(WASHINGTON) — The gunman who opened fire on a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, in what authorities described as a “racially-motivated attack” has a “hate-filled soul,” President Joe Biden said Sunday.
While speaking at an event to honor law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2021, Biden said he and first lady Jill Biden were praying for the victims and their families.
“A lone gunman, armed with weapons of war and hate-filled soul, shot and killed 10 innocent people in cold blood at a grocery store on Saturday afternoon,” the president told the crowd outside of the Capitol.
All 10 victims who died in the attack are Black, law enforcement officials said. One of the wounded victims was Black while the two others were white, they said.
Biden said the Justice Department has stated publicly that it’s investigating the matter as “a hate crime and an act of racially-motivated violent extremism.”
“As they do, we must all work together to address the hate that remains a stain on the soul of America,” Biden said. “Hearts are heavy once against but our resolve must never, ever waver.”
Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement on Saturday that the Justice Department is “committed to conducting a thorough and expeditious investigation into this shooting and to seeking justice for these innocent victims.”
An 18-year-old male suspect, Payton Gendron, is in custody, according to the Buffalo Police Department. Authorities allege Gendron shot four people in the parking lot before moving inside the store, where he proceeded to shoot nine more people.
Gendron live-streamed the attack on social media and etched the names of previous mass shooters and racial epithets on the gun he allegedly used during the attack, a source familiar with the investigation told ABC News.
Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph A. Gramaglia said during a new conference on Sunday afternoon that the evidence collected so far indicates “this is an absolute racist hate crime.”
Gendron is believed to have written a 180-page document which fixated on “replacement theory,” a white supremacist belief that non-whites will eventually replace white people because they have higher birth rates, authorities said.
Other racist and anti-Semitic tropes were reportedly included in the document, which the suspect appears to have posted online before the attack.
HENRIK MONTGOMERY/TT News Agency/AFP via Getty Images
(LONDON) — Sweden will apply to formally join NATO, following in the footsteps of neighboring Finland, the country’s prime minister said, ending long-held positions of neutrality in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“The best for our country’s security is that Sweden applies for membership in NATO and that we do it now together with Finland,” Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said on Monday. “And following today’s debate in Parliament, the government is ready to make a decision about an application. That will be the starting point for a process that includes ratification in all the NATO member’s parliaments and after that, the government will return to Parliament with a proposal for ratification for Swedish membership of NATO.”
“As nonaligned countries, Sweden and Finland have been contributing to stability in our region, but that changed when Russia invaded Ukraine,” she added.
President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin of Finland announced their intention to apply for NATO membership on Sunday, with the country’s Parliament expected to endorse the proposal as a formality.
Leaders in both Sweden and Finland had long been expected to apply to join the military alliance, as the war in Ukraine continues to have unintended consequences for Russia by potentially pushing two more of its neighbors into NATO.
Last week, Dmitry Peskov, Russia’s presidential press secretary, said that “another enlargement of NATO does not make our continent more stable and secure.” Peskov reiterated that stance on Monday, saying that although Russia had “no territorial disputes” with Sweden and Finland, unlike in Ukraine, Russia believed it to be a “serious issue” that they are following “very closely.”
Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs Ann Linde said last week that Finland’s leaders had delivered an “important message,” adding that her country “will decide after the report from the security policy consultations has been presented.”
The Scandinavian countries have long held neutral status when it comes to European conflict. Finland became a neutral country after the Second World War, while Sweden has resisted military alliances long before that.
Yet fears that Russia could do to other non-NATO countries what it has done to Ukraine has sparked a rapid shift in public opinion in both countries, one of which, Finland, shares an 830-mile land border with Russia.
Both could be on the cusp of joining NATO. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has publicly said the Nordic countries would be welcomed into the alliance, however the process could take months once their formal applications have been sent in.
Ahead of any official announcement from both countries for NATO membership, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson had previously signed mutual security assurances in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
NATO’s expansion would be yet another unintended consequence for Russia, as they continue to be met with fierce resistance in Ukraine and a more united West than their intelligence assessments anticipated. Part of Russia’s security demands ahead of the invasion in Ukraine included reverting NATO forces to 1997 positions.
Since NATO was founded in 1949, the alliance has expanded to include 30 member countries, including three former Soviet republics, and the inclusion of Sweden and Finland would further expand the alliance’s influence in the Arctic and in the areas around Russia.
Stoltenberg said just days ahead of the invasion “if Kremlin’s aim is to have less NATO on Russia’s borders, it will only get more NATO. And if it wants to divide NATO, it will only get an even more united Alliance.”
This prediction now appears to be coming true — although Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov last month said that NATO is a “tool sharpened for confrontation” and it is “not an alliance that ensures peace and stability” when asked about Sweden and Finland. Experts say the expansion will be evidence of yet another strategic blunder on Russia’s part.
