After a three-year wait, Top Gun: Maverick is finally in theaters this weekend! Director Joe Kosinski is thrilled the moment is finally here, telling ABC Audio that he feels like his life was leading up to this moment — this was the film he was supposed to direct.
“I made model airplanes as a kid, radio controlled airplanes when I was in high school, I studied aerospace engineering in college,” he shares. “So I’ve always been into it, like obsessed with aviation.”
Speaking of aviation, Kosinaksi says that some of the most complex filming sequences came in the fighter jets, which he had very little control over in the moment and just had to have faith in the actors.
“So there’s no way to communicate when they’re up in the jets. So we built a six camera array,” he explains, adding that they set up everything so that the actors only “had to turn them on.”
That wasn’t the only complicated thing about making Top Gun: Maverick, though.
“I mean everything’s hard on a movie like this, but…the script, the story is the most important. And until you crack that, everything else almost doesn’t matter,” Kosinski admits. “Everything was hard on this film. But it should be. You’re making Top Gun, so you need to reach high.”
Another thing that’s high, according to Kosinski, is the bar set by the first film, so he hopes that he succeeded in making a film that is “a reason to go back to the movies.”
“We just wanted to make an emotional, exhilarating film that gives people a reason to go to the movie theater and makes them feel like they’re a Top Gun pilot for two hours and entertain them,” he says.
(UVALDE, Texas) — A small town in rural Texas is reeling after a gunman opened fire at an elementary school on Tuesday, killing 19 children.
Two teachers were also among those killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, according to authorities.
Prior to opening fire at the school, the suspect also allegedly shot his grandmother, officials said.
The alleged gunman — identified by authorities as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, a student at Uvalde High School — is dead.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
May 27, 12:36 pm
Officers did not breach classroom for 35 minutes while shooter was inside
Steven McCraw, director of Texas Department of Public Safety, admitted it was the “wrong decision” for officers not to go into the classroom where the suspect was for 35 minutes. Children were inside the classroom with him, making 911 calls, McCraw said in a press conference Friday.
The incident commander believed he was dealing with was a barricaded subject inside the school and the children were not at risk, he said.
A tactical team from CBP was on scene at 12:15 p.m., but did not breach the classroom until 12:50 p.m.
“Of course it wasn’t the right decision,” McCraw said. “It was the wrong decision.”
May 27, 11:23 am
US Marshals say they never arrested or handcuffed anyone outside school
The U.S. Marshals said they never placed anyone in handcuffs, but they say they “maintained order and peace in the midst of the grief-stricken community that was gathering around the school,” in a statement posted on Twitter.
U.S. Marshals arrived on scene from Del Rio, Texas, at 12:10 p.m., and the first deputy U.S. Marshal went into the school to assist BORTAC, the elite tactical CBP team that ultimately shot the alleged shooter, the statement said.
They came from 70 miles away and got the first call around 11:30 a.m., according to the statement.
“These Deputy US Marshals also rendered emergency trauma first aid for multiple victims,” the statement said.
“Additional Deputy U.S. Marshals were asked to expand and secure the official law enforcement perimeter around the school,” the statement said. “Our hearts are heavy with sorrow and sadness at this horrific crime. We send our condolences to all the victims and families affected by this tragedy.”
Angeli Rose Gomez, a mother waiting outside for her children, told the Wall Street Journal she was one of numerous parents urging police and law enforcement officers to go into the school sooner, first politely and then more urgently. She said U.S. Marshals put her in handcuffs, and told her she was being arrested for intervening in an active investigation.
Angel Garza, the stepfather of one of the children killed in the shooting, ran to try to reach and help his child, and was restrained and handcuffed by a local police officer, Desirae Garza, the girl’s aunt, recounted to the New York Times.
May 27, 6:30 am
10-year-old survivor recalls gunman saying: ‘You’re all gonna die’
There was blood in the hallway and children were covered in it, one of the students who survived the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, told ABC News.
Salinas was a student in Irma Garcia’s fourth-grade class. They were scheduled to graduate Thursday, but the ceremony was canceled because Garcia, another teacher and 19 third- and fourth-grade students were killed in Tuesday’s massacre.
Salinas said his aunt dropped him off for school on Tuesday morning.
“It was a normal day until my teacher said we’re on severe lockdown,” he told ABC News, “and then there was shooting in the windows.”
Salinas said the gunman came into his classroom, closed the door and told them, “You’re all going to die,” before opening fire.
“He shot the teacher and then he shot the kids,” Salinas said, recalling the cries and yells of students around him.
-ABC News’ Samira Said
May 26, 9:57 pm
Accused shooter’s mother at one point worked at same establishment of gun purchase: Sources
Sources told ABC News the accused school shooter’s mother, Adriana Reyes, at one point worked at Oasis Outback, the same store where the gunman purchased two weapons just after his 18th birthday earlier this month.
