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Ted Turner, cable television pioneer and CNN founder, dies at 87

Turner Enterprises CEO Ted Turner address the Newsmaker Luncheon on renewable and alternative energy at the National Press Club April 19, 2011 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) -- Ted Turner, the television and media mogul who launched CNN -- the first 24-hour cable news network -- and a roster of successful TV and entertainment brands, died on Wednesday, according to the network. He was 87.

"Ted was an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgement," according to a statement from Mark Thompson, the chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide. "He was and always will be the presiding spirit of CNN. Ted is the giant on whose shoulders we stand, and we will all take a moment today to recognize him and his impact on our lives and our world."

"On behalf of the Turner family, it is with great sadness that we announce the passing of philanthropist, environmentalist and cable pioneer Ted Turner who died peacefully today at age 87, surrounded by his family," a statement from Turner Enterprises said.

The company added, "He charmed people he met with his warmth and general lack of conceit, despite his many successes and celebrity – an attribute made apparent in his response to anyone who addressed him as "Mr. Turner" – he'd always reply, "Call me Ted!"

A private family service is planned and a public memorial will be held at a later date, Turner Enterprises said.

Turner announced in 2018 he was battling the progressive brain disorder Lewy body dementia, acknowledging issues with his memory.

Born in Cincinnati, Robert Edward Turner III was raised in Savannah, Georgia. He attended Brown University briefly before leaving the university and joining the U.S. Coastal Guard Reserve during the Vietnam War.

Turner began his career as an executive at his father's advertising business, Turner Advertising Company. Following the death of his father, he became president and chief executive of the company and turned the firm into a global enterprise.

He entered the television business in the early 1970's when he acquired an Atlanta UHF station, WJRJ, and renamed it WTCG. The station originated the "superstation" concept, transmitting via satellite to cable systems across the country. Later renamed TBS, the station became a precedent for the modern basic cable station.

On June 1, 1980, Turner Broadcasting System launched CNN, the first 24-hour cable news network. In his launch speech at the network's Atlanta headquarters in June 1980, he expressed hope that CNN's national and international coverage would "bring together in brotherhood and kindness and friendship and in peace the people of this nation and this world."

CNN quickly made its mark covering major news events such as the 1982 Lebanon War and the 1986 Challenger explosion as they happened.

A chain of successful cable television brands followed for Turner, including CNN International, Cartoon Network, TNT and Turner Classic Movies. Turner Broadcasting later acquired the film studios Castle Rock Entertainment and New Line Cinema.

Turner's company also expanded into sports starting in the late 1970s, acquiring the MLB's Atlanta Braves and the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks won three division titles under the company's ownership. The Braves won the 1995 World Series.

In 1988, Turner ventured into the professional wrestling business, purchasing Jim Crockett Promotions and renaming it as World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The company served as the main competitor to Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation (WWF) over the next decade. WCW was purchased by McMahon's company in 2001.

In October 1996, Turner Broadcasting merged with Time Warner Inc., and in 2001, Time Warner merged with AOL to create AOL Time Warner.

Turner also made his mark as a philanthropist. In 1990, he founded Turner Foundation which supports efforts for improving air and water quality, developing initiatives to protect the climate and maintaining wildlife habitat protection, among other initiatives. The Turner Foundation says it has given more than $380 million to hundreds of organizations since its founding.

In 1997, Turner announced a historic pledge of up to $1 billion to the United Nations and the following year, he created the United Nations Foundation (UNF). The organization supports the goals and objectives of the United Nations to promote "a more peaceful, prosperous and just world."

Speaking to ABC's "This Week" in 2012, he described his interest in supporting U.N. efforts.

"Everybody needs help sometime, no matter how rich and powerful you are," he said. "I did not know for sure when I started that it was going to work...there were a lot of things that weren't getting done, that are getting done now, done a lot more quickly."

He added, "Saving the world is a hard job."

Turner also launched the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), a think tank he co-chaired with former Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia that seeks to reduce "nuclear and biological threats imperiling humanity."

He was the recipient of numerous awards, including Time Magazine's 1991 "Man of the Year," the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' Lifetime Achievement Award, the Audubon Medal from the Audubon Society, and the Edward R. Murrow Award for Lifetime Achievement in Communication. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004.

Turner was married three times, including to actress Jane Fonda from 1991 to 2001. He is survived by five children, fourteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Correspondents' dinner shooting suspect indicted by a grand jury on 4 counts

Gavel (SimpleImages/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) -- Cole Tomas Allen, the suspect in the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, was indicted Tuesday by a grand jury on four counts -- three of which he had already been charged by criminal complaint.

Those initial charges he was indicted on are attempting to assassinate the president, transportation of a firearm with intent to commit a felony and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. The fourth new charge is assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon, according to the indictment.

The California native was tackled by law enforcement after the gunfire April 25 inside the Washington, D.C., Hilton hotel, where thousands of journalists, as well as President Donald Trump and members of his Cabinet, were gathered for the annual dinner.

Allen did not reach the ballroom, where the dinner was underway. A Secret Service member was shot during the incident, but the bullet hit the agent's protective vest, officials said.

Allen -- who officials say traveled by train from California to D.C. -- allegedly left a note which said that administration officials were his targets and were "prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest," according to the criminal complaint against him.

The suspect allegedly wrote that Secret Service agents were targets "only if necessary, and to be incapacitated non-lethally if possible," the complaint said.

Allen has not yet entered a plea.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


2 hikers injured in bear attack at Yellowstone National Park

The wooden entrance sign to Yellowstone National Park, USA. (Jon G. Fuller/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

(MYSTIC FALLS, Wyo.) -- Two hikers were injured in a bear attack at Yellowstone National Park, prompting some areas of the park to close, the National Park Service said.

The incident occurred Monday afternoon on the Mystic Falls Trail near Old Faithful in Wyoming, the park service said. 

