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(NEW YORK) — The suspect in a quintuple homicide in Oregon allegedly targeted his girlfriend and her family and friends, shooting all five multiple times, authorities said.

Benjamin Parker allegedly carried out the killings on Saturday morning at a rural property he lived on near Forest Grove, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said.

The victims were Parker’s girlfriend, 26-year-old Stella Kimsey; Stella Kimsey’s grandmother, 85-year-old Mary Kimsey, Stella Kimsey’s mother, 60-year-old Rowan Kimsey; Stella Kimsey’s best friend, 26-year-old Linsey Haraldsen; and Linsey Haraldsen’s partner, 27-year-old Alvin Chu, authorities said.

Two dogs and two cats were also found shot to death, Det. Mark Povolny said at a news conference on Tuesday. A third cat was shot and wounded and later humanely euthanized, he said.

Parker allegedly tried to set fires at each of the bodies and at the home, Povolny said.

Parker, 36, allegedly fled the scene and he was later found dead in his car in Enumclaw, Washington, from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, the sheriff’s office said.

Parker’s mother told investigators that Parker called her Saturday night and confessed to the crime, Povolny said.

“He said he had been planning this for awhile,” Povolny said. “He said he planned to kill three people, but two more people were also killed.”

Parker did not give his mother a motive, but Povolny said Mary Kimsey texted a friend on Friday night that Parker and her granddaughter Stella Kimsey got into a “horrible fight” and “Stella told him he had to leave.”

Linsey Haraldsen told Mary Kimsey that “she was on the phone with Stella around that time when the call suddenly dropped,” Povolny said. Linsey Haraldsen then called Stella Kimsey’s mother Rowan Kimsey, who said she’d go check on her daughter and call back, Povolny said. But Rowan Kimsey never called back, so Linsey Haraldsen also went to the property, Povolny said.

When Mary Kimsey couldn’t reach any of the three women, she planned to pick up Alvin Chu and go to the property, Povolny said.

“Although the suspect is deceased, this does not mark the end of our work,” Sheriff Caprice Massey said at the news conference. “Our commitment now is to provide the families of Mary, Rowan, Stella, Linsey and Alvin with answers as we learn them. They deserve nothing less.”

ABC News’ Tristan Maglunog and Ashley Riegle contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — A bipartisan coalition of 52 attorneys general on Wednesday reached a landmark settlement with Meta that will change how young users interact with Instagram and Facebook.

The settlement includes a default daily time limit of two hours for users under 18 that can only be lifted by an individual’s parent. Meta will also stop displaying numbers of likes or reactions for young users.

Young users will have access to an optional non-personalized feed, which doesn’t use an algorithm to target them with content aimed to keep them endlessly scrolling.

The tech giant agreed to pay up to $18 billion in installments over the next 10 years, according to a statement issued by the company. Meta did not admit wrongdoing in agreeing to the settlement.

Meta confirmed the settlement in its statement, saying the company “partnered with state attorneys general to set a new industry standard.”

“Ensuring teens have a safe and productive experience on our platforms is an absolute imperative for Meta. We want to get this right for parents and teens,” the company said.

State attorneys general had accused Meta of designing a dangerous product for young users, claiming the company knew it was dangerous and lied about it. Meta had pushed back on the claims, calling them “unsubstantiated” and arguing the company has created protections for younger users.

The high-profile federal case at a courthouse in Oakland, California, began last week. The two sides reached a settlement a day after testimony from Instagram head Adam Mosseri, who on Tuesday denied hiding information from the public about the safety of the popular social media app.

The settlement comes weeks after Meta lost a separate case brought against the company in state court by the New Mexico attorney general. A judge said Meta contributed to a youth mental health crisis and ordered the company to pay $567 million and make changes to its apps. Meta said it would appeal the ruling.

The settlement agreement reached on Wednesday must be approved in court. The only states not included in the settlement agreement are New Mexico and Florida.

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(WASHINGTON) — The father of a sailor deployed aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier was released by immigration authorities Tuesday — days after his son posted about the ordeal on Facebook, an account not disputed by the Department of Homeland Security.

Joshua Aviles, the sailor, posted on Facebook on behalf of the family that his dad, Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, had been released.

“Luis has been released back to our family,” the Aviles family posted on the sailor’s Facebook page. “We are grateful for all of the support for both Luis and Josh throughout this situation. At this moment, our family is taking time to be together. While we await the return of our proud Navy sailor, we kindly ask for your understanding and respect.”

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the release.

Over the weekend, Joshua Aviles detailed his father’s ordeal while he was deployed in a war zone.

“I just got a call that my dad was taken by ICE. If you know my dad, you know he is a hardworking, humble man who is always willing to help anyone if he can. My dad has his driver’s license, Social Security card, and work permit,” according to a post from Joshua Aviles on Saturday. “We have done everything through immigration to get his green card approved, and we are just waiting.”

