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A man who believed he was being cut out of his mother’s will and did not want to move out of her home, has shot dead four members of his own family before taking his own life, police in the US have said.

Joseph DeLucia Jr killed his three siblings, Joanne Kearns, Frank DeLucia and Tina Hammond as well as Ms Hammond’s daughter, Victoria Hammond, at a family meeting at his mother’s home in Long Island on Sunday.

DeLucia Jr, 59, met the others at the property in Syosset, about 15 miles (24km) east of New York City, Nassau County Police Captain Stephen Fitzpatrick said on Monday.

It was just three days after Theresa DeLucia, who died last week at age 95, had been buried, he said.

But instead of discussing the planned sale of the home, where DeLucia Jr had lived his whole life, the car mechanic fired 12 rounds from a shotgun, killing the others.

He then walked out to the front garden “shouting indiscriminately” about what he had just done before turning the gun on himself, Captain Fitzpatrick said.

His two sisters and brother were all in their 60s, while his niece was 30, police said. All four were found in the house, while DeLucia Jr was found outside, News12 said.

The family members had tried to convince DeLucia Jr that he would be provided for following his mother’s death, but that he would have to move out of her home.

A neighbour who identified as Randy said while DeLucia Jr appeared “sad and confused” in recent days, there were no obvious warning signs he would turn violent and said she was not aware he owned a gun.

She said: “We had no idea this was coming. If we knew he was going to do this, we would have said something, of course we would.”

The family had gathered at the house ahead of a meeting with a local real estate agent and were also celebrating Tina Hammond’s birthday, she said.

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Police said they could have used so-called “red flag” laws to stop DeLucia Jr from getting hold of a firearm if they had known he was dealing with mental health issues.

Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said officers only learned after the shooting that neighbours were concerned he might harm himself or others as he had been emotional and distraught following his mother’s death.

Captain Fitzpatrick said police were still looking into reports DeLucia Jr dealt with mental health issues, adding that he was a hoarder and the house was packed with tools and other car repair items.

The only time police had been called to the residence in recent years was for a wellness check, and his only arrest was for driving under the influence back in 1983, he said.

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Day 34: Why Trump really flipped the script on Ukraine

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1 day ago

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February 23, 2025

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Day 34: Why Trump really flipped the script on Ukraine

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As President Trump claims he is “close” to signing a mining deal with Ukraine, and his secretary of state Marco Rubio talks about a lack of “gratitude” from President Zelenskyy for US military assistance, our US correspondents Mark Stone, Martha Kelner and James Matthews discuss if this is the real reason Trump’s administration appears to have turned its back on Ukraine.

And, why Canada is taking its feud with Donald Trump on to the ice.

You can email James, Mark and Martha on trump100@sky.uk

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Trump fires top US military officers – including America’s most senior commander

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1 day ago

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February 23, 2025

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Trump fires top US military officers - including America's most senior commander

Donald Trump has purged top military figures in the Pentagon, including firing America’s most senior commander.

He also pushed out five other admirals and generals in an unprecedented shake-up of US military leadership.

The Pentagon had been bracing for mass firings of civilian staff as well as a dramatic overhaul of its budget and a shift in military deployments.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General Charles ‘CQ’ Brown – America’s highest-ranking general and only the second black general to serve as chairman – was fired with immediate effect.

The president will also replace the head of the US Navy, a position held by Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to lead a military service, and the Air Force vice chief of staff, the Pentagon said.

He is also removing the judge advocates general for the Army, Navy and Air Force, critical positions that ensure enforcement of military justice.

The campaign to rid the military of leaders who support diversity and equity in the ranks has been condemned by Democrats.

There is nothing apolitical about Trump

By David Blevins, Sky News correspondent

The purge of America’s top military officials, carried out by President Trump and his Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, is unprecedented, writes Sky News correspondent David Blevins, in Washington.

Their dismissal late on Friday sent shockwaves through the defence establishment and raised concerns about the direction of military leadership.

