Father of Parkland school shooting survivors killed in armed robbery

61-year-old Ayub Ali was fatally shot at his convenience store on Tuesday.



Damn. In Florida, the father of two students who survived the Parkland school shooting in February was shot and killed Tuesday during an armed robbery at his own convenience store.

Father of Parkland School Shooting Survivors Killed in North Lauderdale Armed Robbery

61-year-old Ayub Ali was working at Aunt Molly's Food Store in North Lauderdale when a man walked in and pulled a gun on him. Surveillance video released by the Broward County Sheriff's Office shows the suspect following Ali around the counter and forcing him to open the cash register at gunpoint.

According to deputies, after robbing the register and leaving the store, the suspect returned to shoot Ali. He was later transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Petition seeks full honors military burial for Florida shooting victim

15-year-old Peter Wang, a JROTC cadet, was shot repeatedly while holding a door open to let others escape.



From CNN: Peter Wang, a 15-year-old JROTC cadet, died in last week's shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. According to his friends, he was shot repeatedly while holding a door open to let other people escape.

"He died a gentleman holding the door for other students," his classmate Kelsey Friend told CNN.

On Tuesday afternoon Wang will be laid to rest, and thousands of people have signed a White House petition asking for him to be buried with military honors.

"His selfless and heroic actions have led to the survival of dozens in the area. Wang died a hero, and deserves to be treated as such, and deserves a full honors military burial," reads the petition. As of Monday afternoon, it had more than 25,000 signatures.

More here: People are calling for this Florida shooting victim to be buried with military honors

Teacher protected students during Florida school shooting

When gunfire started, Parkland math teacher Shanthi Viswanathan kept a cool head.



From the Sun-Sentinel: "Mrs. V" knew something wasn't right when the second fire alarm of the day sounded shortly before classes were to end at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High.

Rather than let her Algebra II students out, Shanthi Viswanathan made them get on the floor in the corner of the room. But first she put paper over the window in the class door so no one could see in.

Her actions probably saved her students, said Dawn Jarboe, whose son Brian was in the class.

More here: Florida school shooting: Teacher protected her kids from chaos — and from cops

[UPDATED] White woman says she feels Filipino, insists she's "transracial"

But that's not how this shit works.



This is a joke, right? Or maybe some kind of performance art? A Florida woman claims that although she was born white, deep down inside she feels Filipino, and now identifies as "transracial."

A Tampa woman calling herself "Ja Du," who was born white, tells WTSP that she now considers herself Filipino. She insists that she is transracial -- someone born one race, but identifies with another.

"Whenever I'm around the music, around the food, I feel like I'm in my own skin," Ja Du says. "I'd watch the History Channel sometimes for hours you know whenever it came to that and you know nothing else intrigued me more but things about Filipino culture."

No, Ja Du. No.

Woman stabbed at Miami Beach art exhibition

24-year-old Siyuan Zhao stabbed another gallery visitor in the neck with an X-Acto knife.



In Miami, 24-year-old college student is facing attempted murder charges after stabbing another woman in the neck with an X-Acto knife during an altercation last week at a contemporary art gallery festival. Adding to the chaos, exhibit patrons apparently mistook the bloody scene for performance art.

Fight leads to woman stabbed at Art Basel Miami Beach

On Friday evening, Siyuan Zhao was arrested at Art Basel Miami Beach for stabbing another woman in the neck and shoulder several times. The altercation reportedly started when the victim, 33-year-old Seo Young Shin, confronted Zhao, accusing her of following and repeatedly bumping into her at the festival.

According to police, Zhao responded by pulling out an X-Acto knife and attacking Shin.

Racist flyers found posted at University of Florida

Some giggling idiot's dog-eating joke



WTF, Florida? Specifically, the University of Florida, where a racist flyer was found posted around campus yesterday. It's basically some giggling idiot's dog-eating joke. Congratulations, you think you're funny. I imagine you squatting in nearby bushes, sadly admiring your handiwork.

Ignorant flyers found on Campus

Who needs social media when you've got good old-fashioned paper-and-ink racism? The flyer, brought to our attention by UF's Asian Pacific Islander American Affairs, was spotted by several students around campus, posted on billboards and the doors of buildings. Calling the phone number gets you a prank line.

Chinese Exclusion-era laws still on the books in Florida

It seems that the Sunshine State actively wants to stay in the last century. Surprise.

This week marks the 70th anniversary of the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act, one of our nation's "greatest hits" in its history of anti-Asian racism. The act barred Chinese laborers from entering the United States and prohibited Chinese immigrants from becoming U.S. citizens.

Good thing we're now living in the 21st century, where super-racist citizenship laws are totally a thing of the past. Right? Righ... oh yeah, but then there's Florida.

70 Years After U.S. Repeals Chinese Exclusion Act, Fla.'s Still Stands.

Upon passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882, more than thirty states followed the federal government's lead, passing laws and amendments that excluded Asian Americans from the full rights of citizenship. Those unconstitutional provisions have since been repealed in every state -- except Florida, where the "Alien Land Law" is still on the books. The statute, approved by voters in 1923, bars Asian citizens from owning property.

SALDEF calls on community support for hate crime victim

A few months ago, I wrote about Florida hate crime victim Kanwaljit Singh, who was followed after closing up his convenience store and shot six times while driving over a bridge -- targeted for wearing a turban in accordance with his Sikh faith. Fortunately, he survived and is slowly on his way to a full recovery.

The person or people who attacked Mr. Singh have yet to be apprehended. The FBI and local law enforcement are still investigating the incident and have released information about the missing suspect truck: S-10 or GMC Sonoma-style truck, single-cab, dark blue or black truck with a license plate and Ford decal or emblem on the right rear bumper: Florida Sikh Shot While Driving Fears Loss of Business, Suspects Remain at Large

Sikh man targeted in Florida hate crime shooting

In Port Orange, Florida police are looking for the shooter responsible for a hate crime against a Sikh man who was targeted for wearing a turban: Sikh man was followed by attackers before shooting, police say.

According to police, Kanwaljit Singh was heading home from work at his convenience store last month when he was shot at six times while driving over a bridge. He had apparently been followed miles.

Singh was struck by two bullets that pierced his torso and one of his thighs, and spent several weeks in the hospital's intensive care unit. He was released just this week.

Police have released surveillance video of the victim's vehicle being tracked by the suspect vehicle from International Speedway Blvd in Daytona Beach to where the shooting took place: