(LAGUNA BEACH, Calif.) -- A 5-year-old girl who went missing when she was swept away in the ocean in Laguna Beach, California, has been found dead, city officials said.

Her body was found Thursday morning about one-quarter mile north of where she went into the water, Laguna Beach officials said.

The girl went missing at about 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday near Treasure Island Beach, officials said. She was with her mother and a sibling near the shoreline when the three of them were swept into the ocean by powerful water conditions, the city officials said.

Bystanders ran into the ocean and were able to rescue the mother and one of her children, but the 5-year-old remained missing, officials said.

The search and recovery effort continued on Wednesday, with rescuers working "under challenging and hazardous ocean conditions, including large surf, powerful currents, and limited underwater visibility," city officials said.

The search ended Wednesday evening after rescuers worked more than 30 hours and covered more than 90 square miles, the Coast Guard announced.

"Our deepest condolences go out to the child's family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time," Capt. Stacey Crecy, commander of Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach, said in a statement. "Suspending a search is an extremely difficult decision."

"This is one of the most heartbreaking incidents I have witnessed during my time serving this community," Laguna Beach Mayor Mark Orgill said in a statement. "Our hearts go out to the young victim's family, friends, and all those affected by this tragic loss."

"I am incredibly proud of the dedication and professionalism demonstrated by our Marine Safety, Fire, and Police personnel, as well as every agency that assisted in this effort," the mayor added. "These men and women put themselves in harm's way, entering the same dangerous ocean conditions in an attempt to bring this young girl home to her family."

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(MINNEAPOLIS) -- Vance Boelter, the man charged in the attacks against Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota, changed his plea to guilty in his federal case on Thursday, according to the Department of Justice.

When Boelter admitted that he shot Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman several times and then put a gun to her head and killed her, sobs broke out in the courtroom, ABC Minneapolis affiliate KSTP reported.

Boelter pleaded guilty to all six counts: two stalking counts, two murder counts and two federal firearm-shooting offenses, the DOJ said.

"The terms of our offer to Mr. Boelter were: if you plead guilty and take consecutive life sentences, we will take the death penalty off the table," U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Daniel Rosen said at a news conference Thursday.

This week, a Justice Department spokesperson said federal prosecutors would not seek the death penalty because a federal judge ruled earlier this year in an unrelated murder case that interstate stalking charges do not rise to the level to support a capital crime.

"Political violence is a scourge in our nation," Rosen said in a statement. "We now expect Vance Boelter will spend the rest of his natural life in prison without parole."

"Today's guilty plea cannot return what was taken from these families, but it makes clear that anyone who chooses to bring this kind of violence to our communities will answer for that choice," ATF St. Paul Field Division Special Agent in Charge Joe Persails said in a statement.

The crimes unfolded on June 14, 2025, when Boelter disguised himself as a police officer and fatally shot Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, at their home, according to prosecutors.

That same day he drove to the home of Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and shot the lawmaker and his wife, Yvette, and attempted to shoot their daughter, according to prosecutors.

John and Yvette Hoffman sat in the front row of the courtroom as Boelter admitted to firing multiple shots at them, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.

The Hoffman family said in a statement on Thursday, "There is not justice when our family and our state will never truly heal. While the legal process may provide accountability, true healing requires something more from all of us."

"The choice we've made is to go forward with public service and being present for our community," the family said. "The opportunity to justice is for Minnesotans and Americans to serve is to treat people with respect, to stop de-humanizing each other, and to stop dividing our country with hate and rhetoric.”

Following the attacks, police said they found a notebook in Boelter's abandoned, fake police car containing a list of elected officials who investigators suspect were targeted in a plot that the Minnesota U.S. attorney described at the time as the "stuff of nightmares."

Prosecutors said Boelter traveled to the homes of two other state lawmakers only to find no one at those locations.

Boelter has also pleaded not guilty to state charges. The Hennepin County Attorney's Office said Thursday that it will move forward with the state case. He faces charges of: two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, four counts of attempted first-degree murder, felony cruelty to an animal and impersonating a police officer, officials said.

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(WASHINGTON) -- A partial lockdown at the Pentagon implemented in response to a potential air quality issue has been lifted after no hazards were found, according to the Pentagon's chief spokesman.

