Minnesota State Patrol members carry the casket of DFL Rep. Melissa Hortman before a funeral ceremony at the Basilica of Saint Mary on June 28, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
(MINNEAPOLIS) — Vance Boelter, who is accused of stalking and shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses in June, pleaded not guilty in federal court on Thursday.
Boelter’s attorney entered the plea on his behalf, according to The Associated Press. Boelter, who faces murder, stalking and firearms charges, spoke very briefly in court, thanking the judge and saying he understood the charges, the AP said.
Boelter allegedly showed up to their doors, impersonating a police officer and wearing a realistic-looking latex mask to carry out his “political assassinations,” prosecutors said.
Investigators recovered a list of about 45 elected officials in notebooks in his car, according to prosecutors. Two other lawmakers were spared the night of the shootings, officials said. One was not home, while a police officer checking the homes of other local politicians scared off Boelter from another location.
Boelter’s court appearance came as the Minnesota State Capitol on Wednesday implemented new safety measures, including fewer public entrances and an increased security presence.
Sen. John Hoffman, who suffered from multiple gunshot wounds, spoke out this week, telling the National Conference of State Legislatures that the shooting “was awful and tragic and will impact me and my family forever,” according to MPR News.
“But as a Minnesotan and as an American … we can’t let the evil of the night win and we must redouble our efforts and reclaim the reason we are all public servants,” Hoffman said.
ABC News’ Ahmad Hemingway contributed to this report.
Federal agents patrol the halls of immigration court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on August 04, 2025 in New York City. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
(PHILIPSBURG, Pa.) — An Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainee died by suicide while in custody after he was found hanging by his neck in the shower room at the Pennsylvania facility where he was being held, according to officials.
Chaofeng Ge, a 32-year-old citizen of China in ICE custody, was pronounced dead by the Clearfield County coroner at approximately 6 a.m. on Tuesday, according to ICE.
Ge was found hanging by the neck and unresponsive in the shower room of his detention pod, ICE said.
Ge’s death was determined to be a suicide after investigators discovered a handwritten note and no foul play was found, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
Staff who discovered Ge immediately lowered him to the ground, began CPR and contacted emergency medical services, state police and the coroner’s office, according to ICE.
Ge had been in ICE custody for only five days and was awaiting a hearing before the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review, ICE said.
Ge was detained at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania.
He was arrested in January at a CVS after the store reported him for fraudulently using a credit card to buy gift cards, according to Lower Paxton Township police. “An investigation was initiated, where Ge was found to be in possession of numerous stolen credit card numbers located within his cell phone,” police said.
Ge was arrested for criminal use of a communication facility, unlawful use of a computer and access device fraud, according to ICE.
ICE Philadelphia’s Enforcement and Removal Operations York sub-office lodged an immigration detainer with the Dauphin County Prison one day after he was arrested.
Ge, who was from Flushing, Queens, pleaded guilty to accessing a device issued to another who did not authorize use and conspiracy to commit the same on July 31, according to ICE, and was sentenced to six to 12 months for each count and granted immediate release to the ICE detainer.
He was then taken into ICE custody and transported to the York ICE office for processing, ICE said.
“ICE remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments,” ICE said in a statement. “Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay.”
“All people in ICE custody receive medical, dental and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility, access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care,” ICE said.
The Department of Homeland Security acknowledged in a statement there was an in-custody death at the processing center. “This morning, one detainee passed away at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center. All in-custody deaths are tragic, taken seriously, and are thoroughly investigated by law enforcement,” a senior DHS official told ABC News.
“ICE takes its commitment to promoting safe, secure, humane environments for those in our custody very seriously,” the official said.
The annual Tribute in Light is illuminated over the skyline of lower Manhattan, One World Trade Center, and the Statue of Liberty in New York City ahead of the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center on September 9, 2024, as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey. Gary Hershorn/Getty Images
(NEW YORK) — Twenty-four years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) on Thursday announced three new identifications of World Trade Center victims.
Ryan Fitzgerald of Floral Park, N.Y., Barbara Keating of Palm Springs, Calif., and an adult woman whose name is being withheld at the request of her family are the 1,651st, 1,652nd and 1,653rd victims positively identified through DNA analysis, OCME said in their announcement.
The tally represents little more than half of the 2,753 people killed at the World Trade Center on 9/11 and are the first new victims identified since January 2024, according to OCME.
