Man charged in Minnesota restaurant patio crash that killed two, injured nine

Man charged in Minnesota restaurant patio crash that killed two, injured nine
Man charged in Minnesota restaurant patio crash that killed two, injured nine
Hennepin County Jail

(NEW YORK) — A Minnesota man faces multiple charges for allegedly driving while intoxicated and crashing his vehicle into a restaurant patio, killing two people and injuring nine others, officials said Tuesday.

Steven Frane Bailey, 56, was charged Tuesday with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide for intoxication and negligence, as well as nine counts of criminal vehicular operation for the injured victims, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said.

The incident occurred Sunday evening when authorities say a man drove into the patio area of the Park Tavern in St. Louis Park around 8 p.m. local time.

“According to the criminal complaint, Bailey was observed on surveillance video pulling into the Park Tavern parking lot Sunday, driving past an open parking spot, hitting a parked car when he tried to back into that spot, pulling out and then accelerating toward the patio,” the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said in a press release. “He plowed through the metal fence into the patio seating area and hit several people.”

Several people seated or walking in the patio area were struck, according to the complaint, which alleged that Bailey continued to accelerate, reaching speeds of 30 to 45 mph, before finally coming to an “abrupt and violent halt” upon hitting several boulders at the base of a hill.

Officers who approached Bailey’s vehicle allegedly heard him on the phone saying, “I hit the gas instead of the brake and went right through a thing” and “I’m probably going to jail,” according to the complaint.

Bailey’s speech was slurred, and his eyes were bloodshot and watery, according to the complaint. He was unsteady on his feet upon exiting the vehicle, and when told by officers that they were going to perform field sobriety tests, he allegedly responded, “You don’t need to do fields. I know what I did,” the complaint stated.

He was transported to a hospital, where a preliminary breath sample showed a BAC of .325, according to the complaint. Results of a blood kit test were pending as of Tuesday, the complaint stated.

Bailey was booked into the Hennepin County Jail following a medical evaluation. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance Wednesday afternoon. It is unclear if he has an attorney.

“Bailey could have simply decided to stay home or take a Lyft rather than driving while intoxicated,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement. “This tragedy killed two people and injured several others, and it was entirely avoidable. We extend our deepest sympathy to the families of those killed, everyone injured, and the entire close-knit St. Louis Park community as they grieve this devastating incident.”

The attorney’s office identified the victims killed in the crash as Kristina Folkerts, a mother of three who worked at the restaurant, and Gabe Harvey, who was celebrating with several co-workers from Methodist Hospital at the time.

Folkerts was pinned under the vehicle and died at the scene despite life-saving efforts after officers lifted the vehicle off of her, prosecutors said. Harvey was transferred to a local hospital, where he died, prosecutors said.

One of the victims is currently unconscious and intubated at a hospital after sustaining broken legs, a broken pelvis, broken ribs and dislocated knees, according to the complaint.

Other victims suffered injuries, including head trauma, “serious” road rash and bruises, according to the complaint.

A memorial to the victims has been set up outside the Park Tavern, which is scheduled to reopen Wednesday in the wake of the crash.

The St. Louis Park Police Department believes more people were injured in the crash, and the number of charges against Bailey could increase if additional victims come forward, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said.

Bailey has two prior DWI convictions, including for gross misdemeanor third-degree DWI in 2015 and misdemeanor fourth-degree DWI in 2014, according to the attorney’s office.

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Phoenix’s streak of over 100-degree temperatures reaches 100th day

Phoenix’s streak of over 100-degree temperatures reaches 100th day
Phoenix’s streak of over 100-degree temperatures reaches 100th day
Tim Grist Photography/Getty Images

(PHOENIX) — Phoenix reached a sweltering milestone Tuesday, with Arizona’s capital city logging its 100th straight day of over 100-degree weather.

The National Weather Service (NWS) Phoenix took to X to share the record-breaking news, warning that the dangerously high temperatures are forecast to continue.

“Phoenix has just reached this mark today and the streak is expected to continue, with no end currently in sight,” NWS Phoenix wrote, adding, “This is by far the longest streak on record.”

