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(NEW YORK) — With President Donald Trump expected to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs on Monday night, the New York Police Department and the Secret Service say they are planning to put Madison Square Garden on “lockdown.”

During a news conference Monday morning, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said police officers will establish a block-to-two-block-radius security perimeter around the Midtown Manhattan arena, canceling a fan watch party that was set to occur outside the venue.

“I think New Yorkers are used to presidents coming to town, and that they understand that that generally means lockdown of areas, and that’s what you’re going to see tonight at the Garden,” Tisch said.

Beginning at 4 p.m. ET, four-and-a-half hours before the start of the game, police will start blocking off streets and avenues around Madison Square Garden, creating a security frozen zone, according to Tisch.

“No one will be allowed inside the secured area unless they have a ticket to the game, a train ticket, they are going to a business inside the area, they have credentials, or they have some other authorized reason to be there,” she said.

Tisch said no one will be allowed in the secured area with a backpack unless they are going to nearby Pennsylvania Station to catch a train.

Matt McCool, special agent in charge of the U.S. Secret Service Field Office in New York, advised ticketed fans to arrive at the Garden two hours before game time to ensure they make it through the “multiple layers” of security, including magnetometers, in time for the 8:30 p.m. ET tipoff.

In coordination with the Secret Service, Tisch said a decision was made to cancel Monday night’s fan watch party outside of Madison Square Garden due to Trump attending the game.

But Tisch said other watch parties are scheduled for Monday night, including one hosted by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani at Bryant Park, about a mile east of the Garden.

Mamdani said last week that he also plans to be at the Garden for Game 3.

Tisch said the watch party outside the Garden will resume for Game 4 on Wednesday night.

‘Heightened risk’ for malicious actors

The return of the NBA Finals to New York comes with a “heightened risk of attention by malicious actors across the ideological spectrum,” according to a New York Police Department assessment obtained by ABC News. 

Those malicious actors “may use high-profile sporting events as an attractive opportunity for targeted violence or disruption,” the document said. 

The Knicks are set to host their first NBA Finals in 27 years on Monday night.

The Knicks lead the series two games to none over the San Antonio Spurs in New York’s quest to win its first NBA championship since 1973.

Commissioner issues warning

Thousands of Knicks fans gathered outside Madison Square Garden on Friday night to watch Game 2 of the NBA Finals, which was played in San Antonio.

But celebrations after the Knicks’ victory led to multiple arrests and an injured police officer, according to the NYPD.

The NYPD said the crowd became increasingly disorderly throughout the evening. Officers made an arrest for assault and for individuals climbing light poles before the game ended.

Following the Knicks’ victory, police said multiple people refused orders to leave the area, blocked traffic along Seventh and Eighth Avenues from West 31st Street to West 35th Street, and climbed onto food vendor carts, light poles and subway entrances.

According to police, one person jumped over a barrier into a restricted area. When an officer attempted to remove the individual, the person allegedly punched the officer in the face multiple times, causing lacerations that required medical treatment. The officer was later treated and released.

Police also arrested several people accused of selling counterfeit merchandise. One of those individuals faces an additional charge of possessing a loaded firearm, according to the NYPD.

In total, 26 people were taken into custody on Friday. Police said 17 people were arrested and charged, while nine others were issued criminal court summonses for disorderly conduct and released.

NYPD Commissioner Tisch has warned fans to be on better behavior for this week’s games in New York.

“We will have no tolerance for violence, particularly violence against police officers, destruction of property, climbing on light poles or structures, blocking emergency vehicles or other chaotic behavior,” Tisch said.

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(NEW YORK) — Attorneys for the U.S. Army special forces soldier who was charged with using classified information about the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to make more than $400,000 on the prediction market Polymarket are returning to a Manhattan courtroom Monday. 

Master Sgt. Gannon Ken Van Dyke pleaded not guilty in April after prosecutors alleged he used inside information to place 13 bets on the outcome of the Maduro raid then attempted to destroy evidence of the trades after he pocketed more than $400,000. 

U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett scheduled the status conference to follow up on pre-trial issues, including the turning over of evidence that began last month. 

