Suspect in Paul Pelosi attack to be arraigned on federal charges

Suspect in Paul Pelosi attack to be arraigned on federal charges
Suspect in Paul Pelosi attack to be arraigned on federal charges
Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

(SAN FRANCISCO) — The man accused of attacking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer last week is expected to be arraigned in a California federal court on Wednesday.

David DePape, 42, from Richmond, California, is facing federal charges of assault and attempted kidnapping, as well as a slew of state charges, including attempted murder, residential burglary and assault with a deadly weapon.

On Tuesday afternoon, DePape appeared with his public defender in San Francisco Superior Court and pleaded not guilty to the state charges, denying all allegations. The judge ordered DePape be held without bail and also signed a protective order that states he can make no contact with either Nancy or Paul Pelosi and can not come within 150 yards of their home. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Friday.

According to the federal complaint, DePape allegedly used a hammer to break into the Pelosi residence in the upscale Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco early Friday, just before 2 a.m. local time. The intruder then went upstairs, where 82-year-old Paul Pelosi was asleep, and demanded to talk to “Nancy.” Despite being told that the speaker was not home and would not be for several days, DePape said he would wait and started taking out zip ties from his backpack to tie up Paul Pelosi, according to the complaint.

According to the complaint, Paul Pelosi told DePape that he needed to use the bathroom, allowing him to get his cellphone and call 911. Two police officers arrived minutes later and entered the home, encountering DePape and Paul Pelosi struggling over a hammer. The officers told the men to drop the hammer, at which time DePape allegedly gained control of the hammer and swung it, striking Paul Pelosi in the head. The officers immediately restrained and disarmed DePape, while Paul Pelosi appeared to be unconscious on the floor.

The officers later secured a second hammer, a roll of tape, white rope, zip ties as well as a pair of rubber and cloth gloves from the crime scene, according to the complaint.

Paul Pelosi was struck at least twice with the hammer, sources told ABC News. He was hospitalized following the attack and underwent successful surgery on Friday to repair a skull fracture and serious injuries to his right arm and hands, according to a statement from Nancy Pelosi’s spokesperson, Drew Hammill. Although his injuries are significant, the speaker’s husband is expected to make a full recovery, Hammill said.

While being questioned by police, DePape stated that he was planning to hold Nancy Pelosi hostage and talk to her and that he wanted to use her to lure another unnamed individual. If she were to tell the “truth,” DePape told police he would let the speaker go. And if she “lied,” he said he was going to break “her kneecaps,” according to the complaint.

DePape told police he viewed Nancy Pelosi as the “leader of the pack” of lies told by the Democratic Party and that he was certain she would not have told the “truth.” DePape explained that by breaking her kneecaps, the speaker would then have to be wheeled into Congress, which would show other members of her party there were consequences to actions, according to the complaint.

During a press conference on Monday evening, when announcing the state charges against DePape, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins described the attack as “politically motivated” and implored the public to “watch the words that we say and to turn down the volume of our political rhetoric.”

“This house and the speaker herself were specifically targets,” Jenkins said.

Nancy Pelosi gave an update on her husband’s condition in a statement on Monday night, saying he “is making steady progress on what will be a long recovery process.” She added that her family is “most grateful” for “thousands of messages conveying concern, prayers and warm wishes” since the “horrific attack.”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Daylight saving time ends on Sunday: What to know about setting your clocks back

Daylight saving time ends on Sunday: What to know about setting your clocks back
Daylight saving time ends on Sunday: What to know about setting your clocks back
CatLane/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Daylight saving time [DST] is coming to an end on Sunday, bringing an extra hour of sleep for millions of Americans.

The ending of daylight saving time means that the sun will be out earlier in the morning and the evenings will get darker sooner.

Daylight saving ends at 2 a.m. local time on Nov. 6 and resumes on Sunday, March 12, 2023.

Making daylight saving time permanent

Daylight saving time was initially proposed over 200 years ago as an economical suggestion to maximize daylight hours and conserve candles.

There has been a growing movement to make daylight saving time permanent. Last year, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-FL, introduced the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent, eliminating the need for Americans to change their clock twice a year.

Rubio’s bill passed unanimously in the Senate in March but is awaiting passage in the House of Representatives. If signed into law by President Joe Biden, permanent DST would be in effect starting next year, Rubio said.

