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Police search for Trevin Smith for questioning in the death of Sheldon Innocent

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Trevin T. Smith is considered armed and dangerous.

trevin.jpgTrevin Smith

SPRINGFIELD – Police are looking for a new suspect involved in the shooting spree that left one man dead, two injured and two police officers shot Saturday afternoon.

State Police spokesman David Procopio said police are looking for Trevin T. Smith, 30, 79 Penrose St., who is being charged as an accessory after the fact to Saturday’s murder.

“We are not currently releasing what his involvement is in this situation, but he is armed and dangerous and if anyone sees him they should contact the Springfield barracks,” he said.

Smith is described as a black male, about 6 feet 2 inches tall and approximately 190 pounds with brown eyes and black hair. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to call the State Police Barracks in Springfield at (413)736-8390 or to send a text through the Text-A-Tip program. To Text-A-Tip, text 274637 from a cell phone, then type SOLVE and a message and hit send.

Procopio said officials have decided to wait until Tamik Kirkland has recuperated from his gunshot injuries before he is arraigned at Springfield District Court for allegedly killing Sheldon R. Innocent, shooting another man and shooting a Springfield police officer and a state trooper.

Kirkland is in the hospital in serious condition after being shot six times by police officers.

No further information is available on Innocent, 24, of Wilbraham, who was fatally wounded when Kirkland allegedly opened fire inside Bill Brown’s House of Beauty at 945 State St. around noontime Saturday.

Kirkland, 25, who escaped from state prison last week, is believed to have shot another man inside the barbershop before also injuring two police officers in a gunfight in the city’s Bay neighborhood. The officers survived the close-range shooting because both were wearing bulletproof vests, police said.

Officers quickly tracked Kirkland to 49 Cambridge St. — a residence located near the barbershop — where police watched the suspect enter the trunk of a car in the home’s driveway. After police ordered the female driver from the vehicle, the trunk popped open and Kirkland began shooting, hitting a plainclothes Springfield officer and a State Police trooper.

A 6-month-old baby found in the back seat of the vehicle was unharmed, police said. As of Sunday Procopio said the woman driving the vehicle has not been charged.

Kirkland was serving a sentence for firearm and drug charges when he escaped last week from a prison in Shirley. He remained under heavy police guard at Baystate Medical Center, where he underwent another round of early-morning surgery Sunday.

Prociopio said Kirkland is being charged with murder, three counts of armed assault with intent to murder, armed home invasion, three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and illegal possession of a firearm, second offense.

Saturday’s dramatic events capped a month of violence in Springfield, including numerous shootings and other crimes in April. Police are investigating the possibility that Kirkland escaped from the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Shirley on April 24 to avenge the shooting of his mother, who was injured by gunfire on April 23 in Springfield’s North End. Police have confirmed that Kirkland’s mother, who was shot in the leg, was among two female gunshot victims on Ringold Street. The other woman initially was reported to be in critical condition at Baystate Medical Center, but her status wasn’t immediately known Sunday.

Procopio said they are not releasing any information on whether Innocent had anything to do with the Ringold Street shooting. \

Authorities said they launched a multiagency manhunt for Kirkland as soon as he was reported missing from MCI Shirley. Because of Kirkland’s affiliation with the Maynard Street Posse, a notorious Springfield gang, police suspected he might be armed and dangerous. Police have not released ballistics information about the incident, but it appears that more than 40 shots were fired based on reports from both shooting scenes.

Police have yet to identify the other man who was shot inside the barbershop, but both police officers are said to be recovering from the gun battle. The Springfield officer involved in the shooting was Raul Gonzalez, a 15-year veteran of the force. State police have not identified the trooper, who reportedly works in the Springfield barracks.

On Saturday police secured the State Street crime scene before fanning out across the area in search of Kirkland, who was seen fleeing north on Montrose Street, which leads to Cambridge Street. Kirkland reportedly has ties to the Cambridge Street address, but police have yet to elaborate.

The week leading up to the bloodshed included a double shooting Thursday on State Street, not far from the barbershop, and back-to-back gunplay Friday and Saturday just west of Cambridge Street in the neighboring McKnight section of the city. Authorities have not directly linked Kirkland to those incidents, which remain under investigation, but they speculated about his possible involvement.

“We are currently investigating whether yesterday’s events and a couple other shootings in city this past week were in any way connoted to or motivated by the non-fatal shooting of the defendant’ mother,” Procopio said.

Long-time city resident and Ward 4 City Councilor E. Henry Twiggs said one of the reasons people might have harbored Kirkland is that there is not enough communication between the police department and the community. He said more needs to be done to establish trust between the police department and the neighborhood residents.

“There is a level of distrust. No one wants to come forward,” he said.

Twiggs said another problem is the accessibility to firearms.

“These kids are picking up weapons that can take somebody’s life and they seem to have no understanding of that when they pull the trigger,” he said.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, who was at the scene on Saturday, said he needs the community to come together to stop the violence. “Know your kids, know who their friends are, know where they are hanging out at night,” he said. “This type of incident should not be tolerated in any neighborhood in the city.”

Sarno said Springfield police and city officials will do their part to handle this incident, but they need the community to stand up and support them.

“This typo of life cannot be glamorized, it should be villainized. This whole idea of not snitching and protecting people who are killing residents in broad daylight is ridiculous. I hope people realize that if they don’t speak up next time it could be their friend or their bother who gets killed,” he said.


Municipal meeting agendas for communities across Western Massachusetts

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Here is a list of major municipal meetings for the coming week:

Here is a list of major municipal meetings for the coming week:

Agawam:

Mon.-City Council, 7 p.m., Roberta G. Doering School.

Wed.-Agawam Energy Commission, 10 a.m., Department of Public Works at 1000 Suffield St.

Amherst :

Mon.-Select Board, 6:30 p.m., Amherst Regional Middle School.

Annual Town Meeting, 7:30 p.m., middle school.

Finance Committee, 6:45 p.m., middle school.

Tues.-Agricultural Commission, 7 p.m., Town Hall.

Public Works Committee, 7 p.m., Town Hall.

Historical Commission, 7:15 p.m., Town Hall.

Wed.-Select Board, 6:30 p.m., Amherst Regional Middle School.

Amherst Planning Board, 6:05 p.m., middle school.

Annual Town Meeting, 7:30 p.m., middle school

Thu.-Council on Aging, 9 a.m., Senior Center.

Recycling and Refuse Management Committee, 4:30 p.m., public works.