The three new victim identifications were the result of “ongoing outreach to families for DNA reference samples,” the announcement said, which were then analyzed by OCME using advanced DNA technology and compared to the victims’ remains, which were recovered in 2001 and 2002.
“The pain of losing a loved one in the September 11th terror attacks echoes across the decades, but with these three new identifications, we take a step forward in comforting the family members still aching from that day,” said New York Mayor Eric Adams in a statement.
“Nearly 25 years after the disaster at the World Trade Center, our commitment to identify the missing and return them to their loved ones stands as strong as ever,” said Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jason Graham. “Each new identification testifies to the promise of science and sustained outreach to families despite the passage of time. We continue this work as our way of honoring the lost.”
Some 1,100 victims of the 9/11 attacks, representing roughly 40% of those who died that day, remain unidentified, according to OCME.
The alleged shooter in today’s shooting incident at Fort Stewart is identified as Sgt. Quornelius Radford, a 28-year-old automated logistical sergeant from Jacksonville, Florida. Photo Credit: U.S. Army
(NEW YORK) — When a gunman opened fire at Fort Stewart in Georgia, six soldiers immediately jumped into action to stop the shooter and tend to their fellow service members who were wounded, the secretary of the Army said.
Automated logistics Sgt. Quornelius Radford allegedly opened fire with his personal handgun at the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area on Wednesday morning, shooting and wounding five other soldiers, according to Brig. Gen. John Lubas, the 3rd Infantry Division and Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield commander.
When the shots rang out, one soldier — who was unarmed — ran at and tackled the gunman who “was actively shooting,” Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll said at a news conference on Thursday.
“Another solider jumped on top of the person to subdue them,” Driscoll said, adding “the other soldiers immediately … started to take care of mass casualties.”
Surgeons said the soldiers’ quick work to stop the bleeding “certainly saved their lives,” according to Lubas.
“We are just so incredibly proud of them. We are so grateful for them,” Driscoll said.
Three of the five wounded soldiers were released from the hospital on Wednesday, Lubas said. The fourth soldier, a woman, may be released from the hospital this weekend, and the fifth soldier, also a woman, has a “longer road,” but doctors are hopeful for a full recovery, Lubas said on Thursday.
A motive is not clear, Lubas said, but the shooting involved Radford’s co-workers and was at his “place of work.” Radford used a personal handgun, but it’s not clear how he brought it to his workplace, Lubas added. Having a personal gun on base is a violation, officials said Thursday.
Radford has been interviewed by Army investigators and is in custody, Lubas said.
Radford has not previously deployed to combat, Lubas said. He had been arrested locally for a DUI, Lubas said, noting the arrest was “unknown to his chain of command until the [shooting] occurred and we started looking into the law enforcement databases.”
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, “The entire nation is praying for the victims and their families, and hopefully they’ll fully recover.”
“The perpetrator of this atrocity — which is exactly what it is — will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Trump added.
A United Airlines plane takeoff from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, United States on August 6, 2025 as United Airlines flights grounded nationwide because of computer problems. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — A tech outage led United Airlines to ground flights nationwide Wednesday night, and even with the issue now resolved, over 1,000 flights were delayed and dozens were canceled.
“We are working with customers to get them to their destinations after a technology disruption on Wednesday evening,” the airline said in a statement.
The outage stemmed from an issue with the airline’s weight and balance computer system, United said.
“The underlying technology issue has been resolved, and, while we expect residual delays, our team is working to restore our normal operations,” the airline said.
The airline said the outage began shortly after 6 p.m. ET and was resolved after a few hours.
“Due to a technology issue, we are holding United mainline flights at their departure airports,” the airline said in a statement. “We expect additional flight delays this evening as we work through this issue. Safety is our top priority, and we’ll work with our customers to get them to their destinations.”
Overall, more than 1,000 flights were delayed and more than 40 were canceled, according to FlightAware, a site that tracks air traffic. United said it’s covering meals and hotels for impacted customers.
The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement it was aware the airline “experienced a technology issue disrupting their operations.”
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the issue was specific to United’s operations “and is unrelated to the broader air traffic control system.”
The airline confirmed in a statement to ABC News that the issue was not related to a cyberattack.
The ground stop did not affect United Express flights, and any flight that was already in the air will continue to its destination, according to the airline.
Multiple FAA notices stated that the airline requested ground stops at major hubs, including Newark, San Francisco, Chicago, Denver and Houston.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Members of the U.S. Army drive a M1A2 Abrams Main Battle tank in the 250th birthday parade on June 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — An active duty soldier with the U.S. Army was arrested Wednesday and charged with attempting to share sensitive information about U.S. military tank capabilities with Russia, the Justice Department announced.
