Trinidad

From @DCPolicedept:

“Shooting_1749 hrs_1200 blk Mt Olivet rd NE_LOF Blk male, mdm bld , red hat, blk hoodie”

@DCPoliceDept tweeted:

“Shooting_2130 hours_1000 Bladensburg Rd, NE . LOF B/M, blk. jack, red hoody, armed silver gun, fled in a 2000 LincTC”

Photo by PoPville flickr user Phil

From DCRA:

“On February 12, 2015, the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) will revoke the business licenses associated with a convenience store located at 814 Bladensburg Road NE because they sold illegal synthetic drugs.

The District of Columbia Office of Administrative Hearings upheld DCRA’s decision to the revoke the licenses in an order issued last week; the order was the first of its kind covering DCRA’s synthetic drug regulations.

“Synthetic drugs have been linked to severe adverse health effects and, with names like Scooby Snax, appear to be marketed to children,” said DCRA Interim Director Melinda Bolling. “This action sends a powerful message: if you sell synthetic drugs in the District of Columbia, you will lose your business license.”

Synthetic drugs are manufactured substances intended to mimic the effects of illegal drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and ecstasy. Often, they are manufactured from substances that were not included on controlled substances lists. The substances usually hit the marketplace without being tested and health experts report that use of synthetic drugs can be life threatening.

To stay ahead of law enforcement, manufacturers frequently change the composition of synthetic drugs so that the products continue to be free of controlled substances at the time of manufacture.

However, DCRA has adopted regulations targeting the packaging and price of synthetic drugs rather than simply focusing on the contents. Under the regulations, government officials can treat products that are exorbitantly expensive and contain unusual warnings as synthetic drugs. For example, regulators could deduce that one gram of glass cleaner selling for $20 and containing a warning “not for sale to minors” is a synthetic drug. If a business has any questions about a product that they are selling, they can seek clarification from DCRA about whether the product qualifies as a synthetic drug.

This is the District’s first licensure action against a business for selling synthetic drugs, and the agency continues to build cases against other businesses that may be selling synthetic drugs.”

Thanks to a reader for sending: “Not sure if you had already seen this but if the allegations are true it’s pretty crazy.” The allegations are absolutely terrifying – just a sample:

“35. Despite immediately finding upon entry the Plaintiff’s pedigreed dog to be in good health and temperament, and without any evident injury or mistreatment, Defendant Kyle seized the Plaintiff’s dog as “evidence”.
36. After finding no evidence of animal cruelty, Defendant Kyle began opening closed containers within the Plaintiff’s residence, and began “field testing” capsules he found therein for illegal drugs.
37. Such searches by Defendant Kyle exceeded the limited scope of the defective animal cruelty warrant authorized by the Superior Court.
38. After claiming one such capsule he found inside a closed container to have tested positive for amphetamines, Defendant Kyle sought an additional search warrant from the Superior Court for the capsules he had already obtained through his initial illegal search of the Plaintiff’s residence.
39. The Plaintiff was arrested and charged by Defendant Kyle with animal cruelty and possession of illegal drugs.
40. Such charges lacked any factual basis of lawfully obtained evidence supporting probable cause.
41. The cash receipts of the Plaintiff’s two nightclub businesses found in his residence were seized by Defendant Kyle without explanation and have not been returned.
42. Such cash was seized without any lawful authority.
43. The Plaintiff’s dog has been seized by the Washington Humane Society without any kind of hearing or recourse and the Washington Humane Society refuses to release the dog to anyone including the Plaintiff.”

Full lawsuit from the UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA below:

Thorp Lawsuit (PDF)