During Van Dyke’s arraignment in April, his defense attorney said he expected few factual disputes over the allegations in the case and believed that the prosecution would “largely rise and fall” on pre-trial motions. 

Van Dyke, an experienced special forces soldier, was released on a $250,000 personal recognizance bond. According to his attorney Zach Intrater, he is currently on leave from the Army. 

As allegations of insider trading prompt public scrutiny of sites like Polymarket and Kalshi, the Van Dyke prosecution is believed to be the first case of insider trading on a prediction market.

Prosecutors in New York last month also charged a Google employee with using confidential company information to make more than $1.2 million on Polymarket. 

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(NEW YORK) — Five people were stabbed Sunday evening at New York City’s Penn Station by a man experiencing homelessness, sources told ABC News.

The suspect, a man in his 50s who has not been publicly named, was taken into police custody on Sunday, sources said.

“My heart is with everyone who was injured, their loved ones, and all those shaken by this unacceptable violence,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a statement posted on social media. “I’m wishing each of the victims a full and speedy recovery.”

None of the injuries are believed to be life-threatening, sources said.

Mamdani praised the “swift response” by Amtrak police and other first responders, who he said “acted quickly to apprehend the suspect and provide emergency care.”

“There are currently no impacts to Amtrak service,” Mamdani said.

The stabbings unfolded one night before Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, which is directly above Penn Station. President Donald Trump will attend Monday night’s game, prompting massive security protocols and the cancellation of the watch party outside of Madison Square Garden.

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(NEW YORK) — Madison Square Garden is set to be filled to the brim Monday night with passionate Knicks fans decked out in their orange and blue pride, but eyes may be on what two of the most powerful New Yorkers will be doing during Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

President Donald Trump and Mayor Zohran Mamdani have said they will be attending the game and cheering on the Knicks as they seek another win in the best-of-seven series.

Trump, who has sat courtside at many Knicks games before being elected president, said he was personally invited by Jim Dolan, the team’s owner and longtime friend of the president.

“They’re really great, a great team. I’m happy for Jim because Jim has really been fighting hard to produce such a team,” Trump told reporters Thursday.

It’s highly unlikely that if Trump attends, he will be sitting courtside due to security concerns, and it’s not known who he will be seated with.

The president isn’t expected to be the only major elected official in the “World’s Most Famous Arena” during tip-off, as Mamdani revealed Thursday he will be attending the game.

“I’m paying for my own ticket,” the mayor said in an interview with radio station 1010 Wins Friday.

Trump and Mamdani have had personal meetings at the White House ever since the Democratic Socialist won the 2025 mayoral election.

However, Mamdani indicated on Thursday that he will be “in a very different section of the stadium” than the president during the game. He has dodged several questions about whether he will meet with Trump during his trip to New York.

“If I do see him, I will let him know what I’ve said time and again, which is we’re excited to welcome anyone and everyone who’s rooting for the Knicks,” Mamdani told 1010 Wins Friday.

The mayor had previously watched the Knicks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals on May 21 and was seated high up in the cheaper seats along with city public advocate Jumaane Williams.

Their attendance was unannounced before the game.

Mamdani indicated that once again he would not be in the best seats in the Garden for Monday’s matchup.

“I can tell you that I won’t be courtside or in a suite, but I can’t wait to see the game,” he told the radio station.

Mamdani has been vocally critical of the Trump administration’s policy on immigration, government cuts and threats to cut funding to Democratic run states and cities.

During the election, Trump vocally decried Mamdani, calling him a “communist” and warning that New York would be in a worse place under his leadership.

The president’s tone changed on Nov. 21, when Mamdani met with Trump in the Oval Office and they emerged with a much more amicable relationship.

“I think this mayor could do some things that are going to be really great,” Trump said in a news conference after the meeting, where he smiled, shook Mamdani’s hand and even patted him on the back.

The mayor and president met another time in the winter and Mamdani has said he has spoken to Trump on the phone numerous times about matters to the city.

Mamdani has maintained his opposition to many of the president’s policies but has maintained he is open to working with him to help New Yorkers, especially when it comes to driving down housing costs.

