Maximilian Clarke/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
(LONDON) — Tens of thousands of civilians could be dead in Mariupol, the city’s mayor said, as analysts warn that Russia is regrouping for a renewed assault on eastern Ukraine.
While there is no confirmed number of casualties, Vadym Boychenko, the mayor of Mariupol, suggested in an interview that the number of dead could be well over 10,000 in the coastal town, the site of some of the worst bombardment since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began.
Russian airstrikes have battered the southeastern city over the past few weeks targeting all kinds of buildings, including a theatre housing those seeking refuge, a maternity hospital and an art school. Officials say that over 80 percent of the city is destroyed.
With the city almost completely cut off from the outside world, it has been difficult for the authorities to verify atrocities alleged to have been committed on the ground, including claims made Monday by the Azov battalion, a far-right group now part of the Ukrainian National Guard, that Russia may have used chemical weapons against the Ukrainian forces in the city.
The claims could not be independently verified by ABC News.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office and the country’s ministry of defense said they are investigating the claims.
“We are currently confirming this information, trying to understand what it was. According to preliminary information, we can say that it is possible– that it was, rather, a phosphorous munition. Official information will be finalized later,” Deputy Minister of Defence Hanna Maliar said during a national news broadcast.
A spokesman for Russian-backed separatists, Eduard Basurin, was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying Tuesday that they “haven’t used any chemical weapons in Mariupol.”
But on the eve of the alleged attack, Basurin made the case on Russian TV that his forces should use chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops to “smoke them out.”
Late on Monday, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby issued a statement saying that the use of a substance cannot be confirmed, but expressed concerns about Russia’s potential use of “riot control agents including tear gas mixed with chemical agents.”
“We are aware of social media reports which claim Russian forces deployed a potential chemical munition in Mariupol, Ukraine. We cannot confirm at this time and will continue to monitor the situation closely. These reports, if true, are deeply concerning and reflective of concerns that we have had about Russia’s potential to use a variety of riot control agents, including tear gas mixed with chemical agents, in Ukraine,” the statement reads.
Britain’s armed forces minister said on Tuesday that should Russia resort to the use of chemical weapons in the eastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol, “all possible options are on the table in terms of how the West might respond” in response to the speculation, saying the reports had not been verified.
Whether or not phosphorous is considered a chemical weapon is a topic of debate among militaries and governments.
Although phosphorus is not classified as a chemical weapon under the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Geneva Convention forbids its use as an incendiary weapon in civilian areas.
Amidst the reports of Russia regrouping behind its own borders, the British Ministry of Defense warned today that the fighting is set to intensify over the next two-three weeks with a renewed assault.
“Fighting in eastern Ukraine will intensify over the next two to three weeks as Russia continues to refocus its efforts there,” the U.K.’s ministry of defense stated in a tweet.
“Russian attacks remain focused on Ukrainian positions near Donetsk and Luhansk with further fighting around Kherson and Mykolaiv and a renewed push towards Kramatorsk. Russian forces continue to withdraw from Belarus in order to redeploy in support of operations in eastern Ukraine,” the post added.
(NEW YORK) — Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” into neighboring Ukraine began on Feb. 24, with Russian troops invading from Belarus, to the north, and Russia, to the east. Russian forces have since been met with “stiff resistance” from Ukrainians, according to U.S. officials.
In recent days, Russian forces have retreated from northern Ukraine, leaving behind a trail of death and destruction. After graphic images emerged of civilians lying dead in the streets of Bucha, a town northwest of Kyiv, the United States and European countries accused Russia of committing war crimes.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Apr 12, 9:28 pm
White House could announce up to $750M in new Ukrainian military aid, official says
The Biden administration could announce as early as Wednesday upward of $750 million in additional military assistance to Ukraine, a U.S. official told ABC News.
The new assistance could possibly include a range of military hardware — including howitzers, artillery and Humvees — though the full package still needs to be finalized, the official said.
Apr 12, 6:48 pm
Biden uses ‘genocide’ for first time regarding Ukraine
President Joe Biden used the word “genocide” for the first time to describe Russia’s actions in Ukraine during remarks on Tuesday.
“Your family budget, your ability to fill up your tank — none of it should on hinge on whether a dictator declares war and commits genocide half a world away,” Biden said in Menlo, Iowa, during remarks primarily about the U.S. economy.
