(NEW YORK) — Tropical Storm Ida, which formed Thursday, is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane before targeting Louisiana this weekend.
Ida is set to hit the Cayman Islands and Cuba as a tropical storm on Friday morning, delivering up to 20 inches of rain. Tropical storm warnings are in effect for both locations.
By Friday night into Saturday morning, Ida is expected to move into the Gulf of Mexico and rapidly strengthen into a hurricane.
From Saturday morning to Sunday morning, Ida is forecast to grow even stronger, with winds likely approaching those of a Category 3 hurricane, which is considered a major hurricane.
Landfall is forecast for Sunday afternoon or evening, west of New Orleans and east of Lake Charles, though effects could be felt as early as Saturday night. Louisiana residents should expect storm surge up to 11 feet, 15 inches of rain, flash flooding and hurricane-force winds of up to 115 miles per hour.
After making landfall, Ida is expected to move north inland and could bring more heavy rain to middle Tennessee, which was hit by deadly floods last week.
The National Weather Service has issued a hurricane watch for parts of Louisiana and all of the Mississippi coast, including the cities of New Orleans and Biloxi. Those areas could see hurricane conditions within 36 to 48 hours.
Meanwhile, a tropical storm watch is in effect for parts of Mississippi and the entire Alabama coastline. A storm surge watch has also been issued for the entire coastline of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, including the cities of Lake Charles, New Orleans, Biloxi and Mobile.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency Thursday evening as the threat of Ida looked more certain.
“Unfortunately, all of Louisiana’s coastline is currently in the forecast cone for Tropical Storm Ida, which is strengthening and could come ashore in Louisiana as a major hurricane as Gulf conditions are conducive for rapid intensification,” Edwards said in a statement. “Now is the time for people to finalize their emergency game plan, which should take into account the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”
After landfall, Ida likely will move north into Tennessee with flooding rainfall. Areas in Tennessee hit with deadly, catastrophic flooding this weekend could suffer further destruction.
(KABUL, Afghanistan) — Chaos has enveloped Kabul after Afghanistan’s government collapsed and the Taliban seized control, all but ending America’s 20-year campaign as it began: under Taliban rule.
Two suicide bombers affiliated with ISIS-K carried out what the Pentagon called a “complex attack” outside the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Thursday, killing at least 13 American service members and wounding 18, among scores of Afghan casualties.
President Joe Biden has addressed the nation on the attack from the White House Thursday, saying, “America will not be intimidated.” Biden sat down with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos for an exclusive one-on-one interview at the White House last week, the president’s first interview since the withdrawal from Afghanistan, and warned of the threat of attacks on the ground.
Here are the latest developments. All times Eastern:
Aug 27, 6:59 am
US, allies evacuate 12,500 people from Kabul in past 24 hours
The United States has evacuated and facilitated the evacuation of some 105,000 people from Kabul since Aug. 14, when the Taliban closed in on Afghanistan’s capital, according to a White House official.
In a 24-hour period from Thursday to Friday, 35 U.S. military flights carried approximately 8,500 evacuees out of Kabul. Another 4,000 people were evacuated via 54 coalition aircraft. Since the end of July, approximately 110,600 people have been relocated from Kabul via U.S. military and coalition flights, the White House
Aug 27, 6:18 am
Philadelphia airport to receive Afghan refugees
People fleeing Afghanistan are expected to arrive at Philadelphia’s primary airport in the coming days, according to a city spokesperson.
“This is a federal-led operation, and we are collaborating with the federal government in this emergency response, protecting the rights and dignity of the Afghan families arriving in the country,” the spokesperson told ABC News on Friday. “We stand ready to provide medical assistance, housing, and connection to our diverse community of immigrant service providers who can assist with an array of social services.”
The Philadelphia International Airport is the second airport in the United States to welcome arrivals of Afghan refugees, in addition to the Dulles International Airport in Virginia.
It was unclear when or exactly how many Afghan refugees would be landing in Philadelphia.
“Philadelphia stands in solidarity with Afghan refugees and we look forward to providing them a safe haven in our Welcoming City,” Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said in a statement.
Aug 27, 5:33 am
UK enters final stages of Afghanistan evacuation
The United Kingdom announced Friday that it has entered the final stages of its evacuation from Afghanistan and no more people will be called to the airport to leave.
Processing facilities at the Baron Hotel in Kabul, outside the Hamid Karzai International Airport, have been closed and the British Armed Forces will now focus on evacuating the U.K. nationals and others who have already been processed and are at the airport awaiting departure, according to a press release from the U.K. Ministry of Defense.
