(MISSOURI) -- Emergency responders are at the scene of a campground in Missouri where a building reportedly collapsed into floodwaters amid flash flooding on Friday.

Initial reports indicate 10 to 17 individuals may have entered the water as a result of the collapse, according to the Reynolds County Sheriff's Office.

Five campers who were previously reported missing from Bearcat Getaway Campground have been located and accounted for while the search for those who may have been in the building that collapsed continues.

Over 90 water rescues have been conducted involving residents, campers and motorists affected by rapidly rising floodwaters, the sheriff's office said.

The governor of Missouri declared a state of emergency on Friday in response to flash flooding. 

"Over the past 24 hours, intense storms have created dangerous flash flooding across several regions of Missouri, resulting in multiple swift-water rescues. Activating the State Emergency Operations Plan allows our agencies to move quickly, coordinate resources, and support local response efforts," Gov. Mike Kehoe said in a statement Friday. 

"With additional heavy rain expected through the weekend, the threat is not over. If you're camping, floating, or spending time near rivers and streams, move to higher ground and stay alert of weather conditions," Kehoe said. "Missourians should continue to monitor local forecasts and follow the guidance of local authorities."

Rescue operations began around 2:30 a.m. on Friday after emergency calls reported numerous campers trapped by rising water, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

A flash flood emergency has been declared for several locations in Missouri and additional thunderstorms with heavy rain are expected to continue throughout the evening. 

Water rescues were reported amid catastrophic flooding.

In parts of Iron and Reynolds counties, 7 to 12 inches of rain have fallen. The Black River at Lesterville rose 8 feet in an hour, with that water working its way toward Annapolis, where river levels quickly rose. 

This emergency includes recreational places such as Johnson's Shut-Ins and Taum Sauk Mountain State Park. Towns in the emergency include Viburnum, Annapolis, Glover, Oates, Bixby, Lesterville, Black, Hogan, Chloride, and Sabula. 

Additional rounds of heavy rain and storms will continue from the central Plains east to the Ohio Valley and interior parts of the Northeast through this weekend.

There is a level 3 of 4 (moderate risk) for excessive rainfall over already hard-hit southeastern Missouri on Friday. Also, a level 2 of 4 (slight risk) for excessive rainfall from parts of the Mid-Mississippi Valley to the Central Appalachians.

A Flood Watch is in effect for over 21 million Americans, from Pennsylvania to Tennessee and west to Missouri.

Officials are warning Missourians not to attempt to drive through floodwaters even if the water appears shallow. 

Just six inches of floodwater can sweep a person off their feet, and as little as one foot of water can move most cars off the road.

"More than half of flood deaths in Missouri are victims in vehicles. Nighttime severe weather is particularly dangerous because visibility is severely reduced. If you find yourself stranded by floodwaters, immediately call for help and seek higher ground," the governor's office warned Friday. 

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(NEW YORK) -- The parents of Nolan Xavier Wells, Christine and Elmore Wonsley, broke their silence on their son's mysterious death in an interview with "Good Morning America" anchor Michael Strahan on Friday morning.

"We just want honesty and transparency. We want a thorough investigation," Christine Wonsley said. "We want that same respect that would be given to anybody else, and that's it. We just want answers."

The Wonsleys, who were joined by their attorney Ben Crump, called for a "thorough" and independent investigation.

They also expressed the need to shed more light on unanswered questions, including what they allege are deleted messages from their son's phone, that have led them to become "suspicious" about his death following a July 4 boating trip.

"Nolan was just like this bright light ... his smile, his energy was just, just so infectious," Christine Wonsley said. "He was just a genuinely a good person. Like I always say, all the best parts of me are with him."

Elmore Wonsley said Wells "was very loving."

"There was not a friend that he couldn't make ... he's gonna be really missed," he said.

Wells, who played football at Southwest Mississippi Community College, went missing during a Fourth of July celebration with high school friends on Horn Island, a popular undeveloped island just south of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, officials said.

The 18-year-old's body was recovered on Monday. Authorities said they suspect Wells drowned, but are still investigating. An autopsy was conducted but results could take weeks, officials said.

The disappearance

According to Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter, a friend of Wells contacted the Coast Guard around 11 p.m. last Saturday, July 4. Separately, Wells' mother contacted the sheriff's office about her son around midnight leading into Sunday, July 5.

The Wonsleys cast doubt on claims by friends that Wells decided to stay behind on the island, while his friends left.

"That we cannot answer," Christine Wonsley said when asked why Wells would stay behind. "I just, I can't -- I can't fathom why he would."

Elmore Wonsley said that would have gone against the advice they gave Wells.

"We always told him, if you go with a group, you stay with a group," he said.

Ledbetter told ABC News in an interview that aired on "GMA" on Friday that nothing "yet" from the evidence they collected indicates that foul play was involved in Wells' death, but the investigation will take time and is ongoing, he added.

"We're working towards the same goal as the family. We want a thorough investigation. We're trying to find out everything ," he said. "We are providing a thorough, professional, and accurate investigation. That's what we're going to continue to do, until we arrive at the answers that the family deserves."

