Gun debate prompts some stores to pull certain guns off shelves

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- In the wake of the Newtown tragedy, a heated debate over gun control may have prompted some major retailers to pull certain semi-automatic rifles off their shelves.

You'll see semi-automatic rifles displayed at the Shiloh Indoor Shooting Range, but that's no longer the case at three big retailers.

Walmart, Dick's Sporting Goods and now Academy have pulled certain types of guns from stores and the Internet following last week's deadly school shooting in Connecticut.

"It's the knee jerk reaction from people that we're having to deal with, and the knee jerk reaction is 'Oh my God, we have to do something,'" said Jeff Sanford with the Shiloh Shooting Range in northwest Harris County.

In a statement on its corporate website, Dick's Sporting Goods said:

"During this national time of mourning, we have removed all guns from sale and from display in our store nearest to Newtown and suspended the sale of modern sporting rifles in all of our stores chainwide."

Walmart yanked the "Bushmaster" military-style assault rifle from its web store. The weapon is in the same family of guns as the one Adam Lanza reportedly used to kill 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT.

And while Academy refused comment, viewers contacted us saying, as of Tuesday afternoon, the chain's AR-15s were no longer displayed at stores.

"It's unfortunate that they're being pulled off the shelves, but at the same time, people are buying them," Sanford said.

For Sanford's customers, who fear a ban on certain guns, the time to buy is now.

"It doesn't have a mind of its own, it's not going to do anything without the user doing it," Sanford said. "We need to stop blaming the tool and start blaming the person behind it."

To offer some perspective, Sanford says that so many people are trying to buy guns that the FBI, which performs background checks, can't answer the phones fast enough and their phone line has been disconnected.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local, sonia azad

View the original article here

Vapor leak prompts voluntary shelter-in-place order

  CYPRESS, TX (KTRK) -- Cy-Fair fire officials said an unknown vapor is leaking from a well pump jack in Cypress.

It's happened near Longenbaugh and Fry Road.

According to authorities, there is no danger to the public.

A temporary voluntary shelter-in-place was issued for the Manor at Canyon Lakes West subdivision and was lifted as of 9:40pm Saturday.

Crews isolated the leak and will repair it Sunday, officials said.

We're told the well is owned by Josey Oil Co.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Mix-up prompts explosives scare in west Houston

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Authorities say a man's confusion prompted an explosives scare at a Houston Fire Department station near the Galleria area Wednesday night.

Authorities say a man had ordered marine flares and received his shipment earlier in the afternoon, but his order arrived in a package with the word "explosives" on it. The resident became alarmed, so he took it to the Houston Fire Department Station No. 2 in the 5800 block of Woodway Drive and reported it as a suspicious package.

Officers from the bomb squad, HazMat crews and the Houston Police Department responded and completely shut down Woodway Drive near Bering during the investigation. Firefighters also had evacuated residents of the nearby Deerbrook Apartments, as well as the fire station.

The man says he ordered the marine smoke bombs, which are legal to own, but just didn't expect them to come with that warning. The man and his wife took their package and returned home.

Authorities allowed evacuated residents to return to their homes and cleared the scene.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
Get more Local »

local
// perform JavaScript after the document is scriptable.OTV.common.modules.promoCarousel.promoCarouselInit("/ktrk/xml?id=5758258&ptnr=promoCarousel");

(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");

View the original article here

High water prompts school, apartment complex evacuations

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Emergency personnel evacuated residents and elementary school students in parts of southeast Houston after Monday's strong storms flooded some streets with feet-deep water.

After quite a day, and an even more interesting dismissal, the students of KIPP Academy all stepped off the bus and were finally on their way home.

"We had to get on one of those dump trucks," one student said.

Trapped by floodwater at their school meant their parents spent a few hours in limbo. Pickup was not only delayed but also moved to St. Francis Church on Reed and Cullen.

At nearby Peck Elementary, pickup for some meant a ride on a firefighter's back across the flooded street.

"They're our savior and I appreciate their help," one parent said.

Classes for at both campuses have been canceled for Tuesday.

But it wasn't just students who needed help escaping the rapidly rising water. As the flood waters closed in, dozens of others struggled to evacuate.

"It started to rise higher and higher," evacuee Cammie Aldridge said.

Aldridge was trapped but chose to wade through it. It took her 15 minutes.

"We made it through, and it was scary. Honestly, it was scary," she said.

Others couldn't do that, like people with children and wheelchairs and walkers.

Arthur Breaux was stuck until rescuers shuttled him out of the dirty water.

"With me being sick, like I am, I was gonna try to walk out myself, but they gave me some help and I appreciate it," Breaux said.

About 25 residents at the Royal Palms East Apartments near Mykawa and Griggs were evacuated after strong storms flooded the bottom-floor units with up to three feet of water. Another 13 from nearby Tejano community center also requested help from emergency responders.

These people have grabbed whatever they could from their apartments and they've climbed onto these elevated dump trucks just to get to higher ground.

"They put us on an air mattress and just kind of paddled us out," evacuee Sharon Roach said.

What's next is still muddy. But at least, they say, they're out.

"I'm going to my mother-in-law's, and then we're just gonna stay there for a while," evacuee Travis Peters said.

The HFD call center says it received more than a 100 calls for assistance with minor water rescues. Most incidents have been due to stalled out vehicles in high water. Flooding is the most common hazard in the City of Houston and the Houston Fire Department reminds citizens of the National Weather Service's safety message "Turn Around Don't Drown."

St. Francis Church has turned into an American Red Cross shelter. About 40 people checked into it to see refuge.

