Suspect Apprehended in Killing of Benedict College Instructor
The suspect in the killing of a Benedict College instructor is in custody in Daytona Beach, Florida, The State reported.
Ronald Harper Jr., 22, is accused of shooting Randall Brown, 34, in the head and then stealing Brown’s Jeep Laredo. Harper then drove to Daytona Beach with a friend for spring break.
Harper led Daytona Beach Police on a high speed chase down Interstate 95. He lost control of the jeep and crashed into a wooded area. Harper was eventually found hiding in a "swampy area" according to Daytona Beach police Chief Mike Chitwood.
Brown’s body was found in Northeast Columbia on Brickyard Road. His body was found around 3:20 a.m. on Sunday.
Brown was pronounced dead at the scene from complications of a gun shot wound, Richland County coroner Gary Watts said. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott called the shooting a carjacking-homicide.
Harper later confessed to the shooting. Lott is working with Daytona Beach officers to get Harper back to South Carolina.
—Kevin Smarr, Asst. News Editor
Sea Lion Demand High, Supply Low
Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is opening a new sea lion exhibit. That exhibit, opening late in 2016, could open without sea lions, according to The State.
There are currently 492 sea lions in captivity in zoos and aquariums in the U.S., 308 of which were born in captivity. A recent increase in stranded sea lions in California may mean additional sea lions for zoos, but release is very strictly controlled.
The reproduction of captive sea lions cannot keep up with the high demand needed. But the staff at the Riverbanks zoo saw this challenge coming.
The list of facilities may be long, but the Riverbanks Zoo is optimistic that there will be sea lions in the exhibit when it opens in 2016.
— Kevin Smarr, Asst. News Editor