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(NEW YORK) — The family of Paul Whelan, who has been imprisoned in Russia for four years on espionage charges, said Monday he feels “abandoned” by the U.S. and that “his resilience is shaken” in the wake of Russia’s arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been charged with espionage.

Whelan, 53, a businessman and former U.S. Marine, was arrested in 2018 and convicted of espionage in 2020. The U.S. has declared him and Gershkovich, who is on trial in Russia, “wrongfully detained.”

Since Whelan’s arrest, Russia detained and released two Americans who were also declared “wrongfully detained” -WNBA player Brittney Griner and former Marine Trevor Reed.

In a Friday phone call with his parents, Paul Whelan said “he feels as though the U.S. government has abandoned him,” according to his brother David.

David Whelan spoke more with ABC News Live Monday about the situation.

ABC NEWS LIVE: First, I just want to ask you, when we talk about his resilience being shaken. What do you mean by that? Tell us what kind of emotional state that Paul is in.

DAVID WHELAN: I think from the very start of his detention back in 2018, he has tried to maintain hope and he has certain things that he does every day to create a routine and to keep a mental positivity. And I think that the latest detention of an American by the Kremlin has shaken that. So…he’s not only less hopeful, but I think really concerned that he may be going back through a process that has happened a number of times now, where an American is brought home because of concessions the U.S. government makes. But Paul doesn’t come home.

ABC NEWS LIVE: Are you and your family planning on interacting differently at this point with the State Department?

WHELAN: I think we are. Elizabeth [Whelan, Paul and David’s sister] is going to take a bit of a pause on her meetings with them. I think she’s finding that there aren’t fruitful outcomes to the discussions that they’ve been having. We don’t get the sense that there are creative strategies being brought to bear on Paul’s case. And frankly, the family of a wrongful detainee has limited resources. We take days off from work. We pay to travel to Washington, D.C., to do advocacy. There’s a cost, and I think we’ve decided that for now, we need to hold off until we can see better progress.

ABC NEWS LIVE: Why do you think that Paul doesn’t get the attention like Brittney Griner, Trevor Reed and now Evan Gershkovich?

WHELAN: It’s hard to know. The special presidential envoy for hostage affairs last week said that he didn’t know why Paul’s case was harder, [and] why the Russian government wasn’t letting him go. And I think even the people in the State Department know it’s hard for us to understand. It’s really too bad. I think that there was an opportunity to bring him home in 2020 and the U.S. government decided not to do that, and then since then, it’s just become very difficult. And I think it’s not going to get easier with a second American charged with espionage by the Kremlin.

ABC NEWS LIVE: Have you and your family discussed what your next steps might be? I know that you said that your sister is now saying that she’s going to maybe slow down that communication with the State Department. But now, going forward, is there another strategy?

WHELAN: There isn’t for our family. I mean, a lot of it is hoping and waiting and trying to keep Paul’s spirits up so that he can survive as long as he can. Unfortunately, he may have to survive for 16 years, the entirety of the sentence, and we hope that that’s not the case. We want to keep our parents’ spirits up as well, because, of course, they get disappointed when they hear Paul becoming despondent on the phone.

So, I think we will just continue to try and focus on what we have to do, which is to support Paul and to support our parents. But it would be ideal if the State Department would also engage and put the pressure on that they have said that they would do and try and bring Paul home.

ABC NEWS LIVE: You mentioned the potential for him potentially having to serve out that 16 years. Is there a part of you that’s given up hope?

WHELAN: No. I mean, I think you always have to keep some hope. But it would be impossible to continue either as a family member or as Paul if you gave up hope. I think that’s why we see some wrongful detainees attempt suicide when they’re in detention or being held hostage. And fortunately, Paul hasn’t gotten to that point. So, we will try and keep him as mentally healthy and physically healthy as we can until he’s able to come back.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Dominion Voting Systems, in a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit, has accused Fox News of knowingly pushing false conspiracy theories that the voting machine company rigged the 2020 presidential election in Joe Biden’s favor, in what Dominion claims was an effort to combat concerns over declining ratings and viewer retention. Fox has defended its coverage, dismissing the suit as a “political crusade in search of a financial windfall.”