The Department of Transportation, under an amended Uniform Time Act, allows states to exempt themselves from following DST. It must start and end on dates mandated by the federal government.

Where it’s recognized

Not every state or U.S. territory observes DST. Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and most of Arizona don’t observe daylight saving time.

Eighteen states — Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Washington and Wyoming — have passed legislation or resolutions to make daylight saving time permanent, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Voters in California voted to end daylight saving time in 2018, but the state legislature hasn’t put it into effect.

Adverse health reactions

According to a National Institute of Health study from 2020, daylight saving time beginning and ending impacts a quarter of the world’s population and disturbs people’s work and rest schedules and “possibly the body’s biological clock.”

People are more prone to cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks, injuries, mental disorders and immune-related illnesses, because of daylight saving time shifts in the U.S. and Sweden, according to the study.

“We estimate that each spring DST shift is associated with negative health effects–with 150,000 incidences in the U.S. and 880,000 globally,” researchers wrote.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Two police officers shot in Newark, New Jersey; suspect still at large

Two police officers shot in Newark, New Jersey; suspect still at large
Two police officers shot in Newark, New Jersey; suspect still at large
WABC-TV

(NEWARK, N.J.) — A suspect is at large after two police officers were shot while serving a search warrant in Newark, New Jersey, law enforcement sources told ABC News.

The officers are in the hospital in stable condition, the sources said.

Police are still searching for the gunman, who appears to have fired from an elevated location, likely a window, the sources said.

Newark police have named a suspect, Kendall Howard. The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office has authorized charges against Howard of two counts of attempted murder, as well as unauthorized possession of a weapon and unauthorized possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy tweeted, “I am aware of and closely monitoring an unfolding situation in Newark. I am in touch with local authorities and the State is providing resources as requested. We will continue to support local law enforcement and ensure that all residents are safe.”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Family of man killed by Detroit police are suing them for $50 million

Family of man killed by Detroit police are suing them for  million
Family of man killed by Detroit police are suing them for  million
RapidEye/Getty Images

(DETROIT) — The family of Porter Burks, a 20-year-old schizophrenic man killed by Detroit police, is suing four unnamed officers for $50 million, according to the family’s attorney, Geoffrey Fieger, who announced the lawsuit at a press conference Tuesday.

Fieger lists the officers as “unknown” because he claims Detroit Police Chief James White has “failed to provide the names of the officers who were involved in the execution-style killing of Porter Burks.”

“The chief, despite my request to him directly to provide everything, the videos and everything involved in this case…to date for the last two weeks, I’ve received nothing,” Fieger said. “They have not been forthcoming with any information.”

Detroit police responded to a call from Burks’ brother Damondo Anderson on Oct. 2, after he called asking them to help Burks while he was having a mental health crisis and armed with an 8-inch blade knife. Police approached Burks when they found him and negotiated with him to drop his weapon.

“You’re not in any trouble, just drop the knife and we’ll get you some help,” one officer said in the body cam video White showed at a press conference he held days after Burks’ death.

Burks can be seen running toward officers in the video before he was fatally shot. Officers fired 38 shots in three seconds, killing Burks.

Fieger said he would obtain the names of the officers being sued from the Detroit Police Department at a later time and “will fill them in later.” The lawsuit was filed in the Wayne County Circuit Court and alleges gross negligence, assault, battery and violation of the Disabilities Act under Michigan state law, according to Fieger.

Police were aware of Burks’ mental health condition, according to Detroit Police executive team director Christopher Graveline. They responded multiple times on separate occasions, including two incidents dating back to 2020 where Burks stabbed his siblings according to police.

In the autopsy report for Burks, it was revealed that no shots were fired by police in close proximity and that Burks was hit at least 19 times with shots to the head, face, chest, arms and legs, according to Fieger.

“It’s just nonsense that this could occur in a civilized society when so many alternatives were available to the Detroit police officers to prevent this type of tragedy,” Fieger said.

“They saw him out, they provoked the confrontation and they executed him without excuse,” he added.

Fieger also claimed White showed the public “edited videos” of the incident during the press conference.

“He has never provided those videos to the family and we don’t want an edited video…we want the full video,” Fieger said.

Despite his claims, Fieger says he and his team plan to obtain all video footage by issuing subpoenas to the Detroit Police Department and will release the videos to the public once obtained.

