NYPD detective suspended after kidnapping victim found in his garage

17-year veteran of the New York Police Department has been suspended without pay after a kidnapping victim was found tied up in his garage. The New York Post reports Ondre Johnson, a detective with the Brooklyn north gang unit, was being questioned in connection with the incident and was forced to surrender his gun and badge. A source tells the Post the 25-year-old victim was snatched off the street on July 26. The victim's friends then got calls demanding $75,000 for the victim's release. The call was traced to Johnson's home, MyFoxNY.com reports. When authorities arrived Friday afternoon, Johnson answered the door and identified himself as a detective with the NYPD. Investigators then found the victim tied up in the garage. Four men have been charged in the apparent kidnapping scheme, MyFoxNY.com reports. 30-year-old Hakeem Clark, who lives in the same building as Johnson, was charged with kidnapping and weapons possession along with 27-year-old Jason Hutson and 27-year-old James Gayle. 24-year-old Alfredo Haughton was charged with kidnapping.

Jamie “Iceman” Stevenson is back on the streets

Jamie “Iceman” Stevenson is back on the streets – less than halfway through his prison sentence for laundering £1million of drugs cash. Scotland’s most powerful mobster has been enjoying meals at expensive restaurants and socialising with pals after being allowed home for a week each month. Stevenson – who was also accused of shooting dead his best friend in an underworld hit – was put behind bars in September 2006 when he was arrested after a four-year surveillance operation by the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency. He was later sentenced to 12 years and nine months for money laundering. But, we can reveal, he is now allowed out of Castle Huntly open prison near Dundee – just five years and 10 months later. A source said: “He seems determined to show his face all around town to deliver the message that he’s back and, as far as he’s concerned, nothing has changed. “A lot of people are surprised that he’s being allowed out so early. Some are not too pleased about it for a number of reasons.” Stevenson, 47, has been spotted at Bothwell Bar & Brasserie, which is run by his friend Stewart Gilmore. He and his cronies have also dined at upmarket Italian restaurant Il Pavone in Glasgow’s Princes Square shopping centre. And Stevenson has joined friends at various other restaurants and hotels, including Glasgow’s Hilton Garden Inn. A Sunday Mail investigation can today reveal that the Parole Board for Scotland could recommend Stevenson’s total freedom as early as February next year. However, the final decision on his release will rest with Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill. Yesterday, Labour justice spokesman Lewis Macdonald said: “I’m surprised to hear this and that anyone in these circumstances should get out of jail before the halfway point of their sentence – far less so when the conviction is of someone involved in organised crime. “The only circumstances where that would be conceivable would be if someone completely changed their lifestyle. But even then that should not be before they’ve served half their sentence. “I’m sure the victims of these crimes – and with drugs there are direct and indirect victims – will also be surprised at this.” To prepare Stevenson for his release, prison bosses have allowed him to stay a full week each month at his modest flat in Burnside, near Glasgow. On Friday, we watched him leaving the property with his wife Caroline and driving off in a silver Audi. A prison service insider said: “The Parole Board expect the prison authorities to have allowed home visits to test suitability for release ahead of the first eligible parole date. In Stevenson’s case, that’s next February. “There are conditions attached which vary but usually include the obvious ones like not mixing with other criminals and staying only at the designated address. “For prisoners sentenced to more than 10 years, the Parole Board make their recommendations to the Justice Secretary, who then decides whether to release on licence. “Stevenson is trying to keep his nose clean to convince the Parole Board that he poses no threat to society. “But, given his high profile and significance, it’s inevitable that the authorities will be careful before making any final decision.” Stevenson headed a global smuggling gang with a multi-million-pound turnover when he was brought down by the SCDEA’s Operation Folklore, which seized £61million of drugs. He faced drug and money laundering charges along with eight other suspects, including his 53-year-old wife. But his lawyers struck a deal with the Crown Office to admit money laundering in exchange for his wife’s freedom and the drugs charges being dropped. Stevenson’s stepson Gerry Carbin Jr, 32, was also jailed – for five years and six months – but was freed in 2010. Stevenson was previously arrested for the murder of Tony McGovern, 35, who was gunned down in Glasgow’s Springburn in 2000. But prosecutors dropped the case through lack of evidence. A gangland source said: “He does not fear any kind of reprisal from Tony’s brothers, nor does he regard any other criminals in Scotland as a threat or even as rivals. He did not fear any other operation in Scotland before he was jailed. Why would he now?” Two years ago, the Sunday Mail exposed a backdoor deal when the Crown handed back Stevenson’s £300,000 watch collection, which had been seized under proceeds of crime of legislation. Last June, he was sent back to high-security Shotts jail in Lanarkshire from an open prison after a major SCDEA drugs probe, Operation Chilon. Detectives believed that the gang they investigated was controlled by Stevenson. Haulage firm boss Charles McAughey’s home was one of 11 targeted in raids. In 2009, we revealed that French police had found 684kg of pure cocaine worth £31million in a lorry owned by McAughey. Chilon resulted in the SCDEA seizing 242kg of cannabis worth £1.21million and the jailing of three men for a combined 15 years.

