(SEATTLE) — One person was killed and at least one was injured during a shooting at a Washington state grocery store at about 11 a.m. Monday, authorities said.
Police said a suspect, Aaron Christopher Kelly, 39, was taken into custody late Monday in connection with the shooting at a Fred Meyer store in Richland, Washington.
Kelly was being transported to Benton County Jail on charges of first-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder, Richland police said in a statement.
Kelly was taken into custody on Interstate 90, between Sprague and Spokane, more than 100 miles from Richland, police said. He was arrested “without incident,” police said.
“We thank the numerous law enforcement partners that quickly collaborated to apprehend this subject,” police said in a statement.
Police earlier said a warrant for first-degree murder had been issued for Kelly. He was said to be driving a silver 2005 Honda Civic.
“Kelly should be considered armed and dangerous. Please do not approach him,” officials said.
Police identified the victim as Justin Krumbah, 38. Another injured victim has been hospitalized, police said.
“The surviving victim is currently in critical condition and receiving continuing treatment at an area hospital,” police said late Monday.
Richland is located about 200 miles southeast of Seattle. ATF agents were headed to the scene earlier Monday, the agency said.
“This investigation remains an active, around-the-clock effort by our investigators,” Police said. “The Richland Police Department continues to hold the victims and their families in our thoughts during this difficult time.”
(NEW YORK) — As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.7 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 904,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
About 64.1% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here’s how the news developed Monday. All times Eastern:
Feb 07, 10:29 pm
California governor says indoor mask mandate will expire Feb. 15
California’s indoor mask mandate will expire Feb. 15, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Twitter Monday.
He said the state’s COVID-19 case rate has decreased by 65% since their omicron peak, and hospitalizations have stabilized.
“Our statewide indoor mask requirement will expire on 2/15. Unvaccinated people will still need to wear masks indoors. Get vaccinated. Get boosted,” he wrote.
Feb 07, 4:56 pm
Cases among kids continue to drop but are still ‘extremely high’
After the U.S. reported an unprecedented number of new pediatric COVID-19 infections last month, updated data released on Monday shows new cases among children have dropped for the second week in a row.
Nearly 632,000 kids tested positive for COVID-19 last week, a huge drop from the peak level of 1,150,000 reported the week ending Jan. 20, according to a new report by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association.
However, the organizations warn that pediatric cases remain “extremely high” and are still double the level seen in the summer delta surge.
AAP and CHA noted there is an “urgent” need to collect more age-specific data to assess the severity of illness related to new variants as well as potential longer-term effects.
ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos
Feb 07, 4:34 pm
Connecticut to end statewide school mask mandate
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced Monday that he recommends ending the statewide mask mandate as of Feb. 28.
Beginning in March, the decision on masks in schools will go to superintendents and mayors based on the individual needs of towns, he said.
This comes hours after New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said his requirement to wear face masks in schools will end on March 7.
The CDC said it continues to recommend masks for all students 2 and older, regardless of vaccination status.
Feb 07, 2:50 pm
White House has contracted 569 million free tests so far
President Joe Biden’s administration has so far contracted for about 569 million at-home rapid tests as it works to fulfill Biden’s pledge for 1 billion free tests nationwide, a White House official told ABC News.
According to an ABC News analysis, the testing company iHealth is supplying the government with the most tests toward this goal, with a contract to deliver 354 million tests. Other companies supplying tests include Roche, Abbott and Siemens.
White House officials said about 60 million households have placed orders for tests so far through, amounting to a total of 240 million tests (each household can order four).
The U.S. Postal Service said Friday that it has shipped out tests to “tens of millions” of those households.
ABC News’ Cheyenne Haslett, Ben Gittleson, Lucien Bruggeman
Feb 07, 11:54 am
New Jersey governor to end mask mandate for schools
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday that the state’s requirement to wear face masks in schools will end on March 7.
“Balancing public health with getting back to some semblance of normalcy is not easy. But we can responsibly take this step due to declining COVID numbers and growth in vaccinations,” Murphy tweeted.
Murphy, a Democrat, has imposed some of the strictest pandemic-related mandates in the country. New Jersey, an early hot spot for COVID-19 cases, has lost more than 31,000 residents to the virus.
This move follows a decision last month by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, also a Democrat, to rescind his state’s mask mandate for schools.
Meanwhile, the Democratic governors of New York and Connecticut have said that they are reevaluating school mask mandates set to expire later this month.
Feb 07, 11:47 am
All states reporting declining or stable new case rates
After months of rising cases due to the omicron surge, every state in the U.S. is now reporting declining or stable new case rates, according to federal data.
