National

(NEW YORK) — The husband and wife occupants of the car that slammed into the U.S.-Canada border crossing in a fiery explosion on the Rainbow Bridge Wednesday have now been identified.

Kurt P. Villani and his wife Monica Villani, both of Grand Island, New York, were killed in the crash, the Niagara Falls Police Department said Friday. Both were 53 years old.

“The incident is currently under investigation by the NFPD Crash Management Unit, no further details are available at this time,” the police department said in a statement.

The FBI said Wednesday night there was no nexus to terrorism and it was turning the car crash over to the Niagara Falls Police Department as a traffic investigation.

The names of Kurt and Monica Villani were released by the Niagara Falls Police Department after the Department of Homeland Security said it conducted database queries on both individuals and found no criminal history or derogatory information.

“FBI Buffalo has concluded our investigation at the scene of the Rainbow Bridge incident. A search of the scene revealed no explosive materials and no terrorism nexus was identified,” a statement from the agency read.

The agency’s conclusions echo what New York Gov. Kathy Hochul told the media: There was no evidence that the crash on the U.S. side of the Rainbow Bridge, which connects the U.S. to Canada at Niagara Falls, New York, was a terrorist attack.

She also told reporters there was no indication of any explosives at the scene.

The incident unfolded on Wednesday when a vehicle slammed into a border checkpoint booth on the U.S. side of the bridge, went airborne and exploded, Hochul said.

The crash prompted an increase in security on both sides of the border crossing and briefly shut down international arrivals and departures at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport and other border crossings in the area. A bomb squad also responded to the crash to investigate and clear a suitcase or briefcase at the scene, sources told ABC News.

The Rainbow Bridge was reopened to traffic on Thursday evening. The Peace, Queenston-Lewiston and Whirlpool-Rapids were all reopened on Wednesday.

ABC News’ Quinn Owen contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — Officials in Wrangell, Alaska, said Thursday they have resumed their search for the adult and two children who went missing after a deadly landslide hit the region.

The search was briefly paused Tuesday afternoon due to hazardous conditions, according to officials.

“K9 teams will be searching along the waterline by small boat and joining ground teams in the slide area at multiple areas of interest,” Alaska’s Department of Public Safety said in a statement.

The landslide was reported along the Zimovia Highway at mile 11 shortly before 9 p.m. local time Monday.

The bodies of three people, two adults and a juvenile girl, were recovered by search and rescue teams.

A woman who lived on the mountainside of the highway was rescued Tuesday morning and was listed in good condition, according to officials.

Three homes were determined to be directly in the path of the landslide — two houses on the mountainside and one on the waterside of the highway — according to the Department of Public Safety. One of the mountainside homes is believed to have been empty at the time, officials said.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has declared a state disaster in the state.

The landslide is estimated to have measured 500 feet across the highway, officials said.

ABC News’ Meredith Deliso contributed to this report.

 

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(NEW YORK) — Former Obama administration adviser and State Department official Stuart Seldowitz has been arrested and charged for allegedly harassing a food cart vendor in New York City.

In videos posted online, Seldowitz is heard berating the vendor about his Islamic faith and Egyptian roots.

Seldowitz, 64, was charged with aggravated harassment, hate crime and two counts of stalking. They are all misdemeanor charges, according to the New York Police Department.

He was booked Wednesday night and his attorney was not present.

In one video, Seldowitz calls the Egyptian halal food cart worker a “terrorist” and a “terrible person.”

“If we killed 4,000 Palestinian children, you know what, it wasn’t enough,” Seldowitz can be heard saying.

The vendor can be heard repeatedly asking Seldowitz to leave.

“A 24 year-old male victim stated to police that an individual approached him at his work place multiple times and made anti-Islamic statements multiple times on different dates causing the victim to feel afraid and annoyed,” the NYPD said in a statement.

Seldowitz lives around the corner from the Halal cart’s location, according to an address provided by the NYPD.