Portions of the Pentagon had gone into a shelter-in-place earlier Thursday, after officials locked down multiple floors and hallways in response to a potential air hazard situation, according to three officials.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement earlier that building monitoring systems detected an air-quality issue, prompting precautionary measures while officials work to determine the source and extent of the problem.

In an update Thursday, Parnell said subsequent testing "confirmed no hazard exists, and normal operations have resumed."

Sources told ABC News earlier that authorities were investigating what caused a sensor to alert for a potential hazardous air quality issue at the Pentagon. Additional testing occurred to verify whether there was any hazard or if the sensor was faulty, multiple sources said.

In a message sent to Pentagon employees earlier Thursday, employees in certain corridors on select floors were urged to remain in place while awaiting testing results, which it noted could take one to two hours.

The Arlington County Fire Department said its hazardous materials team had responded to the Pentagon in support of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency's Hazmat Team "during a hazardous materials incident."

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(NEW YORK) -- The New York Knicks' historic comeback against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday ignited celebration as well as chaos outside Madison Square Garden as some fans went berserk, prompting dozens of arrests.

Rowdy fans got into fistfights, climbed scaffolding, blocked Midtown Manhattan traffic, set off fireworks and smoke bombs, ripped down street signs, climbed poles, jumped atop taxis and other moving vehicles, and damaged police vehicles, according to authorities and videos of the mayhem posted on social media.

And the Knicks haven't even won the championship -- yet. The team leads the best-of-seven series 3 games to 1, and can close it out in San Antonio on Saturday night.

But one fan hoisted themselves up in a bucket lift in Midtown Manhattan on Wednesday night to encourage the fans to party like it's 1973, the last time the Knicks won an NBA championship.

Another fan climbed on top of a big-rig truck stuck in a traffic jam, while a group of fans was caught on video stomping on a Citi Bike.

Ten police officers were injured in the post-game revelry, including one who was struck in the face with a glass bottle, the New York Police Department said.

Some Knicks fans even showed up at the hotel where the Spurs were staying and threw eggs at San Antonio's 7-foot-4 star Victor Wembanyama, according to online videos.

The wild scenes played out after the Knicks overcame a 29-point deficit to win the game. The biggest comeback in NBA Finals history was capped by a high-flying tip-in shot by Knicks' forward OG Anunoby with 1.2 seconds left in the game.

A fan watch party initially planned for Wednesday outside Madison Square Garden was canceled at the last minute by Garden officials in a dispute over the crowd being limited to 1,000 people and the strict rules enacted by police and city officials on spectator behavior.

"The NYPD wants New Yorkers to be able to enjoy these celebrations, but our primary responsibility is to ensure that everyone can do so safely," the NYPD said in a statement on Thursday morning. "Once again, there were large crowds of people who engaged in incredibly reckless and dangerous behavior last night both during and after the game. This demonstrates exactly why the NYPD has increased our presence in and around Madison Square Garden."

At multiple locations blocks from the Garden, crowds refused numerous verbal commands to disperse, police said. In total, there were 56 people taken into custody, including 15 who were arrested and 41 who were released with criminal court summonses, according to the NYPD.

Fans were arrested on suspicion of assault on a police officer, criminal possession of a weapon (a knife), reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration, and trademark counterfeiting, the NYPD said.

But the lockdown of streets adjacent to the Garden didn't stop Knicks fans from trying to get as close as they could to the arena.

During the Wednesday's game, thousands of unruly fans began gathering at various places north of Madison Square Garden. As the game progressed, the crowds became increasingly destructive, some jumping atop moving vehicles in the area.

At one point, about a dozen people, most wearing Knicks jerseys, jumped on top of a cab stuck in traffic and stomped on and busted the front windshield, while several revelers took turns using belts to whip the hood of the taxi, according to bystander video.

"We haven't seen a miracle like this since the birth of Jesus," a fan yelled into a camera.

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(NEW YORK) -- Dangerously high temperatures and humidity are prompting heat advisories from the East Coast to the Midwest to the West Coast.

Here's the latest forecast:

In California's Bay Area, a heat advisory is in effect Thursday in San Jose, Oakland and Freemont, with temperatures forecast to hit 103 degrees.

