LA City Council votes unanimously to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products

LA City Council votes unanimously to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products
LA City Council votes unanimously to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products
Mario Tama/Getty Images

(LOS ANGELES) — The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products.

The ban, which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2023, ends the sale of flavored e-cigarettes, menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars.

The ordinance does not ban the possession or use of flavored tobacco for those aged 21 and older.

It also exempts existing hookah lounges in the city that received tobacco retailer permits before January that sell shisha tobacco for either on-site or off-site use.

“We just took a huge step forward against Big Tobacco’s deadly agenda in Los Angeles,” Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, who proposed the ban, tweeted Wednesday after it passed 12-0. “It’s time we put these protections in place for our youth and save lives.”

A version of the ordinance drafted last year exempted menthol cigarettes from the ban, but Black council members argued against the exemption due to high rates of menthol cigarette use among Black Americans.

Studies have found Black Americans are the most likely racial/ethnic group to use menthol cigarettes and are 25 times more likely than white Americans to do so.

“Menthol is included in this ban, as it should be,” Marqueece Harris Dawson, a Black councilman, said before the vote, according to City News Service. “It is a flavor just like every other flavor and it would have been extremely disappointing if we had said we’re going to protect people and children from uptake of tobacco, except for the flavor that we know Black people first and Latinos second use the most.”

The ordinance is now heading to the desk of Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is expected to sign it into law.

Anti-tobacco groups praised the vote and said the action will prevent children from becoming addicted to smoking and/or vaping.

“The Los Angeles City Council today took bold action to protect kids from tobacco addiction, save lives and advance health equity,” Matthew Myers, president of the advocate group Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, said in a statement to ABC News. “The Council’s landmark action will help prevent the tobacco industry from addicting another generation of kids.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said any use of tobacco products by children and teenagers is unsafe, but most use begins with flavored products.

The federal health agency found that, in 2021, 80.2% of high schoolers and 74.6% of middle schoolers who reported use of tobacco products in the past 30 days said they had used a flavored tobacco product in that period.

Additionally, 85.8% of high school students and 79.2% of middle school students who reported use of e-cigarettes — the most commonly used tobacco product among youth — in the past 30 days said they used flavored e-cigarettes.

Research has shown nicotine, the addictive drug found in tobacco products, can harm a developing adolescent brain and increases the risk of developing psychiatric disorders and cognitive impairment.

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Tulsa mass shooter allegedly gunned down his doctor after asking for help with pain

Tulsa mass shooter allegedly gunned down his doctor after asking for help with pain
Tulsa mass shooter allegedly gunned down his doctor after asking for help with pain
J Pat Carter/Getty Images

(TULSA, Okla.) — A patient gunned down his surgeon and three other people in a mass shooting at a Tulsa, Oklahoma, medical building on Wednesday after blaming the doctor for his pain, according to police.

On May 19, the suspected gunman underwent back surgery. Dr. Preston Phillips — one of the four people killed in the shooting at the Natalie Building, a five-story medical complex at Saint Francis Hospital — was the suspect’s doctor in that surgery, Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin said at a news conference Thursday.

A letter recovered on the suspect, Michael Louis, made it clear “that he came with the intent to kill Dr. Phillips and anyone who got in his way,” Franklin said. “He blamed Dr. Phillips for the ongoing pain following the surgery.”

Louis bought an AR-style semi-automatic rifle just hours before the shooting, Franklin said. He bought a 40-caliber pistol from a pawn shop on May 29, police said.

The shooter died at the site from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

The three others killed were Dr. Stephanie Husen, receptionist Amanda Green and patient William Love, Franklin said.

“They stood in the way” so the suspect “gunned them down,” Franklin said.

The suspect was released from the hospital on May 24, five days after his surgery, Franklin said. After his release, the suspect called several times over several days complaining of pain and wanting additional treatment, the chief said.

On Tuesday, Phillips saw the suspect again for additional treatment, the chief said. On Wednesday, the suspect called the doctor complaining of back pain and wanting additional help, the chief said.

At 4:52 p.m. local time Wednesday, a patient on a video chat with a doctor called 911 after the doctor told her there was shooting, police said. The first 911 call came in at 4:53 p.m. and police arrived at 4:56 p.m., the chief said.