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

Apr 18, 1:34 PM EDT
Judge authorizes special master over potential ‘discovery issues’

After sanctioning Fox News last week for a delay in turning over evidence, Judge Eric Davis has now officially authorized a special master to investigate Fox News’ potential “discovery issues,” according to a new order from the judge.

The order comes just before opening arguments in the case are scheduled to begin.

According to the order, the investigation by the special master will “include a determination” of whether Fox News and Fox Corp “complied with their discovery obligations.”

The special master, who was previously appointed to oversee discovery in the case, is now “further authorized and empowered” to look into multiple declarations made by Fox attorneys in the case, the order says.

Apr 18, 11:40 AM EDT
You aren’t ‘Dick Tracy,’ judge tells jurors

In his initial instructions to the jury, Judge Eric Davis told jurors not to talk amongst themselves or discuss the case with family or friends.

“You have to fight human nature. This is the hardest thing you’ll have to do during the trial,” Davis said. “You have to refrain from talking about the case with your fellow jurors or a third party.”

The judge also reminded the jurors that they are not Dick Tracy.

“Do not do any detective work,” he said. “You cannot do any independent research about this case.”

Davis told jurors they can bring water or some other beverage into the courtroom, provided it has a cap or lid.

“You can bring some type of drink,” Davis said, jokingly adding, “non-alcoholic.”

The trial is expected to last about six weeks.

Apr 18, 11:30 AM EDT
Jury is seated

A jury has been seated to hear the defamation accusations against Fox News by Dominion Voting Systems.

The jury is made up of six women and six men who were previously asked about their Fox News viewing habits. Six women and six men were also seated as alternates.

The jurors will remain anonymous for the duration of the trial. Judge Eric Davis had expressed concern about possible jury tampering amid the international attention on the case.

Immediately after the jurors were sworn in, alternate juror No. 3 raised his hand from his seat and told the judge, “Sir I can’t do this. I’ve been up all night. I can’t do this.”

Judge Davis offered to talk with the man off the bench and, ultimately, opted to dismiss him from service.

“I’ve excused alternate No. 3 and we will swear in a new No. 3,” Davis said.

Apr 18, 9:30 AM EDT
Jury selection underway

Jury selection is underway Tuesday morning at Delaware Superior Court in Wilmington, Delaware.

The jury is expected to be seated by the end of the morning, with opening statements expected to begin shortly thereafter, according to the judge in the case.

Apr 17, 10:42 AM EDT
Judge says trial will proceed Tuesday

The judge overseeing Dominion Voting Systems’ $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News said Monday morning that the trial will proceed Tuesday, saying a delay like this “is not unusual.”

Judge Eric Davis’ remarks in court Monday morning came after an [eleventh-hour delay]} in the case was announced Sunday night before the trial was set to begin Monday morning.

The Wall Street Journal — a publication owned by Fox Chairman Rupert Murdoch — reported Sunday night that Fox had made a “late push to settle the dispute out of court,” according to “people familiar with the decision.”

Judge Davis made no mention of potential settlement talks Monday morning.

“It’s a six-week trial, things happen,” he said.

Apr 18, 9:30 AM EDT
Jury selection underway

Jury selection is underway Tuesday morning at Delaware Superior Court in Wilmington, Delaware.

The jury is expected to be seated by the end of the morning, with opening statements expected to begin shortly thereafter, according to the judge in the case.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — An internet user claiming to be a member of the small online community where a Massachusetts Air National Guard member is accused of leaking hundreds of classified U.S. intelligence documents told ABC News that he looked up to the airman, calling him “very smart, and always was [one] step ahead of everyone.”

In an interview with ABC News conducted on the social media platform Discord, a user using the name Vahki said he was a longtime member of the server on that site where National Guard member Jack Teixeira, who is now in custody, is accused of sharing images of classified U.S. intelligence documents.

Two administrators on the separate, larger Discord server where images of the alleged documents were subsequently shared to a much wider audience told ABC News that Vahki was a member of the smaller, tight-knit group where Teixeira allegedly posted the images. Vahki was first publicly named by Aric Toler, a researcher with the investigative outlet Bellingcat.

Vahki, who described himself as a minor, said he had been a member of Teixeira’s server for four to five years, and that Teixeira was admired within the group of 25 people. The young user detailed how Teixeira “supported” members of their small online community as the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on their mental health.

