Fugitive who set self, deputies on fire dies in jail
A man who lit himself on fire and burned two U.S. marshals died at a jail infirmary, authorities said.
Moustapha El Bechir, 28, was a fugitive in a rape case in December when marshals deputies knocked on the door to his home in Northwest Washington. El Bechir doused himself with a flammable liquid, and as deputies attempted to take him into custody, he lit a fire, causing an explosion that caught a deputy on fire, authorities said. Her partner helped put out the flames with his bare hands, burning himself, officials said.
El Bechir died Friday at a D.C. Department of Corrections infirmary.
Appeals court OKs chalking ban outside White House
A federal appeals court has upheld a ban on chalking outside the White House.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled Tuesday that the District’s defacement statute — which bans defiling property — is constitutional. The Rev. Patrick Mahoney challenged the law after he was told to stop scribbling with sidewalk chalk outside the White House gates in an abortion demonstration. Mahoney argued his First Amendment rights were violated.
$26k reward offered in Chili’s robbery
A $26,000 reward is being offered for anyone who provides information that leads to the culprits in an armed robbery of a Montgomery County Chili’s restaurant.
The robbery happened May 26 about 11:40 p.m. Two men — one armed with a revolver, the other with a long gun — ordered store employees into the kitchen freezer, made a manager open a safe, then forced the manager into the freezer.
The men assaulted two employees with a hammer, police said.
– Emily Babay
