(FALL TOWNSHIP, Pa.) — A Pennsylvania man accused of drugging his 72-year-old mother with fentanyl and fatally shooting her has been charged with her death, according to prosecutors.
On Monday, Buck County prosecutors charged 28-year-old Sean Rivera with criminal homicide, kidnapping, aggravated assault and other crimes for the death of Carol J. Clark.
According to officials, police were alerted of a domestic dispute Sunday between two brothers about the location of their mother.
Rivera told his brother, Adam Clark-Valle, who lives in New York, that their mother had died, according to a criminal complaint.
Clark-Valle arrived at the home and was told by Rivera that their mother got sick, died and that she was at a hospital after suffering a heart attack, according to the complaint.
According to police, Clark-Valle checked area hospitals to look for his mother and called police upon returning to the home after Rivera was missing.
An investigation revealed that Rivera and Clark lived together in Fall Township, Pennsylvania.
The Falls Township Police Department issued an alert, asking the public to help them find Clark, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office said.
After getting a warrant to search Clark’s home and vehicle, detectives found two guns, bolt cutters, a padlock, an empty padlock package and a receipt from Home Depot, according to officials.
Prosecutors allege that Rivera put fentanyl inside of his mother’s iced tea on Saturday night, placed Clark inside her vehicle and drove her to a shed in Philadelphia early Sunday morning, where he shot her multiple times and locked her inside using one of the purchased padlocks.
Authorities discovered Clark’s body inside the shed covered in a blue tarp. She was pronounced dead on Monday.
Rivera is being held at Bucks County Correctional Facility without bail, prosecutors said.
Buck County prosecutors have not disclosed a motive.
(NEW YORK) — Late last year, a former Afghan refugee who has been widely celebrated for his humanitarian work evacuating Afghans and Americans from Afghanistan after the United States’ withdrawal, landed a coveted spot on the Forbes “30 Under 30” list — branding him as one of the country’s so-called “brightest young leaders.”
Safi Rauf, 28, and his nonprofit organization, Human First Coalition, emerged as one of the most notable humanitarian groups from the chaotic period that followed the United States’ pullout from Afghanistan and the takeover by the Taliban in August, 2021. Months into his work, Rauf himself was captured by the Taliban while on the ground in the country and held captive for a harrowing 105 days, and his efforts eventually propelled him into the national spotlight, landing him television interviews, a TED Talk, and backing for his organization from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s foundation.
“I am so incredibly humbled and grateful to be named one of the Forbes 30 under 30 Social Impact,” Rauf wrote on social media in November in response to the news. “I share this recognition with my team in the U.S, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. This is to honor all that they have achieved.”
But now, an ABC News investigation has learned of numerous allegations against Rauf and his organization — none of which have previously been reported. A U.S. government-backed institution has sued Rauf and Human First Coalition, alleging the organization failed to evacuate its employees after it was paid over a half a million dollars for that rescue, and one former volunteer has said she raised questions about how funding to the organization was being spent. The group is also facing accusations that it mistreated some of the refugees it promised to help.
“Safi left us behind,” said one refugee, who asked ABC News not to use her name. “He left us in darkness.”
The refugee, who said that Human First Coalition had assured her of evacuation to a country away from the region after they evacuated her and others from Afghanistan, told ABC News she was instead left stranded for months in a Pakistani safe house where drinking water was cut off and there were no medical services. One attorney who formerly worked with the organization also told ABC News that in a separate instance, refugees were suddenly forced out of a Human First Coalition safe house in Kabul in the middle of the night with their belongings in trash bags.
“There’s a lot of damage that’s been done, and nobody knows the truth,” the former volunteer, Sarah Teske, told ABC News.
In an interview with ABC News, Rauf, who is an unpaid volunteer for the organization, acknowledged that there were instances where the organization “may have fallen short,” but he broadly defended his group’s humanitarian work, saying he “continue[s] to put everything else aside to care for these people.”
“The intent was always to help people, and help we did,” Rauf said. “In some instances we may have fallen short, but considering the circumstances, we did unprecedented work that no other organization in this line of evacuation work has done.”
“Because this work is so messy and complicated, there are a lot of problems that come with it,” Rauf told ABC News. He said that the organization has now shifted its focus to women’s education in Afghanistan, and “will continue to move forward with that mission.”
Recently, a growing number of former “30 Under 30” honorees have come under scrutiny after landing a spot on the coveted list. Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos, Sam Bankman-Fried of FTX, Adam Neumann of WeWork, and “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli all earned “30 Under 30” nods before their respective falls from grace. Earlier this month, federal prosecutors filed fraud charges against Frank CEO Charlie Javice, a 2019 “30 Under 30” recipient — charges that Javice denies. Forbes did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
After first becoming aware of the allegations against Human First Coalition in February, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s foundation, Archewell, halted grants to the organization and contacted government agencies for guidance, an Archewell Foundation spokesperson told ABC News.
The spokesperson told ABC News that the foundation had made a one-time grant to the Human First Coalition in December, 2021, and continues to monitor the situation.
In response, Rauf said he was “exceptionally grateful to Archewell for their support” and “understand their need to do their due diligence when questions arise, of course.”
Rise to fame
Rauf was born and raised by Afghan parents in a Pakistani refugee camp, and immigrated to the United States as a teenager. He attended high school in Omaha, Nebraska, according to multiple online profiles, before enlisting in the military, where he served as an interpreter in Afghanistan. Publicly, Rauf has said he was planning to attend medical school in 2021 when the U.S. announced plans to withdraw from Afghanistan and the Taliban seemed poised to return to power, uprooting his plans.
“So when Kabul fell and then all of these refugees are scrambling and some are, you know, falling from planes and trying to stick on to those planes, trying to get out, I see myself all over again,” Rauf explained earlier this year in an interview with former Daily Show host John Stewart on his podcast, “The Problem with Jon Stewart.”
“I was like, I am not going to watch this while I know I can help them,” Rauf told Stewart. “I know I can do something there. So I got right on it and started evacuating people,”
“I mean honestly,” Stewart told him earlier, “you’re James Bond.”
Rauf and Human First Coalition had early success. At times, they worked with the U.S. State Department for evacuations, Rauf told ABC News. After the United States’ widely-criticized withdrawal from the country, for example, the organization evacuated 117 U.S. citizens on a flight out of Kabul into Abu Dhabi, Rauf told Stewart on the podcast. In October, 2021, the organization made headlines after it said it successfully evacuated President Joe Biden’s former interpreter and over 200 other “at-risk” individuals from the country.