Biden was asked by reporters on April 4 if he thought the atrocities in Bucha were a genocide, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had claimed. “No, I think it is a war crime,” Biden responded then.
That same day, Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said the administration had not yet seen the “systematic deprivation of life” necessary to meet the definition of genocide.
Biden confirmed his word choice to the White House pool Tuesday evening before boarding Air Force One, saying that since last week the “evidence is mounting.”
“Yes, I called it genocide,” Biden said. “Because it has become clearer and clearer that Putin is just trying to wipe out the idea of even being able to be a Ukrainian.”
He then qualified that the determination of genocide is officially up to legal experts, but that “it sure seems that way to me.”
-ABC News’ Sarah Kolinovsky
Apr 12, 6:42 pm
White House could announce up to $750M in new Ukrainian military aid, official says
The Biden administration could announce as early as Wednesday upward of $750 million in additional military assistance to Ukraine, a U.S. official told ABC News.
The new assistance could possibly include a range of military hardware — including howitzers, artillery, Humvees and Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters originally intended for Afghanistan’s military — though the full package still needs to be finalized, the official said.
-ABC News’ Luis Martinez
Apr 12, 5:56 pm
Biden uses ‘genocide’ for first time regarding Ukraine
President Joe Biden used the word “genocide” for the first time to describe Russia’s actions in Ukraine during remarks on Tuesday.
“Your family budget, your ability to fill up your tank — none of it should on hinge on whether a dictator declares war and commits genocide half a world away,” Biden said in Menlo, Iowa, during remarks primarily about the U.S. economy.
Biden was asked by reporters on April 4 if he thought the atrocities in Bucha were a genocide, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had claimed. “No, I think it is a war crime,” Biden responded then.
That same day, Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said the administration had not yet seen the “systematic deprivation of life” necessary to meet the definition of genocide.
It is unclear if Biden’s latest remarks were an ad-lib or represent an intentional shift in the White House’s position.
-ABC News’ Sarah Kolinovsky
Apr 12, 5:34 pm
US State Department condemns arrest of Russian opposition activist
The U.S. State Department is condemning the arrest in Russia of Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian opposition activist and critic of the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Kara-Murza’s arrest on Monday is another example of a Russian government “that is more aggressive beyond its borders and more oppressive within its borders.”
He condemned Kara-Murza’s arrest, noting that the activist has previously been arrested by Russian authorities and that he has survived two poisoning incidents.
“The Russian people — and this is the key point — like people everywhere, have the right to speak freely, to form peaceful associations, to exercise their freedom of expression and to have their voices heard through free and fair elections,” Price said.
Kara-Murza, a Washington Post columnist who has testified before Congress, survived poisoning incidents in 2015 and in 2017. At the time of his second poisoning, Kara-Murza’s wife, Evgenia Kara-Murza, gave an exclusive interview to ABC News in which she pleaded for then-President Donald Trump to support her husband and warned that Putin “cannot be dealt with on friendly terms.”
Following her husband’s arrest this week, Evgenia Kara-Murza posted a message on Twitter calling attention to her husband’s arrest.
“Twice have the Russian authorities tried to kill my husband for advocating for sanctions against thieves and murderers, and now they want to throw him in prison for calling their bloody war a WAR. I demand my husband’s immediate release!” Evgenia Kara-Murza, who lives in the Washington, D.C., area, tweeted.
-ABC News’ Conor Finnegan
Apr 12, 4:04 pm
Pro-Russian oligarch captured in Ukraine: Zelenskyy
Viktor Medvedchuk, a pro-Russian oligarch and personal friend of Vladimir Putin, has been captured in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy posted a photo on his official Telegram account of the captured Medvedchuk in handcuffs and wearing military fatigues.
The photo was accompanied by a caption praising the Security Service of Ukraine’s “special operation” that led to Medvedchuk’s capture. “Well done! Details later. Glory to Ukraine,” the caption reads.
Medvedchuk is a pro-Russian Ukrainian politician and leader of Ukraine’s Opposition Platform.
In May 2021, Ukraine indicted Medvedchuk on charges of treason and attempting to steal natural resources from Russia-annexed Crimea. He was initially placed under house arrest in Ukraine but escaped just days after the Russian invasion began on Feb. 24.
Medvedchuk’s detention was also confirmed by Ukraine’s Security Service on their official Facebook page. The agency said Medvedchuk was wearing a uniform from the Ukrainian armed forces to disguise himself.
