Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Tensions Over Masks, Social Distancing Lead To Violent Altercations, Shooting Death, Pipe Bomb Threats
In the bustling college town of Stillwater, Okla., residents are allowed to visit restaurants and retailers 鈥 freedoms that most of the country does not currently enjoy in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet when the city issued an emergency proclamation Friday that required citizens to wear face coverings, store employees were 鈥渢hreatened with physical violence and showered with verbal abuse,鈥 according to a statement released by the city. In response, Stillwater quickly amended its wording to only 鈥渆ncourage鈥 use of masks. (McCollough, 5/4)
A Family Dollar store security guard was fatally shot in Flint, Mich., on Friday after telling a customer her child had to wear a face mask to enter the store, the prosecutor鈥檚 office said. The argument began when the security guard, Calvin Munerlyn, 43, told Sharmel Lashe Teague, 45, that customers needed to wear face masks in the store, Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said at a news conference Monday. She yelled at him, spit on him and drove off, Leyton said. About 20 minutes later, her car returned to the store, and her husband and her son, Larry Edward Teague, 44, and Ramonyea Travon Bishop, 23, stepped out and confronted Munerlyn, according to investigators who spoke to witnesses in the store and reviewed surveillance video. Bishop pulled out a gun and shot Munerlyn, Leyton said. (Kornfield, 5/4)
"From all indications, Mr. Munerlyn was simply doing his job in upholding the Governor's Executive Order related to the COVID-19 pandemic for the safety of store employees and customers," Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said in the statement. Munerlyn got into a verbal altercation with Sharmel Teague after telling Teague's daughter she needed a mask, according to the prosecutor's office. Surveillance video confirms the incident, Leyton said. Sharmel Teague's daughter left the store, but "Teague began yelling at Munerlyn who then told her to leave the store and instructed a cashier not to serve her," the prosecutor's office said. (Snyder, Alsharif and Waldrop, 5/4)
But there's dramatic evidence of rising tension after weeks of restrictions to halt the virus' spread 鈥 including a Colorado man planning to attend a protest of "stay at home" orders who was arrested after police found pipe bombs at his home. Authorities said the pipe bombs were found inside the home of 53-year-old Bradley Bunn, who was arrested by the FBI on Friday. Sources told CBS News that Bunn encouraged demonstrators to bring firearms to a May Day protest. (Shamlian, 5/4)
The number of April background checks to purchase a firearm showed Americans flocking to gun stores in high numbers for the second month in a row amid worries about the coronavirus pandemic. The FBI numbers were released Monday with anticipation since March smashed previous records with 3.7 million checks conducted. While the numbers leveled off a bit to about 2.9 million checks for last month, one week 鈥 April 13-19 鈥 is now among the top 10 highest weeks since the system was tracked in November 1998. That week in April alone, the FBI conducted 766,739 checks. (Pane, 5/5)
Photos of a man wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood while shopping Saturday prompted a harsh rebuke from local leaders in San Diego County, and police now say they鈥檙e looking into the unsettling imagery. The incident took place one day after health officials in the county ordered residents to wear face coverings in public to stymie the spread of covid-19. (Brice-Saddler, 5/4)
A Republican Ohio state representative cited his religious beliefs to explain why he would not wear a mask as recommended by Gov. Mike DeWine (R) to help limit the spread of the novel coronavirus. 鈥淭his is not the entire world,鈥 state Rep. Nino Vitale wrote in a lengthy Facebook post on Monday morning. 鈥淭his is the greatest nation on earth founded on Judeo-Christian Principles.鈥 (Folley, 5/4)
Austin police have arrested a man who allegedly pushed a park ranger into a lake. The incident occurred on Thursday at Commons Ford, a public park that is home to Lake Austin, and was captured on a video posted on social media. In the video, a park ranger is seen standing near the lake's edge telling a crowd of people to stand six feet apart when a man pushes the ranger into the water and falls in himself. (Ghebremedhin, Parrish and Deliso, 5/4)
Starting Wednesday, anyone in Massachusetts who is out in public and can鈥檛 safely distance themselves from others will be required to wear a face covering to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. People who do not comply could be fined up to $300. (Reiss, 5/4)