“Safi is my life hero,” said Waheedullah Siddiqi, an Afghan who told ABC News that he and his family were evacuated by Human First Coalition as part of the flight to Abu Dhabi.
“They were so cooperative and so supportive,” said Saddiqi, who said he now resides in Connecticut after spending nearly a year waiting in Abu Dhabi. “I’m so happy. I don’t know how to thank Safi and the entire team for giving us a safe place to live in America.”
Then, in December 2021, Rauf was captured by the Taliban, and held for over 100 days until the Biden administration negotiated his release in April 2022.
“So at this point, President Biden knows me by my first name. So I am on the president’s daily brief every day'” Rauf told Stewart of the harrowing ordeal.
After the Biden administration secured Rauf’s release, CNN’s Jake Tapper landed the first exclusive interview with him.
“I am so glad to see you, this has been such an ordeal,” Tapper told him. “I’ve been following it, keeping in touch with everybody. How does it feel to be back home?”
“It’s an incredible feeling,” Rauf replied on CNN. “It hasn’t settled in yet.”
From there, Rauf shot to mini-stardom within the humanitarian world and beyond. “I became that advocate and that voice for others,” Rauf said in his TED Talk, which has nearly two million views online.
Critics allege ‘horrible’ treatment for refugees
Though his profile skyrocketed upon his return from captivity, Rauf and Human First Coalition began to face scrutiny over allegations regarding some of the organization’s work on the ground, some of which occurred while Rauf was still in captivity. ABC News spoke with numerous people who alleged that troubling treatment occurred in safe houses operated by Human First Coalition in Pakistan and Kabul — including during the group’s high-profile evacuation of the over 200 “at-risk” individuals in October 2021.
Though the evacuation was widely praised at the time, a woman who said she was one of those 200 refugees told ABC News that her experience was no triumph — and that she ultimately remained in Pakistan for months, even though she claims the group said they would help her make her way out of the region.
The woman, who asked not to be identified because she is still in Pakistan, said she spent months living in horrible conditions at a Human First Coalition safe house before it was ultimately shuttered with just one week’s notice.
“They would say, ‘Please wait, you all will be evacuated to the United States very soon, you must be patient,'” the woman told ABC News. “But then they said, ‘You must go, we cannot do anything for you, it’s not our business.'”
At the time, a letter to Human First Coalition penned by 260 refugees alleged that drinking water in the safe house had been cut off, food had caused diseases, and no medical services had been provided outside of “guidance to hospitals,” according to a copy of the May 2022 letter that the woman provided to ABC News. The refugees profusely thanked the organization for their efforts to date, but begged them to “put an end to our miserable situation” that found them essentially stranded in Pakistan.
“Going back to Afghanistan is like suicide for us,” said the letter. “On the other hand, if you were not sure about our evacuation to another country, you should not have brought us here at the beginning.”
At the time of the evacuation, Human First Coalition had publicly thanked Secretary of State Antony Blinken for helping coordinate a “path” out of Pakistan for the group, according to a report at the time. But just days after the letter from the refugees, Human First Coalition gave refugees a seven-day warning that it would shutter the safe house because it “simply [did] not have the funding” to continue operations, according to a copy of the Human First Coalition letter that was provided to ABC News by the refugee.
Human First Coalition also said that while they would continue to advocate with the U.S. State Department for their evacuation, they had “less positive news”: They were “not able to provide any sort of timeline” for evacuation, or even “complete confidence” that the effort would succeed at all, according to the letter.
In his interview with ABC News, Rauf acknowledged that he received complaints about the safe house once he was released from captivity, but said he “followed through completely” on all of them.
“I know there were missteps taken by the ground team, but once those were brought to my attention they were corrected,” Rauf told ABC News.
Rauf also denied that there was a lack of medical care at the Pakistan safe house, and pointed to a receipt and photograph that appeared to show a hospital stay from the time. He claimed everyone who arrived at the safe house received a medical checkup, and that care was provided throughout their stay.
Rauf said that while “people can get upset when they find out that they are not eligible for resettlement,” he insisted he continued to work on evacuation for the refugees and shifted blame to U.S. government for the issue.
“We were operating safe houses, and our No. 1 priority was people safety. We are a private organization, and although we work closely with the government, it’s the government that makes the decision about who is eligible for resettlement and who is not,” Rauf said. “That’s not in our control.”
John Moses, who said he is an independent case manager who has since taken over efforts to provide shelter, food, and a path out of Pakistan for the female refugee ABC News spoke with, said he felt outraged by the way Human First Coalition handled the highly sensitive situation.
“This guy is famous, he’s going on TV, and he’s living the life,” Moses told ABC News regarding Rauf. “All the while, my friend is in Pakistan with no electricity.”
“This work is supposed to be selfless,” Moses said. “[Human First Coalition] had a moral obligation to take care of those people … but they got there and took care of them for as long as they thought was necessary — and then just bailed.”
ABC News heard of a similar experience from Jordan Jones, an American attorney who helps refugees navigate the legal aspects of resettlement but relies on groups like Human First Coalition to physically relocate her clients. In an interview with ABC News, Jones — who said she formerly had a contract with the organization but no longer works with them — said Human First Coalition in one instance left refugees stranded in Kabul.
“I had two high-risk females, and [Human First Coalition] put them in a safe house in Kabul, which turned out [to be] horrible,” Jones told ABC News in an interview. “[Human First Coalition] closed the safe house and threw everybody out on the street in the middle of the night with their stuff in trash bags.”
Responding to those allegations, Rauf told ABC News that the safe house was shuttered due to security concerns.
“We closed all the safe houses because I was in Taliban captivity and my team was worried they would have taken that information regarding the safe houses from me,” Rauf said. “At the time our No. 1 priority was people’s safety, and we offered people to go to hotels. Some people took that offer and some people didn’t.”
A $600,000 dispute
Meanwhile, Rauf and Human First Coalition are entangled in litigation over one of the organization’s evacuation efforts that took place right at the beginning of its founding — efforts that some say never occurred.