“The U.K.’s ability to process further cases is now extremely reduced and additional numbers will be limited. No further people will be called forward to the airport for evacuation,” the defense ministry said. “Evacuating all those civilians we have already processed will free up the capacity needed on U.K. military aircraft to bring out our remaining diplomats and military personnel.”
U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace called it a “remarkable achievement” that his government has evacuated more than 13,000 people from Kabul since Aug. 13, when the Taliban closed in on Afghanistan’s capital.
“Our top priority as we move through this process will be the protection of all those involved who are operating in a heightened threat environment,” Wallace said in a statement Friday. “It is with deep regret that not everyone has been able to be evacuated during this process.”
“We will continue to honour our debt to all those who have not yet been able to leave Afghanistan,” he added. “We will do all that we can to ensure they reach safety.”
(KABUL, Afghanistan) — When Waheed Arian heard of the two bombings out Kabul’s airport in Afghanistan, he rushed to call his family members to ensure that they were safe. Arian is a doctor and ex-refugee, who fled Afghanistan during the Taliban’s rule in 1999, and now lives in the United Kingdom.
With sweaty palms, a racing heart and the memories of death and destruction from his time in Afghanistan as a child, he’s wary of what the future might hold for him and his family.
“When I get off the phone, I break down in tears because I feel helpless,” Arian told ABC News. “This is the case for so many Afghans whose families are over there. … It haunts you forever.”
The bombings, for which the terrorist group ISIS-K has claimed responsibility, left at least 60 Afghan civilians dead, as well as at least 13 U.S. service members, according to the Pentagon.
The attack on Hamid Karzai International Airport, the main source of hope for those trying to escape the city and seek refuge elsewhere, has left many Afghans feeling desperate.
Waiting for news from home
Shabnam, who asked ABC News to use only her first name for the safety of her family in Afghanistan, said she can’t concentrate. The ex-refugee, who is now a citizen living in the U.S., said she is numb and can’t focus on her work, her schooling or her responsibilities as she awaits news about her family’s fate.
When Shabnam was asked if her family was safe, she responded: “What does that mean? If I say that they are safe, they’re safe as prisoners. … The banks are closed. The businesses are closed. Everything is closed, and they don’t have freedom of speech anymore.”
Shabnam is calling on international forces to step up and help the Afghan people before the country reverts back to its old ways, particularly calling on the U.S. to take the lead.
“It is their responsibility as our leaders, the responsibility of the international community not to just not watch and be silent,” Shabnam said.
Uncertainty plagues Afghan families
With the Taliban taking over Afghanistan before the United States’ Aug. 31 deadline to withdraw troops, many citizens fear what could come of their country and their livelihood in the Middle Eastern nation.
Activist and Afghan journalist Mahbouba Seraj returned to Afghanistan from exile in 2003 with the mission to advance women’s rights in the country. In an interview with ABC News Live, she said she made a commitment to Afghanistan to continue to move the country forward and won’t leave the country despite the danger.
During the interview, her words were interrupted by a blast, later determined to be the U.S. military disposing of equipment before exiting the country.
“I cannot leave Afghanistan at this point,” said Seraj. “Everybody worked together to make this country really the way it is. … We all worked very hard, and then it disappeared, and I knew that I have to stick around. I have to stick around to prove it to myself, to prove it to whoever, as far as my young girls.”
Many women in the country fear that the Taliban will revert to the oppressive tactics they used when they ruled in the 1990s, like keeping women at home, out of work and out of schools.
Many also fear that the militant group will retaliate against citizens with connections to America, who’ve worked with the U.S. or Afghan government or who have criticized the Taliban in the past. Under the Taliban’s previous rule, citizens could be stoned to death, have their hands cut off or be publicly executed for violating the Taliban’s laws.
For Arian, the violence Thursday reminded him of the civil war he experienced as a child, when the Soviet Union withdrew from the country and mujahedeen forces turned on each other in 1992.
“Bullets flying, rockets flying and we had to just leave everything, abandon the house,” said Arian. “The schools were destroyed, the hospitals were destroyed, the whole infrastructure was gone.”
Arian believes he’s echoing the voice of the millions of Afghans who’ve lived through the civil war.
“They remember — that’s why they’re physically, mentally tired,” Arian said. “They’re exhausted from running. They’re exhausted from refugee camps, they’re on high alert constantly. And now we see today that there’s nowhere safe for them.”
