Community members express anger over teen’s traffic stop death after officer faces no charges

Community members express anger over teen’s traffic stop death after officer faces no charges
Community members express anger over teen’s traffic stop death after officer faces no charges
Boynton Beach Bulldogs

(BOYNTON BEACH, Fla.) — Community members voiced their concerns during a city commission meeting in Boynton Beach, Florida, on Tuesday evening after an investigation into the death of a 13-year-old boy, who died after his dirt bike crashed during an attempted traffic stop, determined that the officer will not face any changes.

Stanley Davis III, known as “SJ” to his family and friends, died on Dec. 26, 2021, after he lost control of his dirt bike and crashed into a curb while being pursued by a Boynton Beach police officer.

“I think it was a slap in the face, a disservice and a dishonor for highway patrol to come to that conclusion,” a community member told incoming city officials who were sworn into office during the meeting.

“You all right now have the opportunity to do the right thing — to make that determination to terminate him … this SJ movement is still what it’s about and we’re asking that you all pay attention to it,” the community member added.

Davis’ grandmother, Tina Hunter, told ABC News that her grandson received the dirt bike as a Christmas gift and was trying it out the day after Christmas when an officer attempted to pull him over. His death has been the subject of heated discussions during the bi-monthly city commission meetings over the past three months.

Under Florida law, a dirt bike is considered an “off-highway vehicle” and the operator of such a vehicle must be at least 16 years old.

According to the investigation report released by Florida Highway Patrol on March 31, the “investigation is complete, and no charges shall be filed because the at-fault person expired as a result of the crash.”

The report found that the crash occurred while Davis was traveling at approximately 85 miles per hour while “unlawfully fleeing an attempted traffic stop,” the Boynton Beach Police Department said in a statement.

Davis’ parents, Stanley Davis, Jr. and Shannon Thompson, urged city officials to hold police accountable for their son’s death and called for the officer’s termination during a press conference last month.

“It’s unfortunate that he was chased to his death and taken away from not only myself but the family and the community,” Thomson said during the press conference on March 1.

Attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Davis family, has not responded to ABC News’ request for comment following the release of the FHP report,

The report, which was obtained by ABC News, also determined that there was no contact between Davis’ dirt bike and the police officer’s vehicle, confirming the initial findings of a police investigation.

“Now that the FHP traffic homicide investigation is completed, the Boynton Beach Police Department will conduct an internal affairs investigation to determine if any police department policies were violated by any Boynton Beach law enforcement officer involved in the incident,” Boynton Beach Police said in a statement.

According to BBPD policy, “Vehicular pursuits will be initiated only if the officer reasonably believes that the person(s) fleeing has committed a forcible felony.” Asked if the officer violated this law, a BBPD spokesperson said, “The investigation into this crash is ongoing.”

“There never should have been a high-speed pursuit and it never should have resulted in the death of a child,” Crump previously told ABC News. “The Boynton Beach Police Department’s own policy is that pursuits should only be initiated if the officer reasonably believes the person fleeing has committed a felony. We’re talking about a child.”

Amid pressure from the public to release the officer’s name, BBPD said it cannot because the officer invoked his right to Marsy’s Law.

“The law gives every victim the right to prevent the disclosure of information or records that could be used to locate or harass the victim or the victim’s family, or which could disclose confidential or privileged information of the victim,” a BBPD spokesperson previously told ABC News.

Thompson said that the invocation of Marsy’s Law and refusing to release the officer’s name is a “betrayal to not only myself, but to the community.”

“I was very disgusted with that as my son was the victim. Our family is the victim,” Thompson said.

The community also expressed concerns and anger over Davis’ death during a police community meeting on March 31 — the first of a series of meetings that are expected to take place once every two months.

At the meeting, which was held the day the FHP report was released, several people repeatedly pressed BBPD Police Chief Michael Gregory for answers regarding the investigation and directed questions at him about the department’s vehicular pursuit policy.

“We’re not allowed to comment on the case,” Gregory said, indicating that the investigation is ongoing.