“The people of the state of Michigan don’t get the full effect of the brutality and the un-necessity of having shot him,” Fieger said.

ABC News reached out to the Detroit Police Department to confirm Fieger’s claims. They did not immediately respond for comment on the claims or lawsuit.

Burks’ family did not speak at the presser, but according to Fieger, the family wants to see the police involved in their loved one’s death behind bars.

“There’s no justification for this,” Fieger said. “This is the definition of excessive force.”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Kansas mother who led ISIS battalion sentenced to 20 years in prison

Kansas mother who led ISIS battalion sentenced to 20 years in prison
Kansas mother who led ISIS battalion sentenced to 20 years in prison
Jason Marz/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — A Kansas mother who was convicted of leading an ISIS battalion was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Tuesday.

Allison Fluke-Ekren, 42, pleaded guilty in June to expressing interest in carrying out terrorist attacks in the United States in support of ISIS on six separate occasions between 2014 and 2017, according to court documents unsealed in February.

In letters to the court, her family described Fluke-Ekren as a “monster.” In court on Tuesday, her adult daughter said her mother forced her to marry an ISIS fighter who raped her when she was only 13.

“My mother is a monster who enjoys torturing children for sexual pleasure. My mother is a monster very skilled in manipulation and controlling her emotions to her advantage,” wrote her son, who remains unnamed in court documents filed by the Justice Department last week. “My mother is a monster without love for her children, without an excuse for her actions.”

Fluke-Ekren’s son, according to court documents, said she physically abused him as a child.

Fluke Ekren trained over 100 women and young girls, some just 10 years old on how to use automatic weapons, grenades and suicide belts, according to the Justice Department.

“Allison Fluke-Ekren brainwashed young girls and trained them to kill,” court documents say. “She carved a path of terror, plunging her own children into unfathomable depths of cruelty by physically, psychologically, emotionally, and sexually abusing them. For at least eight years, Fluke-Ekren committed terrorist acts on behalf of three foreign terrorist organizations across war zones in Libya, Iraq, and Syria.”

She also urged her daughter to delete messages shared between them to make sure she wasn’t caught in Syria where she had taken her children and was evading U.S. law enforcement, according to audio recordings played in court. Her daughter in court documents said she would inflict pain on her children, picking out what each one disliked the most and inflicting that damage upon them, then getting off on the pleasure of doing so, court documents say.

Fluke-Ekren was arrested in Syria earlier this year and transferred to U.S. custody, according to the DOJ.

Fluke-Ekren, who also used the name Umm Mohammed al-Amriki, moved to Syria in 2012 and married a “prominent” ISIS leader, court documents said. She can reportedly speak four languages, and the documents alleged she rose up the ranks to command her own all-female battalion.

“Fluke-Ekren’s alleged ISIS-related conduct includes, but is not limited to, planning and recruiting operatives for a potential future attack on a college campus inside the United States and serving as the appointed leader and organizer of an ISIS military battalion located in Syria, known as the Khatiba Nusaybah, in order to train women on the use of automatic firing AK-47 assault rifles, grenades, and suicide belts,” court documents filed in January said.

Prosecutors say she provided ISIS members with services, which included lodging, translating speeches made by ISIS leaders, teaching extremist ISIS doctrine and training children on the use of weapons and suicide belts.

Justice Department prosecutors said they believe the 20-year sentence is not enough.

“Twenty years in prison is insufficient to fully account for her monstrous acts of terror and the immeasurable damage that she has caused to countless individuals across the globe, including her own children,” prosecutors said.

One former friend, who said she last spoke to Fluke-Ekren more than 10 years ago, painted a picture of a woman who was close with her family but then became increasingly radicalized.

“I told people who she was friends with in Kansas, I told them, ‘This girl is radicalized,'” said the former friend, who agreed to be identified by her last name, Farouk. Farouk knew Fluke-Ekren when she lived in Kansas and then as a teacher in the Middle East.

She said Fluke-Ekren was a “good mom” and that their children were close, but that living in the Middle East as a teacher during the 2010 unrest of the Arab Spring and ensuing refugee crisis deeply impacted her.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Man shot by officer after ‘recklessly’ driving through barricaded Halloween event: Police

Man shot by officer after ‘recklessly’ driving through barricaded Halloween event: Police
Man shot by officer after ‘recklessly’ driving through barricaded Halloween event: Police
kali9/Getty Images

(OMAHA, Neb.) — An investigation is underway after a driver “recklessly” went through a barricaded area during a Halloween event in Omaha, Nebraska, and was shot by an officer, police said.