Medvedchuk is a business oligarch in Ukraine with very close ties to Putin. The Ukrainian National News Agency reported that Putin is the godfather of one of Medvedchuk’s daughters.
Apr 12, 2:34 pm
Biden, British prime minister discuss more Ukraine assistance
President Joe Biden spoke with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson by phone Tuesday about the need to accelerate military and economic assistance to Ukraine, according to a spokesperson for Johnson.
“The Prime Minister updated President Biden on his recent visit to Kyiv, and said he had been humbled by President Zelenskyy’s strength and resolve,” the spokesperson said.
The leaders discussed the need to accelerate assistance to Ukraine, including bolstering military and economic support as Ukrainian forces prepare for another Russian onslaught in the east of the country.
“The prime minister paid tribute to the U.S.’ colossal military contribution to Ukraine, and updated on the U.K.’s new package of support, including anti-ship missiles and military vehicles, which would arrive in the coming days and weeks,” the spokesperson said. “Both leaders were clear that Putin would never be able to hold down the spirit of the Ukrainian people, despite his monstrous attempts.”
The most recent $800 million U.S. military aid package for Ukraine has mostly been delivered and will be completed in the coming days, a U.S. defense official said Tuesday.
“Yesterday, two U.S. flights arrived in the region with everything from small-arms ammunition, machine guns, body armor, grenades and other explosives,” the official said.
So far, the United States has sent 19 out of an expected 20 flights needed to deliver the $800 million package.
Johnson, according to his spokesperson, told Biden that a long-term commitment to Ukraine was needed from the international community to ensure the Ukrainian people’s vision for their country’s freedom can be realized.
“The pair also agreed to continue joint efforts to ratchet up the economic pressure on Putin and decisively end Western reliance on Russian oil and gas,” Johnson’s spokesperson said.
-ABC News’ Matt Seyler
Apr 12, 1:44 pm
403 bodies recovered in Bucha: Mayor
In a televised announcement on Tuesday, Anatoliy Fedoruk, the mayor of Bucha, Ukraine, said that the bodies of 403 people presumably killed by Russian forces have been recovered in his city and that he expects the number to rise.
Fedoruk said 16 residents of Bucha remain unaccounted for and are presumed dead.
He said 163 of the 403 bodies recovered have been identified.
Fedoruk alleged last week that nearly all of those killed in Bucha are civilians.
Surviving residents of the besieged town told an ABC News crew in Bucha last week that Russian troops allegedly tortured people before killing them and executed many men under the age of 50.
When ABC News arrived in Bucha on Tuesday, bodies still lay in the streets.
Russia has denied committing atrocities in Ukraine and said it is not targeting civilians.
-ABC News’ Christine Theodorou
Apr 12, 1:10 pm
US concerned Russia could disguise chemical weapons: Official
A senior U.S. defense official said Tuesday that the United States cannot confirm whether Russia used chemical agents in Mariupol or elsewhere in Ukraine but that the Pentagon is concerned Russian forces could disguise such attacks.
The Department of Defense has seen evidence Russia has considered disguising the use of chemical weapons by making them appear to be more benign riot control agents, the official said.
“In the past we’ve had indications that that could be one thing that the Russians look at is the potential mixing of agents with the idea that they could disguise a more serious attack by using the vehicle and the techniques of riot control agents,” the official said.
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby released a similar statement Monday night to address social media reports claiming Russia used a chemical weapon in Mariupol.
“These reports, if true, are deeply concerning and reflective of concerns that we have had about Russia’s potential to use a variety of riot control agents, including tear gas mixed with chemical agents, in Ukraine,” Kirby said.
-ABC News’ Matt Seyler
Apr 12, 12:42 pm
Blinken meets with UN refugee chief amid Ukraine crisis
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was meeting Tuesday morning with U.N. refugee agency chief Filippo Grandi amid the crisis in Ukraine and other upheavals that have displaced people around the globe.
“We’ve only seen that challenge increase and, of course, Ukraine is now added to the mix with Russian aggression displacing, within Ukraine or outside of Ukraine, two-thirds of the children in that country, as well as, of course, many, many adults,” Blinken said while sitting across the table from Grandi.
There are some 95 million people displaced across the globe, with the number of refugees alone larger than the populations of Spain or South Korea, Blinken said.
