Month: April 2020

TBI Investigating Series of Stabbings, Officer-Involved Shooting in Knox County


On Tuesday, at the request of 6th District Attorney General Charme Allen, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) Agents are investigating the circumstances surrounding a series of stabbings, along with the officer-involved shooting of the suspect in the incident.

Preliminary information indicates that just before 7:00 this morning, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office received a report of an incident at the Pilot Travel Center along Strawberry Plains Pike.

Upon arrival, officers observed at least one person with stab wounds outside of the store. A man, armed with a knife and identified by witnesses as the suspect, was also observed in the parking lot.

Officers confronted the individual, identified as 33 year-old, Idris Abdus-Salaam, a truck driver from Durham, North Carolina, who refused to drop the weapon. At some point during the encounter, one of the officers fired shots, striking the man. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Four victims were stabbed during the incident. Three were pronounced dead at the scene. The fourth was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

The three deceased victims were all employed at the Pilot Travel Center on Strawberry Plains Pike. They have been identified as:

  • Joyce Whaley (DOB: 09/17/1962)
  • Patricia Denise Nibbe (DOB: 11/21/1968)
  • Nettie R. Spencer (DOB 09/19/1978)

The fourth victim, who was a customer, remains hospitalized.

This remains an active and ongoing investigation, as TBI Special Agents and Forensic Scientists work to gather any and all relevant interviews and evidence. As in any case, TBI’s investigative findings will be shared with the District Attorney General throughout the process for her consideration and review.

As is our policy, the TBI does not identify the officers involved in these types of incidents and instead refers questions of that nature to their respective department.

Any updates on this investigation will be posted online at TBI-Newsroom.

TBI.gov (April 2020) TBI Investigating Series of Stabbings, Officer-Involved Shooting in Knox County

Border Patrol Intercepts a Large Human Smuggling Attempt


LAREDO, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents intercepted a large human smuggling attempt at the Border Patrol checkpoint, north of Laredo.

The incident occurred during the early morning hours of April 5, when a white tractor hauling a white trailer approached the I-35 checkpoint.  During an immigration inspection of the driver, a Service canine alerted to the rear of the trailer.

Agents opened the trailer and discovered 32 individuals, including one juvenile, all illegally present in the United States from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, and El Salvador. 

The individuals and the driver, a U.S. citizen, were taken into custody pending investigation. 

Despite the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, smugglers continue to endanger the lives of individuals they exploit and the health and safety of our Nation.  U.S. Border Patrol agents strive to prevent the flow of illegal immigration and slow the spread of COVID-19.

To report suspicious activity such as alien and/or drug smuggling, download the “USBP Laredo Sector” App or contact the Laredo Sector Border Patrol toll-free at 1-800-343-1994. 

CBP.gov (April 2020) Border Patrol Intercepts a Large Human Smuggling Attempt

Army Orders Pause in Shipment of Trainees to Initial Military Training


On Monday, the Army will temporarily halt the movement of soldiers to basic combat training because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the commander of Army Training and Doctrine Command said.

“This conditions-based pause allows leaders to further focus on setting conditions to restart movement in a safer manner,” Army Gen. Paul E. Funk II said.

This is not a pause in training for the 54,000 soldiers who are currently at Army training centers, he added.

In addition to Funk, Army Maj. Gen. Frank M. Muth, commander of the Army Recruiting Command; Army Maj. Gen. Lonnie G. Hibbard, commander of the Center for Initial Military Training; and Army Command Sgt. Maj. Edward W. Mitchell, also with the Center for Initial Military Training, spoke at a Pentagon news conference today regarding the impact of COVID-19 on recruiting and accessions.

Regarding soldiers who are now training, drill sergeants have been strictly enforcing social distance-enabled training, Funk said. Also, trainees are regularly screened for COVID-19 as they continue to train.

During the pause, commanders will ensure they are following the correct and most current procedures and capabilities to screen and test recruits, he said.

For each new basic combat training cycle, there will be a two-week monitoring period before trainees start their normal, eight-week period of instruction, Funk said.

The command has applied lessons learned from U.S. forces in Italy and Korea, as well as guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, he mentioned.

“We are still training every day to fight and win our nation’s wars as our nation expects us to do,” Funk said.

Leaders also talked about the precautions being taken before trainees go to training bases.

Muth noted that all recruiters are now doing virtual recruiting over social media instead of having face-to-face contact.

Hibbard said the prospective trainees are screened for COVID-19 at all military entrance processing stations as well as when they arrive at the training base reception battalion. From there, they are moved into the two-week controlled monitoring. 

Monitoring, he added, means asking the soldiers questions about their health and taking their temperatures.

After the 14 days, collective training starts but will be with social distancing.

Defense.gov (April 2020) Army Orders Pause in Shipment of Trainees to Initial Military Training

Remembering the Anniversary of the 1986 West Berlin discotheque bombing

On this day, 34 years ago, the world remembers the West Berlin discotheque bombing, also called La Belle discotheque bombing, attack was carried out on April 5, 1986, in West Berlin.


On this day, 34 years ago, the world remembers the West Berlin discotheque bombing, also called La Belle discotheque bombing, attack was carried out on April 5, 1986, in West Berlin, in which Libyan agents detonated a bomb at the La Belle discotheque, a nightclub frequented by U.S. soldiers stationed in Germany during the Cold War.