Belchertown:


Mon.-Fair Committee, 7:15 p.m., Freedom Hall.

Board of Health, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall.

Tues.-Board of Assessors, 5 p.m., Town Hall.

Wed.-Economic Development Industrial Corp., 7:30 p.m., Town Hall.

East Longmeadow:

Tues.-Board of Selectmen, 7 p.m., Town Hall.

Board of Assessors, 6:30 p.m., Town Hall.

Wed.-Community Preservation Commission, 6:30 p.m., Town Hall.

Easthampton:

Mon.-Community Garden Committee, 6 p.m., 50 Payson Ave.

Tues.-Barnes Aquifer Protection Advisory Committee, 3:30 p.m., 50 Payson Ave.

Board of Health, 6:30 p.m., 50 Payson Ave.

Manhan Rail Trail Committee, 7 p.m., 50 Payson Ave.

Wed.-Board of Assessors, 5:30 p.m., 50 Payson Ave.

City Council, 6 p.m., White Brook Middle School.

Rules and Government Relations Subcommittee, 5:30 p.m., White Brook Middle School.

Housing Partnership Committee, 6:30 p.m., 50 Payson Ave.

Licensing Meeting, 5:30 p.m., 50 Payson Ave.

Highway Business Review Committee, 6 p.m., 50 Payson Ave.

Veterans Committee, 7 p.m., 50 Payson Ave.

Appointment Subcommittee, 5:45 p.m., White Brook Middle School.

Thu.-Arts Coordinating Committee, 7:30 p.m., Old Town Hall.

Greenfield:

Mon.-Town Council Committee Chair, 6 p.m., Police Station Meeting Room.

Tues.-Board of Assessors, 8:30 a.m., 14 Court Square.

Board of License Commission, 6 p.m., 14 Court Square.

High School Building Committee, 6:30 p.m., High School Library.

Wed.-Youth Commission, 6:30 p.m., 20 Sanderson St.

Board of Health, 6:45 p.m., Town Hall.

Thu.-Planning Board, 6:30 p.m., 114 Main St.

Hadley:

Mon.-Hadley Housing Authority, 1 p.m., Golden Court.

Tues.-Planning Board, 7 p.m., Senior Center.

Board of Health, 7 p.m., Town Hall.

Wed.-Select Board, 7 p.m., Town Hall.

Thu.-Select Board, 6 p.m., Town Hall.

Finance Committee, 6 p.m., Town Hall.

Annual Town Meeting, 7 p.m., Hopkins Academy.

Hatfield:

Mon.-Agriculture Advisory Committee, 7 p.m., Hatfield Elementary School.

Emergency Management Committee, 10 a.m., Memorial Town Hall.

Tues.-Board of Health, 9:30 a.m., Memorial Town Hall.

Wed.-Trustees of Hatfield Public Library, 6 p.m., Hatfield Public Library.

Council on Aging, 5:30 p.m.; Memorial Town Hall.

Holyoke:

Mon.-Board of Public Works, Sewer Commission, Stormwater Authority, 5:30 p.m.,

Department of Public Works, 63 Canal St.

Fire Commission, 6 p.m., Fire Department headquarters, 600 High St.

School Committee, 6:15 p.m., Dean Technical High School, 1045 Main St., Fairifield Community Room.

City Council Public Service Committee, 6:30 p.m., City Hall, City Council Chambers.

Fairfield Avenue Local Historic District Commission, 6:30 p.m., Wistariahurst Museum, carriage house, 238 Cabot St.

Tues.-Soldiers’ Memorial Commission, 7 p.m., War Memorial, 310 Appleton St.

City Council, 7:30 p.m., City Hall, City Council Chambers.

Wed.-Council on Aging, building committee, 10 a.m., War Memorial, 310 Appleton St.

Historical Commission, 6:30 p.m., Wistariahurst Museum, 238 Cabot St.

Huntington Wed.-Board of Selectmen, 7 p.m., Town Hall

Longmeadow:

Mon.-School Committee, 7 p.m., Wolf Swamp Road School.

Select Board, 7 p.m., Police Department.

Tues.-Finance Committee, 7 p.m., Fire Department.

Planning Board, 7 p.m., Police Department.

Monson:

Mon.-Finance Committee, 6:45 p.m., Town Office Building.

Tues.-Community Preservation Committee, 7 p.m., Town Office Building.

Board of Selectmen, 7 p.m., Town Office Building.

Historical Commission, 3 p.m., Town Office Building.

Wed.-School Committee, 7 p.m., Quarry Hill Community School.

Board of Health, 6 p.m., Town Office Building.

Conservation Commission, 7 p.m., Town Office Building.

Water and Sewer Commission, 6:30 p.m., 198 WD Main St.

Thu.-Cemetery Commission, 6 p.m., 32 Wilbraham Road.

Northampton

Mon.-Committee on Public Safety, 6 p.m., Council Chambers.

Committee on Cultural and Recreational Services, 4 p.m., Council Chambers.

Recreation Commission, 7 p.m., 90 Locust St.

Tues.-Committee on Economic Development, Housing and Land Use, 5:30 p.m., Council Chambers.

Smith Agricultural and Vocational High School Board of Trustees, 5 p.m., Smith Agricultural and Vocational High School.

Wed.-License Commission, 4 p.m., Council Chambers.

Thu.-City Council, 7:15 p.m., Council Chambers.

Palmer:

Mon.-Planning Board, 7 p.m., Town Building.

Tues.-Conservation Commission, 7 p.m., Town Building.

Wed.-Town Council, 7 p.m., Town Building.

Thu.-Community Development Advisory Committee, 8 a.m., Town Building.

Southwick:

Mon.-Board of Selectmen, 7 p.m., Town Hall

Board of Assessors, 7 p.m., Town Hall

Finance Committee, 7 p.m., Town Hall

Tues.-Planning Board, 7 p.m., Town Hall

Southwick-Tolland Regional School Committee, 7 p.m., Powder Mill Middle School

Thu.-Historical Commission, 7 p.m., town Hall

Water Commission, 7 p.m., Town Hall

Board of Health, 7 p.m., Town Hall

Springfield:

Mon.-Traffic Commission, 1:30 p.m., Raymond Sullivan Safety Complex, 1212 Carew St.

Board of Public Works, 5 p.m., utility hearing, corner of Southampton Street and Northampton Avenue.

Springfield Redevelopment Authority, 5:30 p.m., City Hall Annex, 70 Tapley St.

City Council, 7 p.m.; City Hall, Room 220.