Asked what police are doing to address mistrust in the community, Gregory pointed to the neighborhood officer program where police participate in activities with youth and to the newly launched community policing meetings.

“Every two months we’re gonna be here, hoping that you’ll come back,” he said.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Two dead as tornadoes touch down in South

Two dead as tornadoes touch down in South
Two dead as tornadoes touch down in South
ibusca/iStock

(NEW YORK) — Severe weather continues to strike the South with damaging winds, tornadoes and huge hail. At least two people have been killed in the storms.

Chunks of hail the size of golf balls were reported Monday night in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

On Tuesday, severe thunderstorms moved into Georgia, South Carolina and Florida. In Pembroke, Georgia, a woman was killed Tuesday evening when her mobile home was destroyed by a possible tornado.

Two confirmed tornadoes already touched down early Tuesday in Texas, including one in Johnson County, near the town of Joshua, where one person died.

There were 21 reported tornadoes from late Monday through Tuesday from Mississippi to South Carolina. One of the radar confirmed tornadoes caused some structure and tree damage near the town of Newton, Mississippi, and Highway I-2.

In addition, officials in Allendale, South Carolina, told Savannah, Georgia, ABC affiliate WJCL-TV that three people were left with non-life-threatening injuries after a possible tornado.

Thousands are without power in Washington state as a major storm moved through the area, producing wind gusts near 81 mph.

As this storm system moves east, wind and snow alerts are issued from the Rockies into the Plains with high fire danger from Texas to South Dakota. Red flag warnings have been issued for the Plains where winds could gust up to 70 mph.

California’s first major heat wave of the season is expected soon; a heat advisory was issued for Los Angeles and San Diego with high wind alerts posted for the mountain areas.

The heat wave will begin Wednesday with highs in the lower to middle 90s.

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Police capture ‘aggressive’ fox prowling for prey on Capitol Hill

Police capture ‘aggressive’ fox prowling for prey on Capitol Hill
Police capture ‘aggressive’ fox prowling for prey on Capitol Hill
GETTY/cuppyuppycake

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — The return of tourists to Capitol Hill — and their discarded food and trash — should have been a “telltail” sign.

Following several “aggressive” incidents, Capitol Police warned the public Tuesday not to approach any foxes reportedly raising alarms around the Capitol complex.

“We have received several reports of aggressive fox encounters on or near the grounds of the U.S. Capitol,” Capitol Police tweeted at 12:50 p.m. on Tuesday. “For your safety, please do not approach any foxes. Animal Control Officers are working to trap and relocate any foxes they find.”

A Capitol Police spokesman told ABC News that a fox “bit or nipped” at least six people, including one lawmaker.

The office of the House Sergeant at Arms had also warned lawmakers in a memo about the fox reportedly biting people and said: “There are possibly several fox dens on Capitol Grounds.”

Pictures of the cute — but potentially dangerous — creature first popped up on social media on Monday. The fox was spotted scavenging on the streets nearby Tuesday afternoon, despite the area being crowded with tourists now that the Capitol complex reopened to the public last month after being mostly closed for two years because of the pandemic.

After workers spent hours trying to find the animal in question, Capitol Police tweeted a photo at 3:36 p.m. of the culprit in a cage with the line “Captured.”

Some on the internet were quick to call for the fox — who was captured with the help of the Humane Rescue Alliance — to be freed. One social media account cosplaying as the “Capitol Fox” also appeared on Twitter Tuesday, even releasing a statement on what the fox called its “illegal arrest.”

“As a fox, I cannot speak. And too often — I have nobody to speak for me. They mock me in songs, they wear me as clothes, and they hunt me down like a criminal in my home. For what, I ask you?” the statement said.

Notably, foxes are susceptible to rabies and can transmit the disease to humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — a fact one lawmaker knows now all too well.

While Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, told reporters she had a close encounter with the fox Monday evening and showed a video she took of the usually nocturnal animal, for Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif., the encounter was far closer: Bera was bitten.

The congressman’s office confirmed that he was “nipped on the leg” in a statement to ABC News and admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center where he received several shots.