Tulisa's Friend, 21, Shot Dead In Gangland Hit

Reece James, 21, a close friend of Tulisa Contostavlos has been shot dead in a reported gangland attack. The 21-year-old, who appeared with Tulisa in a video for rapper Nines, was shot in the head in a "pre-planned and targeted" hit, 100 miles from his home in London, reports the UK's Sun newspaper. Police found James' body in Boscombe, Bournemouth, at around 2.30am near where Somali drug gangs are said operate. A 22-year-old man was arrested. Reece was said to have been in the area with some friends for "a couple of months", though had filmed the video earlier this month with Tulisa and rapper Nines on the Church End Estate in Harlesden, North West London. The former N Dubz star caused controversy at the time, making a "C" symbol to the camera - the same sign that is used by Harlesden's notorious Church Road Soldiers gang. Tulisa claimed it was a reference to Camden, where she was born. Twitter tributes began flooding in last night, with one user writing, "RIP Reece James. Thoughts are with him and his family and friends". Local MP Tobias Ellwood described the killing as "a spill over from the drugs turf war in the capital", adding, "This was one London gang chasing down another, carrying out a professional hit and then going back".

Denver teen faces attempted murder charge in Montbello gang shooting

Denver prosecutors Tuesday charged an 18-year-old man with attempted murder in a suspected gang-motivated shooting on Thursday in Montbello that left a 43-year-old woman with a bullet in her back. The suspected shooter, Deonte Maitise Crews, is a documented member of the Piru Bloods street gang, according to an arrest affidavit. Several people in the group standing in the front yard of a house in the 4400 block of North Dillon Street were members of a rival Crips subsect, according to Denver police. Crews is accused of firing about nine rounds into the crowd just around 11:30 p.m. before fleeing on foot, according to a statement from the Denver District Attorney's Office. Officers caught up with Crews walking out of a nearby yard, the affidavit says. Crews remains in custody on $250,000 bond and next appears in court Thursday. Attempted first-degree murder is a Class 2 felony that typically carry a penalty of between eight and 24 years. First-degree assault, the second charge against Crews, is a Class 3 felony that carries a penalty of up to 12 years. Crews, who turned 18 in March, has no other offenses on his adult criminal record, according to Colorado Bureau of Investigation records.

No arrests yet in drive-by shooting of woman trying to stop speeding car

No arrests have been made as of this morning in the shooting death of Wendy Fisher, a 40-year-old woman who was fatally shot Saturday night after confronting a group of men in a car that was speeding through her neighborhood. Fisher was shot in the street in the 5500 block of Racine Avenue in west Mobile about 6:20 p.m. Saturday. She was taken to University of South Alabama Medical Center, where she died, police spokeswoman Ashley Rains said. Fisher was a former bartender at the Haberdasher in downtown Mobile. A post on the night club's Facebook page read: "We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of one of our former employees and one of our favorite people, Wendy Fisher. She leaves behind two kids and her boyfriend. She will truly be missed by all, and our sincerest and deepest condolences go out to her family and friends." According to Rains, the car involved in the shooting was a dark gray or green Honda, Nissan Altima or similarly-styled vehicle occupied by three or possibly four black men. The car fled the scene after Fisher was shot.

Drive-by shooting victim released from hospital

Jontae Kitchens, an 18-year-old Victoria man who was injured in a drive-by shooting Saturday night, has been released from a Victoria hospital. Kitchens was walking on Oleander Drive toward Sabine Street in Victoria about 8 p.m. when a car drove behind him and his friend A.J. Quinonez, and started shooting, said Lt. Ralph Buentello, of the Victoria Police Department. Kitchens was shot in the right leg and taken by private vehicle to the hospital. Victoria Police Sgt. Adam Nieto said an investigation is ongoing, and no arrests have been made.