The incident occurred shortly after 7 p.m. Monday in a residential area of Omaha where the street had been closed off to cars for trick-or-treating.

Officers who were handing out candy at the event were alerted that someone was “driving recklessly” down the boulevard, the Omaha Police Department said in a press release. The driver was traveling in the wrong direction with no headlights on, police said.

One of the officers ran in front of the car and “gave multiple loud verbal commands to the driver and held out his hand gesturing for the driver to stop the vehicle,” police said.

When the driver continued to move toward the officer, the officer fired multiple times, striking him, before the car stopped, police said. Police did not specify how many times the driver was hit.

Video obtained by ABC Omaha affiliate KETV shows a car slowing down before accelerating down the street. In another video obtained by KETV, several shots can be heard as a crowd gathered on lawns started to run.

Police identified the driver as 31-year-old Dontavius Levering. He received medical attention at the scene and was transported to a local hospital in serious condition, police said. He is expected to survive his injuries, police said Tuesday.

There was no one else in the car, police said.

Police urged people to avoid the area of Minne Lusa Boulevard and Newport Avenue Monday night amid the investigation.

“It’s extremely scary when that type of event happens obviously, with hundreds and hundreds of people, many children, and not expecting cars to be driving through around barricades,” Omaha police Lt. Neal Bonacci told reporters from the scene Monday night.

There are no reported injuries of anyone being struck by the car, police said.

The unidentified officer who fired his weapon has been placed on paid administrative leave amid the investigation.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Migos rapper Takeoff fatally shot in downtown Houston

Migos rapper Takeoff fatally shot in downtown Houston
Migos rapper Takeoff fatally shot in downtown Houston
Steve Jennings/FilmMagic/Getty Images

(HOUSTON) — Takeoff, a member of the hip-hop trio Migos, was shot and killed Tuesday morning in downtown Houston, the rapper’s attorney confirmed to ABC News.

“Along with my firm, I am devastated by the tragic death of Kirshnik Ball, known to his fans as Takeoff,” attorney Drew Findling told ABC News in a statement. “Takeoff was not only a brilliant musical artist with unlimited talent but also a uniquely kind and gentle soul. He will be greatly missed now and always.”

The Grammy-nominated artist, whose real name is Kirshnik Khari Ball, was 28.

Takeoff was attending a private event, along with fellow Migos member Quavo, when the shooting occurred, according to police.

Sgt. Michael Arrington of the Houston Police Department told reporters that officers were called at 2:30 a.m. Tuesday to the 1200 block of San Jacinto, where they found a Black man in his late 20s dead on the scene.

Arrington said police could not confirm the identity of the victim and would have more information after a review by the medical examiner. He did, however, confirm that Takeoff and Quavo were both present when the shooting occurred.

Tributes pour in for slain rapper PnB Rock as gun violence plagues the hip-hop community
The shooting took place at the 810 Billiards & Bowling in downtown Houston. Police said they found multiple shell casings on the third level of the venue.

“We were informed that there was a private party being held at the event last night that ended at approximately 1 a.m. But the party carried over till about 2 a.m. till they were cleared out. That’s when the shooting occurred,” Arrington said.

Police said two other men who were injured in the shooting and were transported to a local hospital.

“There were rappers at the party. We don’t know if they’re involved. It’s still the early process of the investigation,” Arrington said, adding that there were between 40-50 people present when the shooting occurred.

Police urged anyone with information about the shooting to contact the HPD homicide unit at 713-318-3600.

Migos rose to stardom in 2013 with their song “Versace.” The group is known for hits like “Motorsport,” featuring Nicki Minaj and Cardi B. Earlier this week Takeoff and Quavo, who are related, released a video for their song “Messy” off the duo’s newest album, “Only Built for Infinity Links.”

Takeoff’s death is the latest in a string of shootings and killings of prominent rappers in recent years, as well as up-and-coming local artists – from Chicago to New York City – who were shot and killed at a young age during attempted robberies or violence stemming from reported disagreements.

As tributes poured in on social media from fans and fellow artists in the wake of the news, a clip of Takeoff’s appearance on Revolt TV’s “Drink Champs” went viral.