The previous record was 76 straight days set in 1993, according to the agency.

Triple-digit temperatures began in Phoenix on May 27, when the city experienced the first 102-degree F day of the streak, and temperatures have stayed consistently high or higher ever since.

The measurements are taken at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, according to the agency.

Ariane Middel, a professor at Arizona State University’s Urban Climate Research Center, called the milestone “a historic and alarming benchmark in our ongoing struggle with extreme heat.”

“The prolonged heat exacerbates health risks, especially for vulnerable populations,” Middel said.

Heat-related illnesses, including heat exhaustion and heatstroke, occur when a person’s body temperature rises faster than the body can cool itself, and can damage the brain and other vital organs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Early symptoms can include dizziness, headaches, nausea, weakness and fatigue, according to the agency.

The public health agency further notes that older adults, the very young and people with chronic diseases and mental illnesses are at the highest risk of heat illnesses.

“This record-breaking heat in Phoenix highlights the urgent need for national awareness of extreme heat. The prolonged exposure to such high temperatures is not just a local issue here in Phoenix but part of broader climate trends that could affect other regions,” she added.

Phoenix is poised to set another extreme heat record the next time the thermostat reaches 110 degrees, which could come later this week, according to officials.

In 2023, Phoenix set the previous record of 54 days with temperatures at or above 110 degrees — and on Friday, the city matched that mark.

Earlier Tuesday, NWS Phoenix shared an “Excessive Heat Warning” for the region as temperatures are expected to reach 10 degrees above normal in the city and across much of the southwest from Wednesday through Friday.

Temperatures could approach 100 degrees in Los Angeles, California and close to 114 in Phoenix.

“Remember to practice smart heat safety by staying hydrated and limiting your time outdoors,” the agency cautioned.

This comes as more than 35 million Americans in eight states are on heat and wildfire alerts from California to North Dakota.

Extreme heat has been a reality this summer for the U.S. and worldwide.

July 2024 was the hottest month ever recorded since global records began in 1850, according to the Global Climate Report from the U.S. National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).

It was also the 14th consecutive month in which the temperature record was broken, according to the report.

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Man charged with ethnic intimidation after allegedly stabbing Philadelphia park ranger

Man charged with ethnic intimidation after allegedly stabbing Philadelphia park ranger
Man charged with ethnic intimidation after allegedly stabbing Philadelphia park ranger
Philadelphia Police Department

(PHILADELPHIA) — A man accused of stabbing a Philadelphia park ranger on Sunday has been charged with ethnic intimidation, police said.

The suspect — 34-year-old Thomas Riceman — also faces charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault and terroristic threats, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department told ABC News.

Police said they responded to reports of an assault Sunday afternoon in Rittenhouse Square, where they found the victim in the park’s security booth suffering from multiple stab wounds.

The victim, who had been working inside the security booth, told police the suspect had entered the booth and laid down before the alleged attack.

When the victim asked the suspect to leave, the suspect “suddenly attacked,” stabbing the victim in the face and head with scissors, police said.

According to police, the ethnic intimidation charge was filed because the suspect allegedly told the park ranger to “go back to his own country.”

Despite being injured, police said the victim managed to handcuff the suspect and hold him until police arrived.

The victim was transported to a hospital, where police said he was last listed as being in stable condition.

ABC News wasn’t immediately able to determine if the suspect had retained legal counsel.

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom declares emergency disaster for landslide-threatened Rancho Palos Verdes

California Gov. Gavin Newsom declares emergency disaster for landslide-threatened Rancho Palos Verdes
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declares emergency disaster for landslide-threatened Rancho Palos Verdes
A sign reads ‘Road Closed Landslide Damage’ amid an ongoing land movement crisis in the area which has forced power shutoffs to homes, with California Governor Gavin Newsom declaring a state of emergency today, on September 3, 2024 in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency for the Southern California city of Rancho Palos Verdes, where a landslide has threatened homes and caused the local utility provider to cut off electricity and gas to 245 residences due to broken pipes and power lines causing hazards.