The establishment is half gun retailer, half restaurant; Reyes’ employment was with the restaurant portion, sources say.
It is unclear if she had any role in her son’s purchase of the firearms. The owner of Oasis declined to comment to ABC News and added he would only speak with law enforcement at this time. Reyes has not responded to ABC News’ request for comment.
-ABC News’ Matt Gutman, Laura Romero and Victor Ordonez
May 26, 6:49 pm
Law enforcement examining if lockdown was audible to students, staff: Sources
The response by school officials and law enforcement is becoming a key focus in the ongoing investigation into the Uvalde school shooting, law enforcement sources told ABC News Thursday.
It is unclear whether any students and teachers heard an official call for a lockdown once the gunman entered the building, the sources said.
Additionally, investigators are looking into whether officers on site could have made other attempts to enter the school to end the gunman’s rampage faster, the sources said. Responding police were met with gunfire and called for tactical teams with proper equipment to enter the classroom and neutralize the gunman, according to the sources.
-ABC News’ Matt Gutman, Josh Margolin, Aaron Katersky and Luke Barr
May 26, 5:19 pm
10-year-old survivor recalls moments after hearing shots fired
A student who was in the classroom next door to the one the gunman entered recounted to ABC News what she did next.
Gemma Lopez, 10, said she heard five to six gunshots and commotion outside her classroom at Robb Elementary School before a bullet whizzed by her arm and into the wall. She recalled seeing a puff of smoke, which is when she knew they were all in danger.
She said she turned off the lights and then ducked under the tables — what she learned to do in the active shooter training she has undergone since kindergarten. There were no locks inside and they did not have a key in the classroom to lock the door from the inside, she said.
Authorities yelled at the gunman to put down his weapon, to which he reportedly shouted in response, “Leave me alone please,” in Spanish, Gemma recalled.
Gemma said her best friend, Amerie Jo Garza, was one of the 19 children killed in the massacre.
(UVALDE, Texas) — Two months before Tuesday’s mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children and two adults dead, the Uvalde school district hosted an all-day training session for local police and other school-based law enforcement officers focused on “active shooter response.”
“First responders to the active shooter scene will usually be required to place themselves in harm’s way,” according to a lengthy course description posted online by the Texas agency that developed the training. “Time is the number-one enemy during active shooter response. … The best hope that innocent victims have is that officers immediately move into action to isolate, distract or neutralize the threat, even if that means one officer acting alone.”
Now relatives of victims and neighbors of Uvalde’s Robb Elementary School are raising questions over how police officers who first arrived on the scene handled the situation — including whether they followed their own training.
At a press conference on Friday, Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw acknowledged that officers on the scene miscalculated what was unfolding, failing to go after the gunman sooner.
“From the benefit of hindsight where I’m sitting now, of course it wasn’t the right decision. It was the wrong decision, period,” he said.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the DPS, Lt. Chris Olivarez, said on national TV that at one point on Tuesday, police officers on the scene decided to “focus” on evacuating students and teachers “around the school,” instead of racing to the shooter’s location — even as they heard more gunshots.
“They kept hearing the gunfire as they were doing this, as they were performing these rescues,” Olivarez said Wednesday on CBS.
ABC News contributor John Cohen, formerly the top counterterrorism official at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and himself a former police officer, said that response “would seem to be inconsistent with accepted practice.”
“What we are hearing from Texas law enforcement officials seems to be inconsistent with the operational philosophy that has guided the response to active shooter situations for well over a decade,” Cohen said. “Having been a police officer, it’s a scary job — but what the public expects is that when confronted with those situations, the officer is going to do what they need to do in order to protect the public.”
A man who lives across the street from Robb Elementary School, Jesse Ortiz, told ABC News that he watched on Tuesday as officers took cover behind a vehicle.
“I said, ‘Why aren’t you going inside? Why aren’t you going inside?'” he recalled.
Videos posted online show angry parents outside the school, urging police officers to take more action.
In the wake of the 1999 high school shooting in Columbine, Colorado, where 12 students and one teacher were killed, federal and state law enforcement officials developed new practices for equipping and training first responders. As a result, Cohen said, it has become “generally accepted” that the first officers on-scene must find and “engage” the shooter as soon as possible, even if that means putting their own lives at risk.
In 2019, the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s policy center published an “issues paper” on active-shooter situations, which noted that “current thinking reemphasizes that, given proper justification as defined by law and agency policy, taking immediate action during active shooter incidents, rather than waiting for specially equipped and trained officers, can save lives and prevent serious injuries.”
“[I]t has been recognized that even one or two armed officers can make a difference in the outcome of active shootings by taking swift, but calculated, individual or coordinated action,” the paper said. “Time lost by delayed action is likely to result in additional casualties.”