Even as public opinion has shifted, there are still those that opposes NATO membership for the Nordic countries, fearing it would lead to increased tensions with Russia.
“I’m afraid that NATO membership will increase actually the tensions in the Baltic Sea region and also will increase the tensions in Finland, especially regarding the eastern border,” Veronika Honkasalo, one of the few members of Finland’s parliament who doesn’t believe the country should join, told ABC News.
Furthermore, there are concerns that Sweden and Finland could be vulnerable to Russian attacks during the application process, though State Department spokesperson Ned Price moved to reassure both countries last week, saying: “I am certain that we will find ways to address concerns they may have regarding the period between the potential application and the final ratification.”
However, polling reported in both countries appears to show a significant majority are in favor of NATO membership.
“[Putin] has for years said Finland and Sweden joining is a red line,” Charly Salonius-Pasternak, lead researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, told ABC News. “He’s managed to drive both Finland and Sweden towards NATO. So I think a massive miscalculation for him, but I think a positive thing for the rest of Europe.”
“It’s very clearly the population that changed its opinion in, say, six months, radically so,” he said, adding that the shift in public opinion had a snowball effect into Sweden, as fears grew about what could happen without the umbrella protection of NATO membership as the war in Ukraine continued.
“Now Russia has gone so far that joining NATO seems to be the only genuine solution here,” he said.
Cindy Ord/MG22/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
After announcing their engagement in October, Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian are reportedly married.
TMZ reports the Blink-182 drummer and Kardashian tied the knot in Santa Barbara, California. Photos snapped at the event show Barker suited up in a tuxedo and the reality star in a white mini dress and veil as the two stand in front of a convertible with a “Just Married” sign attached to the back.
TMZ says the two legally married on the steps of a downtown courthouse. Aside from a few bodyguards, guests were sparse. The outlet adds there were people on hand to steer spectators away from the event.
This is the second ceremony for the couple, and it won’t be the last. Last month, the two crashed a Vegas wedding chapel and and exchanged vows in front of an Elvis impersonator, but later reports were that the ceremony wasn’t official. While this latest ceremony apparently is legitimate, TMZ says Travis and Kourtney are going to fly across the pond and throw a much larger and lavish ceremony in Italy.
The Kardashians star first announced her engagement in October, sharing two ultra-romantic images to Instagram captioned “forever.” The snaps showed them cozying up on the beach while surrounded by a sea of red roses and flickering white candles.
Kourtney, 43, and Barker, 46, were first romantically linked in 2019, but the pair insisted they were just good friends. The two went Instagram official in February 2021.
This is Barker’s third marriage. He was previously married to Melissa Kennedy from 2001 to 2002 and to Shanna Moakler from 2004 and 2008.
Machine Gun Kelly took over the Billboard Music Awards Sunday night to perform his ballad “Twin Flame,” but it was something he said between the verses that turned heads.
The rocker hinted he and fiancée Megan Fox are expecting their first child together — and declared that they’re married.
While performing on a lush green set, filled with fake trees and ferns, the singer opened his performance by announcing, “I wrote this song for my wife.” He also told her, “Happy birthday, my love.”
MGK’s powered through his love song and maintained eye contact with Fox, who was seated in the audience. Before diving into the final part of the song, he quickly announced, “And this is for our unborn child.”
The last four lines of “Twin Flame” are, “Go to sleep/ I’ll see you in my dreams/ This changes everything/ Now I have to set you free,” which gained new meaning thanks to MGK’s surprise announcement.
He finished the song by blowing a kiss to Megan, who sat in the crowd with a proud look on her face.
If Fox is indeed pregnant, it will be the couple’s first child together. Megan shares children — Noah, 9, Bohdi, 8, and Journey, 5 — with ex-husband Brian Austin Green. The rocker has one daughter from a prior relationship.
The two first sparked romance rumors in May 2020 after the Rogue actress starred in the music video for MGK’s “Bloody Valentine.” The two announced their engagement in January.
(WASHINGTON) — FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said the Food and Drug Administration is finalizing a plan to import more baby formula to the U.S. amid a nationwide baby formula shortage.
“We are moving on the product that was intended for other countries,” Califf told Good Morning America Monday. “And I anticipate that by the end of the day today, we’ll have a detailed announcement about how that’s possible.”
“Remember that the instructions need to be in a language that can be understood by mothers and caregivers that are putting the formula together for these infants and also, we have to be able to test the formula to make sure that the 30 required constituents are actually there in the right amounts,” he added.
Federal regulations require baby formula to include 30 nutrients in various amounts, such as vitamins A, D and E, as well as protein and fat.
The makeup of baby formula is crucial since having too many or not enough nutrients can harm a baby and lead to serious health consequences.