“He was compassionate for people’s problems, always. He would always walk us through and help us with that,” Vahki said. “And I mean, obviously this is over the course of many years — he was super nice to everyone to the point where you wouldn’t even notice it at some points.”

Vahki said the topic of religion was popular on their small Discord server.

“Most of us were Orthodox Christian,” he said, explaining that the group had a separate channel where members could share “good prayers to say” and “good places to pray at.”

Vahki described Teixeira as a “Christian,” with politics that were “Libertarian at most.” The pair first met on a server for fans of the YouTuber Oxide, who posts videos about weapons and the military. Oxide, who did not disclose his real name, told ABC News that he remembered banning Vahki and Teixeira from the community years ago for repeatedly posting racist memes.

Vahki said his motivation for speaking with ABC News was to clear up misconceptions around Teixeira, namely, according to Vahki, that the accused leaker is a racist.

Vahki acknowledged that some members of the group posted “funny memes” that might appear racist, sexist, or transphobic to outsiders, but claimed that Teixeira did not participate in posting them. Vahki said the group had a diverse membership and that when members complained, offending content was removed.

The Washington Post last week reported to have reviewed a video that featured Teixeira at a shooting range making “a series of racial and antisemitic slurs into the camera” before firing several rounds at a target.

“People seem to have this mob mentality on [Teixeira] already, without understanding him further. He is a good person, at the end of the day,” Vahki told ABC News.

Teixeira took an interest in educating the group, Vahki recalled, claiming the airman was not interested in “clout” or winning arguments.

“He just wanted us to be informed, ahead of the news cycle,” Vahki told ABC News.

But when it came to the classified documents that Teixeira first allegedly transcribed and shared in the group, few members seemed to take an interest, Vahki said.

“There was no reactions to the documents, nobody talked about them,” he said.

Vahki, however, said the lack of response did not make Teixeira upset. Instead, Vahki said, the muted response led Teixeira to abandon the laborious task of transcription in favor of printing and photographing the documents, which Vahki said required less effort.

This shift happened around the end of 2022 or the beginning of 2023, Vahki said.

Later, in early March, images of the purported leaked documents appeared on a larger Discord server dedicated to the YouTube creator “wow mao.” These images were posted by a young user known by the username Lucca, according to records reviewed by ABC News.

Discord admins for that server previously described Lucca to ABC News as a “hyperactive kid.”

“He was still like, a little kid on the server. He was a good kid, you know? He’s mid to late teens,” an admin who goes by the username Krralj said. “And like he was, he’s always active. He joined the voice call to listen … when he was in school.”

ABC News is withholding Lucca’s real name. Vahki said he and Lucca are close friends and claimed that Lucca and Teixeira had minimal interactions.

Vahki said that he has not been contacted by law enforcement. Asked whether he was aware of investigators reaching out to other group members, he declined to comment.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Dominion Voting Systems, in a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit, has accused Fox News of knowingly pushing false conspiracy theories that the voting machine company rigged the 2020 presidential election in Joe Biden’s favor, in what Dominion claims was an effort to combat concerns over declining ratings and viewer retention. Fox has defended its coverage, dismissing the suit as a “political crusade in search of a financial windfall.”

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

Apr 18, 11:40 AM EDT
You aren’t ‘Dick Tracy,’ judge tells jurors

In his initial instructions to the jury, Judge Eric Davis told jurors not to talk amongst themselves or discuss the case with family or friends.

“You have to fight human nature. This is the hardest thing you’ll have to do during the trial,” Davis said. “You have to refrain from talking about the case with your fellow jurors or a third party.”

The judge also reminded the jurors that they are not Dick Tracy.

“Do not do any detective work,” he said. “You cannot do any independent research about this case.”

Davis told jurors they can bring water or some other beverage into the courtroom, provided it has a cap or lid.

“You can bring some type of drink,” Davis said, jokingly adding, “non-alcoholic.”

The trial is expected to last about six weeks.

Apr 18, 11:30 AM EDT
Jury is seated

A jury has been seated to hear the defamation accusations against Fox News by Dominion Voting Systems.