Wed.-Board of Public Works, 5 p.m., 1069 S. Branch Parkway

Library Commission, 5:30 p.m., Mason Square Library, 765 State St.

Planning Board, 6 p.m., City Hall, room 220.

Thu.-School Committee, 5 p.m., City Hall, room 220

Historic Commission, 6:30 p.m., City Hall, room 310

Ware:

Tues.-Board of Selectmen, 7 p.m., Town Hall.

Wed.-Planning Board, 7 p.m., Town Hall.

Warren:

Mon.-Board of Selectmen, 6:30 p.m., Shepard Municipal Building.

Parks and Recreation, 6:30 p.m., Shepard Municipal Building.

Tues.-Warren Water District, 1 p.m., 20 Old West Brookfield Road.

Wed.-Cable Advisory Committee, 6:30 p.m., Shepard Municipal Building.

West Springfield

Mon.-Planning and Construction Committee, 7 p.m., municipal building.

Town Council, 7 p.m., municipal building.

Wed.-West Springfield Development Authority, 3:30 p.m., municipal building.

Planning Board, 7 p.m. 7 p.m., municipal building.

Westfield:

Mon.-Fire Commission, 7 p.m., City Hall

License Commission, 7 p.m., City Hall

School Committee, 7 p.m., 22 Ashley St.

Tues.-Planning Board, 7 p.m., City Hall

Wed.-Arts Council, 7 p.m., City Hall

Zoning Board of Appeals, 7 p.m., City Hall

Westfield Municipal Light Board, 7 p.m., City Hall

Thu.-City Council, 7 p.m., City Hall

Fire destroys Springfield florist business Sunday

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The owner left the business shortly before it caught fire.

Smails fireFirefighters responded to a large fire that consumed the Smail's Flowers building Sunday afternoon on White St.

SPRINGFIELD – A Sunday afternoon fire destroyed a Forest Park floral business that has been operating for 37 years.

John Smail said he closed up his business, Smail’s Florist, at about 3:25 p.m. Just as he arrived at his Wilbraham home 20 minutes later, fire officials were calling to tell him the building was on fire.

“It happened so quick,” he said, while standing with other family members and watching firefighters pour water on the blaze.

The fire was reported just after 3:30 p.m. at the business on 684 White St. When firefighters arrived minutes later the building was already engulfed, Fire Department spokesman Dennis G. Leger said.

“It appears that it started in the rear exterior and spread inside,” Leger said. “It is safe to call it suspicious.”

Fire Department investigators are now searching for the cause of the blaze, Leger said.

It caused at least $250,000 in damage, he said.

About 20 firefighters spent about two hours extinguishing the blaze. They entered the building for a short time but had to leave because it was unsafe because the electricity had not been turned off yet, Leger said.

Firefighters closed a portion of White Street for several hours. A Shell gas station next door was also closed, but it was not close enough to be in danger of igniting, Leger said.

Smail said he opened the business in the mid-1970s and now runs it with his son-in-law Neil Phillips, also of Wilbraham.

“I had a lot of flowers and plants in there .¦.¦. we were preparing for Mother’s Day that is the biggest day of the year for us,” he said.

The business is insured, he said.

Holyoke man dies in fall from Essex Street porch

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The victim was identified as Fernando Santiago, 24, of 388 Appleton St.

1999 holyoke police car.jpg

HOLYOKE – A 24-year-old city man was killed after he fell from a fourth-floor porch of an apartment building on Essex Street early Sunday morning.

Fernando Santiago, of 388 Appleton St., fell from a porch at about 2:22 a.m. and died later at the hospital, Police Sgt. Daniel F. Reardon said.

“He suffered a severe head injury and an injured arm in the fall,” Reardon said.

Police detectives are now investigating to see if Santiago’s death was an accident, or if foul play was involved.

Officers found pieces of wood from the porch on the ground beside Santiago when they arrived at the 168 Essex St. apartment building, he said.

Police are asking anyone who may have seen the fall from the building or talked to Santiago before his death to call the criminal investigations bureau at 322-6900, he said.

Santiago was arguing with a woman at his home at about 11 p.m. Saturday, a little more than 3 hours before his death. Police responded to a call of a disturbance and broke up that argument, Reardon said.

“He may have been in the building trying to locate people he was arguing with earlier,” Reardon said.

Springfield family left homeless after fire damages Woodside Terrace apartment

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No one was in the apartment when the fire started.

Oakland St. fire station closing for new White St. Station10-5-10 - Springfield- Republican Staff Photo by Mark M.Murray-

SPRINGFIELD – A family of five was left homeless after a fire broke out in their apartment Sunday afternoon.

The fire started at about 1:20 p.m. in a bedroom closet of third-floor apartment at 44 Woodside Terrace, Fire Department spokesman Dennis G. Leger said.

There are 16 apartments in the four-story building but firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the one apartment. There was some water damage to units below, he said.

Fire investigators are searching for a cause. The blaze caused about $25,000 in damages, Leger said.

No one was home in the apartment when the fire started. The Pioneer Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross is providing temporary lodging and food for the family.

Brush fire burns part of Forest Park in Springfield

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Longmeadow firefighters assisted in fighting the fire.

SPRINGFIELD – A brush fire spread through an area of Forest Park damaging an undetermined amount of woods yesterday.

The fire started at about 5:30 p.m. and spread from the duck pond up a hill to Colony Road. It took firefighters about two hours to extinguish the blaze, Springfield Fire Department spokesman Dennis G. Leger said.

Longmeadow Fire Department assisted with seven firefighters, Fire Capt. Jay Macsata said.

The fire was hard to extinguish because it was in an area that was difficult to reach, he said.

Springfield-area Walmarts one of the first to get shop-by-web service

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Springfield’s Big Y Foods Inc. has had a shop-by-web service since 2008. Shoppers can buy all their groceries, including perishables and produce, on BigY.com then have their items brought out to their car. The service is offered at Big Y’s on Cooley Street in Springfield in Greenfield and in Walpole.

April 26, 2011 - At the Walmart Store on Boston Rd. Tuesday, store manager Gene Martins, center, talks with store associates George Churchill, left, and Yaritza Alvarado, right, about the new site to store and pick up today programs.

SPRINGFIELD – Busy mom Cheryl E. Labrie of Springfield was living the dream this week.

The only item she’d come to the sprawling Walmart Supercenter on Boston Road to buy was waiting for her just steps inside the door.

