The New York Police Police Department is under fire following the arrest of a Black army vet for carrying a firearm. The veteran says he’s licensed to carry. Now, he demands to know what was really the issue.

Raffique Khan, retired U.S. Army member and Purple Heart veteran, says he was sitting in the car outside a family member’s house with a friend the evening of November 26, 2023, when an unmarked police car passed them. After driving off, the same vehicle pulled them over and several plain clothes officers emerged.

Khan alleges he notified the officers that he had a weapon in his glove box and that its registration was in his sun visor. However, Khan claims the cops weren’t tryna hear it and ordered him to step out of the car.

While searching his vehicle, Khan claims they asked him, “How did you get this?” in reference to his military identification. He said they also confiscated his weapon before taking him down to the station where they booked him on charges of criminal possession of a weapon and possession of pistol ammunition. Khan claims he was never told what he was being charged with despite asking multiple times. The complaint says he was released from custody the following day after going in front of a judge.

At his next hearing, Khan claimed the District Attorney verified he had a weapons permit and the charges were dismissed later in February. Now, he wants justice for simply exercising his Second Amendment rights.

Khan’s lawsuit named the NYPD, city of New York, Mayor Eric Adams and several police officials as defendants. The suit alleges he was racially discriminated against, wrongfully arrested and denied his right to bear arms. One defendant’s attorney responded to the complaint denying the allegations and argued that Khan was only authorized to carry his firearm at work, via court records. However, Khan is registered in the NYPD database to carry and his certification was completed in April 2023, per court documents.

Attorney Cory Morris tells The Root another claim in the suit has to do with the return of Khan’a firearm, which, according to court documents, took months despite Khan’s charges being dropped.

“My client was forced to jump through several hoops and could never get his property back from the New York City Police Department. After several demands, I filed a lawsuit and two orders to show cause that resulted in the return of his property,” said Morris.

When Khan was finally was able to get his firearm back, Morris said the piece was damaged and had suspicious number engravings. Morris tells The Root Khan will join him in front of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn for a follow-up hearing on July 11th.

“To be honest, I’m disappointed. I never thought I would serve and come home to be treated in this manner. I love my country. I wasn’t born here but what better way to pay your country than to serve. I did it honorably,” Khan told The New York Daily News.

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) — Minnesota Vikings rookie cornerback Khyree Jackson and two of his former high school teammates were killed in an early morning car crash Saturday in Maryland, police and the team said.

Jackson, 24, and Isaiah Hazel died at the scene, while Anthony Lytton, Jr., was pronounced dead at a hospital after the three-car crash in Prince George’s County, according to Maryland State Police. Lytton was 24 and Hazel was 23.

The three were in the same vehicle just after 3 a.m. when it was struck by another vehicle that was speeding and changing lanes, police said.

The Vikings released a statement saying the team spoke to Jackson’s family, and is “devastated by the news.”

“I am heartbroken by the loss of Khyree,” Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said. “As we got to know him throughout the pre-draft process, it was clear the goals Khyree wanted to accomplish both professionally and personally. His story was one of resilience. He was taking steps to become the best version of himself not just for him, but for those who cared about and looked up to him.”

Jackson was a fourth-round draft pick by the Vikings in April. He played two years at Alabama before finishing his college career with one season at Oregon.

Jackson was in the running to earn a starting cornerback job at the team’s training camp, which opens later this month in Eagan, Minnesota.

“I am absolutely crushed by this news,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said. “Khyree brought a contagious energy to our facility and our team. His confidence and engaging personality immediately drew his teammates to him.”

Hazel played college football at Maryland and Charlotte, and Lytton played at Florida State and Penn State.

The three won a state championship together at Maryland’s Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School, which paid tribute to them in a social media post.

Hazel was driving, and Jackson and Lytton were passengers in a Dodge Charger, which veered off the road after being hit and struck multiple tree stumps, police said.

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Investigators believe the driver of a second vehicle traveling north attempted to change lanes “at a high rate of speed” when it collided with the car driven by Hazel and a third vehicle.

Nobody was injured in the second or third vehicles.

Investigators say alcohol might have been a contributing factor in the crash and charges could be coming.

Jackson was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection by The Associated Press last season after tying for second in the conference with three interceptions. His college career began in junior college in 2019.

“RIP Khyree… Love you,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning posted on social media. “At a loss for words. I will miss your smile. Great player, better person.”

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In a series of now-deleted posts on social media, rapper and internet personality Bhad Bhabie, whose real name is Danielle Bregoli, shared disturbing photos and videos alleging abuse by her estranged boyfriend, Le Vaughn, also known as LV. The posts included shocking images and security camera footage purportedly capturing incidents of abuse.