The jury is made up of six women and six men who were previously asked about their Fox News viewing habits. Six women and six men were also seated as alternates.

The jurors will remain anonymous for the duration of the trial. Judge Eric Davis had expressed concern about possible jury tampering amid the international attention on the case.

Immediately after the jurors were sworn in, alternate juror No. 3 raised his hand from his seat and told the judge, “Sir I can’t do this. I’ve been up all night. I can’t do this.”

Judge Davis offered to talk with the man off the bench and, ultimately, opted to dismiss him from service.

“I’ve excused alternate No. 3 and we will swear in a new No. 3,” Davis said.

Apr 18, 9:30 AM EDT
Jury selection underway

Jury selection is underway Tuesday morning at Delaware Superior Court in Wilmington, Delaware.

The jury is expected to be seated by the end of the morning, with opening statements expected to begin shortly thereafter, according to the judge in the case.

Apr 17, 10:42 AM EDT
Judge says trial will proceed Tuesday

The judge overseeing Dominion Voting Systems’ $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News said Monday morning that the trial will proceed Tuesday, saying a delay like this “is not unusual.”

Judge Eric Davis’ remarks in court Monday morning came after an [eleventh-hour delay]} in the case was announced Sunday night before the trial was set to begin Monday morning.

The Wall Street Journal — a publication owned by Fox Chairman Rupert Murdoch — reported Sunday night that Fox had made a “late push to settle the dispute out of court,” according to “people familiar with the decision.”

Judge Davis made no mention of potential settlement talks Monday morning.

“It’s a six-week trial, things happen,” he said.

Apr 18, 9:30 AM EDT
Jury selection underway

Jury selection is underway Tuesday morning at Delaware Superior Court in Wilmington, Delaware.

The jury is expected to be seated by the end of the morning, with opening statements expected to begin shortly thereafter, according to the judge in the case.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago) — A French man has been charged in connection to a jet ski incident in St. Lucia that killed an American woman, authorities said.

The Royal St. Lucia Police Force said Evans Ramos, of Cosmellieur, France, has been charged with reckless manslaughter.

Police officers responded to a call about a jet ski accident on April 7. It involved what’s called a tube — a floating device attached to a vessel on water, a police source said.

“The jet ski collided into the tube, resulting in the death of the young lady,” the police source told ABC News.

Jazmine Chandler-Tabb, who was a passenger in the tube, was taken to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead, according to a police statement.

“I’m just devastated, she was my friend, my partner, she was just my everything,” Natiya Joseph, who was married to Chandler-Tabb, told ABC News.

The Bronx, New York, couple would have celebrated their second wedding anniversary in May, Joseph said.

Joseph, her wife and their daughter Aniya arrived in St. Lucia on April 6. According to Joseph, they went there to celebrate Joseph’s father’s 80th birthday on April 8.

The day before the birthday celebration the family went to Reduit Beach, in the northern part of the island, where tragedy struck.

“Jazmine was very loving, very supporting, she was encouraging,” Joseph said. “She was always smiling, huge smile.”

Ramos, the jet ski’s driver, was visiting the Caribbean nation as a passenger on a cruise ship, according to the police source.

After being charged, Ramos, 21, was remanded in custody on the island, according to police.

“I hope that he gets the justice that he deserves,” Joseph said.

Authorities and other stakeholders in St. Lucia have since met with owners and operators of jet skis and are reviewing the policies in place to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Dominion Voting Systems, in a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit, has accused Fox News of knowingly pushing false conspiracy theories that the voting machine company rigged the 2020 presidential election in Joe Biden’s favor, in what Dominion claims was an effort to combat concerns over declining ratings and viewer retention.

Fox has defended its coverage, dismissing the suit as a “political crusade in search of a financial windfall.”

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

Apr 18, 9:30 AM EDT
Jury selection underway

Jury selection is underway Tuesday morning at Delaware Superior Court in Wilmington, Delaware.

The jury is expected to be seated by the end of the morning, with opening statements expected to begin shortly thereafter, according to the judge in the case.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(KANSAS CITY, Mo.) — The Clay County Prosecutor’s Office announced that it filed two criminal charges against a suspect in the April 13 shooting of 16-year-old Ralph Yarl in Kansas City, Missouri.