Taylor Lee, 22, a soldier stationed at Fort Bliss, is alleged to have transmitted the information to an individual he believed was affiliated with Russia’s government in exchange for Russian citizenship, federal prosecutors said.
Lee was arrested on charges of attempted transmission of national defense information to a foreign adversary and attempted export of controlled technical data without a license, according to the DOJ.
Prosecutors said Lee, who has a top secret security clearance, sent technical information on the M1A2 Abrams tank and offered his assistance to the Russian Federation in an exchange online in May. In that exchange, prosecutors said Lee stated “the USA is not happy with me for trying to expose their weaknesses,” before adding, “at this point I’d even volunteer to assist the Russian federation when I’m there in any way.”
In July, at an in-person meeting between Lee and the person he apparently believed was a representative of the Russian government, prosecutors said Lee passed an SD memory card to the person, “including documents and information on the M1A2 Abrams, another armored fighting vehicle used by the U.S. military, and combat operations,” according to a DOJ press release. “Several of these documents contained controlled technical data that Lee did not have the authorization to provide.”
In another instance detailed in charging documents, Lee allegedly delivered hardware from inside an M1A2 Abram’s tank to a storage unit located in El Paso, Texas, and then texted the individual he believed was a Russian agent, “Mission accomplished.”
Lee has not yet entered a plea to any of the charges.
“This arrest is an alarming reminder of the serious threat facing our U.S. Army,” said Brig. Gen. Sean F. Stinchon, the commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command. “Thanks to the hard work of Army Counterintelligence Command Special Agents and our FBI partners, Soldiers who violate their oath and become insider threats will absolutely be caught and brought to justice, and we will continue to protect Army personnel and safeguard equipment.”
Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., talks with reporters on the House steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, June 27, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — Florida Republican Congressman Cory Mills is facing allegations from an ex-girlfriend that he threatened to release sexually explicit images and videos of her following the end of their relationship, according to a police report obtained by ABC News.
Lindsey Langston, a Republican state committee member and 2024 Miss United States winner, filed a police report on July 14 alleging that Mills threatened to release the videos of her after their breakup earlier this year and that Mills threatened to harm any future partners, according to the report obtained from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office in Florida.
In response, Mills said in a statement to ABC News, “These claims are false and misrepresent the nature of my interactions,” and accused a former Florida primary opponent of “weaponizing the legal system to launch a political attack against the man who beat him.”
According to the police report, Langston stated the relationship lasted from November 2021 to February 2025 and ended after she saw media reports regarding Mills being allegedly involved in an unrelated alleged assault in Washington that reportedly involved another woman, an incident which Mills has denied and was never charged. The woman has retracted her allegations.
“Lindsey confronted Cory about the woman, to which Cory told her he was not in a romantic relationship with her and the press fabricated the story. Lindsey then found a social media account for the other woman and saw posted photos of her with Cory,” the police report reads.
After Langston moved out of Mills’ residence, “Cory has contacted Lindsey numerous times on numerous different accounts threatening to release nude images and videos of her, to include recorded videos of her and Cory engaging in sexual acts,” according to the police report.
The police report, which was first reported on by Drop Site News, also states that Langston provided police with text messages and Instagram messages between her and Mills, “which consisted of Cory threatening to harm any men Lindsey intended to date in the future.”
Langston also told police Mills misled her by claiming he was separated from his wife, though he remains married.
After Columbia County’s initial involvement with the police report, the matter was referred to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, according to the sheriff’s office.
“Anthony Sabatini is weaponizing the legal system to launch a political attack against the man who beat him in the primary, using his corporate legal office to push a narrative built on lies and flawed legal arguments – all to score political headlines. We have not been made aware of any report or allegations from law enforcement or the alleged complainant.” Mills said in his statement.
“These claims are false and misrepresent the nature of my interactions. I have always conducted myself with integrity, both personally and in service to Florida’s 7th District. Out of respect for the legal process, I won’t comment further at this time. My team and I will fully cooperate to ensure the truth is made clear. I remain focused on serving my constituents and advancing America First policies.”
Sabatini, an attorney who serves as a County Commissioner for District 1, briefly represented Langston but no longer does. Previously, he lost a Republican primary for the seat Mills now represents. He also served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2018-2022.
Earlier this year, Mills, who represents Florida’s 7th congressional district, voted in favor of the “Take It Down Act,” a bipartisan law championed by first lady Melania Trump that the president signed into law in May.
