Kevin O’Connor Kommentary March 23

17 Year Old Arrested For Gunfire At A College Station Apartment Complex

College Station police arrest a 17 year old on a charge of firing multiple shots outside his apartment Sunday at 2:30 in the morning. The CSPD arrest report says one round entered another apartment, going through a child’s bedroom and a second bedroom occupied by an elderly resident. No one was injured. Devontae Franklin, who CSPD says is a gang member, was arrested for deadly conduct. He was jailed in lieu of a $250,000 dollar bond. CSPD officers responded to The Vibe apartment complex at Harvey Road and George Bush East following several 9-1-1 calls reporting gunfire. Franklin’s arrest report also noted an officer conducting a traffic stop nine blocks away also heard gunfire. A post on CSPD’s Facebook page said detectives executed a search warrant with the assistance of CSPD’s SWAT unit and the Bryan police department’s directed deployment team. At the time of Franklin’s latest arrest, he was out of jail on a $40,000 dollar bond following his arrest October 23rd by CSPD for evidence tampering. News release from the College Station police department: 🚨 Suspect Arrested in Gang-Related Shooting at The Vibe Apartments 🚨 On November 24th, 2024, at approximately 2:30 AM, College Station Police responded to a series of gunshots heard near The Vibe Apartments, located at 401 Harvey Rd. Thanks to multiple 911 calls and a quick response by officers, investigators were able to identify 17-year-old Devontae Marquis Franklin of College Station as the suspect involved in the shooting. Franklin has been charged with Deadly Conduct and is currently being held at the Brazos County Jail on a $250,000 bond. This arrest comes just weeks after his previous arrest on October 23rd for Tampering/Fabricating Physical Evidence, for which he was released on November 5th. During the investigation, witnesses came forward, and officers discovered a bullet hole that traveled from Franklin’s residence through a nearby juvenile’s bedroom and into an elderly family member’s room—demonstrating the dangerous consequences of this reckless act. This case is still under investigation, and the College Station Police Department remains committed to holding those responsible for acts of violence accountable and ensuring the safety of our community. We appreciate the cooperation of the public and urge anyone with additional information to come forward. Stay safe and look out for each other. Original story: College Station police reveals Tuesday morning (November 26) there was gunfire Sunday at 2:30 in the morning at an apartment complex. CSPD’s Facebook post does not say if anyone or anything was struck from an undisclosed number of shots fired at The Vibe complex at Harvey Road and George Bush East. After the gunfire at a time that was not disclosed, CSPD detectives executed a search warrant with the assistance of CSPD’s SWAT and the Bryan police department’s directed deployment team. One person was taken into custody and three others were detained. No names or charged were disclosed, and there were no details if there were issues regarding the search.

Bryan Woman Serves Up 36th Annual Community Thanksgiving Meal

In 1988, Gloria Kennard decided she needed to host a Thanksgiving meal for those in need. With the help of area churches, local businesses, and community members, the free community meal is still going strong 36 years later. “I’m doing it in love because we are supposed to help one another,” says Kennard. Kennard, whose team will start setting up Wednesday morning, expects to serve 1,500 plates this year. “It’s a lot of work, this Thanksgiving meal, but it is all to help others,” says Kennard. Thursday’s meal is from 12-4 p.m. at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Bryan, Texas. Listen to “Bryan Woman Serves Up 36th Annual Community Thanksgiving Meal” on Spreaker.

Interlocal Agreement Needed For Brazos County To Donate Dead Trees

It takes an interlocal agreement (ILA) for Brazos County commissioners to donate 75 dead cedar trees from the Boonville Cemetery and Heritage Park. Commissioner Steve Aldrich and the county’s general counsel, Bruce Erratt, brought up during the November 19th meeting, the donation of the dead trees to the Texas Historical Commission. The ILA says what are officially known as timbers will be used in the renovation of the state historic site. The county’s chief of staff, Ed Bull, also noted the work of the county’s longtime landscape manager, Pam Beltrand, who retired in October. The timbers are at least four inches in diameter and not more than 16 feet in length. Click HERE to read and download the interlocal agreement that was approved at the November 19, 2024 Brazos County commission meeting. Click below to hear comments from the November 19, 2024 Brazos County commission meeting.