Less than one month ago, the U.S. was averaging more than 800,000 new cases per day. Now that average has plummeted to just over 313,000 new cases per day — a 61% drop since the nation’s peak in mid-January and a 56% drop in the last two weeks.
Even so, the U.S. still reported nearly 2.2 million new COVID-19 cases last week; the nation’s daily case average remains higher than during any other wave of the pandemic.
Hospitalizations are also falling. About 14,000 Americans are being admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 each day — down by more than 23% in the last week, according to federal data.
Deaths, however, remain very high, with 16,800 Americans dying from COVID-19 over the last week. Deaths are a lagging indicator and usually take a few weeks to dip after the country sees a decline in cases and hospitalizations.
Feb 07, 9:42 am
Delaware to end universal indoor mask mandate
Delaware will lift its universal mask mandate on Friday morning after an improvement in cases and hospitalizations, Gov. John Carney said.
“We’re in a much better place than we were several weeks ago,” Carney said in a statement Monday. “I want to be clear about this point – COVID is still circulating in our communities. And the virus still poses a risk of serious illness, particularly among those who are not up to date on their vaccinations. But we have the tools to keep ourselves and each other safe.”
The mask requirement for Delaware schools was extended and is now set to expire on March 31.
Feb 07, 5:48 am
Ottawa declares state of emergency over trucker-led protests
Canada’s capital declared a state of emergency on Sunday because of trucker-led protests against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other pandemic-related restrictions.
The move by Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson “reflects the serious danger and threat to the safety and security of residents posed by the ongoing demonstrations and highlights the need for support from other jurisdictions and levels of government,” according to a statement from the city.
“It also provides greater flexibility within the municipal administration to enable the City of Ottawa to manage business continuity for essential services for its residents and enables a more flexible procurement process, which could help purchase equipment required by frontline workers and first responders,” the city said.
Seven people were arrested in Ottawa on Sunday due to enforcement measures around the demonstration, according to a press release from the Ottawa Police Service.
“There are over 60 criminal investigations so far related to the demonstration,” police said. “They are primarily for mischief, thefts, hate crimes and property damage.”
Sunday marked the 10th straight day of the so-called “freedom convoy” protests, which began with truckers critical of a new rule that they must be vaccinated against COVID-19 to cross the United States-Canada border. The demonstrations have since grown into broader challenges to pandemic-related public health measures and opposition to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Thousands of protesters have occupied the streets of Ottawa and other cities across Canada in support of the movement, paralyzing the capital’s city center with traffic jams, nonstop noise and complaints of harassment. Protesters have said they won’t leave until all COVID-19 vaccine mandates and restrictions are lifted nationwide. They are also calling for the removal of Trudeau’s government, even though most of the public health measures were put in place by provincial governments.
(NEW YORK) — As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.7 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 905,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
About 64.1% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here’s how the news is developing Tuesday. All times Eastern:
Feb 08, 6:54 am
Oregon to lift mask mandates for indoor public spaces, schools by March 31
Oregon will lift general mask requirements for indoor public places no later than March 31, state health officials announced Monday.
According to the Oregon Health Authority, scientists expect that about 400 or fewer people would be hospitalized with COVID-19 statewide by late March, which is the level of hospitalizations Oregon experienced before the highly contagious omicron variant began to spread. Mask mandates for Oregon schools will be lifted on March 31 to give school districts time to prepare.
However, the Oregon Health Authority said the state needs to keep mask requirements in place for now as COVID-19 hospitalizations crest and the health care system struggles to treat high numbers of severely ill patients.
The Oregon Health Authority has filed a new rule with the Oregon Secretary of State to require people to wear masks while indoors in public places. The new rule replaces a temporary one that expired Monday.
State health officials will consider lifting the general indoor mask requirement earlier than March 31 if hospitalizations decline to the levels projected by the end of March sooner than expected. Once the mandates are lifted, employers and businesses may continue to establish their own mask requirements to protect employees and customers, according to the Oregon Health Authority.
(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Navy continues to investigate the death of 24-year-old SEAL candidate Kyle Mullen and the illness of a fellow SEAL candidate last Friday after both sailors successfully completed the arduous “Hell Week.”
Mullen is the fourth SEAL candidate to die during SEAL selection since 2001. The death of seaman Derek Lovelace in 2016 during a swimming exercise led to changes that aimed to increase instructor awareness of sailors who might be in physical distress. That included reducing the number of candidates who could be in a pool during swimming exercises.
“One such accident is one too many,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Monday. “We just don’t know what happened.”