Seldowitz claimed the vendor had expressed support for Hamas and triggered an argument, a claim the vendor denies.

“I’m not supporting something, I’m just working here,” the vendor can be heard saying in one video.

Seldowitz was also heard threatening to send the vendor’s pictures to the Egyptian intelligence services and said they will “get your parents.”

“Does your father like his fingernails? They will take them out one by one,” Seldowitz said, according a video.

Seldowitz did not speak as he was escorted out of a New York City precinct Wednesday night.

In a phone interview, Seldowitz admitted he overreacted and regretted what he had said, according to ABC station WABC.

The halal cart worker said he would await a face-to-face apology.

 

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(NEW YORK) — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency in Rockcastle County following a multi-car train derailment Wednesday afternoon that resulted in a spill of hazardous chemicals.

Around 16 train cars were involved in the incident, including two carrying molten sulfur that ended up on fire, according to CSX, which operates the train.

“When molten sulfur burns, it is known to release sulfur dioxide. Specialized equipment is being deployed to conduct air monitoring in the area,” CSX said in a statement Wednesday night, adding that it was working with local emergency crews.

Two cars carrying magnesium hydroxide were also involved in the incident but there was no indication that these cars were breached, according to CSX. The remaining cars were either empty or carrying non-hazardous products like grain or plastic, according to the company.

As of Thursday morning, the fire was still burning, according to CSX.

Beshear encouraged nearby residents to evacuate.

“Please stay clear of this area as state, local and CSX officials respond,” the governor said.

Some nearby residents told ABC affiliate WTVQ they were startled by the crash and rushed to safety. Evelyn Gray told the station her boyfriend came home and said they had to leave immediately.

“As soon as he opened the back door to come in the chemical hit me and I had a real bad asthma attack. I do suffer from asthma,” Gray said.

Cindy Bradley said she is scared because she doesn’t know how long until she can return home.

“This could be tonight. It could be three weeks. Who knows?” she told WTVQ.

CSX said it would provide affected residents with food, lodging and necessities throughout the day including Thanksgiving dinner at no cost.

ABC News’ Darren Reynolds and Maci Smith contributed to this report.

 

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(NEW YORK) — Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was temporarily paused when a group of about 30 pro-Palestinian protesters ran into the street and apparently glued themselves to the pavement of the parade route in New York City.

The protesters were demonstrating along Sixth Avenue when a handful of them jumped the barricades and ran into the street along 49th Street.

The protesters have been taken into custody, officials said.

ABC News’ Nadine El-Bawab contributed to this report.

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

 

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(NEW YORK) — The two passengers who were killed in the Rainbow Bridge incident have been identified as husband and wife, according to a Department of Homeland Security document obtained by ABC News. One of the victims was a Western New York resident, Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

“DHS has conducted database queries on both individuals and found no criminal history or derogatory information,” the document said.

The FBI said Wednesday night it was turning the car crash and explosion that occurred at the border earlier in the day to the Niagara Falls Police Department as a traffic investigation.

“FBI Buffalo has concluded our investigation at the scene of the Rainbow Bridge incident. A search of the scene revealed no explosive materials and no terrorism nexus was identified,” a statement from the agency read.

The agency’s conclusions echo what Hochul told the media: there was no evidence that the crash on the U.S. side of the Rainbow Bridge, which connects the U.S. to Canada at Niagara Falls, New York, was a terrorist attack.

She also told reporters there was no indication of any explosives at the scene.

A vehicle raced toward a border checkpoint on the U.S. side of the bridge, hit a booth, exploded and went airborne, Hochul said.

“You actually had to look at it and say, ‘Was this generated by A.I.?’ because it was so surreal to see how high in the air this vehicle went and then the crash and explosion and the fire,” she said.

One booth agent was injured in the incident and was treated for their injuries at a hospital. They were released later in the day, Hochul said.

“It was a very congested area,” Hochul said, adding, “It could have been very cataclysmic.”

Hochul told the media the investigation would take some time as much of the vehicle was destroyed and debris was scattered over 13 booths.

