Amidst these developments, a 19-year-old linked to the same robbery that led to the student’s death is now under suspicion in another violent encounter in Philadelphia. This time, an off-duty police officer faced gunfire with a group that allegedly tried to steal a car.

The U.S. Marshals Service has named Khadfi Fleming as a person of interest in the confrontation with the off-duty officer, emphasizing their pursuit by offering a reward for information about his whereabouts.

The incident began in the early hours of Monday when assailants attempted to swipe the officer’s Dodge Charger, according to Fox 29 Philadelphia. Details of this brazen encounter have raised public concern and highlighted ongoing crime issues in the area.

The off-duty officer followed the suspects and confronted them, leading to an exchange of gunfire, according to the outlet. No one is believed to have been struck.

The suspects escaped, and investigators later recovered the officer’s Charger with a broken window and damage to its steering column, along with numerous 9mm shell casings, Fox 29 reported.

Authorities say the suspects moved to another stolen car – a Lexus that was later found abandoned.

The U.S. Marshals Service has since publicly identified Fleming as a person of interest in the aggravated assault.

“USMS Philly is offering an immediate cash reward for Khadfi Fleming, 19, wanted for robbery,” the agency wrote on X, adding that Fleming is also a “person of interest” in the Monday attack on the off-duty officer.

Fleming has not been charged in connection with the Monday incident.

But authorities were already looking for the 19-year-old before the latest violence.

Fleming is wanted on a robbery charge connected to the June killing of Billy Schmidt, a 22-year-old Penn State student who was shot while walking home from an NBA Finals watch party.

Schmidt was just blocks from his South Philadelphia home when he was fatally shot around 1:30 a.m. on June 6.

Surveillance video captured the final moments before the shooting, with Schmidt heard asking for his stolen phone back before a gunshot rang out.

His father, Bill Schmidt, previously described his son as someone who “cared about everybody and never hurt or bothered a soul.”

MANHUNT UNDERWAY FOR KANSAS CITY SHOOTING SPREE SUSPECT NEAR WORLD CUP VENUE; FBI OFFERING $25K REWARD

“For him to get shot like that is a travesty,” he told ABC7.

The killing sparked a search for two 16-year-old murder suspects, including Fleming’s younger brother.

U.S. Marshals captured Azzubair Outen-Fleming in Colorado Springs, Colorado, about a month after Schmidt’s death. Authorities said the teenager was found at a distant relative’s home and initially tried to conceal his identity.

Philadelphia Police Department Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said Outen-Fleming would face a murder charge, Fox 29 reported.

The second teen, Kaiseem Smith, surrendered to Philadelphia police.

Schmidt was studying digital journalism and media at Penn State and was expected to graduate in December.

Now, two months after his killing, authorities are seeking the elder Fleming as they investigate whether he was involved in the latest violent encounter.

Anyone with information about Fleming’s whereabouts is urged to contact the U.S. Marshals Service at 1-866-865-TIPS (8477).

News Media has reached out to the Philadelphia Police Department and U.S. Marshals Service for additional information and comment.

Several years ago in Wisconsin, an intriguing revelation unfolded when a pop culture store owner mentioned to Jason Ganos, noted for his extensive Nintendo game collection, that he possessed a stash of Super Mario cartridges that had been tucked away in storage for many years. This unexpected news captured Ganos’s attention instantly.

Upon further inspection, Ganos discovered an extraordinary collection: 97 copies of Super Mario Brothers Duck Hunt, all in mint condition. This version of the beloved Nintendo game was originally released in 1988, adding to its rarity and allure, as noted by Ganos.

Delving into some research, Ganos was thrilled to uncover that these cartridges not only represented a new variant of the game but also marked the final known production run of this particular edition.

The majority of these unique cartridges are set to be auctioned online, starting this Friday. The bidding will continue up until September 9, offering collectors a rare opportunity to own a piece of gaming history.

“I still don’t quite believe that any of this is happening,” Ganos expressed, reflecting on the discovery. “It feels like a stroke of serendipity; the entire experience is still surreal to me.”

Ganos, a hard-core fan covered in Nintendo tattoos and who has operated Nintendo Wire, a news service for Nintendo announcements and nostalgia for over 10 years, said he would not venture to guess how much the games are worth.

But when he saw the box, he immediately knew it was special.

“It’s like pulling out like a Holy Grail,” Ganos said, later adding, “they’re gorgeous.”

The discovery came after the owner, Kevin Braun, of One Stop Wonders in Waukesha, outside Milwaukee, asked Ganos to help him sell some stuff, including common Nintendo games and Pokémon cards.