A few months before Rauf’s release from Taliban detention, the United States Institute of Peace, a nonpartisan U.S. government-backed foundation working to prevent conflict around the world, accused Rauf and the organization in a court filing of failing to evacuate USIP’s employees from Afghanistan into the Kabul airport, presumably as the government’s airlift was ongoing, in exchange for over half a million dollars.
In court records filed in the U.S. District Court for Nebraska in early 2022, USIP claimed that it wired $600,000 to Rauf’s then-attorney in the early days of the Afghanistan crisis after Rauf “promised” to transport their personnel to the airport. But Rauf “failed” to do so, according to USIP’s claim — and did not return the money.
“[Rauf] offered to return the $600,000 after he failed to transport USIP personnel to the airport or secure their admission to the airport,” USIP claims in its filings, noting they had offered to compensate Rauf $30,000 for successfully evacuating members of the USIP-supported Generation Change Fellows Program. “To date, [Rauf] has not returned any of the contract payment.”
USIP has accused Rauf of breach of contract and fraudulent misrepresentations, and is seeking $600,000 in damages plus legal fees and costs. USIP’s claim was filed as a crossclaim in a case brought by Human First Coalition’s former attorney, in which he transferred what he said were the remaining funds from the $600,000 payment into the court’s custody so a judge could determine ownership.
“Safiullah Rauf, Human First Coalition, and Human First LLC had an expressed or implied agreement to commit fraud against USIP,” the United States Institute of Peace claimed.
Rauf and Human First Coalition have denied wrongdoing alleged in the USIP lawsuit. Lawyers for Rauf and Human First Coalition wrote in court records that the organization has “succeeded, after great diligence and effort, in evacuating several USIP personnel from Afghanistan through routes other than the Kabul airport.” Rauf’s lawyer also claimed the funds were a donation to the organization — which USIP disputed.
“Rauf and Human First admit that Rauf has not paid any money to USIP, but explicitly deny any obligation to do so,” the filing stated.
A judge denied Rauf and Human First Coalition’s motion to dismiss USIP’s claims. The litigation remains ongoing.
Rauf told ABC News he expected the case to be “officially resolved” soon, but said he was “not legally permitted to disclose the details.”
A spokesperson for USIP referred ABC News’ request for comment to counsel. George Foote, an attorney representing USIP in the case, declined ABC News’ request for comment due to the case being in active litigation. Jason Grams, USIP’s counsel in Nebraska, also declined to comment.
Former Human First Coalition attorney Jason Hubbard — who filed the original action asking the judge to determine who the remaining money belongs to — declined to comment when reached by ABC News.
$2 million in donations and funding
In total, Human First Coalition raised more than $2 million in donations and funding in 2021, according to the group’s tax returns that were obtained by ABC News. That included the $600,000 payment from USIP and a $150,000 grant from Prince Harry and Meghan’s Archewell foundation, according to the returns.
On the returns, the organization listed $1.4 million in expenses, including over $1.3 million spent on “logistic support” services and approximately $5,000 spent on “humanitarian aid.”
But internally, there appeared to be at least some disputes about where funding was going. Sarah Teske, who served as Human First Coalition’s strategic director in 2021, told ABC News she resigned from the group just a few months into her job, in part after she said she began to raise questions about finances.
“Nobody could tell me where the money was going,” Teske said. “And when people were not able to give me a clear line of sight of where funding was going, and how it was being managed, that is when I started getting very concerned.”
Tekse, a retired U.S. Marine, said that while the group initially did “great work” in the beginning and saved lives, issues with financing arose even before Rauf was captured by the Taliban in December, 2021 — and then, she said, “everything else kind of went south from there.”
Speaking with ABC News, Rauf denied that Teske had raised questions about finances directly to him, and defended his work overall.
“I continue to put everything else aside to care for these people,” Rauf said. “I can do anything with my life, but I chose to do this because I care for these people.”
But in a searing condemnation of the organization’s handling of its funds, an outside firm hired by Human First Coalition to review and analyze its transactions concluded that it had unearthed red flags within the organization that could be linked to wire fraud or money laundering, according to a source familiar with the report who broadly described its findings to ABC News.
While Human First Coalition was formed with good intentions amidst the chaos of its early initiatives, there was poor accounting for donor funds, some of which may have ultimately been misused, according to a description of the findings given to ABC News — and that some of the transactions between bank accounts and individuals associated with the organization were suspicious.
The analysis was also unable to substantiate the amount of individuals Rauf and Human First Coalition have publicly claimed to have helped, due to insufficient record keeping, according to the description given to ABC News — including a claim on Human First Coalition’s website that it had evacuated over 7,000 Afghans.
Rauf told ABC News the firm had been hired by the organization because they “want to know what the issues were and how to fix them,” and that he sat for an interview with the firm as part of the process. He noted the difficulties of conducting humanitarian work in a space that is “not conventional.”
“After the audit, we pulled all the receipts,” Rauf told ABC News. “We did the audit because we wanted to know what’s wrong, what we can fix, and what needs to be corrected.”
(NEW YORK) — Federal officials are proposing a plan to cut water allotments to states dependent on the Colorado River system to combat dwindling water levels on one of the country’s most important bodies of water.
The U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation released a draft environmental impact statement on Tuesday that details revisions in the operations of Glen Canyon and Hoover Dams, which could potentially evenly cut water allotment for water delivered to California, Arizona and Nevada by as much as one-quarter in order to prevent the Colorado River depleting reservoirs from falling to critically low levels.
It proposed three possible scenarios.
The first of three possible scenarios involves no federal intervention and would rely on the seven states that take water from the Colorado River to come to a deal to prevent deadpool levels that would threaten power production, something they have so far failed to do.
The second option concerns the amount of water released from Glen Canyon Dam, which would be reduced based on water rights. This would mean fewer cuts for California, which has the most senior water rights, and more severe cuts for Arizona and Nevada.
The third scenario would entail water cuts spread evenly by the same percentage across all states, which could prompt legal challenges from states like California with more senior water rights but could avoid worse consequences for states like Arizona and Nevada and tribal communities that could struggle under larger cuts.
The alternatives presented in the draft on Tuesday analyze measures that may be taken to protect system operations in the face of “unprecedented hydrologic conditions” while providing equitable water allocations to Lower Basin communities that rely on the Colorado River System, according to a statement by the Bureau of Reclamation.
The Colorado River Basin supplies drinking water to 40 million people in the U.S., as well as two states in Mexico, fuels hydropower resources in eight states and remains a crucial resource for 30 Tribal Nations as well as agriculture communities across the West, according to the Bureau of Reclamation.