Of course, she’d already ordered the John Deere riding toy her 3-year-old son had been dreaming of through walmart.com and had it shipped to the store for free. Walmart expanded its pick-up service this week with “pick-up-today.” Ship to store is available for items that aren’t in stock at stores like the Boston Road location and takes two to four days. Pick-up-today allows shoppers to buy things the store has in stock and pick them up in just a few hours.

“A lot of people are doing their browsing online before they shop,” said Eugene L. Martins, the manager of the Walmart on Boston Road. “This allows them to comparison shop at work when they are on a break or whatever then come right here and get their item.”

Western Massachusetts is one of Walmart’s test markets for pick up today but it will be nationwide by the end of June. Walmart has stores in Springfield, Chicopee, Westfield, Northampton, Hadley and Ware.

For now Walmart is offering pick up today in just a few product lines like home electronics, household items like small appliances and cookware and home entertainment like video games. But Martins said pick up today will include as many as 40,000 items.

Martins said the program will not offer groceries even after it expands.

Springfield’s Big Y Foods Inc. has had a shop-by-web service since 2008. Shoppers can buy all their groceries, including perishables and produce, on BigY.com then have their items brought out to their car. The service is offered at Big Y’s on Cooley Street in Springfield in Greenfield and in Walpole.

Stop & Shop also offers Peapod home-delivery service in some parts of New England.

Walmart outfitted employees with hand-held computers and small printers that attach to their belts, said Michael J. Mason, the zone manager for entertainment at the Boston Road Walmart. When someone placed the store’s first pick up today order this week, an iPad, an employee was alerted by the hand-held computer. That employee then selected the item and printed a sticker with the customer’s name and order number. That sticker went on a bin near the customer service window.

But what about losing all the ancillary sales? All those times customers go to Walmart for a toaster and end up coming out with $50 worth of stuff they spotted on the endcaps?

“Well, they still have to come to the store to pick it up,” Martins said. “So we are hoping they do the rest of their shopping then.”

Labrie said she’d use the new pick-it-up especially for bulky items.

Osama bin Laden reportedly dead

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Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the Sept. 11 attacks against the United States, is dead.

bin laden.jpgOsama bin Laden

WASHINGTON (AP) — Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the Sept. 11 attacks against the United States, is dead, and the U.S. is in possession of his body, a person familiar with the situation said late Sunday.

President Barack Obama was expected to address the nation on the developments Sunday night.

Two senior counterterrorism officials confirmed that bin Laden was killed in Pakistan last week. One said bin Laden was killed in a ground operation, not by a Predator drone. Both said the operation was based on U.S. intelligence, and both said the U.S. is in possession of bin Laden's body.

Officials long believed bin Laden, the most wanted man in the world, was hiding a mountainous region along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to speak ahead of the president.

The development comes just months before the tenth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Centers and Pentagon, orchestrated by bin Laden's al-Qaida organization, that killed more than 3,000 people.

The attacks set off a chain of events that led the United States into wars in Afghanistan, and then Iraq, and America's entire intelligence apparatus was overhauled to counter the threat of more terror attacks at home.

Al-Qaida organization was also blamed for the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa that killed 231 people and the 2000 attack on the USS Cole that killed 17 American sailors in Yemen, as well as countless other plots, some successful and some foiled.

More details coming shortly on MassLive.com and in The Republican.


Springfield Police searching for second suspect in Saturday shooting

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Trevin T. Smith, 30, is being charged as an accessory to Saturday's murder. A second suspect is recovering after being shot by police.

ambulance.jpgPolice and paramedics attend to Tamik Kirkland, who is rushed to a waiting ambulance at the scene of a shooting on Saturday on Cambridge Street.

SPRINGFIELD – Police are looking for a second suspect involved in the shooting spree Saturday afternoon that left one man dead and four injured, including two police officers and the suspected shooter.

Police are looking for Trevin T. Smith, 30, 79 Penrose St., who is being charged as an accessory after the fact to Saturday’s murder, according to David Procopio, State Police spokesman.

“We are not currently releasing what his involvement is in this situation, but he is armed and dangerous and if anyone sees him they should contact the Springfield barracks,” Procopio said.

Gallery preview

Smith is described as a black male, about 6 feet 2 inches tall and approximately 190 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to call the State Police Barracks in Springfield at (413)-736-8390, or send a text through the Text-A-Tip program. To Text-A-Tip, text 274637 from a cell phone, then type SOLVE and a message and hit send.

Procopio said officials have decided to wait until the accused shooter, Tamik Kirkland, has recuperated from his gunshot injuries before he is arraigned at Springfield District Court for in connection with the killing of Sheldon R. Innocent and the shootings of three others, including a Springfield police officer and a state trooper.

Kirkland is in serious condition at Baystate Medical Center after being shot six times by police officers. He underwent a round of early morning surgery Sunday, and remained under heavy police guard at the hospital.

He is expected to survive, Procopio said.

No further information is available on Innocent, 24, of Wilbraham, who was fatally wounded when Kirkland allegedly opened fire inside Bill Brown’s House of Beauty at 945 State St. around noon Saturday.

Kirkland, 25, who escaped from state prison last week, is believed to have shot another man inside the barbershop before also injuring two police officers in a gunfight in the city’s Bay neighborhood. The officers survived the close-range shooting because both were wearing bulletproof vests, police said.

Officers quickly tracked Kirkland to 49 Cambridge St. — a residence near the barbershop — where police watched the suspect enter the trunk of a car in the home’s driveway. After police ordered the female driver from the vehicle, the trunk popped open and Kirkland began shooting, hitting a plainclothes Springfield officer and a State Police trooper, police said.

He was armed with a handgun when he allegedly shot the police officers. Procopio would not say what weapon was used to kill Innocent.

A 6-month-old baby girl found in the back seat of the vehicle was unharmed, police said. The woman driving the vehicle has not been charged, Procopio said.

Kirkland was serving a sentence for firearm and drug offenses when he escaped last week from the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Shirley.

Prociopio said Kirkland is being charged with murder, three counts of armed assault with intent to murder, armed home invasion, three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and illegal possession of a firearm, second offense.

Saturday’s dramatic events capped a month of violence in Springfield, including numerous shootings and other crimes in April. Police are investigating the possibility that Kirkland escaped April 24 to avenge the shooting of his mother, who was injured by gunfire a day earlier in an incident on Ringold Street, in Springfield’s North End.

Police have confirmed that Kirkland’s mother, who was shot in the leg, was among two female gunshot victims in that shooting. The other woman initially was reported to be in critical condition at Baystate Medical Center, but her status was not immediately known Sunday.