Blinken added the United States is “grateful” for the work the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees is doing to meet the needs of refugees. He said the United States is working with the agency to both resettle refugees in the United States and care for refugee populations overseas.
Grandi praised the United States for being the largest donor and the largest resettlement country for refugees.
But weeks after the Biden administration said it would admit up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, Grandi said the White House has released no details about how the United States will do that.
“This figure that he (Blinken) mentioned — 95 million — maybe 96 million by today, who knows?” Grandi said, adding that the number of refugees had gone up by 12 million in less than two months with the crisis in Ukraine.
Grandi noted other crises from Afghanistan to Africa and Venezuela that have displaced people and said of Russia’s war in Ukraine, “That crisis should not make us forget everything else.”
-ABC News Conor Finnegan
Apr 12, 8:59 am
Putin calls Russia’s objectives in Ukraine ‘noble’
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that his country’s “special military operation” in Ukraine would undoubtedly achieve its “noble” objectives.”
“On the one hand, we are helping and saving people, and on the other, we are simply taking measures to ensure the security of Russia itself,” Putin said, according to Russian news agencies. “It’s clear that we didn’t have a choice. It was the right decision.”
Putin made the comments while visiting the Vostochny Cosmodrome, a Russian spaceport in the Amur Oblast in the Russian Far East, to mark Russia’s annual Cosmonautics Day.
He was joined by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. The two leaders held talks on bilateral relations and the situation in Ukraine, without the participation of Russian or Ukrainian delegations.
Apr 12, 8:07 am
Nine humanitarian corridors to open in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday
Nine humanitarian corridors are expected to open in eastern Ukraine again on Tuesday to allow civilians escape heavy fighting, according to Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk.
She said in a statement via social media Tuesday that evacuation routes were agreed upon for those traveling by private cars from besieged Mariupol in the Donetsk Oblast, as well as from Berdyansk, Tokmak and Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast — all of which lead to the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia.
In the Luhansk Oblast, Vereshchuk said routes were established from the cities of Severodonetsk, Lysychansk, Popasna, Hirske and Rubizhne, leading to the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk Oblast.
The same routes were opened Monday, allowing a total of 4,354 people to evacuate via buses and private cars, according to Vereshchuk. However, Vereshchuk said buses carrying people from Berdyansk, Tokmak and Enerhodar to Zaporizhzhia city were being held up by Russian forces at a checkpoint in Vasylivka for a third day in a row.
Apr 12, 7:26 am
Ukraine investigating alleged chemical attack in Mariupol
Ukraine announced Tuesday it is investigating claims that chemical weapons were used in an attack against Ukrainian soldiers in besieged Mariupol.
The Azov Regiment, a far-right group now part of the Ukrainian National Guard, alleged in a statement via Telegram on Monday that a Russian drone had dropped “a poisonous substance of unknown origin” on its fighters defending a giant metals plant in Mariupol, a southeastern port city in Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast that has been subjected to heavy bombardment since the Russian invasion began on Feb. 24. The Azov, which did not provide evidence of the alleged attack, said its fighters had suffered minor injuries.
The claims could not be independently verified by ABC News.
Eduard Basurin, a spokesperson for Russia-backed separatist forces in Donetsk Oblast, denied the allegations, telling Russian news agency Interfax that separatist forces “haven’t used any chemical weapons in Mariupol.” However, on the eve of the alleged attack, Basurin appeared to urge their use, telling Russian state media that Russia-backed forces should seize the Mariupol metals plant from Ukrainian soldiers by blocking all the exits and using “chemical troops to smoke them out.”
Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said Tuesday the government is investigating the claims, adding that preliminary information suggested phosphorous munition had been used.
When deployed as a weapon, phosphorus can inflict excruciating burns and lead to infection, shock and organ failure. Although phosphorus is not classified as a chemical weapon under the Chemical Weapons Convention, its use as an incendiary weapon in civilian areas is forbidden under the Geneva Conventions.
The United Kingdom is “working urgently” to investigate the reports, according to U.K. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who noted that any confirmed use of chemical weapons in Mariupol would be a “callous escalation” of the war.
U.K. Armed Forces Minister James Heappey told Sky News on Tuesday that “all options are on the table in terms of how the West might respond.”
Meanwhile, the United States said it was “aware” of the reports.