The two hikers "sustained injuries by one or more bears," the park service said in a press release on Tuesday.  

National Park Service emergency services personnel responded, and the incident remains under investigation, the park service said. 

The National Park Service did not release any additional details, including the condition of the hikers or the type of bear suspected in the attack.

Craig Lerman, a hiker from Maryland, told ABC News he noticed at least two sets of claw marks, a bloody hat and a watch near Mystic Falls before coming upon one of the victims on the trail yelling for help.

"I've never seen anything like that," Lerman said. "It's not something you ever want to walk up to. Obviously, it was bad."

He said the victim had wounds to his face, back and legs. Lerman said he gave the hiker his shirt and kept him company before first responders arrived and the victim was airlifted from the area.

Lerman said he believes the man's younger brother was the other hiker injured.

"I just hope that they both make it," he said.

Some areas of the national park are temporarily closed due to the ongoing investigation. 

The last bear attack in Yellowstone was in September 2025, when a 29-year-old man was injured by a grizzly bear while hiking alone near Turbid Lake.

The last deadly bear attack occurred in 2015, in the Lake Village area of Yellowstone, the park service said. 

ABC News' Tia Humphries, Bonnie Mclean and Chris Looft contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


10 transported to hospital due to chemical leak at Louisiana facility: Police

A chemical leak was reported in Duson, Louisiana, on May 5, 2026. (Duson Police Department)

(DUSON, La.) -- Ten people were transported to the hospital due to a chemical leak at a facility in Louisiana that prompted evacuations, police said.

The "hazardous materials incident" was reported to authorities shortly after 7 a.m. CT on Tuesday in Duson, located about 10 miles west of Lafayette, according to Louisiana State Police. The incident occurred at FIBA Technologies, the Duson Police Department said.

A "valve malfunction" resulted in a boron trifluoride leak, state police said. The gas has a "pungent, suffocating odor," according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Video from the scene posted by state police showed a white cloud billowing from the facility.

Hazardous materials crews responded and successfully contained the leak after about an hour, authorities said.

Six employees at the business, three first responders and one employee from a nearby business were transported to area hospitals for treatment due to exposure, police said. They are in stable condition and their injuries are believed to be non-life-threatening, police said.

The surrounding area, including businesses in an adjacent industrial park, was evacuated as a precaution amid the response. All evacuation and shelter-in-place orders have since been lifted and there is no threat to the immediate area, police said.

FIBA Technologies provides gas containment equipment and services for the industrial gas industry. ABC News has reached out to the company for comment. 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Florida woman arrested for allegedly kicking child during youth football game

Booking photo of Renee Lambert, 34, who was arrested, May 2, 2026, in Fort Myers, Florida, after she allegedly ran onto a football field and assaulted a child during a Pop Warner football game, according to police. (Lee County Sheriff's Office)

(FORT MYERS, Fla.) -- A Florida mother was arrested after police alleged she charged onto a football field over the weekend and repeatedly kicked a 13-year-old player during a youth football game brawl.

The woman, 34-year-old Renee Lambert, was arrested on Saturday on charges of child abuse without great bodily harm and resisting an officer without violence, according to the Lee County Sheriff's Office.

The incident unfolded on Saturday afternoon at Brooks Park in Fort Myers during a Southwest Florida Panthers Youth Football game, according to the sheriff's office and the league's president.

During the game, an on-field fight broke out between players, authorities said. As coaches attempted to break up the fight, bystander video captured Lambert -- who had been cheering on her son's team, the Falcons -- rushing onto the field. The footage appeared to show her kicking the child on the opposing team while he was on the ground, officials said.

"Witnesses stated that after an incident on the field with the youth players fighting, some parents came onto the field to intervene," according to a probable cause statement released by the sheriff's office. "A witness reported seeing the adult female kick a juvenile male multiple times."

At least two on-duty sheriff's deputies were at the park patrolling when the altercation occurred, according to the probable cause statement.

The sheriff's department released body-camera video of deputies detaining Lambert near a concession stand after witnesses pointed her out.

Lambert allegedly became "confrontational" while speaking with deputies, according to the statement.

"Lambert refused to listen and was getting agitated, prompting deputies to give her lawful orders to comply with being handcuffed, at which time, Lambert pushed and pulled away from deputies, refusing to give her hands as they attempted to handcuff her," the statement alleges.

She was eventually detained and placed in a patrol car, according to the statement.

Child welfare officials were notified because Lambert's children were present during the incident.

Deputies located the player whom Lambert allegedly kicked, and the alleged victim's mother signed a document expressing a "desire to prosecute," according to the statement.

The victim told deputies that he was kicked in the leg, but no visible injuries were detected, according to the sheriff's office.

ABC News has not been able to reach Lambert for comment.

In the body-camera video, Lambert complained that the player struck her first with his helmet.

"I'm the one who got hit," Lambert is heard telling a deputy in the body camera footage and asking why the deputies were "mad" at her.

"I'm mad at an adult for attacking a kid," one of the deputies is heard replying to Lambert in the footage.

The sheriff's office said they have found no evidence to support Lambert's claim that she was struck during the altercation.

Lambert complained of head pain following her arrest and she was taken to a hospital to be examined before she was booked at the Lee County Jail, according to the probable cause statement.

Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno told ABC affiliate station WZVN in Naples that "it's sad" such violence occurred at a youth football game.

"We need to have law and order. We need to protect everyone," Marceno said. "As sheriff, I'm not going to tolerate it."

Jose Davila, president of Southwest Florida Panthers Youth Football, released a statement to WZVN, saying, "We have zero tolerance for this type of behavior."

"One moment does not define the character, values, or integrity of the programs involved," Davila said. "We want to be very clear, one bad apple does not define who the Fort Myers Falcons are."

