Five stories that have North Texas talking: an AK-47 assault-style rifle was found at the Waco shootout scene; 10 tornadoes raced through North Texas Tuesday night; Plano’s parks are tops in Texas; and more.
The police count of the number of weapons recovered from the scene of the deadly Waco shootout continues to fluctuate. Waco police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton now says crime scene officers have made a new weapons count and come up with 318 "and still counting." Swanton said he expected the count to continue to rise. Of those weapons counted so far, 118 are handguns, one is an AK-47 assault-style rifle and 157 are knives. Swanton says weapons still uncounted are clubs, knives, brass knuckles, firearms and chains with padlocks attached. Earlier, Swanton had lowered an estimate of recovered weapons from about 1,000 to about 500. Meanwhile, security camera video reviewed by The Associated Press shows that as gunfire broke out in the parking lot of a Texas restaurant, dozens of bikers ran for cover inside and tried to guide others to safety. The video suggests the Sunday gunfight that left nine dead was contained almost entirely outside the restaurant, besides one gunshot fired by a biker on the patio who then runs inside. On the patio, bikers are seen ducking under the tables and trying to run inside. At least three people were seen holding handguns. One biker is seen running with blood on his face, hands and torso. The AP was shown the video by representatives of the Twin Peaks restaurant franchise. They have not released the video, citing the ongoing police investigation. [Associated Press]
- The National Weather Service now says 10 tornadoes raced across North Texas Tuesday. Most were to the northwest and west of Fort Worth -- in Palo Pinto, Jack and Wise counties. Another tornado tore through Ellis County, to the south of Dallas-Fort Worth. Two tornadoes struck Mineral Wells and two more struck Runaway Bay. Others hit Balsora, Decatur, Waxahachie, Palo Pinto, Vineyard and Jacksboro. Read more here.
- Scientists says they've found evidence linking the deaths of dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico to the BP oil spill in 2010. Dave Fehling from KUHF/Houston Public Media reports: “It’s the latest challenge to BP’s suggestion that dolphins died for other reasons. Scientist Stephanie Venn-Watson works with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on its damage assessment of the BP spill. The study of 46 dead dolphins revealed lung damage that they linked to how dolphins breathe by inhaling air just above the water’s surface. But BP said this latest study doesn’t prove their oil killed dolphins.” Read more here. [KUHF/Houston Public Media]
- Plano’s parks are the best in Texas, according to a national ranking of big city parks. KERA’s Krystina Martinez reports: “The non-profit Trust for Public Land has released its annual ParkScore ratings, which ranks public park systems in the 75 largest U.S. cities. Plano scored the highest out of Texas cities, coming in at No.17. A city’s ParkScore is determined based on park size, access for residents, and how much money a city invests in park amenities. Arlington and Dallas tied for 47th place. Fort Worth ranked No. 60.” Minneapolis and St. Paul tied for the nation’s best parks. Washington, D.C., was No. 3. San Francisco was No. 4 and New York was No. 5. Read more here.
- A Texas hunter has killed a black rhino in Namibia. NPR reports: “A Texas hunter who paid $350,000 for the right to hunt a rare black rhino in Namibia has killed the animal. The hunt has drawn controversy and spurred debate over the best way to manage endangered wildlife. Corey Knowlton won an auction last January for a hunting permit that would allow him to kill a black rhino weighing around 3,000 pounds.” A CNN reporter from Dallas went along to cover the hunt. Ed Lavandera talked with KERA’s Courtney Collins.