A gunshot heard at 4:58 p.m. was believed to be the suspect’s self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

Phillips was found dead in an exam room, police said.

The chief called it a “senseless tragedy.”

“This is yet another act of violence upon an American city,” Franklin said. “We train for instances such as this. And I’m overwhelmed and proud of the men and women, all those that responded.”

“Our training led us to take immediate action without hesitation. … That’s what they did in this instance,” Franklin said.

ABC News’ Jenna Harrison Esseling contributed to this report.

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Lawmakers continue talks but Biden ‘not confident’ Congress can pass gun reform

Lawmakers continue talks but Biden ‘not confident’ Congress can pass gun reform
Lawmakers continue talks but Biden ‘not confident’ Congress can pass gun reform
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) — With another mass shooting at a hospital complex in Tulsa on Wednesday, and as families in Uvalde are still holding funerals for loved ones massacred last week, lawmakers are under pressure to find solutions to gun violence, but it’s unclear if even the massacre of schoolchildren will yield any new results.

A House committee was called back from recess to hold an emergency meeting on Thursday to consider Democratic proposals while a bipartisan group of senators was continuing talks, with that chamber also on recess, in hopes of agreeing on a basic framework for new gun control measures when the full Senate returns next week.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, part of the group working to find a bipartisan deal, said in a statement Wednesday the group was making “rapid progress” on proposals “that could garner support from both Republicans and Democrats,” but even so, President Joe Biden told reporters he’s “not confident” lawmakers will be able to pass gun legislation, noting how he served in Congress for 36 years.

Major gun control legislation has failed for decades in the Senate due in large part to the filibuster rule, which requires 60 senators for a measure to advance toward a final vote. Though Democrats hold a razor-thin majority in Congress, they cannot push legislation through the Senate without the support of at least 10 Republicans.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., also part of the bipartisan talks, tweeted Wednesday there is “growing momentum” on a bill that can get “broad bipartisan support in the Senate” and that the group will keep working, but the group has remained tight-lipped on what the final proposal will include. Murphy has acknowledged it wouldn’t include an assault weapons ban, as it wouldn’t garner enough Republican support, despite similar legislation passing in 1994.

The House Judiciary Committee convened Thursday morning for a markup on a package of gun control measures, called “Protecting Our Kids Act,” paving the way for the full House to approve the proposals as early as next week — and then to send them to the Senate. The measures include raising the age to buy a semiautomatic centerfire rifle from 18 to 21 years old and establishing a tax credit for the safe storage of firearms.

Notably, the House has already passed gun control measures in this session of Congress, but that legislation has stalled in the Senate given GOP opposition and the 60-vote threshold — so the real fate of gun control reform in the U.S. now mostly lies with the Senate group talks.

Still, amping up the pressure, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at an event in California on Wednesday suggested Democrats would also consider holding a full House vote on an assault weapons ban following the recent mass shootings — a non-starter for Senate Republicans.

“As we get through those we will have hearings and marking up the assault weapons ban,” Pelosi said. “We are just trying to hit it in every possible way.”

While the House measures wouldn’t overcome a GOP filibuster in the Senate, the action is meant as so-called “political messaging” to pressure Senate Republicans and may put further pressure on negotiators to reach an agreement on areas of potential compromise.

Republican Leader Mitch McConnell tasked John Cornyn, R-Texas, to negotiate with the group of senators, but said at a press event in Kentucky Wednesday that “hopefully” senators will “find a way to come together” to make progress on gun violence.

“It seems to me there are two broad categories that underscore the problem: mental illness and school safety,” McConnell said. “So hopefully we can find a way to come together and make some progress on this horrendous problem consistent with our Constitution and our values.”

As lawmakers seek compromise, it appears the American public is widely supportive of universal background checks and red flag laws. An ABC News/Washington Post poll conducted in September 2019 found 89% support for universal background checks and 86% support for red flag laws. Mandatory background checks and red flag laws also won support from at least eight in 10 Republicans and conservatives, the poll found.

The full Senate and House are scheduled to return to Washington next week.