“We cannot confirm at this time and will continue to monitor the situation closely,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a statement Monday. “These reports, if true, are deeply concerning and reflective of concerns that we have had about Russia’s potential to use a variety of riot control agents, including tear gas mixed with chemical agents, in Ukraine.”
(LONDON) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was fined in connection with the police investigation into illegal parties and gatherings held at his residence and other government premises during coronavirus-induced lockdowns, Downing Street confirmed Tuesday.
Johnson is the first sitting prime minister in U.K.’s history to have broken the law while in office.
Johnson, his wife, Carrie, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak have all been handed fines in connection with a host of lockdown breaches reported last year. Details as to how much the fines were worth, or which gatherings they were issued in connection with, were scant.
“The Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer have today received notification that the Metropolitan Police intend to issue them with fixed penalty notices,” a Downing Street spokesperson said in a statement. “We have no further details, but we will update you again when we do.”
The investigation into a number of events held at Downing Street by the prime minister’s staff while the country was under lockdown conditions dominated headlines earlier this year. U.K.’s Metropolitan Police Service announced it was investigating at least eight gatherings, and they were currently examining over 500 documents and 300 images provided to them by a separate, internal investigation led by top civil servant, Sue Gray.
A number of gatherings during lockdown took place at government residences, including a Christmas event, two leaving parties for departing staff and a summer gathering in the Downing Street garden, where up to 100 staffers were invited to bring their own alcoholic drinks. The Prime Minister has previously denied any wrongdoing, though recieved backlash for saying he believed that one of the gatherings, where pictures were leaked to the press of staff drinking alcohol, was a “work event.”
The announcement that Johnson and Sunak are to be issued with fixed penalty notices — fines which must be paid to avert criminal proceedings — came a day after the Metropolitan Police announced an update to their investigation, saying at least 50 people have been fined so far.
Though media attention soon turned to the prime minister’s handling of the crisis in Ukraine, where he has taken a strong line against Russia and was recently pictured with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, the announcement of the fines has led to fresh calls for his resignation.
While Parliament is in recess, the leader of the opposition Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer, has already called for both Johnson and Sunak to resign.
“Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have broken the law and repeatedly lied to the British public,” he posted on Twitter. “They must both resign. The Conservatives are totally unfit to govern. Britain deserves better.”
(NEW YORK) — An American family living in Poland is doing what it can to help Ukrainian refugees in need amid the war.
In February, OT and Julie Benson and five of their eight kids moved from the Detroit suburbs to Krakow, Poland, looking for an adventure. But nearly a month after arriving in Poland, their lives changed instantly when Russia invaded Ukraine.
The couple told ABC News’ Good Morning America that they couldn’t turn a blind eye.
“When you’re staring [at] refugees who have been traveling for many days, and they have nothing but the clothes on their backs, you don’t really make a plan, you just say yes, and I’ll figure it out,” OT Benson said.
It was at a church during those first few days of the war when OT decided to heed the Bishop’s call to house Ukrainian refugees in his own home.
Over the past four weeks, the Benson’s house has been a home for at least nine families — some staying the night, others for weeks. At one point, OT and Julie packed the house with 21 people.
“Our job is trying to make them feel safe,” Julie Benson said. “Make them feel like they’re with us, that they are like at their home. So that’s what we’re trying to do. And every day see them happy, smiling — I think that is the best reward.”
The couple’s daughter, Leo, said she was nervous at first living in a full house, but she said welcoming their home to those in need was humbling.
“We had our first group of people stay with us, and they were so amazing and so kind and genuine,” Leo Benson said. “It was really humbling to see them. I don’t even know how I can express it into better words. I just love them so much.”
“This family is great,” Oksana Tymchenko told GMA of the Bensons. Oksana is staying with the family with her three daughters, but her husband had to stay and fight in Ukraine. She said her daughters miss their dad, but living with the Bensons has helped keep their spirits up.
“I’d never expected they’d receive us like that,” Tymchenko said. “Like their own children. We don’t even have a language barrier — they understand us, we understand them.”
The Bensons said hosting refugees has shown how the war has impacted families like Oksana’s.
“We had boys that would be here like in the backyard playing and they would see a plane fly over and react in very scary ways screaming,” OT Benson said. “The other kids would say, ‘Rocket, rocket’ — it looks like something they saw a few weeks ago.”