Over the past decade, law enforcement officers in cities and states across the country have received training reflecting such policies, according to Cohen. The course that the Uvalde school district hosted in March was developed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, which oversees the certification of police officers throughout the state and requires school-based officers to take the “active shooter response” course.
On Thursday, a top Texas Department of Public Safety official held a press conference seeking to clarify what unfolded two days earlier — though he didn’t answer some key questions.
Victor Escalon, director of the DPS South Texas Region, told reporters that about four minutes after the shooter first entered the school, “initial officers” on scene “receive[d] gunfire” and “[didn’t] make entry initially because of the gunfire.” At that point, officers call for “additional resources,” including tactical teams, body armor, and other equipment, and they also begin evacuating students and teachers, Escalon said.
It was “a complex situation” with “a lot going on,” Escalon said. About an hour after the shooter first opened fire inside the school, a tactical team from the U.S. Border Patrol arrived, entered the school with other law enforcement, and then killed the shooter, according to Escalon.
Toward the end of the press conference, a reporter asked Escalon, “Did you follow best practices for active shooter scenarios?”
Escalon didn’t answer, instead telling reporters, “I have taken all your questions into consideration … we will answer those questions.”
In 2014, the FBI released a study of 160 active shooter incidents that had occurred since 2000. It highlighted “the damage that can occur in a matter of minutes,” noting that the vast majority of active shooter incidents ended in five minutes or less — and more than a third of those whose durations could be ascertained ended in two minutes or less.
“Officers need to operate in a way that not only protects their safety, because a dead officer is not going to [help], but at the same time, the absolute number-one priority for a law enforcement officer responding to the scene is to … prevent people from being killed or injured,” Cohen said.
“That’s why they’re there,” said Cohen. “That’s why they took the oath.”
Machine Gun Kelly has reunited with frequent collaborator blackbear for a new song called “gfy.”
The kiss-off track, which was produced by Travis Barker, finds MGK and blackbear directing the song’s title — first letter stands for “go” and third stands for “yourself,” and we’ll let you guess the second — at an ex that did them wrong.
You can listen to “gfy” now via digital outlets, and watch its accompanying video, which stars both artists, now on YouTube.
blackbear previously collaborated with MGK on the Tickets for My Downfall single “My Ex’s Best Friend” and the Mainstream Sellout cut “Make Up Sex.”
Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
(BUFFALO, N.Y.) — They were grandparents, parents, friends and family, and even as the nation grapples with another mass shooting, the victims of the Buffalo, New York, shooting continue to be laid to rest this weekend.
As families continue to grieve the May 14 tragedy, four victims will be laid to rest over the next several days.
Geraldine Talley, 62
Talley is remembered by her friends and family “as a beautiful spirit, her dimpled smile and immense love for her family.”
She loved spending time with family, sitting by the water and baking, according to her obituary. Celebrated by a long line of children, siblings, nieces and nephews, she will be laid to rest on Friday at the Mount Aaron Missionary Baptist Church in Buffalo.
Talley was one of nine siblings and was “an amazing sister, mother, aunt,” Kaye Chapman-Johnson, her younger sister, told ABC News. “She just was truly an amazing woman. And I’m going to miss her dearly.”
Andre Mackniel, 53
Mackniel was a Buffalo native and a stay-at-home dad who loved to play the guitar, write poems, listen to music and watch basketball, according to his obituary.
He is survived by his fiancee Tracey Maciuliwicz, as well as their son, Andre Jr. His family and friends will gather at the Antioch Baptist Church in Buffalo on Friday to celebrate his life.
Margus Morrison, 52
Services will be held for Morgan on Friday at True Bethel Baptist Church.
In a text message, Cassandra Demps, his stepdaughter, told ABC News that he was “a great father, wonderful partner” who was “funny” and “always willing to help his family.”
Morrison is “a soul that will always be missed,” she added.
Ruth Whitfield, 86
Whitfield, the eldest victim of the Buffalo tragedy, will be the last victim laid to rest when it takes place Sunday.
She is survived by many loved ones, including her partner of 68 years, Garnell W. Whitfield, Sr.; her four children, nine grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren and seven siblings.
Garnell Whitfield, her son, described his mother’s devotion to her family, especially her husband, whose health has been declining over the past eight years.
“She was there just about every day, taking care of him, making sure he was well cared for by the staff, washing, ironing his clothes, making sure he was dressed appropriately, making sure his nails were cut and clean and shaved,” he said. “All of that. Every day.”
After suffering “a very difficult childhood,” when she became a mother, Ruth Whitfield “was all about family,” Garnell Whitfield said.
“And she rose above it, and she raised us in spite of all of that, being very poor,” he said. “She raised us to be productive men and women.”
Her homegoing service will be held on Saturday at the Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Buffalo.
(POTTSTOWN, Pa.) — Five people were killed and two others were hurt in a house explosion in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Thursday night, officials said.