Bera, who is a physician, tweeted a warning a light-hearted warning about his close call.

ABC News has inquired about the fate of the fox, but no news yet.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Large tornado touches down in Mississippi amid weather threats in South

Two dead as tornadoes touch down in South
Two dead as tornadoes touch down in South
ibusca/iStock

(NEW YORK) — Severe weather continues to strike the South with damaging winds, tornados and huge hail.

Chunks of hail the size of golf balls were reported Monday night in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

On Tuesday afternoon severe thunderstorms will move into Georgia, South Carolina and Florida.

A tornado already touched down overnight in Jackson County, Texas, near the town of Joshua.

A tornado watch will be in effect until 7 p.m. CT across the South.

Six tornadoes were also reported in central Mississippi and Alabama. One of the confirmed tornadoes caused some structure and tree damage near the town of Newtown and Highway I-2.

Tornado warnings are ongoing in Alabama.

Thousands are without power in Washington state as a major storm moved through the area, producing wind gusts near 81 mph.

As this storm system moves east, wind and snow alerts are issued from the Rockies into the Plains with high fire danger from Texas to South Dakota. Red flag warnings have been issued for the Plains where winds could gust up to 70 mph.

California’s first major heat wave of the season is expected soon; a heat advisory was issued for Los Angeles and San Diego with high wind alerts posted for the mountain areas.

The heat wave will begin Wednesday with highs in the lower to middle 90s.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

‘I-65 killer’ who murdered three women in 1980s identified with DNA evidence

‘I-65 killer’ who murdered three women in 1980s identified with DNA evidence
‘I-65 killer’ who murdered three women in 1980s identified with DNA evidence
Tetra Images/Getty Images

(INDIANAPOLIS) — Police have named a man who died in 2013 as the serial killer responsible for the deaths of three women in the late 1980s.

Harry Edward Greenwell was identified as the man known as the “I-65” or “Days Inn” killer, an elusive figure who killed three motel clerks along Interstate 65 in Indiana and Kentucky, Indiana State Police spokesperson Sgt. Glen Fifield told reporters at a news conference Tuesday.

The case began on Feb. 21, 1987, after the murder of Vicki Heath, a 41-year-old mother who would had recently gotten engaged and was working the night shift at the Super 8 motel in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Fifield said. By March 3, 1989, Indiana State Police were investigating two more murders that occurred under similar circumstances on the same day Heath was killed, Fifield said.

Margaret Gill, also known as Peggy Gill, was murdered while working the night shift at the Days Inn in Merrillville, Indiana, while Jean Gilbert was murdered while working the night shift at the Days Inn in Remington, Indiana, Fifield said. Gill, who was 24 at the time, had been promoted from maid to night auditor, while Gilbert, a mother of two, had traded shifts to watch her daughter’s last game as a cheerleader, the Indy Star reported.

The women were raped before they were killed, the Indy Star reported.

On Jan. 2, 1990, a clerk working in the Days Inn in Columbus, Indiana, was attacked in a similar manner as the previous three victims, but she was able to escape her attacker and survived, later giving authorities “an excellent physical description of the suspect and details of the crime,” Fifield said. The clerk was sexually assaulted and stabbed in the attack, the Indy Star reported.

The primary factor that linked the four cases together was the proximity to Interstate 65. Numerous pieces of forensic evidence were collected and preserved to include DNA, clothing, hairs, fibers and ballistic evidence from the cases, allowing investigators to match ballistic evidence linking the Gill and Gilbert murders and to later match DNA evidence linking the Heath and Gilbert murders to the case of the surviving victim, Fifield said.

Decades after the murders took place, Indiana State Police and the FBI were able to use genetic genealogy to generate investigative leads on the killer. Greenwell — who was born on Dec. 9, 1944, and died in January 2013 — had an “extensive criminal history” and had been “in and out of prison several times,” Fifield said.