Braun mentioned the box of Mario cartridges that had been sitting in storage for years. He recalled buying them from a customer whose family had kept them for metal scraps but thought they were not worth much.

The cartridges of Super Mario Brothers Duck Hunt he had were made in 1993, long after the company discontinued the bundle in 1991. Braun and Ganos still aren’t sure why the copies they possess were made but assume they were either warranty replacements or part of a bundle with a box retailer that never panned out.

Knowing the potential significance of the possession, Ganos booked a flight immediately.

“I flew down to California with 97 carts in my carry-on luggage, sweating bullets going through TSA, like why do you have 97 little circuit boards in your carry on?” Ganos recalled thinking nervously.

He anxiously made it through airport security to meet with video game experts to have the cartridges verified and graded, giving them a perceived value.

There had never been a cartridge rated a perfect 10, on a .01 scaling basis at Professional Sports Authenticator video games, Ganos said.

Five of the 97 Ganos possessed received a perfect score.

“I think there’s going to be historic significance to the tens,” Ganos said when talking about how much the games may sell at the auction. “Like number one, it’s so many people’s childhoods, and number two, there’s never been a 10 in an NES cart before.”

Ultra rare video game cartridges, especially ones with unique production history, can be sold for six- to seven-figure prices in the collector’s market. Ganos said the 97 carts are also unique because of their perfect condition, that much like comic books or sports cards, often sell higher.

Ganos can’t estimate the ultimate worth of the cartridges because they are incomparable to other video game collectibles he has seen before. They could be worth hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands, he said.

Ganos and Braun are only auctioning off three of the perfect 10 scored cartridges at Golden Pop’s Culture Auction beginning Friday. They are both keeping one copy with a score of a 10, and a few others rated in the higher 9’s.

The games can be played if the buyer wants. But because they are pristine, Ganos hopes to keep them that way.

“Finding uncirculated stuff for me is just like super exciting,” Ganos said. “This game was the first video game I’ve ever played. Mario Duck Hunt was just such a big part of my life growing up.”

Braun and Ganos also plan to do a charity auction after they are finished with the current one.

During a typical beach outing in Maine, an inattentive moment on a phone nearly led to a serious incident as a child wandered away unnoticed, leading local authorities to issue a strong cautionary message.

The worrying event unfolded at Mother’s Beach in Kennebunkport earlier this week. As revealed by a post from Kennebunk Fire-Rescue on Facebook, the young child briefly vanished while under the watch of a caregiver distracted by their phone.

Officials successfully located the child, who had found their way to a different section of the beach. Although the identities of the caregiver and child were not disclosed, relief swept through as the child was safely returned to their parent.

The Kennebunk Fire-Rescue emphasized the preventable nature of the incident, urging this event to serve as a crucial reminder for all adults supervising children near bodies of water.

Authorities expressed their frustration upon reuniting the child with their parent, highlighting the critical need for undistracted supervision in such environments.

‘After the child was safely reunited with the caregiver, our personnel observed the caregiver immediately return their attention to their phone,’ Kennebunk Fire-Rescue said. 

‘A stern warning was given regarding the seriousness of what had occurred and the caregiver’s responsibility to actively supervise the child,’ the department added. 

The department took the opportunity to share a reminder with parents: ‘Phones down. Eyes up. Know where your children are at all times.’ 

Kennebunk Fire-Rescue explained that ‘situations like this are extremely unfair to our Ocean Guards.’ 

Authorities on the beach already have myriad responsibilities, including scanning large areas of water to identify swimmers in distress, recognizing changing surf conditions, providing emergency medical care and responding to life-threatening emergencies, the department said. 

Looking out for children on the beach falls under the responsibility of their parents, Kennebunk Fire-Rescue emphasized. 

Failing that responsibility can distract ocean guards and divert them from their important life-saving duties, the department noted. 

‘Our guards are there to protect everyone using our beaches – they are not babysitters and cannot replace parental or caregiver supervision,’ Kennebunk Fire-Rescue said.

‘Lifeguards provide an incredibly important layer of protection, but their presence does not transfer the responsibility for supervising a child from the caregiver to the lifeguard,’ the department warned. 

The announcement also emphasized that drownings can develop rapidly and without obvious audible or visual cues such as splashing or shouting, so lifeguards being distracted even briefly can be highly dangerous. 

Kennebunk Fire-Rescue concluded its announcement with a poignant warning about leaving children unsupervised on the beach. 

‘A few seconds of distraction near the water can have lifelong consequences,’ the department said. 