Procopio said police are not releasing any information on whether Innocent, the man killed in Saturday’s shooting, had anything to do with the Ringold Street shooting.

Authorities said they launched a multiagency manhunt for Kirkland as soon as he was reported missing from MCI Shirley. Because of Kirkland’s affiliation with the Maynard Street Posse, a notorious Springfield gang, police suspected he was armed and dangerous. Police have not released ballistics information about the incident, but it appears that more than 40 shots were fired based on reports from both shooting scenes.

Police have yet to identify the other man who was shot inside the barbershop, but both police officers are said to be recovering from the gun battle.

Innocent was a customer. The other man, whose wounds were not life-threatening, was a barber who was working in the shop, Procopio said.

The Springfield officer involved in the shooting was Raul Gonzalez, a 15-year veteran of the force. State police have not identified the trooper, who reportedly works in the Springfield barracks.

Both have been treated and released at the hospital for trauma resulting from the force of the bullet. The state trooper is likely to be given a few days off because of the shooting, Procopio said.

The week leading up to the bloodshed included a double shooting Thursday on State Street, not far from the barbershop, and back-to-back gunplay Friday and Saturday just west of Cambridge Street in the neighboring McKnight section of the city. Authorities have not directly linked Kirkland to those incidents, which remain under investigation, but they speculated about his possible involvement.

Kirkland is also a suspect in a case where a house was shot multiple times, but no one was injured. Procopio did not have much information about that incident shooting.

“We are currently investigating whether (Saturday’s) events and a couple other shootings in city this past week were in any way connoted to or motivated by the non-fatal shooting of the defendant’s mother,” Procopio said.

Staff writers Connor Berry and Jeanette DeForge contributed to this report

Springfield neighbors worry after escapee Tamik Kirkland shoots police nearby

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Residents said the economy is partly to blame for the violence.

church.jpgMembers of the Shiloh F.W.U. Baptist Church Inc. founded in 1967 from left to right are Lucille Byrd, Mary C. Crapps and Assistant Pastor Sandra Alexandra

SPRINGFIELD – The shootings that took one life and left four others wounded, including two police officers, just a few doors down from her church Saturday prompted Sandra L. Alexander to call for all people to join together in a day of prayer.

Alexander, assistant pastor of Shiloh Free Will of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost Church on Burr Street, joined with members of her congregation for services Sunday afternoon, the day after a violent rampage that left one man dead, two police officers and a third man injured, and the man accused of doing the shooting in the hospital in serious condition.

“If the churches could all get together and have a day of prayer I believe we can accomplish something,” Alexander said.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, who was at the scene on Saturday, said he needs the community to come together to stop the violence.

“Know your kids, know who their friends are, know where they are hanging out at night,” Sarno said. “This type of incident should not be tolerated in any neighborhood in the city.”

Sarno said Springfield police and city officials will do their part to handle this incident, but they need the community to stand up and support them.

“This type of life cannot be glamorized, it should be villainized. This whole idea of not snitching and protecting people who are killing residents in broad daylight is ridiculous. I hope people realize that if they don’t speak up next time it could be their friend or their bother who gets killed,” he said.

Many of the about 75 members of the Shiloh Free Will church live or grew up in the neighborhoods where Saturday’s shootings took place. Some said they worry, especially about the young people who live in the area.

Lucille Byrd, who said she lives within walking distance of the church, said she hears children outside as late as 1 a.m. when they should be at home with their families.

“My heart is hurting,” she said about the shootings.

The economy is one factor in the community’s distress, Byrd said.

Adults are having a difficult time finding jobs, and teenagers cannot find summer and after-school jobs and instead are getting in trouble, she said.

Mary C. Crapps, whose mother and aunt helped build the church more than 40 years ago, said the poor economy means that in many households both parents must work, but still cannot afford to hire someone to watch their children, who come home to empty houses.

“Because of the economy they cut back on the after-school programs and kids have nowhere to go,” she said.

Lucey J. Newsome was helping a sister move out of her home in the neighborhood Saturday when the shooting started.

“My brother’s (granddaughter) was in the car when the shooting happened. The baby is OK,” Newsome said.

Long-time city resident and Ward 4 City Councilor E. Henry Twiggs said one of the reasons people might have harbored the accused shooter, Tamik Kirkland, is that there is not enough communication between the police department and the community. He said more needs to be done to establish trust between the police department and the neighborhood residents.

“There is a level of distrust. No one wants to come forward,” he said.

Twiggs said another problem is the accessibility to guns.

“These kids are picking up weapons that can take somebody’s life and they seem to have no understanding of that when they pull the trigger,” he said.

Police said the crime spree started around 12:30 p.m. Saturday when Kirkland, 25, entered Bill Brown’s House of Beauty on 945 State St. and shot two men, killing Sheldon Innocent, 24, of Wilbraham.

Kirkland then ran about a block to take refugee in a home of 49 Cambridge St., according to police.

Officers, who saw him trying to escape by hiding in the trunk of a car, stopped the driver as she backed out the driveway. When they opened the truck, Kirkland opened fire on the officers,according to police.

Two officers were shot in the exchange but escaped with minor injuries because they were wearing bulletproof vests. They returned fire hitting Kirkland multiple times. A 6-month-old child in the car, which police did not see until the shooting was over, was not injured.

Staff writer Elizabeth Roman contributed to this story

Osama bin Laden is dead, President Obama confirmed

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The development comes just months before the tenth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Centers and Pentagon, orchestrated by bin Laden's al-Qaida organization, that killed more than 3,000 people.

Gallery preview

WASHINGTON (AP) — Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the Sept. 11 attacks against the United States, is dead, and the U.S. is in possession of his body, a person familiar with the situation said late Sunday.

President Barack Obama address the nation on the developments Sunday night.

A small team of Americans carried out the attack and took custody of bin Laden's remains, the president said in a dramatic late-night statement at the White House.

A jubilant crowd gathered outside the White House as word spread of bin Laden's death after a global manhunt that lasted nearly a decade.

"Justice has been done," the president said.

Two senior counterterrorism officials confirmed that bin Laden was killed in Pakistan last week. One said bin Laden was killed in a ground operation, not by a Predator drone. Both said the operation was based on U.S. intelligence, and both said the U.S. is in possession of bin Laden's body.

Officials long believed bin Laden, the most wanted man in the world, was hiding a mountainous region along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

The development comes just months before the tenth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Centers and Pentagon, orchestrated by bin Laden's al-Qaida organization, that killed more than 3,000 people.