Investigators were able to put together a timeline of Greenwell’s movements through police reports, newspaper archives and “some self-reporting by him” Fifield said. Greenwell is feared to be responsible for additional murders, rapes, robberies and assaults stretching from Gary, Indiana, down to Mobile, Alabama, the length of Interstate 65, Fifield said.

Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter addressed the family members of the victims, saying he hopes the announcement “might bring a little bit of solace to you to know that the animal that did this is no longer on this earth.”

Carter described the decadeslong investigation as a “relentless and dogged pursuit” that had detectives chasing leads all over the country. Advances in technology finally allowed investigators to solve the cold case, Carter said.

“It’s amazing what happens over the course of generations,” Carter said. “There’s detectives in this very room that have been involved in this in some form or another, literally for generations. And they’re owed a debt of gratitude that we could never possibly repay. But, you know, their effort was for you.”

ABC News’ Ahmad Hemingway and Beatrice Peterson contributed to this report.

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Second arrest made in downtown Sacramento shooting that killed six

Second arrest made in downtown Sacramento shooting that killed six
Second arrest made in downtown Sacramento shooting that killed six
David Odisho/Getty Images

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — A second suspect has been arrested in connection with a shooting that killed six people in a popular nightlife area in Sacramento, California, Sunday.

Smiley Martin, 27, was taken into custody Tuesday, Sacramento police said in a statement.

Martin has been receiving medical treatment for “serious injuries” from gunfire and is under police supervision in a hospital, police said. He will be booked once his care is complete and is being charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession of a machine gun.

Smiley Martin’s brother, Dandrae Martin, 26, was identified as a “related suspect” in the shooting, which broke out on K Street in downtown Sacramento early Sunday morning just after a fight took place, the Sacramento Police Department said. Martin was arrested on assault and illegal firearm possession charges on Monday, police said.

More than 100 shell casings were recovered from the scene, according to police. Investigators believe multiple gunmen are responsible for the shooting and are sifting through hundreds of pieces of evidence, Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester said during a press conference Sunday afternoon.

Video posted on Twitter on Sunday showed people running through the street as the apparent sound of rapid gunfire could be heard in the background.

The victims were identified by the Sacramento County Coroner’s office on Monday as Johntaya Alexander, 21; Melinda Davis, 57; Sergio Harris, 38; Joshua Hoye-Lucchesi, 32; Yamile Martinez-Andrade, 21; and Devazia Turner, 29.

At least a dozen people were injured in the shooting, Lester said. The conditions of the injured victims were not immediately known, police said.

It is not known whether the alleged gunmen knew each other, Lester said. A large crowd was present at the time of the shooting, she added.

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg condemned the shooting during a news conference Sunday afternoon, describing it as “a senseless and unacceptable tragedy.”

“And I emphasize the word unacceptable,” Steinberg said. “Thoughts and prayers are not nearly enough. We must do more as a city as a state and as a nation.”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Severe weather to hit South while high heat strikes West

Severe weather to hit South while high heat strikes West
Severe weather to hit South while high heat strikes West
ABC News

(NEW YORK) — After two weeks of deadly storms ripping through states in the South, another severe storm is headed toward Texas, Louisiana and Florida.

On Monday, a new storm will begin to move into the South with severe thunderstorms expected from Dallas to Shreveport, Louisiana, and into Jackson, Mississippi. There is a strong possibility for damaging winds, large hail and a few tornadoes as well.

Already in the last 24 hours, there has been pingpong ball-sized hail falling across Florida and western Texas.

On Tuesday, severe weather is expected in the Gulf Coast and the Southeast, from New Orleans to Charleston, South Carolina. Several tornadoes will be possible in Montgomery, Alabama, central Georgia and into South Carolina.

Another storm system from the West will begin to move into the same areas Wednesday, potentially bringing more damaging winds, a few tornadoes and large hail from Birmingham, Alabama, to Atlanta and into Asheville, North Carolina.

In the West, an atmospheric river is pounding Washington and Oregon with up to several feet of snow in the mountains, and there is the threat of flooding in lower elevations around the states as well as the coast. Gusty winds from this storm will stretch from Washington to Wyoming, where gusts could reach as high as 100 mph.

