Shanquella Robison
On Oct. 29, a 25-year-old hair braider and Winston Salem State University graduate, Shanquella Robinson, was found dead in her room while on vacation with her six friends in San Jose del Cabo. Initially, Robison’s friends told Robinson’s mother, Salamondra Robinson, that she had died from alcohol poisoning. Salamondra Robinson informed WJZY “They said she wasn’t feeling well. They couldn’t get a pulse. All of the people there with her told different stories.” Earlier this week, a video surfaced of one of Shanquelle Robinson’s friends physically assaulting her moments before her death. Shanquella Robinson’s death certificate showed that she died from a spinal cord injury and atlas luxation, a form of severe neck injury. ABC reported that a medical professional advised Shanquella Robinson’s friends to take Shanquella to the hospital, but they declined to do so. A warrant has been issued for Shanquelle Robinson’s attackers and an FBI investigation is underway.
Nancy Pelosi Stepping Down
On Nov. 17th, Nancy Pelosi decided to step down as leader of the House Democrats, after more than 19 years in the role. After the 2022 Midterm Elections, Republicans took control of the House of Representatives with only a slim majority Representative Pelosi will remain as the representative of California’s 12th District. Nancy Pelosi announced her departure in a packed House, where she highlighted the legislative achievements she helped guide through Congress, from healthcare to energy and infrastructure. Many political experts were not surprised by her stepping down, since her husband was brutally attacked last month. The Democratic party has been calling for a generation of new leadership. Currently, the three top House Democrats are over 80, and two do not plan on keeping their position. In a statement, Joe Biden thanked Nancy Pelosi for her service and said the country owes her a debt of gratitude.
Raleigh Christmas Parade
On Nov. 19th, a 20-year-old driver allegedly lost control of a truck that hit and killed an 11-year-old girl during a Christmas Parade in Raleigh, NC. The truck was pulling a float that was in the parade behind the CC & Co. Dance Complex. According to police, the driver, Landen Christopher Glass, had numerous traffic violations on Oct. 30, including failing to have his vehicle inspected. It is unclear if the vehicle received the correct inspection before participating in the event. Witnesses told WRAL investigators that Glass was yelling to warn the group of dancers that something was wrong. Eventually, the driver hit and killed dancer Hailey Brooks. Glass is currently facing five charges, including misdemeanor death by a vehicle. Glass’s court date is scheduled for Jan. 26, 2023.
Nightclub Shooting
On. Nov. 20th, a gunman opened fire at an LGBTQ+ club event in Colorado Springs, killing five people and injuring 25 others. Earlier on Saturday, Club Q posted that its Saturday lineup would be followed by a dance party and later on Sunday, they planned on holding a drag show for Transgender Day of Remembrance. Witness, Joshua Thurman, said he heard gunshots but thought they were a part of the music. Once Thurman heard more gunshots and saw the flash of a muzzle, he hid in the bathroom with friends. While Thurman was in the bathroom, he heard the shooter being beaten up. The shooter was confronted by two people who prevented him from killing more people. Once the police arrived, they found people holding the shooter down. The police detained the alleged gunman. Club Q released a statement describing the killings as a “hate crime.” This shooting was during Transgender Awareness Week, and just at the start of Sunday’s International Transgender Day of Remembrance.
Big Rail Unions Split
On Nov. 21st, two of the largest railway unions split over a contract leaders of the union created with freight rail companies. The labor peace agreement ends in December and this split could lead to a possible strike. The SMART Transportation Division (SMART-TD) is the largest railway union under the agreement with 37,000 members and they rejected the deal. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Trainment, which represents 24,000 freight train engineers, approved the deal. These results does not directly mean there will be a strike, but the strike does put pressure on union leaders to rectify the situation before the end of December. SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson said in a Monday statement that he believes the dispute can be settled without a strike. If an agreement is not reached Congress will need to prevent a disastrous hit to our economy with the potential to leave us at a loss of $2 billion a day
Chesapeake Killing
On Nov. 22, a former Walmart manager entered a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, with at least 50 people inside and began shooting. This incident occurred less than an hour before the Walmart closed. The gunman went into the Walmart’s breakroom and started spraying bullets. Victims of the attack said the gunman looked like he was targeting people because he was looking at people’s faces. The gunman shot at least six people. The victims have been identified as Lorenzo Gamble, Kellie Pyle, Brian Pendelton, Tyneka Johnson and Randy Blevins. The shooter was identified as a 31-year-old man with a handgun. The 31-year-old man was an overnight team leader employed at Walmart since 2010. The FBI’s Norfolk division said the agency is assisting the Chesapeake Police Department in the investigation.