The attacks set off a chain of events that led the United States into wars in Afghanistan, and then Iraq, and America's entire intelligence apparatus was overhauled to counter the threat of more terror attacks at home.

Al-Qaida organization was also blamed for the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa that killed 231 people and the 2000 attack on the USS Cole that killed 17 American sailors in Yemen, as well as countless other plots, some successful and some foiled.

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg says US kept promise to kill Osama bin Laden

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Bloomberg says the killing of the terrorist leader doesn't lessen the suffering Americans experienced at his hands the day the World Trade Center was destroyed but is a "critically important victory" for the nation.

World Trade Center attacksIn this Sept. 11, 2001 photo made the the New York City Police Department and provided by ABC News, Tuesday Feb. 9, 2010 the upper floors of the World Trade Center tower burns after terrorists flew an airliner into it. (AP Photo/NYPD, via ABC News, Det. Greg Semendinger )


NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says Americans have kept their promise after Sept. 11 to capture or kill Osama bin Laden.

President Barack Obama announced Sunday night bin Laden was killed in an operation led by the United States.

Bloomberg says the killing of the terrorist leader doesn't lessen the suffering Americans experienced at his hands the day the World Trade Center was destroyed but is a "critically important victory" for the nation. He says it's a tribute to the men and women in the armed forces who've fought so hard.

The 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks is just months away.

Bloomberg says in a statement he hopes news of bin Laden's demise will "bring some closure and comfort to all those who lost loved ones" that day.

Osama bin Laden is dead, crowds celebrate, President Barack Obama speaks

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University of Massachusetts at Amherst students gathered outside to celebrate the news of the death of bin Laden.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Osama bin Laden, the glowering mastermind behind the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks that killed thousands of Americans, was killed in an operation led by the United States, President Barack Obama said Sunday.

A small team of Americans carried out the attack and took custody of bin Laden's remains, the president said in a dramatic late-night statement at the White House.

A jubilant crowd gathered outside the White House as word spread of bin Laden's death after a global manhunt that lasted nearly a decade.

Locally hundreds of University of Massachusetts at Amherst students gathered outside the dormitories to celebrate the news that bin Laden was dead.

"Justice has been done," the president said.

The development comes just months before the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Centers and Pentagon, orchestrated by bin Laden's al-Qaida organization, that killed more than 3,000 people.

The attacks set off a chain of events that led the United States into wars in Afghanistan, and then Iraq, and America's entire intelligence apparatus was overhauled to counter the threat of more terror attacks at home.

Al-Qaida was also blamed for the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa that killed 231 people and the 2000 attack on the USS Cole that killed 17 American sailors in Yemen, as well as countless other plots, some successful and some foiled.

Text of President Obama's remarks on the killing of Osama bin Laden

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Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability

6467c2abd2070c09ec0e6a70670042fc.jpgPresident Barack Obama reads his statement to photographers after making a televised statement on the death of Osama bin Laden from the East Room of the White House in Washington, Sunday, May 1, 2011.


REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT

ON OSAMA BIN LADEN

East Room

11:35 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who’s responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.

It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory -- hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction.

And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child’s embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts.

On September 11, 2001, in our time of grief, the American people came together. We offered our neighbors a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood. We reaffirmed our ties to each other, and our love of community and country. On that day, no matter where we came from, what God we prayed to, or what race or ethnicity we were, we were united as one American family.

We were also united in our resolve to protect our nation and to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice. We quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by al Qaeda -- an organization headed by Osama bin Laden, which had openly declared war on the United States and was committed to killing innocents in our country and around the globe. And so we went to war against al Qaeda to protect our citizens, our friends, and our allies.

Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we’ve made great strides in that effort. We’ve disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense. In Afghanistan, we removed the Taliban government, which had given bin Laden and al Qaeda safe haven and support. And around the globe, we worked with our friends and allies to capture or kill scores of al Qaeda terrorists, including several who were a part of the 9/11 plot.

Yet Osama bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan border into Pakistan. Meanwhile, al Qaeda continued to operate from along that border and operate through its affiliates across the world.

And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against al Qaeda, even as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat his network.

Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden. It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground. I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside of Pakistan. And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.

Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body.

For over two decades, bin Laden has been al Qaeda’s leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al Qaeda.

Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There’s no doubt that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must –- and we will -- remain vigilant at home and abroad.

As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not –- and never will be -– at war with Islam. I’ve made clear, just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.

Over the years, I’ve repeatedly made clear that we would take action within Pakistan if we knew where bin Laden was. That is what we’ve done. But it’s important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding. Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well, and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people.

Tonight, I called President Zardari, and my team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterparts. They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations. And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates.

The American people did not choose this fight. It came to our shores, and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. After nearly 10 years of service, struggle, and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war. These efforts weigh on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member who’s been gravely wounded.

So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our people have been killed. We will be relentless in defense of our citizens and our friends and allies. We will be true to the values that make us who we are. And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al Qaeda’s terror: Justice has been done.

Tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who’ve worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome. The American people do not see their work, nor know their names. But tonight, they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice.

We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country. And they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden since that September day.

Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores.

And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today’s achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people.

The cause of securing our country is not complete. But tonight, we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. That is the story of our history, whether it’s the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens; our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place.

Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are: one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.

END 11:44 P.M. EDT

Bin Laden Analysis: A Moment of National Unity

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Obama's announcement, which came just before midnight, was grounds for celebration for a country still scarred by the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, producing a rare moment of national unity

Osama bin Laden killed by U.S. in PakistanPresident Barack Obama reads his statement to photographers after making a televised statement on the death of Osama bin Laden from the East Room of the White House in Washington, Sunday, May 1, 2011.

By Dan Balz
(c) 2011, The Washington Post

WASHINGTON — President Obama's historic announcement late Sunday night that Osama bin Laden is dead represents a huge national security victory for the United States and a milestone for this administration, bringing to a close the most relentless mission by U.S. intelligence and military forces over the past 10 years.

Obama's announcement, which came just before midnight, was grounds for celebration for a country still scarred by the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, producing a rare moment of national unity at a time of deep divisions on many domestic and foreign policy issues.

The spontaneous flag-waving crowds that gathered outside the White House, cheering and singing the national anthem and "God Bless America" were a small symbol of the emotional relief that swept across the country as the news broke late in the evening.