Andrew Lester, an 85-year-old white man, was charged with one count of felony assault in the first degree and one count of armed criminal action, also a felony, Clay County prosecuting attorney Zachary Thompson said during a press conference Monday evening.

The 16-year-old Black teenager was shot Thursday night by a homeowner in Kansas City after he accidentally went to the wrong address to pick up his siblings, police said on Sunday.

“He knowingly caused physical injury to [Yarl] by shooting him,” Thompson said, adding that the first count is a class A felony with a sentence of up to life in prison, while the second count is an unclassified felony and carries a range of punishment of 3-15 years in prison.

A warrant was issued for Lester’s arrest and a bond was set at $200,000, Thompson added. It’s unclear if Lester has retained an attorney.

In his statement to police, Lester said he “had just laid down in bed when he heard the doorbell ring,” according to the probable cause statement.

Lester told police he picked up his gun, a .32 Smith & Wesson 1888 revolver, and went to the front door, which consists of an interior main door and exterior glass storm door, both of which were locked, the statement reads.

“Lester stated he opened the interior door, and saw a black male approximately 6 feet tall pulling on the exterior storm door handle. He stated he believed someone was attempting to break into the house, and shot twice within a few seconds of opening the door,” the statement reads.

Lester told police he had never seen the man before and that “no words were exchanged during the incident and the male had not said anything prior to pulling on the door handle,” according to the probable cause statement.

The suspect told police “it was the last thing he wanted to do, but he was ‘scared to death’ due to the male’s size,” his own age, and his “inability to defend himself,” the statement reads.

Police conducted an informal cursory interview with Yarl at Children’s Mercy Hospital on Friday, according to the probable cause statement. Yarl told police he parked in the driveway, went to the front door, “pressed the doorbell and waited outside the front door,” the statement reads. Yarl told police the man inside “took a long time but finally opened the door holding a firearm,” and then “he was immediately shot in the head and fell to the ground,” according to the statement.

Yarl told police he got up and “ran away to keep from being shot,” and that the man allegedly said “don’t come around here,” according to the probable cause statement.

Yarl told police he went to multiple residences to ask for help and tell people to call the police, the statement reads.

Attorney Lee Merritt, who represents the Yarl family along with attorney Ben Crump, told ABC News Live Prime anchor Linsey Davis in an interview Monday that the family is “relieved” that charges have been filed.

“Because of the national outpouring, because of the community of Missouri that stood up, because of all the national organizers and people who have lent their voice — it seems that the prosecutors and law enforcement agencies on the ground are taking the case more seriously,” Merritt said.

The case garnered national attention over the weekend, and the White House confirmed to ABC News that President Joe Biden spoke with the Yarl family on Monday.

“This evening, the president spoke by phone to Ralph Yarl and shared his hope for a swift recovery,” the White House said Monday night.

“Ralph just got off the phone with the president of the United States today, who assured him that, you know, that he was and the rest of the nation was invested in justice for him,” Merritt told ABC News.

Ralph’s aunt Faith Spoonmore told ABC News Live Prime in an interview Monday before charges were announced that Ralph was shot in the head through a glass door and then in the arm and suffered a traumatic brain injury and an injury in his arm.

“He is healing. We are taking it one day at a time,” she said, adding that the shooting has also taken an emotional toll on the family.

The charges came after protests erupted in Kansas City over the weekend after Lester, who was unidentified at the time, was taken into custody and then released pending an investigation by the Kansas City Police Department.

“We understand how frustrating this has been,” Thompson said. “But I can assure you that the criminal justice system is working and will continue to work. As with any serious case, we approached this one in an objective and impartial manner.”

Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said during a press conference Sunday evening that after the shooting, the suspect was taken into police custody and placed on a 24-hour investigative hold but had since been released while police investigate and present evidence to the prosecutor’s office.

“After consulting with the Clay County Prosecutor’s Office, the homeowner was released pending further investigation due to the need to obtain a formal statement from the victim, forensic evidence and compile additional information for a case file to be presented,” Graves said on Sunday.

Police announced on Monday afternoon that they submitted the case to the Clay County Prosecutor’s Office; prosecutors announced the charges two hours later.

Crump and Merritt said in a statement released Monday evening that the family is “extremely relieved that criminal charges are finally moving forward.”

