentos de fútbol?
Muchas personas, en cualquier parte del mundo, desean que sus hijos se conviertan en estrellas del deporte profesional. El fútbol es uno de los deportes más populares y mejor pagados, pero muy competitivo en la carrera para llegar a las mejores ligas.
“No hay fórmulas cerradas para hacer que nuestros hijos se conviertan en estrellas del fútbol, pero sí claves imprescindibles para encaminar el talento”, explica el venezolano Ramon Espinoza, experto reclutador del fútbol profesional.
Para formar posibles futbolistas profesionales desde la niñez, lo primero es comenzar a jugar a una edad temprana.
“La edad ideal son los cinco años. La edad límite serían 12 años. Ya después es muy difícil aprender a hacer cosas muy específicas. El niño necesita entrenar con regularidad. Un mínimo de dos horas diarias, entre cuatro y cinco días a la semana, será un buen comienzo para aumentar sus capacidades”, aconseja Espinoza, quien ha sido embajador de marcas como Lionel Messi, Disney, Bundesliga, LaLiga, ESPN, NY Red Bulls, Adidas, Manchester United, Puma, Mizuno, T-Mobile y Walmart, entre otras.
En segundo lugar, hay cuestiones que padres e hijos aspirantes deben tener presente todo el tiempo, entre ellas la paciencia, porque habrá momentos buenos y malos.
“Lo importante es seguir y nunca rendirse. Unas cosas se pueden medir y otras no, pero siempre hay que evaluar el desarrollo. En la actualidad es indispensable ser el más rápido, el más fuerte, el que más corre y por supuesto el mejor dotado técnicamente para poder sobresalir en este deporte”, asegura el reclutador e influencer.
Aparte, los jugadores deberán acostumbrarse al dolor, porque “muchas veces sufrirán lesiones y tendrán que superarlas con la supervisión terapéutica adecuada y con mucha fuerza mental”.
Ramón Espinoza ha participado en eventos y pruebas internacionales, en equipos profesionales como Getafe CF, CA Osasuna, SD Huesca, Levante UD, CD Leganés, A.D. Alcorcón, CF Fuenlabrada, ESC LaLiga & NBA Project.
¿Cómo llamar la atención de un cazatalentos de fútbol?
“Necesitamos ver si un jugador puede manejar la presión y controlar sus emociones, por el bien de su equipo. Los reclutadores buscamos a alguien que sea entusiasta, valiente y capaz de llevar a su club lo más lejos posible. De todos modos, un buen reclutador sabe que el campo no miente”, afirma.
La máxima de trabajo de Ramón Espinoza es “si el plan no funciona, cambia el plan, pero nunca la meta”.
A través de creaciones de contenido atractivas y dinámicas, Ramón Espinoza ha contribuido productivamente a las comunidades del fútbol de todas las edades y orígenes. Sin duda, es un activo valioso para la industria del deporte en Estados Unidos, dado su talento, compromiso y enfoque cultural diverso.
Los compradores se abastecen de agua embotellada luego de un derrame químico en el río Delaware aguas arriba de Filadelfia, el martes 28 de marzo de 2023. Funcionarios de salud en el condado de Bucks, justo al norte de Filadelfia, dijeron el domingo que miles de galones de una solución de acabado de látex a base de agua se derramó en el río el viernes por la noche debido a una fuga en la planta química Trinseo Altuglas en el municipio de Bristol. (Foto AP/Matt Rourke)
Los funcionarios de agua de Filadelfia dicen que continúan sin ver signos de contaminación luego de un derrame químico en el río Delaware aguas arriba de la ciudad y confían en que el agua potable no se verá afectada al menos hasta el miércoles por la noche.
Funcionarios de salud en el condado de Bucks, justo al norte de Filadelfia, dijeron el domingo que entre 8,100 y 12,000 galones (30,700 y 120,000 litros) de una solución de acabado de látex a base de agua se derramaron en el río el viernes por la noche debido a una tubería rota en la planta química Trinseo Altuglas. Instalación en el municipio de Bristol.
Las autoridades dijeron que no es tóxico para los humanos y que no se han informado efectos adversos para la salud en el condado.
