(ATLANTA) — The man suspected of shooting and killing a police officer in Georgia last week was found dead Tuesday night.
Police sources told WSB-TV, an ABC affiliate, that Jordan Jackson was found dead in a Clayton County apartment complex from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Tuesday night. Henry County Police Department confirmed his death on its Facebook page.
Clayton County police were tipped off to Jackson’s presence at the Chateau Forest Apartments in Riverdale at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, WSB-TV reported.
The complex was put on lockdown after investigators found Jackson’s body.
“Jordan Jackson was found hiding out with some friends in Clayton County,” the Henry County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. “After barricading himself in a room, SWAT Teams addressed the situation utilizing tactful methods which resulted in authorities being feet away from Jordan. The suspect took his own life seconds before being captured.”
On Nov. 4, Henry County police officer Paramhans Desai, 38, was responding to a domestic dispute and attempting to arrest Jackson when he was shot. Desai then fled the scene, according to police.
Desai was pronounced dead on Monday night at Grady Memorial Hospital after succumbing to his injuries, the police department said in a Facebook post. He was married with two children.
On Sunday, Georgia investigators and NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal offered a $60,000 reward for information about the suspect, who police later said was Jackson.
(NEW YORK) — Prosecutors are taking over the case of a 14-year-old New Jersey girl who has been missing for nearly a month.
Jashyah Moore, 14, was last seen around 10 a.m. on Oct. 14 at Poppie’s Deli Store in East Orange.
Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II called her disappearance “particularly troubling.”
“Our society cannot ignore the fact that a 14-year-old girl, otherwise normal in all respects as far as we can tell, would disappear without a trace on a sunny day on a central thoroughfare,” he said at a news conference Wednesday.
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office has superseded the investigation and now will be the lead agency, Stephens said, though East Orange police, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, New Jersey State Police and Orange police will continue to be involved.
“This case cries out and demands our attention,” Stephens said.
There’s still little information about the mysterious case. When asked about surveillance video, Stephens told reporters Wednesday, “There is video, and we’ve captured all that we can and will continue to go through that.”
He added that investigators “have gone through cell phones of anyone associated.”
Moore’s desperate family held a search party Tuesday night.
“Please, my daughter is 14 years old, she does not deserve this, she did not run away,” her mother, Jamie Moore, told ABC New York station WABC on Tuesday. “I love you Jashyah. If you see this, don’t be scared. Mommy is going to find you.”
(BENTON HARBOR, Mich.) — Construction has finally begun in Benton Harbor, Michigan, to replace the lead-tainted service lines that have been poisoning the predominantly Black community’s water supply for years.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer went the western Michigan city on Tuesday to visit a construction site where the first lead service lines are being replaced after the governor previously announced a commitment to remove 100% of the lead service lines in 18 months.
“I am proud of the progress we are making, and I look forward to much more,” Whitmer said in a statement. “I am confident that we can meet our goal to replace 100% of lead service lines in Benton Harbor within 18 months and utilize the $1.3 billion headed our way from the federal bipartisan infrastructure bill specifically for water to protect safe drinking water in every community.”
Whitmer said she attended a community meeting to hear “directly from people on the ground doing the work to help residents.”
“We will not rest until every parent feels confident to give their kid a glass of water, knowing that it is safe,” the governor added.
Some residents have expressed remorse that the government action and attention to the water crisis is coming too late.
Elevated levels of lead have been detected in the Benton Harbor’s water system since at least 2018, according to a Natural Resources Defense Council petition filed in September to the Environmental Protection Agency on behalf of local advocacy groups and residents.
Residents live with “significant and dangerous levels of lead contamination three years after the contamination was first discovered with no immediate solution in sight,” the petition stated, calling it an “environmental justice” issue.
Some 45% of Benton Harbor residents live in poverty and 85% are Black, according to the most-recent Census data. The crisis has also shined a harsh spotlight on the real-world impacts of the nation’s dilapidated infrastructure as lawmakers in the nation’s capital are mulling over the Biden administration’s $1 trillion “Build Back Better” infrastructure plans.
The estimated cost to replace 100% of the lead service lines in Benton Harbor is $30 million, according to Whitmer’s office. So far, state lawmakers have earmarked some $18.6 million, but a deficit of some $11.4 million remains. Whitmer has previously called on the state legislature to secure this money using the remaining federal funds sent to Michigan through the pandemic-era American Rescue Plan.
“We need to get the lead out of Benton Harbor ASAP and this funding will replace approximately 100 lead service lines right now,” Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad said in a statement Tuesday. “My focus is on protecting the residents of this great city and I look forward to 100% of the lead lines being replaced on an aggressive timeline of 18 months to make sure families have access to safe drinking water.”