“‘Justice delayed is justice denied.’ We are relieved that charges are finally moving forward but are disappointed in the delay that necessitated national outcry for an obvious crime,” Merritt said in a statement. “We are cautiously optimistic about accountability and justice.”

Merritt said that Ralph was released from the hospital on Saturday and is in the care of his doctors at home. He said that the family now wants to “see this man held accountable to the full extent of the law.”

“Despite of everything, we are grateful that he is alive because considering what he went through, I don’t think the person who did this intended that he will be alive,” Spoonmore told ABC News. “… We are upset, we are angry, but we also understand that it could have been much worse.”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(CHICAGO) — The city of Chicago faced a wave of gun violence this weekend that saw 35 people injured and eight people dead, according to the Chicago Police Department.

Police said that on Friday, a few minutes after 8 p.m., local time, a male suspect wearing all black entered a local business and fired into the crowd, wounding a man who was shot twice in the stomach, who later died at Loyola University Medical Center, and also injuring a 65-year-old man who was shot in the leg and transported to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he is listed in good condition.

In another incident on Friday, a 32-year-old man was shot in both feet while standing in an alley. He was transported to a local hospital and is in good condition, police said. No arrests were made.

Another man was outside his car Friday when he was allegedly shot in his left foot. He ended up driving himself to Mt. Sinai Hospital and is in good condition. Police did not make an arrest in the incident.

Two teenagers were also shot on the sidewalk in the 3700 block of South Wabash Avenue, police said. One victim, 15, was shot in the foot and was sent to Comer Children’s Hospital and listed in good condition.

The other victim, described as being in his late teens, was shot in the abdomen and was sent to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he later died, according to Chicago police.

In the early hours of Saturday, a 21-year-old man was found unresponsive on the street with a gunshot wound to the stomach, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

An off-duty Chicago police officer died by suicide on Sunday from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to law enforcement officials. He was found unresponsive inside his vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 30-year-old man was shot in the face on Sunday afternoon after he was approached by four people while he was walking, according to police. The suspects fled into a nearby building, prompting a SWAT response.

The victim was pronounced dead at a local hospital and SWAT is investigating the incident, police said.

Chicago police responded to calls early Monday morning after midnight of a 20-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman shot inside their crashed vehicle in the city’s Bronzeville neighborhood.

An initial investigation indicates that the two individuals were approached by two, armed male suspects who attempted to steal their car. The victims attempted to drive away when the suspects allegedly shot into their car, which crashed into a parked vehicle, police said.

The male victim was shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center. The woman was shot in the foot and was sent to the same hospital, where she is listed in good condition.

Law enforcement officials are investigating all of the shooting incidents.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(DADEVILLE, Ala.) — Four people were killed and 32 others injured when a mass shooting broke out at a crowded sweet 16 birthday party in rural Dadeville, Alabama, on Saturday night, authorities said.

The shooter is still at large.

Apr 17, 7:36 PM EDT
32 injured, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency says

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has updated the number of people injured during the shooting Saturday night to 32.

Police are still investigating the incident and are trying to “solidify a motive and potential suspects,” the ALEA said.

-ABC News’ Matt Foster

Apr 17, 2:19 PM EDT
VP Harris: ‘Enough is enough’

Vice President Kamala Harris tweeted Monday that “enough is enough” in the wake of “another senseless mass shooting,” and called on state and federal legislators to “step up and act.”

“Parents shouldn’t have to pray their babies come home same from school or a birthday party,” Harris tweeted. “The majority of Americans, including gun owners, support commonsense gun safety laws. We need leaders in state houses and Congress with the courage to step up and act.”

Apr 17, 11:23 AM EDT
Slain victims were ages 17 to 23

Tallapoosa County Coroner Mike Knox has identified the four people declared dead from Saturday night’s shooting: 23-year-old Corbin Dahmontrey Holston, 19-year-old Marsiah Emmanuel Collins, 18-year-old Philstavious Dowdell and 17-year-old Shaunkivia Nicole Smith.

Dowdell and Smith were both seniors at Dadeville High School.

Apr 17, 9:32 AM EDT
Police have ‘solid leads’ but need help from public

The Dadeville Police Department has “solid leads” as they search for the suspected shooter, but authorities still need help from the public, Dadeville Police Chief Jonathan Floyd told ABC News on Monday.