Crump, the attorney representing the Wonsleys, told ABC News Live in an interview on Wednesday that Wells could swim, his family is "not accepting that Nolan drowned accidentally."

Unanswered questions

Christine Wonsley told "GMA" that his family tracked his phone, but when she went to pick it up from Wells' friends, she said it appears that some texts and SnapChat messages had been deleted. It is unclear which friends Wells' phone was retrieved from and who could have been in possession of it prior to that.

"When we finally got his phone, me and my sister went through the phone. We went in his Snapchat. He had two accounts. Absolutely nothing," Christine Wonsley said. "It wasn't even 24 hours, which is how long videos and pictures stay in Snapchat ... even my sister was like 'Yeah, that's suspicious.'"

Crump, who joined the Wonsleys on "GMA" Friday, said that the family has questions about a cell phone video of an "argument" that was posted online.

"You can hear an argument going where Nolan is saying, 'Give me my freaking phone! What are you freaking doing?' And so then his phone ends up missing," Crump said.

"No young person leaves their cell phone," he added. "It's not adding up, and that is the problem when you think about the history of Mississippi. Yeah, so there are so many questions that need to be answered."

Ledbetter told GMA on Thursday night that Wells' phone has not been turned over to investigators yet.

"It may be important, may be a piece that we haven't got yet," he said.

Crump told reporters during a press conference on Friday that the family plans to turn the phone over to law enforcement after their own investigators complete their examination.

"We're going to do it expeditiously and give it to them to examine it as well," he said.

Ledbetter noted that the "argument" video will be part of the investigation.

As the family searches for answers, the investigation will continue in Washington, D.C., Crump said, where "we are having an independent autopsy done at behest of his family." 

He noted that former NFL football star Colin Kaepernick helped pay for it.

"We flew his body up from Mississippi to D.C. because they wanted an autopsy done by a person with no interaction with the Mississippi law enforcement because there's an issue of trust here that is really important," Crump said.

Ledbetter told "GMA" that the sheriff's office welcomes the independent investigation.

"By all means, that's more information looking into the death of Nolan that will be made available and another set of eyes looking at it," he said.

Ledbetter asked the public for "patience" as investigators look into a "substantial amount" of tips, in addition to reviewing photo and video evidence.

The sheriff's department stressed Wednesday that the investigation is ongoing and urged anyone who was on or near the northwest tip of Horn Island to come forward with photos or videos, "particularly those depicting alleged altercations or containing images of, or believed to include Nolan Wells."

ABC News' Sasha Pezenick, Kirk Cohall and Mark Guarino contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) -- The birth mother of a 7-year-old girl from Long Island, New York, is planning to sue the county and school district following the death of her daughter in December 2025.

Portia Duncan filed a notice of claim against Suffolk County for allegedly neglecting her daughter, Jor'Dynn Duncan, by placing her in the care of her legal guardian, Emily Kelly, who Portia Duncan alleges physically abused, neglected and tortured Jor'Dynn.

Kelly was charged with second-degree murder and pleaded not guilty in court on June 23.

In addition to Kelly, her mother, Barbara Renner, and her daughter, Elyssa Seymore, were also arrested on charges regarding their alleged involvement in Jor'Dynn's death. Renner was charged with second-degree manslaughter and Seymore with unlawful imprisonment, among other charges. They both pleaded not guilty.

Portia Duncan also filed a notice of claim against Bayport-Blue Point School District for allegedly failing to act on indicators of abuse she said Jor'Dynn presented.

"I miss her dearly, dearly," Portia Duncan said amid tears in a press conference on Tuesday. "She was such a sweet, beautiful, smart, fun, girly girl. If I could turn back the time, I would've done things so much different."

An autopsy determined that Jor'Dynn's death on Dec. 29, 2025, was due to a massive untreated infection from more than 90 injuries that were found on her body at the time of her death, according to a Suffolk County District Attorney's Office press release.

"These claims arise from the placement of seven-year-old Jor'Dynn Duncan, while she was in the custody of the County of Suffolk, into a home in which she was subjected to a prolonged, systematic, and ultimately fatal course of physical abuse, torture, and neglect; from the failure of the County of Suffolk, the Suffolk County Department of Social Services and Suffolk County Child Protective Services to adequately investigate and vet the caregiver with whom they placed her, to monitor her health, safety and general well-being during the approximately one year she remained in that place, and to act upon the indicators of abuse she and other presented; and from the failure of the Bayport-Blue Point School District and its personnel, in their capacity as mandated reporters, to report the outwardly observable indicia of abuse and Jor'Dynn's chronic school absenteeism," the notice said.

Jor'Dynn allegedly missed 40 days of school between January and June 2025, according to the notice of claim. The child allegedly wore makeup to conceal injuries she incurred from the abuse on the days she did attend school, the notice said.

Kelly allegedly called the school with several excuses for Jor'Dynn's absences to cover up the alleged abuse, including fake illnesses, deaths in the family and trips to Disney World, the District Attorney's press release said.

