It’s Wednesday, June 16th – and NBC 6 has the top stories for the day.
No. 1 - The gunman who killed a grandmother and her 1-year-old grandson inside a Florida supermarket had been hospitalized for mental illness in the past, his ex-wife said Tuesday in her first public comments since the shooting.
Monica Wall released a lengthy statement through her attorneys, days after ex-husband Timothy Wall shot two people and himself inside a Publix in Royal Palm Beach. Authorities said the 55-year-old gunman stalked his victims in the supermarket's produce area before shooting the child and then the woman before killing himself Thursday morning. In her statement, Monica Wall said her ex-husband had suffered from mental illness and family members had "made numerous efforts to provide him with the care he needed." The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said Timothy Wall had been threatening to kill people, including children, on his Facebook page but no one reported him.
No. 2 - Months after a botched armed robbery at a drive-thru ATM in Kendall ended in a fatal shootout, a suspect who had been wanted in connection with the incident has been arrested, police said.
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Dangelo Davis, 18, was arrested Monday in connection with the Feb. 13 incident that left 16-year-old Nimikae Clarke dead. Davis was arrested in a separate case on grand theft and carrying a concealed firearm charges, and faces charges of second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, and attempted robbery with a deadly weapon in the Feb. 13 incident, records showed. According to an arrest warrant, Davis, Clarke and a third armed suspect were trying to rob 24-year-old Christopher Luis as he used the BB&T Bank drive-thru at 8701 Southwest 137th Avenue.
No. 3 - Several community activists say they’ve had enough of the violence and want to start a movement.
On Wednesday, We Stand 4 Justice along with the City of Miami Police Department, will host the “Stop the Silence Against Gun Violence” peace march. In the last month alone, there have been two mass shootings in Miami-Dade County. Community leaders say they want to change the perception associated with the word "snitching." The march is set to begin at 5:30 p.m. at 6100 NW 62nd Avenue. It will end at Range Park with a performance and some speakers.
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No. 4 - Archeologists overseeing the demolition of what used to be a parking garage located at the 444 Brickell property in Miami say they have discovered prehistoric artifacts there.
The newly uncovered deposits could contribute to the knowledge of z prehistoric subsistence and the settlement patterns of the Tequesta – the Native American tribe that once occupied the area – the archeologists said. If confirmed, this land would be eligible for a listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The recent findings at the site include bone artifacts (points, pins, drilled shark teeth), pumice, lithic weight and pottery sherds. To hear what insight it could give us about the area’s first settlers, click here for the story from NBC 6 reporter Paxton Boyd.
No. 5 - After a year of lockdowns and staycations, millions of Americans are ready to get away.
Jorge Avalos, a senior brand manager for Travelocity, said a recent survey found one group of travelers was most eager to travel. “Parents of kids are ready to get out there, especially right now over the summer,” Avalos said. Another trend the survey found was reuniting with loved ones, he said. But the pent-up demand will likely mean consumers will end up paying more for that family vacation. To find out what you need to know before booking that trip, click here for the story from NBC 6 consumer investigator Alina Machado.
No. 6 - Several events are being held around South Florida to celebrate Juneteenth, an annual celebration that commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States.
June 19th, also known as Juneteenth, Black Independence Day or African American Emancipation Day, has its origins in Galveston, Texas, when enslaved African Americans were informed that the Civil War had ended. The announcement, delivered by Union General Gordon Granger on June 15th, 1865, secured the freedom of enslaved Black Americans. It came about two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln. Click here for a complete list of events taking place this weekend from NBC 6.