Mullen, a New Jersey native, was hailed Monday by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy as “a living legend” because of his athletic prowess in high school and collegiate football. Murphy ordered flags in the state to be flown at half-staff to honor Mullen, who joined the Navy 10 months ago on an enlistment contract to specifically pursue becoming an elite Navy SEAL.
Kirby urged patience as the Navy conducts its investigation and said it was premature to criticize the SEAL selection process.
“The training has to be demanding, given the work that our Navy SEALs do on behalf of this country every single day,” Kirby said. “So you would expect the standards to be very, very high for their readiness.”
Conducted during the third week of the course, “Hell Week” pushes SEAL candidates to their physical and mental limits with a series of constant physical tests during a 120-hour stretch when they only receive between two to four hours of sleep.
“Hell Week really is one week of a simulated combat environment,” said Cpt. Duncan Smith, a retired SEAL who served 32 years in the Navy and is now the executive director of the SEAL Family Foundation.
“It’s physical. It’s also mental and it’s also our early look at how people operate as a member of a team,” he added.
“It’s the thing that a lot of people decide, makes them choose to not be a SEAL anymore,” Smith said.
More than half of the SEAL candidates who enter “Hell Week” drop out at some point as they carry out long-distance swims in the ocean in uniform, carry heavy inflatable boats and run a combined 200 miles throughout the week.
“There’s nothing about Hell Week that’s meant to be abusive,” said Smith. “It’s demanding but there is a tremendous amount of science that goes into it.”
“There are medical professionals there every step of the way,” he added. “These are some of the most studied individuals medically with a goal of keeping them alive and healthy and strong.”
During the few hours of sleep that the SEAL candidates are allowed during the week, they are monitored individually by medical professionals, according to Eric Oehlerich, a retired SEAL and ABC News contributor.
“SEAL training takes you beyond your personal limits,” Oehlerich said. “It’s designed to push you beyond your perception of what’s possible, breaking glass ceilings of what you’re capable of both mentally and physically.”
“Adhering to the training curriculum keeps SEALs alive in combat,” he said.
(CHICAGO) — The Civilian Office of Police Accountability in Chicago is investigating the deaths of London Marquez and Irene Chavez — two women who died while in police custody over the past two months.
Marquez, 31, died on Jan. 27 while in the custody of 11th District police, COPA said, while Chavez died after an “attempted suicide” on Dec. 18 at the 3rd District Police Station.
The cause and manner of death in both cases are still unknown, pending autopsy results.
Members of Marquez’s family gathered on Sunday outside Area 4 Police Headquarters, where she died, and urged the police for answers.
“She was someone who was loved. She has many siblings. She has a mom. She has a dad. You know, we need answers,” her sister, Tatoyia Marquez, told reporters.
“People saw her that same day being active, nothing wrong with her, walking around,” she added.
They also said that Marquez was seven months pregnant with her first child at the time of her death.
“It’s a cold city and it’s even colder what happened to my litter sister,” her brother, Marquez Marquez, told reporters.
It’s unclear why Marquez was put in custody.
A spokesperson for COPA confirmed to ABC News on Monday that the civilian oversight agency is investigating the case, including “why she was arrested.”
The Chicago Police Department referred all questions regarding the case to COPA.
COPA announced on Jan. 29 that the agency is investigating an “incident” in which a civilian died while in police custody.
The person was later identified as Marquez.
The cause and manner of her death remain unknown at this time.
A spokesperson for the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Officer said that an autopsy was performed on Jan. 28 and COPA was present, but the results are “pending at this time.”
COPA is also investigating the death of Chavez, who died in the early hours of Dec. 18, 2021, following a medical emergency related to an attempted suicide.
According to COPA, Chavez was in “critical condition” when she was transported to the University of Chicago Hospital, where she died hours later.
Chavez was arrested after being involved in “an incident” at the Jeffery Pub Tavern, hours before her death, COPA said, but the cause of death is still unknown.
Iris Chavez, Irene’s sister, told reporters that police have not provided details surrounding her sister’s death and the family is demanding answers.
Iris Chavez started a GoFundMe account to support the family in covering costs related to her sister’s death and said that Irene was her only sister.
“When I say my heart is what one would call broken glass in a bag…MY absolute FAVORITE PERSON IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD and ONLY SISTER HAS PASSED AWAY,” she wrote.
“Irene taught me all things are possible and things aren’t always what they seem. To always do deep research and open my mind to ALL sides before I make a blind decision,” she added. “I just always have to remember what I find may not be what I want or am even ready for. BUT for MY SISTER I AM GOING THE DISTANCE to find out absolutely every piece of answer I could get Even if it just is what it is! TRUTH…TRUTH AND ANSWERS IS ALL I SEEK.”