General Charles Q Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was abruptly removed two years into his four-year term.

America’s most senior military officer comes into office two years into a presidential term, meaning they serve under two presidents.

The role is intended to be apolitical but there is no such thing as non-partisan politics in the Trump playbook.

Brown’s tenure had been marked by a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, putting him at odds with the administration.

Prior to his appointment as defence secretary, Hegseth questioned Brown’s promotion, hinting that it had been influenced by race.

In his book, The War on Warriors, Hegseth wrote: “The military standards, once the hallmark for competency, professionalism, and ‘mission first’ outcomes, have officially been subsumed by woke priorities.”

Supporters of the administration argue the changes are necessary to refocus military priorities in line with the president’s objectives.

But critics contend that such a sweeping overhaul of leadership undermines the apolitical nature of the military and unsettles the rank and file.

Rhode Island’s senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said: “Firing uniformed officers as a type of political loyalty test… erodes the trust and professionalism that our servicemembers require to achieve their missions.”

Representative Seth Moulton, a Massachusetts Democrat, said the firings were “un-American, unpatriotic, and dangerous for our troops and our national security.”

“This is the definition of politicising our military,” he said.

Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said: “Firing uniformed leaders as a type of political loyalty test, or for reasons relating to diversity and gender that have nothing to do with performance, erodes the trust and professionalism that our servicemembers require to achieve their missions.”

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During the election, Mr Trump spoke of firing “woke” generals and those he saw as responsible for the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Defence secretary and former Fox News personality Pete Hegseth has questioned whether General Brown would have got the job if he were not black.

There is no indication his appointment was not based on merit.

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On Friday, Mr Trump said: “I want to thank General Charles ‘CQ’ Brown for his over 40 years of service to our country, including as our current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“He is a fine gentleman and an outstanding leader, and I wish a great future for him and his family.”

It’s unclear who Mr Trump will choose to replace the judge advocates. Mr Hegseth previously criticised military lawyers, saying most “spend more time prosecuting our troops than putting away bad guys”.

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Dozens turn out in support of Luigi Mangione over killing of US healthcare boss Brian Thompson

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1 day ago

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February 23, 2025

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Dozens turn out in support of Luigi Mangione over killing of US healthcare boss Brian Thompson

Dozens of supporters were outside court as the man accused of fatally shooting the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare made his first appearance.

Luigi Mangione has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of murder following the 4 December killing of Brian Thompson, 50, outside a midtown Manhattan hotel.

The 26-year-old is accused of ambushing and shooting the executive as he walked to an investor conference.

Luigi Mangione supporters stand outside the Supreme Court. Pic: AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah
Image:
Luigi Mangione supporters stand outside the Supreme Court. Pic: AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah

Dozens of people who showed up in court to support the suspect including former army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning who was jailed for stealing classified diplomatic cables.

Dozens more queued in the hallway.

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Mangione is also facing federal charges that could carry the possibility of the death penalty.

The judge set a deadline of 9 April to submit pre-trial motions.

Luigi Mangione is accused of fatally shooting Brian Thompson. Pic: Steven Hirsch/New York Post via AP
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Luigi Mangione is accused of fatally shooting Brian Thompson. Pic: Steven Hirsch/New York Post via AP

In addition to the New York cases, Mr Mangione also faces charges of forgery, carrying firearms without a licence, and other counts in Pennsylvania, where authorities arrested him at a McDonald’s.

Police say he was in possession of a gun, bullets, multiple fake IDs and a handwritten document that expressed “ill will” towards corporate America.

He is being held in a Brooklyn jail alongside several other high-profile defendants, including music mogul and rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, and disgraced crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried.

The killing prompted some to voice their resentment at US health insurers, with Mangione attracting a cult following.

A poll taken in the wake of the shooting showed most Americans believe health insurance profits and coverage denials were partly to blame for the incident.

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