“Failure is not an option,” Interior Department Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau said in a statement. “Recognizing the severity of the worsening drought, the Biden-Harris administration is bringing every tool and every resource to bear through the President’s Investing in America agenda to protect the stability and sustainability of the Colorado River System now and into the future.”
The proposal comes after a decadeslong megadrought has reduced water levels in the Colorado River and Lake Mead and Lake Powell — the two largest reservoirs in the world — to record-low levels.
Water levels in June 2022 at Lake Mead were dangerously low to hitting “dead pool” status, which is below the surface elevation needed to generate power.
The first-ever water shortage was declared for Lake Mead in August 2021, which prompted a reduction in water releases to Arizona, Nevada and Mexico in 2022.
Atmospheric river events have inundated the West with an excess of precipitation — much of which did not cross over the Sierra Nevada mountain range. However, once the snowpack starts to melt, water levels along the Colorado River system will be slightly replenished.
The West cannot rely on one good year of moisture to combat the effects of a drought plaguing the region for nearly two decades, federal officials said.
“Drought conditions in the Colorado River Basin have been two decades in the making,” Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said in a statement. “To meet this moment, we must continue to work together, through a commitment to protecting the river, leading with science and a shared understanding that unprecedented conditions require new solutions.”
Last week, the Biden Administration announced a $15.4 billion investment to enhance the West’s resilience to drought, which will include reducing water demand, maximizing water resources and protecting the communities along the Colorado River Basin.
“The Colorado River Basin provides water for more than 40 million Americans, fuels hydropower resources in eight states, supports agriculture and agricultural communities across the West, and is a crucial resource for 30 Tribal Nations,” the White House said in a press release on Thursday. “Despite recent heavy rain and snow, the historic 23-year drought has led to record low water levels at Lake Powell and Lake Mead.”
(LOUISVILLE) — Authorities have identified the five people who were killed in a mass shooting at a bank in Kentucky’s largest city on Monday morning.
Joshua Barrick, 40; Deana Eckert, 57; Thomas Elliott, 63; Juliana Farmer, 45; and James Tutt, 64, and were all gunned down at Old National Bank in Louisville, according to the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Eight others, including a 26-year-old Louisville police officer, were injured in the shooting.
Officer Nickolas Wilt, who had just graduated from the Louisville Metro Police Department Training Academy on March 31, was shot in the head while responding to the scene. He underwent brain surgery and is in critical but stable condition, police said.
Here’s what we know about the slain victims:
Joshua Barrick, 40
Ben Marcum Photography
Joshua Barrick was among those killed in the shooting, according to police.
“Josh was a devoted husband, father, son, brother, and friend,” his brother, Jeff Barrick, said in a statement. “He would do anything for anyone and cherished his time with them. He had a wonderful sense of humor, was sentimental, and was passionate about life.”
The statement continued, “His involvement with Holy Trinity gave him a sense of purpose and community. He will be missed by all that knew him.”
Holy Trinity Catholic Church, where Barrick was a parishioner, described him as active in the community including coaching basketball and participating in the church’s men’s retreat program.
“He cared deeply about his family, his faith and his community,” pastor Rev. Shayne Duvall said in a statement. “Each human person matters, and until we have a greater respect for human life, this violence is not going to stop. We must love and respect the human person and that is what the church teaches. That is how we will get through this.”
Deana Eckert, 57
Deana Eckert/LinkedIn
Deana Eckert was among those killed in the shooting, according to police.
Eckert’s father, Ben Hurst, told ABC News that he will always remember his daughter for “how good and sweet she was, and generous.”
Thomas Elliott, 63
Kentucky Public Pensions Authority
Thomas “Tommy” Elliott was among those killed in the shooting, according to police. He was a close friend of both Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg.
During a press conference on Monday afternoon, Greenberg revealed that Elliott was “a very good friend of mine,” while Beshear told reporters that Elliott “was one of my closest friends.”
“Tommy Elliot helped me build my law career, helped me become governor, gave me advice on being a good dad,” the governor said. “One of the people I talk to most in the world and very rarely were we talking about my job.”
Juliana Farmer, 45
Courtesy Monica Coates
Farmer was among those killed in the shooting, according to police.
“Juliana Maria Farmer was a beautiful person that loved her family and friends,” her family said in a statement. “The job she had for three weeks she loved it and her co-workers. The legacy that she leaves we must emulate and celebrate the time we had with her.”
James Tutt, 64
Jim Tutt/Facebook
James Tutt was among those killed in the shooting, according to police.
“Jim was a finance genius, brilliant negotiator, and always the smartest person in the room,” David Bizianes. president of Oldham Chamber & Economic Development, said in a statement. “He was also incredibly compassionate and had a teacher’s heart. When I stepped into my role as President of OLDA, Jim mentored me and invested time in my professional development.”
The statement continued, “He was very generous to everyone that he came into contact with. He liked to sail his boat with his son Andrew, made his own wine, and (few people knew) that he also played drums. We can’t believe he is gone. What a loss.”
ABC News’ Emily Shapiro contributed to this report.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(NEW YORK) — The shooting in a Louisville, Kentucky, bank on Monday is the latest workplace-related mass shooting to take place in the United States over the last 60 years, according to gun violence data.
The Violence Project, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research center that’s funded by the National Institute of Justice, has found the current or former workplaces of perpetrators were the most common sites for mass shootings, which the organization defines as four or more people killed by a firearm.
“Most of the shooters had been fired,” the organization said.
Between 1966 and 2021, there were 53 workplace shootings carried out throughout the country, according to the Violence Project. This represented more than 30% of the 188 mass shootings recorded during that period, the organization said.
The second most common location for mass shootings was at retail locations, which represented 16.9% of all recorded mass shootings, and the third most common location was restaurants and bars, which represented 13.4% of all recorded mass shootings, according to the Violence Project.
With workplace shootings, the biggest motivator behind the incidents was an employment-related issue, such as a termination, which constituted 70% of the recorded workplace mass shootings, according to the Violence Project’s data.
When it comes to the victims of workplace-related violence, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 392 U.S. workers were workplace homicide victims in 2020. Roughly “30% of workplace homicide victims were performing retail-related tasks such as tending a retail establishment or waiting on customers,” according to the CDC.