The future of Afghanistan
For many, the future of Afghanistan and its people hangs in the balance as U.S. troops leave the country behind. While many continue to flock to airports and plan escape routes out of the country, some are hunkering down, determined to rescue the nation they call home.
Arian’s family is divided — his father wants to stay and his siblings want to flee.
“He just told me, ‘Son, I’m tired of running. I’ve spent my entire life running. I just want to die in peace here if there is any peace,'” said Arian. “When I speak to some of my sisters, they’re fearful for their lives. They don’t know whether we would go back again to the civil war that most of them had witnessed along with me, and they have children now.”
Seraj, who has dedicated her life to activism and bettering the conditions of Afghan women for decades, said that all her fears are coming true.
Without plans to leave Kabul, she’s faced with ongoing questions about what’s next for the nation.
“The control is getting out of everybody’s hands,” Seraj said. “We’ve lost a lot of our people. Our soldiers are no longer what they were and keeping us safe. The U.S. Army is no longer there. Nobody’s there. What is going to be happening?”
(KABUL, Afghanistan) — An explosion that killed at least 13 U.S. service members in Afghanistan Thursday was part of a “complex” attack near the Kabul airport, the Pentagon said.
Two ISIS suicide bombers detonated in the vicinity of both the Kabul airport’s Abbey Gate and the adjacent Baron Hotel, according to Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the commander of U.S. Central Command.
The U.S. service members killed in the explosion near the Abbey Gate included 10 Marines, one Army, one to be determined and one Navy hospital corpsman, or medic, a U.S. official confirmed to ABC News. A 13th service member injured in the attack at Abbey Gate later succumbed to his wounds, a U.S. Central Command spokesperson said Thursday evening.
“We can confirm at this time 10 Marines were killed in the line of duty at Hamid Karzai International Airport. Additionally, several more were wounded and are being cared for at this time,” Maj. Jim Stenger, Marine Corps spokesperson, said in a statement Thursday night.
Another 18 service members were injured in the attack, U.S. Central Command said, up from the 15 initially confirmed by the command.
“We’re still working to calculate the total losses,” McKenzie said during a briefing at the Pentagon Thursday afternoon. “We just don’t know what that is right now.”
The attack marks the third-deadliest single day for American forces in Afghanistan in the 20-year war.
The injured troops are being evacuated from Afghanistan on C-17s equipped with surgical units.
At least 60 Afghan civilians were killed and over 140 others injured in the attack, according to the Associated Press.
The “complex” attack unfolded Thursday evening local time in Kabul, with one explosion at the Abbey Gate causing “a number of US and civilian casualties” and another explosion near the Baron Hotel, a short distance from the gate, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said.
“The attack on the Abbey Gate was followed by a number of ISIS gunmen who opened fire on civilians and military forces,” McKenzie said.
McKenzie said it was his “working assumption” that a suicide bomber was going through the Abbey Gate — being searched and checked by U.S. service members — when the person detonated the vest. The general did not know the size of the bomb or have much information about the explosion near the Baron Hotel. No bomber got onto airport grounds, McKenzie said.
“Clearly there had been a failure” from the Taliban forces checking people outside the airport, the general said.
Hours after the explosions, the militant group ISIS-K, which stands for Islamic State Khorasan Province, claimed credit for the attacks, confirming a suicide bombing.
According to a translation from SITE intelligence group, the Islamic State’s Amaq News Agency issued a report on the attack and provided a photo of the bomber.
The message said the Khorasan Province fighter overcame all security fortifications and reached a distance of “no more than five meters from the American forces.” The fighter detonated his explosive belt, killing 60 and wounding over 100 others, the militant group wrote, citing “military sources,” according to SITE.
McKenzie said the U.S. “will go after” those responsible for the attack “if we can find who’s associated with this,” and that “we believe it is their desire to continue those attacks.”
President Joe Biden reiterated that message during remarks on the attacks Thursday.
“To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this: We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay,” he said.
Prior to the explosions, the U.S. Embassy had warned citizens on Wednesday to leave the airport.
Acting U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ross Wilson, on the ground in Kabul, told ABC’s “Good Morning America” Thursday morning before the explosions that the threat was “clearly regarded as credible, as imminent, as compelling.”
The airport has been the site of tragedy and chaos for days as people rushed to be evacuated since Afghanistan’s government’s collapsed and the Taliban seized control.
