TAMPA, Fla. - A Tampa father accused of shooting his two children, killing his 5-year-old and critically injuring his 8-year-old, has been granted bond in the amount of $2.5 million.
Investigators said Tuesday that Jermaine Lavanda Bass went into the bedroom of his two children – after their mother, Bass's wife Shirley, had kissed them goodnight – and shot the children multiple times in the head while they lay in their bunk beds.
Bass did not appear for his bond hearing on Friday where prosecutors argued he presents a threat to the community and should be held without bond.
"There’s no reason for this man to execute and attempt to execute his children, and that supports the state's argument that this man is too unpredictable and too dangerous to walk the streets of Hillsborough County," said Hillsborough County prosecutor Ron Gale.
But with no prior record and Bass' insistence that the shooting was an accident, Judge Catherine Catlin said the state failed to present enough evidence to deny bond.
"I’m finding that the state has not met its burden," said Catlin. "As much as I realize everybody will be shocked by that, I want it to be clear that I follow the law and I expect the state to prove what it puts in its motion. However, Mr. Bass’ bond will reflect the severity of these charges and my belief that the state did prove that there’s a substantial probability that he committed the crime."
Authorities received a call from one of Bass' neighbors reporting they heard multiple gunshots the night of August 29.
When deputies arrived at Bass' North Tampa townhome, they found his wife, Shirley, outside while he sat inside their home on his couch cradling his son, who was suffering from a gunshot wound to the head.
A fight that erupted over snow shoveling allegedly led to a Pennsylvania man shooting two of his neighbors to death, authorities said. The fatal gun violence occurred in Plains Township, about 15 miles southwest of Scranton after 2 feet of snow blanketed the area, officials said. Just before 9 a.m. on Monday, Plains Township police officers responded to a report of shots fired in a residential neighborhood and discovered 50-year-old James Goy and his 48-year-old wife, Lisa Goy, lying dead in the street in front of their home, according to a joint statement by Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis and Plains Township Police Chief Dale Binker. Residents in the area directed police officers to a house across the street from the Goys' home, but as they approached the front door, a gunshot rang out, the officials said. Inside the house, police found 47-year-old James Spaide deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, officials said. Neighbors told investigators that Spaide and the Goys had been engaged in a long-running feud that reached a boiling point on the snowiest day of the year. "The Goys were shoveling the snow from their parking spots, shoveling the snow across the road, and throwing the snow onto Spaide’s property," Salavantis and Binker said in their statement. Witnesses told investigators that Spaide asked the couple to stop, sparking a heated exchange of words. James Goy apparently threw a tool at Spaide that he had been using to clear snow from his car, according to the statement. When James Goy approached Spaide with a raised fist, Spaide reportedly retreated into his house and fetched a gun, the officials said. "The Goys proceed to yell at him, and, using expletives, the parties called each other names," Salavantis and Binker said in their statement, adding that the episode was captured on surveillance video. "Mr. Goy then threatened Spaide and is seen making obscene gestures at him. Seconds later, Spaide returns holding a handgun." The officials said despite seeing Spaide with a gun, James and Lisa Goy continued shouting names at him from the middle of the street. Spaide allegedly opened fire on the couple, shooting both of them multiple times. Officials said Spaide then went back into his house and retrieved another firearm, which he reportedly used to shoot them again.
OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma City Police released new body cam video after one of their officers was attacked. Investigators say this is just one of several incidents they've seen in recent months.
In the video, you can see Officer Page get out of his patrol car and try talking to 32-year-old Christopher McPheeters.
According to investigators, Page was flagged down by people saying McPheeters threw an object at another police car.
As Page approaches, McPheeters begins running across the street as the officer chases after him. According to reports, as he catches up, McPheeters pulls out the bottom of a serrated broken glass bottle from his coat pocket and uses it to slash the officer's face several times.
"Officer Page was seriously injured," said Wade Gourley, OKC Chief of police. "He almost lost his eye; he could have been killed. When Mr. McPheeters was interviewed, he stated that his intent was to kill the officer."
Police say nationally there's been an increase in the number of attacks on law enforcement officers the past few years. According to the FBI, from 2020 to 2021, there was nearly a 60 percent increase in the number of officers killed by criminals.