The agency also compiled data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and found “20,050 workers in the private industry experienced trauma from nonfatal workplace violence in 2020.”
Of those injured in these incidents, 73% were female, and 22% required 31 or more days away from work to recover, according to the CDC.
(NEW YORK) — An attorney representing Fox News against Dominion’s $1.6 billion defamation suit clashed Tuesday with the judge in the case over how some of the network’s biggest stars can be questioned on the witness stand once the trial gets underway next week.
Dominion’s lawsuit accuses Fox News of knowingly pushing false conspiracy theories about the voting machine company in the wake of the 2020 election, in order to combat concerns over ratings and viewer retention.
“The hosts are going to make the argument that they didn’t make the statements,” Fox attorney Dan Webb said during a pre-trial hearing in the case, offering a potential window into how some of Fox’s biggest stars may explain some of their broadcasts that Dominion has said were defamatory.
“If you argue that,” Judge Eric Davis warned, “I will turn to the jury and say [you are] incorrect.”
The disagreement came as a warning to both sides from Judge Davis not to make arguments before the jury that would contradict his previous rulings in the case. Davis, in pre-trial rulings last month, shot down one of Fox’s arguments in the case: that they were simply reporting on claims that were undeniably “newsworthy.” That defense, the judge wrote, “fail[ed] to shield” Fox from liability.
Davis also ruled on falsity, finding that the statements broadcast about Dominion were, in fact, false.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Davis also ruled on motions from each side about what evidence may be admitted or restricted from trial. In one ruling, he restricted Dominion from bringing up evidence regarding Jan. 6, saying that was “for another court at another time.”
Davis reiterated during the hearing it is “crystal clear” that the allegations Fox aired against Dominion were false. He also noted that bringing somebody on the air “does not absolve the publisher,” telling the Fox attorney, “That’s what you have to be careful of.”
“I’m not going to step over this line,” Webb told the judge.
“Well, it looks like you are,” the judge quickly responded.
“Well actually, I’m not,” Webb replied during the tense exchange.
Both sides have suggested they would like Fox hosts including Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham to testify live, according to a court filing in the case. Both Dominion and Fox listed those stars, as well as dozens of other names, on their proposed witness lists submitted to the court ahead of trial.
Judge Davis last week said during a hearing that Fox Chairman Rupert Murdoch and other executives could be compelled to testify in person next month, according to a Dominion spokesperson.
(DENVER) — The FBI is warning the public against using charging stations in malls and at airports, according to a tweet from the bureau’s Denver office.
The public charging stations could be a conduit for bad actors to introduce malware onto personal devices, officials warn.
“Avoid using free charging stations in airports, hotels or shopping centers,” the FBI Denver said. “Bad actors have figured out ways to use public USB ports to introduce malware and monitoring software onto devices. Carry your own charger and USB cord and use an electrical outlet instead.”
The FBI didn’t respond to ABC News’ request for comment on whether there has been a rise in malicious activity related to the cyber-theft tactic known as “juice jacking.”
Javed Ali, the former senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council, told ABC News that the information tweet was likely “informed by an FBI-driven investigation or other intelligence that has now been approved for public release.”
“The tweet’s message that public USB ports have been used by “bad actors” as points of origin to load malware or spyware on electronic devices connected to those public charging stations suggests a fairly high level of technical capability in order to carry out these operations,” Ali, now an Associate Professor of Practice at the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy said.
A 2021 alert posted by the Federal Communications Commission warned that using a public charger could lead to malicious software on a device without the user’s knowledge.
“Cybersecurity experts have warned that criminals can load malware onto public USB charging stations to maliciously access electronic devices while they are being charged,” the alert, initially posted around the holiday season warned. “Malware installed through a dirty USB port can lock a device or export personal data and passwords directly to the perpetrator. Criminals can use that information to access online accounts or sell it to other bad actors.”
While officials did not offer statistics about the prevalence of juice jacking, people have increasingly suffered from cyber-theft in recent years. Americans lost $10.3 billion to a wide variety of internet scams last year, according to an FBI report released last month.
(NEW YORK) — A federal judge has denied an effort by disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes to delay the start of her prison sentence, set to begin later this month, while she awaits an appeal ruling.
Holmes does not pose a flight risk but she failed to raise a “‘substantial question of law or fact’ that is ‘likely to result in a reversal or an order for a new trial on all counts,'” Edward Davila, the district court judge who presided over her trial, wrote in the decision.
The prison sentence for Holmes is set to begin on April 27.
Davila rejected a similar delay request last month from Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani, the former romantic partner of Holmes as well as chief operating officer and president of Theranos, who was originally set to enter incarceration on March 16 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Balwani faces a nearly 13-year sentence after being convicted of 12 counts of fraud and conspiracy. An appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals kept Balwani from surrendering in March but that appeal has since been denied and Balwani must report to California’s Terminal Island prison on April 20. Balwani had requested and was granted a change in prison location.
In November, Holmes was sentenced to 135 months, or 11 1/4 years, in prison. The sentence falls short of the maximum possible punishment for Holmes, who faced as many as 20 years in prison.
Holmes was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after the sentence.
In her motion to remain out of prison until an appeal ruling, Holmes challenged court findings regarding the accuracy and reliability of Theranos’ blood testing machines, as well as the court’s refusal to admit previous testimony from Balwani that he held primary responsibility for financial model estimates shown to prospective investors, among other claims.
Davila ruled that such challenges, even if granted, were unlikely to result in a reversal of the conviction or a new trial.
Holmes, 38, was convicted last January on four counts of investor fraud and conspiracy while at the helm of Theranos.
The verdict followed a four-month trial that detailed Holmes’ trajectory from a Stanford University dropout in 2003 to a star business leader on the cover of Fortune magazine a little more than a decade later.
Ultimately, her downfall began in 2015 amid investigations from journalists and regulators over the medical company’s faulty product, which claimed to provide accurate information from tests using just a few drops of blood.
A year later, as the company struggled, Forbes downgraded its assessment of Holmes’ net worth from $4.5 billion to $0.
Facing charges of massive fraud from the Securities and Exchange Commission, Holmes agreed to forfeit control of Theranos in 2018.
(LOUISVILLE, Ky.) — Five people were killed and eight others were injured in a mass shooting at a bank in Kentucky’s largest city on Monday morning, according to police.