On Tuesday afternoon, Newsom issued the declaration for the Los Angeles city community after local elected leaders held a news conference over the weekend and repeated their request that he act.

The governor said in a statement that the city is located on four out of five sub-slides that comprise the Greater Portuguese Landslide Complex. He said land movement in parts of the complex has “significantly accelerated following severe storms in 2023 and 2024.”

The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services said it has been coordinating with the city and county for nearly a year to support the response to the landslide, including providing technical assistance, supporting the local assistance center, facilitating a federal mitigation grant for groundwater work in the area and helping officials with initial damage estimates.

The governor’s decision came just hours before residents and local leaders held a meeting to discuss the growing crisis with utility officials.

“We can not predict how much the slide will accelerate in the coming weeks and months,” Larry Chung, vice president of Southern California Edison (SCE), said during the meeting Tuesday evening.

Residents in the growing landslide zone, which has spread about 680 acres over the past year, have been advised to leave the area after SCE shut off power to 245 homes on Sunday and Monday and said many of them will be without electricity and gas indefinitely.

Chung maintained during the meeting that there is “no timeframe” for power restoration in the impacted areas due to the instability of the land.

“The safety of the community members and crews remains our highest priority,” he added.

In January, Sallie Reeves told ABC News that she began noticing little cracks in the walls and floors of her Rancho Palos Verdes home of four decades. But by Tuesday, those cracks had turned into a widening fissure running through her home, wrecking room after room as the earth has been moving under her house at what she estimates is 12 inches a week.

Like Reeves, residents in the oceanfront community have been coping with a landslide crisis that is making their homes uninhabitable.

“This just kept getting worse, and we had animals coming in,” the 81-year-old Reeves told ABC News, pointing to where her home has split in half, exposing her master bedroom to the outdoors.

“This has been a hard pill to swallow,” Reeves told ABC News, adding that her husband is disabled.

She said she and her husband have had to move out of their master bedroom after damage to their roof caused a leak so bad she said it was as if “someone just turned a hose on our bed.”

Over the last four months, she said things have worsened as parts of her ceiling have collapsed, and a space between her outdoor deck and home has widened to about 18 inches. Reeves said she and her husband began sleeping in their living room until the landslide made it uninhabitable. She said now they’ve moved to a rear bedroom.

Rancho Palos Verdes is located about 30 miles south of Los Angeles.

“There is no playbook for an emergency like this one,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, who represents the area, said at a news conference Sunday. “We’re sparing no expense. This is bigger than Rancho Palos Verdes. This land movement is so gigantic and so damaging that one city should not have to bear the burden alone.”

Hahn said the county has committed $5 million to respond to the disaster.

Officials said the shifting land has caused water and gas pipes to leak, and the city has been forced to red-tag at least two homes made uninhabitable by damage.

“Yes, this landslide has been moving for decades, but the acceleration that’s happening currently is beyond what any of us could have foretold, and it demands more response from the state, more response from the federal government,” Hahn said.

Evacuation warnings have been issued for part of the city. However, residents like Reeves said they are not leaving their homes.

“When people say, ‘Why don’t you just go someplace?’ I can’t take him just someplace,” Reeves said of her disabled husband, who is also in his 80s. “I can’t go to a hotel. He can’t get in the beds. I’m his 24-hour care.”

Reeves said she is working with a contractor on plans to lift her home and build a steel foundation that will sit on cribbing, repairs she expects will be out-of-pocket expenses.

“I would be thrilled to show Gavin Newsom my house because I’m not the only one that lives like this,” Reeves said. “This is what Mother Nature is doing.”

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Mass shooting incident on Washington state highway under investigation: Police

Mass shooting incident on Washington state highway under investigation: Police
Mass shooting incident on Washington state highway under investigation: Police
Douglas Sacha/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Police are investigating multiple separate shootings that occurred Monday night on Interstate 5 in Washington state in what authorities called unacceptable “mayhem.”

Six people were injured in six shooting incidents, including a woman who was critically injured, according to the Washington State Patrol.

