Three things for April 7
1. Navy medic shoots two sailors before being shot
On Tuesday, Navy medic Fantahun Girma Woldesenbet, 38, shot and wounded two U.S. sailors on a military base in Frederick, Maryland. Woldesenbet then fled to a nearby Army base, where he was shot and killed by security forces. Authorities are still unsure of Woldsenbet’s motive.
Gate guards gave Woldesenbet a warning and asked to search his car, according to Brigadier General Michael J. Talley.
Woldesenbet ignored the order and drove half a mile before being stopped in the parking lot by the base’s police force. Officers shot and killed him after he pulled a weapon.
Woldesenbet shot the sailors with a rifle inside the facility at the Riverside Tech Park, causing people inside to flee, said Frederick Police Chief Jason Lando.
The two sailors were airlifted to a hospital. According to police, one is in critical condition. The other sailor is in serious condition but is expected to be released Wednesday.
2. Arkansas lawmakers enact transgender youth treatment ban
On Tuesday, Arkansas lawmakers made the state the first to ban gender confirming treatments and surgery for transgender youth, enacting the prohibition over the governor’s objections.
The House and Senate voted to override Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s veto of the measure, which prohibits doctors from providing gender confirming hormone treatment, puberty blockers or surgery to anyone under 18 years old or from referring them to other providers for the treatment.
“If (the bill) becomes law, then we are creating new standards of legislative interference with physicians and parents as they deal with some of the most complex and sensitive matters involving young people,” Hutchinson said at a news conference.
The bill’s sponsor dismissed opposition from medical groups and compared the restriction to other limits the state places on minors, such as prohibiting them from drinking, reports AP News.
“They need to get to be 18 before they make those decisions,” Republican Rep. Robin Lundstrum said.
The law will take effect in late July at the earliest. The American Civil Liberties Union said it plans to challenge the measure before then.
3. Half of new COVID-19 cases found in just five states
Nearly half of the new COVID-19 cases across the nation are found just in five states. These states include Florida, New York, Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In the last seven days, 44% of the nation’s new COVID cases were found in these states. Experts and officials are now calling for the Biden administration to ship extra vaccines to virus hotspot areas.
“Sending extra doses to places where infection numbers are high makes sense,” said Dr. Elvin H. Geng, a professor in infectious diseases at Washington University.
In Michigan, positive cases reached 6,729 on Sunday, doubling the number from two weeks ago. In New York City, vaccine appointments are still challenging to receive, according to AP News. The mayor of New York City has made multiple requests for more vaccines.
Over the past two weeks, cases have risen in New Jersey from 4,050 to 4,250. The governor of New Jersey has also requested more vaccines. In Florida, the positive infection rate increased by 20% in the past two weeks due to spring break travelers.