The suspect was killed by officers responding to the scene at Old National Bank in Louisville, police said.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Apr 11, 8:08 AM EDT
Suspect was armed with AR-15, mayor says
The alleged gunman in Monday’s mass shooting at a Louisville bank was wielding an AR-15 when he was gunned down by police, according to Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg.
Craig revealed the detail during an interview with CBS News on Tuesday morning.
Apr 11, 7:54 AM EDT
What we know about Kentucky’s gun laws
Kentucky is one of 26 U.S. states that allow for permitless carry of firearms for eligible adults.
The Bluegrass State passed a law in 2019 removing the provisions that mandated state gun owners pass a background check if they were going to conceal carry their weapon. Under the law, most adults over the age of 21 can purchase and carry a firearm and take them to most places in Kentucky without any license.
Although gun owners can still apply for a gun license, which requires background checks, they are only meant for people who need such permits when traveling out of state.
Aside from federal laws that prohibit gun purchases by people with convicted felonies, there are no Kentucky laws that prohibit gun purchases to state residents who have mental health disorders, violent misdemeanor convictions, domestic abuse-related restraining orders or anyone with substance abuse disorders.
Firearms are still prohibited in several locations in Kentucky. Schools, government buildings, courthouses, police stations and any place that serves alcohol are gun-free locations, according to state law.
Kentucky law does not have any provisions preventing firearms in several locations such as hospitals, houses of worship, sports arenas, casinos, polling places and banks. However, local business owners and public and private colleges are also allowed to prohibit firearms on their properties, but they must have adequate signage on their premises, according to state law.
Apr 10, 10:59 PM EDT
Old National Bank releases new statement
“There are no words to adequately describe the sadness and devastation that our Old National family is experiencing as we grieve the tragic loss of our team members and pray for the recovery of all those who were injured,” Old National Bank CEO Jim Ryan said in a new statement Monday night.
Ryan and other members of the Old National leadership team have been in Louisville much of the day offering support to affected individuals and their families, and they will continue to be on hand to provide support in the days ahead.
“Obviously, this is an incredibly difficult situation, and our entire focus is on making sure that everyone affected has the support and assistance they need,” Ryan said. “On behalf of everyone at Old National, I also want to acknowledge and thank Louisville law enforcement, the medical community and state and local officials for their incredible response to this tragedy. And finally, we ask you to please continue to pray for all those affected.”
Apr 10, 11:01 PM EDT
Fifth person has died, police say
A fifth person has died following Monday’s mass shooting at a Louisville bank, police said.
Louisville police identified 57-year-old Deana Eckert as the latest victim.
Apr 10, 6:35 PM EDT
Louisville mayor vows to fight gun violence
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg spoke with ABC News’ Trevor Ault and pledged to make reducing gun violence his top priority in office, hours after four people, including his own friend, were gunned down inside a downtown bank.
“We have to take action. Today is a day for love and support to the victims… but this is life and death, so as mayor, this will continue to be our number one priority,” Greenberg – who was a victim of a workplace attack last year, said in the interview that took place a block away the bank.
Greenberg called his emotions “raw.”
“The second I got the alert that there was an active shooter going on, of course my mind immediately went back to the workplace shooting that I survived just over a year ago,” he said. “I know many people who work in that building, so I was thinking about them and everyone that was there.”
-ABC News’ Will McDuffie
Apr 10, 5:30 PM EDT
Shooting suspect was going to be fired from job: Sources
The suspected gunman who shot and killed four people at a downtown Louisville bank had recently been notified he was going to be fired from Old National Bank, law enforcement sources told ABC News.
Connor Sturgeon had interned at Old National Bank for three years before earning a full-time job in June 2021, sources said. He had been promoted in April 2022.
There was no immediate indication why he was notified he would be terminated, according to sources.
The suspect allegedly left a note to parents and friends indicating he was going to shoot up the bank, sources said.
-ABC News’ Aaron Katersky
Apr 10, 3:50 PM EDT
Suspect worked at the bank, was armed with rifle
The suspected shooter, 23-year-old Connor Sturgeon, was armed with a rifle when he allegedly carried out a mass shooting at the Old National Bank, where he worked, according to police.
The suspect was livestreaming, police said, though officials did not elaborate.
Authorities said the suspect was killed by police.
Nine people were hospitalized, including three currently in critical condition, said Dr. Jason Smith, chief medical officer at University of Louisville Health. Three victims are in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and the three others have been released, Smith said.
Among the nine injured is 26-year-old police officer Nickolas Wilt, who was shot in the head, according to police. He underwent brain surgery and is in critical but stable condition, police said.
Wilt just graduated from the police academy on March 31.
The four slain victims were identified by police as Joshua Barrick, 40; Thomas Elliott, 63; Juliana Farmer, 45; and James Tutt, 64.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said Elliott was “a very good friend of mine” and of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
“This was an evil act of targeted violence,” the mayor said.
“Today, I’m hurt and I’m hurting, and I know so many people out there are, as well,” Beshear said. “We lost four children of God today, one whom is one of my closest friends. Tommy Elliott helped me build my law career, helped me become governor, gave me advice on being a good dad. … He was an incredible friend.”
The governor said of all four victims, “These are irreplaceable, amazing individuals.”
Apr 10, 2:56 PM EDT
Biden: ‘When will Republicans in Congress act?’
President Joe Biden tweeted Monday, “Once again, our nation mourns after a senseless act of gun violence.”
“Jill and I pray for the lives lost and impacted by today’s shooting. Too many Americans are paying for the price of inaction with their lives,” he wrote. “When will Republicans in Congress act to protect our communities?”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at Monday’s briefing, “Once again, today the president has called on Republicans in Congress to work together with Democrats to take action to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, to require safe storage of firearms, to require background checks for all gun sales, to eliminate gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability.”
“These are common sense actions we can ask for and should be getting right now,” she said.
“We need to act and we need Republicans to show some courage,” she said.
Apr 10, 1:02 PM EDT
2 officers among the injured, 1 in critical condition
Two officers and seven civilians were injured in the Louisville shooting, according to the University of Louisville Hospital.
One of those officers is in critical condition, according to police.
At least three patients have already been discharged, according to the hospital.
Apr 10, 11:27 AM EDT
McConnell ‘devastated’ by news of Louisville shooting
Republican leader and Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, who lives in Louisville, tweeted that he’s “devastated” by the news of Monday morning’s mass shooting.
