The death toll from tornados across four US Southern states that tore through homes, ripped the roof off a shopping mall and blew apart warehouses in a rare spasm of violent winter weather rose to at least 21 today, with dozens injured.

An alleged attack at a Massachusetts gay bar, the killing of an Arkansas officer and the killing of a mother of three – Jacob Robida left a streak of unexplained violence that ended in a fatal shootout with authorities.