Approximately 104,000 people have been evacuated since the effort began on Aug. 14, the White House said Thursday, with a withdrawal deadline set for Aug. 31. The U.S. State Department said Thursday afternoon it believes around 1,000 Americans remain in Afghanistan, a majority of whom want to leave.
Biden said the U.S. “will not be deterred by terrorists” and vowed to pull the remaining Americans and allies out of Afghanistan.
“These ISIS terrorists will not win. We will rescue the Americans in there. We will get our Afghan allies out,” he said Thursday. “And our mission will go on. America will not be intimidated.”
Biden called the service members killed in the attack “heroes who have been engaged in a dangerous, selfless mission to save the lives of others.”
The Pentagon is going through the next-of-kin notification process. Once that is completed, the president will call the troops’ families, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Thursday.
“We have some sense … what the families of these brave heroes are feeling today. You get this feeling like you’re being sucked into a black hole in the middle of your chest. There’s no way out,” Biden said. “My heart aches for you.”
-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson, Conor Finnegan, Luis Martinez and Cindy Smith contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced an investigation into an outbreak of Salmonella that may be linked to Italian-style meats.
They reported 36 illnesses and 12 hospitalizations across 17 states and found that most people ate Fratelli Beretta brand uncured antipasto trays before they became ill, according to a release on Thursday.
This does not include Italian-style meats sliced at a deli.
No deaths have been reported.
The CDC is advising people not to eat Fratelli Beretta brand pre-packaged uncured antipasto trays, including uncured salami, prosciutto, coppa or soppressata. The trays were sold nationwide and have “best by” dates on or before Feb. 11, 2022.
The investigation is ongoing to determine if additional products are linked to illness. ABC News has reached out to Fratelli Beretta for comment, but has not heard back at this time.
(RAMSTEIN, Germany) — In one of the largest airlift operations in history, Ramstein, Germany, has become the central hub to evacuate and process Afghan evacuees. According to the U.S. Air Force, the vast majority of people fleeing Afghanistan will come through Ramstein, and the base has already received at least 15,000 people as of this morning.
Upon arrival to Ramstein, refugees are immediately given medical aid, food and shelter while they undergo a final security check. Air Force officials say the goal is to get people in and out as quickly as possible, and aim to have people on their way to America within three days.
According to an internal report obtained by ABC News on Monday, officials estimate that some 20% of evacuees at Ramstein lacked documentation.
Top U.S. general in Europe Tod Wolters spoke with Pentagon reporters Wednesday and said that overall European bases could potentially process as many as 25,000 evacuees.
“We’ve received 55 flights at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and we currently have 5783 evacuees on deck at Ramstein. We’ve received three flights at Naval Air Station Sigonella,” said Wolters on Wednesday.
The makeshift tent camp in Ramstein has the capacity to hold 10,000 evacuees, and 7,000 refugees have already been processed, according to Walters.
But, some are concerned that the increasing number of evacuees will overwhelm resources and facilities at the Ramstein base in coming days.
In addition to Ramstein, Germany has also agreed to let the U.S. use the nearby U.S. Army garrison in Kaiserslautern and a joint training facility in Grafenwoehr in eastern Germany to house evacuees, ABC News reported on Monday.
(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden had a clear and directed message for the assailants responsible for the deadly terror attack outside of Hamid Karzai International Airport on Thursday, and for anyone else who might be planning an attack.
“To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this, we will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay,” he said.
“These ISIS terrorists will not win,” he added. “We will rescue the Americans in there. We will get our Afghan allies out. And our mission will go on. America will not be intimidated.”
Biden addressed the nation after 12 American service members were killed and 15 wounded, among scores of Afghan casualties in the attack outside the airport. The Pentagon has said security threats remain.
“A tough day,” Biden began. “This evening in Kabul, as you all know, a terrorist attack — that we’ve been talking about and worried about, that the intelligence community has assessed, has undertaken — an attack by a group known as ISIS-K took the lives of American service members standing guard at the airport and wounded several others seriously.”
“I’ve been engaged all day, in constant contact with the military commanders here in Washington and the Pentagon, as well in Afghanistan and Doha. And my commanders in Washington, in the field, have been on this with great detail, and you’ve had a chance to speak to some so far,” he said. “The situation on the ground is still evolving, and I’m constantly being updated.”
Pentagon officials confirmed earlier that two ISIS suicide bombers detonated in the vicinity of the Abbey Gate at the airport in Kabul, where U.S. Marines were conducting security checks of potential evacuees, and in the vicinity of the nearby Baron Hotel, a short distance from the Abbey Gate.