Floyd asked anyone with photos or videos from Saturday night’s sweet 16 party to come forward.

Due to the department’s manpower and resources, Floyd said the Alabama State Bureau of Investigations is taking the lead with the investigation.

-ABC News’ Elwyn Lopez

Apr 16, 7:00 PM EDT
Star high school athlete killed in shooting

One of the four people killed in the mass shooting in Dadeville, Alabama, was a star high school football player and track team member, his coach told ABC News.

Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, a senior at Dadeville High School, had committed to attending Jacksonville State University on a football scholarship, said coach Roger McDowell.

McDowell said Dowdell was at a sweet 16 birthday party at a venue in Dadeville Saturday night when a shooting erupted.

In addition to those killed, at least 28 people were injured. McDowell said Dowdell’s mother, who was a chaperone at the party, was among those hurt, shot twice in the legs.

Rich Rodriguez, Jacksonville State’s head football coach, said in a post on Twitter Sunday, that the death of Dowdell and the other victims is a “senseless tragedy.”

“He was a great young man with a bright future,” Rodriguez tweeted. “My staff and I are heartbroken and hope that everyone will support his family through this difficult time.”

McDowell said he also knew a teenage girl who was killed in the shooting. He said she was a senior and the manager of the track and football teams.

In addition to being a standout wide receiver, Dowdell was also a member of the high school track team, McDowell said.

“Phil was humble with a major smile,” McDowell told ABC News. “He had one goal to get to the NFL and take care of his mom.”

-ABC News’ Elwyn Lopez

Apr 16, 6:45 PM EDT
28 injured, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency says

The number of people injured during the course of the incident is 28, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said Sunday.

Some of those injuries are critical, and there’s a wide variety of injures, according to the ALEA.

Authorities didn’t mention a suspect or suspects, or an arrest, as of Sunday evening. Police said earlier in the day there was “no public safety risk at this time.”

Central Alabama Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for any information.

-ABC News’ Matt Foster

Apr 16, 4:20 PM EDT
Biden calls on congress to enact gun reform

President Joe Biden released a statement Sunday calling on Congress to enact “common sense” gun control legislation in response to shootings over the weekend in Alabama and Kentucky that left a total of six people dead.

“This morning, our nation is once again grieving for at least four Americans tragically killed at a teen’s birthday party in Dadeville, Alabama as well as two others killed last night in a crowded public park in Louisville,” Biden said. “Jill and I are praying for their families, and for the many others injured and fighting for their lives in the wake of this weekend’s gun violence.”

As he has done in previous mass shootings, Biden urged Congress to enact gun reform legislation.

“What has our nation come to when children cannot attend a birthday party without fear? When parents have to worry every time their kids walk out the door to school, to the movie theater, or to the park?” Biden said. “Guns are the leading killer of children in America, and the numbers are rising — not declining.”

Biden said the level of gun violence in America is “outrageous and unacceptable,” and noted that Americans “agree and want lawmakers to act on common sense gun safety reforms.”

“Instead, this past week Americans saw national Republican elected leaders stand alongside the NRA in a race to the bottom on dangerous laws that further erode gun safety. Our communities need and deserve better,” said Biden.

Apr 16, 1:05 PM EDT
Biden briefed on Dadeville shooting

President Joe Biden has been briefed on the deadly shooting at a birthday party in Dadeville, Alabama, according to the White House.

Biden and his staff are closely monitoring the investigation and has been in touch with local officials and law enforcement to offer support, according to the White House.

Apr 16, 12:40 PM EDT
Police chief pleads for prayer

An emotional Dadeville police chief pleaded for prayer for his city on Sunday and law enforcement investigators pleaded for tips from the public in finding those responsible for a shooting at a birthday party that left four dead and multiple people injured.

“The city of Dadeville is a tight-knit community, full of wonderful people. I ask you to please keep our community in your prayers. I ask you to please keep my police department in your prayers,” Police Chief Jonathan Floyd said at a news conference.

Sgt. Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency confirmed the shooting broke out at a birthday party and asked for any witnesses to call the state police tip line at .