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Secret Service officers exchange gunfire with armed suspect near White House, juvenile bystander injured: USSS

Police officials inspect the crime scene following an exchange of gunfire by the U.S. Secret Service and a gunman on the National Mall on May 4, 2026, in Washington, DC. Police say a gunman shot at a Secret Service agent and wounded a bystander before being shot by police. (Photo by Andrew Leyden/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) -- U.S. Secret Service officers exchanged gunfire with an armed man near the White House property in Washington, D.C., on Monday, authorities said.

The suspect and a juvenile bystander were struck during the exchange of gunfire, according to the U.S. Secret Service.

The suspect has been identified as 45-year-old Michael Marx, according to multiple law enforcement sources. He has a Texas driver's license and no obvious connection to Washington, and authorities are working to learn why he was in the city, sources said Tuesday.

Authorities are executing search warrants on his phone, digital media and other locations to try and determine if he posed any threat to specific individuals or entities, including President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, sources said.

The shooting occurred around 3:30 p.m. Monday near the National Mall, outside the perimeter of the White House complex, according to U.S. Secret Service Deputy Director Matt Quinn.

A plainclothes Secret Service officer observed a "suspicious individual that appeared to have a firearm," Quinn said during a press briefing.

Uniformed Secret Service police briefly followed the suspect and, upon making contact, he fled on foot and fired in the direction of the officers, Quinn said. 

The officers returned fire, striking the suspect, Quinn said. The suspect was transported to a hospital, according to Quinn. 

Marx was struck multiple times and remains hospitalized in serious but stable condition, sources said.

At least one bystander, a male juvenile, is believed to have been shot by the suspect and sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to Quinn. The victim is also being treated at a hospital, he said.

"Everything I've seen leads me to believe, and the investigators believe, he was struck by the suspect," Quinn said.

Marx has not yet been charged.

The shooting comes over a week after an alleged assassination attempt on Trump at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

"Whether or not it was directed to the president or not, I don't know, but we will find out," Quinn said.

Not long before the shooting occurred, Vance's motorcade passed through the area, Quinn said. The suspect did not approach the motorcade, according to Quinn.

The use-of-force investigation will be conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department, Quinn said.

The incident prompted a brief evacuation of the White House North Lawn.

ABC News' Pierre Thomas, Luke Barr and Jack Date contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Woman arrested after driving on sidewalk toward child riding bike: Police

Handcuffs (Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images)

(SPOKANE, Wash.) -- A woman was arrested last week in Spokane, Washington, after she allegedly drove up on the sidewalk and nearly hit a child who was riding their bike, police said.

In the April 28 incident, Wendy A. Clemente, 56, was caught on camera driving in her silver Ford Focus when she turned onto the sidewalk where the child was riding their bike, according to the Spokane County Sheriff's Office.

"The driver chased the juvenile on the sidewalk before reentering the roadway and leaving the area. Thankfully, the juvenile was not hit or injured," the sheriff's office said in a statement Monday.

Deputies began searching the area for the driver when they received a call about a reported burglary at a home about a mile away, the sheriff's office said.

The officers found Clemente at the home and her car in the driveway, according to the sheriff's office.

The sheriff's office alleged Clemente denied drinking alcohol or consuming any drugs, "but later changed her story and admitted to drinking alcohol."

The suspect was charged with 1st degree assault (attempted), DUI and 1st degree criminal trespass, according to the sheriff's office.

On April 29, a judge ordered Clemente to be released on her own recognizance until her next court date, according to the sheriff's office.

Attorney information for the suspect was not immediately available.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


2 dead, 3 injured in shooting during business meeting at Texas shopping center: Police

Police lights (Jack Quillin/Getty Images)

(CARROLTON, Texas) -- Two people were killed and another three injured in a shooting during a business meeting at a shopping center in Texas, authorities said.

The shooting suspect was apprehended nearby following a short foot pursuit, police said.

The gunfire broke out at a Korean shopping center in Carrollton, located about 20 miles north of Dallas, on Tuesday morning, police said.

Police responded to K Towne Plaza shortly before 10 a.m. CT for reports of a shooting and found two people dead at the scene, according to Carrollton Police Chief Roberto Arredondo. Three additional victims were in stable condition, he said.

Arredondo called it a "complicated scene" during a press briefing. Officers were working "multiple scenes" across K Towne Plaza and a nearby shopping center, locally known as Koreatown, where the suspect was taken into custody, he said.

The police chief identified the suspect as 69-year-old Seung Han Ho.

"Currently, there is no immediate threat to the public," Arredondo said. "Victims were meeting with the suspect for a business purpose. This is not a random act of gunfire." 

Arredondo said police were still working to learn more about the business relationship between the suspect and the victims, who were all adults. 

The police chief did not release any further details on the victims.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Colorado braces for significant late-spring snowstorm

Snow potential on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (ABC News)

(NEW YORK) -- May is expected to feel like December in parts of Colorado as a significant snowstorm is forecast to hit the state on Tuesday, potentially providing a late-spring gift to its sagging snow totals.

Winter storm alerts are in place on Tuesday for parts of Colorado and neighboring Wyoming through Wednesday. 

The Denver metropolitan area is expected to get 2 to 6 inches of snow on Tuesday night and into Wednesday.

The Mile High City is about 20 inches below average for snowfall this season.

Parts of the Central Rocky Mountains, which up to now have seen a record-low snowpack this season, could get 1 to 2 feet of snow on Tuesday and into Wednesday. 

The snowstorm comes a day after the temperature in Denver hit 75. On Tuesday, Denver is only expected to get into the lower 40s -- about 30 degrees colder than on Monday.

Warm weather from Washington, D.C., to New York City

Meanwhile, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Raleigh, North Carolina, are expected to top 80 degrees on Tuesday -- which is 5 to 15 degrees above average for this time of the year.

On Wednesday, a rush of cold air is expected to bring widespread below-average temperatures across the Midwest and Great Lakes. 