A U.S. official confirmed later that the 12 U.S. military service members killed in Thursday’s attack included 11 Marines and one Navy hospital corpsman, or medic. It appears that the 15 other service members who were injured in the attack were also Marines.
“These American service members who gave their lives, that’s an overused word, but it’s appropriate here, were heroes,” Biden said from the White House. “Heroes who have been engaged in a dangerous, selfless mission to save the lives of others.”
Before taking questions from reporters, Biden asked to be joined in a moment of silence “for all those in uniform and out of uniform, military and civilian, who have given the last full measure of devotion.”
By Thursday afternoon, ISIS-K, an ISIS affiliate in Afghanistan, claimed credit for the attack. It comes days after Biden warned from the White House of on-the-ground security threats from the terrorist group known as the “sworn enemy of the Taliban.”
“Every day we’re on the ground is another day we know that ISIS-K is seeking to target the airport and attack both U.S. and allied forces and innocent civilians,” he said at the time.
(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden had a clear and directed message for the assailants responsible for the deadly terror attack outside of Hamid Karzai International Airport on Thursday, and for anyone else who might be planning an attack.
“To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this, we will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay,” he said.
Biden underscored that he has repeatedly warned that the evacuation mission in Afghanistan was a dangerous one — but that it will continue until the end of the month, even as threats persist.
“We will not be deterred by terrorists. We will not let them stop our mission,” he added. “These ISIS terrorists will not win. We will rescue the Americans in there. We will get our Afghan allies out. And our mission will go on. America will not be intimidated.”
Thirteen American service members were killed and 18 wounded, among scores of Afghan casualties in the attack outside the airport. Biden addressed the nation Thursday afternoon.
“A tough day,” Biden began. “This evening in Kabul, as you all know, a terrorist attack — that we’ve been talking about and worried about, that the intelligence community has assessed, has undertaken — an attack by a group known as ISIS-K took the lives of American service members standing guard at the airport and wounded several others seriously.”
“I’ve been engaged all day, in constant contact with the military commanders here in Washington and the Pentagon, as well in Afghanistan and Doha. And my commanders in Washington, in the field, have been on this with great detail, and you’ve had a chance to speak to some so far,” he said to reporters. “The situation on the ground is still evolving, and I’m constantly being updated.”
Pentagon officials confirmed earlier that two ISIS suicide bombers detonated in the vicinity of the Abbey Gate at the airport in Kabul, where U.S. Marines were conducting security checks of potential evacuees, and in the vicinity of the nearby Baron Hotel, a short distance from the Abbey Gate.
U.S. officials confirmed later that the 13 U.S. military service members killed included Marines and at least one Navy hospital corpsman, or medic.
“These American service members who gave their lives, that’s an overused word, but it’s appropriate here, were heroes,” Biden said from the White House. “Heroes who have been engaged in a dangerous, selfless mission to save the lives of others.”
“They were part of the bravest, most capable, the most selfless military on the face of the Earth. And they were part of, simply what I call the backbone of America. They are the spine of America. The best the country has to offer,” he added.
The president said that he and first lady Jill Biden are “outraged as well as heartbroken” for Afghan families who lost loved ones, including small children, in what he called a “vicious attack” that will be met with “force and precision.”
“We will not be deterred by terrorists. We will not let them stop our mission. We will continue the evacuation. I’ve also ordered my commanders to develop operational plans to strike ISIS-K assets, leadership and facilities,” he said.
Biden asked to be joined in a moment of silence “for all those in uniform and out of uniform — military and civilian — who have given the last full measure of devotion.”
He then took six questions from reporters in the East Room.
Asked whether he would send additional troops to Afghanistan, Biden said he did not anticipate needing more boots on-the-ground but that the U.S. can conduct retaliatory strikes against ISIS-K without large military operations.
“I’ve instructed the military, whatever they need, if they need additional force, I will grant it,” Biden said.
While saying that he bears “responsibility for fundamentally all that’s happened of late,” the president also defended his decision to withdraw troops by the end of the month.
“I have never been of the view that we should be sacrificing American lives to try to establish a democratic government in Afghanistan, a country that has never once in its entire history been a united country,” Biden said just before leaving the East Room. “Ladies and gentlemen, it was time to end a 20-year war.”
ISIS-K, an ISIS affiliate in Afghanistan, claimed credit for the attack Thursday afternoon. It comes days after Biden warned from the White House of on-the-ground security threats from the terrorist group known as the “sworn enemy of the Taliban.”