Bin Laden's death will not end the threat posed by al-Qaida to the United States and other parts of the world. But the demise of the person most responsible for the attacks on Sept. 11, which killed about 3,000 people represents a major psychological setback to the terrorist organization and a sizable boost for the president and the country.

"Justice has been done," the president said in a nationally televised statement to the nation.

There have been other victories over the past decade as U.S. intelligence officials have pursued and killed other top members of the al-Qaida organization. But nothing compares in significance to the declaration Obama was able to make Sunday night. As the president put it, the killing of bin Laden marks "the most significant achievement to date in our efforts to defeat al-Qaida."

Bin Laden came to symbolize the insidious threat of non-state terrorism that has been a defining feature of the 21st century. The attacks that leveled the World Trade Center, demolished a portion of the Pentagon and that killed more people when another hijacked plane crashed in western Pennsylvania reshaped the daily lives of all Americans, symbolized by heightened security at every airport and the huge homeland security network that has been built over the past decade.

That won't change with bin Laden's death, as the threat of terrorist attack, from al-Qaida and its offshoots, remains strong. But it will underscore the reality of the commitment of this administration, as with the administration of former president George W. Bush, to try to hunt down and kill those responsible.

Bush put down the marker not long after the Sept. 11 attacks, saying he wanted Obama "dead or alive." That was taken as a sign of cowboy swagger by a Texan president by some of his critics, but it was a reflection of the absolute importance that he and much of the nation attached to bringing to justice the man responsible for the worst terrorist attack on the homeland in the history of the nation.

The terrorist leader was nearly captured in Afghanistan early in the war there but managed to slip away. For years, he reappeared through video tapes or recordings, taunting the United States and issuing new threats, only to slip away again to the dismay and frustration of U.S. officials.

Bin Laden eluded Bush and his team, to their regret, but not for lack of trying. Bush's persistence was palpable and set the tone for the intelligence community tasked with bringing bin Laden to justice. Obama picked up on that commitment when he came into office and redoubled efforts to defeat al-Qaida and kill bin Laden.

Obama authorized an increase in the use of Predator drones to kill al-Qaida leaders. Even before he was president, he made headlines - and drew attacks from some of his rivals - for announcing that, if he were president and had actionable intelligence, he would not hesitate to send U.S. forces across the border from Afghanistan into Pakistan to take out terrorists.

That is exactly what happened Sunday, according to the president's statement. Obama said he earlier had directed Leon Panetta, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, to make the pursuit of Obama the agency's top mission. On Sunday, based on intelligence information, a small team carried out the mission that killed the terrorist leader inside Pakistan. Experts called it one of the greatest intelligence victories in the history of the country.

Among those who hailed the news was the former president, who was called by Obama before the public announcement. "This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001," Bush said. "The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done."

The attacks on Sept. 11 united Americans as few contemporary events have done, producing a sense of goodwill across partisan lines and broad support for the war in Afghanistan, which was launched little more than a month after the attacks.

That unity and goodwill eventually eroded, especially as a second war against Iraq soured in the aftermath of an invasion that toppled Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein from power, and Bush's presidency never recovered from the divisions that Iraq and other issues created.

Obama is in the midst of bringing that Iraqi conflict to a close, but he has sharply escalated the war in Afghanistan. Public opposition to that war has been growing, with more than six in 10 Americans now saying the war in Afghanistan has not been worth it. Obama faces a July deadline to begin drawing down U.S. forces there, as he has pledged, but he will have a difficult job of managing public support depending on how slow that drawdown becomes.

The president will almost certainly receive a boost politically from the killing of bin Laden, but it could also bring greater calls for him to bring the war there to a close even more rapidly.

But the death of bin Laden will probably bring the country together. To Americans, bin Laden became a hated man. The sense of relief and, even, triumph that accompanied the news underscored both how the attacks of Sept. 11 had scarred the nation's psyche and how much the killing of bin Laden was seen as a measure of justice having been done.


'Justice has been done,' president says of bin Laden's death

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The president said he authorized Sunday's assault that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.

osama-bin-laden-tora-bora.jpgOsama bin Laden, leader of al Qaida, was killed Sunday in a raid by U.S. forces in Pakistan. President Obama said he authorized the military action that killed the man whose organization killed nearly 3,000 Americans during terrorist attacks on the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001.

"Justice has been done," President Barack Obama said in a live broadcast late Sunday night announcing the death of Osama bin Laden.

After almost a decade of hunting the founder of al-Qaida -- the terrorist organization responsible for collapsing New York City's World Trade Center and turning jet planes into instruments of death on Sept. 11, 2001 -- the elusive bin Laden was killed Sunday in Pakistan after Obama authorized a military team to take out the mastermind of what has come to be known as 9/11, the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil.

The body of bin Laden, believed to be responsible for thousands of deaths as leader of al-Qaida, was turned over to U.S. officials in Pakistan, according to news reports.

The "killing or capture" of bin Laden had been a nearly decade-long priority of American foreign policy, yet the al-Qaida leader managed to evade detection, allegedly living rough along Pakistan's rugged northern border.

However, the raid by U.S. Special Forces that killed bin Laden took place in a mansion north of Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.

While many security experts had predicted bin Laden would be caught or killed within days after the 9/11 attacks, that proved not to be the case as the defiant al-Qaida leader taunted the U.S. and its allies in video messages that were posted on the Internet and broadcasted on TV.

Despite the long wait -- and the loss of around 3,000 American lives on 9/11 -- the nation achieved its objective of eliminating the threat of bin Laden, the president said during a live White House broadcast late Sunday that interrupted regularly scheduled programming.

Sept. 11, 2001, galvanized U.S. citizens like never before, creating a period of good will that was evident in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks, and the president reminded viewers of that spirit Sunday night.

"The American people came together," he said. "We were united as one American family."

But the death of bin Laden doesn't mean the war against terrorism is over, said Obama, urging vigilance and reminding Americans that Muslims aren't the enemy.

"Bin Laden is not a Muslim leader. He was a mass murderer of Muslims," Obama said.

"The American people did not choose this fight; it came to our shores," he added.

The president said he made a determination last week that the U.S. had enough reliable information to remove bin Laden once and for all. Obama said he issued the order to act on that information Sunday, when U.S. Special Forces conducted the lethal raid north of Islamabad. Details of the assault are still developing.

Meanwhile, random crowds of people descended on the White House late Sunday into early Monday to celebrate the news. Television images showed perhaps thousands -- cheering, applauding and waving American flags -- joining in an impromptu celebration to mark the end of a dark period in American history.