While the Bensons and the families who stay with them are still learning to adapt, the Bensons said they are also learning from their own kids, who they said are also changing from the experience too.
“I would say certainly when living in the U.S., you feel disconnected with this kind of thing. Think they come quickly to the realization that this is a different place, a different time, and it makes you grow up a lot faster,” OT Benson said. “Which for me as a dad I’m glad that they can do that, that they can see that and I want them to understand what it means to serve others and help others.”
(NEW YORK) — The New York City Police Department has announced a person of interest in connection with Tuesday morning’s subway shooting in Brooklyn.
Investigators said they are looking for Frank James and released a photo of the person, asking the public to call NYPD Crime Stoppers with any information on his current whereabouts.
This is Frank James who is a person of interest in this investigation. Any information can be directed to @NYPDTips at 800-577-TIPS. pic.twitter.com/yBpenmsX67
A gunman donned a gas mask, detonated a smoke canister and opened fire on a New York City subway train Tuesday morning, shooting 10 people and sparking panic during the rush-hour commute. The suspect fired 33 times, according to police.
Twenty-nine victims went to Brooklyn hospitals with various injuries. Five people were critically injured and have since stabilized, according to a fire department official.
Police described the gunman, who is still on the run, as an “active shooter.” The bloodshed comes amid a surge in crime on New York City’s transit system.
The shooting, reported just before 8:30 a.m. local time, erupted on a Manhattan-bound N subway car as it approached the 36th Street subway station in Sunset Park in Brooklyn, New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said at a news conference.
According to a police official, the suspect was seen mumbling before he put on the gas mask, released a smoke canister commonly bought online and opened fire with a .380 caliber handgun.
The gun jammed during the incident, according to a police official.
Investigators recovered the gun, three extended magazines, a hatchet, gasoline, four smoke grenades and a bag of consumer-grade fireworks, according to police. The gun was not stolen, police said.
A credit card was also recovered from the scene and investigators said the card was used to rent a U-Haul, according to a police source. Keys to the vehicle were also found in the shooter’s possession, according to police.
Investigators located the vehicle in Gravesend, Brooklyn, on Tuesday afternoon, roughly five miles southeast of the subway station and were investigating to determine if it has any connection to the suspect, according to the police.
Police later said James rented the van in Philadelphia. There is a $50,000 reward for information that leads to his wherabouts.
The NYPD said it is still piecing together clues about the suspected shooter.
“At this time, we still do not know the suspect’s motivation. Clearly this individual boarded the train and was intent on violence,” police commissioner Keechant Sewell said at an evening press conference.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams told New York station WABC that police are working on getting as much evidence and clues from the vehicle as they can.
“We want to make sure that all of the evidence that is gathered is going to assist us in apprehending this person. We must make sure that we have it protected correctly so that we can convict this person for,” he said.
There were no working cameras in the 36th Street station, according to a police official. The cameras, which are aimed at the turnstiles, didn’t transmit in real-time due to a glitch computer malfunction, a source said. The same glitch impacted cameras at the stops before and after 36th Street.
Investigators are looking into how this malfunction happened.
But police were able to get an image of the suspect from a bystander’s cellphone video, a law enforcement official told ABC News.
Yav Montano, 24, was on the train when he said the whole car filled with smoke.
“It was hard to breathe, it was hard to see. It was hard to hear or pay attention to what was going on with the chaos that was happening,” he said.
“I didn’t see anything because the smoke in the train was so thick. I couldn’t even see halfway down the length of the train car,” he added.
“After the smoke went on, there was a bunch of popping, which I thought at first was firecrackers,” he went on. “I ducked behind a chair to protect myself.”
From a crouching position on the floor, Montano said, “I saw a lot of blood on the floor. Too much blood.”
Montano said the doors opened at 36th Street about three to four minutes later. “As soon as the doors opened, everyone started to pour out and run,” he recalled.
Multiple smoke devices and a bag of commercial-grade fireworks have been recovered, according to a law enforcement official.
Sewell said there are no known explosives on subways and a motive is still unknown.
After initially saying the shooting was not being investigated as an act of terrorism, Sewell later said police are “not ruling anything out.”
Sewell described the suspect as a man wearing a green construction-type vest and a gray-hooded sweatshirt. The suspect has a “heavy build” and is believed to be about 5 feet 5 inches tall, Sewell said.