Califf warned parents and caregivers not to try making homemade formula as a substitute for formula.
“That’s a very bad idea, because formula, as I said, has 30 constituents and have to be there in the right amount,” the commissioner said. “Ten of which, if they’re there too much, if there’s too much of that constituent, can be dangerous. So formula for infants is a total substitute for breast milk … so we need the infant formula. It’s critical for so many families but it’s got to be the right stuff.”
The FDA is also working closely with domestic baby formula manufacturers, according to Califf.
“We’re working really closely with Abbott and I expect in a very short period of time, we’re gonna have an announcement about the path forward. I think we figured out what to do,” Califf told GMA. “Abbott’s recently indicated that in as short as two weeks, they can be in action and begin to do their part and getting supply back on the shelves. Of course, it takes longer to get in full motion.”
Last week, Abbott, one of the country’s largest baby formula producers, said that pending FDA approval, it would restart their plant in Sturgis, Michigan, a facility that makes many specialized formulas, including EleCare and Alimentum hypoallergenic baby formula products. A recall in February led to the facility’s temporary shutdown after concerns linked the plant to a bacterial outbreak.
On average, nationwide, 40% of baby formula is out of stock and states like South Dakota and Missouri have seen 50% out of stock, according to data firm Datasembly. The crisis has hit families of children with allergies and health conditions more acutely.
Amy Dolan, of Flanders, New Jersey, has a son, Connor, who needs specialized formula.
Connor has a milk protein allergy and his parents have been searching high and low for the specific baby formula he relies on.
“We’ve been actively looking all the time. Every night, we lay in bed and we’re checking what websites we can find and how much it’s gonna cost,” Dolan told GMA. “People saw it as an opportunity to buy all this formula and, you know, price gouging parents who will pay anything.”
We might know the date when She-Hulk, starring Tatiana Maslany, arrives on the Disney+. The streaming service’s U.K. site revealed in a blog post — before quickly deleting it — that the Marvel series arrives August 17, says Collider. The blog post also shared a new synopsis of the series, which read, “This new comedy series sees Bruce Banner help his cousin, Jennifer Walters, when she needs an emergency blood transfusion and guess what? She receives his powers too.” The series also sees Mark Ruffalo reprising his role as Bruce Banner/The Hulk and stars Tim Roth as The Abomination. Marvel is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News…
Stephen Colbert will make his grand return to The Late Show after experiencing “symptoms consistent with a recurrence of COVID.” On Sunday, Colbert announced on Twitter, “I’m footloose and Covid free! See you tomorrow.” The Late Show‘s Twitter revealed there will be “all-new shows this week” and Monday’s guests will be Former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and comedian Judd Apatow. The Late Show airs weekdays at 11:35 p.m. ET on CBS…
David Tennant and Catherine Tate are heading back to Doctor Who to mark the series’ 60th anniversary, reports the BBC. Tennant famously played the show’s 10th Doctor and Tate originated the role of Donna Noble, which she played from 2006 until 2010. Tennant’s Doctor tragically parted ways with Tate’s Donna after wiping her memories to save her life. It is not revealed what brings them together again, but showrunner Russell T. Davies teased of their reunion, “The only thing I can confirm is that it’s going to be spectacular, as two of our greatest stars reunite for the battle of a lifetime.”…
Steve Martin crashed Only Murders in the Building co-star Selena Gomez’s Saturday Night Live hosting debut. He appeared in the skit “Inventor Documentary,” which parodies the invention of the whoopie cushion, which has Martin playing so-called inventor Archie Gizmo. The skit is about Giz discovering what sound works best for his invention, with rejected sounds being a doorbell and cow moo, before he meets Aidy Bryant‘s Dina Beans, who farted every time she sat. Her bad luck also inspired Giz to create other joke devices, like snakes in a can, googly-eyed slinky glasses and the hand buzzer…
Selena Gomez crushed her hosting debut on Saturday Night Live, which saw her flexing her Miley Cyrus impression and leading the audience into an impromptu sing-along to the Barney theme song.
Selena threw some love to her Only Murders in the Building co-stars Martin Short and Steve Martin in her opening monologue, joking that she sought the veteran comedians’ advice on how to knock her hosting debut out of the park.
“Steve said, ‘Trust no one,’ and Marty said, ‘I think Steve Martin has been using my credit card,'” she joked. Selena also turned to pal Miley, whom she said was one of her “oldest friends.”
Whipping out a spot-on impression, Selena said Miley told her, “Just be yourself and have fun.” She continued, “I was like, ‘Miley, is that just an excuse for me to do an impression of you on the show?’ And she was like, ‘Hell yeah, I’m Miley Cyrus.'”