“We send our prayers to the victims, their families, and the city of Louisville as we await more information,” McConnell tweeted.
His fellow Kentucky senator, Rand Paul, tweeted, “Our hearts break for the families of those lost.”
Apr 10, 11:21 AM EDT
Officers exchanged gunfire with suspect who died at scene
Officers arrived within three minutes of being dispatched and found the suspect still firing, Louisville police said.
Officers exchanged gunfire with the suspect who died at the scene, police said. It’s not yet clear if the suspect’s wounds were self-inflicted, police said.
Four victims were killed and eight people are injured, police said.
At least two officers were shot during the exchange of gunfire, police said, including one who is undergoing surgery.
It appears the suspect was a previous or current employee, police said.
“This is awful. I have a very close friend that didn’t make it today. And I have another close friend who didn’t, either, and one who is at the hospital that I hope is gonna make it through,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said at a news conference.
Apr 10, 10:53 AM EDT
At least 15 mass shootings so far this month
There have been at least 15 mass shootings in the U.S. in the first 10 days of April, including Monday morning’s shooting in Louisville, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
So far this year, the nation has seen at least 146 mass shootings.
The Gun Violence Archive defines a mass shooting as at least four people shot, not including the suspect.
“It feels like every day in this country we are totally consumed by yet another mass shooting. Nowhere else in the developed world do people wake up to this preventable horror every single morning,” Kris Brown, president of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, said in a statement Monday. “Whether it’s a bank, a school, a supermarket, or a church, Americans no longer feel safe in their communities. And Americans are increasingly tired of living in fear of being a victim of a mass shooting.”
“It does not have to be this way,” Brown said. “But until the gun industry no longer has a vice grip on our elected officials, this will continue to be our daily reality.”
Apr 10, 10:32 AM EDT
Shooting unfolded in bank conference room
The gunman opened fire in the bank’s first-floor conference room at about 8:30 a.m. local time, according to officials.
Eyewitnesses said the shooter appeared to have been armed with a long gun.
“He just started shooting,” Troy Haste told ABC Louisville affiliate WHAS-TV. “Whoever was next to me got shot. Blood is on me from it.”
Police said the suspect is dead.
A responding police officer was shot in the head, sources told ABC News. The officer’s condition is unknown.
According to preliminary information, this shooting is not believed to have been terror-related, sources told ABC News.
Apr 10, 10:19 AM EDT
Suspected shooter neutralized
Louisville police tweeted that the “suspected shooter has been neutralized,” adding, “There is no longer an active aggressor threat.”
There is no longer an active aggressor threat. The suspected shooter has been neutralized.
Apr 10, 10:05 AM EDT
Residents urged to avoid area
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg tweeted that residents should avoid the area around Slugger Field until further notice.
There is an active police situation downtown. Please avoid the area around Slugger Field until further notice. We will provide information as soon as possible.
— Mayor Craig Greenberg (@LouisvilleMayor) April 10, 2023
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he is heading to the scene.
“Please pray for all of the families impacted and for the city of Louisville,” he tweeted.
FBI and ATF agents are assisting with the incident.
(LOUISVILLE, Ky.) — Five people were killed and eight others were injured in a mass shooting at a bank in Kentucky’s largest city on Monday morning, according to police.
The suspect was killed by officers responding to the scene at Old National Bank in Louisville, police said.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Apr 11, 8:08 AM EDT
Suspect was armed with AR-15, mayor says
The alleged gunman in Monday’s mass shooting at a Louisville bank was wielding an AR-15 when he was gunned down by police, according to Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg.
Craig revealed the detail during an interview with CBS News on Tuesday morning.
Apr 11, 7:54 AM EDT
What we know about Kentucky’s gun laws
Kentucky is one of 26 U.S. states that allow for permitless carry of firearms for eligible adults.
The Bluegrass State passed a law in 2019 removing the provisions that mandated state gun owners pass a background check if they were going to conceal carry their weapon. Under the law, most adults over the age of 21 can purchase and carry a firearm and take them to most places in Kentucky without any license.
Although gun owners can still apply for a gun license, which requires background checks, they are only meant for people who need such permits when traveling out of state.
Aside from federal laws that prohibit gun purchases by people with convicted felonies, there are no Kentucky laws that prohibit gun purchases to state residents who have mental health disorders, violent misdemeanor convictions, domestic abuse-related restraining orders or anyone with substance abuse disorders.
Firearms are still prohibited in several locations in Kentucky. Schools, government buildings, courthouses, police stations and any place that serves alcohol are gun-free locations, according to state law.
Kentucky law does not have any provisions preventing firearms in several locations such as hospitals, houses of worship, sports arenas, casinos, polling places and banks. However, local business owners and public and private colleges are also allowed to prohibit firearms on their properties, but they must have adequate signage on their premises, according to state law.
Apr 10, 10:59 PM EDT
Old National Bank releases new statement
“There are no words to adequately describe the sadness and devastation that our Old National family is experiencing as we grieve the tragic loss of our team members and pray for the recovery of all those who were injured,” Old National Bank CEO Jim Ryan said in a new statement Monday night.
Ryan and other members of the Old National leadership team have been in Louisville much of the day offering support to affected individuals and their families, and they will continue to be on hand to provide support in the days ahead.
“Obviously, this is an incredibly difficult situation, and our entire focus is on making sure that everyone affected has the support and assistance they need,” Ryan said. “On behalf of everyone at Old National, I also want to acknowledge and thank Louisville law enforcement, the medical community and state and local officials for their incredible response to this tragedy. And finally, we ask you to please continue to pray for all those affected.”
Apr 10, 11:01 PM EDT
Fifth person has died, police say
A fifth person has died following Monday’s mass shooting at a Louisville bank, police said.
Louisville police identified 57-year-old Deana Eckert as the latest victim.
Apr 10, 6:35 PM EDT
Louisville mayor vows to fight gun violence
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg spoke with ABC News’ Trevor Ault and pledged to make reducing gun violence his top priority in office, hours after four people, including his own friend, were gunned down inside a downtown bank.
“We have to take action. Today is a day for love and support to the victims… but this is life and death, so as mayor, this will continue to be our number one priority,” Greenberg – who was a victim of a workplace attack last year, said in the interview that took place a block away the bank.
Greenberg called his emotions “raw.”