Some residents in the area tell us it floods frequently there, but some others blamed Monday's flooding on construction on the new METRORail line there.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Wildfire in Polk, Trinity Counties prompts evacuations

This photo of the brush fire burning across Polk and Trinity Counties was sent to us by a viewer. If you see news happening, email a photo or video to us at news@abc13.com.

  HUNTSVILLE, TX (KTRK) -- A massive wildfire burning in Polk and Trinity Counties has forced several people from their homes.

The fire started around noon Friday and is consuming parts of the Davy Crockett Forest just northeast of Huntsville in Apple Springs.

Fire crews from both counties are battling the blaze. It has burned at least 14,000 acres, according to the Trinity County Sheriff's Office.

At last check, officials with the Texas Forest Service said it was only 20 percent contained.

Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for the Trevat, Nigton and Helmic communities.

A temporary shelter has been set up for those residents at a Groveton High School.

Two homes and six trailers have been destroyed by the fire. So far, there are no reports of any injuries.

It's not yet clear what caused this wildfire, but investigators suspect a wheel bearing on an 18-wheeler produced a spark that caused the blaze.

The fire is being called the "Bearing Fire" and is reportedly one of the largest wildfires ever in East Texas, according to the National Forest Service.

We'll keep following this story and bring you the latest updates on Eyewitness News and abc13.com.

If you can see the fire and can snap cell phone videos or photos without putting yourself in harm's way, please email them to us at news@abc13.com or upload them on our iWitness Reports page.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Gas leak in Mt. Belvieu prompts shelter in place order

  MONT BELVIEU, TX (KTRK) -- A shelter in place order is in effect for parts of Mont Belvieu after a gas leak.

According to the CAER line, there is a natural gas leak in the 9600 block of Eagle Drive in Mont Belvieu. Barbers Hill ISD is sheltering in place as a precaution. No injuries have been reported.

We'll keep you posted on any new developments.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

local

View the original article here

Fight prompts changes at DeKaney High School

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- More than a week after a massive brawl at DeKaney High School, the Spring ISD school is announcing police changes.

This was no five-minute fight. It was a brawl that lasted more than half an hour. Parents we talked to on Friday night welcomed changes in how the school is run. It was student cell phone video of the brawl that unnerved some parents. "It scared me, it scared me," one parent said. "Really bad, really bad," Dekaney High School parent Randy Caraway said. The principal at the high school is now making changes after Thursday's brawl, which lasted 40 minutes, left blood on the floor and two students transported to the hospital. Students say they've already noticed a change. "It's pretty common but like, after it happened, it doesn't happen anymore," Dekaney High School student Rodniqua Gould said. An investigation into the bloody brawl by the administration and Spring ISD district police revealed they had too many students in the downstairs hallway at once, and when one student punched another, it sparked multiple fights. "I really believe it was just a one-time deal. Someone got out of hand, some knucklehead and with friends around, you know everything, it all happened," Caraway said. In a statement released to parents, principal Delie Loyde says, "I am adjusting schedules for when students transition to control the number of students in the hallway during the school day. In addition, I am increasing adult supervision throughout the hallway during transitions." Parents are welcoming the new policy and hope the brawls are behind them. "The more people we have, the more adults we have in the classrooms and in the halls, we'll make it better," Caraway said. In all, 19 students were suspended or sent to an alternative school. One of those students was arrested by police for refusing to obey an officer. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
Get more Local »

spring, local, erik barajas

View the original article here

Valero outage prompts new shelter-in-place order

  TEXAS CITY, TX (KTRK) -- Texas City police confirm a new shelter-in-place has been issued around the Valero plant after a power outage. Just hours earlier, Texas City residents were being asked to shelter-in-place as a precaution after the entire BP plant lost power.

Texas City police said the new order was issued around 5:30am. The Texas City Office of Emergency has confirmed that Texas City ISD has canceled classes today due to the power outages.

As for the first power loss and shelter-in-place, BP officials tell us their Texas City refinery and chemical plant lost power around 10:55pm. The site immediately called the city and declared a Level 3 emergency. The city had called for a shelter-in-place for its residents, which was lifted at around 3am.

BP decided to burn off excess material when the refinery lost power. It's still not clear what caused the power loss.

According to BP officials, there was a small fire on one of the pipestills right after the electrical incident occurred. BP's fire department responded and quickly extinguished the fire.

Plant officials don't know why the plant lost its power, but it did shut down every unit, Texas City Spokesman George Fuller said. Meanwhile, heavy flares shot into the sky for a burn off.

No evacuations were ordered for nearby residents. There are no reported injuries at this time. The site has also initiated environmental monitoring in areas around the refinery and has shared results with city leaders on an ongoing basis. The cause of the incident remains under review. There were no injuries reported. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

View the original article here

Acid spill prompts evacuation in West University

 SkyEye HD was over the acid spill in West University Thursday morning.

  WEST UNIVERSITY, TX (KTRK) -- Residents who live near a pool in West University were evacuated from their homes this morning because of an acid spill.

According to West U. police, muriatic acid, which is used in pool maintenance, spilled at the pool at 4130 Byron Street at Colonial Park shortly after 8am. By 10am, they decided to evacuate homes within a one-block radius as a precaution.

At this point, it's not clear how many residents were affected.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

View the original article here

Seizure prompts car accident en route to hospital

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Police say a woman driving her mother to the hospital for surgery suffered a seizure and crashed into a tree in west Houston.

The accident happened at about 5am near the intersection of Richmond and Dairy Ashford. It took rescue crews about 30 minutes to free the driver from the wreckage.

She was air-lifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital in serious condition. Her mother was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) 

View the original article here