Snow totals in the Cascades in Washington and Oregon could reach several feet in the next 48 hours. In the Rockies, up to a foot of snow is possible from Idaho to northern Colorado.

Meanwhile, in the Southwest, particularly in parts of California, record-breaking heat is expected by the end of the week, with temperatures rising into the mid- to upper 90s. Triple digits are possible Thursday in areas such as Burbank, Sacramento and San Jose.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Police arrest suspect in downtown Sacramento shooting that killed 6

Second arrest made in downtown Sacramento shooting that killed six
Second arrest made in downtown Sacramento shooting that killed six
David Odisho/Getty Images

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — Sacramento police have arrested a suspected gunman in the shooting that killed six people in a popular nightlife area over the weekend.

Dandre Martin, 26, was identified as a “related suspect” in the shooting, which broke out on K Street in downtown Sacramento early Sunday morning just after a fight took place, the Sacramento Police Department said. Martin was arrested on assault and illegal firearm possession charges, police said.

More than 100 shell casings were recovered from the scene, according to police. Investigators believe multiple gunmen are responsible for the shooting and are sifting through hundreds of pieces of evidence, Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester said during a press conference Sunday afternoon.

Video posted on Twitter on Sunday showed people running through the street as the apparent sound of rapid gunfire could be heard in the background.

The victims were identified by the Sacramento County Coroner’s office on Monday as Johntaya Alexander, 21; Melinda Davis, 57; Sergio Harris, 38; Joshua Hoye-Lucchesi, 32; Yamile Martinez-Andrade, 21; and Devazia Turner, 29.

At least a dozen people were injured in the shooting, Lester said. The conditions of the injured victims were not immediately known, police said.

It is not known whether the alleged gunmen knew each other, Lester said. A large crowd was present at the time of the shooting, she added.

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg condemned the shooting during a news conference Sunday afternoon, describing it as “a senseless and unacceptable tragedy.”

“And I emphasize the word unacceptable,” Steinberg said. “Thoughts and prayers are not nearly enough. We must do more as a city as a state and as a nation.

ABC News’ Bill Hutchinson, Zohreen Shah and Jennifer Watts contributed to this report.

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Eleven shot, one fatally, at concert in Dallas: Police

Eleven shot, one fatally, at concert in Dallas: Police
Eleven shot, one fatally, at concert in Dallas: Police
FILE photo – Mike Stone/Getty Images

(DALLAS) — At least 12 people were shot, one fatally, when gunfire erupted at a concert in Dallas early Sunday, police said.

Three of the victims are juveniles, according to the Dallas Police Department.

The episode occurred several hours before another mass shooting broke out in downtown Sacramento, California, in which six people were killed and at least 10 others were injured.

Dallas police said investigators are working to identify the suspect or suspects in the concert shooting, but no one had been taken into custody as of Sunday afternoon.

“A preliminary investigation determined that at the event, one individual fired a gun into the air, then another unknown individual fired a gun in the crowd’s direction,” the Dallas Police Department said in a statement.

The person killed was identified by police as 26-year-old Kealon Dejuane Gilmore. Police said Gilmore was found lying near the stage with a gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Eleven other people were injured in the shooting and taken to hospitals in private vehicles. One of the victims was in critical condition while the others were in stable condition, police said.

The shooting broke out about 12:13 a.m. at a venue in south Dallas. Police said the shooting occurred at an event billed as a trail ride and concert.

“Upon arrival, officers learned that multiple victims were shot while attending a concert,” police said in a statement.

The shooting occurred at the concert that was supposed to be headlined by Big Boogie, a rapper from Memphis, Tennessee. A notice posted on the entertainer’s Instagram page said the shooting occurred before Big Boogie arrived at the venue, according to ABC affiliate station WFAA in Dallas.

A flyer for the outdoor show said the gates were to open at noon on Saturday and that horses and ATVs were welcomed. Children aged 10 and under were to be admitted for free, the flier read.

Dallas police officers were expected to be at the concert for security and the event’s promoters noted that they were “not responsible for accidents or theft.”