California’s Central Valley is also under a heat advisory for temperatures up to 105 degrees in Bakersfield and Fresno from Thursday to Saturday.

In the Midwest, heat advisories are in effect Thursday from Detroit to South Bend, Indiana, to Cleveland, where the heat index -- what temperature it feels like -- is expected to near 100 degrees.

And in the Northeast, a heat advisory spans a massive area from Burlington, Vermont, to Wilmington, Delaware, on Thursday and Friday.

The heat index on Thursday could hit 99 degrees in New York City and 103 in Baltimore.

On Friday, the heat index is forecast to soar to 101 degrees in New York City, 104 degrees in Philadelphia, 102 in Washington, D.C., and 107 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Record highs are possible in New York, D.C. and Raleigh.

Commuters in the Northeast should also be prepared for severe thunderstorms on Thursday and Friday evenings.

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(NEW YORK) -- The detection of New World screwworm in cattle does not pose a risk to beef consumers, and humans are unlikely to become infected by the parasite themselves, experts told ABC News.

There have been a total of six cases of New World screwworm (NWS) detected among animals in the U.S. since the beginning of the month -- in four cattle, one goat and a dog, according to the latest update from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The goat was newly confirmed as the latest case to be infested with New World screwworm, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said in a press conference Monday.

The screwworm likely migrated from Mexico and Central America, Ben Weinheimer, president and CEO of the Texas Cattle Feeders Association, told ABC News. The U.S. closed the border to Mexican cattle coming into the country in 2024 as a result of the screwworm outbreak in the region, Derrell Peele, a livestock marketing specialist at Oklahoma State University, told ABC News.

Officials continue to investigate the case of the dog that they believe likely may have been infected in Mexico, Rollins said. The screwworm typically spreads by transport of either livestock or pets, Peele said.

The screwworm does not currently present a food safety issue, Rollins said, adding that there is "no need to panic." A screwworm infection does not affect the meat, Peele said.

"These developments obviously represent a serious threat to our livestock and wildlife, but they haven't caught us off guard," Rollins said. "We have been tracking this pest for a long time, and we have fought before, and we will do so again."

Americans can continue to feel confident about consuming beef safely, Dustin Pendell, a professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University and director of the Collaborating Center for the Economics of Animal Health, told ABC News.

The outbreak marks the first time the screwworm has been detected in the U.S. in decades. The USDA officially declared the screwworm eradicated from the U.S. in 1966 and successfully eliminated a small outbreak in the Florida Keys in 2017, which occurred primarily among endangered Key deer.

Screwworms infestations begin when a female fly lays eggs on open wounds or other parts of the body in live-warm-blooded animals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The screwworm is "very treatable" if caught early, which allows the animals to be minimally impacted, Weinheimer said.

The USDA uses the sterile insect technique to treat for screwworm. The highly effective treatment involves sterilizing screwworm pupae -- the immobile stage of the screwworm before metamorphosis -- by exposing them to gamma radiation and then releasing them into the wild to mate with fertile females. The females then lay unfertilized eggs that never hatch, ending the reproductive cycle.

Millions of sterile flies have already been released in the affected area, USDA officials said.

State officials also apply containment protocols, including establishing quarantine zones, in order to contain infestations, Weinheimer said.

"You've seen this huge surge in response by the federal and state officials to stay on top of it as much as possible," Weinheimer said.

Construction of a new sterile fly production facility is underway at Moore Air Base in Texas and is expected to be completed by November 2027, Rollins said. Once completed, along with other facilities, an estimated 500 million sterile flies will be released on a weekly basis.

Screwworms are actually a fly larva that burrows into and eats living flesh, unlike regular maggots that only feed on dead and decaying matter, according to the CDC.

Symptoms in animals could include a wound that has not healed or a wound that smells foul, Ann Hohenhaus, senior veterinarian and director of pet health information at Schwarzman Animal Medical Center, told ABC News last week. White larva may also be visible within the skin lesions, Hohenhaus said.

Infected cattle may not feel well and may stop producing milk and gaining weight, Hohenhaus said. The parasite can also infect a herd quickly if treatment does not begin early enough, she added.

Infection in humans is not common, Hohenhaus said.