Cicero Police officer shoots suspected gang member

 Police responded Thursday evening to a report of a street gang fight at 13th Street and 56th Court in Cicero and the gang members “scattered” and police gave chase, Cicero spokesman Ray Hanania said in a statement.  One of the fleeing gang members encountered a police officer about a block away at 13th Street and 57th Court and allegedly pulled a gun that he pointed at the officer, Hanania said. An officer chasing the suspect witnessed the incident shot suspect, who was taken in serious condition to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood.  Police Chief Bernard Harrison and Cicero Town President Larry Dominick contacted State Police to investigate.

another turncoat shooting wounds five Americans

 Afghan soldier opened fire on a group of American troops, wounding five of them, Western and Afghan military officials said Wednesday. The attack, which took place Tuesday in Wardak province in eastern Afghanistan, was the second incident of its kind in three days. On Sunday, an Afghan policeman shot and killed three British soldiers. The phenomenon of “green-on-blue” shootings, in which members of the Afghan security forces turn their weapons on Western troops, has become a serious concern in recent months. At least 26 NATO troops have been killed this year in such attacks. Afghan officials said the shooter, a new recruit to the army, fled after the shooting, and authorities launched a search. NATO’s International Security Assistance Force said the incident was under investigation. The attack took place at a checkpoint in Wardak’s Sayedabad district, said Afghan army Gen. Abdul Raziq, whose area of command includes Wardak. In August of last year, the district was the scene of the biggest one-time loss of U.S. lives in the war, when 31 American troops, most of them elite Navy SEALs, died after an insurgent managed to shoot down their Chinook helicopter.   The growing numbers of green-on-blue shootings complicate accelerated efforts by Western troops to train Afghan police and soldiers and hand over combat duties to them. On Wednesday, French forces formally handed over Kapisa province in eastern Afghanistan, their main area of operations, to Afghan control. French combat troops are to depart Afghanistan by the end of this year, two years ahead of the end of NATO’s combat role. The French move to pull out early gained momentum after a green-on-blue shooting in January in Kapisa that killed four French troops. A fifth later died of his wounds.

San Bernardino man wounded Saturday morning in drive-by shooting

A man was shot and wounded in a drive-by shooting Saturday morning, police said. The shooting occurred shortly after midnight in the 2600 block of West 2nd Street. Lt. Paul Williams said the victim, who was not identified, suffered only a minor wound to his foot. The man was standing inside the apartments on the corner of 2nd Street and North Meridan Avenue when an unknown suspect fired several shots from inside a silver vehicle. There is no further information available at this time, Williams said.

LAPD responds to eight shootings in six hours in South L.A.

Los Angeles police responded to at least eight shootings -- including two homicides -- during a six-hour period overnight in South L.A., where a modified tactical alert was called when police were pelted with lighted fireworks and other objects by reputed gang members. Several officers were injured after responding to a disturbance call early Thursday in the 1300 block of East 111th Place. The initial call came about 1 a.m., reporting 30 people were fighting outside an apartment, where police found more than 250 people in a nearby parking lot drinking and lighting fireworks as a DJ blasted music. One man became belligerent and, as officers tried to subdue him, people in the crowd started throwing lighted fireworks, rocks and bottles at officers, police said. One officer, who was not immediately identified, was hospitalized for burns. Another suffered a dislocated shoulder. Of the eight shootings to which LAPD officers responded from 10:30 p.m. Wednesday to 2:20 p.m. Thursday, most were believed to be gang-related. The first, which police believe was unrelated to gangs, was a shooting reported shortly before 9 p.m. on the 1300 block of East 48th Place. When officers arrived, they found a 32-year-old woman wounded in the foot and determined she had been shot by an unlicensed security guard, who was shooting at a dog and missed. The guard was booked on suspicion of assault. That incident was followed by a gang-related shooting reported about 10:30 p.m. in the 4800 block of 2nd Avenue that left one man dead. According to police, five men were standing in front of a residence when a white SUV drove past and someone opened fire. One man in his 20s, who was not identified, was pronounced dead. Four others were hospitalized in stable condition. Another gang-related shooting was reported shortly before midnight in the 700 block of 76th Place. A man was confronted by two suspects who briefly exchanged words with him and then fired multiple times. The victim, who was not identified, was hospitalized in stable condition. An hour and a half later, about 1:30 a.m., a 37-year-old man was walking in the 600 block of West 94th Street when he was approached by three unidentified men between 20 and 30 years old. The suspects asked the victim where he was from.  The victim tried to run but the suspects shot at him, wounding him in the leg. The incident is believed to be gang-related, police said. About 20 minutes later, police responded to a call near the intersection of 85th Street and Halldale Avenue. When they arrived, they found a 36-year-old man had been shot in the buttocks. The shooting is believed to be gang-related; the victim was hospitalized in stable condition and was uncooperative, they said. About 2 a.m., officers were called to Manchester Boulevard and Vermont Avenue, where they found an 18-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. The victim, who was not immediately identified, died of his injuries at a hospital. Police said they do not have any information on suspects. A man was shot multiple times in a gang-related shooting moments after he stepped off a bus about 2:15 a.m. near the intersection of Florence and Western avenues. The victim was listed in stable condition; the incident is under investigation. Five minutes later, the LAPD responded to a shooting near Manchester Boulevard and Van Ness Avenue, where a man was shot in the back while watching a fireworks show. The victim, who was not identified, was hospitalized with a non-life threatening injury. It was unknown if the incident was gang-related.