He said it is “heartbreaking.”

“I don’t know how I can mentally continue working 12+ hour days knowing that my dad is somewhere, possibly being treated like a criminal. My dad’s only ‘crime’ was coming to this country to give my siblings and me a better life.”

Aviles is one of a number of active-duty military whose family members have been detained by immigration agents under President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign.

In a statement after the sailor’s initial Facebook post, DHS did not dispute the account from Aviles.

“On August 22, Border Patrol arrested Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, an illegal alien from Nicaragua, after conducting a vehicle stop in Key West, Florida. He entered the country illegally on an unknown date and location. He will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings,” according to a DHS spokesperson.

“Having a family member in the military is not a free pass to violate our nation’s laws. Military service by an immediate relative does not automatically grant parole, lawful status, or immunity from immigration enforcement,” the spokesperson said. “We are simply enforcing the laws passed by Congress. This Administration does not pick and choose which laws to enforce.”

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(WASHINGTON) — The Justice Department suggested in a court filing Tuesday that the Kennedy Center could face demolition in the event a federal judge issues an order permanently blocking President Donald Trump’s push to renovate the facility with additions intended to recognize Trump personally. 

This is a developing story.

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(NEW YORK) — Target is apologizing for selling a children’s Halloween costume that some described as reminiscent of racist minstrel caricatures.

“An apology from us: We pulled an offensive Halloween costume that should never have been part of our assortment,” Target said in a statement posted on its website and social media pages late Monday. “It is no longer for sale.”

“As a company, we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry,” the statement continued. “We know this is especially hurtful for our Black guests, team members and partners. Removing the costume is an important first step, and the company is looking closely at how this happened and what needs to change to ensure this won’t happen again.”

According to the product’s original description on Target’s site, the costume in question was the Kids’ Circus Glow Clown Halloween Costume Bodysuit. It features an orange and black shirt and pants set with black gloves and a hooded mesh mask with an attached miniature hat. The entire design also glows “under blacklight.”

The item is no longer listed for sale on Target’s website.

The controversial costume prompted calls to boycott Target on social media, a year after the retailer faced boycotts over its decision to cut some of its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

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(WASHINGTON) — The State Department announced that it is preparing to revoke tourist and business visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to foreign nationals who have sought or are actively seeking asylum in the United States, which officials say could result in the cancellation of tens of thousands of travel documents.

“Under President Trump and Secretary Rubio’s leadership, we are making clear that a visa is a privilege — not a right. We are coordinating with DHS to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement.

“These types of visas are issued with the clear understanding that they are for those who intend to return home. Obtaining a visa in order to seek asylum is fraud — which is grounds for visa revocation,” he added. “This is an ongoing process as we uphold the integrity of our visa and asylum laws.”

The revocations are expected to happen on a rolling basis, and internal estimates suggest they could reach or exceed 200,000, according to officials familiar with the matter. 

Applicants for tourist and business visas are asked to confirm that they will not apply for asylum and intend to return to their countries of origin.

The department’s plans were first reported by The Associated Press.

Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau posted to social media about individuals who use visas to get into the U.S. and claim asylum.

“People in the US and all over the world are fed up with bogus asylum claims,” Landau wrote on X. “Asylum isn’t supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration law.”

It’s not clear whether any foreign nationals will be removed from the U.S. due to visa cancellations. In cases where the visa holder has an active asylum application, the claim will have to be adjudicated and denied before removal proceedings can move forward.

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(NEW YORK) — A federal judge in New York on Tuesday rejected Ghislaine Maxwell’s challenge to her conviction, finding her claims “meritless” or “frivolous.”

Maxwell was trying to vacate her conviction and 20-year prison sentence.

Maxwell was convicted of five felony counts, all arising from her participation with Jeffrey Epstein, in the sexual abuse of young girls over the course of a decade. A federal appeals court upheld her conviction and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up her petition.

In court filings, Maxwell argued documents released in the Epstein files supported her claims of constitutional violations, but Judge Paul Engelmayer called her claims “all meritless and all or almost all are frivolous.”

“And the purported ‘new’ evidence to which Maxwell points, principally materials released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, is largely irrelevant to the charges against Maxwell and does not support her claims of error,” the judge continued. “On the contrary, to the extent it is relevant, far from exculpating her, it incriminates her or reinforces the correctness of the legal rulings Maxwell challenges.”

Maxwell’s attorneys declined to comment.

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(NEW YORK) — A woman who had been sought in connection with the death of her husband, a Massachusetts police officer, is believed to have been found dead, police said Monday, calling the case a “tragic murder-suicide.”