Los funcionarios de Filadelfia dicen que han estado analizando muestras de hasta una docena de lugares y que hasta ahora no se han encontrado contaminantes relacionados con la descarga. Anunciaron el martes por la mañana que el agua en los grifos de la ciudad no se verá afectada hasta al menos las 11:59 p.m. miércoles, en función del tiempo que tarda el agua en ser tratada y llegar a los clientes.
La ciudad dice que los residentes pueden continuar bebiendo y usando agua del grifo sin riesgo.
Un alto funcionario de la ciudad dijo que cualquier condición de derrame duraría hasta el jueves, y es posible que el miércoles por la noche sepa que la contaminación ha pasado por completo la planta de tratamiento de la ciudad. Planean realizar una sesión informativa pública el martes por la noche, después de que se obtengan los últimos resultados del muestreo.
Los funcionarios se comprometieron a notificar al público de inmediato si el muestreo de la calidad del agua indica un impacto potencial en el agua del río que ingresa a la planta de tratamiento de agua de Baxter en el noreste de Filadelfia. Las entradas a la planta se cerraron inicialmente después del derrame, pero luego se abrieron para mantener niveles mínimos de agua para evitar daños a los equipos y para suministrar agua para la seguridad contra incendios y otras necesidades esenciales.
Michael Carroll, subdirector gerente de la Oficina de Transporte, Infraestructura y Sostenibilidad de la ciudad, dijo el lunes por la noche que la ciudad tenía materiales disponibles para tratar el agua contaminada en caso de que ingresara al sistema. Si las pruebas mostraran que dicho tratamiento era «100% efectivo», dijo que la ciudad podría asegurar al público que podrían continuar usando el agua del grifo. Por precaución, también estaban desarrollando planes para distribuir agua si fuera necesario, brindando “información oportuna bloque por bloque”, dijo Carroll.
La comisionada de salud de la ciudad, Cheryl Bettigole, dijo que cualquier contaminación, si ocurriera, estaría en un «nivel muy, muy bajo» después de que los productos químicos atravesaran el río y se sometieran a tratamiento, lo que hace que los riesgos para la salud sean «extremadamente improbables». Aunque los funcionarios querrían informar a las personas para que pudieran optar por tomar precauciones.
«Por lo general, en los niveles de los que estamos hablando, existe la posibilidad de que estos químicos en concentraciones más altas causen irritaciones en la piel, efectos neurológicos, en estos niveles tan bajos que tendrían que ser el caso en cualquier contaminación, no lo haríamos». No necesariamente anticipo ver algún efecto”, dijo Bettigole.
Los anuncios y una alerta enviados el domingo fueron seguidos por una corrida de agua embotellada en las tiendas de Filadelfia que dejó muchos estantes vacíos y carteles de «No hay agua» en algunos. Si no se disponía de agua embotellada, dijeron las autoridades, la gente podía llenar botellas vacías con agua del grifo.
Asher Rosinger, un investigador de la Universidad de Penn State que estudia el acceso al agua, dijo que los grandes eventos que generan dudas sobre la seguridad del agua podrían aumentar la desconfianza en el agua del grifo entre los residentes de la ciudad, algo que ya empeoró en todo el país después de la crisis del agua de Flint.
Ya, el 20% de los adultos a nivel nacional dice que no bebe agua del grifo, filtrada o no, frente al 14% antes de la crisis de Flint, según un estudio de datos de encuestas federales. Las cifras son más altas entre los adultos negros, con un 35 % que dice que evita beber agua de grifo, frente al 25 % antes de Flint. Entre los adultos hispanos, la cifra subió al 38%, frente al 27%.
Filadelfia es una de las pocas ciudades importantes que ha tratado activamente de aumentar la confianza, realizando campañas que promueven el costo y la seguridad del agua del grifo, pero la desconfianza es un problema persistente. Entre los residentes negros en 2021, más del 60 % dijo que bebía principalmente agua embotellada, en comparación con el 42 % de los residentes de Filadelfia en general.