“Every day we’re on the ground is another day we know that ISIS-K is seeking to target the airport and attack both U.S. and allied forces and innocent civilians,” he said at the time.
Thursday marks the deadliest day for the U.S. military in Afghanistan in more than a decade and the first U.S. military death in Afghanistan since Feb. 2020.
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — Lisa Frank and Orly have teamed up for a limited edition launch that might leave you saying, “nailed it!”
The whimsical, colorful school supplies brand and cruelty-free nail polish label have joined forces to launch exciting nail wraps, toppers and polishes on Aug. 29.
The collection is what your favorite Lisa Frank dreams are made of and features inspiration from some of the brand’s favorite characters such as Forrest, Hunter and Zoomer & Zorbit.
The Lisa Frank x Orly collection includes not one, but two nail lacquer trios, four nail wraps and one topcoat.
There’s also a great confetti topper that can be used as a unique finish to your manicure or can be worn alone for a fun look. It also has Orly’s signature gripper cap that features an ergonomic design for easy opening and a soft grip.
“This collaboration with Lisa Frank was a natural fit as we’re two longstanding brands who bring happiness and excitement with color to our fans,” said Orly’s vice president of business development Tal Pink. “We worked with the Lisa Frank team on every design, every detail, and every shade. Lisa Frank’s commitment to quality is uncompromising and we can’t wait for fans to create their own enchanting nail art.”
If you are enthused to snag the collection before it’s gone, it will be available exclusively on Ulta Beauty’s website and stores in just a few short days.
“Lisa Frank, Inc. is thrilled to expand its beauty assortment with a stunning new nail line in partnership with Orly,” said Forrest Green, head of brand at Lisa Frank, Inc. in a statement.
He continued, “We listen to our consumers at every step of the way, and our team is deeply committed to creating products that our fans are proud to own. As always, we hope to empower individuality and creative expression through our merchandise.”
(MINNEAPOLIS) — A Minnesota judge is considering whether to drop charges against an alleged drug dealer after his lawyer claimed Minneapolis law enforcement officers destroyed critical evidence in a panic prompted by a blaze and takeover of another police department precinct during a 2020 protest over the murder of George Floyd.
An attorney for 36-year-old Walter Power argued during a court hearing on Wednesday that Minneapolis police officers destroyed a search warrant obtained on Power’s home that prosecutors said resulted in the seizure of 3,000 doses of the painkiller oxycodone and other illegal drugs.
Power has pleaded not guilty to a charge of felony first-degree sale of drugs.
“Those officers made that decision. I think what’s difficult with this case is we all have to live with that decision,” Power’s attorney, public defender Elizabeth Karp, said during Wednesday’s hearing on her motion to dismiss the case, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Karp said the lost search warrant presumably contained the evidence narcotics officers used to obtain the warrant to search Power’s home in April 2020.
Karp argued that moving forward with the case would violate Power’s constitutional right to due process under the law if she does not have the ability to review and challenge a court document that no longer exists, even in digital form.
“We’re in the dark,” Karp told Judge Todd Fellman of the Hennepin County Fourth Judicial District.
On May 28, the Third Precinct in southeast Minneapolis was torched during a protest over the police killing of Floyd, forcing officers to abandon the station.
In a motion filed in June, Karp included a supplemental report written by Minneapolis Police officer Logan Johansson stating why he and other investigators in the Second Precinct across the Mississippi River from the Third Precinct in northeast Minneapolis destroyed records. Johansson, according to his report, wrote that he and other officers suspected the station was going to be attacked too and decided to destroy or move documents “in direct response to the abandonment of the Third Police Precinct in Minneapolis by city leadership.”
Johansson’s report did not mention destroying the search warrant. The officer’s report, according to court records reviewed by ABC News, says that “all non-active case files and files containing CI (confidential informant) information (were) destroyed.”
Protesters, however, never went to the Second Precinct, which is about five miles from the Third Precinct.
Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Emily Liebman asked Fellman to reject Karp’s motion and allow prosecutors to proceed with the case against Power, arguing in court that the missing documents are immaterial to the charges.
Liebman said none of the evidence collected from Power’s home was destroyed and that prosecutors plan to use it at trial. She said investigators also conducted surveillance on Power and discovered evidence in the suspect’s trash that supported the cause for the search of his home.
In her motion, Karp stated that GPS information investigators obtained by tracking Power’s cellphone has also been lost.
Fellman said he will take the motion under advisement and render a decision soon.