Chicago reached 80 on Monday, but will likely only reach 60 on Tuesday.

Severe weather expected in Texas and Arkansas

On Tuesday, severe storms are possible from Dallas to Jonesboro, Arkansas, with the main threats expected to be large hail, damaging wind and possible isolated tornadoes.

Across the South this week, a widespread storm is forecast to produce 1.5 inches to 4 inches of rain. Much of the rain is expected to be beneficial across the drought-stricken region. 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


FAA employee arrested after allegedly using work computer to threaten Trump

A FAA flag is displayed at the Orville Wright Federal Building which houses the Federal Aviation Administration headquarters on June, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) -- A Federal Aviation Administration employee was arrested Monday after he allegedly threatened to harm the president and used a work computer to research his plans, prosecutors said.

Dean DelleChiaie, 35, of Nashua, New Hampshire, was slated to appear in federal court Tuesday on charges of communicating an interstate threat.

Prosecutors allege DelleChiaie used his government computer to search the internet for how to get a gun into a federal facility.

The suspect allegedly also made other incriminating searches on the device, including previous assassination attempts against Trump, the percentage of the population that wants the president dead and the phrase, "I am going to kill Donald John Trump," according to the criminal complaint.

The Secret Service met with DelleChiaie in February, and he allegedly admitted to conducting those searches on his work computer, according to the complaint. 

He also told the Secret Service he owned three firearms, including a handgun he kept inside a safe at home, prosecutors allege.

On April 21, DelleChiaie allegedly used his personal email to transmit a threat across state lines to the White House's email address, prosecutors said.

The email had for a subject, "Contact the President," and said, "I, Dean DelleChiaie, am going neutralize/kill you -- Donald John Trump -- because you decided to kill kids -- and say that it was War -- when in reality -- it is terrorism. God knows your actions and where you belong," according to the complaint.

Attorney information for the suspect was not immediately available.

DelleChiaie faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, if convicted.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Fake courtrooms, sham hearings: Immigrants targeted by scams amid Trump administration's deportation push

Fraudsters are posing as ICE officers, immigration lawyers and federal judges. (Evelin Flores)

(NEW YORK) -- Twenty-year-old Edith from Guatemala has remained in her home with her 1-year-old baby Justin for weeks after selling her only means of transportation.

"Being stuck at home, locked up inside, is very, very difficult for us," she told ABC News.

Edith, a U.S. citizen who was raised in Guatemala and requested she only be referred to by her first name out of concern over her privacy, sold her car and spent her life savings to pay someone who she thought was an attorney to help her husband Dimas, who was arrested and placed in immigration custody in March. 

After Dimas, the undocumented breadwinner of the family, was quickly sent to a detention center in Georgia, Edith sought an immigration lawyer on social media, where a stranger recommended a supposed Florida-based attorney.

"I was scheduled for a video call, and the woman who said she was a lawyer said that to get someone out of immigration detention, a habeas corpus needed to be filed," Edith told ABC News. 

Edith retained the woman and began communicating with her frequently. She completed documents the woman sent her, and began sending the woman payments. She even received documents that appeared to be from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the federal agency that oversees immigration services.

"She began asking for money, $500, $600, $1,750, $4,000 for the bond, petition, copies [of forms]," Edith said.

But last month, when the woman was scheduled to participate in a video call for Dimas' initial hearing before an immigration judge, she never appeared on the call. Edith's husband later told her that the judge said that the attorney wasn't registered in the court system.

"He said, 'They're scamming you,'" Edith said. "I said, 'But why? Why me?' I started to feel really bad and I didn't know what to do."

After confronting the woman she had hired, Edith realized she had been scammed out of more than $10,000 -- her life savings. And with all her money gone, she was unable to pay for a legitimate lawyer to represent her husband, who last month was ordered deported by an immigration judge. 

'A billion-dollar industry'
Edith is one of many victims across the country that law enforcement and immigration lawyers say are being targeted by bad actors seizing on the Trump administration's mass deportation agenda.

Some scammers, according to officials, are using artificial intelligence to hold fake immigration court proceedings with scammers wearing judicial robes and law enforcement uniforms, using fake documents that appear to be from federal agencies. 

"In my experience, this is a billion-dollar industry," said Jorge Rivera, an immigration lawyer in Florida.

Rivera told ABC News that scammers, including the woman who Edith hired, have used his credentials and his law firm's information to target immigrants.

"[Victims] have shown up to our office and they say, 'What happened to my case?'" he said.

ABC News found cases of sophisticated immigration scams across the country, including in New York, where five defendants pleaded not guilty to charges accusing them of holding "sham immigration proceedings" including asylum interviews and court appearances.

According to the complaint, one victim ended up missing their real immigration hearing and was deported.  

"In doing so, the defendants demonstrated a complete and utter disregard for the potentially life-altering consequences that their actions inflicted on their victims -- vulnerable individuals who not only lost significant funds, but also missed their actual immigration court appearances," prosecutors said.

And last month, four people in Orlando, Florida, were charged with setting up a fake immigration law firm and extorting millions from victims. They have not yet entered formal pleas.

'It's heartbreaking'
Rivera said immigration scams have gotten "exponentially worse" during the second Trump administration, because more pathways for immigration relief "have closed." 

"There's been pauses, there's more denials, undoubtedly, it's more difficult to be able to resolve your immigration status," he said. "So this is a perfect storm for the criminals."

Rivera said that if those seeking help are "talking to a legitimate attorney and they're talking to a fraudster, and the fraudster is giving them hope and giving them possibilities, they're going to go with the person that's giving them the hope."

Rivera said he has been working with law enforcement across the country to send them information on alleged scammers, and has been reaching out to social media companies to take down fake profiles. 

In a statement to ABC News, the Department of Homeland Security said scammers are also "pretending to be ICE and USCIS to trick people into giving them money or personal information."