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Michael Avenatti sentenced to four years in prison

Michael Avenatti sentenced to four years in prison
Michael Avenatti sentenced to four years in prison
Drew Angerer/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Michael Avenatti was sentenced Thursday to four years in prison for defrauding Stormy Daniels, the client who made him a fixture on cable and a speculative candidate for public office for a brief time during the Trump administration.

“It has been three years since she discovered what Mr. Avenatti has done and she was devastated,” Clark Brewster, Daniels’ current lawyer, said.

“The regularly accepted theme was this guy was a great lawyer but … his legal scholarship based on the cases we took over is in doubt. This was a deceitful scheme. It wasn’t a mistake. It was calculated,” he added.

Avenatti, in beige prison garb over a long-sleeved white T-shirt, entered court shackled at the ankles. The judge denied Avenatti’s request to wear a suit to his sentencing hearing.

Avenatti was convicted of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for stealing from Daniels, his former client, about $300,000 she was supposed to receive in connection with a book contract.

“Avenatti stole from his client. He did so to support his own business and fund his own lifestyle. He did so despite presenting himself to the world as his client’s champion and defender and despite using that feigned credibility to secure fame and pursue political influence. And he did so by exploiting his position of trust and authority as an attorney, by forging his client’s signature, and by lying to his client and others repeatedly and callously for months,” prosecutors said in a sentencing memorandum.

The judge allowed Avenatti to serve about half of his sentence at the same time he serves prison time for extorting Nike. He will spend an extra 2 1/2 years in prison for stealing from Daniels.

The judge said the sentence reflected the “abuse of trust” Avenatti demonstrated and a belief he could get away with it because people would believe him over Daniels due to her “unorthodox” career as an adult film actress.

Daniels was not present in court.

Avenatti briefly wept as he told the judge he will forever be known as a “disgraced lawyer.”

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Investigators search Uvalde school shooting suspect’s iPhone

Investigators search Uvalde school shooting suspect’s iPhone
Investigators search Uvalde school shooting suspect’s iPhone
Jordan Vonderhaar/Getty Images

(UVALDE, Texas) — The first search warrant returned in the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting sought access to the suspect’s iPhone as authorities search for clues that could point to the motive for last week’s fatal shooting of 19 children and two teachers.

A black iPhone 13 Pro Max was found next to the body of Salvador Ramos after he was shot and killed by a Customs and Border Protection tactical team, according to the search warrant affidavit.

Investigators from the Texas Department of Public Safety sought permission from a judge to analyze the text messages, photos, videos and other “stored communications” on the phone, according to the affidavit, which was first obtained by Houston television station KHOU.

The Texas Rangers, a division of the Texas DPS, is conducting an investigation into the shooting, one of the deadliest in modern U.S. history.

The document also said the two witnesses to the car wreck that preceded the massacre saw Ramos “dressed completely in black with long shoulder length black hair.” The witnesses also told police they saw “the male subject was holding a long rifle and proceeded to load the rifle with a magazine” before he “began to fire multiple gunshots in their direction.”

The judge authorized investigators to download the contents of the device.

Ramos’ grandfather, Rolando Reyes, whose home he was living in at the time of the shooting, told ABC News the suspect had argued with his grandmother over paying a cellphone bill on the morning of the shooting. However, Reyes said he did not believe it was significant. Ramos allegedly shot his grandmother before driving to the school and opening fire.

ABC News has previously reported that authorities have yet to find a specific piece of evidence that explains why the attack occurred May 24 or why Robb Elementary School was the target.

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Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee 2022 live updates: Queen shares adorable moment with great-grandson

Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee 2022 live updates: Queen shares adorable moment with great-grandson
Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee 2022 live updates: Queen shares adorable moment with great-grandson
Chris Jackson/Getty Images

(LONDON) — The U.K. is throwing a once-in-a-generation celebration for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.

The 96-year-old queen is the first British monarch in history to reach a Platinum Jubilee, which marks 70 years on the throne.

Queen Elizabeth ascended to the throne on Feb. 6, 1952, following the death of her father, King George VI.

Starting Thursday, the Platinum Jubilee celebration will include everything from the traditional Trooping the Colour birthday parade for the queen to a star-studded concert led by Diana Ross to thousands of street parties across the country.