Several people thanked Kennebunk Fire-Rescue for its announcement in the comments of the Facebook post and expressed disdain at parents getting distracted by their phones. 

‘Thank you for an important reminder and in depth information,’ one user wrote. 

‘Very well said, I do believe we should push for beaches being cell phone zone free,’ said another. 

‘Why go to the beach and stare at your phone? I put my phone in my beach bag, I only check it when I want to see the time or get a picture,’ a third chimed in.  

In a contentious issue that has ignited debates on disciplinary practices, a Georgia couple is voicing their concerns after their young son with autism faced suspension. The first-grader was disciplined for shaping his sandwich into what resembled a gun and pointing it at another student during lunchtime, actions that his parents argue aren’t given appropriate context given their son’s developmental challenges.

At just six years old, John Medina found himself suspended from Sarah Harp Elementary School in Fayette County, located just south of Atlanta. Diagnosed with level 1 autism at the tender age of four and later with ADHD, John’s parents explain that his conditions often hinder his ability to grasp standard social conventions.

Speaking candidly with News Media, Kristin and Juan “Ricky” Medina shared insights into their son John’s academic prowess and how, surprisingly, the school’s inflexible disciplinary approach coupled with inadequate developmental support has resulted in nearly 15 suspensions and over two dozen disciplinary measures since the year 2023. While they acknowledge that some of these incidents demanded attention, they believe benign behaviors, such as drawing hunt scenes or mimicking handguns, have been unnecessarily scrutinized.

This extensive record of discipline has negatively impacted John’s self-worth, an especially tough blow given his struggles with socialization and feelings of loneliness, his parents lament. John reportedly refers to himself as a “bad kid,” a self-assessment believed to be a reflection of both peer interactions and the treatment he receives within the school environment.

Kristin said she was initially shocked to learn that John had been suspended over the sandwich incident, questioning the school’s reported “strike” system, in which minor actions such as making a hand gesture or saying the word “gun” can escalate to suspension.

“It was upsetting for me to hear that it was, that is what he was getting in trouble for,” Kristin said.

“I felt like they were cracking down more on small stuff, you know, stuff that maybe he didn’t need to be suspended for,” Ricky added.

While John has been involved in physical incidents, including pushing another student in PE and hitting a classmate with a branch, his parents said many official disciplinary actions stemmed from what they considered harmless hand gestures. Other standard behaviors, like drawing a pilgrim shooting a turkey for Thanksgiving, also drew intense school scrutiny, they said.

They added that weapon-related topics are specifically not discussed in their home, but said they cannot control the outside influences John encounters. They added that children can naturally develop an imaginative fascination with weapons, but John’s autism makes it more difficult for him to filter his speech in the way other children might.

They also stressed that, because of his autism, traditional punishments are ineffective and could inadvertently reinforce the idea that saying the word “gun” will allow him to leave school when he is having a bad day.

“Instead of singling him out, just make it a teachable moment for him. Teach, ‘Hey, we don’t do this in school because of this reason, it’s not appropriate,’” Kristin said.

However, the family said they initially faced pushback from the school over developmental accommodations. Kristin said the school initially refused to grant John an Individualized Education Program (IEP), because he was too academically advanced and officials “didn’t see” his autism.

According to Kristin, it took about a year and a half, 10 to 12 suspensions and a second evaluation that resulted in an ADHD diagnosis before the school approved his IEP.

John’s parents said they worry that repeatedly focusing on what they consider harmless childhood behavior has reinforced a negative self-image and made him increasingly eager to leave school. John is hesitant to attend school because he believes people are “going to laugh at him for making wrong choices,” his parents said.

“I just want to see John start to get his self-esteem built up, his confidence built up, friendships built up,” Kristin said. “I don’t want him to continue to feel singled out.”

The parents said John thankfully finished the previous school year strong, reading at a third-grade level and coming just four test points short of qualifying for thegifted and talented program.

The school also appeared to ease up on suspensions recently, particularly after the family hired Donna Reynolds, a special education advocate, to represent them during school meetings.

John is also currently on a behavioral plan that includes an aide during unstructured periods, including lunch, recess and PE. He also spends time in a smaller, calmer classroom setting, where his parents said he performs exceptionally well.

“What I want to see is that there’s less severe punishment like suspensions,” Ricky said. “And just continue to talk through things so you can have opportunities to learn from things and maybe focus on real serious concerns.”

News Media reached out to Fayette County Public Schools, the school district under which John’s school falls, about his situation. The district declined to go into specific details, but encouraged a review of John’s “complete disciplinary history and the full context surrounding the situation rather than focusing on one isolated event.”