“Filadelfia ha hecho mucho para tratar de aumentar el uso del agua del grifo y la confianza en el grifo”, dijo Rosinger en un correo electrónico. “Este tipo de derrame retrasará ese esfuerzo”.
Trinseo dijo que luego de una revisión interna de las operaciones en la planta, que fabrica resinas acrílicas y emplea a unas 110 personas, la compañía “espera reanudar la producción parcial en los próximos días y reanudar la producción total poco después”.
La Red Riverkeeper de Delaware dijo que el nivel de información divulgada al público ha sido “increíblemente deficiente y socava la confianza del público”. El grupo de defensa del medio ambiente ha pedido a las autoridades que brinden más detalles sobre las pruebas y los materiales liberados y que se le diga al público dónde pueden informar cualquier daño que vean en el río.
Shelves stand empty of bottle water following a chemical spill into the Delaware River upstream from Philadelphia, Tuesday, March 28, 2023. Health officials in Bucks County, just north of Philadelphia, said Sunday that thousands of gallons of a water-based latex finishing solution spilled into the river late Friday due to a leak at the Trinseo Altuglas chemical facility in Bristol Township. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia water officials say they continue to see no sign of contamination following a chemical spill into the Delaware River upstream of the city and are confident that drinking water will be unaffected at least through Wednesday night.
Health officials in Bucks County, just north of Philadelphia, said Sunday that between 8,100 and 12,000 gallons (30,700 and 120,000 liters) of a water-based latex-finishing solution spilled into the river late Friday due to a burst pipe at the Trinseo Altuglas chemical facility in Bristol Township.
Officials said it is non-toxic to humans, and no known adverse health effects have been reported in the county.
Philadelphia officials say they have been testing samples from as many as a dozen locations, and contaminants related to the discharge haven’t been found so far. They announced Tuesday morning that the water in city taps will be unaffected until at least 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, based on the time it takes for water to be treated and reach customers.
The city says residents can continue to drink and use tap water with no risk.
A top city official has said any spill conditions would last no later than Thursday, and they may know by Wednesday night that the pollution has completely passed the city’s treatment plant. They plan to hold a public briefing Tuesday night, after the latest sampling results are in.
Officials vowed to notify the public immediately if water quality sampling indicates a potential impact on the river water entering the Baxter Water Treatment Plant in northeast Philadelphia. Intakes to the plant were initially closed after the spill but were later opened to maintain minimal water levels to avoid damage to equipment and to supply water for fire safety and other essential needs.
Michael Carroll, deputy managing director for the city’s Office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability, said Monday night that the city had materials available to treat contaminated water should any enter the system. If tests showed such treatment was “100% effective,” he said the city would then be able to reassure the public that they could continue to use their tap water. Out of an abundance of caution, they were also developing plans to distribute water if needed, providing “timely information on a block-by-block basis,” Carroll said.
The city’s health commissioner, Cheryl Bettigole, said any contamination, if it were to occur, would be at a “very, very low level” after the chemicals had come through the river and through treatment, making any health risks “extremely unlikely,” although officials would want to inform people so they could elect to take precautions.
«Typically, at the levels we’re talking about — there is potential for these chemicals in higher concentrations to cause skin irritations, to cause neurological effects — at these very low levels that would have to be the case in any contamination, we wouldn’t necessarily anticipate seeing any effects,” Bettigole said.
Announcements and an alert sent out Sunday were followed by a run on bottled water in Philadelphia stores that left many bare shelves and “No water” signs posted at some. If bottled water was unavailable, officials said, people could fill empty bottles with tap water.
Asher Rosinger, a Penn State University researcher who studies water access, said big, headline-grabbing events casting doubt on water safety could increase distrust in tap water among city residents, something that has already worsened across the nation after the Flint water crisis.
Already, 20% of adults nationally say they don’t drink tap water — filtered or not — up from 14% before the Flint crisis, according to a study of federal survey data. The figures are higher among Black adults, with 35% saying they avoid drinking tap, up from 25% before Flint. Among Hispanic adults, the figure rose to 38%, up from 27%.