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(LOS ANGELES) — The federal trial for a man accused of starting a fire that eventually became the deadly blaze that devastated the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles last year is set to begin.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday in the case against Jonathan Rinderknecht, who is accused of “maliciously” starting a fire that six days later developed into what became known as the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history.

Rinderknecht, a former Los Angeles resident living in Florida, was arrested nine months after the Palisades Fire leveled neighborhoods in Los Angeles County and left 12 people dead.

He was indicted on three counts — destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire. He pleaded not guilty and faces up to 45 years in prison if convicted.

Federal prosecutors allege that Rinderknecht, who was working as an Uber driver at the time, ignited a brush fire that became known as the Lachman Fire on Jan. 1, 2025.

Despite being suppressed by fire crews, prosecutors allege that the fire continued to smolder until it surfaced again nearly a week later amid high winds in the Los Angeles area, eventually becoming the Palisades Fire.

In a criminal complaint, authorities allege Rinderknecht caused the initial fire by lighting a combustible material, such as vegetation or paper, with an open flame, likely a lighter.

The complaint included an image Rinderknecht allegedly generated in July 2024 using ChatGPT, showing in part “a burning forest and a crowd fleeing from it.”

“You could see some of his thought process in the months leading up, where he was generating some really concerning images up on ChatGPT, which appears to show a dystopian city being burned down,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said during a news conference following Rinderknecht’s arrest in October 2025.

In a court filing last month, the defense stated that Rinderknecht “denies he willfully and maliciously set” the Lachman Fire “and therefore cannot be responsible for either the Lachman or the Palisades Fire, or the resulting damages.” The defense attorney, Steven Haney, also questioned the government’s “holdover theory,” which posits that the Palisades Fire was caused by the Lachman Fire, and argued that the fires were two distinct events.

The trial is estimated to last seven to 11 days.

The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7, 2025, burning more than 23,000 acres over more than three weeks and destroying nearly 7,000 structures, decimating the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, according to California fire officials.

It ignited the same day as the Eaton Fire, which burned more than 14,000 acres in Los Angeles County, destroying more than 9,400 structures and killing 19 people, according to officials.

The fires started burning during strong Santa Ana winds, which, combined with dry conditions, helped their ability to spread quickly.

Investigators pursued more than 200 leads, conducted hundreds of interviews and collected more than 13,000 pieces of evidence, including fire debris, digital data and DNA samples, as part of the probe into the cause of the Palisades Fire, according to Kenny Cooper, special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Los Angeles Field Division.

“We have a lot of different data that all concluded where this fire started, and the fire behavior from that origin, from that Lachman Fire, was clearly established in the Palisades Fire,” Cooper said at a press briefing last year.

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(WASHINGTON) — One week ahead of the White House hosting an Ultimate Fighting Championship event, a public interest law firm is attempting to stop the high-profile sports event from taking place.

In a lawsuit filed this weekend, the Public Integrity Project — representing a political activist and Vietnam veteran — claimed the event was improperly permitted, skipped an environmental review, and is an extraordinary use of public land to benefit President Donald Trump and his allies.

They asked a federal judge to declare the authorization for the event, framed around the country’s 250th anniversary, unlawful. Scheduled to take place on Sunday, which is also President Trump’s birthday, the UFC plans to host a mixed martial arts event in a caged octagon on the South Lawn of the White House, as well as host thousands of fans at the nearby Ellipse.

“The President is giving [Dana] White and his company what none have enjoyed before: unfettered access to the White House and Lincoln Memorial to stage a private, for-profit sports event, with all the promotional and branding opportunities that accompany such access,” the lawsuit said.

The White House and UFC did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.

Calling the event “deeply corrupt,” the lawsuit alleged that the Trump administration improperly used a temporary rule for “America 250” to bypass the permitting requirements normally required to host events on National Park Service land. They argue that because the event is being organized by a private entity, not the federal government, and is not explicitly “for the celebration of the 250th anniversary of American Independence,” the fight does not qualify for that temporary rule.

“It is not in any material sense a ‘celebration of the 250th anniversary of American Independence’—it is, instead, a celebration of the UFC’s brand and the 80th anniversary of Donald Trump’s birth,” the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit also alleged that the construction of the 600-ton steel arch over the South Lawn should have undergone an environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act.