In New York, crowds also reportedly were massing near Ground Zero, the site where the Twin Towers once dominated the Manhattan skyline.

More details will be posted as information becomes available.

Hampden voters approve funding for new fire truck

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Voter turnout was 13 percent.

John Flynn 2005.jpgJohn D. Flynn

HAMPDEN – Voters in Monday’s town election approved a debt exclusion override question which will allow the town to exempt the debt from the purchase of a new $360,000 Fire Department tanker truck.

The question was approved by a vote of 288 in favor to 142 opposed.

“The margin was 2 to 1,” Town Clerk Eva A. Wiseman said.

Approval of the question gives the town approval to borrow $360,000 for a new Fire Department tanker truck, but Selectmen Chairman John D. Flynn said there is a good chance the town will not have to borrow the full amount.

It will take 12 to 14 months to have the truck specially made, Flynn said.

He said if there is sufficient funds in the town’s Stabilization Account next year, the town will be asked to transfer some funds from that account and to bond the balance of the purchase for five years.

“We want to keep payments at $50,000 a year,” Flynn said. He said there are $50,000 in bond payments due to be paid off so the purchase of the tanker truck will not affect residential tax bills.

Flynn said he is pleased that voters in town supported the Fire Department purchase. He said the town has a very dedicated, all volunteer Fire Department.

Voter turnout in Monday’s town election was 451 or 13 percent of 3,456 registered voters.

Wiseman had predicted a 30 percent turnout, but Flynn said the low turnout may be a sign of that voters are satisfied with how the town is being run.

Also in the town election, two candidates were elected to the Park Commission.

Elected to the Park Commission seats were Michael Cronin, the Democratic caucus nominee who received 276 votes and Frederick P. Frangie, an unaffiliated candidate who received 216 votes. They defeated James Shannon, the Republican caucus nominee. Shannon received 177 votes.

Also in the election, a write-in candidate was elected to a four-year unexpired term on the Planning Board. James Quackenbush is the winner of the seat, with eight write-in votes, Wiseman said. He defeated Deborah House, who received seven write-in votes.

Western New England College collects old gear, as name change to 'university' comes near

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Goods with the old logo might get sold at auction or given to charity.

Western New England University, formally Western New England College, collected old items with the WNEC name on them which are still being used on campus, during a drive held tuesday to gather up all those items, like the file here with the famous flying W on the cover, as part of a school wide attempt to update to the new name.

SPRINGFIELD – Western New England College ditched its old-school logo Tuesday and asked anybody with Western New England College gear to haul it to the campus gazebo and turn it in.

In return, they got a certificate good for Western New England University merchandise once the institution’s rebranding begins in earnest over the summer.

“We’re calling it the Great Old Logo Roundup,” said Barbara A. Campanella , vice president of marketing and external affairs.

In March, the state Board of High Education formally approved Western New England’s transition from a college to a university. Besides greater prestige, college leaders hope the new name makes it easier to attract international students.

The name change will be official in July and formal announcements will be made at commencement ceremonies this month. Western New England will be the only university in Springfield and the only private university in Western Massachusetts.

WNEC gear 5311.jpgKristina Oleksak, who works in Western New England College's alumni relations office, carries a bin full of items with the WNEC name on them during an event on campus Tuesday.

Western New England opened a $40 million Center for the Sciences and Pharmacy building in December. The pharmacy school, the only one in Western Massachusetts, opens in the fall and will be just one of the programs making use of that building.

The state Board of Higher Education also approved Western New England’s second doctoral degree in engineering management. Western New England already offers a doctorate degree in behavioral analysis.

Domenic L. Seguro, a sophomore from Ludlow majoring in accounting wheeled a cartload of swag over from the college’s Office of First Year Students and Students in Transition. He had T-shirts, keychains, postcards, letterhead and refrigerator magnets. All of it obsolete.

Campanella said the college might have an auction and sell the collected “college” gear. Or it might distribute the items to alumni group or to area charities.

Businessman George Condon III takes out nomination papers to run for West Springfield Town Council

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Condon, former president of the West Springfield Rotary Club, expressed concern about the growth of West Springfield's budget in a press release announcing his candidacy.

WEST SPRINGFIELD –Local business owner George D. Condon III has taken out nomination papers to run for the District 3 seat on the Town Council in November.

050311_george_condon_iii.JPGGeorge Condon III

The candidate, 49, cited his background in business as qualifying him for the office and expressed concern about the growth of West Springfield's budget in a press release issued this week.

Condon has owned Northeast Security Solutions Inc. since 1988. He acquired Atwood Fire & Security in 2007. His business specializes in burglar and fire alarms as well as things like closed circuit television monitoring systems.

Condon stated in his press release that the city had an annual budget of $55 million in 2000 that grew to more than $85 million a year.

“In these tough economic times while the storefronts are closing and families are struggling to make ends meet, the budget continues to grow,” he stated. “ We can do better! I want to work for the residents of this city to bring about “Common Sense Government” by pursuing financial accountability, stabilization of infrastructure and viable economic development.”

Pointing to his experience starting and managing five businesses in the community, Condon stated, “I understand what it takes to balance a budget, make tough decisions and get things done.”

Condon has served on the License Commission and is a former president of the local Rotary Club, of which he has been a member for 20 years. The District 3 seat is currently held by state Rep. Michael R. Finn, D-West Springfield, who plans to step down at the end of the year.

To appear on the ballot in the fall, Condon must return his nomination papers with the signatures of 50 voters registered in the city to the Town Clerk’s Office by July 26.

Stop & Shop issues recall of Mann Packing veggie snack

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The product's grape tomato ingredient may be contaminated with salmonella.

QUINCY – The Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. LLC is alerting customers to a voluntary recall of Mann Packing “Snacks On the Go with Celery, Carrots, Tomatoes” because the grape tomato ingredient may be contaminated with salmonella, according to a press release.

"The following product with best if used by dates ranging from May 9, 2011 - May 16, 2011 is affected by this recall: Mann Packing 'Snacks On the Go with Celery, Carrots, Tomatoes,' 8.75 oz., UPC 71651901501," the release stated.

To date, Stop & Shop has received no reports of illness associated with consumption of this product. Customers who have purchased the product should bring any unused portions or their purchase receipt to Stop & Shop for a full refund.

Consumption of food contaminated with salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses.

For information on the recall, call Stop & Shop at 1-800-767-7772 or go online to www.stopandshop.com.

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