Philadelphia is one of the few major cities that has actively tried to increase trust, running campaigns promoting the cost and safety of its tap water, but distrust is a lingering issue. Among Black residents in 2021, more than 60% said they mostly drank bottled water, compared to 42% of Philadelphia residents overall.
“Philly has done a lot to try to increase tap water use and confidence in the tap,” Rosinger said in an email. “This type of spill will set that effort back.”
Trinseo said that following an internal review of operations at the plant, which makes acrylic resins and employs about 110 people, the company “expects to resume partial production within the next several days and to resume full production shortly thereafter.”
The Delaware Riverkeeper Network said the level of information released to the public has been “incredibly deficient and undermines public trust.” The environmental advocacy group has asked authorities to provide more details on testing and the materials released and for the public to be told where they can report any damage they see to the river.
Fotografía de archivo de personas que participan en la Marcha de las Mariposas como rechazo a la violencia machista en Santo Domingo (República Dominicana). (Foto: EFE/Eddy Vittini)
Santo Domingo, República Dominicana.- Veinticinco mujeres han sido víctimas de feminicidio este año en República Dominicana, según datos ofrecidos este martes por la ministra de la Mujer, Mayra Jiménez, quien señaló, además, que se investigan otros tres casos para determinar las reales causas.
En declaraciones a periodistas, donde ofreció datos preliminares sobre los feminicidios, Jiménez llamó a «tomar conciencia» sobre la necesidad de «erradicar la violencia de genero e intrafamiliar» porque «nada justifica la caída de una mujer».
«Cada vez una mujer pierde la vida es un dolor y una impotencia que tenemos en toda la sociedad», afirmó la ministra.
También se refirió a la importancia de adoptar acciones para prevenir la violencia y citó, como ejemplo, un operativo que su cartera pondrá en marcha en ese sentido con motivo de la Semana Santa.
República Dominicana es uno de los países de Latinoamérica con una de las mayores tasas de feminicidios (2,7 por cada 100.000 habitantes).
A finales de 2022 el Gobierno envió al Congreso Nacional el proyecto de ley integral para afrontar la violencia machista que aglutinará todas las acciones de prevención contra las agresiones y todos los tipos penales para castigar a los responsables de ellos, todavía pendiente de ser conocido por los legisladores.
Este mismo mes, el Gobierno presentó la estrategia Violencia Intrafamiliar y Acceso que, con el apoyo de Naciones Unidas, se establecerá primero en los siete municipios de la provincia de Santo Domingo, donde se registran los mayores índices de feminicidios, para luego extenderse a todo el país.
Este plan pretende una mayor integración de los actores responsables de proteger a la mujer (Policía Nacional, Ministerio Público, Congreso Nacional y Ministerio de la Mujer, entre otras instituciones) y busca fortalecer la lucha contra los feminicidios y mejorar el acceso a la justicia de las víctimas de violencia intrafamiliar y de género.
La policía de Nashville (Tennessee) publicó este martes un vídeo del momento en que los agentes abatieron a disparos a la persona que atacó una escuela de la ciudad, donde niños y tres adultos fueron asesinado a tiros.
El vídeo, captado mediante la cámara corporal de uno de los agentes, muestra la actuación policial durante seis minutos desde la llegada de los efectivos al lugar de los hechos hasta que finalmente abatieron a la persona atacante, identificada por las autoridades como Audrey Hale.
Hale llevaba dos rifles de asaltos y una pistola, según la policía.
Tras subir las escaleras hasta el segundo piso del colegio, alrededor del minuto 3:22 de la grabación, los agentes Rex Engelbert, que lleva cuatro años en el cuerpo, y Michael Collazo, con una experiencia de nueve años, disparan a la persona asaltante, que murió en ese enfrentamiento.
(Foto: EFE/METRO NASHVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT)
La policía identificó a Hale, de 28 años, como una mujer transgénero y se refirió en todo momento a esta persona con el pronombre «ella», cuando, según pudo constatar EFE, la persona asaltante hace alusión a sí misma en sus redes sociales como «él».
La escuela The Covenant, donde tuvo lugar el ataque, es un centro privado que atiende a alumnos desde el preescolar hasta el sexto grado, es decir, hasta unos 11 años.