Kelly gained full custody of Jor'Dynn in April 2025 upon her request, an investigation by the Suffolk County Police Department found. Kelly is the fiancée of Jor'Dynn's father, who was in prison, according to the notice of claim.

Jor'Dynn was removed from Portia Duncan's custody on account of a failed drug test, her attorney said.

The police investigation allegedly found extensive photo and video evidence of abuse captured on Kelly's cell phone and other cloud-based accounts, the press release stated.

"The placement of Jor'Dynn Duncan with Emily Kelly was what led to her death," Derek Sells, an attorney representing Portia Duncan, said in a press conference. "The failure to properly screen that placement, the failure to properly supervise that placement, and the failure to report clear abuse in the form of neglect, not going to school, all led to this death. And we're gonna hold those people accountable."

Sells said the filing of claims is the "first step" in the process of holding parties accountable for Jor'Dynn's death. Filing a Notice of Claim typically comes before filing a lawsuit against the state, local government or a government agency in New York.

Both the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office and the Bayport-Blue Point School District declined to comment on the claims.

Attempts to reach Suffolk County for a comment were unsuccessful.

The three women are set to return to court at the beginning of August, ABC News New York affiliate WABC reported.

"She pled not guilty at the arraignment, my client asserts her innocence, and we are vigorously going to defend her throughout these proceedings," said John LoTurco, Kelly's defense attorney, according to WABC.

"I'm so thankful to the Lord for giving me the chance to be in my daughter's life the way that I was," Portia Duncan said. "I'm very upset that she's been taken from me."

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(CHICAGO) -- An Indiana state trooper is recovering in a hospital after he was shot by a suspect Friday who was being pursued by law enforcement across two states in a stolen car.

Indiana State Police later found the unidentified suspect dead following a manhunt.

The incident began around 5:30 a.m., when officers were in pursuit over a stolen truck in Berrien County, Michigan, which ultimately continued to LaPorte County, Indiana, Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield said during a news conference.

The unidentified suspect allegedly drove into a cornfield to elude police and ultimately got on I-94 and then US-421 in Indiana, Fifield said.

The suspect and the unidentified officer collided in Michigan City, Indiana, and the suspect allegedly began firing, according to Fifield.

Even though he was hit several times, the trooper was able to return fire before the suspect got back in the truck and fled, according to Fifield.

The trooper was transported to the hospital and was listed in stable condition, according to the police.

The wounded officer was in surgery and in good spirits, according to Fifield.

Investigators located the truck around 9:16 a.m. in a tree line in the Westville, Indiana area, Fifield said.

Officials urged those in the area to remain indoors and report anything suspicious as they continue to search for the suspect in that wooded area, Fifield said. About 100 officers were searching for the suspect, he added.

Around 1:15 p.m., Fifield said that the suspect was found deceased and that he had injuries consistent with gunshot wounds.

A law enforcement source with knowledge of the investigation told ABC News that preliminary information suggests the suspect died of a self inflicted gunshot wound.

ABC News' Luke Barr contributed to this report.

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(HOUSTON) -- The man fatally shot during a traffic stop by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Houston this week was seemingly not the original target of the immigration enforcement operation, a Department of Homeland Security official told ABC News.

The DHS official said Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national, "resembled the target."

"After receiving a credible tip from our law enforcement partners, our officers conducted surveillance on a target's address. Weeks prior to the incident, they noted two white vans at the property," the official said.  "On July 7, officers were almost at the target's address when they observed a white van with an individual who resembled the target. Officers then initiated the vehicle stop."

The Harris County Medical Examiner has listed Lorenzo Salgado's death as a homicide. The primary cause of death was "penetrating gunshot wound of the torso," according to the office.

The update from DHS comes as Salgado's family and local officials are pushing for answers and demanding an independent and transparent investigation into the incident.

In a previous statement, ICE said officers attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Salgado Araujo around 6:50 a.m. on Tuesday as part of a targeted operation.

Salgado Araujo allegedly didn't follow verbal commands, according to ICE, and the agency alleged that Salgado Araujo "weaponized his vehicle" and tried to run over an officer during the stop, prompting the officer to fire their weapon "in self-defense."

DHS said the shooting remains under investigation by its Office of the Inspector General.

Earlier Thursday, DHS said the ICE officers involved in the incident had not been issued body-worn cameras.

Salgado Araujo's sons have called for an independent investigation into their father's death, as they say they have many questions for ICE, including why he was targeted and why deadly force was used.

"My dad had no criminal history," Ronaldo Salgado, 29, one of Salgado Araujo's three sons, told ABC News on Thursday. "My dad, you know, wasn't doing anything illegal. He was picking up his workers to go to work."

Ronaldo Salgado said no one from DHS or ICE has contacted the family, and that he and only learned of their father's death on social media, watching a Facebook post of his father, lying on the street after being shot.

"We still don't have any answers," Ronaldo Salgado said. "All we have to go for is their statement that they released."

Four Democratic Texas congress members -- Reps. Sylvia Garcia, Al Green, Lizzie Fletcher and Christian Menefee -- have also called for an "immediate, fully independent, and transparent investigation" into Salgado Araujo's death.

