Kalistan

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Car Explosion in Sulari kills 4
Justice Minister believed to be target
Sulari, Duchy of Suldanor
January 12, 5691


Sedan owned by Justice Minister is destroyed in downtown Sulari, Justice Minister is unharmed

A deadly car blast claimed the lives of four people in Sulari this afternoon. The automobile, registered to Her Imperial Majesty's Justice Minister, the Honorable Gale Wilson was travelling from her house to the mechanic for annual maintenance. It was being driven by Wilson's normal driver, Miguel Buckingham when it exploded on the 2300 block of Santa Barbara, killing Buckingham immediately. A car passing in the other lane, driven by Dianne Pritchard collided with the vehicle which was out of control. Pritchard and her passenger Vera Thomas were killed in the collision. The blast also killed Orlando Galloway, who was a pedestrian on the sidewalk, while injuring 10 others. All families of the diseased had been notified before press time by local authority.

The injured were taken immediately to the local hospital, while Buckingham and the others were declared dead on the scene. The blast was serious enough that the resulting shockwave damaged local buildings, shattering picture windows in storefronts, and showering customers inside of the stores with glass. EMTs arrived on the scenes and immediately extinguished any lingering flames, but the wreckage of the Justice Minister's car was far too extensive for it to give any immediate evidence of the type of explosive, where it was located, or how it was detonated. The wreckage is being transferred to the Sulari Forensics Bureau, attached to the Free City's Police Department and Crime Investigation unit, for further analysis.

A spokesperson for the National Government said that they believed the Justice Minister was the target of the attack. "Her Imperial Majesty's Justice Minister said that she had intended to drive the car later this week to Eshar to take the ferry to Kaliburg," said Government spokesperson Sydney Moore. "This morning, she had noticed that her battery coolant levels were low, and also wanted her back tires replaced. So, at the last minute, this afternoon, she arranged to have the vehicle dropped off with her regular mechanic, and would pick the car up tomorrow to take it north and then cross over to Kaliburg." Wilson, whose primary home is in Sulari, was to return to the Capital after the new year holiday to resume work on the Bookmakers Association case that she has been tasked with. The Government believes this explosion was an attempt to injure or kill the Justice Minister to intimidate the Government to drop the case.

So far nobody has issued a statement regarding possible suspects. "Her Imperial Majesty's Government, and especially the Chancellor of the Empire, Lady Ericka Donahue, is becoming convinced that the financial discrepancies are the result of organized criminality in Sulari, and each day sees more evidence concerning the operations and the reach of at least one major criminal organization operating just below the surface using institutions in Sulari," said Moore. "She's scratching the surface and finding quite a bit of rot, and the Government believes that this explosion was a warning to the Government telling it to back off."

Her Majesty, the Princess Regent is reportedly working directly on this issue with the Chancellor. "Her Highness, Princess Regent Nicolette Ananto-Collins has ordered extra security for Her Imperial Majesty, Empress in Waiting Carolina-Katherine Michelle Ananto-Connor, who has safely returned from her studies in Valruzia and is completing her senior year at Kaliburg-South High School, where she is enrolled. Meanwhile, the Princess Regent has ordered additional resources to the Bookmakers' investigation, including an additional bevy of lawyers and police investigators who are charged to identify and interrogate witnesses to uncover links, if any exist between the Bookmakers, the Casinos, the Bank of Suldanor and organized crime."

The Justice Minister will be escorted by the Regular Navy to Kaliburg, where she will remain during the investigation that she is believed to be eager to continue. Santa Barbara Dr., between 2200 and 2500 blocks will be closed until road repairs can be made. Businesses on those blocks are to close temporarily, but business owners will be compensated for lost revenues during the time repairs are conducted. The Free City of Sulari has offered to pay for all funeral expenses of those who were killed in the explosion.

@TheRepublic