In one of her Instagram story posts, Bhad Bhabie claimed that LV, who is also the father of her child, is currently seeking custody of their daughter. This revelation has added a layer of complexity and concern to the situation, as fans and followers express their worry over the welfare of the young child involved.

The security camera footage shared by Bhad Bhabie, which has since been removed, allegedly depicts violent interactions between the couple. These videos have sparked a wave of reactions online, with many urging Bhad Bhabie to seek legal protection and assistance.

While Bhad Bhabie has yet to provide further details or make a formal statement regarding the incidents, the posts have already ignited a conversation about domestic abuse and the importance of safety and support for victims.

As of now, representatives for Bhad Bhabie and Le Vaughn have not commented on the allegations. The situation remains fluid, and more updates are expected as further details emerge.

For those who wish to watch the security camera footage, please be aware that the content is graphic and may be disturbing to some viewers.

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Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, celebrated the induction of three distinguished individuals into its sorority this weekend as Honorary Members during its 71st Boule in Dallas. Among these notable figures is 2x Emmy Award-Winning Journalist, Tamron Hall.

Tamron Hall is an American broadcast journalist, television talk show host, and author. In September 2019, Hall debuted her self-titled syndicated daytime talk show, which has earned her two Daytime Emmy Awards. Prior to her talk show success, Hall was a national news correspondent for NBC News, a daytime anchor for MSNBC, the host of MSNBC Live with Tamron Hall, and a co-host of Today’s Take, the third hour of Today.

In addition to her roles on NBC and MSNBC, Hall hosts Deadline: Crime on the Investigation Discovery channel. In the summer of 2016, Investigation Discovery premiered the TV special Guns on Campus: Tamron Hall Investigates, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the tower shooting at the University of Texas at Austin.

Hall is also a published author. Her debut novel, As the Wicked Watch, was first published on October 26, 2021, with a 100,000 copy first printing. It is the first book in her “Jordan Manning” mystery series. On March 12, 2024, Hall’s second novel in the series, Watch Where They Hide, was released, further establishing her as a versatile and accomplished writer.

The sorority made the announcement to the public via social media with the following graphic.

Hall’s induction into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority as an Honorary Member highlights her outstanding contributions to journalism and her influence as a prominent television personality and author. Her achievements and dedication to her craft align with the sorority’s values of excellence and leadership.

If you’re still wondering about the presence of good male artists in the R&B space following Usher’s Lifetime Achievement Awards tribute at the 2024 BET Awards, look no further than TGT frontrunner and Grammy-nominated artist Tank.

Lighting up the stage at Caesar’s SuperDome alongside fellow group members Tyrese and Ginuwine on night two of the 2024 ESSENCE Festival of Culture, the “Can’t Let It Show” artist performed a medley of his own solo hits like “Please Don’t Go,” “When We,” and “Maybe I Deserve.” Interspersed throughout were songs from the trio’s Grammy-nominated album “Three Kings” as well as solo hits from the aforementioned other members.

The talent and endurance of the artists — especially Tank — were the highlights of Saturday’s hour-long set. With Tyrese noticeably under the weather and Ginuwine still sounding pretty decent (no shade!), it was clear to see that Tank stood out as the hype man, the one with the most crisp vocals and the one ladies in particular really, really wanted to see (The minute he took his shirt off, almost half of the crowd lost their minds. But that’s par for the course.)

Unlike last year, when most of the musical acts featured at the festival arguably catered to a younger audience with headliners like Megan Thee Stallion, ESSENCE brought things back to the root of all good music this year: R&B.

Speaking to The Root ahead of his performance alongside his R&B Money podcast host J. Valentine, Tank expressed how excited he was about returning time and time again to the ESSENCE stage and being back in New Orleans with his “brothers” Tyrese and Ginuwine.

Tank also spoke about the ongoing online discourse about the purported lack of male R&B artists in the current landscape and assured folks that while there isn’t a current prince or princess of R&B (because we all know Usher still holds the top spot as the King), the genre isn’t short on talent, male or female.

“It’s a lot of them [out here], you’ve got Lucky Daye, Kenyon Dixon, you’ve got SZA, Coco Jones — Victoria Monet is going crazy. It’s so many of them, we aren’t short of talent in the R&B space,” Tank explained, while also giving a shoutout to Eric Bellinger.

“We have a board of R&B icons. Because you’ve got to think: at a time when R. Kelly was doing what he’s doing—it was just him. You couldn’t scratch that. When Michael Jackson was doing what he was doing, it was just him — you couldn’t touch him.”