The “Take it Down Act” was a bipartisan bill aimed at cracking down on the nonconsensual sharing of sexually explicit videos and photos, including deepfakes generated by artificial intelligence.
Smoke from the Rosa Fire rises in Riverside County, California, Aug. 4, 2025. Cal Fire
(SOLVANG, Calif.) — The Gifford Fire, a wildfire burning in Central California that has destroyed over 83,000 acres in six days, continues to rage and is now the largest blaze in the state this year, according to Cal Fire.
Since it started on Friday afternoon, the Gifford Fire — which is situated within the Los Padres National Forest in Solvang, California — has burned 83,933 acres and has only reached 9% containment, prompting evacuation orders for those in the Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, officials said.
While the flames have been centered around thick brush and rugged terrain, officials said over 1,000 structures are threatened by this wildfire.
Nearly 2,000 personnel have been dispatched to help fight the flames, with “great progress made on the west, north and east flanks of the fire” on Monday, according to Los Padres National Forest officials. Winds could potentially reach 20 mph on Tuesday, which could “test lines already constructed,” officials said.
On Wednesday, officials sad they would focus on improving “contingency and constructed containment fire lines.”
Warmer weather on Thursday and Friday could increase the “fire behavior” and pose a threat to the already raging flames, officials said.
On Tuesday, officials said they will deploy helicopters to “deliver very significant water drops” and will establish two new base camps to allow personnel to “more efficiently access the fire perimeter.”
An air quality alert in Cuyama, California, and an air quality watch for the rest of Santa Barbara County continues to remain in place “until conditions improve,” according to the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District.
The fire is also impacting those outside of California, with smoke from the flames filtering into the Las Vegas Valley, “reducing visibility and air quality,” according to the National Weather Service Las Vegas.
Officials expect smoky conditions in the Las Vegas area “for at least another couple of days.”
Along with the Gifford Fire, firefighters are now also battling two additional flames in Central California that began on Monday — the Rosa Fire and the Gold Fire, according to Cal Fire.
The Rosa Fire, which is situated within Riverside County, has prompted evacuation orders and has destroyed 1,658 acres as of Wednesday, according to Cal Fire. The Gold Fire, which is located in San Bernardino County, is centered around “steep, rugged terrain in the northern area of the Mountaintop Ranger District” and has burned 991 acres, Cal Fire said.
As of Wednesday, the Rosa Fire is 18% contained and the Gold Fire is 5% contained, officials said.
The cause of all three fires remains under investigation, officials said.
(FORT STEWART, Ga.) — A U.S. Army sergeant allegedly shot and wounded five other soldiers at Fort Stewart in Georgia, using his personal handgun, officials said.
The shooting at the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area was reported at 10:56 a.m and the suspect, automated logistics Sgt. Quornelius Radford, was apprehended at 11:35 a.m., Fort Stewart said. All lockdown measures have since been lifted, Brig. Gen. John Lubas, the 3rd Infantry Division and Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield commander, said at a news conference.
A motive is not clear, Lubas said, but the shooting involved the 28-year-old Radford’s co-workers and was at Radford’s “place of work.” He used a personal handgun, but it’s not clear how he brought it to his workplace, Lubas added.
Lubas praised the “brave soldiers” who he said “immediately intervened” and tackled the suspect. He said they, “without a doubt, prevented further casualties.”
All five victims are in stable condition and are expected to recover, Lubas said. Hospital officials said two of the victims were rushed to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, which is a Level 1 trauma center about 40 miles from Fort Stewart.
Radford has been interviewed by Army investigators and is in pretrial confinement, Lubas said.
Radford, who is from Jacksonville, Florida, has not previously deployed to combat, Lubas said. He had been arrested locally for a DUI, Lubas said, noting the arrest was “unknown to his chain of command until the [shooting] occurred and we started looking into the law enforcement databases.”
Lubas emphasized that although it is still early in the investigation, he said they are not aware of the suspect having any prior behavioral or disciplinary issues.
Lubas also said he remains “very confident in the security” of Fort Stewart.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said on social media, “We are keeping the victims, their families, and all those who answer the call to serve in our hearts and prayers.”
President Donald Trump has been briefed on the shooting, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
The full circumstances surrounding the shooting were not immediately clear.
Access to combat firearms on a U.S. military personnel on base is highly restricted, with guns kept stored in an armory on the base. Firearm use is limited to only when soldiers are participating in field training, and the guns are returned to the armory at the conclusion of that training.
