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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
“Modo et modo
non habebant modum.” (By and by never comes.) -- ST. AUGUSTINE (A.D. 354-A.D. 430)
www.thewestfieldnews.com FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2015
VOL. 84 NO. 178
CHATTANOOGA SHOOTING
Whitney Field playscape dedicated to memory of Jose Torres
An FBI investigator investigates the scene of a shooting outside a military recruiting center on Friday, July 17, 2015, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez of Hixson, Tenn., attacked two military facilities on Thursday, in a shooting rampage that killed four Marines. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Tennessee gunman attended college, wrestled, was outgoing By LUCAS L. JOHNSON and KATHLEEN FOODY Associated Press CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — Investigators are trying to figure out why a 24-year-old Kuwait-born man, who by accounts lived a typical life in suburban America, attacked two military facilities in a shooting rampage that killed four Marines. Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez of Hixson, Tennessee, had not been on the radar of federal authorities until the bloodshed and authorities said they were still searching for a motive. Abdulazeez was killed by police. Federal authorities were looking into the possibility it was an act of terrorism, but say there is no evidence yet that anyone else was involved — or that the public is in any danger. A federal law enforcement official said Friday that authorities were continuing a search of his computer, but had not found an extensive online presence and had not uncovered evidence suggesting he was directly inspired by the Islamic State. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak publicly since the investigation was still ongoing. Officials have said they do not know why the shooter targeted the facilities and have not said what weapons he used. Even the exact spelling of his first name was not clear: Federal authorities and records gave at least four variations. Residents in the quiet neighborhood where he is believed to have lived said they didn't know him or his family well. Hussnain Javid, a 21-year-old
MUHAMMAD YOUSSEF ABDULAZEEZ senior at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, said Abdulazeez studied electrical engineering at the same college. They both graduated from Red Bank High School in Chattanooga several years apart. Javid said Abdulazeez was on the high school's wrestling team and was a popular student. The Tennessee Valley Authority confirmed Abdulazeez had been an intern at the public utility a few years ago. "He was very outgoing," Javid said. "Everyone knew of him." Javid said he occasionally saw Abdulazeez at the Islamic Society of Greater Chattanooga, but the last time was roughly a year ago. In April, he was arrested on a first offense drunken driving charge. The status of that case wasn't immediately clear. The shootings took place minutes apart, with the gunman stopping his car and spraying dozens of bullets first at a recruiting center for all branches of the military, then driv-
ing to a Navy-Marine training center 7 miles away, authorities and witnesses said. The attacks were over within a half-hour. In addition to the Marines killed, three people were reported wounded, including a sailor who was seriously hurt. "Lives have been lost from some faithful people who have been serving our country, and I think I join all Tennesseans in being both sickened and saddened by this," Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam said. A U.S. official said there was no indication Abdulazeez was on the radar of federal law enforcement before the shootings. The official was not authorized to discuss the case and spoke on condition of anonymity. Authorities would not say publicly how the gunman died, but the U.S. official said investigators believe Chattanooga police fired the shot that killed him. At least one military commander at the scene also fired at the gunman with his personal weapon, but forensic investigators determined that police killed him, the official said. FBI agent Ed Reinhold said Abdulazeez had "numerous weapons" but would not give details. He said investigators have "no idea" what motivated the shooter, but "we are looking at every possible avenue, whether it was terrorism, whether it's domestic, international, or whether it was a simple criminal act." Reinhold also told a news conference late Thursday that "there is no indication at this point that anybody else was involved." Within hours of the bloodshed, See Shooting, Page 8
Huntington man denies animal cruelty charge By REBECCA EVERETT @GazetteRebecca Daily Hampshire Gazette NORTHAMPTON — A 32-year-old Huntington man accused of shooting his dog while drunk pleaded not guilty Thursday to a charge of animal cruelty in Northampton District Court. Cobey J. Krupa, of 18 Laurel St., shot his dog March 26 in an attempt to kill it after his grandfather told him he could only move in if he stopped drinking and got rid of his 4-year-old German Shepherd, according to charges filed by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Law Enforcement. Krupa’s grandfather, Charles Pierce of 6 Thomas Road, wrote in a statement that the dog was badly injured by the gun-
shot, so he took the gun and killed it “to end the dog’s suffering.” MSCPA Law Enforcement Sgt. Roy Sutton wrote in court documents that he received an anonymous tip March 30 that Krupa had shot his dog and felt badly about it. Sutton interviewed Pierce, who said that on March 26 his grandson showed up at his home drunk with the dog, which Pierce thought had a broken leg, and asked to move in. Pierce said he could not live there if he drank alcohol or with the dog, according to court documents. After talking a while longer, Krupa asked to borrow Pierce’s shotgun and Pierce complied. Krupa then went outside and shot the dog, Pierce said. Pierce told Sutton he then shot the injured dog and buried it in his yard.