Last month, Whitmer signed an executive directive that sought to use all available tools to tackle the Benton Harbor water crisis. Some of the actions the directive takes includes ensuring residents continue to have access to free bottled water until further notice (though the distribution of this water has faced some hurdles), offering free or low-cost lead-related services such as drinking water testing kits, and more.
Lead poisoning can bring a slew of detrimental health impacts, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns, including: abdominal pain, constipation, headaches, irritability, loss of appetite, pain or tingling in the hands and/or feet and weakness.
Moreover, census data from Benton Harbor further indicates that nearly 28% of the population is children under 18 years old. The CDC states on its website that lead generally affects children more than it does adults, and children tend to show signs of severe lead toxicity at lower levels than adults.
The Canadian singer has dropped her new single, “Bite Me,” her first release on Travis Barker‘s DTA Records. She’ll give the song it’s late-night TV debut tonight on CBS’ The Late Late Show with James Corden.
On the punk/pop track, Avril comes out swinging, dropping F-bombs and singing, “You should’ve known better, better to f*** with someone like me/ Hey you, forever and ever you’re gonna wish I was your wifey/ Should’ve held on, should’ve treated me right/ I gave you one chance, you don’t get it twice/ Hey you, we’ll be together never, so baby, you can bite me.”
Avril announced recently that she’d signed to the Blink-182 drummer’s label. In a statement, she notes that the first time that she and Barker worked together was 15 years ago, on her album The Best Damn Thing.
“I have really enjoyed watching him develop into the producer that he is today,” she says. “We spent a lot of time writing songs and working on this record together, and signing to his record label, DTA felt like the perfect home for me and my new music.”
Avril continues, “Travis understands my vision as a musician, my creative process as an artist, and my goals at this stage of my career. I am excited to be dropping ‘Bite Me.’ It’s an anthem about knowing your worth, what you deserve, and not giving someone a second chance who doesn’t deserve you.”
Barker, meanwhile, calls Avril is “a true bada** and an icon as a performer, songwriter, and presence,” adding, “I can’t wait for everybody to experience the incredible music she’s about to drop.”
Grillo on the “Lamborghini: The Legend” set — Daniele Venturelli/Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images
Frank Grillo has had a busy couple of months. He’s in theaters and can be seen on demand in the crime thriller Ida Red opposite Oscar winner Melissa Leo, as well as on Disney+ — in animated form — as his MCU character Brock Rumlow/Crossbones in Marvel Studios’ What If…?
The actor recently returned from Italy, where he shot the film Lamborghini: The Legend, in which he portrays the man behind the iconic supercar. He replaced Antonio Banderas in the lead role, and the Bronx, New York-born Grillo tells ABC Audio that he was thrilled to get into the driver’s seat.
“First of all, I am in Italy, all over Italy, playing Ferruccio Lamborghini, with Gabriel Byrne and Mira Sorvino,” Grillo enthuses.
“Bobby Maresco wrote the script. He won the Oscar for Crash and Million Dollar Baby. I was surrounded by Oscars, and then there was me,” he says, smiling. “And, you know, look, to go and do a biopic and play this person and have his family around, it was spectacular. [It] really reinvigorated my appreciation for acting.”
Having the last name Grillo also helped, he maintains. “Brother…listen, I couldn’t fall down and not be in a great restaurant or a great bar, people were taking me everywhere,” he notes. “And, you know, I’m Italian, so it was great!”
As for reprising his MCU role in What If…?, the Purge series veteran says, cracking up, “It was a hoot, man! I got to see myself in a cartoon, and they did a pretty good job. They got the hair [right]! Somehow, I’m a lot taller and younger and better looking, but whatever, man, I’m still in it.”
Luke Bryan‘s mom, LeClaire, is a bona fide social media star in her own right, thanks in part to the fact that she frequently finds herself the butt of the joke in family prank wars.
LeClaire is so popular that Luke’s fans might even have hoped she’d make an appearance at the 2021 CMA Awards, which her superstar son is hosting solo this year. And while his mom won’t be appearing on the big stage this year, Luke says it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility.
“We did have a moment where we were gonna maybe incorporate her. We were gonna have some fun with her, but it didn’t work out,” Luke admits with a giggle. “You never know — if they let me back next year, we might turn it over to Mama.”
In the meantime, Luke knows he’s got some big shoes to fill. There hasn’t been a solo host at the CMA Awards in almost two decades, and for a streak of years, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood helmed the show. During their tenure as hosts, Brad and Carrie were known not only for their hilarious onstage antics, but also for their frequent costume changes, and Luke says he might try to outdo them in the latter category.
“We’ve tabulated how many times they have done that, and I’m going to one-up them,” he hints. “Whether it’s just a tie here — just nuances — a pocket square here. That’s a wardrobe change.”