In a letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Acting ICE Director David Venturella on Wednesday, the four lawmakers demanded answers to multiple questions about the incident, including whether the officers had body-worn cameras, and asked for the "complete, unedited body camera footage from all officers present at the incident, as well as all dash camera footage from both vehicles."

Salgado Araujo, who had been in the U.S. for nearly 35 years, was undocumented, according to ICE. Ronaldo Salgado said his father's priority had been providing for his family and getting his three sons through school, and that last year he had started the process of getting a work permit.

"I just want all Americans to know that my dad was a hardworking man, a family man who wanted nothing more than to put food on the table and to watch his sons achieve the American dream," he told ABC News.

Three men, including Salgado Araujo's brother, who were in the van being driven by Salgado Araujo were detained in the incident, according to the Texas congress members, who asked for an update on their current status in their letter to the DHS and ICE leaders.

The deadly shooting has sparked protests in Houston, with hundreds of people marching Wednesday through the neighborhood where the incident occurred.

In the wake of the shooting, Mexican officials said they plan to file criminal complaints over the deaths of Mexicans in the U.S. in connection with immigration operations.

Mexico's foreign affairs secretary, Roberto Velasco, referenced Salgado Araujo's death during a press briefing announcing the legal measures on Thursday, calling it a "painful situation," and said Mexico's president has instructed them to begin legal action to "protect the human rights of Mexicans in the United States."

Regarding body-worn cameras, a DHS spokesperson said the officers involved in the incident were "not issued" them, pointing to two partial government shutdowns -- one in the fall of 2025 and the other one earlier this year -- for the delay in issuing cameras to ICE law enforcement officers.

"The process of purchasing and issuing body-worn cameras to all of our ICE field offices was interrupted by the Democrats multiple government shutdowns," the spokesperson said. "Body cameras have been deployed to more than half the field offices with the remaining half to receive them in the next 60 days."

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(OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss.) -- The family of Mississippi teen Nolan Xavier Wells will conduct an independent autopsy following the 18-year-old's mysterious death, according to attorney Ben Crump, who revealed new details about what he says unfolded on the day Wells vanished.

"He was a good kid. He was beloved. He was a college athlete. He had everything going for him. And so to go on that island ... and then not to come back is what is concerning," Crump told ABC News' Linsey Davis.

Wells went missing on the 4th of July after going on a boat trip with his high school friends to the popular, undeveloped Horn Island, just south of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, according to officials and Crump. The location is accessible only by private boat and doesn't have facilities, drinking water or staff.

"[The friends] left [Horn Island] and went back without Nolan," Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said. "From what we understand, he chose to stay there."

A body believed to be Wells was recovered Monday, officials said.

One of Nolan Wells’ friends who went boating to Horn Island on July 4 was the first to report him missing, Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter told ABC News Thursday.

That friend contacted the Coast Guard around 11 p.m. that night, Ledbetter said. Separately, Wells’ mother contacted the sheriff’s office about her son around midnight leading into July 5.

Authorities said they believe Wells drowned and don't suspect foul play, but the sheriff's office stressed Wednesday that investigators are "working diligently to determine exactly what occurred."

Crump said investigators "continue to tell the family that 'We don't see any evidence of any foul play,' even though you have students who recorded an altercation while they were on the boats." Crump described the altercation as "Nolan and somebody yelling at one another on the boat."

According to Crump, Wells' friends took the teen's phone with them when they left Horn Island. Crump said when Wells' family got his phone back, messages had been deleted.

Crump also said Wells' father described the 18-year-old college football player as "an elite athlete."

"He said that his son could swim. And so, they're just not accepting that Nolan drowned accidentally," Crump said.

Crump said the independent autopsy will be conducted in Washington, D.C.

The sheriff's office stressed Wednesday that the investigation is ongoing and urged anyone who was on or near the northwest tip of Horn Island to come forward with photos or videos, "particularly those depicting alleged altercations or containing images of, or believed to include Nolan Wells."

The sheriff's office said it's also looking for anyone who may have seen Wells or "observed or heard an argument, disturbance, or other unusual activity while on the island."

"Even information that may seem insignificant could prove valuable to investigators. We encourage anyone with firsthand knowledge to come forward," the department said.

"Our thoughts, prayers, and condolences remain with Nolan Wells' family during this difficult time," the department added.

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(UTAH) -- Over objections from defense attorneys, a video was played in a Utah courtroom on Thursday in which the roommate of Tyler Robinson, the suspect charged in the 2025 killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, claimed Robinson confessed to the shooting.

Lance Twiggs, Robinson's roommate and romantic partner, claimed in the highly redacted videotaped interview with prosecutors and detectives that Robinson told him in person that he killed Kirk.

"He didn't go into detail. I just asked him in person what he said was true the night before, and he said it was," Twiggs said in the video filmed in April 2026 at the Utah County Attorney's Office. "He started crying a little bit and he said he wishes he hadn't done it, and kept going around just doing stuff, I think to keep himself busy or distracted, or something."