“There is not a license plate,” she said.

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas posted a statement on X shortly after Hochul’s news conference, reiterating that the incident did not appear to be terror-related.

“We will continue to closely coordinate with state and local officials,” he wrote.

Investigators found some sort of suitcase or briefcase on the scene, sources told ABC News. They were treating it as a possible explosive device as a precaution earlier in the day, and the bomb squad handled the package.

The Rainbow Bridge was closed in the wake of the incident, according to Hochul.

The Peace, Queenston-Lewiston and Whirlpool-Rapids Bridges in Canada reopened to traffic in both directions later in the evening. They had been closed earlier out of an abundance of caution, authorities said.

As the situation unfolded, the Buffalo Niagara International Airport said it would increase security with car checks and additional screenings for travelers.

President Joe Biden was briefed on the explosion, White House officials said.

“We are taking this extraordinarily seriously,” Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Trudeau said. “We are following up to try and get as many answers as rapidly as possible. … Additional measures are being contemplated and activated at all border crossings across the country.”

In Toronto, the police department said it would increase patrols out of an abundance of caution.

In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams said he was monitoring the incident.

Adams said the NYPD had already enhanced security for Thanksgiving “so the public will see increased security at locations across New York City, including entry and egress points into and out of the city.”

 

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(NEW YORK) — As families across the nation prepare for the holiday season, some food banks across the United States dedicated to fighting hunger say they are experiencing an increase in demand following the end of pandemic-era SNAP benefits, an increase in inflation, and other regional factors.

Caroline De La Fuente helps care for her 16 grandchildren while their parents work to make ends meet and is one of the thousands of people who, according to data, depend on food banks. She told ABC News that without the San Antonio Food Bank, her family and others in the community wouldn’t eat.

“A lot of people would go hungry,” she said. “Kids would go hungry at night. People would not be able to celebrate Thanksgiving.”

During the pandemic, states provided Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households with extra pandemic-related benefits called emergency allotments, making it easier for families to put food on the table. Those measures ended in March, putting a strain on many households.

De La Fuente said her family’s SNAP benefits were cut, but other factors such as rising prices make it harder for her family to make ends meet.

“The price of food has gone up tremendously,” she said. “The budget only goes so far when prices are going up, up, up and pay is not going up like that.”

Radha Muthiah, CEO of Capital Area Food Bank, which services the greater Washington, D.C., area, said it’s important not to forget about those who are food insecure.

Muthiah told ABC News that while sometimes there are seasonal surges in demand, this year the Capital Area Food Bank has experienced a much higher demand than they initially projected.

“We’re in November, and we have consistently been distributing about 30 to 35% more than what we had targeted each month,” she said.

Michael Flood, CEO of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, told ABC News it serves around 900,000 people a month, which is more than it did several months ago.

He said that this year LA Regional Food Bank has had to augment its food supply by purchasing the food itself due to that increased amount, which can be challenging.

“When we go to the food purchase side, it’s a much more expensive proposition and much more difficult to kind of continue that on a sustainable level because we’re nonprofit,” he said.

Eric Cooper, CEO and president of the San Antonio Food Bank, which services roughly 105,000 people a week and is part of Feeding America, echoed a lot of what other food bank leaders told ABC News.

“The demand that we’re seeing today is similar to the demand … at the peak of the pandemic,” he said.

Cooper said it’s been that way for over a year, largely due to the economy and inflation.

Janis Robinson, vice president of Institutions and Partnerships at Food Bank for New York City, said the influx of migrants into the city has added to the food banks’ demand.

“So a number of our pantries and soup kitchens have faced an increase as a result of the migrant population needing support as well,” she said.

Robinson explained that while the food banks are appreciative of the community support throughout the holidays, the issue is one that requires year-long attention.

“We do want to remind our public and our donors that hunger is not just something that happens within the holidays. It’s certainly year-round,” she said.