A spokesperson for the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Officer told ABC News that an autopsy was performed on Dec. 18, 2021 and COPA was present, but the cause and manner of death are “pending at this time.”
Last month, COPA announced that it obtained video and other materials related to Chavez’s death and said that the civilian oversight agency plans on releasing the materials within 60 days of the incident “as part of COPA’s continued commitment to transparency.”
COPA told ABC News on Monday that the agency will “work in coordination with the family and their representative” in releasing the materials, but did not provide a date.
“This is the second incident in Chicago in regards to our Black and brown community — are arrested and brought in custody one way, but leave in a body bag,” Rabbi Michael Ben Yosef of the Chicago Activist Coalition For Justice told reporters on Sunday.
The Chicago Police Department has referred questions regarding both cases to COPA.
(AUSTIN, Texas) — All residents and businesses of Texas’ capital city are still being advised to boil tap water before consuming it after a staff error caused the temporary shutdown of the city’s largest treatment plant.
The precautionary citywide boil notice was issued Saturday by the utility Austin Waters due to high turbidity, or cloudiness, detected in the water at its Ullrich Water Treatment Plant.
“We all need to do our part when something like this happens, and we will. We can also be frustrated, as I am, that there’s yet another situation to deal with,” Austin Mayor Steve Adler said in a statement.
The boil notice will be over once water samples show no quality issues and The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality lifts the notice. Sampling began Monday and it takes 24 hours to receive the results, according to Austin Water.
“We can be thankful, too, that the situation was noticed quickly and steps taken, any public health risk is very, very small, and we’re much better prepared right now with equipment and supplies as we open water distribution stations. It appears this will be over in a couple of days, and the city will keep everyone informed along the way,” Adler said.
Turbidity, according to Austin Water, can create an area where disease-causing organisms can live; the symptoms of which can include nausea, diarrhea and headaches.
“These symptoms can be particularly severe in people who are not as resistant to infections as most of the population,” the utility said in a release.
If you experience symptoms, the city said you should consult your doctor.
Austin Water Director Greg Meszaros said the turbidity spike was low and that no water contamination was reported, according to ABC News Austin affiliate KVUE-TV.
“We have no indication that there’s a contamination,” Meszaros said Saturday at a press conference. “This was a very short-term event, internal process water, very low risk, but regulations are regulations and we have to do this boil water notice.”
Water distribution sites are available at various sites throughout the city, including at the Glen Bell Service Center and North Service Center. Customers must bring an empty water container.
(SEATTLE) — One person was killed and at least one was injured during a shooting at a Washington state grocery store Monday, authorities said.
The suspect, who is believed to have a handgun, is still at large following the shooting at a Fred Meyer store in Richland, Washington, police told reporters.
ATF agents are heading to the scene, the agency said.
Richland is located about 200 miles southeast of Seattle.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(MINNEAPOLIS) — A Minneapolis city council committee will hold a hearing on no-knock warrants Monday afternoon following the death of Amir Locke, who was fatally shot in an apartment by Minneapolis police officers last Wednesday during the execution of a no-knock warrant.
Activists and Locke family attorneys will likely be in attendance to discuss banning these type of warrants.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey issued a moratorium on no-knock warrants late Friday in response to the fatal incident.
“No matter what information comes to light, it won’t change the fact that Amir Locke’s life was cut short,” Frey said in a statement. “To ensure safety of both the public and officers until a new policy is crafted, I’m issuing a moratorium on both the request and execution of such warrants in Minneapolis.”
However, officials may execute a no-knock warrant under the moratorium if it is determined that there is an imminent threat of harm to an individual or the public. The chief must approve the warrant in those cases, according to the mayor.
Frey will talk with the experts who helped shape Breonna’s Law to review and suggest revisions to the department’s policy. The law, issued in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2020, banned no-knock warrants following the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor.
Minneapolis Police Department updated its policy in November 2020, limiting no-knock warrants to “exigent” cases.
Minneapolis police officers are required to announce their presence and purpose before entering a home, except for when announcing the officers’ presence would create an imminent threat.
In those cases, a supervisor can authorize officers to enter without announcing their presence. Supervisors are required to provide evidence to support that decision before it is signed and approved by the judge.
“This is about proactive policymaking and instilling accountability,” Frey said in a statement announcing the new policy. “We can’t prevent every tragedy, but we can limit the likelihood of bad outcomes. This new, no-knock warrant policy will set shared expectations for our community and clear and objective standards within the department.”
In a Friday press conference regarding Locke’s death, acting Minneapolis Police Chief Amelia Huffman said that “both a no-knock and a knock search warrant were obtained … so that the SWAT team could assess the circumstances and make the best possible decision” in the Locke case.
