As we hope for another snow day on Tuesday, here are this week’s KICs. Stories include a baby gorilla on a flight, the rising death toll in LA, a fatal stabbing, and two teens found dead in Clayton County after an argument.
World – Baby gorilla found on Turkish flight is in recovery
Five-month-old baby gorilla Zeytin has been in recovery at a zoo in Istanbul. In the past few weeks he has gained weight, and is showing positive improvements from his traumatic experience.
Last month he was found being illegally transported to Thailand from Nigeria. He was in a box in the cargo hold of a Turkish flight. Officials have found many illegal animals being transported through Istanbul airports.
Both Eastern and Western gorilla species in central Africa have been classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Zeytin has been on the right track and hopefully will be returned to his natural habitat soon.
National – Death toll rises to 24 in LA fires
On Sunday, firefighters in Los Angeles scrambled to make progress against the wildfires that have destroyed thousands of homes and killed 24 people. The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for severe fire conditions through Wednesday, with winds of 50 mph and gusts in the mountains reaching 70 mph.
According to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, 12 people were missing within the Eaton fire zone and four from the Palisades fire. The death toll eventually rose to 24 over the weekend, with eight of the deaths being from the Palisades and 16 from the Eaton zone. Officials also warned that the fire ash can contain lead, arsenic, asbestos, and other harmful materials.
About 150,000 people in Los Angeles remained under evacuation order with more than 700 taking refuge in shelters. The fires that began on January 7 north of downtown LA have burned over 12,000 structures.
State – Deputies say man arrested hours after fatal stabbing
Brian Moree is currently the main suspect for the stabbing of a young woman in Whitfield County on Monday night. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
Hours after the incident, investigators found Moree in the woods. Moree is currently being held in the county jail. The motive for her stabbing is unknown.
Sheriff Darren Pierce emphasized the importance of teamwork in apprehending the suspect. Collaboration allowed law enforcement to identify the offender, secure arrest warrants, and track down Moree.
Local – Two teens found dead following argument
On Wednesday night, two teens were found shot and killed in Clayton County. Police estimate that the shooting happened around 9 p.m. on Trammel Road, near Clayton State University.
After investigating, examiners found there was a group of four. They assumed that there was a fight within the group and one pulled out a weapon. One of the group members then proceeded to shoot and kill two victims.
Police say that the two surviving teens fled the scene. Investigators and Clayton County Police do not know the ages or identities of the teens who fled the scene.