“Of course you were shining before but you were dancing on this one … it was your time,” host N.O.R.E. told Takeoff.

“It’s time to pop it. It’s time to give me my flowers. I don’t want them when I ain’t here,” Takeoff said.

Snoop Dogg calls for ‘peace in hip-hop’ amid string of rapper killings
Hip-hop stars shared tributes and expressed their condolences on social media in the wake of Takeoff’s death.

“We lost a young legend,” Rick Ross tweeted.

“My best friend my bother, I don’t want to believe this I love you so much bro,” Rich the Kid tweeted. “I’m so sorry.”

Chance the Rapper, who shared a photo with Migos from one of his shows in 2013, wrote on Twitter that he is “broken hearted and confused this morning.”

“But I have to say Take is a one of a kind friend that would always acknowledge you, always make sure you was good and would always tell you keep God first. Man I wish I had more times to see u on this earth,” he added.

Meanwhile, Desiigner broke down in tears during an Instagram Live session on Tuesday, saying, “Why do we do this?” He also paid tribute to other rappers who were killed in recent years before declaring that he’s “done” with rap in an Instagram story.

ABC News’ Bonnie McLean and Jennifer Watts contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Parkland live updates: Victim’s grandma tells gunman to ‘burn in hell’

Parkland live updates: Victim’s grandma tells gunman to ‘burn in hell’
Parkland live updates: Victim’s grandma tells gunman to ‘burn in hell’
Marilyn Nieves/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Family members of the 17 students and staff killed in the Parkland high school massacre are addressing gunman Nikolas Cruz in victim impact statements in court on Tuesday before Cruz is formally sentenced to life in prison.

Last month, a Florida jury rejected prosecutors’ appeals for the death penalty, reaching a verdict on life in prison for the 2018 mass shooting Cruz committed at age 19 at South Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Many victims’ parents were outraged by the verdict, arguing that sparing Cruz the death penalty may send a bad message to future school shooters.

The jury’s decision needed to be unanimous to sentence Cruz to death.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Nov 01, 11:02 AM EDT
Victim’s sister calls Cruz ‘remorseless monster’

Meghan Petty, sister of 14-year-old victim Alaina Petty, said she feels “betrayed by our justice system” with the jury rejecting the death penalty, and feels vulnerable sharing her pain with the public.

Alaina was shot multiple times, including through the heart, she said. Alaina died scared on a classroom floor, trying to hide behind a desk, she said.

“This entire ordeal has pushed me to my emotional, physical and mental limits. It will continue to do so for the rest of my life, even more so now that he has escaped being punished to the fullest extent of the law,” Petty said.

She called Nikolas Cruz a “remorseless monster who deserves no mercy.”

“This incredible darkness that he has within him — which has been labeled here as mental illness — is something that should be considered unacceptable and intolerable,” Petty said. But she said his life sentence sends the message to future shooters that “if one stretches the truth, they can get away with not only murder, but mass murder.”

“What we’ve been told here is 17 lives are worth nothing if you can make enough excuses for your actions,” she said.

Petty noted that she and Cruz are the same age.

“I could sit here and complain, as he has, that I’ve had a hard life. I was bullied in school. I’ve lost 15 family members and loved ones since I turned 9 to sickness, suicide, accident and now murder. Not once have I turned to ever hurting others … because I’m not a coward and I’m not weak,” she said.

“I will never get to say goodbye to her,” she said of her sister. “She’s never going to go to college, get a job, get married … or even breathe again. But he’ll be able to draw breath.”

Nov 01, 10:40 AM EDT
Victim’s daughter-in-law calls Cruz a domestic terrorist

On the day of the shooting, Ines Hixon, daughter-in-law of slain coach Chris Hixon, was deployed on a U.S. aircraft carrier off the coast of Iran.

“He would’ve given the shirt off his back. He was a courageous, loving and wonderful man. And I never got the chance to tell him that,” she said through tears.

“As a service member, I took an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic. And to the defendant, that’s exactly what I view you as — a domestic terrorist,” Ines Hixon said. “I wish no peace for you. I wish nothing but pain. And I hope that every breath you take, you remember that’s a breath you stole.”

After Ines Hixon spoke, Judge Elizabeth Scherer called her a “hero,” adding that her “beautiful family” has “made such an impression on this court.”

“I thank you for your service and bravery,” the judge added.