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(SAVANNAH, GA.) -- A now-former Georgia police officer has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after he accidentally discharged his weapon during an arrest, fatally shooting a teenager he was attempting to handcuff, according to court filings.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) filed criminal charges against Derrick Harris Jr., 37, who was an officer with the DeKalb County Police Department, on Wednesday, a day after the deadly shooting.

The teen -- 19-year-old Seth Jayden Eccles, of Savannah -- was shot Tuesday evening in the backyard of a home in Avondale Estates, according to GBI.

U.S. Postal Inspection Service agents had questioned him earlier that afternoon regarding the armed robbery of a mail carrier, according to GBI. Law enforcement later learned he had an active arrest warrant and began searching for Eccles, who allegedly hid in nearby woods after being allowed to walk away following questioning, according to GBI.

After multiple 911 callers reported a suspicious person moving through the backyards of homes in Avondale Estates, Harris located Eccles in a backyard of a home, according to GBI.

Harris gave the teen verbal commands at gunpoint and Eccles complied, according to GBI. The teen was lying on his stomach as Harris attempted to take him into custody, with the officer holding a firearm in one hand at the teen's back and handcuffs in the other, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.  

"During the process of attempting to handcuff Eccles, Harris accidentally fired his firearm," the affidavit stated. "This accidental discharge resulted in the injury and death of Eccles."

Eccles was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead, GBI said.

Harris has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, a felony, and reckless conduct, a misdemeanor, according to court filings.

A second arrest warrant affidavit alleges that Harris was "consciously disregarding a substantial and unjustifiable risk" and that his actions "constituted a gross deviation from the standard of care which a reasonable person would exercise in the situation."

The investigation remains ongoing. Once complete, the case will be presented to the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office for prosecution and review, GBI said.

Harris was booked into the DeKalb County Jail on Thursday. His bond was set at $10,000 and he has since bonded out, jail records show. Online court records do not list any attorney information for him. ABC News' attempts to reach him over the phone were unsuccessful.

Following the charges on Wednesday, the DeKalb County Police Department said that Harris has been terminated due to "violations of laws."

"This incident has had a profound impact on everyone involved. My thoughts and prayers remain with the family of Seth Jayden Eccles as they continue to grieve this tragic loss," DeKalb County Police Chief Greg Padrick said in a statement. "This has also been a difficult time for the members of our department. The men and women of the DeKalb County Police Department remain committed to serving our community with professionalism, integrity, and compassion, and they will continue to serve the people of DeKalb County with honor, service, and partnership each and every day."

DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson called Eccles' death a "tragedy."

"My heartfelt condolences are with his family and loved ones as they navigate an unimaginable loss," she said in a statement on Wednesday. "Today's criminal charges and the termination of our officer reflect our commitment to accountability. We understand no one is above the law and that accountability is essential to maintaining public trust."

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(PIKESVILLE, Md.) -- Over 30 people were injured after a public transit bus struck multiple vehicles before crashing into a building in Maryland on Wednesday, authorities said.

The incident occurred shortly before 6 p.m. ET in Pikesville, located northwest of Baltimore, just outside the city limits.

A Maryland Transit Administration bus "struck several vehicles before losing control and striking a building," the Baltimore County Police Department said.

The bus driver was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said. Additionally, 36 people were transported to area hospitals, police said.

Twelve vehicles were involved in the incident, including one that rolled over, according to authorities.

"The circumstances leading up to this crash remain under investigation," police said Thursday.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said he is monitoring the situation.

"We are deeply grateful for our first responders who acted with speed and skill to ensure the safety of our neighbors," he said in a post on social media. "We've been in close coordination with local officials to provide any support needed on the ground."

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(CHESTER TOWNSHIP, N.J.) -- More than one month after a New Jersey mom was killed in her suburban home, prosecutors say no arrests have been made.

Brooke Hanlon, 35, was found dead in her house in Chester Township after officers responded to a 911 call in the late afternoon of June 6, the Morris County Prosecutor's Office said.

Her death was ruled a homicide from "multiple sharp force injuries," prosecutors said.

Hanlon is survived by her husband and baby daughter, according to Fox News Digital.

Hanlon's sister, Paige Haggerty, told Fox News Digital that "Brooke was the sweetest, purest person that I have ever known in my entire life," and she called Hanlon's baby "the only saving grace."

The 35-year-old worked as a therapist in Bernardsville, New Jersey, according to LifeStance.

"We are deeply saddened at the passing of our teammate Brooke Hanlon," a LifeStance spokesperson told ABC News in a statement. "Brooke was a beloved member of our Bernardsville team and an exceptional therapist who was highly dedicated to her clients. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Brooke's family and friends during this difficult time."

Prosecutors said the case is active and ongoing.

Officials urge anyone with information to call the Morris County Prosecutor's Office at 973-285-2900, Chester Police at 908-879-5100 or CrimeStoppers at 973-267-2255. A reward up to $1,000 is available, Morris County Sheriff's CrimeStoppers said.