A search had been ongoing for Karen Solomon, 58, after her husband — 57-year-old Worcester Police Department Patrolman Kurt Solomon — was found dead in a home last week.

This is a developing story. 

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(RENO, Nev.) — An out-of-control brush fire that ignited over the weekend in the hills in Northern Nevada near Reno has grown to more than 15,000 acres, prompting a massive evacuation of 42,000 people, authorities said on Monday.

A preliminary investigation has found that the Hawk Fire was human-caused, authorities said. They did not immediately release details on whether the blaze was intentionally or accidentally set.

“We do know it was human-caused because there were no natural ignition sources that were present in that area,” Chief Richard Edwards of the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District said at a news conference on Sunday.

About 90,000 people have been affected by the wildfire, including 42,000 who have been forced to evacuate their homes and another 45,000 people who have been warned to be prepared to evacuate, officials said.

About 14,000 homes are in the evacuation area and authorities confirmed that some residences have been destroyed.

The fire remained 0% contained after burning 15,051 acres, Nevada fire officials said in an update on Monday morning.

Officials reported some good news on Monday, saying firefighters made progress overnight in battling the blaze “despite extreme fire behavior observed during the incident.”

“Hot, dry and breezy conditions are expected to continue supporting active fire behavior over the next 48 hours. The fire has the potential to spread northeast and northwest, and conditions remain dynamic and subject to rapid change,” fire officials said in the update.

About 1,000 firefighters and other first responders are battling the fire from the ground and air, officials said.

At least three civilians and three first responders have been injured by the fire, officials said.

The number of homes destroyed or damaged remains unclear. Officials said unsafe conditions have prevented them from getting a clear damage assessment.

The fire was continuing to move in the direction of heavily populated urban areas, authorities said.

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo said in a statement over the weekend that the fire was “spreading quickly and threatening homes and structures” and that he had declared a state of emergency for Washoe County.

“The Hawk Fire is a very dynamic incident for us as it’s being driven by the winds,” said Truckee Meadows Fire Chief Richard Edwards in a video posted to social media. “The wind-driven fires move very rapidly into our residential areas, creating a lot of challenges for our firefighters to save homes and protect lives.”

He urged residents to pay attention to evacuation orders, leave early if directed and have a travel bag ready.

Weather in the fire zone northwest of Reno is expected stay mild on Monday, with highs in the middle 80s, with gusts up to 25 mph, and relative humidity around 25%. 

On Tuesday, temperatures are expected to the upper 80s, with gusts between 25 and 30 mph.

The Washoe County School District announced that all classes, events and activities are canceled on Monday.

“The decision to close schools is due to evacuations, impacts on the regional public safety resources, and to help keep roads clear for emergency vehicle,” the school district said in a statement.

Northwest Specialty Hospital in Reno announced Sunday that it was evacuating patients from the facility “out of an abundance of caution.”

“Patients have been safely transported to appropriate locations where their care will continue without interruption – no patients or staff remain in the building,” the statement said.

About 10,000 utility customers remained without power on Monday, down from about 60,000 at the peak of the blaze, officials said.

Northern Nevada Health Systems said it had temporarily closed the emergency room at North Valleys north of Reno due to evacuations.

“My heart goes out to anyone in our community who has been impacted by the dangerous and fast-moving Hawk Fire,” Reno Mayor Hillary Shieve said in a statement on social media, urging residents to evacuate if told to do so and saying some structures had already burned.

The statement added: “Our firefighters and first responders are heroically fighting the fire and the high winds to save lives, homes, businesses, livestock and pets.”

The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office said it was monitoring the fire.

ABC News’ Kyle Reiman contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — A mother and her 2-year-old daughter were killed Sunday after being struck by lightning in a neighborhood north of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, according to officials.

Margate Police Department and Margate Fire Rescue responded to a 911 call at about 2:30 p.m. on Sunday that two individuals had been struck by lightning and were found lying on the sidewalk in Margate, Florida, according to a Margate Police Department press release.

It appeared as though the woman and her daughter had just exited their car when lightning hit them, sending their bodies to the ground, witness Prince Moody told ABC Miami.

The mother, identified as 31-year-old Kenya Glasgow, was rushed to North Broward Medical Center in Deerfield Beach, and her daughter to Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, accompanied by a police escort, according to police.

Both victims were pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospitals, police said.

First responders and medical personnel immediately provided CPR and other life-saving efforts upon arriving at the scene, according to police.

Moody said he rushed outside to help after seeing an orange glow through his window and being told by his son that a lady had been hit.

“Very traumatic scene,” Moody said. “I offered aid as much as I could, calmed the family down, and I started praying. I called 911 immediately.”

It was very emotional to see two lifeless bodies on the ground, Moody said.

The Margate Police Department is investigating the incident.

Police have not released any additional details at this time.

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