A suspect whose vehicle was sought in connection with several of the shootings was arrested in the Tacoma area early Tuesday, police said.

In four of the incidents, the victims reported being shot at by a white Volvo, according to Washington State Patrol spokesperson Chris Loftis. Investigators are still working to determine whether all the shooting incidents involved the same suspect vehicle, according to Capt. Ron Mead, the commander of District 2 of the Washington State Patrol, located in King County.

Police are treating this as a mass shooting event, Loftis said.

“The only difference from this and other events that we see across the country in schools and parks and so forth is the area of the shooting was not confined to a very specific place or location,” Loftis told reporters during a press briefing Tuesday afternoon.

There were two “spasms” of violence along I-5, resulting in the six shooting incidents, Loftis said.

The first occurred over 17 minutes, between 8:26 and 8:43 p.m. local time, northbound on I-5, he said.

It unfolded at I-5 and State Road 18, when “several rounds” were fired from a white Volvo, striking the passenger of a car, Loftis said. The driver took the 320th Street exit and contacted a fire station, and the female passenger was transported to a local hospital, where she remains in critical condition, he said.

A few minutes later, at 8:42 p.m. local time, a victim reported being shot at on I-5 near Martin Luther King Jr. Way and sustained abrasions from broken glass, Loftis said. The victim did not have a description of the suspect vehicle.

One minute later, on I-5 just south of I-90, a victim reported being shot at by an unknown vehicle and sustaining a grazing wound to the leg, Loftis said. The victim was transported to a local hospital as a precaution, he said.

The second wave of gun violence occurred between 10:57 p.m. and 11:01 p.m. local time, southbound on I-5, Loftis said.

On I-5 at State Road 18 at 10:57 p.m., a driver and passenger reported being shot at by a white Volvo, Loftis said. They sustained non-life-threatening wounds to the legs and have since been released from the hospital, Loftis said.

One minute later, another shooting involving a white Volvo was reported on I-5 near South 375 Street, Loftis said. Windows in the car were broken, but no one was injured, he said.

Then, at 11:01 p.m., on I-5 near 54th Avenue, a victim reported being shot by a white Volvo, Loftis said. The victim was shot in the neck and transported to a local hospital, he said.

A suspect was subsequently identified and arrested in the Tacoma area, police said.

Pierce County sheriff’s deputies arrived at the home of the possible suspect late Monday, but his vehicle wasn’t there, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department said.

Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, a deputy saw the suspect vehicle pull into an apartment complex, the sheriff’s department said. Backup arrived, and deputies followed the vehicle, which was subsequently disabled by stop sticks set up by a Fircrest police officer, authorities said.

“Once the vehicle ran over the sticks it came to a stop and deputies initiated a felony stop,” the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department said in a press release. “The suspect was compliant and taken into custody by a Fircrest officer and WSP trooper.”

The suspect has been booked into King County Jail on first-degree assault, police said.

State police said they are not releasing the name of the suspect at this time or speaking to an alleged motive.

“I’m not going to give that credibility for the mayhem he created,” Mead told reporters.

All of the victims are believed to have been random in what Mead called an “unwarranted, unprovoked attack.”

“Any one of us could have been that unwitting victim,” he said while decrying the gun violence.

Police said there may be additional victims. A person who was traveling on I-5 to Portland Monday night called police Tuesday to report that their car had been shot, Loftis said.

“They heard the news accounts and realized that they may have been involved in this situation,” he said.

No one was injured in that incident. The person is in the process of traveling to Bellevue to speak with detectives to determine if this is a potential seventh victim of the shooting spate, Loftis said.

“We would like to encourage other folks who may have been in this area last night during these timeframes, if you saw something, call,” he said.

At this time, police said they can only connect the shootings in which the victims reported seeing the white Volvo, Mead said.

“While the timing certainly would suggest that all of these are related, we’re only going to be able to connect what we can connect through physical evidence,” he said. “Beyond that is speculative, and that’s why we will do the investigation to make sure that we can tie them to the additional shootings.”