The lawsuit was filed by a retired government employee who frequently attends protests and other events near the National Mall and White House as well as a Vietnam War veteran who said he frequently enjoys the DC landscape while working part-time as a rideshare driver. The lawsuit alleged they are suffering “aesthetic, dignitary, and procedural harms as a result of Defendants’ unlawful acts.”

Lawsuits challenging Trump’s attempt to reshape the White House and DC have had a mixed track record, in part because judges are often skeptical if plaintiffs have standing to sue. A judge attempted to block construction of Trump’s ballroom before his ruling was lifted by an appeals court. Lawsuits challenging his planned arch, golf course renovations and the repainting of the reflecting pool have so far been unsuccessful in stopping work. As of Sunday, the case was assigned to Judge Amit Mehta, an appointee of former President Barack Obama.

In addition to alleging improper permitting and a lack of a necessary environmental review, the lawsuit alleged that Trump and his allies are profiting from the event. The lawsuit noted that Trump owns some stock in UFC’s parent company, that the UFC is selling VIP packages for more than $1 million while offering sponsorships to an overseas cryptocurrency exchange, and how the fight is being streamed through the UFC’s broadcast partner Paramount Skydance. 

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(TOLEDO, Ohio) — Twelve people were wounded, two critically, after gunfire broke out near an outdoor festival in Toledo, Ohio, on Saturday evening, police said.

Toledo Police Deputy Chief Joseph Heffernan said it appears there were at least two shooters who “probably” began shooting toward each other, with the victims caught in the crossfire.

Lt. Dan Gerkin said the ages of those shot ranged from 14 to 61.

No suspects are in custody.

The incident began unfolding around 5:37 p.m. local time when police received a call for a shooting near the Old West End Festival, a community event celebrating the historic neighborhood.

Police said the investigation continues.

“We’ll dissect what happened and who was responsible and certainly the motives are going to be one of them,” the deputy chief said. “You know, why would somebody do something like this? It’s horrible.”

He added later, “This is a perfect example of when bullets start flying, they can go anywhere. They can strike anybody.” 

George Kral, the city’s director of public safety, urged anyone with information or evidence to come forward.

“There were several hundred people there tonight and everyone has one of these,” said,” he said, holding up a cellphone. “I know in my heart that footage is out there. So I am imploring my fellow Toledoans to look through your cellphone video and reach out to [the Toledo Police Department] and help them catch the people who did this.” 

He added, “This is one of the most iconic festivals in Toledo, and it’s a shame that something like this had to ruin it.”

Anyone with information can text or call Crime Stoppers at 419-255-1111.

Toledo, a city of about 270,000 people, is located in Northwest Ohio.

In a message posted to its website, the festival announced that further events planned for Sunday were cancelled.

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(NEW YORK) — A Virginia man found guilty of killing his wife and a stranger lured to their home in an elaborate plot to get rid of his spouse so he could be with his au pair was sentenced to life in prison on Friday.

Brendan Banfield was convicted in the 2023 murders of his wife and a man prosecutors said he “catfished” on a fetish website. Prosecutors said Brendan Banfield pretended to be his wife to lure the man to their Fairfax County home for what was believed to be a consensual fake rape scenario in order to frame that stranger for his wife’s murder.

A jury found him guilty of two counts of aggravated murder in February.

“It is a harsh sentence, but in this case it is a justified one,” Judge Penney Azcarate said, noting she had “no hesitation” in handing down the life sentence without the possibility of parole.

“The disregard of the life of your wife, someone you supposedly loved, is almost unfathomable,” she said.

The judge denied a defense motion to overturn his murder convictions on Thursday, ahead of his sentencing.

The former IRS agent was charged with two counts of aggravated murder in 2024 following a monthslong investigation into the deaths of his wife, 37-year-old nurse Christine Banfield, and the stranger, 39-year-old Joseph Ryan.

Prosecutors said Brendan Banfield plotted the murders with the family’s au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães, with whom he was having an affair. 

Police responded to a 911 call from the home in Reston on Feb. 24, 2023, and found Ryan dead in an upstairs bedroom with gunshot wounds to his head and chest. Christine Banfield had been stabbed seven times in the neck, prosecutors said. 