“I think we have a lot of talented people in the space,” added J. Valentine. “People always say ‘oh, there’s many kings, many queens.’ But I think it’s really tough to really crown someone unless you’re completely hovering over the space and nobody else can get it. So I think we just have R&B royalty.”

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — As President Joe Biden tries to revive his embattled reelection bid, Vice President Kamala Harris led a parade of Black Democrats who warned Saturday that the threat of another Donald Trump presidency remains the most important calculation ahead of November.

Yet in more than 20 minutes on stage at the Essence Festival of Culture, Harris did not acknowledge Biden’s dismal debate performance or calls for the 81-year-old president to end his reelection bid. In fact, she barely mentioned Biden at all — a stark contrast to the Congressional Black Caucus members who forcefully and repeatedly defended the president by name.

“This is probably the most significant election of our lifetime,” Harris said, before riffing on Trump musing about being a dictator, pushing the Supreme Court rightward and promising retribution on political enemies. “In 122 days, we each have the power to decide what kind of country we want to live in.”

Harris’s appearance at the nation’s largest annual celebration of Black culture underscores what a difficult task it is for the White House and campaign to navigate questions about the president’s aptitude. The dynamics are especially fraught for Harris, the first Black woman and person of south Asian descent to be elected vice president, and for the Black Democrats who were so instrumental in electing Biden and her in 2020.

On one hand, Harris fills the traditional role of loyal lieutenant, a job she did enthusiastically — and on the fly — in television appearances immediately after Biden’s lackluster debate ended. Yet should Biden ultimately decide to step aside as presumptive nominee, she would be among the favorites, if not the favorite, to carry the Democratic banner against Trump.

Black leaders and voters who gathered in New Orleans, meanwhile, walked the line Saturday between backing Biden and insisting that, if he does end his campaign, the party should elevate the barrier-breaking vice president rather than consider governors like Gavin Newsom of California or Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, both of whom are white.

“The purpose of a vice president is to be a No. 2, to be able to step in,” said Glynda Carr, who leads the Higher Heights political action organization that works to elect more Black women. “If this was an all-white male ticket, would we be talking about other people who have less experience, less qualifications?”

Antjuan Seawright, a Black Democratic consultant who is close to House Rep. Jim Clyburn, a Biden ally, put it more plainly. “Joe Biden isn’t going anywhere,” he said. But if he does, “anyone other than Kamala would be malpractice — and it would tear the party apart.”

Seawright argued that the pressure on Biden to step aside is coming from white Democrats or non-white minorities other than Black Democrats so far, at least publicly. He said that divide is mostly about Black voters’ trust in Biden and their recognition of his record. But he said it’s also about what’s good for the party as a whole, including Black politicians. Risking a contested convention, even one that nominates Harris, could ensure widespread losses, and in turn, make it less likely than ever to see Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries become Speaker or Harris or another Black woman sit in the Oval Office.

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., and her colleagues echoed some of those sentiments.

“People say Joe Biden’s too old. Hell, I’m older than Biden!” said the 85-year-old congresswoman. “It ain’t gonna be no other Democratic candidate, and we better know it.”

Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, played up the power Harris already holds.

“We got a Black vice president of the United States of America, a sister who came here to be with us today,” she said. “So, let’s not get it twisted. I know who I’m voting for. I’m with the Biden-Harris team, because we’re still going to have a sister in the White House fighting for us and making a difference.”

Waters said Biden’s support of Black communities and the contrast with Trump should be enough. She called the former president “a no-good, lying, despicable human being” with a white nationalist agenda. “Who the hell do you think he’s going to come after?” Waters asked, noting Trump’s support from groups like the Proud Boys. “You know he means business.”

In more than a dozen interviews with Essence attendees, opinions varied on Biden’s strength as a candidate and his abilities to serve another four years. But there was a clear consensus on several points: Only Biden can decide his fate; if he does step away, he should back Harris; and defeating Trump is the top priority.

“I’m with him, absolutely,” said Erica Peterson of New Orleans. “He’s delivered, and one debate is not going to change my mind. … And if it’s not Joe Biden, I’m with her.”

Star Robert, a 37-year-old nurse in New York City, said if there’s a shift, then Biden and Democrats could not credibly choose anyone other than Harris, given that the president, party and voters already chose her as second-in-line. Still, she was skeptical about Harris’s prospects.

“I’m not sure that she’s done enough to generate the trust of enough voters,” Robert said. “I don’t know if that’s all her fault, I just haven’t seen enough of her, we haven’t. I don’t know what her angle is.”