The DHS said that officials will never call out of the blue, demand money, or accept payments using gift cards or crypto currency.

Scammers are also targeting immigrant advocacy groups like Catholic Charities, Kevin Brennan, Catholic Charities' vice president, told ABC News.

"It's really been over the past year or so that we started hearing reports of people claiming to be Catholic Charities and other organizations that provide legal services to immigrants and refugees and using social media to fraudulently offer services, express urgency, ask for money," Brennan told ABC News. 

"It's heartbreaking to see people who are in need and looking for help and being taken advantage of in such a terrible way by these fraudsters and criminals," he said.

In Edith's case, the possibility of getting legitimate legal help to try to get her husband released before he's deported is slipping away. After an immigration judge ordered her husband deported on April 28, he is currently in ICE custody awaiting removal to Guatemala.

Edith said she will likely go to Guatemala to remain with her husband.

"It's very ugly, and I don't wish it on anyone else -- to a person who is alone and without support," she said. "This is not easy." 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Manhunt underway in Tennessee for veteran with extensive survival training accused of trying to kill wife

Craig Berry is seen in an undated photo released by the Stewart County Sheriff's Office. (Stewart County Sheriff's Office)

(TENNESSEE) -- A manhunt is underway in Tennessee for a man with "extensive" survival training who is accused of shooting his wife then fleeing into the woods, authorities said.

Local, state and federal authorities are involved in the search for Craig Berry, who is wanted for second-degree attempted murder, according to the Stewart County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies responded to a domestic altercation at his residence in Dover around 1:30 a.m. on May 1, according to Stewart County Sheriff's Office. Berry fled into the woods near his home after allegedly shooting his wife and was gone before deputies arrived, authorities said.

His wife was transported to a medical facility, according to the sheriff's office, which did not provide details on her condition.

The sheriff's office said Berry is very familiar with the area and warned it could be a "lengthy process" to capture him.

"Berry is a retired special forces veteran and has extensive training in survival tactics," Stewart County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Paulette Redman said in a statement on Monday. "He is an excellent swimmer and diver, and is in good physical shape." 

Berry is armed with "at least one handgun" and may have taken extra ammunition, according to Redman. He is not believed to have any phone or other means of communication on him, she said.

Berry was captured by a trail camera wearing camouflage clothing, the sheriff's office said while releasing the photo.

"We are not ruling out the possibility that he has received some outside assistance after the incident," Redman said.

The U.S. Marshals Service, Tennessee Highway Patrol and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are assisting in the search, the sheriff's office said.

There is no information indicating that he is no longer in the area, the sheriff's office said Monday.

He was last seen near River Trace Road, and authorities are conducting a "very detailed search" of the area from River Trace Road to Highway 79 to parts of Highway 232 this week, the sheriff's office said Monday. 

The sheriff's office advised residents to call 911 if they see anything suspicious.  

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


WHCD suspect: Judge raises alarm about his post-arrest treatment

The xc released an image on April 29, 2026, it said was of suspect Cole Allen taking a selfie of himself in his hotel room before allegedly trying to breach security at the event while armed with multiple weapons. (Department of Justice)

(WASHINGTON) -- A federal magistrate judge expressed deep concern Monday with the post-arrest treatment of the California man charged for allegedly attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at last month's White House correspondents' dinner and whether he has faced overly restrictive conditions that were "extremely disturbing."

Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui convened a hearing on Monday after attorneys for Cole Allen, 31, requested over the weekend that he be removed from suicide watch at the Washington, D.C., jail facility.

Even though Allen's attorneys later moved to withdraw that request after they were informed he was taken off suicide watch, Faruqui ordered the hearing, citing "grave concerns" about the treatment Allen has faced. 

The judge said some of Cole's restrictions entailed being placed into a padded cell, with no access to phone calls, books or recreational time. Faruqui also raised the issue of sleep deprivation, noting that Cole had "constant lighting."

In a heated line of questioning with a representative from D.C.'s Department of Corrections, Faruqui probed why it seemed that Allen had faced much harsher treatment since his arrest than many of those charged with participating in violence during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol who were granted transfers to D.C.'s less-restrictive Correctional Treatment Facility (CTF). 

"People seem to have forgotten about Jan. 6 -- I have not," Faruqui said. "Pardons may erase convictions, but they do not erase history. I had many, you know, there was -- easily right -- dozens, if not more, of people that had firearms that day... People got closer to killing the president that day, they were hanging gallows outside of the front of the Capitol building." 

"I'm just trying to understand, why is there this great difference between Mr. Allen's situation and what happened there, where they were given the benefit of the treatment going over to CTF," Faruqui said. "If we were able to house all the January 6 defendants at CTF, why Mr. Allen doesn't have that same benefit as someone without a criminal history?" 

Faruqui claimed Allen was being treated "differently than anyone I've ever observed" including accused terrorists, gang members and others facing charges of political violence. 

At one point during the hearing, Faruqui apologized to Allen for the conditions he has faced.

"We are obligated to make sure that you're treated with the basic decency that human beings should have, let alone a presumed innocent person," Faruqui said. "So I'm sorry. It sounds like things have not been the way that they're supposed to." 

In trying to give some clarity over the initial move to put Allen under suicide watch, assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Ballantine noted to Faruqui that after his arrest Allen did tell FBI agents that he did not expect to survive the attempted assassination. She further noted that in his email he sent to family and others just before carrying out the attack, he mentioned not likely being able to speak to them again. 

"I think coming into this, Mr. Allen traveled across country, a great distance over several days to commit this attack and it was clear at the time he committed the attack did not expect to survive it," Ballantine said. "Which I think certainly initially gives rise to serious concerns about the potential for suicide." 

An attorney for the D.C. Dept of Corrections, Tony Towns, said at the hearing that decisions regarding Allen's confinement conditions were intended to address safety concerns, and not intended to punish him.