At the time, Magalhães and Banfield told police they came home to find Ryan stabbing Christine Banfield to death. Banfield and Magalhães each shot Ryan, they said in their 911 call and to responding officers at the scene. 

Magalhães was arrested first and initially charged with second-degree murder for the death of Ryan. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 2024 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, the maximum, in February. Prosecutors said she admitted to shooting Ryan at Brendan Banfield’s direction.

Brendan Banfield was arrested several months after Magalhães and charged with two counts of aggravated murder for the deaths of his wife and Ryan.

Prosecutors said Brendan Banfield stabbed his wife with a kitchen knife that Ryan had been instructed to bring, and, before calling 911, altered the crime scene to make it look as though Ryan stabbed her — including by transferring some of his wife’s blood onto Ryan’s hands.

Magalhães testified against Brendan Banfield during his trial, telling the court that he expressed his desire to “get rid of” his wife in October 2022. She said he told her he wanted to marry her and have children with her, and that he didn’t want to divorce his wife because “she would have more money than he would” and because he wanted custody of the couple’s daughter.

She prayed for forgiveness from the victims’ families during her sentencing hearing.

“There is nothing I could possibly do to make it up to you, for your loss. There are so many regrets, this is my biggest. It’s a tragedy I have been carrying with me, and I know I can never take back the devastation of what I have done,” she said.

Following Magalhães’ sentencing, Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano said the au pair’s testimony was “invaluable in helping the jury understand the convoluted double-murder plot orchestrated by Brendan Banfield.” 

During his three-week-long trial, Brendan Banfield testified in his own defense. He admitted to the affair though maintained his innocence.

He said he came home on Feb. 24, 2023, after the au pair called to alert him about a stranger in the home. He said he went up to his bedroom with his gun drawn and found his wife naked with Ryan and that she called out, “Brendan, he has a knife!”

“I was extremely terrified,” Brendan Banfield told the jury. “I don’t think I’ve ever been more panicked in my life.”

He said he fired his government-issued firearm, striking Ryan in the head, after he said the man appeared to stab his wife. 

The couple’s then-4-year-old daughter was in the basement of the house at the time of the killings. Brendan Banfield was additionally found guilty of child endangerment, as well as using a firearm while committing or attempting to commit murder. 

ABC News’ Sophie Sonnenfeld contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — A former CIA officer accused of stealing money from the government by lying about his academic credentials and military experience who authorities said had roughly $40 million worth of gold bars stashed in his house was ordered detained pending trial Friday by a federal judge in Virginia. 

David Rush was described by a Justice Department prosecutor as a “master manipulator” who “cannot be trusted” — detailing a damning track record of lies that the government says only grows by the day as the FBI and intelligence community continue their investigation. 

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

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(NEW YORK) — The Coast Guard has taken custody of the Hookers’ dinghy amid the new search for Lynette Hooker, an American woman who went overboard in the Bahamas and vanished two months ago.

The Coast Guard is using divers, underwater drones and a K9 as it explores new areas not previously searched.

This week’s search comes after forensic evidence found on electronic devices belonging to Lynette Hooker’s husband, Brian Hooker, led investigators to new areas of interest, U.S. officials said. One U.S. official told ABC News that what Brian Hooker told investigators does not match the GPS data recovered from his devices.

Lynette Hooker went missing on the evening of April 4. Brian Hooker told authorities that after the couple departed Hope Town on their dinghy to head to their yacht, bad weather caused her to go overboard.

Brian Hooker was arrested on April 8 and questioned by police. He was released on April 13 without charges.

Lynette Hooker’s daughter and Brian Hooker’s stepdaughter, Karli Aylesworth, told ABC News she doubts Brian Hooker’s story and said she’s not spoken with him since the day after her mother went missing.

Aylesworth said this week she’s hopeful the new search points investigators in the right direction.

“She has to be somewhere, so all the help that we could get, it’s greatly appreciated,” she said.

Aylesworth said if she could speak to her mother now, she’d tell her, “I just hope you’re still out there. I have doubts with how long it’s been, but I love you and I hope I can see you again.”

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