En lo que va de año, se han reportado al menos 30 incidentes con armas de fuego en escuelas en Estados Unidos, que han dejado 8 muertos y 23 heridos, de acuerdo con datos de la organización Everytown for Gun Safety.
Fotografía de los cuerpos de migrantes fallecidos durante un incendio en las instalaciones del Instituto Nacional de Migración (INM), la noche del 27 de marzo de 2023, en Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua (México). (Foto: EFE/Luis Torres)
Ciudad de Guatemala.- Las autoridades de Guatemala confirmaron este martes que 28 migrantes de este país fallecieron durante un incendio registrado en una estación del Instituto Nacional de Migración (INM) en Ciudad Juárez, México, cerca de la frontera con Estados Unidos.
De acuerdo con el Instituto Guatemalteco de Migración (IGM), han iniciado el proceso para contactar a las familias de los fallecidos y acompañar el proceso de repatriación.
El incendio, ocurrido en las instalaciones migratorias mexicanas, le costó la vida a 39 personas de diversas nacionalidades y el fuego se habría originado durante una protesta de los migrantes que se encontraban detenidos, según dijo este martes el presidente mexicano Manuel López Obrador.
Las autoridades guatemaltecas aseguraron que se encuentran realizando una inspección para localizar a más personas de este país que se encuentren heridas o hayan sido trasladados a hospitales posterior al siniestro.
La presencia de migrantes en Ciudad Juárez se ha intensificado este año desde que Estados Unidos anunció nuevas medidas, que incluyen la deportación inmediata de migrantes de Haití, Venezuela, Nicaragua y Cuba que lleguen por tierra bajo el título 42.
La región vive un flujo migratorio récord, con 2,76 millones de indocumentados detenidos en la frontera de Estados Unidos con México en el año fiscal 2022 y, de acuerdo con datos de la Organización Internacional para las Migraciones (OIM), el flujo migratorio aumentó un 8 % en territorio mexicano.
A woman and child bring flowers to lay at the entry to Covenant School which has becomes a memorial for shooting victims, Tuesday, March 28, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. (Photo: AP/John Amis)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville police released video Tuesday from a body-worn camera that shows a team of officers entering and searching an elementary school, then confronting and opening fire on an assailant who had murdered three children and three adults in the latest school shooting to roil the nation.
The dramatic, six-minute video supplements an earlier release, late Monday, of about two minutes of edited surveillance footage that shows the shooter’s car driving up to the school, glass doors being shot out and the shooter ducking through one of them.
The new video from Officer Rex Engelbert’s body cam shows a woman greeting police outside as they arrive at The Covenant School on Monday. “The kids are all locked down, but we have two kids that we don’t know where they are,” she tells police.
An entry to Covenant School becomes also a memorial for shooting victims, Tuesday, March 28, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. (Photo: AP/John Amis)
“OK, yes, ma’am,” Engelbert replies.
The woman then directs officers to Fellowship Hall and says people inside had just heard gunshots. “Upstairs are a bunch of kids,” she says.
Three officers, including Engelbert, search rooms one by one, holding rifles. “Metro Police,” officers yell.
“Let’s go, let’s go,” one officer yells.
As alarms are heard going off in the school, one officer says, “It sounds like it’s upstairs.”
This image provided by Metropolitan Nashville Police Department shows bodycam footage of police responding to an active shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tenn., on Monday, March 27, 2023. The former student who shot through the doors of the Christian elementary school and killed three children and three adults had drawn a detailed map of the school. (Photo: AP/Metropolitan Nashville Police Department)
Officers climb stairs to the second floor and enter a lobby area. “Move in,” an officer yells. Then a barrage of gunfire is heard.
“Get your hands away from the gun,» an officer yells twice. Then the shooter is shown motionless on the floor.
Police earlier identified the shooter, who was killed by police, as 28-year-old Audrey Elizabeth Hale. They say Hale was a former student and shot through the doors of the private, Christian elementary school. Hale had drawn a detailed map of the school, including potential entry points, and conducted surveillance of the building before carrying out the massacre, authorities said.