75 cents
Krupa’s grandmother, whose name was not included in court documents, told Sutton she tried to stop her grandson from shooting the dog, but was unsuccessful. After the clerk magistrate found probable cause April 16 for the charge of animal cruelty, Krupa was summoned to court, but he failed to appear for his arraignment May 1 and a warrant was issued for his arrest. A note in his file said he had been committed to an unknown treatment facility but would be released in early May. According to court documents, Krupa appeared in court Thursday and was released on personal recognizance. He is due back in court June 12. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of seven years in state prison.
By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – Plans for new playground equipment in Whitney Field are close to being realized, thanks to the efforts of Wil Rodriguez, president of the Westfield Spanish American Association, Inc. and Westfield’s Community Development Block Grant Coordinator, Diana McLean. Rodriguez approached McLean in December, looking for some new equipment for the park in the mostly Hispanic neighborhood to be considered in next year’s Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). “The swings have been needing to be replaced for a long time,” Rodriguez said. “The swings that are there are the ones I played on when I was a kid.” Rodriguez said that McLean asked him about the need, and for a story. Rodriguez JOSE TORRES thought of Jose Torres, a relative and friend with whom he played softball and football at the park when they were young. He said Torres was all about his family and the community, and he decided to request the project be built in his memory. “We know him as Jose Torres, and not Officer Jose Torres,” Rodriguez said, explaining that is how they want him to be memorialized on a plaque in the park. His request came at the right time. “There was leftover money that was supposed to be for the Business Improvement District (BID), but since it was dissolved, it freed up funds,” McLean said. McLean said that a CDBG grant for $50,000 for the playscape is in process, having received conditional approval in See Dedicated, Page 3
Museum group seeks new airport site By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Officials of the Pioneer Valley Military & Transportation Museum are seeking approval of the Westfield Airport Commission to move from eight acres of land the group is now leasing to about three acres of property. PVMTM Treasurer Paul E. Dion, Jr., said the land flip is advantageous to both the city and his group because the eight acres of land at 20 Airport Road, now under a long-term lease to the museum group, has a far greater commercial value than the property the group is seeking to lease – property that the city could market. The advantage to the museum group, Dion said, is that the new property contains a building, Hangar #3, that would enable the museum group to launch a viable museum. The site, which is slightly less than three acres, is currently under lease to Westfield Aviation LLC. The PVMTM proposes that it purchase that lease. “The new site allows us to get started right away,” Dion said. “We would be up and running very soon and, under the terms of the lease, would have to give the city 10 percent of our revenue. We would also need some additional parking.” See PVMTM, Page 8
Commission sets dam discussion By DAN MORIARTY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The Flood Control Commission will meet with federal regulators to discuss the rehabilitation of the city’s two flood control dams and funding available for that work. Commission Chairman Albert G. Giguere said Wednesday night that he plans to slate a meeting with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) a division of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to discuss a grant program that provides assistance to communities to repair and upgrade flood-control structures. The NRCS and the state Department of Recreation and Conservation (DRC) inspected the city’s Powdermill Dam and the Arm Brook Dam, both built by the Army Corps of Engineers following the Flood of 1955. The issue is that the design life of the two structures was 50 years. Both of the earthen structures are considered high hazard dams. The federal and state inspectors determined that “both Reservoirs/Dams now require complete rehabilitation, due to their age and condition, Giguere said. “Structurally, neither See Discussion, Page 3