3.24.2009

The End of an 8 Hour Standoff

I had the early morning pleasure of covering a standoff between Fayetteville Police and U.S. Army Spc. Jason Johnson. Luckily I only had to cover the last three hours of it. Nobody was hurt except Johnson, who was shot in the hand. (The news story is posted below the photos).

Johnson is in the 257th Dental Company on Fort Bragg, which only reminded me I needed to make a dental appointment, well that and my throbbing tooth. So I finally made an appointment for my overdue visit to the dentist.

So now I'm dreading tomorrow.

STANDOFF | Andrew Craft

STANDOFF | Andrew Craft

STANDOFF | Andrew Craft

STANDOFF | Andrew Craft


FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — A standoff with an armed Fort Bragg soldier who fired shots at police and barricaded himself in an apartment ended peacefully Tuesday when the man surrendered, a police spokeswoman said.

Fayetteville police spokeswoman Theresa Chance said authorities expect to file charges against Spc. Jason N. Johnson, 24, a dental specialist from Savannah. He was taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center for treatment of a gunshot wound to his left hand, she said.

Chance said the incident began in the early morning hours as a domestic issue that did not involve Johnson's wife. Friends were concerned about Johnson and called police.

He entered the apartment of a deployed soldier and barricaded himself in the bathroom, she said. Authorities weren't certain if Johnson, who lives in the same apartment complex, knew that soldier.

Fort Bragg spokesman Tom McCollum said Johnson is assigned to the 257th Dental Company, which is part of the 44th Medical Command. It's a field unit that deploys and is not assigned to a specific hospital or clinic, but Johnson has never deployed overseas, McCollum said.


3.13.2009

First Lady Michelle Obama receives my photo as gift

Thursday First Lady Michelle Obama was given one of my photographs as a gift from the City of Fayetteville. It was quite an honor. Here is a video of her talking about it for a brief moment at the beginning of the video. Also my paper wrote a side bar story about it, check it out.


First Lady


First Lady

3.12.2009

Gift to Michelle Obama

I just found out yesterday that the City of Fayetteville will be giving Michelle Obama a framed copy of one of my pictures. It is the picture below. Since one of her big issues is military families, the city thought it was a good photo to give to remind her and her husband, President Obama, not to forget those that are sacrificing so much.

When they give her the framed print, I will be there covering the event for the paper. So that should be pretty cool.

Obama Gift

TEARFUL DEPARTURE
Capt. Shelia Jenkins comforts her daughter, Khadyajah, 7, while holding the hand of her husband, Chief Warrant Officer Claude Jenkins, as he departs on a bus to his flight to Iraq, August 23, 2006. Jenkins is part of the 82nd Airborne Division Sustainment Brigade that is deploying to Iraq.