Here is how the news is developing Thursday. All times Eastern. Check back for updates.

Jun 02, 9:45 am
Bidens release video message to Queen

President Joe Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden tweeted a video message congratulating the Queen.

“Your Majesty, congratulations on your Platinum Jubilee. For 70 years, you’ve inspired people with your selfless devotion and service to the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth,” Biden said. “Throughout your reign, the relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States has grown stronger and closer than ever.”

The first lady added her own well-wishes. “Throughout the years, the joy your visits to the United States have brought Americans, and your solidarity with the American people in times of tragedy, have deepened the friendship and profound connection between our countries,” she said. “And Joe and I were so touched by the generosity and welcome you showed to us when we visited you at Windsor Castle last year, during our first visit overseas as President and First Lady.”

“Congratulations, Your Majesty, and have a wonderful Platinum Jubilee celebration,” she added.

Jun 02, 8:55 am
Queen Elizabeth II shares adorable moment with great-grandson

They are 92 years apart in age, but Queen Elizabeth, 96, and her great-grandson, Prince Louis, 4, appear to share a close bond.

The queen was seen answering Louis’s questions and pointing things out to him while the two watched military jets fly overhead on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at the end of Trooping the Color.

Louis, one of the queen’s nine great-grandchildren, is the youngest child of Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge.

He joined his siblings, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, on the balcony and, earlier, in a carriage to travel to Buckingham Palace.

Jun 02, 8:01 am
Royal family watches military jets fly over Buckingham Palace

Britain’s royal family, led by Queen Elizabeth II, gathered on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch a traditional military flypast at the end of Trooping the Color.

Thanks in part to a weather-cooperating, beautiful sunny day in London, aircraft from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force were able to fly directly down the length of the Mall and over the palace.

The queen, wearing sunglasses, watched the flypast with other members of the royal family, including Prince William and Kate’s children, Prince Louis, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who were seen talking with the queen.

Down below the balcony, outside the palace gates, thousands of members of the public gathered to see the queen and watch the flypast, which is so fierce and low that onlookers say they can feel the ground rumble.

Jun 02, 7:55 am
Who’s who on the balcony of Buckingham Palace

Queen Elizabeth II is holding court on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where the royal family gathers to watch the military flypast at the end of Trooping the Color.

This year, the queen decided only royal family members who are “undertaking official public duties” on her behalf would appear on the balcony.

Those family members include:

  • Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
  • Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, and their children, George, Charlotte and Louis.
  • Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and their children, Louise and James.
  • Princess Anne and Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.
  • Prince Richard and Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester.
  • Prince Edward, Duke of Kent.
  • Princess Alexandra.

Noticeably absent from the balcony this year because they are no longer senior working royals are the queen’s son, Prince Andrew, and her grandson, Prince Harry, and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

What to expect from the new Dyson Airwrap Styler

What to expect from the new Dyson Airwrap Styler
What to expect from the new Dyson Airwrap Styler
Dyson

(NEW YORK) — The next generation Dyson Airwrap has arrived.

The Dyson Airwrap multi-styler combines everything you love from the 2018 version with some highly requested upgrades.

“The advancements in the Dyson Airwrap multi-styler build on the success of its predecessor, through relentless research, user trials and advancements in computational fluid dynamics,” Dyson founder James Dyson said in a press release.

New attachments include a smoothing dryer, firm and soft brushes and new barrels that switch airflow directions.

According to Dyson, the tool aims to be suitable for many different hair types without extreme heat.

Existing Dyson Airwrap users can also get in on these new upgrades as the brand will be also be selling the attachments separately.

“The Dyson Airwrap is a styling revolution and unlike any other tool — back when it first launched and still today,” Dyson global styling ambassador Jen Atkin said in a press release. “Now, the tool does even more, allowing owners to personalize to suit their styling preferences, personalized for their hair type. You can ensure every attachment in your box delivers your desired style, specific to your hair type. Something you thought couldn’t get better, just did.”

The new tool is available to shop now on Dyson’s website.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

FDA audited over baby formula crisis

FDA audited over baby formula crisis
FDA audited over baby formula crisis
AlasdairJames/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — The Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General is launching an audit into how the Food and Drug Administration responded leading up to the massive February recall of baby formula and closure of Abbott Nutrition’s Sturgis plant.