“The second I got the alert that there was an active shooter going on, of course my mind immediately went back to the workplace shooting that I survived just over a year ago,” he said. “I know many people who work in that building, so I was thinking about them and everyone that was there.”
-ABC News’ Will McDuffie
Apr 10, 5:30 PM EDT
Shooting suspect was going to be fired from job: Sources
The suspected gunman who shot and killed four people at a downtown Louisville bank had recently been notified he was going to be fired from Old National Bank, law enforcement sources told ABC News.
Connor Sturgeon had interned at Old National Bank for three years before earning a full-time job in June 2021, sources said. He had been promoted in April 2022.
There was no immediate indication why he was notified he would be terminated, according to sources.
The suspect allegedly left a note to parents and friends indicating he was going to shoot up the bank, sources said.
-ABC News’ Aaron Katersky
Apr 10, 3:50 PM EDT
Suspect worked at the bank, was armed with rifle
The suspected shooter, 23-year-old Connor Sturgeon, was armed with a rifle when he allegedly carried out a mass shooting at the Old National Bank, where he worked, according to police.
The suspect was livestreaming, police said, though officials did not elaborate.
Authorities said the suspect was killed by police.
Nine people were hospitalized, including three currently in critical condition, said Dr. Jason Smith, chief medical officer at University of Louisville Health. Three victims are in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and the three others have been released, Smith said.
Among the nine injured is 26-year-old police officer Nickolas Wilt, who was shot in the head, according to police. He underwent brain surgery and is in critical but stable condition, police said.
Wilt just graduated from the police academy on March 31.
The four slain victims were identified by police as Joshua Barrick, 40; Thomas Elliott, 63; Juliana Farmer, 45; and James Tutt, 64.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said Elliott was “a very good friend of mine” and of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
“This was an evil act of targeted violence,” the mayor said.
“Today, I’m hurt and I’m hurting, and I know so many people out there are, as well,” Beshear said. “We lost four children of God today, one whom is one of my closest friends. Tommy Elliott helped me build my law career, helped me become governor, gave me advice on being a good dad. … He was an incredible friend.”
The governor said of all four victims, “These are irreplaceable, amazing individuals.”
Apr 10, 2:56 PM EDT
Biden: ‘When will Republicans in Congress act?’
President Joe Biden tweeted Monday, “Once again, our nation mourns after a senseless act of gun violence.”
“Jill and I pray for the lives lost and impacted by today’s shooting. Too many Americans are paying for the price of inaction with their lives,” he wrote. “When will Republicans in Congress act to protect our communities?”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at Monday’s briefing, “Once again, today the president has called on Republicans in Congress to work together with Democrats to take action to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, to require safe storage of firearms, to require background checks for all gun sales, to eliminate gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability.”
“These are common sense actions we can ask for and should be getting right now,” she said.
“We need to act and we need Republicans to show some courage,” she said.
Apr 10, 1:02 PM EDT
2 officers among the injured, 1 in critical condition
Two officers and seven civilians were injured in the Louisville shooting, according to the University of Louisville Hospital.
One of those officers is in critical condition, according to police.
At least three patients have already been discharged, according to the hospital.
Apr 10, 11:27 AM EDT
McConnell ‘devastated’ by news of Louisville shooting
Republican leader and Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, who lives in Louisville, tweeted that he’s “devastated” by the news of Monday morning’s mass shooting.
“We send our prayers to the victims, their families, and the city of Louisville as we await more information,” McConnell tweeted.
His fellow Kentucky senator, Rand Paul, tweeted, “Our hearts break for the families of those lost.”
Apr 10, 11:21 AM EDT
Officers exchanged gunfire with suspect who died at scene
Officers arrived within three minutes of being dispatched and found the suspect still firing, Louisville police said.
Officers exchanged gunfire with the suspect who died at the scene, police said. It’s not yet clear if the suspect’s wounds were self-inflicted, police said.
Four victims were killed and eight people are injured, police said.
At least two officers were shot during the exchange of gunfire, police said, including one who is undergoing surgery.
It appears the suspect was a previous or current employee, police said.
“This is awful. I have a very close friend that didn’t make it today. And I have another close friend who didn’t, either, and one who is at the hospital that I hope is gonna make it through,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said at a news conference.
Apr 10, 10:53 AM EDT
At least 15 mass shootings so far this month
There have been at least 15 mass shootings in the U.S. in the first 10 days of April, including Monday morning’s shooting in Louisville, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
So far this year, the nation has seen at least 146 mass shootings.
The Gun Violence Archive defines a mass shooting as at least four people shot, not including the suspect.
“It feels like every day in this country we are totally consumed by yet another mass shooting. Nowhere else in the developed world do people wake up to this preventable horror every single morning,” Kris Brown, president of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, said in a statement Monday. “Whether it’s a bank, a school, a supermarket, or a church, Americans no longer feel safe in their communities. And Americans are increasingly tired of living in fear of being a victim of a mass shooting.”
“It does not have to be this way,” Brown said. “But until the gun industry no longer has a vice grip on our elected officials, this will continue to be our daily reality.”
Apr 10, 10:32 AM EDT
Shooting unfolded in bank conference room
The gunman opened fire in the bank’s first-floor conference room at about 8:30 a.m. local time, according to officials.
Eyewitnesses said the shooter appeared to have been armed with a long gun.
“He just started shooting,” Troy Haste told ABC Louisville affiliate WHAS-TV. “Whoever was next to me got shot. Blood is on me from it.”
Police said the suspect is dead.
A responding police officer was shot in the head, sources told ABC News. The officer’s condition is unknown.
According to preliminary information, this shooting is not believed to have been terror-related, sources told ABC News.
Apr 10, 10:19 AM EDT
Suspected shooter neutralized
Louisville police tweeted that the “suspected shooter has been neutralized,” adding, “There is no longer an active aggressor threat.”
There is no longer an active aggressor threat. The suspected shooter has been neutralized.
Apr 10, 10:05 AM EDT
Residents urged to avoid area
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg tweeted that residents should avoid the area around Slugger Field until further notice.
There is an active police situation downtown. Please avoid the area around Slugger Field until further notice. We will provide information as soon as possible.
— Mayor Craig Greenberg (@LouisvilleMayor) April 10, 2023
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he is heading to the scene.
“Please pray for all of the families impacted and for the city of Louisville,” he tweeted.
FBI and ATF agents are assisting with the incident.
