Here are some of the top stories of the past week from NBC 6 News:
Police Reaction to White Rioters Raises Questions of Unequal Treatment
Watching the ease with which a mob of white Trump supporters breached and looted the Capitol, veterans of social justice protests met with forceful police reactions last summer say the reaction would have been different if the rioters were Black.
In June, Black Lives Matter protesters who stood between Trump and a Bible-toting photo op in front of a church were dispersed by chemical irritants, baton strikes and police shoving them with riot shields. Wednesday, Capitol Police were quickly overrun by hundreds of rioters. One rioter was shot to death by a police officer as she tried to enter the House speaker's lobby.
Juan Perez, the former Miami-Dade police director, said two very different situations - not participants' races - may explain the disparate treatment.
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Man Seen Carrying Lectern During Capitol Riot Arrested in Florida
A Florida man caught on camera carrying a lectern through the United States Capitol during Wednesday’s riot has been arrested.
NBC affiliate WFLA-TV reported 36-year-old Adam Johnson was booked into the Pinellas County Jail around 9 p.m. on Friday on a warrant from the U.S. Marshal’s office.
A photograph taken from Wednesday’s riot showed a man believed to be Johnson carrying the lectern that reportedly belongs to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
‘Absolutely Disgusting': Rick Scott Criticizes Florida Company Accused of Steering Vaccines to Rich Donors
Florida Senator Rick Scott released a statement Thursday condemning the alleged mismanagement of coronavirus vaccine doses at an upscale nursing home.
On Wednesday, the state had launched an investigation into MorseLife Health system following reports that it administered the vaccines to wealthy donors and members of a country club, along with its residents and employees.
"It is absolutely disgusting and immoral that anyone would take vaccines intended for nursing home residents to distribute them to their friends," Scott said in his statement. "This type of gross mismanagement will not be tolerated, and those responsible must be held accountable."
Florida Has Nearly Half of Known US Cases of COVID Variant: CDC
New data from the Centers for Disease Control shows Florida has nearly half the known cases in the United States of a mutated and likely more contagious strain of the coronavirus. This news comes as Florida on Friday reported nearly 20,000 more cases in a single day.
A CDC map shows that Florida had 22 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant that emerged in Britain. It showed other cases in California, which has reported 26 cases, Colorado which has 2, and New York and Georgia have each reported one case.
NBC 6 Investigation: Florida Visitors Getting COVID-19 Vaccine
In a recent Instagram story, Argentinian television personality Yanina Latorre is seen celebrating that her mother was going to be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine while on vacation in South Florida.
She explained to her 1.5 million followers how a friend helped her mom – who meets the state’s 65 and older age requirement – make the appointment.
“For me, it’s unfair,” said Omar Alvarez-Pousa, a retired South Florida resident who also meets the age requirement but is still waiting to get vaccinated. “People coming out from other countries, on vacation, are taking here the vaccine for free.”
Alvarez-Pousa told NBC 6 it is not only unfair, but morally wrong – which is why he tipped off the NBC 6 Investigators. He hopes the attention would bring about change.
Some Tax Preparation Service Customers See Stimulus Delays
Some H&R Block and TurboTax customers who paid for the tax preparation services using their 2019 refund are reporting issues getting their second stimulus check deposited into the right account.
Monday night, H&R Block posted on Twitter saying in part, “If you took a refund transfer, it may be reflecting that account number.”
In a statement sent to NBC 6 Responds Thursday, a representative with H&R Block said, “H&R Block has processed all stimulus payments to millions of our customers, whether via direct deposit to a bank account, check, or onto our Emerald Prepaid Mastercard. If any customers have not yet received their stimulus money, we encourage them to please contact us at 800-HRBLOCK or @HRBlockAnswers on Twitter. Emerald Card customers should call 866-353-1266. We have automated tools and live expert help ready to assist.”