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(NEW YORK) -- A man was arrested after he allegedly threw Molotov cocktails at two different houses of worship and another building in Queens Wednesday night, the New York City Police Department said.

Officers responded to a 911 call at Iglesia Bautista El Mesias Church in Ozone Park around 11:35 p.m. about a man allegedly throwing the incendiary device, according to the NYPD.

Surveillance footage showed the suspect lighting the Molotov cocktail and then throwing it at the church before walking away after it exploded on the ground, police said.

The New York City Fire Department put out the fire. No one was hurt and there was no significant damage to the building, according to the police.

Alex Garcia, the pastor of the church, told ABC News' New York City affiliate WABC that the house of worship has been around for 20 years.

"We have no enemies, so I don't know where this is coming from," he told the station.

The suspect, who police only identified as a 36-year-old man, then allegedly traveled a mile north to Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses and allegedly lit and threw another Molotov cocktail at the house of worship, according to investigators.

There were no reported damage or injuries at that location, police said.

The suspect was arrested by police later in the night, according to the NYPD.

Investigators discovered that he allegedly threw another Molotov cocktail at a third location in the area, according to the NYPD. That building also sustained no damage, and there were no injuries, investigators said.

Police alleged that the suspect had a bag with two other Molotov cocktails inside at the time of his arrest.

The suspect's charges and arraignment were pending as of Thursday morning, police said. The investigation is ongoing.

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(NEW YORK) -- Twenty-five years after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, left a gaping void in Lower Manhattan, American Express broke ground Thursday on its new headquarters, a tiered glass and steel tower at 2 World Trade Center.

The 55-story, 2 million square foot building with more than an acre of outdoor terraces and gardens is the last commercial development in the footprint of the fallen twin towers of the World Trade Center. 

The skyscraper is scheduled to be completed in 2031 and rise 1,226 feet.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the project will create 3,200 jobs and inject $6 billion into the city's economy.

"We are standing today on hallowed ground," Mamdani said. 

"This has been a long journey," said Lisa Silverstein of Silverstein Properties, the developer of the site since 2001. "This is the capstone for the World Trade Center."

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(NEW YORK) -- While President Donald Trump attended the NATO summit in Ankara, a federal judge in New York on Wednesday ordered him to pay what he owes E. Jean Carroll after a jury held him liable for sexually abusing and defaming her.

Judge Lewis Kaplan ordered disbursement of the $5 million judgment plus almost $800,000 in interest.

"In the last analysis, defendant has been stalling this case for years. A jury unanimously concluded that he sexually abused and defamed plaintiff and awarded her damages accordingly. The judgment on that verdict has been upheld on appeal. En banc rehearing has been denied. The Supreme Court has denied certiorari without dissent," Kaplan wrote in an order late Wednesday. "It is time for him to 'do equity' and pay the judgment.”

A New York jury in 2023 held Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll in the dressing room of Bergdorf Goodman in the mid-1990s and defaming her in 2022 when he denied her claim, and decided she is entitled to $5 million in damages.

A jury in a separate but related case determined Trump owes Carroll an additional $83 million in damages, but that is still going through the appeals process. 

The decision comes after the U.S. Supreme Court last month, with no dissents, declined to hear Trump's appeal of the verdict and judgment.

Trump's attorneys launched a long-shot bid to delay the payment and sought an administrative stay from United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, however, in a one-page order on Wednesday evening, the appeals court rejected his request for a delay, clearing the way for the money to go to Carroll.

The same court had already denied Trump's initial attempts to appeal the case, in addition to the Supreme Court's ruling.

Three years ago, Trump deposited $5.55 million in the federal government's Court Registry Investment System -- which effectively held the money in escrow during his appeal.

Judge Kaplan on Wednesday ordered the clerk to move the money into an account belonging to Carroll's lawyers. The transfer of funds may have already taken place, though the court docket does not indicate either way.

After the Supreme Court decision, attorneys for Carroll asked a federal judge to order Trump to pay the money, saying Trump's lawyers told them the president may ask the Supreme Court to reconsider.

"[A]fter four years of litigation across every level of the federal court system, it is time for this case to end," Carroll's attorney Roberta Kaplan wrote in a court filing. "And under the Court's Stipulation and Order, Carroll is now entitled to obtain payment of the money due under the judgment."

In a post on his social media platform after the Supreme Court rejected his appeal, Trump vowed to continue to fight the case.

"I will continue the fight against this Weaponization and Lawfare Case against me, including the ridiculous claim of Defamation, with all of my power and strength," Trump said in the post.

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(WASHINGTON) -- Brian Cole Jr., the Virginia man charged with placing pipe bombs outside the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters the night before the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, is set to go to trial in February, a federal judge said during a court hearing Wednesday. 

U.S. District Judge Amir Ali set the trial date for Feb. 16 based on a request from Cole's lawyers, who pointed to massive tranches of evidence the government has shared with them stemming from the roughly five-year investigation into the placement of the pipe bombs. 

Cole has pleaded not guilty in the case.

The government and Cole's attorneys said they expect the trial could take as long as two weeks. 

