North Carolina News – January 11

CAPITOL RIOT-ARMY OFFICER

Army investigating officer who led group to Washington rally

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Army is investigating a psychological operations officer who led a group of people from North Carolina to the rally in Washington that led up to the deadly riot in the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump. Commanders at Fort Bragg are reviewing Captain Emily Rainey’s involvement in last week’s events. Rainey says she acted within military regulations and that no one in her group broke the law. Maj. Daniel Lessard says the 30-year-old is assigned to the 4th Psychological Operations Group at Fort Bragg. Rainey says her group attended the rally but did not enter the Capitol.

AP-US-CAPITOL-BREACH-WHO-WAS-THERE

Who were they? Records reveal Trump fans who stormed Capitol

WASHINGTON (AP) — The violent mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol last week was overwhelmingly made up of longtime Trump supporters. The Associated Press reviewed social media posts, voter registrations, court files and other public records for more than 120 people connected to the rioting. They include Republican Party officials, GOP political donors, far-right militants, white supremacists and adherents of the QAnon conspiracy theory. The evidence gives lie to claims that the violence at the Capitol was perpetrated by left-wing antifa thugs rather than supporters of the president. An FBI official says investigators have seen “no indication” antifa activists were disguised as Trump supporters during the Capitol riot.

LEGISLATIVE VACANCIES

Ex-Rep. Batch heading to NC Senate; mayor joining House

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A recently defeated state legislator and a small-town mayor have been chosen to fill vacancies at the North Carolina General Assembly as the new session convenes. Wake County Democratic activists over the weekend picked former Rep. Sydney Batch and Knightdale Mayor James Roberson to fill vacancies. Batch will succeed state Sen. Sam Searcy, who resigned last week. Batch served one House term before losing in November. Roberson will fill a House vacancy created when Rep. Darren Jackson was appointed to the state Court of Appeals by Gov. Roy Cooper. The governor now must formally appoint Roberson and Batch to these seats.

INMATE DEATH

State is probing death of inmate in eastern North Carolina

BAYBORO, NC. (AP) — Authorities in North Carolina are investigating the death of an inmate at the Pamlico Correctional Institution in eastern North Carolina. The North Carolina Department of Public Safety said in a statement on Sunday that the person who died was Johnny Autry. The department said that Autry was being held in medium custody and was serving a sentence as a habitual felon and for drug possession. Authorities said he was in a paranoid state Saturday and that staff were unable to calm him after talking to him for an hour. He entered into medical distress and became unresponsive. Authorities said that staff members performed CPR and paramedics continued lifesaving measures. But Autry was declared deceased shortly after 9 p.m.

LGBT-RIGHTS-NORTH-CAROLINA

NC towns considering more LGBT protections after moratorium

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. (AP) — Three North Carolina municipalities plan this week to discuss ordinances to expand more anti-discrimination protections to LGBT citizens. Town boards for these Orange County communities have placed proposals on their agendas on successive nights, beginning Monday in Hillsborough. Carrboro’s council meets Tuesday and Chapel Hill’s on Wednesday. Gay-rights groups say if approved the ordinances would be the first since the General Assembly’s pause on such rules from 2017 expired last month. The moratorium emerged from a compromise between Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and Republican lawmakers to do away with the state’s 2016 “bathroom bill” related to restroom access for transgender people.

DEADLY HOUSE FIRE

2 dead in mobile home fire in North Carolina

ROCKWELL, N.C. (AP) — A fire chief says two people have died after a mobile home in North Carolina went up flames. WBTV reported that the fire happened Sunday in Rockwell, which is a rural area in Rowan County northeast of Charlotte.   Rockwell Rural Fire Chief Alan Shinn told the station that the home was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. Images from the news station show firefighters with hoses standing beside the blackened, smoky remnants of the mobile home.   The station says that the home was a complete loss. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

HIKER FALL

Woman seriously hurt in fall at Pilot Mountain State Park

PINNACLE, N.C. (AP) — A state parks spokeswoman said a woman who fell from a considerable height at a North Carolina state park is being treated for her injuries at a hospital. The woman in her 60s from the Charlotte area slipped and fell “a considerable distance” while hiking at Pilot Mountain State Park northwest of Winston-Salem Sunday, according to state parks spokeswoman Katie Hall.  Hall said that the woman had a pulse when she was taken to the hospital but that she didn’t know more about her condition.

DEPUTY STANDOFF SHOOTING

North Carolina man shot, killed in standoff with deputies

LUMBERTON, N.C. (AP) — A sheriff says that a North Carolina man was shot and killed during a standoff with officers from a tactical team after he lit a fire in his vehicle and pointed a weapon at the officers. The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that it responded late Saturday night to a 911 hang-up call in Pembroke. After deputies arrived, the man lit a fire in his vehicle and made threats before pointing what appeared to be a firearm at them, according to the news release. The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation as part of normal routine.