Chicago violence July 3-July 4 4 teens shot in Southwest Side drive-by

15 people have been shot since 5 p.m. Tuesday in Chicago, including a 10-year-old girl and a man cooling off at an open fire hydrant on the West Side, authorities said. The girl and a 24-year-old man were struck as they stood at a hydrant in the 200 block of North Leamington Avenue in the city's South Austin neighborhood, police said, citing early reports. The girl, struck in the left wrist and the abdomen, was taken to West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park before being transferred to John H. Stroger Hospital in critical condition, said Officer Hector Alfaro, a police spokesman. The wounded male was taken to West Suburban in good condition with a wound to the right hand. Early reports stated that he was the girl's stepfather. At about 10:15 p.m., a 48-year-old man, was shot in the right knee by an acquaintance in the 700 block of North St. Louis Avenue, police said. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital for treatment. The suspected gunman remained at-large. The late night shootings followed a rash of afternoon and evening shootings that began with a 15-year-old boy was shot in the left armpit in a park in the 8500 block of South Peoria Street, Zala said. The park is adjacent to Gresham Elementary School. The boy was in the park when another young man or boy came up to the boy and shot him, Zala said. The boy was taken to Little Company of Mary Hospital for treatment, he said. Although the investigation is ongoing, initial indications are that the boy's shooting was not gang-related. About a half hour later, a man and three boys, ages 14 to 19, were shot near 60th Street and Rockwell Avenue, said Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Veejay Zala. The victims were wounded in a drive-by shooting, Zala said, citing preliminary information. One boy, 14, was shot in the right hand, another, also 14, was shot in the right foot. A 15-year-boy was shot in the right knee. And a 19-year-old was shot in the right thigh. The Fire Department only had information on three victims. One patient was taken in serious-to-critical condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, a second in fair-to-serious condition to Holy Cross Hospital, and a third in fair-to-serious condition to St. Bernard Hospital, according to Fire Department spokesman Will Knight. A few minutes earlier, a man and a woman were shot in the 3800 block of West Augusta Boulevard, Zala said. About 5:33 p.m., a 34-year-old woman was shot in the buttocks, and a 21-year-old man suffered a graze wound, in a drive-by shooting. The woman was taken to an area hospital for treatment, but the man refused medical attention, Zala said. Meanwhile in the North Side Sheridan Park neighborhood, two women and a man -- all believed to be in their 20s --were wounded in the 4400 block of North Racine Avenue just before 7:30 p.m. in what was believed to be a drive-by shooting, Zala said. The other woman and the man had had their conditions stabilized, Zala said. A male and female were wounded in a drive-by shooting near a bus stop at about 8:15 p.m. in the 2300 block of West Washington Boulevard on the city's Near West Side. The male was struck in his side, while the female was struck in one of her toes, police said, citing early reports. Both victims were listed in serious-to-fair condition and were treated at the scene, according to the Chicago Fire Department. Early reports indicate that the couple was struck by a gunman inside a passing van.