The bomb, packed with plastic explosives and shrapnel, killed two U.S. soldiers and a Turkish woman and injured 229 others, some of whom lost limbs and were disabled for the rest of their lives.  

It tore a wide hole in the floor and caused the ceiling to collapse and the walls to buckle. A small fire was put out by firefighters.

Those of us, who served in Europe, like me, remembered that fateful day and have never forgotten.

The entertainment venue was commonly frequented by United States soldiers, and two of the dead and 79 of the injured were Americans. The club is on a broad street in the largely middle-class Friedenau neighborhood, not far from United States Army housing.

A bomb placed under a table near the disc jockey’s booth exploded at 01:45 CET, instantly killing Nermin Hannay, a Turkish woman, and US Army sergeant Kenneth T. Ford. A second US Army sergeant, James E. Goins, died from his injuries two months later.

Libya was accused by the US government of sponsoring the bombing, and US President Ronald Reagan ordered retaliatory strikes on Tripoli and Benghazi in Libya ten days later.

The operation was widely seen as an attempt to kill Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

President Ronald Reagan retaliated by ordering airstrikes against the Libyan capital of Tripoli and city of Benghazi. At least 30 soldiers and 15 civilians were killed.

The Pentagon said the American warplanes struck at five separate assigned targets, three in the Tripoli area and two in the Benghazi region.

The targets near Tripoli were two suspected terrorist command posts – including a headquarters used by Khadafy — and military facilities at the nearby airport. The targets near Benghazi were suspected terrorist bases.

Secretary of State, George Shultz, in an NBC-TV interview on April 15, 1986, denied the air strikes were designed to ”go after Khadafy” although, ”We feel he is a ruler better out of his country.”

A 2001 trial in the US found that the bombing had been planned by the Libyan secret service and the Libyan Embassy.

The attack occurred less than three days after a bomb exploded on a Trans World Airlines plane on a Rome-to-Athens flight, killing four Americans.

Police and Government officials did not specifically link the two bombings.

UPI.com/Archives; en.wikipedia.org (April 2020) Reagan: Airstrike against Libya victory against terrorism; West Berlin discotheque bombing

U.S. Navy Attack Submarine USS Delaware Joins the Fleet


The U.S. Navy commissioned USS Delaware (SSN 791), the 18th Virginia-class attack submarine, today, April 4, 2020.

Although the traditional public commissioning ceremony was cancelled due to public health safety and restrictions of large public gatherings, the Navy commissioned USS Delaware administratively and transitioned the ship to normal operations. Meanwhile, the Navy is looking at a future opportunity to commemorate the special event with the ship’s sponsor, crew and commissioning committee.

“This Virginia-class fast-attack submarine will continue the proud naval legacy of the state of Delaware and the ships that have borne her name,” said Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas B. Modly. “I am confident that the crew of this cutting edge platform will carry on this tradition, confronting the many challenges of today’s complex world with the professionalism and agility the American people depend on from the warriors of the silent service.”

Vice Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander, Submarine Forces, said he is pleased to welcome the ship to the U.S. submarine fleet and contribute to its unmatched undersea warfighting superiority.

“The U.S. Navy values the support of all those who contributed to today’s momentous milestone and will look for a future opportunity to commemorate this special event,” Caudle said. “The sailors of USS Delaware hail from every corner of the nation and from every walk of life. This crew, and the crews who follow, will rise to every challenge with unmatched bravery and perseverance to ensure the U.S. Submarine Force remains the best in the world.”

The ship’s sponsor, Dr. Jill Biden, offered congratulations to everyone who played a role in delivering USS Delaware to service.

“I know this submarine and her crew of courageous sailors will carry the steadfast strength of my home state wherever they go,” she said. “The sailors who fill this ship are the very best of the Navy, and as you embark on your many journeys, please know that you and those whom you love are in my thoughts.”

Delaware’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Matthew Horton, said today marks the culmination of six years of hard work by the men and women who constructed the submarine and are preparing her to become a warship. He said he is especially thankful to the crew and their families, Dr. Biden, the USS Delaware Commissioning Committee and the Navy League of Hampton Roads for all their hard work and support.

“As we do our part to maintain the nation’s undersea supremacy well into the future, today marks a milestone for the sailors who serve aboard USS Delaware. Whether they have been here for her initial manning three years ago, or have just reported, they all are strong, capable submariners ready to sail the nation’s newest warship into harm’s way,” Horton said. “I am equally proud of the families who have stood by through the long hours of shift work, testing, and sea trials and supported our mission with patriotism and devotion.”

This is the first time in nearly 100 years the name “Delaware” has been used for a U.S. Navy vessel. It is the seventh U.S. Navy ship, and first submarine, to bear the name of the state of Delaware.  Delaware is a flexible, multi-mission platform designed to carry out the seven core competencies of the submarine force: anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; delivery of special operations forces; strike warfare; irregular warfare; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and mine warfare.

The submarine is 377 feet long, has a 34-foot beam, and will be able to dive to depths greater than 800 feet and operate at speeds in excess of 25 knots submerged. It will operate for over 30 years without ever refueling. Delaware’s keel was laid April 30, 2016, and was christened during a ceremony Oct. 20, 2018. It is the final Block III Virginia-class submarine, before the next wave of Block IV deliveries.

Defense.gov (April 2020) U.S. Navy Attack Submarine USS Delaware Joins the Fleet