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Officer placed on modified duty after fatally shooting raccoon at a NYC beach

By The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York police officer who fatally shot a raccoon at a New York City beach has been placed on modified duty while the matter is reviewed, according to officials.

The shooting occurred Thursday morning at Rockaway Beach, after someone called 911 to report a vicious animal, a police department spokesperson said in an emailed statement Monday.

Police said officers were trying to usher the raccoon to a safe location when the animal suddenly charged toward a group of people in “an aggressive manner” and the officer fired his weapon.

Bodycam footage published by the Daily News shows no group of people in sight when the animal walks out slowly onto the sand next to the beach’s boardwalk and is shot by an officer. The animal then limps along and the officer shoots twice more.

The officer’s name has not been released. The department’s Force Investigation Division, which reviews incidents when an officer discharges their weapon, is leading the department’s probe.

It wasn’t clear Monday if officials planned to test the raccoon for rabies.

Massachusetts court hears arguments in lawsuit alleging Meta designed apps to be addictive to kids

By The Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts' highest court heard oral arguments Friday in the state's lawsuit arguing that Meta designed features on Facebook and Instagram to make them addictive to young users. The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by Attorney General Andrea Campbell, alleges that Meta did this to make a profit and that its actions affected hundreds of thousands of teenagers in Massachusetts who use the social media platforms. “We are making claims based only on the tools that Meta has developed because its own research shows they encourage addiction to the platform in a variety of ways,” said State Solicitor David Kravitz, adding that the state's claim has nothing to do the company's algorithms or failure to moderate content. Meta said Friday that it strongly disagrees with the allegations and is “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.” Its attorney, Mark Mosier, argued in court that the lawsuit “would impose liabilities for performing traditional publishing functions” and that its actions are protected by the First Amendment.
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