Both sides will next return to court on Sept. 10 for a status conference. 

On Monday, Judge Ali ruled that the sweeping clemency granted by President Donald Trump for all of the individuals charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack does not apply to Cole.

Cole's defense attorneys had argued that Cole should be covered by President Trump's pardons on the basis that his actions were allegedly related to Congress' convening of the joint session the next day.

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(HOUSTON, Texas) -- A child was injured after lightning struck his Texas home and the electrical current traveled through the home's wiring, shocking him while he used a computer, according to authorities. 

The incident occurred Tuesday in Cypress, a Houston suburb. The electrical current caused a small fire in the home's attic, in addition to injuring the boy, according to Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman.

The 14-year-old was evaluated by emergency medical services personnel at the scene and was not transported to a hospital, according to the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office.

The Cypress Creek Fire Department also responded, authorities said.

The investigation remains ongoing, Herman said.

The forecast for the Houston area on Tuesday called for isolated thunderstorms and showers.

Herman issued a safety warning following the incident, saying in a statement, "During thunderstorms, avoid using corded electronics and stay away from electrical wiring and plumbing, as lightning can travel through a home's electrical system." 

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(MILWAUKEE) -- Hannah Dugan, a former Wisconsin judge who was found guilty of obstructing federal immigration agents, was spared prison time, according to ABC Milwaukee affiliate WISN, which was in the courtroom for the sentencing on Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman said prison was unnecessary and imposed a $5,000 fine, according to WISN.

Dugan, 67, faced a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

Adelman described the former judge as a dedicated public servant who "made a bad decision in the moment."

"This is a person who has done a lot of good for our community,” Adelman said, according to WISN.

Dugan addressed the court prior to her sentencing, saying that during her nine years as judge, she "strived to do my best to uphold justice," according to WISN.

"I've been cast as both a scofflaw and a hero. I am neither. I am a public servant who was just trying to do my job," she said, WISN reported.

The defense had asked for time served, arguing in a filing ahead of sentencing that the circumstances of the offense were "isolated and unique" and that Dugan has been a "exemplary member of this community."

"As a result of her conviction in this case, Hannah Dugan has lost the judicial job she loved and that was the culmination of a career spent serving others," her defense wrote. "Sentencing need not do worse to her."

The government had argued for a "meaningful sentence," stating in a filing prior to sentencing that this was a "serious offense, and it warrants a correspondingly serious sentence."

"The Court’s sentence should not only reflect the personal consequences to the defendant but also the broader institutional harm caused when a judge obstructs the lawful administration of justice," the federal prosecutors wrote.

Dugan was accused of obstructing official Department of Homeland Security removal proceedings and knowingly concealing an undocumented man from immigration authorities at a courthouse in April 2025 while serving as a Milwaukee County Circuit judge.

A jury found her guilty of obstructing federal agents and not guilty of concealing an undocumented immigrant from arrest during the courthouse incident following a weeklong trial in December 2025. She resigned the following month.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(NEW YORK) -- New York City officials began reopening some streets and buildings in Midtown Manhattan Wednesday, after engineering crews stabilized a building that was at risk of a partial collapse due to buckling beams.

Engineers worked throughout Tuesday night and the following morning to shore up the compromised floors at 235 E. 42nd St., the former Pfizer corporate building that is currently being converted into residential apartments.

"Right now, we have been in a consistent and stable and safe situation. We have been able to bring in a plan and materials to stabilize the impact," New York City Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani said Wednesday.

The building was evacuated Tuesday morning after construction crews discovered buckling beams on the 21st floor of the 37-story building. The 21st through 26th floors began caving as a result, according to DOB.

A five-by-three-block frozen zone was established to prohibit pedestrians and vehicles around the site. Nine buildings were evacuated as crews carefully made their way into the compromised building and worked to secure it.

Emergency shoring was installed from the 18th through 23rd floors, including structural steel shoring columns on the 21st and 22nd floors, and light-duty shoring posts on four other floors, the DOB said on Wednesday.

No additional movement has been detected as of Tuesday morning, according to DOB officials.

As of Wednesday afternoon, three nearby buildings remained vacated, along with one restaurant located near the site, DOB said.

The frozen zone was also scaled back. Vehicles are prohibited from entering 42nd and 43rd streets between 2nd and 3rd avenues, the city said.

The DOB is currently conducting an investigation of the incident, which it said "will include a detailed review of all associated plans and construction documents, interviews with witnesses and responsible parties, a full inspection sweep of the entire construction site, and review of available video and photo evidence."

MetroLoft, the developer of the conversion project, said Wednesday that it will fully rebuild the impacted areas of the building and that the building was never at risk of collapse.

"We have been working closely with the Department of Buildings to rectify the situation. Our team worked through the night stabilizing the affected columns, and the DOB has confirmed the structure is now stable," MetroLoft said in a statement on Wednesday. "We have identified the issue and developed a clear plan to fix it. This is a localized situation affecting less than 30 apartments out of over 1,600. At no time was the building, or any portion of it, at risk of collapse."