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Archery hunter survives surprise grizzly bear attack

Archery hunter survives surprise grizzly bear attack
Archery hunter survives surprise grizzly bear attack
Idaho Fish and Game

(NEW YORK) — An archery hunter who was knocked down and bitten by a bear while hunting elk with his friend has survived the surprise attack, officials said.

The incident occurred on Sunday morning when the hunter and his friend were hunting elk west of Henrys Lake in Island Park, Idaho, approximately 15 miles west of Yellowstone National Park, and were attacked by an adult male grizzly bear.

During the surprise encounter in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest near the Divide Creek Road, one of the hunters was “knocked down and bitten by the bear,” according to a statement from Idaho Fish and Game regarding the incident.

“Both men were able to utilize their sidearms to shoot the bear, deterring the attack and killing the bear,” Idaho Fish and Game said. “The hunters were able to call 911 and the injured individual was transported by helicopter to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center where he is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.”

Idaho Fish and Game say they responded to the scene where the attack happened after coordinating with Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, Caribou-Targhee National Forest and Emergency Medical Service teams and that conservation officers conducted a “thorough investigation and determined that the hunters acted in self-defense during a surprise encounter with the bear from a very close distance.”

“I am extremely grateful that both of these individuals survived this encounter,” said Fish and Game Regional Supervisor Matt Pieron. “I have had the opportunity to speak with the injured hunter and his family and they are truly wonderful people. I wish him a speedy recovery from his injuries and the trauma these two hunters experienced.”

According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife, it is illegal to kill bears unless it is in a situation that requires self-defense.

“Grizzly bears in the 48 contiguous states are currently protected as a threatened species. It is illegal to harm, harass or kill these bears, except in cases of self-defense or the defense of others,” U.S. officials said. “Grizzly bear conservation is complex and only made possible through a variety of partnerships with the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, state wildlife agencies, Native American Tribes, federal agencies, universities and other organizations.”

Idaho Fish and Game took the opportunity to remind people about safety procedures when hunting, suggesting that people venturing out in to the wilderness in north Idaho and the Greater Yellowstone area should always carry bear spray and keep it readily accessible, always hunt with partners and make each other aware of plans, keep an eye out for grizzly bear signs like fresh tracks, retrieve meat as quickly as possible and hang it — along with food and garbage — at least 200 yards from camp and 10 feet off the ground, and finally, by making noise when not hunting, especially around creeks and thick vegetation because “most attacks occur by inadvertently surprising a bear at close range.”

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Trump to plead not guilty in election interference case, waives right to be present at arraignment

Trump to plead not guilty in election interference case, waives right to be present at arraignment
Trump to plead not guilty in election interference case, waives right to be present at arraignment
Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) — Former President Donald Trump has waived his right to be present at his arraignment in his federal election interference case and has authorized his attorney to enter a plea of not guilty on his behalf, according to a filing Tuesday.

Special counsel Jack Smith unsealed a new indictment last week related to Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The superseding indictment included the same charges but removed allegations related to Trump’s official acts as president in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity.

The court has not yet set a formal date for Trump’s new arraignment.

Both sides are due to appear in court on Thursday for a previously-scheduled conference in the case.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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DOJ charges senior Hamas leaders over involvement in Americans’ deaths during Oct. 7 attack on Israel

DOJ charges senior Hamas leaders over involvement in Americans’ deaths during Oct. 7 attack on Israel
DOJ charges senior Hamas leaders over involvement in Americans’ deaths during Oct. 7 attack on Israel
J. David Ake/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) — The Justice Department unsealed charges Tuesday targeting multiple senior members of Hamas’ leadership for their alleged involvement in the kidnapping and murdering of Americans during the terror group’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

The criminal complaint, unsealed in the Southern District of New York, names six members of Hamas’ leadership structure and details extensively their terrorist activities on behalf of the group.