The 2021 CMA Awards airs on ABC tonight beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
50 Cent has joined the star-studded Expendables franchise featuring Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham and Dolph Lundgren. Those actors are famous for their many action films, yet Fiddy says for his role in The Expendables 4, he deserves top billing.
“This is my movie. Everybody else just in it,” the rapper/actor, born Curtis Jackson, comments in an Instagram post.
The BMF executive producer posted five photos of himself on the set, including one aiming a rifle, and a few others posing with a tank. “If i was you i would roll with me because i’m not slowing down,” he declares. “If you in the way you getting rolled over.”
The Expendables series, about an elite group of mercenaries, began in 2010, followed by sequels in 2012 and 2014. The Expendables 4 is scheduled to be released in 2022. 50 Cent was originally cast in the first Expendables movie; however, he turned down the role to record his fourth studio album, Before I Self Destruct, which he executive produced with Eminem and Dr. Dre.
As previously reported, Eminem appears in BMF as the notorious FBI informant White Boy Rick. Jackson was furious with Starz for prematurely releasing Sunday’s episode, which he directed, a week early. Last week, following reports that Lionsgate was considering selling Starz, Fiddy commented, “I’m gonna look into buying the Starz network.”
Chris Young and Kane Brown will hit the CMAs stage tonight for a rendition of their number-one song “Famous Friends,” but don’t expect to hear many details about what they’ve got planned for their performance ahead of showtime.
“Nothing. I’m not allowed to say anything at all [about it],” Chris jokes. “I will say that we have not done this particular gimmick for the performance anywhere before, so it’s definitely something new.”
Between the performance and his nominations for “Famous Friends,” Chris is expecting an exciting CMAs week, made even more special because he gets to share it with his friend Kane.
“[It’s] the first time I’ve ever been nominated for Single of the Year, and I get to celebrate those noms with KB,” he adds, going on to reflect on his longtime friendship with his fellow country superstar.
“Kane’s fantastically talented and I love that I’ve been able to get to know him That I knew him before he had the record deal, and was getting the chance to write with him and have some cuts on his records. And then was able to ask him to be a part of mine,” Chris continues. “…Watching this song blow up and become bigger than we ever expected it to has been so much fun.”
The 2021 CMA Awards airs beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.
(NEW YORK) — More than 22 million infants across the globe didn’t get their first measles vaccine dose last year, according to a joint statement Wednesday from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Two-thirds of those children live in just 10 countries: Nigeria, India, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Angola, the Philippines, Brazil and Afghanistan.
Even in countries with high vaccination rates, anti-vaccine sentiment has led to outbreaks in some communities. In 2019, for example, the United States saw the highest number of preventable measles cases since 1992, according to the CDC.
Measles, one of the most contagious viruses in the world, is “almost entirely preventable” through the two vaccine doses, the WHO and CDC said.
Globally in 2019, 19 million infants missed their first dose; this increase to 22 million marks the biggest jump in two decades, which creates “dangerous conditions for outbreaks,” the organizations warned.
Only 70% of kids received their second dose last year, which is well below the 95% threshold needed to protect communities, the organizations said.
The number of measles cases actually dropped in 2020 to 7.5 million, but Dr. Kate O’Brien, the director of WHO’s department of immunization, vaccines and biologicals, warned in a statement, “evidence suggests we are likely seeing the calm before the storm as the risk of outbreaks continues to grow around the world.”
“It’s critical that countries vaccinate as quickly as possible against COVID-19, but this requires new resources so that it does not come at the cost of essential immunization programs,” O’Brien said. “Routine immunization must be protected and strengthened; otherwise, we risk trading one deadly disease for another.”
Henry Cavill appeared as Superman technically four times, starting with 2013’s Man of Steel, and following it up with both 2016’s Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice as well as 2017’s Justice League — which was re-cut and re-released in 2021 as Zack Snyder‘s Justice League.
But the actor tells The Hollywood Reporter he’d love to give it another shot. “The cape’s still in the closet,” he jokes.
The British star of Netflix’s The Witcher feels he felt he was just scratching the surface with the character at the end of Man of Steel, which was far better received critically and than Warner Bros.’ comic movie follow-ups, excepting Snyder’s do-over.
“There is still a lot of storytelling for me to do as a Superman, and I would absolutely love the opportunity,” Cavill reasoned. He cited the ending of Man of Steel, explaining, “The killing of Zod gave a reason for the character never to kill again.”
Cavill revealed, “Superman falling to the ground and screaming afterward — I don’t think that was originally in the script, but I wanted to show the pain he had. I did far more emotional takes they didn’t choose; tears were happening.”
He added, “There’s an opportunity for growth after that, to explore the psyche of Superman as a deep, seemingly invulnerable god-like being but with real feeling on the inside.”
Officially, Cavill’s future as the gravity-defying hero is, well, still up in the air.