Body camera footage released Thursday shows officers executing a no-knock search warrant before coming across 22-year-old Locke, who had been sleeping under a blanket on the couch in the apartment that the warrant was issued for.
He is seen holding a gun as he begins to sit up, still covered with the blanket before he is shot less than 10 seconds after officers entered the room.
Huffman said that when officers saw the gun, “That’s the moment when the officer had to make a split second decision to assess the circumstances and determine whether he felt like there was an articulable threat.”
Locke was not named in the no-knock warrant, according to family attorney Ben Crump said at the press conference. The warrant was being executed on behalf of St. Paul police, who were searching for a homicide suspect.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner has ruled Locke’s death a homicide.
The officer who shot and killed Locke was identified by police as Mark Hanneman. In accordance with policy, he’s been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation into the incident. It is unclear if Hanneman has legal representation.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison will work with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office to review Locke’s death, the office said in a press release Friday.
Locke’s killing prompted protests demanding justice in his killing. Hundreds of demonstrators chanted, “Who’s down with the revolution? We’re down with the revolution!” and “No justice, no peace,” while marching toward the police precinct on Saturday.
A caravan of cars also pulled up to what ABC affiliate KSTP-TV reported could be Huffman’s home. Protesters got out of their cars in front of the home, chanting and banging drums.
(TRUCKEE, Calif.) — A desperate search was on in Northern California for one of six ice skaters who fell through the melting surface of a frozen-over reservoir as the temperature soared well above freezing, authorities said.
Disaster struck Saturday afternoon at the Stampede Meadows Reservoir near Truckee in the Sierra Nevada Mountains when the ice broke under the weight of a group of ice skaters, according to a statement from the Truckee Fire Protection District.
Five of the skaters managed to pull themselves from the frigid water, but one person failed to emerge, fire officials said.
As a dive team from the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist in the search, fire officials cautioned people to stay off the iced-over reservoir and lakes and ponds in the area about 16 miles north of Lake Tahoe.
“It is impossible to know the safety and stability of the ice, especially with the recent warmer temperatures,” the Truckee Fire Protection District said in its statement.
Temperatures in the Truckee-Lake Tahoe area climbed into the mid-40s on Saturday from a low of about 12, according to the National Weather Service.
The incident occurred a week after the fire protection district firefighters conducted surface ice rescue training and sent out a warning on Facebook of the dangers of people and their pets venturing out on the area’s frozen waterways.
Meanwhile, some Southern California residents were being warned of escalating winter wildfire danger as strong Santa Ana winds kick up and temperatures climb into the unseasonably warm upper 80s.
Moderate to locally strong Santa Ana winds are forecast for Sunday night and into Monday across Ventura and Los Angeles counties in Southern California, according to ABC News meteorologists. Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph were expected for the region, with isolated gusts up to 60 mph.
Blowing dust is also expected to reduce visibility across the region, and downed power lines and tree limbs are possible with the strongest gusts.
Another round of Santa Ana winds is likely on Wednesday and into Thursday, coupled with unseasonably warm temperatures. Record high temperatures in the mid-70s and upper 80s are possible for parts of Southern California on Thursday.
Burbank, California, is forecast to reach 86 degrees, coming within two degrees of the record of 87 degrees set in 1939.
(PORT CLINTON, Ohio) — More than a dozen people were rescued in Lake Erie after a sheet of ice broke away while they were riding snowmobiles, officials said.
The U.S. Coast Guard and a good Samaritan saved 18 people off the coast of Catawba Island in Ohio after the ice floe broke away, the agency said. All of the rescued were on ATVs and snowmobiles, according to the Coast Guard.
Rescue efforts started at about 1 p.m. after a Coast Guard helicopter from Air Station Detroit noticed people stuck on the ice.
Seven people were rescued by helicopter, while four were rescued by a Coast Guard airboat. Seven others were rescued by a good Samaritan who arrived at the scene with an airboat.
No one required medical attention once they were brought back to shore, the Coast Guard said.
Officials warned people seeking recreation on the ice “to take precautions, not chances” by dressing appropriately for the water temperature, not the air temperature; wearing a life jacket; carrying a reliable form of communication; and carrying icepicks or screwdrivers that can help them self-rescue if they go through the ice.
“There’s no such thing as safe ice, but people can mitigate their risks,” Lt. Jeremiah Schiessel of the Coast Guard Sector Detroit said in a statement. “Always be sure to tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to be back. Great Lakes ice is unpredictable, and conditions can change fast.”
ABC News’ Victoria Arancio contributed to this report.