A man who works in a bodega outside the subway told ABC New York station WABC about 10 to 15 people ran to his store for safety.
“It was horrifying,” he said.
“I saw three or four people with gunshot wounds to their legs. They just fell to floor before the cops came…They just stayed here for a couple of minutes before the coast was clear,” he said. “Everyone was terrified, I was terrified.”
A senior federal law enforcement source told ABC News authorities are concerned this shooting showed a level of planning and commitment to kill scores of commuters during rush hour. The source said it is too early to know if the suspect acted alone.
President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Attorney General Merrick Garland and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas have been briefed on the situation, the White House said.
President Joe Biden said Tuesday afternoon that he’s “praying for those that are injured and all those touched by that trauma.”
“And we’re grateful for all the first responders … including civilians, who didn’t hesitate to help their fellow passengers,” Biden said.
Freelance photographer Derek French, who was on the platform when the incident took place, told ABC News how he and two other good Samaritans created makeshift tourniquets out of a jacket and applied them to the wounded.
“When I saw the pool of blood from one of the victims I essentially just snapped into first-aid mode,” French said, noting he’d previously trained with the Red Cross.
“It wasn’t a second thought, it was that I needed to do that,” he said.
The FBI is assisting and officials from the ATF are at the scene.
Later in the evening, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul visited victims who were recuperating at Maimondes Hospital
One of the victims was an 18-year-old student on the way to school, she said. The student was awaiting surgery, according to the governor.
“He seems to be doing well, and is in very good spirits, as well as his mother and grandmother who are there,” Hochul said.
The governor also said she spoke to the mother of a 16-year-old victim who had just undergone surgery.
“All she has is her son,” she added. “So I had a long, long hug with her and let her know that we send the love of all New Yorkers.”
Anyone with information, video or photos related to the shooting is urged to call 800-577-TIPS.
(NEW YORK) — Authorities in Suffolk County, New York, on Tuesday released video evidence from the unsolved Gilgo Beach murders, showing the last known surveillance of Megan Waterman, one of the victims.
Suffolk County Police also announced it is doubling the Crime Stoppers reward to $50,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in the case.
Waterman, whose remains were found along Ocean Parkway, near Gilgo Beach in 2010, was last seen at Holiday Inn Express in Hauppauge, New York, in June 2010. She had advertised escort services on Craigslist.
The remains of 10 people were found in 2010 and 2011 in the weedy sections off Ocean Parkway near Jones Beach. At the time, police said half of the identified victims worked as prostitutes.
Earlier this year, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison created the Gilgo Beach Homicide Investigation Task Force. The task force includes representatives from the FBI, New York State Police, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office.
In 2020, police released photos of a belt believed to be handled by the suspect, which did not belong to any of the victims, hoping to advance the investigation.
Authorities discovered the remains during the search for Shannan Gilbert, a sex worker from New Jersey, but she is not believed to be tied to the other deaths because she did not match the pattern of the Gilgo Beach homicides, police said in 2020.
Remains found on Dec. 11, 2010 during the search for Gilbert, were later identified as the remains of 24-year-old Melissa Barthelemy. Two days later, three more victims were found on Ocean Parkway. They were later identified as Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25; Amber Lynn Costello, 27; and Megan Waterman, 22.
All four women worked as Craigslist escorts.
The remains of another woman who worked as an escort were found on March 29, 2011, but the remains have not been identified.
On April 4, 2011, three more sets of remains were found on Ocean Parkway, which were those of a toddler, an unidentified Asian male and a third victim who was later identified as Valerie Mack.
Two more sets of remains were found a week later, one of which was discovered to be the mother of the toddler. The mother’s partial remains were first found in 1997.
Several country stars really raked in the dough in 2021.
Of the top 10 artists who made the most money in last year, Blake Shelton leads the pack by a wide margin, bringing in a whopping $83 million, according to Substack. This is mainly from his $50 million music catalogue and his earnings as a coach on the wildly popular The Voice.
Behind him is Luke Bryan, who between his gig as an American Idol judge and endorsement deals with household brands like Bayer and Jockey earned $40 million last year. Coming in third is the legend herself, Dolly Parton, who’s empire that includes perfumes, a new novel and her extensive music catalogue brought in $30 million.