Nov 01, 10:22 AM EDT
Mom to Cruz: ‘Your living hell is about to get started’

Patricia Oliver, whose 17-year-old son, Joaquin, was among the victims, said in an impassioned statement, if this case “doesn’t deserve the death penalty, what does?”

“You had in your head enjoyment,” she said directly to Nikolas Cruz. “Listen to me, defendant — enjoyment while killing my son, Joaquin Oliver, and coming back to him to blow his brain out.”

“Your living hell is about to get started,” she said. “Joaquin is a legend for what he is and for what he will be. Nice,

Nov 01, 10:06 AM EDT
Parents of injured teen say he’s still recovering

Bree Wikander was overcome with emotion as she spoke on behalf of her son, Ben, who was shot three times, including in the back. Ben was 17 at the time and suffered extensive injuries.

“One of Ben’s trauma surgeons … once said to us, Ben sustained injuries similar to what a soldier would in combat,” she said.

“To this day he is still recovering,” Bree Wikander said. “You will never understand the pain that he has gone through. His life and the lives of our entire family have changed forever both physically and mentally.”

Ben’s father, Eric Wikander, said he hopes Cruz has a “painful existence” in prison, adding that it would still be “a fraction of what Ben endured.”

Nov 01, 9:51 AM EDT
Victim’s grandma tells Cruz to ‘burn in hell’

Terri Rabinovitz, grandmother of 14-year-old victim Alyssa Alhadeff, said Florida’s Supreme Court should reexamine the law that requires a jury’s decision be unanimous for the death penalty.

“I’m too old to see you live out your life sentence, but I hope your every breathing moment here on earth is miserable and you repent for your sins, Nikolas, and burn in hell,” she said.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has called on the state legislature to change the death sentencing rules in the wake of the Cruz verdict.

Nov 01, 9:35 AM EDT
‘You did not receive the justice that you deserve’

Debbie Hixon, wife of Chris Hixon, a 49-year-old coach killed in the school shooting, addressed Nikolas Cruz directly on Tuesday morning.

She said her husband “was stolen from us by an unimaginable act that you planned and executed.”

“You did not receive the justice that you deserve,” she said. “You were given a gift — a gift of grace and mercy. Something you did not show to any of your victims. I wish nothing for you today. After today I don’t care what happens to you … you’ll be a number.”

“Today we close this chapter,” Hixon continued.

She said she’ll choose to remember all of the positive memories of her husband, instead of the “darkness.”

Nov 01, 7:03 AM EDT
Outraged parents: ‘This jury failed our families’

Hours after the sentence was announced on Oct. 13, Manuel Oliver, whose 17-year-old son, Joaquin, was among the victims, told ABC News Live he had hoped for the death penalty.

“Even the death penalty was not enough for me,” he said. “The way that Joaquin died … the amount of suffering and pain, the shooter will have never received that punishment.”

His wife, Patricia Oliver, told ABC News she feels enraged by the jury’s decision, and said her son did not get justice.

To jurors who voted against the death penalty, she said, “They have to live with that in their conscience. Life is about karma. They will remember what they did when the time comes.”

Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter, Jaime, was killed in the massacre, said he was “stunned” by the verdict.

“I could not be more disappointed,” he told reporters on Oct. 13. “I don’t know how this jury came to the conclusions that they did.”

“This decision today only makes it more likely that the next mass shooting will be attempted,” he said.

Guttenberg said he thinks the next mass shooter is planning his attack now, and “that person now believes that they can get away with it.”

“There are 17 victims that did not receive justice today,” Guttenberg said. “This jury failed our families today. But I will tell you: The monster is gonna go to prison, and in prison, I hope and pray, he receives the kind of mercy from prisoners that he showed to my daughter and the 16 others. … He will die in prison, and I will be waiting to read that news on that.”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Delphi murder suspect was ‘right here among us,’ victim’s family says

Delphi murder suspect was ‘right here among us,’ victim’s family says
Delphi murder suspect was ‘right here among us,’ victim’s family says
Obtained by ABC News

(DELPHI, Ind.) — The family of Libby German, one of the two teenage girls murdered on a Delphi, Indiana, hiking trail in 2017, is now grappling with the news that the suspect in custody is a local resident.

“It’s a small community,” Libby’s grandmother and guardian, Becky Patty, told ABC News hours after Richard Allen’s arrest was announced. “For it to be one of us, it’s hard.”