One of the injured is in critical but stable condition, while the second surviving victim is in surgery for unknown injuries, Pottstown Borough Manager Justin Keller said at a Friday press conference.
Two homes are completely destroyed and other homes suffered damage, he said.
It’s not yet clear what caused the explosion, which took place just after 8 p.m. on North Washington Street, Keller said.
It’s believed everyone has been accounted for, Keller said.
Resident Christian Gonzalez told ABC News Philadelphia station WPVI-TV he initially thought the explosion was thunder.
“It shook the area,” he said.
Pottstown schools are closed Friday in the wake of the deadly incident.
Pottstown is located about 40 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
(NEW YORK) — An asteroid — the largest to get close to Earth this year — tumbled past the planet Friday.
According to NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies, the “potentially hazardous” asteroid is 1.1 miles long and at least 3,280 feet wide. It crossed into Earth’s orbit around 9 a.m. ET.
The asteroid, officially called 1989 JA, is roughly four times the size of the Empire State Building.
This asteroid would be catastrophic if it hit Earth, but it will be at a safe distance of 2.5 million miles away, according to the Virtual Telescope Project, the nonprofit organization that runs remotely controlled telescopes.
In a livestream showing the asteroid passing through the Earth’s orbit, the Virtual Telescope Project said that the asteroid would be visible mainly from the Southern hemisphere, using small instruments.
Journey is set to release its first studio album in 11 years in July, but in advance of that record, the band’s longtime keyboardist and songwriter Jonathan Cain has delivered his latest faith-based solo effort, Arise.
The 11-collection is the sixth full-length spiritual-themed project that Cain has released since 2016. The album, which combines brand-new tunes with songs that appeared on Jonathan’s 2021 EP Oh Lord Lead Us, is available now as a digital download and via streaming services.
Cain says the songs on Arise encourages Christians to be more fervent in their faith.
“Like faith in action, the music of Arise moves to the spirit of revival,” says Jonathan, who leads worship gatherings at City of Destiny Church in Apopka, Florida, where his wife, Paula White-Cain, is senior pastor. “God is making his presence felt here on earth, and it’s up to us to wake up, to feel it, feel the revival and just dig in.”
He adds, “I hope that this music stirs up and awakens people in a way that they can become a part of what God is doing.”
As previously reported, Journey will release its new album, Freedom, on July 8. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers recently announced a series of four special symphonic concerts that month in Las Vegas — on July 15, 16, 22 and 23 — and the band now has started lining up a variety of other shows around the U.S.
The other concerts on their itinerary are scheduled for July 20 in Paso Robles, California; July 27 in Albuquerque, New Mexico; July 29 in Las Cruces, New Mexico; July 30 in Lubbock, Texas; August 5 in Mount Pleasant, Michigan; August 6 in Canton, Ohio; and August 8 in Canandaigua, New York.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Thursday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
AMERICAN LEAGUE
NY Yankees 7, Tampa Bay 2
Detroit 4, Cleveland 3
Kansas City 3, Minnesota 2
Boston 16, Chicago White Sox 7
Texas 4, Oakland 1
Toronto 6, L.A. Angels 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Cincinnati 20, Chicago Cubs 5
Washington 7, Colorado 3
Philadelphia 4, Atlanta 1
Milwaukee 4, St. Louis 3
L.A. Dodgers 14, Arizona 1
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Golden State 120, Dallas 110
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Carolina 3, NY Rangers 1
Edmonton 5, Calgary 4 (OT)
WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Connecticut 99, Dallas 68
(UVALDE, Texas) — The four children of Irma and Joe Garcia turned to their faith and community as they attended mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Uvalde, Texas, Thursday night.
Cristian, Jose, Lyliana and Alysandra Garcia were embraced by Rev. Eduardo Morales and parishioners.
Irma was one of two teachers killed in the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde on Tuesday. The family’s patriarch, Joe Garcia, suffered a fatal heart attack earlier Thursday, just two days after his wife was shot to death, his family confirmed.
“They were good church-going people, always willing to help, always seeing what they could do to be there for the community, not only their children, and I hope that we remember how giving they were, how loving they were,” Morales told Dallas ABC affiliate WFAA-TV of the Garcias.
The couple were supposed to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary later this year.
Irma Garcia was a fourth grade teacher at Robb Elementary School and had been teaching for the last 23 years. She and her husband had been married for 24 years, according to a biography page on the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District website.
She died Tuesday, after a gunman entered the school and opened fire, killing Garcia, co-teacher Eva Mireles and at least 19 children, in one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history.
As the Uvalde community continues to reel from the aftermath of the mass shooting, faith leaders have sprung into action, reaching out to support the local community. A Lutheran organization has also sent trained comfort dogs to Uvalde, a city about 84 miles west of San Antonio, after being invited to respond following Tuesday’s tragedy.