The fourth highest-earning country star is Chris Stapleton, who’s top-selling albums and multiple hit songs made him about $26 million. Rounding out the top five is Florida Georgia Line, the duo of Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley, at $25 million, much of which came from the sale of their publishing catalogue last year.
Ringo Starr‘s All Starr Band has unveiled dates for a second North American tour leg this year.
The newly announced series of shows, which includes 19 dates, begins on September 23 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and runs through an October 19-20 engagement in Mexico City. After the kickoff show, the outing will stop in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and then work its way across Canada, with concerts in Michigan and Minnesota along the way.
Once on the West Coast, the trek will proceed to visit venues in Washington, Oregon, and California, wrapping up the U.S. portion on October 16 at Los Angeles’ famed Greek Theatre.
As previously reported, the first leg of the All Starr Band’s upcoming tour begins with a May 27-28 stand in Rama, Canada, and runs through a June 26 show in Clearwater, Florida. The 2022 trek is made up mostly of dates that were postponed from 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is so great to finally announce all these shows we had planned for 2020, and I am really looking forward to playing them!” Ringo says. “How great to start at Casino Rama [in Rama, Canada], where we’ve begun 5 All Starr tours, and then to go back to [New York City’s] Beacon [Theatre], and to the Greek, which was the last show we played in 2019 on our 30th Anniversary tour. I can’t wait to see all our fans and until then I’m sending everyone peace and love and see you soon!”
The All Starr Band’s current lineup features Edgar Winter, Toto guitarist Steve Lukather, Men at Work‘s Colin Hay and former Average White Band guitarist/bassist Hamish Stuart, as well as sax player/percussionist Warren Ham and drummer Gregg Bissonette.
Need Earth Day plans? Netflix has you covered with their new docuseries Our Great National Parks. Narrated and executive produced by President Barack Obama, the new series brings you up close to nature’s greatest creatures in its most iconic landscapes.
“I’d like to think that this the series speaks of the importance of wilderness everywhere and because we need it now more than ever, and it needs us,” James Honeyborne, a producer of the series, tells ABC Audio. “It’s a two way thing. It’s about our relationship with wilderness as well.”
While exploring that relationship with wilderness, they were able to capture rare footage of hippos body surfing the waves, something Honeyborne says was “so hard to get,” sharing that the crew spent a lot of time in Gabon in Africa before managing “to get the material of these big hippos going into the ocean, catching waves to actually move up and down the coast.”
After watching the docuseries you can choose which National Park is your favorite, but if you ask Honeyborne, the answer is Monterey.
For producer Sophie Todd, “Leuser National Park in Indonesia, just because it’s an incredibly beautiful rainforest where you can still see forest elephants, orangutans, tigers and rhinos in the same place.”
In addition to exploring the world’s National Parks, the producers got to work with Obama, something they agree just made sense.
“As president, he protected more natural space than any president in U.S. history in terms of area. So I mean, it’s just a natural fit, really, wasn’t it?” Todd says.
“Yeah,” Honeyborne agrees. “It felt very authentic to have him there. And it was wonderful that we were able to to have him introduce each episode because he has a connection to each location that we have filmed.”
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Tuesday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Cleveland 10, Cincinnati 5
LA Angels 4, Miami 3
St. Louis 6, Kansas City 5
Milwaukee 5, Baltimore 4
Colorado 4, Texas 1
LA Dodgers 7, Minnesota 2
Houston 2, Arizona 1
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Boston 5, Detroit 3
Chicago White Sox, 3 Seattle 2
NY Yankees 4 Toronto 0
Tampa Bay 9, Oakland 8
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Chicago Cubs 2, Pittsburgh 1
NY Mets 2, Philadelphia 0
Atlanta 16, Washington 4
San Francisco 13, San Diego 2
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Brooklyn 115, Cleveland 108
Minnesota 109, LA Clippers 104
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Buffalo 5, Toronto 2
Carolina 4, NY Rangers 2
Washington 9, Philadelphia 2
Florida 3, Anaheim 2 (OT)
St. Louis 4, Boston 2
Ottawa 4, Detroit 1
NY Islanders 5, Pittsburgh 4 (SO)
Minnesota 5, Edmonton 1
Nashville 1, San Jose 0 (OT)
Los Angeles 5, Chicago 2
Calgary 5, Seattle 3
Dallas 1, Tampa Bay 0
New Jersey 6, Arizona 2
Vancouver 5, Vegas 4 (OT)