Burkett also confirmed that four people were killed and “a multitude” of people were injured, but did not disclose the conditions of those wounded.

Burkett did not take questions during the news conference. He released no information on whether any arrests have been made in the incident.

Tallapoosa County Schools Superintendent Raymond Porter said grief counselors will be at Dadeville schools on Monday, but did not say whether any students were among the dead or injured.

The district will make “every effort to comfort” children impacted, said Porter.

“Don’t lose sight of the fact that those are the ones most impacted by this situation,” said Porter, who also called on local clergy to reach out to families of those killed or injured to offer assistance.

“I’m also asking that you please do not let this moment define what you think of the city of Dadeville,” Floyd said. “What we’re dealing with is something no community should have to endure.”

Apr 16, 10:48 AM EDT
Loved ones of those killed, injured say shooting preceded by argument: Pastor

Ben Haynes, the senior pastor at First Baptist Church in Dadeville, told ABC News Sunday morning that he’d been at a hospital overnight with the families of those killed and injured.

Haynes said family members told him gunfire erupted inside a small venue where a birthday party was taking place when tempers flared during an argument. Haynes said there were more than 50 people at the party when the shooting occurred.

Apr 16, 10:14 AM EDT
‘I grieve with Dadeville’: Alabama governor

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey released a statement Sunday expressing grief over a shooting at a birthday party in Dadeville, Alabama, that left four people dead and multiple others injured.

“This morning, I grieve with the people of Dadeville and my fellow Alabamians. Violent crime has NO place in our state, and we are staying closely updated by law enforcement as details emerge,” Ivey tweeted.

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(OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.) — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has called for the resignation of several local officials following the release of a recording that allegedly captured comments he called “hateful rhetoric” that were made at a McCurtain County commissioners’ meeting.

“I am both appalled and disheartened to hear of the horrid comments made by officials in McCurtain County,” Stitt said in a statement. “There is simply no place for such hateful rhetoric in the state of Oklahoma, especially by those that serve to represent the community through their respective office. I will not stand idly by while this takes place.”

According to the recording captured by McCurtain Gazette reporter Chris Willingham, county officials discussed plans to beat, kill and hide the bodies of local newspaper reporters, including Willingham.

Willingham is currently involved in a lawsuit against county investigator Alicia Manning, the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Department and the Board of County Commissioners in which he claims Manning defamed him and violated his civil rights, according to the McCurtain Gazette.

In Oklahoma, all meetings of public bodies must be open to its residents. However, according to the Gazette, after the public dispersed following a March 6 public meeting, officials continued to discuss county business not listed on the agenda.

According to Oklahoma law, consent to record is not required to record conversations in public where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy. The newspaper said the recording is “legally obtained.”

“I know where two big deep holes are here if you ever need them,” said one official,, according to the Gazette. Another official responds: “I’ve got an excavator.”

“I’ve known two or three hit men, they’re very quiet guys,” said the official believed to be Jennings, according to local reports. “… And would cut no f—ing mercy.”

“If a hair on his wife’s head, Bruce Willingham’s head, or any of those people that really were behind all that, if any hair on their head got touched by anybody, who would be the bad guy?” said an official believed to be county investigator Alicia Manning.

Jennings can allegedly be heard also making racist comments in the recording, saying that “if it was back in the day” when officers “would take a damn Black guy and whoop their a– and throw him in the cell? I’d run for f—ing sheriff.”

He added, “Take them down to Mud Creek and hang them up with a damn rope. But you can’t do that anymore. They got more rights than we got.”

The governor said he will be calling on the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations to look into “whether any illegal conduct has occurred.” The OSBI, however, told ABC News it has not yet received a request.

The state Office of the Attorney General is investigating, a spokesperson told ABC News.

Stitt called for the resignation of Manning, District 2 Commissioner Mark Jennings, McCurtain County Sheriff Kevin Clardy, who are allegedly heard in the recorded conversations, as well as Jail Administrator Larry Hendrix, who is said to have been present.

Residents have begun protesting outside of local government buildings to push for accountability regarding the comments.

Willingham, at the center of the alleged threats, told News9, he was “was completely appalled and frightened, quite frankly” upon hearing the recording.

ABC News has reached out to the Board of County Commissioners for comment.

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