OIG will examine whether the FDA upheld its duty “to safeguard the nation’s food supply, including infant formula and ensure all ingredients are safe” and if FDA regulators followed proper recall protocol once a deadly bacteria had been detected inside the plant.

The Sturgis, Michigan, plant was shut down in mid-February after contamination issues inside had been linked to four infants being hospitalized with a rare but serious bacterial infection, two of whom ultimately died.

The review of the FDA’s actions marks an extraordinary and uncommon move from the watchdog agency.

The American public and lawmakers alike have been searching for accountability on the ongoing infant formula shortage — a now-national supply crisis which was exacerbated by Abbott’s contamination issues and ultimate shutdown.

This is not first time Abbott’s quality control had come under questioning.

Federal regulators warned months ago of potential problems at a manufacturing plant for baby formula, according to documents and a public timeline of the events.

The FDA found sanitation issues at Abbott’s Sturgis plant in September 2021, saying it “did not maintain a building used in the manufacture, processing, packing or holding of infant formula in a clean and sanitary condition,” according to an inspection report.

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Gun suicide soars as cause of death among youth: Report

Gun suicide soars as cause of death among youth: Report
Gun suicide soars as cause of death among youth: Report
Emily Fennick / EyeEm/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — The rate of young people taking their own lives with firearms in the U.S. has increased faster than for any other age group, and the youth suicide rate is at its highest point in more than 20 years, according to a new gun violence prevention report by Everytown For Gun Safety and first obtained by ABC News.

While firearm suicide overall increased about 2% during the pandemic, the rate among young people increased 15% and nearly half of all suicide attempts by young people involve a gun, researchers with Everytown For Gun Safety found.

Experts have not pinned down exactly what is causing more young people to turn to suicide with guns, the report notes. But increased anxiety and depression, likely exacerbated by the pandemic, along with the impacts of social media and cyberbullying are among the theorized drivers.

“The research shows pretty clearly that people who struggle with mental illness are much more likely to be victims than perpetrators of violent crimes,” Everytown research director Sarah Burd-Sharps told ABC News. “That said, certainly knowing the warning signs and learning to talk about mental health — particularly, we’re talking about young people — so the way we talk about mental health with young people in our lives is a huge part of the solution.”

“One of the most effective things we can do to help young people in crisis is to keep it out of their hands,” Burd-Sharps said.

The report’s authors point to “red flag” laws as a plausible solution that allow for temporary restrictions on firearm ownership when a person is determined to pose an extreme risk to themselves or others. So far, 19 states have passed such laws that allow local authorities and family members to petition in civil court for the restriction of a person’s firearm access, according to Everytown.

“Research shows they save lives,” Burd-Sharps said. “They very much prevent youth suicide, so it’s it’s one of the most important policies that can reduce this, tragic spike in youth gun suicide.”

Safe storage measures for parents who own guns as well as waiting periods for gun purchases are among tools that can help create a safety buffer when someone is in the throes of a mental health episode, Burd-Sharps added.

The firearm-related increases documented in the new report track with overall increases in teen and young adult suicide in recent years. Between 2007 and 2018 the suicide rate among those age 10 to 24 increased nearly 60%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The split-second between pulling the trigger of a firearm and the projectile’s impact makes suicide attempts with guns much more lethal too. Overall, acts of suicide are fatal in 8.5% of cases while acts of suicide involving a firearm are fatal 90% of the time, according to a 2019 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Suicides have long been a driver of firearm-related deaths. More than half of all gun deaths in 2020 were suicides, according to a 2022 Pew Research Center report.

Boys and young men are disproportionately afflicted by firearm suicide and are seven times more likely to kill themselves with a gun compared to their female peers, according to the CDC.

Racial and ethnic minority groups in the U.S. are among those hit hardest by the increased suicide rate, Burd-Sharps said. A lack of access to mental health care resulting in higher rates of untreated depression as well as traumatic exposure to discrimination and racism are among the driving factors.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among children and young people ages 10 to 24, according to the CDC.