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Regardless, Robert added, “I’m not sure the country is ready for another Black president, and if we were ready for a woman, Hillary Clinton would have beaten the clown (Trump) the first time he ran.”

Harris, for her part, answered that kind of skepticism even as she studiously avoided the immediate campaign drama.

“Ambition is a good thing. We do not need to step quietly,” she said of being a woman of color in powerful circles. “People in your life will tell you it’s not your time. It’s not your turn. Nobody like you has done it before. … I like to say that I eat ‘no’ for breakfast.”

13

Multiple sources close to Margot Robbie and her husband Tom Ackerley have confirmed to People that the couple is expecting their first child. The news comes after Robbie was seen in Lake Como, Italy, sporting what appeared to be a baby bump.

The Barbie star, dressed in a white crop top, was photographed boarding a boat with Ackerley during their holiday. Despite the circulating rumors, neither Robbie nor Ackerley have made an official announcement regarding the pregnancy.

Robbie and Ackerley’s love story began in 2013 on the set of Suite Française, where Ackerley worked as an assistant director. Their friendship blossomed into romance, leading to their wedding in a private ceremony in Byron Bay, Australia, in December 2016.

In a rare interview with Vogue in June 2016, Robbie described her husband as “the best-looking guy in London” and opened up about their relationship. “I was the ultimate single gal. The idea of relationships made me want to vomit. And then this crept up on me. We were friends for so long. I was always in love with him, but I thought, Oh, he would never love me back. Don’t make it weird, Margot. Don’t be stupid and tell him that you like him,” she told Vogue. “And then it happened, and I was like, Of course we’re together. This makes so much sense, the way nothing has ever made sense before.”

The couple also shares a professional partnership. In 2014, Robbie, Ackerley, along with Robbie’s childhood friend Sophia Kerr and Josey McNamara, co-founded the production company LuckyChap Entertainment. The company has produced several successful films and television series, including I, Tonya, Birds of Prey, and the recent Barbie.

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Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, celebrated the induction of three distinguished individuals into its sorority this weekend as Honorary Members during its 71st Boule in Dallas. Among these notable figures is the New York Times best-selling author, Attica Locke.

Attica Locke is an acclaimed author of five novels, including Heaven, My Home, the sequel to the Edgar Award-winning Bluebird, Bluebird. Her other notable works include Pleasantville, which won the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was long-listed for the Bailey’s Prize for Women’s Fiction; The Cutting Season, winner of the Ernest Gaines Award for Literary Excellence; and her debut novel, Black Water Rising, which was nominated for an Edgar Award, an NAACP Image Award, and a Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and was short-listed for the Women’s Prize for Fiction.

Beyond her literary achievements, Locke is also a screenwriter and TV producer. She has contributed to popular series such as Empire, When They See Us, and the Emmy-nominated Little Fires Everywhere, for which she won an NAACP Image Award for television writing. Additionally, Locke co-created and executive produced the adaptation of her sister Tembi Locke’s memoir, From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home, for Netflix. This series became a top 10 hit in over 50 countries during its first weeks on air. Tembi Locke was also inducted as an Honorary Member of the sorority along with Attica Locke during this Boule.

The sorority made the public announcement with the following graphic via their social media channels.

Locke’s induction into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority as an Honorary Member underscores her remarkable contributions to literature and television, reflecting the sorority’s values of excellence and leadership.

An Atlanta homeless man who turned to Facebook for help is going viral as some people are wondering how someone with his looks could find themselves in such a bad situation and others are wondering if his post is more about getting famous than finding a place to live.

The man, who goes by Bigbossd Escobar, posted in a Facebook group called Atlanta Rooms for Rent about needing a place to stay after relocating from St. Louis four years ago. The man added that he was tired of living in the city’s shelters and asked for any leads on permanent housing.

“Rently lost My Home Just Need a place that is reasonable price so i can get back on My feet Tired of Sleeping in Atlanta Shelters Very Quit Person and Stay to my self,” he wrote in his June 30 post.

There’s no way he could have predicted how many people would respond to his post. But we’re sure Bigbossd Escobar had no idea he would get over 3,000 comments on his cry for help. And we’re damned sure he had no idea that over 1,000 women would offer to let him crash on their couch.

Some women in the group were clearly more captivated by Esco’s light eyes and long locs than his story, dropping comments like, “I’m ready to say come move in with me,” “Omg he make me wanna move to Atlanta just so he can have a place to stay” and “I would let him stay with me, but I would get pregnant, and I don’t live in Atlanta.”

Others gave him career advice, suggesting he lean on his looks to get out of his situation, commenting, “I just have to say this: you need to be modeling! Ppl will pay to look at your face!” and “This post right here should make you a couple stacks.”

