New York Times, June 10, 2072
Two Dead, Three Wounded in Enhanced Reality Shootout
For the second time in as many months, another shooting has occurred involving an enhanced reality game, and a shooter unable to distinguish reality from the game. Fifteen year old Alex Cruz allegedly opened fire into a crowded street market in the Prospect Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn while plugged in to a popular Enhanced Reality Game Vigilante Justice. Witnesses confirm that Cruz was yelling out the game's catchphrase of "In the name of justice, I judge you!" during the shooting. Two people were confirmed dead at the scene, and another three suffered injuries during the rampage. The wounded are in stable condition. Police were able to subdue the suspect with riot foam, and he has been placed in a secure facility for psychological evaluation. Police also confirm that Cruz had neuro implant plugs in his skull, rather than the standard ER glasses normally used for enhanced reality purposes. The implants are on the list of illegal cybernetic enhancements, and are designed to magnify the brain's perception of ER games. The incident has sparked off new debate for stricter penalties for cybernetic implants.
Cameron Lake Development Begins
After nearly eighteen months of being left to crumble, the area around Cameron Lake in Staten Island is finally being rebuilt. Martin Travis, Vice President of Global Development Solutions, announced Tuesday that the long awaited redevelopment of the blighted neighborhood had finally been approved, and work is scheduled to begin this week. "It's been a long road for this project," Travis said at a press conference Tuesday morning. "But at long last, we can begin the process of restoring this area of Staten Island, bringing it back from the abyss that nearly swallowed it whole." The area around Cameron Lake was devastated two years ago when a massive gang war erupted in the streets between several rival gangs. At least forty were confirmed dead in the conflagration, with scores more wounded or missing. The fires and contamination left the area around Cameron Lake uninhabited fro years.
Hudson Sharks Strike Again
Early this morning, the crew of the cargo ship Port Anne encountered something not normally seen in the waters of New York City; piracy. The crew reports that a number of armed assailants boarded the ship in a daring pre-dawn raid, resulting in the entire crew being subdued and several crates of valuable cargo stolen. Police report they confirm the identity of the pirates as the Hudson Sharks, a group that has been implicated in nearly a dozen acts of piracy along the Hudson River since October of last year. The gang is reported to be made up of genetically modded members, including amphibious traits like gills and webbed hands and feet. They have been described as the perfect water born raiders, able to strike anywhere in the waters around New York, vanishing as quickly as they appear. Strackborne Shipping, the owners of the stricken ship, is reported to be offering a 500,000 dollar reward for the apprehension of the Hudson Sharks. The fact that the members have such illegal genetic modifications raises serious questions as to the government's ability to curtail this dangerous technology.