“How can somebody do that and then just go on living life like nothing happened?” Libby’s grandfather, Mike Patty, added.

Indiana State Police revealed Monday that Allen, 50, a Delphi resident, is charged with two counts of murder for the deaths of 14-year-old Libby and 13-year-old Abby Williams.

Abby and Libby, best friends in the eighth grade, were walking on a trail in broad daylight when they were killed on Feb. 13, 2017. Delphi, a close-knit town of nearly 3,000 residents, was filled with fear in the wake of the double homicide. For more than five years, officials pleaded with the public to come forward with information.

Libby’s sister, Kelsi German, said she always felt the girls’ killer must be someone familiar with the Delphi area, but she said she didn’t want to believe the suspect “was right here among us.”

Libby’s aunt crossed paths with Allen at CVS once, according to the Pattys. The aunt brought in pictures of Libby to print for her funeral and said Allen didn’t charge her for them.

A CVS spokesperson said in a statement, “We are shocked and saddened to learn that one of our store employees was arrested as a suspect in these crimes. We stand ready to cooperate with the police investigation in any way we can.”

Monday marks the first time police have named a suspect in the case. Police have still not released how the girls were killed.

Libby’s sister said the arrest for her brings “new obstacles and emotions that we have to learn how to deal with.”

German said she visited her sister’s grave on Sunday to talk to her about the updates in the case.

Mike Patty commended the police officers who he said were diligent and “sacrificed their own family time” trying to solve his granddaughter’s case.

“They never let up,” he said.

Allen, who was taken into custody on Oct. 26, had his initial hearing and entered a not guilty plea, Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland said Monday. He’s being held without bond and is set to return to court in January, McLeland said. The prosecutor would not say when Allen became a suspect or if he knew Abby or Libby.

“There’s a lot of questions we have that are unanswered,” Mike Patty said, “but all in due time that will come.”

Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter said the investigation is ongoing. Carter added that if anyone else was involved, that person will be held accountable.

Police encourage the public to continue to submit tips at abbyandlibbytip@cacoshrf.com or 765-822-3535.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Parkland live updates: Families to address Nikolas Cruz as he’s sentenced to life

Parkland live updates: Victim’s grandma tells gunman to ‘burn in hell’
Parkland live updates: Victim’s grandma tells gunman to ‘burn in hell’
Marilyn Nieves/Getty Images

(PARKLAND, Fla.) — Family members of the 17 students and staff killed in the Parkland high school massacre will have the opportunity to address gunman Nikolas Cruz in court on Tuesday as he’s sentenced to life in prison.

Last month, a Florida jury rejected prosecutors’ appeals for the death penalty, reaching a verdict on life in prison for the 2018 mass shooting Cruz committed at age 19 at South Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Many victims’ parents were outraged by the verdict, arguing that sparing Cruz the death penalty may send a bad message to future school shooters.

The jury’s decision needed to be unanimous to sentence Cruz to death.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Nov 01, 7:03 AM EDT
Outraged parents: ‘This jury failed our families’

Hours after the sentence was announced on Oct. 13, Manuel Oliver, whose 17-year-old son, Joaquin, was among the victims, told ABC News Live he had hoped for the death penalty.

“Even the death penalty was not enough for me,” he said. “The way that Joaquin died … the amount of suffering and pain, the shooter will have never received that punishment.”

His wife, Patricia Oliver, told ABC News she feels enraged by the jury’s decision, and said her son did not get justice.

To jurors who voted against the death penalty, she said, “They have to live with that in their conscience. Life is about karma. They will remember what they did when the time comes.”

Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter, Jaime, was killed in the massacre, said he was “stunned” by the verdict.

“I could not be more disappointed,” he told reporters on Oct. 13. “I don’t know how this jury came to the conclusions that they did.”

“This decision today only makes it more likely that the next mass shooting will be attempted,” he said.

Guttenberg said he thinks the next mass shooter is planning his attack now, and “that person now believes that they can get away with it.”

“There are 17 victims that did not receive justice today,” Guttenberg said. “This jury failed our families today. But I will tell you: The monster is gonna go to prison, and in prison, I hope and pray, he receives the kind of mercy from prisoners that he showed to my daughter and the 16 others. … He will die in prison, and I will be waiting to read that news on that.”

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