Three Things for Jan. 30

1. 7 shot, 3 fatally, in latest mass shooting to rock California

Marking itself as the sixth mass shooting in California just this month, three people have been killed and four injured at a mass shooting in a Los Angeles neighborhood bordering Beverly Hills. 

The shooting unfolded around 2:30 am. on Sunday morning when the Los Angeles Police Department received several distress calls that a shooting was in progress in the neighborhood. A source from LAPD said the three killed were found in a car, while two wounded lingered nearby. 

As of now, two of the four injured are in critical condition. There have been no reports of an arrest being made nor a motive for the shooting. 

According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 48 mass shootings in the first month of 2023. 

For more information about this story, click here.

2. Memphis police permanently disband unit tied to deadly beating of Tyre Nichols

The SCORPION unit from Memphis, Tennessee’s police department have been permanently deactivated 24 hours after the public release of a video showing the brutal beating of Tyre Nichols. 

The Memphis police Department created the SCORPION unit to reduce the rising crime rate of the city, and the five officers that were a part of the unit are now under fire for their intensity and ruthlessness during a traffic stop on January 7. Tyre Nichols, 29, was stopped by the unit and then beaten to the point of hospitalization and died on January 10. 

In a statement on Twitter Saturday, the Memphis police said “The officers currently assigned to the unit agree unreservedly with this next step. While the heinous actions of a few casts a cloud of dishonor on the title SCORPION, it is imperative that we, the Memphis Police Department take proactive steps in the healing process for all impacted."

Across the nation, several protests have sparked in retaliation after the video had been released.  

For more information about this story, click here.

3. NFL Playoffs: Kansas City Chiefs to face Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII

The Super Bowl matchup fell into place on Sunday night after the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs advanced past their final conference opponents in the championship round of the NFL playoffs. 

The Eagles defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship 31-7, led by star quarterback Jalen Hurts. Early in the game, 49ers rookie QB Brock Purdy took a hit in which he injured his throwing elbow. Although fourth-string backup Josh Johnson came in to replace Purdy, a concussion promptly removed him from play, forcing Purdy back into the game with a helpless air attack for the 49ers. 

While the Niners struggled to find any rhythm on offense, Jalen Hurts and the Eagles spent the afternoon dominating the run game with 148 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, propelling the Eagles into their first Super Bowl appearance since they won Super Bowl LII over the New England Patriots.

As for the AFC Championship, the Cincinnati Bengals ventured into Kansas City to face off against the Chiefs in a rematch of last year's championship. Reports had Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes dealing with a high ankle sprain, while Bengals’ quarterback Joe Burrow entered the game with a 3-0 record against the Chiefs.

The Bengals also entered the game with a depleted Offensive Line, and the Chiefs took quick advantage of the Cincinnati backups, holding them to no first-quarter points and forcing four first-half sacks on Burrow. After a Mahomes touchdown pass to TE Travis Kelce, the Chiefs held a 13-6 lead by halftime, leading the Bengals in every offensive category.

Defense set the tone in the second half as the Chiefs cut the Bengals' attempt at a game-winning drive short as they sacked Burrow for a fifth time. A reckless late hit out of bounds on a Mahomes scramble set the Chiefs up in field goal range. Whereas the Bengals advanced on a walk-off field goal in 2022, the Chiefs hit the field goal with three seconds left, sealing a 23-20 victory as they punched their ticket to the Super Bowl.

For more information on the games, click here.