Military personnel are allowed to have legally registered personal guns, but there are restrictions on how they can be brought onto a base.
The entrance to the state-managed immigration detention center dubbed Alligator Alcatraz/Joe Raedle/Getty Images
(NEW YORK) — Known for the eponymous reptiles that inhabit the nearby swamps, the migrant detention center dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” faces the possibility of being shut down over concerns about some of the area’s lesser-known inhabitants — the Everglades’ bats, panthers, and storks.
At a hearing in federal court Wednesday, environmental groups have so far called two witnesses as part of their effort to prove that facility was built without the federally required impact studies.
Attorneys representing Florida officials have argued that the facility was initially funded by, constructed, and managed by the state and is therefore exempt from the National Environmental Policy Act – the main law being used to challenge the facility.
To counter that, the environmental groups called Florida state Rep. Anna Eskamani, who testified that she understood that the Department of Homeland Security was the driving force behind the facility.
During a guided tour she took of the facility last month, Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Kevin Guthrie allegedly told Eskamani and other lawmakers that Alligator Alcatraz was built at the direct request of the Department of Homeland Security and in compliance with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“DHS made the request for a facility to be established, and this was the product of that facility,” she testified. “They kept asserting to us that they were following all federal and state guidelines, and ICE inspects our facility.”
Alligator Alcatraz has so far operated in what immigration advocates have described as a jurisdictional gray zone — with the facility funded by the federal government but run by the state of Florida — that they allege allows officials to skirt some legal requirements.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has previously argued that the state of Florida is “implementing” the federal government’s immigration policy with the expectation that the state would be fully reimbursed for the costs of Alligator Alcatraz, but local and federal officials have so far been unable to tell the federal courts who is actually in charge of the facility.
The hearing — at which federal, state, and tribal officials are testifying — comes amid heightened scrutiny of the facility, which was once touted as a “one-stop shop to carry out President Trump’s mass deportation agenda.”
Located 50 miles west of Miami in the heart of the Florida Everglades, “Alligator Alcatraz” was quickly constructed over a matter of weeks, utilizing hundreds of tents, trailers, and other temporary facilities to potentially house more than 3,000 detainees.
The facility was built on the grounds of the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, a sparsely used piece of tarmac owned by Miami-Dade County.
Alligator Alcatraz also neighbors land leased to the Miccosukee Indian Tribe, including villages, a school, traditional hunting areas, and sacred sites. The Miccosukee Tribe joined the lawsuit last month, arguing that the facility threatens to damage nearby tribal villages.
The environmental groups and the tribe that brought the case allege that the sprawling facility was built without the federal or state government conducting an environmental impact statement, which is required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), so the public and lawmakers can understand the impact of a project. They also argue that the government failed to get public input on the project.
The Department of Justice has also argued that the environmental groups cannot prove irreparable harm and that NEPA does not give a court the power to block the use of the facility.
Attorneys representing the Florida officials tried to cast doubt on Eskamani’s testimony by arguing she has publicly opposed the policy, including saying at one point that the facility was a “half-billion-dollar anti-immigrant grift.”
“I can definitely see myself saying that on social media,” she told the court about the comments.
Eskamani also testified about the environmental impacts of the facility, which she said was described to her by state officials as an “active construction site.” Miles of barbed wire, tons of freshly laid asphalt, and hundreds of high-power lights peppered the facility.
Eve Samples, the executive director of the nonprofit Friends of the Everglades, which brought the lawsuit, testified before Eskamani on Wednesday and argued that the environmental impact has already been felt at the site. The construction of the facility brought increased traffic to the sensitive area, and high-power lights have made the facility visible at night from miles away.
The facility sits next to the Big Cypress National Preserve and the Big Cypress Area, ecologically sensitive and protected areas that house threatened species, including the Everglade snail kite, Florida panther, wood stork, and Florida bonneted bat.
Jesse Michael Panuccio, a lawyer representing Florida, tried to blunt her testimony by highlighting that the facility was built on a preexisting airport, where hundreds of planes take off and land daily.
While Wednesday’s hearing is limited to environmental issues — including impacts on the nearby Big Cypress National Preserve — the testimony is expected to shine a light on the operations of the facility and could result in a federal judge ordering the facility to be shut down until the required environmental impact studies are conducted.
Immigrant advocates have alleged that detainees have endured inhumane conditions, including flooded facilities, spoiled food, and sweltering heat — and that they have limited access to their attorneys and are effectively housed in a jurisdictional “black hole.”
