Clark Palmer

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Photo: David Bowers Facebook

David Bowers announced yesterday he is again running to be Roanoke’s mayor, this time as a Republican. Bowers, who has served four terms as the star city’s mayor- three as a democrat- joins Democratic Vice Mayor Joe Cobb, and Independent city council woman Stephanie Moon Reynolds as current mayoral candidates. Bowers tells the Roanoke Times he will discuss his candidacy during a press conference at his law office on Church Avenue in downtown Roanoke today at 2:30 pm.

Stephen Karl Johnson

A Roanoke man, whose online threats posted this week to a Snapchat group used by students at Patrick Henry High School caused public schools in Roanoke to close Thursday, was arrested on a federal criminal complaint.

Stephen Karl Johnson, 35, was arrestedThursday after an investigation by the City of Roanoke Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Johnson was federally charged with one count of communicating in interstate commerce a threat to injure another person.

“This defendant caused fear and emotional distress to the parents and students of the Roanoke City Public School system and for those actions he has been justly charged,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “If anyone communicates a threat to our schools, our public servants, or our public institutions in the Western District of Virginia, we will seek to hold them accountable under federal law. I am grateful to Chief Booth, the Roanoke City Police Department, and the FBI for their diligence in bringing a peaceful end to this situation.”

“The FBI will vigorously investigate and bring to justice those individuals who threaten to do harm to our communities,” said Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division. “We will continue working with our local law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe.”

According to court documents, on the evening of February 21, 2024, several threatening messages were posted to a Snapchat group used by Patrick Henry High School students. Those messages included but were not limited to:

“Im done bro fr on some real sh** I’m pulling up to school with a ak and any kid I see that’s in my sight I shooting fr.”

In order to join the Snapchat group reserved for Patrick Henry High School students, users must register with a Gmail addresses. Investigators were able to trace the threatening messages to a Gmail address used by the defendant.

The FBI and the City of Roanoke Police Department are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Brett is prosecuting the case.

Alexis Parker

Update: Alexis Parker has been located. She is safe and has been returned to her family.

 

Previous The Bedford County Sheriff’s Office is requesting assistance in locating a missing 15 year old juvenile. Alexis Parker left her home on Falling Creek Road in Bedford County around 10:45pm on 1-2-2024. Alexis Parker is a white female who is 5ft 3in tall. She is approximately 130 pounds. She has brown hair and blue eyes. She normally wears earrings that are of a cow skull and arrow design. She was last seen wearing grey sweatpants and a jacket (unknown color). She may be wearing Crocs or cowboy boots. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office at 540-586-7827 or Central Virginia Crime Stoppers at 1-888-798-5900 or enter your tip online at https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com

Photo: WFIR/Ian Price

A community organizer in Roanoke believes future US aid to Israel should come with specific conditions tied to humanitarian concerns. During a protest in downtown Roanoke, Rafeeq McNamara with Occupy Roanoke for Palestinians, says the US is hurting its reputation on the world stage by helping Israel’s operation in Gaza. McNamara says in no way does he condone the Hamas militant group’s attack that killed more than 1,000 Israelis on October 7th. WFIR’s Clark Palmer has more:

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