De La Fuente said her family volunteers at the food bank’s local garden and they are grateful for the opportunities the food bank has been able to provide.

“The food bank gives so much to this community, and if it wasn’t for them a lot of people would be struggling so tremendously,” she said.

 

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(EDINA, Minn.) — A man has been stabbed to death at a bus stop in Minnesota, police say.

The stabbing took place around 7 p.m. on Wednesday night at a Metro Transit bus stop in the 6700 block of York Avenue South in Edina, Minnesota, approximately 10 miles southwest of downtown Minneapolis.

“When officers arrived on the scene, they found a man with life-threatening injuries,” a statement from the Edina Police Department read on social media. “The victim was quickly transported to Hennepin County Medical Center, where he passed away.”

Police say that the suspect remained on the scene after the stabbing and was subsequently arrested in connection with the attack.

It is unknown at this time whether the suspect and victim knew each other.

The Edina Fire Department and partner agencies Richfield Police Department and Metro Transit Police Department responded to the incident and made the arrest of the currently unnamed suspect.

No other information has been released at this time and the incident is currently under investigation.

 

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(NEW YORK) — A high school senior is in a coma after he was hit in the head by a baseball bat in the campus batting cages, school officials said.

Jeremy Medina, a senior at Gainesville High School — located approximately 55 miles northeast of Atlanta, Georgia — who was a pitcher and catcher for the school’s 2022 baseball team, is currently in a coma following being “accidentally struck in the head by a baseball bat while at the batting cage on campus,” according to a statement from the Gainesville School System published on social media on Wednesday.

Details of the accident, which occurred on Monday afternoon at 1:20 p.m. in the school’s batting cages, were not immediately known and school officials have only confirmed that Medina was left in a coma following the incident.

“Medina remains in a coma at Northeast Georgia Medical Center,” school officials said. “Jeremy and his family are firm believers in Jesus Christ and His redemptive love and are requesting prayer during this extremely difficult time.”

Nearby Chestatee High School’s baseball team posted in support of Medina after learning of the upsetting news.

“We are praying for our neighbor and baseball friend at Gainesville,” read Chestatee’s post on social media. “The baseball community is tight and We send all our love and prayers to the players, coaches and Gainesville Baseball family.”

 

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(NEW YORK) — Two people were killed when a vehicle exploded Friday on the U.S. side of the Rainbow Bridge, which connects the U.S. to Canada at Niagara Falls, New York, according to sources.

The Rainbow Bridge has closed in the wake of the incident.

The vehicle, believed to be a Mercedes, sped toward a border checkpoint at the U.S. side of the bridge and hit a concrete barrier, multiple sources briefed on the investigation told ABC News.

The impact sent the vehicle careening into the area where U.S.-bound cars are sent for secondary screening, sources said.

The vehicle burst into flames and exploded, sources said.

Investigators have found some sort of suitcase or briefcase on scene, sources told ABC News. They are treating it as a possible explosive device as a precaution and the bomb squad is handling the package.

Ron Rienas, GM of the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority, told ABC News all four Canada-U.S. bridges over the Niagara River have been closed out of an abundance of caution while the Rainbow Bridge investigation continues.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said, “At my direction, the New York State Police is actively working with the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force to monitor all points of entry to New York. I am traveling to Buffalo to meet with law enforcement and emergency responders and will update New Yorkers when more information becomes available.”

The Buffalo Niagara International Airport said it’ll be increasing security, with car checks and additional screenings for travelers.

President Joe Biden has been briefed on the explosion and is closely following developments, according to the White House.

“We are taking this extraordinarily seriously,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. “We are following up to try and get as many answers as rapidly as possible. … Additional measures are being contemplated and activated at all border crossings across the country.”

In Toronto, the police department said it’s increasing patrols out of an abundance of caution.

In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams said he’s also monitoring the incident.

Adams said the NYPD has already enhanced security for Thanksgiving “so the public will see increased security at locations across New York City, including entry and egress points into and out of the city.”

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

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