A witness told WFAA that the event was “jam-packed” with people and that concert-goers started to run in all directions seeking cover and preventing police and emergency vehicle from quickly entering the scene to treat victims.

Police said the investigation is ongoing and that a motive remains unclear.

A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered by Crime Stoppers for information leading to arrests and indictments of the perpetrators, police said.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Six killed, at least 12 injured in mass shooting in Sacramento, California: Police

Six killed, at least 12 injured in mass shooting in Sacramento, California: Police
Six killed, at least 12 injured in mass shooting in Sacramento, California: Police
Getty Images / Timothy Abero / EyeEm

(SACRAMENTO) — At least 18 people were injured, six fatally, when a mass shooting erupted early Sunday in downtown Sacramento, California, and police said no suspects were in custody.

The Sacramento Police Department said several streets in downtown Sacramento just blocks from the state Capitol building and the Golden 1 Center where the Kings NBA team plays were closed as officers responded to the gun violence. The conditions of the victims were not immediately known, police said.

The shooting came just several hours after one person was killed and 10 people were injured when gunfire erupted at an outdoor concert in Dallas, Texas.

The Sacramento shooting broke out about 2 a.m. near the corner of 10th and K Street in a popular nightlife area, Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester said at a news conference.

Lester said police officers were in the area and heard the gunshot.

“We had a large crowd in the area. We don’t know if it was part of a club or an event,” Lester said.

She said officers immediately responded and began providing medical aid to victims.

In a statement Sunday afternoon, police said six people were fatally shot and another 12 were injured and taken to hospitals.

Lester asked for the public’s help in identifying the suspect or suspects involved in the shooting, saying no one was in custody.

Pamela Harris of Sacramento told ABC News that her son, Sergio Harris, a married father of two daughters, was among those killed. She said she went to the scene of the shooting at about 2:30 a.m. after getting a call from someone who is not in law enforcement, informing her that her 38-year-old son was among those killed.

“My son was a very vivacious young man, fun to be around, liked to party, have fun, smiling all the time, didn’t bother people. For this to happen … it’s crazy,” Harris told reporters at the scene. “I’m just to the point right now I don’t know what to do. I don’t even think this is real. I feel like it’s a dream.”

Community activist Berry Accius of Voice of the Youth said he arrived at the scene at about 2:30 a.m. after a city council member called him about the shooting.

“It was just horrific,” Accius told ABC affiliate station KXTV in Sacramento. “Just as soon as I walked up you saw a chaotic scene, police all over the place, victims with blood all over their bodies, folks screaming, folks crying, people going, ‘Where is my brother?’ Mothers crying and trying to identify who their child was.”

Video posted on Twitter showed people running through the street as the apparent sound of rapid gunfire could be heard in the background.

“Please avoid the area as a large police presence will remain and the scene remains active,” police officials said in a statement.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said it is assisting the Sacramento Police Department in the investigation.

Sacramento police asked anyone in the area at the time of the shooting to submit to investigators any photos and video, or other evidence linked to the violence.

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg condemned the shooting during a news conference Sunday afternoon in downtown Sacramento.

“This is a senseless and unacceptable tragedy. And I emphasize the word unacceptable,” Steinberg said. “Thoughts and prayers are not nearly enough. We must do more as a city as a state and as a nation. This senseless epidemic of gun violence must be addressed. How many unending tragedies does it take before we begin to cure the sickness in this country? Let us be honest, this is a sickness.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his wife, Jennifer, issued a statement, saying he was monitoring the shooting and that his administration is working closely with law enforcement.

“Sadly, we once again mourn the lives lost and for those injured in yet another horrendous act of gun violence. Jennifer and I send our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and to the wider community impacted by this terrible tragedy,” Newsom’s statement reads. “What we do know at this point is that another mass casualty shooting has occurred, leaving families with lost loved ones, multiple individuals injured and a community in grief. The scourge of gun violence continues to be a crisis in our country, and we must resolve to bring an end to this carnage.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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