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

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11-year-old allegedly confesses to fatally shooting 82-year-old man and his daughter

11-year-old allegedly confesses to fatally shooting 82-year-old man and his daughter
11-year-old allegedly confesses to fatally shooting 82-year-old man and his daughter
Oliver Helbig/Getty Images

(MINDEN, La.) — An 11-year-old has allegedly confessed to fatally shooting a former city council member and his daughter, according to officials in Louisiana.

Officers in Minden, about 30 miles east of Shreveport, received a call at 6:30 a.m. Sunday about two bodies inside of a house, Minden Police Chief Jared McIver told ABC News on Tuesday.

Responders found Joe Cornelius Sr., 82, and his daughter, Keisha Miles, 31, dead from multiple gunshot wounds, he said.

The 11-year-old — who is related to the victims — “gave us a story at first that just didn’t add up,” and later the juvenile allegedly confessed to the shootings, McIver said at a news conference Tuesday.

A motive is not known, McIver said.

Investigators were “told at first he was 10 years of age, but is confirmed to be 11 years of age,” the chief said at the news conference.

The child was at the house Sunday morning and allegedly shot the victims between 6 and 6:30 a.m., the chief said.

Two guns that belonged in the house were found hidden on the property, the chief said, and the shell casings at the scene were of the same caliber as the two guns.

The 11-year-old is in custody and is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, McIver said.

“We still got to put some puzzle pieces together,” the chief told ABC News. “The city can rest easy knowing that the suspect is off the street of a double homicide, but there’s also the shock factor.”

“There’s a sigh of relief, there’s a shock, there’s mourning, there’s just different emotions our city is running through right now. Only thing we can do right now is do this case the best we can,” he said.

The 82-year-old victim, Joe Cornelius Sr., was a longtime councilman in Minden and at one point served as the appointed mayor, according to Minden Mayor Nick Cox.

“Joe Cornelius’s years of service to Minden were marked by his commitment and dedication to the betterment of our community. On a personal note, I am grateful for his friendship and the many ways he supported me and others in our city,” Cox said in a statement. “During this incredibly difficult time, I ask that we all keep Joe’s family in our thoughts and prayers. May they find comfort and strength in the midst of this tragedy. Let us come together as a community to honor Joe’s memory and support one another through this time of grief.”

“Joe’s efforts to improve Minden have left a lasting impact that will be remembered for years to come,” Cox said at Tuesday’s news conference.

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90-year-old Navy veteran killed in Houston carjacking; $15,000 reward issued for information

90-year-old Navy veteran killed in Houston carjacking; ,000 reward issued for information
90-year-old Navy veteran killed in Houston carjacking; $15,000 reward issued for information
Courtesy of Tim Beckett

(HOUSTON) — Texas officials are offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to the identification and arrest of a suspect involved in the fatal carjacking of a 90-year-old veteran over the holiday weekend.

Nelson Beckett, who served in the Navy, was shot dead and run over by his own car on Saturday in Houston, according to police.

Houston patrol officers responded to an assault in progress at an independent living community on Saturday and found Beckett lying in the parking lot with gunshot wounds, according to Houston police.

Paramedics responded to the scene and the man was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Beckett was in his vehicle when he was approached by an unknown man who assaulted him, according to police. The suspect shot Beckett and took his belongings before taking his vehicle and hitting him as he fled the scene, according to Houston police.

The vehicle was later recovered at an apartment complex, according to the Houston Police Department.

“He was always an outgoing person until his very last day,” Nelson Beckett’s son, Tim Beckett, told Houston ABC station KTRK. “We’ll miss him.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to the identification and arrest of the person involved in Beckett’s murder. Crime Stoppers of Houston is offering an additional $5,000.

“Cecilia and I are deeply saddened to hear of the murder of 90-year-old Navy veteran Nelson Beckett in Houston. Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones, and the entire Houston community during this difficult time,” Abbott said in a statement.

“I encourage anyone with information relating to this terrible crime to call the Texas Crime Stoppers hotline or submit an anonymous tip online. Texas will always support the brave men and women who answered the call to serve in our nation’s military, and with the public’s help we will capture the murderer and put them behind bars,” Abbott said.

Houston police are asking anyone with information to contact its homicide department at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

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