Police have given unclear information on Hale’s gender. For hours Monday, police identified the shooter as a woman. At a late afternoon press conference, the police chief said Hale was transgender. After the news conference, police spokesperson Don Aaron declined to elaborate on how Hale identified.
This image provided by Metropolitan Nashville Police Department shows bodycam footage of police responding to an active shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tenn., on Monday, March 27, 2023. The former student who shot through the doors of the Christian elementary school and killed three children and three adults had drawn a detailed map of the school. (Photo: AP/Metropolitan Nashville Police Department)
In an email Tuesday, police spokesperson Kristin Mumford said Hale “was assigned female at birth. Hale did use male pronouns on a social media profile.”
The victims were children Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney, all age 9. The adults were Cynthia Peak, 61, Katherine Koonce, 60, and Mike Hill, 61.
The website of The Covenant School, a Presbyterian school founded in 2001, lists a Katherine Koonce as the head of the school. Her LinkedIn profile says she has led the school since July 2016. Peak was a substitute teacher, and Hill was a custodian, according to investigators.
A make shift memorial is seen at the entry to Covenant School with a police car guarding, on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. The former student who shot through the doors of the Christian elementary school and killed three children and three adults had drawn a detailed map of the school. (Photo: AP/John Amis)
Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake did not say exactly what drove Hale but said in an interview with NBC News that investigators believe the shooter had “some resentment for having to go to that school.”
Drake provided chilling examples of the shooter’s elaborate planning for the targeted attack, the latest in a series of mass shootings in a country that has grown increasingly unnerved by bloodshed in schools.
“We have a manifesto, we have some writings that we’re going over that pertain to this date, the actual incident,” he told reporters. “We have a map drawn out of how this was all going to take place.”
Authorities said Hale was armed with two “assault-style” weapons, as well as a handgun. At least two of them were believed to have been obtained legally in the Nashville area, according to the chief. Police said a search of Hale’s home turned up a sawed-off shotgun, a second shotgun and other unspecified evidence.
President Joe Biden again called on lawmakers for stronger gun safety laws.
“It is time to show some courage here,» White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday on CNN. It is time for Republicans in Congress to show some courage and to answer to these parents, to these families.”
Founded as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church, The Covenant School is in the affluent Green Hills neighborhood just south of downtown Nashville that is home to the famous Bluebird Cafe, beloved by musicians and songwriters.
The school has about 200 students from preschool through sixth grade, as well as roughly 50 staff members.
Before Monday’s violence in Nashville, there had been seven mass killings at K-12 schools since 2006 in which four or more people were killed within a 24-hour period, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. In all of them, the shooters were males.
This image provided by Metropolitan Nashville Police Department shows bodycam footage of police responding to an active shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tenn., on Monday, March 27, 2023. The former student who shot through the doors of the Christian elementary school and killed three children and three adults had drawn a detailed map of the school. (Photo: AP/Metropolitan Nashville Police Department)
The database does not include school shootings in which fewer than four people were killed, which have become far more common in recent years. Just last week alone, for example, school shootings happened in Denver and the Dallas area within two days of each other.
Monday’s shooting unfolded over roughly 14 minutes. Police received the initial call about an active shooter at 10:13 a.m. Police killed the suspect at 10:27 a.m.
Officers began clearing the first story of the school when they heard gunshots coming from the second level, Aaron said. Police later said the shooter fired at arriving officers from a second-story window.
Police identified Engelbert, a four-year member of the force, and Collazo, a nine-year member, as the officers who fatally shot Hale.
The surveillance video released Monday shows the shooter’s car driving up to the school from multiple angles, including one in which children can be seen playing on swings in the background. Next, an interior view shows glass doors to the school being shot out and the shooter ducking through one of the shattered doors.
More footage from inside shows the shooter walking through a school corridor holding a gun with a long barrel and walking into a room labeled “church office,” then coming back out. In the final part of the footage, the shooter can be seen walking down another long corridor with the gun drawn. The shooter is not seen interacting with anyone else on the video, which has no sound.
Aaron said there were no police officers present or assigned to the school at the time of the shooting because it is a church-run school.