Selena also used her monologue as an open casting call for her next significant other because, as she said, “I’ve heard SNL is a great place to find romance.”
“I just want to put it out into the universe that I’m manifesting love. I would like to say that I’m looking for my soulmate, but at this point I will take anyone,” she told the crowd, which led to Kyle Mooney, James AustinJohnson and Punkie Johnson shooting their shot with her.
Selena ended her monologue by leading the audience into a singalong of the Barney theme song.
Post Malone served as the night’s musical guest, performed his song “Cooped Up” and debuting the song “Love/Hate Letter to Alcohol,” which will be featured on his forthcoming album, Twelve Carat Toothache.
Its global earnings now surpass $688 million, further cementing it as one of the highest-grossing movies of the pandemic. However, its domestic earnings took a 67% tumble from its $185 million debut.
The animated comedy The Bad Guys stole an additional $6.9 million in its fourth week in theaters and earned a second-place finish. Coming in third was another animated movie, Sonic The Hedgehog 2, with $4.6 million.
Marking its debut in theaters with an anemic $3.8 million was Firestarter, bowing in fourth place. It should be noted the Zac Efron-led film is also simultaneously streaming on the NBC streaming service Peacock.
The Michelle Yeoh-starring Everything Everywhere All at Once continued to perform well as word of mouth spreads, earning another $3.3 million in its eighth weeks in theaters.
(NEW YORK) — Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” into neighboring Ukraine began on Feb. 24, with Russian forces invading from Belarus, to the north, and Russia, to the east. Ukrainian troops have offered “stiff resistance,” according to U.S. officials.
The Russian military has since launched a full-scale ground offensive in eastern Ukraine’s disputed Donbas region, attempting to capture the strategic port city of Mariupol to secure a coastal corridor to the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
May 15, 3:45 pm
Video shows bright-burning munitions falling on Azovstal steel plant
A video released Sunday by a pro-Russian separatist commander showed a shower of bright-burning munitions cascading down on the Azovstal steel plant in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, where a few hundred Ukrainian fighters remain holed up weeks after the city fell into the hands of Russian forces.
The video shows projectiles bursting into showers of burning matter which then explode on contact with the ground or buildings.
ABC News has not been able to verify the authenticity of the video. Reuters was able to verify the location of the aerial footage to the Azovstal steel plant, but was not able to confirm the date and time the video was taken.
The footage was posted on Telegram by Alexander Khodakovsky, a commander of the pro-Russian self-proclaimed Republic of Donetsk.
“If you didn’t know what it is and for what purpose — you could say that it’s even beautiful,” Khodakovsky said in a message that accompanied the video.
It was not immediately clear what type of munitions were seen in the video.
Khodakovsky could not be reached for comment.
Ukrainian military officials said there was no letup on Sunday in Russia’s bombardment of the steel works plant.
May 15, 3:09 pm
Sweden’s ruling party supports a NATO bid
Sweden’s ruling Social Democratic party announced Sunday that its board has decided to support the historically neutral country’s bid to join NATO.
The party said it will now work to advance Sweden’s application for membership to NATO.
If the application is approved by NATO, the Social Democratic Party said it will express unilateral reservations against the deployment of nuclear weapons and permanent bases on Swedish territory.
“We Social Democrats believe that the best for Sweden’s and the Swedish people’s security is that we join NATO,” Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said at a news conference Sunday. “This is a decision that was taken after careful deliberations. A position in favor of NATO means that we are prepared to abandon a security policy that Sweden has had in different forms over 200 years.”
Andersson added, “For us Social Democrats it is clear that the military non-alignment has served Sweden well, but our conclusion is that it won’t serve us as well in the future.”
Leaders of Finland, another historically neutral Nordic country, also announced on Sunday that it will also apply for NATO membership.
Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
(BUFFALO, N.Y.) — Payton Gendron, the alleged gunman who shot fatally 10 people in Buffalo, New York, on Saturday, would have continued his rampage if he had not been stopped, Buffalo Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia told ABC News.
“We have uncovered information that if he escaped the [Tops] supermarket, he had plans to continue his attack,” Gramaglia said. “He had plans to continue driving down Jefferson Ave to shoot more black people … possibly go to another store [or] location.”
Gendron, wearing military fatigues, body armor and a tactical helmet, allegedly shot four people in the parking lot of a Tops supermarket around 2:30 p.m. Saturday, three fatally. He proceeded inside the store where he was confronted by a retired Buffalo police officer working security, police said. The gunman then proceeded to shoot nine more people inside the store, police said.
All 10 victims who died in the attack were Black — six females and four males ranging in age from 32 to 86, law enforcement officials said. One of the wounded victims was Black while the two others were white, officials said.
The three survivors were hospitalized with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, authorities said. Four of the shooting victims were store employees; the others were customers.
