Church vandalism suspects

The Rainbow City police chief held a news conference last night to announce that a teenager and his friend were responsible for spray-painting satanic symbols at a church over the weekend. According to the Gadsden Times, Chief Rick Hill said a 17-year-old boy admitted to the vandalism, telling police that he hates Christians. He was helped by a 20-year-old friend who was spending the night at the boy's house. Hill called the incident "just kids being stupid." But he did say authorities are looking into the possibility of prosecuting the vandalism as a hate crime.

Gadsden jet accident

A small jet arriving from Gadsden went off the runway at an airport in DeKalb County, Georgia, injuring all four people on board. According to the FAA, it was a Hawker Beechcraft 40 that crashed through a fence after it left the runway around 10 o'clock Monday morning. The four people injured were taken to hospitals; their conditions were not immediately known. FAA records show the jet is registered to a corporation in Centre.

Anniston shootings

A series of shootings happened in Anniston on Sunday and the Anniston Star reports police think they might all be related. One person was injured; a 28-year-old man told police he was talking on the phone when a vehicle drove by and an unknown person opened fire. The victim was wounded in the leg and was treated at Stringfellow Memorial Hospital. Elsewhere, somebody was shooting at the Norwood Homes apartments and hit two apartments and five cars, causing more than two-thousand dollars in damage.

Brody's Law conviction

Marshall County jurors have convicted a man of capital murder in the slaying of his wife and her unborn child at a car wash three years ago.The trial of Jessie Phillips was believed to be the first test of a state law that allows a person suspected of killing a pregnant woman to be charged with two murders if the fetus also dies. Prosecutors argued that Phillips killed his wife, Erica Droze, and her unborn child at a car wash in 2009. The shooting followed an argument that kept escalating.Jurors deliberated about four hours before convicting Phillips on Monday.Phillips was tried under a law called "Brody's Law." It was named because of the 2005 shooting death in Albertville of Brandy Parker and her unborn son, named Brody.

Church vandalism

Police are looking for vandals who spray-painted satanic symbols at a church in Rainbow City. The graffiti was found on the rear of the main building at Christ Central Church, on an outbuilding, and on a church van. According to the Gadsden Times, the graffiti included the numbers 666, along with upside-down crosses and phrases including "satan rules." The vandalism occurred sometime betwween 5:40 PM Friday and 7:30 AM Saturday.

Shooter still at large

A man wanted for shooting two brothers in Gadsden last Wednesday remains at large. Gadsden police say 23-year-old Jonterio Dante Walker is considered to be armed and dangerous. He's charged with murder in the shooting death of 20-year-old Corion Jedrante Jackson and attempted murder for shooting and critically injuring 21-year-old Jeffery Montez Jackson. The shootings occurred last Wednesday outside an apartment building off South 14th Street. Walker is described as a light-skinned, black male, 5-10, 170 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. If you know anything about his whereabouts, contact the Gadsden Police Department.

Rally Dixie in Gadsden

Gadsden is a stopping point for a road rally that raises money for multiple sclerosis. Rally Dixie 2012 will start tomorrow in Nobleville Indiana with some 80 cars and headed for the Goodyear Tire and Rubber plant in Gadsden on Wednesday. After an overnight stay, they'll start their next leg on Thursday morning, taking off from Downtown gadsden. Broad street will be blocked off from 7-30 a-m to 9-30 a-m at fourth and fifth streets for participants to get ready to take off. The public is invited out on Thursday morning to see the cars and meet the drivers. The 14-hundred mile rally eventually winds up at Fort Walton Beach in Florida.