FBI: Violent crime down by 6 percent

FBI: Violent crime down by 6 percent

Washington

Violent crime dropped 6 percent in 2010, marking the fourth straight year-to-year decline, while property crime was down for the eighth straight year, falling 2.7 percent, the FBI said Monday, referring to crimes reported to authorities.

Nationwide, there were an estimated 1.2 million violent crimes in 2010 and an estimated 9 million property crimes.

An aging population, better policing and continued high rates of imprisonment for criminals are helping to drive down crime rates, criminologists say.

Gunmen kill 36 at pub in Burundi

Bujumbura, Burundi

Armed men from Congo burst into a pub in the central African nation of Burundi and killed 36 people, an official said Monday.

Burundi, a tiny nation still reeling from a civil war that killed more than 250,000 people, is awash in weapons but attacks like the one Sunday night are rare. Still, the region borders eastern Congo, which is wracked by violence from myriad rebel groups.

Bujumbura province governor Jacques Minani said the attackers targeted the pub in Gatumba, west of Burundi’s capital, after crossing the river from Congo. He said 36 people were killed.

Desegregation case goes to appeals court

St. Louis

A decades-old fight over school integration in Arkansas entered a federal appeals court Monday, with the state and three school districts tussling over whether taxpayers should still have to fund desegregation efforts that have cost the state more than $1 billion.

Attorneys for three Little Rock-area school districts told the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that a lower court judge was wrong to cut off most of the $70 million a year in state payments they receive under a settlement reached more than two decades ago.

Bikers mourn 5 who died at charity event

Clarksville, Tenn.

A community of bikers drawn together for charity was reeling Monday after five people died while camping at a Tennessee festival that the group stages to raise money for needy children.

An organizer of the Bikers Who Care event, Bill Langford, said the victims were overcome when fumes from a generator leaked into their rented camper. The married couple and three friends were found dead Sunday inside the vehicle. Police later detected dangerous levels of carbon monoxide in the camper. Police are investigating but don’t suspect foul play.

Crash kills 2 Marines

Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Firefighters have made good progress against a brush fire that was sparked when a helicopter crashed during a training exercise at Southern California’s Camp Pendleton, killing two Marines.

A base statement says the blaze that began about 1 p.m. Monday has burned 120 acres and is 80 percent contained. The fire grew quickly after the crash, growing to 50 acres three hours after the helicopter went down. The two Marines on board the helicopter were pronounced dead at the scene.

2 shot at Lowe’s

Concord, N.C.

A woman employee of Lowe’s Home Improvement and a man were shot to death inside a North Carolina store Monday. A company spokeswoman described the shootings as a domestic situation.

The names of the victims and their relationship to each other were not immediately released, spokeswoman Karen Cobb said.

Associated Press