News
Lankan origin family in Texas seeks answers after police kill man on his own porch
A family of Lankan origin man in Austin, Texas is seeking answers after he was fatally shot by police last month on his front porch following a late-night emergency call by a neighbor, the Washington Post reported.The WP report filed from Austin said: Video and audio released Thursday show Austin police officers arrived Nov. 15, yelled “drop your gun,” then fired at Rajan Moonesinghe, who was holding an AR-15-style weapon.
Officers were responding to a 911 call requesting police and mental health support because a man was holding a long gun outside in the residential neighborhood. The caller, who was not identified in the recording, said the man had approached him earlier in the day to ask if he had noticed anything suspicious in the area.When officers arrived, Ring security camera footage released by police shows Moonesinghe had just fired two shots into his home.
Moments earlier, the security camera footage shows Moonesinghe speaking in the direction of his house while pointing the gun inside, but it is not clear why Body camera footage released by police shows officers running to the porch and attempting life-saving measures after shooting Moonesinghe.
Officers checked Moonesinghe’s house and didn’t find anyone inside, police said.Officer Daniel Sanchez was identified by Austin police as the officer who fired at Moonesinghe.Sanchez, who has worked for the department for almost three years, was placed on administrative leave, police said.The Austin police Special Investigations Unit in conjunction with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office is conducting a criminal probe. There also will be an Internal Affairs Unit administrative inquiry with oversight from the citizen-led Office of Police Oversight, police said.
Moonesinghe’s older brother said in a statement that officers “shot first and asked questions later.” Johann Moonesinghe said he wants city officials and the Travis County district attorney to hold the officer who killed his brother accountable.
“Otherwise, these senseless shootings will continue and more innocent people will be shot and killed by Austin police officers,” Johann Moonesinghe said.
The Moonesinghe brothers founded inKind, an Austin-based business that says it helps restaurants access capital without traditional investment or loans.
El Khattary, a friend of the Moonesinghe brothers who lives five doors away, said Rajan Moonesinghe was concerned about crime in the area.
Khattary, who said a man once jumped his fence before fleeing, said he recently spoke with Moonesinghe about his safety concerns following a different criminal incident near the neighborhood.
“We were all on high alert,” Khattary said. “I know he was concerned about that in previous conversations with him.”
Khattary said the security video shows officers shot Moonesinghe without asking questions.
“This is not unusual for police around the country,” Khattary said, adding he wanted officers to be held accountable if something was done wrong.The police department declined to comment further beyond official statements.
The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO) has announced a revision of fuel prices, effective from midnight on Saturday (May 30).
Accordingly,
the price of Auto Diesel has been increased by Rs. 15 to Rs.407 per liter,
the price of Super Diesel has been increased by Rs. 20 to Rs. 478 per liter.
the price of Petrol 92 Octane has been increased by Rs. 24 to Rs. 434 per liter
the price of Petrol 95 Octane up by Rs. 25 to Rs. 495 per liter
the price of kerosene by Rs. 20 to Rs. 285 per liter.
Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has called for a comprehensive reform programme within Sri Lanka’s Buddhist clergy, warning that repeated efforts to strengthen the Sasana have in the past been derailed by opposition from within sections of the Sangha itself.
In a statement addressed to the Mahanayake Theras of the three Buddhist chapters, Kumaratunga stressed that the long-term preservation of Buddhism depends on safeguarding both the Dhamma and Vinaya, or disciplinary code, and urged urgent internal reform to address what she described as deep-rooted structural weaknesses.
She noted that Buddhist history has consistently demonstrated that periods of institutional crisis were addressed through reform processes, citing precedents from the First Buddhist Council to reforms during the Kandyan era under Welivita Sri Saranankara Thera.
Referring to post-independence efforts, Kumaratunga said initiatives taken during the 1956 Bandaranaike administration to strengthen Buddhism were left incomplete following the assassination of former Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike.
She further stated that during her own presidency, plans to convene a Buddhist Council under the guidance of the late Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayake Thera had received government backing but were ultimately abandoned due to resistance from certain sections within the clergy.
The former President alleged that, on both occasions, vested interests benefiting from existing weaknesses within the Buddhist establishment had worked to obstruct meaningful reform efforts.
Warning that Buddhism in Sri Lanka is currently facing serious challenges, she called for a broad internal dialogue within the Sangha to identify root causes and implement both short- and long-term corrective measures.
Kumaratunga urged the Mahanayake Theras to take the lead in convening a Dharma Sanghayana, or Buddhist Council, and said she was prepared to work with senior lay Buddhist leaders to support such an initiative.
The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court on Friday ordered the arrest of former Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Tourism Promotion Bureau Chairman Bhashwara Gunaratne, Managing Director Rumi Jauffer and several others over the alleged misuse of Rs. 7.8 million belonging to the Tourism Promotion Authority during the 2014 Uva Provincial Council election campaign.
Magistrate Pasan Amarasena directed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to arrest and produce the suspects before court, after it was informed that they would be named under the Public Property Act on the advice of the Attorney General.
The CID told court that attempts to take the suspects into custody from their residences had been unsuccessful as they were not present.
The Magistrate also imposed an overseas travel ban on the suspects and ordered that the Controller of Immigration and Emigration be notified.
Investigations have reportedly revealed that the funds were used to print 12,000 T-shirts bearing an image of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on one side and the name of a political party on the other.
According to the CID, the T-shirts were later distributed at a political event held in the Monaragala District.
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