Faruqui instructed Allen's defense attorneys to keep him updated on the progress of his conditions, though Faruqui also acknowledged he had little in the way of power to compel D.C. Corrections to ease restrictions on his confinement. 

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Judge warns of 'serious consequences' if administration begins work at East Potomac Golf Course

Elbert Tse plays golf at the East Potomac Golf Links on May 3, 2026, in Washington, DC. Reports were circulating that the administration planned to take over operations of the popular municipal golf course as soon as Sunday evening, even as officials have offered few details to the public or the course's current operator.(Photo by Pete Kiehart for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) -- A federal judge on Monday warned Justice Department lawyers of "serious consequences" if the Trump administration begins major work at a public golf course in the District of Columbia without getting approval and notifying the court in advance. 

During a tense conference on Monday morning, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes demanded she be updated if work begins at the East Potomac Golf Course, and raised concerns about claims made by the Trump administration regarding the state of the course. 

"Let's just say, given some issues around the district recently, I would have a particular concern that we not ask first and ask forgiveness later, because that's not going to be acceptable," she said. 

Concerns arose in December that the administration may try to take over the course as part of President Donald Trump's efforts to leave his imprint on various D.C. buildings, after the administration terminated the lease of the group that runs the course.

The dispute over East Potomac Golf Course flared up over the weekend after lawyers for the D.C. Preservation League warned that the property would be "razed" by the Trump administration before anyone could stop it, citing the rapid demolition of the White House's East Wing. In an order late Sunday, Judge Reyes required lawyers to appear for an unusually early Monday morning conference to ensure major work had not begun. 

"Without emergency preliminary relief, they will continue running roughshod over both East Potomac Park and the law until the golf course and the Park have met the East Wing's fate," the plaintiffs argued. 

During the conference, a DOJ lawyer argued that the work done to the course was limited to identifying dead or dying trees for removal, which appeared to resolve some of Judge Reyes' concerns. DOJ lawyers said they were unaware of reported fundraising by Trump to renovate the course -- though they said such communications would be "very sensitive issues of executive limited privilege" -- and Kevin Greiss, the Superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Parks, said he was unaware of any closures. 

"I don't want anything major to happen without plaintiffs saying 'Got it' or someone identifying or talking to me first," she said. "I don't want to be the overseer of the Parks and Rec. I mean, I'm no Amy Poehler." 

But as Judge Reyes appeared ready to conclude the hearing, her clerk handed her a note that renewed her concerns. 

"I just got a note from Clerk I need to look at real quick," she said. "It looks like there were signs on the golf course yesterday that there were closures. Were there any closures yesterday?" 

"Not that I am aware of, ma'am," responded Kevin Greiss, the Superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Parks. "I didn't order any signs put up. I can't attest to those signs or who may have put them up. There's been no closure order." 

While Greiss checked with his maintenance staff to confirm if the course was open, Judge Reyes warned DOJ lawyers of "serious consequences" if major construction begins without appropriate notice. 

"I'm going to say this one more time, and I do not want a situation where something has happened and then I'm being told by the government or by a foundation or by a bulldozing company that it's too late to do anything about it," she said. "If anything like that happens ... there are going to be serious consequences." 

Greiss followed up to say that he checked with his maintenance staff -- who said they were unaware of the closures -- but were still looking for the signs. The hearing concluded with Judge Reyes ordering that the Trump administration get approval and notify the court before beginning any construction work. 

When reached by ABC News, a staff member at East Potomac Golf Course's pro shop said the course was open for business Monday. 

"Until they shut us down, we are still here," he said. 

The National Links Trust, which operates East Potomac Golf Course, said Monday in a statement on X, "While we continue to monitor developments surrounding third-party litigation, East Potomac Golf Links is open for business. We will provide updates as they become available. Thank you to our community for their continued support."

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At least 23 people injured in Oklahoma lake party mass shooting: Police

(EDMOND, Okla.) -- At least 23 people were injured in a shooting that erupted Sunday night during what police alleged was a "unsanctioned" lakeside party in Edmond, Oklahoma, that had been advertised on social media and drew a large crowd of young adults.

The shooting occurred at around 9 p.m. at Arcadia Lake in Edmond, about 14 miles north of Oklahoma City, Emily Ward, a spokesperson for the Edmond Police Department, said during a conference Sunday night.

On Monday, Edmond police officials said the number of victims injured in the shooting grew from 13 to 23 as more showed up at emergency rooms on their own.

The victims' injuries ranged in severity, including gunshot wounds, police said.

According to Integris Health, victims treated for injuries at its Edmond and Oklahoma City hospitals ranged in age from 16 to 30.

No arrests have been announced, but police said in a statement Monday that "investigators are actively working the case and are not releasing suspect information at this time."

"The incident occurred during an unsanctioned party that began after dark and was advertised across multiple social media platforms, drawing a large crowd of young adults from across the metro area. The event was not a permitted or reserved gathering," according to the statement.

Edmond police officers responded to Arcadia Lake and the nearby Scissortail Campground after receiving multiple 911 calls from people reporting shots fired.

"There is no reason to believe there is an ongoing threat to the public," according a police statement on Monday.

Seeking the public's help in identifying a suspect, police asked that anyone with information about the shooting contact the Edmond Police Department immediately.

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'Deeply concerned': Search underway for missing Northern Kentucky University student

Undated photo of Murry Alexis Foust. (Covington Police Department)

(CINCINNATI) -- A search continued on Monday for a 22-year-old Northern Kentucky University student who went missing a week ago, according to police.

The missing student, Murry Alexis Foust, was last seen on April 27 in the Latonia neighborhood of Covington, about nine miles south of Cincinnati, according to a statement from the Covington Police Department.

On Monday, police asked residents in the Latonia neighborhood to review footage from their home security cameras for any sign of Foust on streets, driveways, sidewalks and alleys.