If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or worried about a friend or loved one, help is available. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 [TALK] for free, confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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At least four dead, multiple people injured in shooting at Tulsa, Oklahoma, medical building: Police

At least four dead, multiple people injured in shooting at Tulsa, Oklahoma, medical building: Police
At least four dead, multiple people injured in shooting at Tulsa, Oklahoma, medical building: Police
Tulsa Police Dept.

(TULSA, Okla) — At least four people are dead and multiple people are injured following a shooting at the Natalie Building at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Wednesday evening, according to police.

Dispatchers received a 911 call shortly before 5 p.m. local time about a man walking with a rifle at the Natalie Building, a physicians’ office building on the Saint Francis Hospital campus. When police responded, they said it turned into an active shooter situation, according to Tulsa Police Capt. Richard Meulenberg.

When police entered the building, they found multiple people shot in one area on the second floor, including in an orthopedic office, authorities said. The victims could be a combination both of employees and visitors, authorities initially said.

“Officers immediately rushed to the second floor where the shooting was taking place, when they got there they found a few people had been shot, a couple were dead at that time,” Meulenberg told ABC News. “We also found at that time who [we] believe and still believe to [be] the shooter because he had a long rifle and a pistol with him.”

The Tulsa shooting comes amid a spate of shootings in the U.S., including the Uvalde shooting in Texas where 21 people — including 19 children — were killed, and a mass shooting at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket that saw 10 Black people shot dead.

One of the Tulsa victims died after leaving the scene trying to seek medical aid, according to Meulenberg. It is unclear at this time how many others were wounded in the shooting, though Meulenberg believed it to be under 10.

The shooter died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Tulsa Police Deputy Chief Eric Dalgleish. Police were still working to confirm the identity of the suspected shooter, a man believed to be between the ages of 35 and 40, Dalgleish said during a briefing.

It appears both weapons were fired, according to Dalgleish. It is unclear if the suspect was targeting anyone specifically, he said.

Police said they went through the five-story medical complex room by room to secure the building.

“We are doing a meticulous floor-by-floor, room-by-room search,” Meulenberg said. “It’s calmed down. We’re trying to connect people and we’re hoping not to find any victims.”

Police said they are also investigating a possible bomb threat that may be connected to the suspected shooter.

Authorities evacuated a home in Muskogee, Oklahoma, about 50 miles southeast of Tulsa, after receiving a tip that the suspect “may have left a bomb at this residence,” Muskogee Chief of Police Johnny Teehee said Wednesday night.

A bomb squad was on scene and police were working to obtain a warrant to search the residence, he said.

Muskogee Mayor Marlon Coleman later said the bomb squad cleared the location of a potential threat, and that the scene had been “turned over to the necessary authorities.”

The Tulsa Police Department said to stay away from the area of the shooting and that reunification for families will be at Memorial High School on the west side of LaFortune Park.

Saint Francis Health System said in a statement late Wednesday that, “out of respect for the families,” it is “not commenting on or releasing names of those lost or injured at this time.”

“Saint Francis Health System is grieving the loss of four members of our family. As a faith based organization, the only recourse we have at this moment is to pray while we navigate this tragedy,” Saint Francis Health System said. “We are sincerely thankful for the quick response by the Tulsa Police Department, first responders and EMS agencies. And, our deepest gratitude extends to the members of our own Saint Francis family who cared for their own during this incident.”

“To allow our staff and caregivers the opportunity to process today’s tragedy, all Warren Clinic appointments in Tulsa and Broken Arrow scheduled before noon tomorrow have been cancelled. Additionally, the Warren Clinic Orthopedic offices in the Natalie Building will be closed until further notice,” the statement continued. “We ask that you please pray for the employees and physicians of the Saint Francis Health System.”

Tulsa Mayor G. T. Bynum expressed “profound gratitude” for the “broad range of first responders who did not hesitate today to respond to this act of violence.”

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt also praised the first responders who “did their best to contain a terrible situation” and offered to provide the city with any state resources needed.

“What happened today in Tulsa is a senseless act of violence and hatred,” he said on Twitter.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been briefed on the shooting, White House officials said.

“The White House is closely monitoring the situation and has reached out to state and local officials to offer support,” the White House said in a statement.

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