Still others are questioning whether or not Esco’s post is just a tired attempt at becoming Facebook famous, pointing out that some of the things on his profile just don’t add up, like this commenter who wrote:

“Something isn’t adding up. On dudes profile he’s making bets, got a clothing business it looks like, expensive clothes and chains. And hes apparently homeless? MAYBE that could’ve changed suddenly but I highly doubt it. Not to mention all the comments giving him actual resources he’s not responding to or engaging with at all….pretty suspicious.”

The whole situation got us thinking about Jeremy Meeks (aka Prison Bae), the convicted felon/ex-gang member-turned model/actor after his sexy mugshot went viral in 2014.

And of course, there are those who are giving the women who are offering to shelter the homeless hottie the side eye. In a TikTok post, @chefjucyjay says the thirsty comments on Bigbossd Escobar’s post don’t represent all Black women.

“Any woman with a tiny bit of intelligence and an ounce of self value will not put herself in that kind of danger,” she said. ”Those women who are doing that don’t represent the rest of us.”

We can’t help but agree with her. Letting a man like this into your home with no questions asked has all of the makings of a crazy ass Dateline episode. We can’t wait to see how this one turns out.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — He first played on the U.S. Olympic team as a 19-year-old. He did it again in his 20s, twice. And now, a few months from turning 40, he’s back for one more run.

LeBron James didn’t need another Olympic experience to complete some missing box on his resume or add to a legacy that was secured long, long ago. He decided to play this summer for one simple reason — because he wants to.

Taking his first steps toward becoming the first U.S. men’s basketball player to compete at the Olympics in three different decades, James hit the floor Saturday with the team that the Americans are sending to the Paris Games later this month. Training camp opened in Las Vegas, the start of a 5 1/2-week quest where the only acceptable ending will be the U.S. winning gold for a fifth consecutive time.

“I’m still playing a high level,” James, a three-time Olympic medalist — two golds and one bronze — said Saturday after the first workout. “I still love the game of basketball. And Team USA has done well by me, so I felt like it was important for this summer to be able to go out there and play with the rest of the guys.”

The first practice came on a day of another first for the James family; the workout in Las Vegas was simultaneous to the Los Angeles Lakers’ first game in the California Classic summer league — the pro debut of Bronny James, the son of the NBA’s all-time scoring leader.

It would have been very easy for James to ask for Day 1 off, to go see his son’s debut. It was never a consideration. He took the floor shortly after the buses rolled in, slapping hands with teammates, throwing down dunks and reconnecting with two of his former coaches — Erik Spoelstra and Tyronn Lue, both of whom won NBA titles with James on their squads.

“I was blown away by how hard he practices,” U.S. coach Steve Kerr said. “I went to Ty and Spo, and I said, ‘Is this normal?’ And they said, ‘Every day, every day.’ And then I said to Spo, ‘What about way back when you got him?’ And Spo said, ‘Every day, every drill, every walkthrough.’”

Kerr has coached against James in four NBA Finals, all of which featured Golden State guard Stephen Curry — who plays for Kerr with the Warriors and is making his Olympic debut this summer.

And it’s fair to say that teaming up was part of what intrigued James and Curry when it was time to decide whether to play in Paris or not.

“I’ve talked to both of them about this idea of being together after going against one another with such high stakes over the years,” Kerr said. “They obviously fit really well together. The idea of Steph playing off the ball, and LeBron pushing it in transition, that’s pretty intriguing. Obviously, Steph will play on the ball as well. And LeBron has become such a good shooter, but they’re both so good at so many different areas of the game. I think they’re really excited to compete together for the first time”

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James was part of the U.S. teams that won bronze at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and the 2006 world championships (now called the World Cup) in Japan. And ever since then, the Americans have gone unbeaten when James is wearing USA across his chest in international play.

Starting with the bronze medal game in Japan 18 years ago, the U.S. has played 36 games — 10 at the FIBA Americas tournament in 2007, then four exhibitions before and eight games at the 2008 Beijing Games, then five more exhibitions and eight games at the 2012 London Games — with James in uniform. The record: 36-0. He hopes it’s 47-0 when this summer’s run ends.

“I’m here to have a good summer,” James said.

Even after not playing in Rio de Janeiro or Tokyo, James will be participating in his fourth Olympics — tying the record for the most by any U.S. men’s player. Only Carmelo Anthony has played in four Olympics for the U.S. men to this point; Kevin Durant will play in his fourth this summer as well.

That’s a nice side note, but not the thing James is thinking about these days.

“Our only goal,” he said, “is to win a gold medal.”