World
Business jet crashes at London Southend Airport, no word on casualties
LONDON – A business jet crashed at London Southend Airport on Monday afternoon, triggering a massive fireball and prompting an urgent emergency response.
The incident occurred around 4:00 p.m. local time, with thick plumes of smoke seen rising from the airfield.
Initial reports suggest that a small aircraft crash-landed before bursting into flames.
Airport fire crews responded within minutes and quickly extinguished the blaze.
Multiple firefighting units from surrounding areas also arrived to assist.
There has been no official confirmation on the number of casualties or the condition of those onboard.
Several ambulance crews were seen at the scene, though details on injuries remain unconfirmed.
Eyewitness Dani Hill, who lives near the airport, described the dramatic scene: “I saw the huge fireball from my window. I’m still shaking like mad. I’ve never seen anything like it. Praying all involved are okay, if any.”
David Burton-Sampson, Member of Parliament for Southend West & Leigh, released a statement shortly after the incident, urging the public to avoid the area:
“I am aware of an incident at Southend Airport. Please keep away and allow the emergency services to do their work. My thoughts are with everyone involved.”
Authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of the crash or the number of people onboard.
Investigations are ongoing, and further updates will be provided as they become available.
Crime
Tumbler Ridge Secondary School Shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar Created Mall Shooting Simulator in Roblox
Investigators and online researchers have identified a Roblox account allegedly linked to Jesse Van Rootselaar, the 18-year-old suspect in the deadly mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia.
According to platform officials, the account was discovered by users on the internet forum Kiwi Farms, who reported that Van Rootselaar had created a game — referred to on Roblox as an “experience” — that simulated a shooting inside a shopping mall.
The virtual environment appeared to resemble a Canadian retail complex, although it has not been confirmed whether the design was intended to replicate a specific real-world location.
Videos circulating on social media prior to its removal showed a player-controlled character collecting weapons and firing into crowds of animated civilians within the mall setting.
The footage quickly drew widespread concern given the seriousness of the real-world attack.
Roblox confirmed that the account belonged to the suspect and announced swift action in response.
“We have removed the user account connected to this horrifying incident, as well as any content associated with the suspect,” the company said in a statement. “We are committed to fully supporting law enforcement in their investigation.”
Initially, reports suggested the game remained accessible despite the account being deleted. However, Roblox later clarified that the content has now been removed from the platform.
The company also noted that the mall-themed experience was only accessible through Roblox Studio, a development application used by creators to build games, rather than through the main platform available to general users.
As a result, the experience reportedly recorded only seven visits, indicating extremely limited exposure.
Investigators are continuing to examine the suspect’s digital footprint, including online posts and usernames believed to match across multiple platforms such as Reddit, where references to Roblox activity were also reportedly found.
Van Rootselaar is accused of carrying out the February 10 shooting that left eight people dead and at least 25 others injured at the secondary school.
Authorities have not indicated whether the online content forms part of the official investigative findings, but technology platforms are increasingly scrutinized in the aftermath of violent incidents for potential warning signs.
Officials emphasize that the broader investigation remains active as law enforcement works to establish a complete timeline, understand possible motives, and determine whether any additional factors contributed to the tragedy.