"We are looking for any footage from April 27 between 5:45 p.m. and 6:15 p.m.," the Covington police department said in a statement.

On Sunday, police said they had found no evidence of foul play.

"We understand the family’s concern and share in the worry they are experiencing during this difficult time," police officials said in the statement.

Police asked the public for help in locating Foust. "Concerns for their safety have arisen, and your input could be crucial," police said.

The Covington Police Department released surveillance images of Foust, which it described as "the most recent surveillance footage we have found." Citing police officials, ABC affiliate WCPO in Cincinnati said the surveillance images of Foust, who's seen carrying a tan or yellow backpack and walking in the Latonia neighborhood, were taken around 6 p.m. local time on April 27.

"Northern Kentucky University is aware that one of our students, Murry (Alexis) Foust, has been reported missing. We are deeply concerned and our thoughts are with their family, friends and all those impacted," a university spokesperson said in a statement. "The Covington Police Department is leading the investigation, and we are fully cooperating and supporting their efforts. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Covington Police."

Police officials said they are using multiple resources in the search for Foust, including water rescue and search teams, and drone operators.

In an interview on Friday, Foust's father told WCPO that there have been unconfirmed reported sightings of Foust since the student was reported missing, including one on Friday. However, no one has heard from Foust, the father said.

Foust is fine arts major in the university's College of Arts and Sciences and is set to graduate next week, WCPO reported.

Friends of Foust told WCPO that Foust was planning to go to a class at Northern Kentucky University on the afternoon Foust went missing. Friends said Foust's phone was found at the student's home and Foust's backpack was located on the university campus, according to WCPO.

"We don't know what happened. They could be in danger," Eve Miller, a friend of Foust, told WCPO.

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Millions in store for whiplash temperatures sweeping the country

High temperatures for Monday, May 4, 2026. (ABC News)

(NEW YORK) -- Millions of people across the country are buckling up for wild temperature swings of up to 30 degrees this week.

The roller-coaster-like dips and highs in temperatures across most of the nation will come amid a late-season snowstorm in Denver and Rocky Mountains. An Illinois dust storm threat could reduce visibility to less than a quarter of a mile.

Whiplash temperature swings

On Monday, temperatures will be above average across much of the Midwest and Northwest, and below average in California and southwest Arizona. 

Temperatures are expected to climb to 80 on Monday from Chicago to Kansas City -- making it 10 to 15 degrees above average for this time of year.

Oklahoma City and Dallas are forecast to be in the mid-80s on Monday. Meanwhile, California's Bay Area and Los Angeles are expected to be in the mid-60s on Monday -- 5 to 10 degrees below average for the first week of May.

But on Tuesday, temperatures are expected to dramatically drop across parts of the Midwest, including Chicago, which is forecast to see a 20-degree decline, and Denver with a 30-degree decline.

Severe storms are also possible on Tuesday from Dallas to Jonesboro, Arkansas, with the main threats expected to be large hail, damaging wind and possible isolated tornadoes. On Wednesday, severe weather moves across east Texas and into central Alabama, bringing damaging wind, large hail, possible tornadoes and the risk of flash flooding.

New York City, Washington, D.C., and Raleigh, North Carolina, are expected to top 80 degrees on Tuesday -- which is 5 to 15 degrees above average for this time of the year.

On Wednesday, a rush of cold air is expected to bring widespread below-average temperatures across the Midwest and Great Lakes. 

By Friday, cooler-than-normal temperatures spread across the East and South, while the West goes above average with highs near 100 for Phoenix and Las Vegas, while only reaching the 60s in New York City and Washington, D.C., and the 50s in Boston. 

Snow in Colorado

The Colorado Rocky Mountains have received a record-low snowpack this winter. But a late-season snowstorm expected in the area beginning Monday and running through Wednesday could bring a foot to 2 feet of much-needed snow to the Rockies.

Winter storm alerts are in place for parts of Colorado and Wyoming through Wednesday. The heaviest snow is forecast to fall on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

The Denver metro area could see 3 to 9 inches of snow on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The pending storm is already making an impact on America's favorite summer pastime -- baseball. The start time of Monday's game in Denver between the New York Mets and the Colorado Rockies has been moved up three hours to 3:40 p.m. MT due to potential snow.

Blowing dust in Illinois

A rare blowing dust advisory has been issued in Illinois, including the Chicago area. Blowing dust was already an issue in Central Illinois on Sunday.

Visibility of less than a quarter mile is possible on Monday in some agricultural areas of the region.

It's only the second time in history that the National Weather Service (NWS) office based in Chicago has issued a blowing dust advisory. The first advisory was on May 16, 2025, when a large dust storm caused visibility to drop to near zero and wind gusts rose to 60 mph in Chicago and across the area, according to the NWS.

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Trump family's crypto firm sues investor Justin Sun, escalating feud

Eric Trump, executive vice president of Trump Organization Inc., left, and Donald Trump Jr., executive vice president of development and acquisitions for Trump Organization Inc., outside of the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York, US, on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) -- The Trump family's flagship cryptocurrency venture filed a defamation suit on Monday against Chinese crypto mogul Justin Sun, escalating an ongoing legal and social media feud with one of the company's most notable investors. 

Sun sued the Trump-backed firm World Liberty Financial last month, accusing its officers of improperly freezing his investment in the firm's digital tokens.

World Liberty Financial denied those claims publicly and on Monday accused Sun, in a lawsuit filed in Florida state court, of embarking on a "scorched-earth pressure campaign against World Liberty." 

"Sun weaponized his money and his influence within the industry, hiring influencers and deploying fake social-media 'bot' accounts to amplify his lies," the suit asserts. "His actions were coordinated, deliberate, and aimed at burning World Liberty to the ground."

World Liberty Financial says in its suit that it froze Sun's assets "to protect" its community when it learned of alleged "misconduct" perpetrated by Sun, "including suspected short selling of $WLFI token ... and straw purchases of $WLFI tokens on behalf of undisclosed third parties," referring to World Liberty Financial's flagship digital asset.