"We are in the process of addressing the issue and will fully rebuild this portion of the building in tandem with ongoing construction," the statement continued. "We remain on schedule, and this work will not delay delivery of the building as it is such a small portion of the project. We are working around the clock so that operations can resume and life in the area can return to normal."

DOB said that it ordered the building's owner to retain a third-party engineer to conduct a forensic evaluation.

The construction project is one of the city's largest commercial-to-residential conversions in city history, officials said.

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(JACKSON COUNTY, Miss.) -- Authorities are asking for the public's help as they investigate the mysterious death of Mississippi teen Nolan Xavier Wells.

Wells, 18, went missing on the 4th of July after going on a boat trip with friends to Horn Island, a barrier island about 10 miles from the Gulf Coast, officials said.

"[The friends] left [Horn Island] and went back without Nolan," Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said. "From what we understand, he chose to stay there."

A body believed to be the teenager was recovered on Monday, officials said

Authorities said they believe Wells drowned and don't suspect foul play, but the sheriff's office stressed in a new statement Wednesday that investigators are "working diligently to determine exactly what occurred."

The sheriff's office said it urges anyone who was on or near the northwest tip of Horn Island on Saturday to come forward with photos or videos, "particularly those depicting alleged altercations or containing images of, or believed to include Nolan Wells."

The sheriff's office said it's also looking for anyone who may have seen Wells or "observed or heard an argument, disturbance, or other unusual activity while on the island."

"Even information that may seem insignificant could prove valuable to investigators," the department said.

Wells' mother, Christine Wonsley, wrote on social media on Wednesday, "Missing our Nolan so much every second of everyday. This has been the worst time in our lives."

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family, said Tuesday that his team will conduct an independent review to determine how Wells died.

"We will not rest until every fact about what happened to Nolan on Horn Island is brought into the light, and we call on investigators to pursue this case with the urgency and transparency this family deserves," Crump said.

Authorities said anyone with information can call the sheriff's department at 228-769-3065 during regular business hours or at 228-769-3063 after hours.

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(WASHINGTON) -- A panel of D.C. Circuit appeals court judges on Wednesday rejected a request by President Donald Trump and fellow members of the Kennedy Center's board to stay a lower court's order that Trump's name be removed from the building.

The unsigned order from the appellate panel noted that the president's name has already been taken off the facade of the building, and found that center officials "have failed to show how they will be irreparably injured absent a stay."

The panel of judges, which includes Trump appointee Gregory Katsas, also shrugged off the board's argument that taking Trump's name off of the Kennedy Center could negatively affect its fundraising and "contribute to the financial decline of the Center."

The judges said Trump and his fellow board members "failed to support this assertion with any specific facts or evidence."

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled in May that Trump's name had to come down after the new Trump-controlled board voted in December to rename the building the "Trump-Kennedy Center."

Cooper also voided a vote of the board to close the center for renovations, starting this month.

He has since directed the center's leadership to provide him with an update on any programming and renovation plans that might come out of a board meeting expected in mid-July.

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(BOSTON) --Nurses at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Mass General Brigham home care clinicians took to the streets Wednesday morning for a strike set to involve roughly 4,500 workers, according to the Massachusetts Nurses Association.

The strike would be the largest nurse and healthcare professional strike in Massachusetts history, according to a Massachusetts Nurses Association press release.

"At both bargaining tables, the nurses and clinicians made significant efforts to compromise and offered to continue negotiating to avoid a strike," the association wrote in a statement. "MGB refused to improve its proposals and declined opportunities to continue bargaining."

The nurses' strike, which was scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. Wednesday, is set to last one day and be followed by a lockout imposed by Mass General Brigham, the association said.

The work stoppage is now expected to last until 7:59 a.m. on July 15, according to the hospital.

Mass General Brigham home care clinicians plan to strike for seven days beginning at 8 a.m. on the same day, according to the union.

Brigham and Women’s Hospital said it will continue to provide high-quality patient care throughout the work stoppage, along with its outpatient centers, though picketing may cause heavier traffic than normal.

Temporary clinicians are being brought in to support patients during the work stoppage, and patients should keep their scheduled appointments unless advised otherwise by their care teams, the hospital said.

The union said it is seeking more competitive wage increases that keep pace with the rising cost of living, among other demands. It cited data from the MassINC Policy Center, which said the income needed to maintain a middle-class standard of living for a family of four in Massachusetts jumped 50% from 2020 to 2024.

Brigham and Women's Hospital said in a statement that Brigham nurses are "among the highest compensated in the market."

Scott Sperling, Mass General Brigham board chair and co-CEO of a private equity firm, wrote to the association in an email on Sunday night, stating that a "substantial effort" has been made to find common ground, according to the association's press release.

On Tuesday, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and Massachusetts Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Edward J. Markey released a joint statement encouraging both sides to resume negotiations.

"A strike and lockout of this scale would cause serious disruption across the Greater Boston region, and the possibility that patient care could be impacted through diversions, delays, or other emergency measures is deeply concerning to the communities we represent," the statement said.

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