Sun called the lawsuit "nothing more than a meritless PR stunt" on social media and said he'll "look forward to defeating the case in court." 

Donald Trump Jr., a World Liberty Financial co-founder, on Monday re-posted a thread from the World Liberty Financial account on X laying out its claims in the lawsuit and urging his followers to "Read this entire thread for the truth!!!!" 

The dueling lawsuits mark the collapse of what was once a lively and mutually fruitful relationship, after Sun pumped more than $45 million into World Liberty Financial and many more millions into President Trump's meme coin, called $TRUMP. 

Earlier this year, Sun agreed to pay $10 million to resolve a civil fraud case brought by the Biden-era Securities and Exchange Commission -- a resolution critics framed as a favorable outcome for the Chinese mogul. 

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Cornell University president accused of backing into student in parking lot confrontation

Enhanced surveillance video released by Cornell University, May 3, 2026, shows university President Michael Kotlikoff backing out of an on-campus parking space after a group confronted him about free speech. (Cornell University)

(NEW YORK) -- Cornell University's president claimed he was the victim of "harassment and intimidation" following a parking lot confrontation with a group of people who said he tried to back his car into them.

The incident unfolded on Thursday, April 30, after Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff introduced an Israel-Palestinian debate series that was hosted by the Cornell Political Union and co-sponsored by the Cornell Progressives, Cornellians for Israel, and Students for Justice in Palestine.

Kotlikoff said the behavior he experienced while allegedly being followed to his car in an on-campus lot by six or seven people, some of them students, "is harassment and intimidation, with the direct motive of silencing speech."

"It has no place in an academic community, no place in a democracy, and can have no place at Cornell," Kolikoff said in his statement released to the Ithaca, New York, university's community on Friday.

Following the debate, videos posted online showed several people following Kolikoff to his car while questioning him about freedom of speech. The videos showed Kolikoff's black Cadillac backing up out of a parking space as students appeared to be standing behind his vehicle.

One person, according to a video, complained that Kotikoff's car bumped into him and ran over his foot before the school president drove off.

Aiden Vallecillo, a member of Students for a Democratic Cornell, told ABC affiliate station WSYR in Syracuse that he and other students followed Kolikoff from the debate to his car, peacefully questioning him.

Vallecillo claimed that Kotikoff escalated the situation when he got behind the wheel of his vehicle.

"As we were still trying to talk to him, he just immediately started reversing into us," alleged Vallecillo, who claimed that Kotikoff's car backed over his foot.

Sophia Arnold, president of the Students for a Democratic Cornell, said she witnessed the incident and expressed dismay over Kotikoff's alleged behavior.

"I don’t even have the words for it. I was pretty shocked and offended,” Arnold told WSYR. “A random pedestrian pulling out of a supermarket parking lot would probably have shown more care."

On Sunday, the university released enhanced surveillance video of the incident, which the school said occurred in a parking lot near Day Hall. The footage showed a group of people standing behind Kotikoff's car as it backed out of a parking space, stopping when it appeared to bump a person filming with his cellphone, and then continued to back up and drive off.

In an earlier statement, Kyle Kimball, vice president for University Relations, said the security footage "shows students following President Kotlikoff to his car and surrounding the car to prevent him from leaving after the Cornell Political Union event."

It was unclear on Sunday if the incident was reported to the campus police or was being formally investigated. In response to a request for comment on Sunday, a university spokesperson directed ABC News to the statement Kolitkoff released to the Cornell community on Friday.

In that statement, Kolitkoff, who was appointed as the school's president in March 2025, said he was "accosted by a group of several individuals in the hall, among them students and non-students" as he left the event.

"These individuals are known to Cornell for their past conduct, including a long history of ongoing verbal and online abuse toward numerous members of Cornell’s administration and staff, as well as disruptive protest resulting, in the case of two individuals, in bans from campus," Kolitkoff said.

He alleged that they followed him across campus from the event space "while loudly shouting questions" and using their phones to record the incident.

"After answering a few questions, I let them know that I was not planning to engage further, and asked them to stop recording," Kolitkoff said.

Kolitkoff claimed the students continued to follow him, and said at least one told him, "No, we are not going to stop."

He said when he got to his car, the group surrounded his vehicle, "banging on the windows" and blocking him from leaving.

"I waited until I saw space behind the car and then, using my car's rear pedestrian alert and automatic braking system, was able to slowly maneuver my car from the parking space and exit the parking lot," Kolitkoff said.

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Man arrested for killing Wendy's co-worker, roommate in fatal stabbings on Long Island: Police

WABC

(NEW YORK) -- A man was arrested Friday after police say he fatally stabbed his roommate and then his co-worker at a Wendy's on Long Island.

Rony Alvarenga, 22, was charged Saturday with two counts of murder after he turned himself in following the killings of the 42-year-old co-worker and 32-year-old roommate, Nassau County Police Department Det. Lt. George Darienzo told reporters.

The names of the victims, both women, have yet to be released.

Alvarenga allegedly killed his roommate around 9:30 p.m. on Thursday inside the Valley Stream house they lived in, according to Darienzo.

Hours later, police got a call from a Wendy's in Island Park about a man with a knife and when they arrived, they found the 42-year-old victim and declared her dead at the scene.

As officers collected clues, including surveillance video, they received a phone call from Alvarenga where he allegedly claimed he had killed someone that night. Officers responded to a 7-Eleven location where Alvarenga turned himself in, according to police.

Darienzo said that officers had learned that another person may have been killed that night and went to the the suspect's home. When they arrived they found the slain roommate.

Alvarenga is originally from El Salvador and has been living in the United States undocumented for the last 10 years, according to officials.

The victims' identities were pending, but Darienzo told reporters that it is believed the Wendy's worker had two children in the U.S.

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