People who have open wounds or small breaks in the skin -- such as a scratch, insect bite or recent surgery scar -- could be at increased risk of screwworm infection if they are in areas where the flies are present, according to the CDC.

Those who have open or unhealed wounds should see a physician should they believe they were exposed to the parasite, Hohenhaus said.

The outbreak is not expected to cause beef prices -- which are already at an all-time high -- to increase, the experts said.

The current drought conditions in the U.S. is making it difficult to expand herds because there isn't enough grass available to feed on, Pendell said, adding that hay and other supplemental feeds increase costs even more.

In addition, geopolitical issues, such as the war in Iran, are causing fertilizer and fuel costs to increase, William Secor, a livestock economist at the University of Georgia, told ABC News.

"Cattle prices are going to continue to be high for quite a while because of these issues," Pendell said.

However, the costs from the screwworm will be absorbed by producers, and consumers will likely not see any further price increases from the outbreak alone, Secor said.

ABC News' Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report.

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(FRISCO, Texas) -- Karmelo Anthony, who was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf, filed a notice of appeal on Wednesday.

In a one-page document filed with the court in Collin County, Texas, Anthony said he could not afford an attorney for the appeal and asked the court to appoint one.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice also released a new photo of Anthony, 19, in which he's seen sporting a shaven head and wearing a sleeveless tunic.  

He was transferred to the Wallace Pack Unit, a prison near Navasota, just outside of Houston, according to Texas officials, where he will begin his 35-year imprisonment sentence, as he is now in state custody.

Anthony was found guilty of murder over the fatal stabbing of Metcalf, another teen, at a high school track meet last year.

The deadly stabbing occurred at a Frisco Independent School District stadium on April 2, 2025, during a track and field competition involving multiple schools in the district.

Police said Metcalf, an 11th grader at Frisco Memorial High School, was stabbed during an altercation under his school's tent in the stadium bleachers.

Witnesses told officers that the two got into an argument over Anthony, a then-17-year-old student at Frisco Centennial High School, being under Metcalf's school tent during the rainy track meet, according to the arrest report.

Multiple current and former students recounted the incident during the trial.

One witness testified that Anthony was asked to leave the tent about 15 times. Some witnesses recalled Anthony saying, "Touch me and see what happens," during the altercation. Another witness quoted Metcalf as telling Anthony, "I'm not going to fight you."

Witnesses recounted that Metcalf shoved or nudged Anthony, who was sitting on the bleachers, before Anthony stabbed him with a pocket knife. The blade perforated Metcalf's right ventricle, and he was pronounced dead after being transported to an area hospital.

Prosecutors called the stabbing "senseless" and "plain and simple murder," while the defense argued that Anthony acted in self-defense.

The jury began deliberating midday Tuesday before reaching the guilty murder verdict in three hours, according to a court spokesperson. The jurors also could have considered manslaughter, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years.

The same jury reached a decision on the sentence after several more hours of deliberation on Tuesday.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(NEW YORK) -- El Nino conditions are present and expected to strengthen in the coming months, bringing potentially significant impacts to our weather, the upcoming hurricane season and global temperatures, according to the latest forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

NOAA issued an El Nino Advisory on Thursday, meaning El Nino conditions are observed and expected to continue. Its latest forecast calls for a strong El Nino to likely develop in the fall, with a 63% chance of a very strong El Nino between November 2026 and January 2027, which could rank among some of the strongest such events on record.

NOAA also noted that stronger El Nino events only make certain impacts more likely and do not always guarantee strong impacts.

El Nino refers to the warmer-than-average phase of the El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a natural cycle where sea surface temperatures across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean rise and fall. The cooler-than-average phase is called La Nina, while near-average conditions are known as ENSO-neutral.

NOAA ranks the strength of El Nino events by measuring the sea surface temperature departure from average (anomaly) across this region, classifying events as weak, moderate, strong or very strong.

Forecasters say confidence in a strong to very strong event later this year has increased now that the spring season has passed. This is largely because spring in the Northern Hemisphere is when sea surface patterns across the tropical Pacific Ocean are in a transitional phase contributing to lower model accuracy.

"We need to prepare for a potentially strong El Nino event, which will exacerbate drought and heavy rainfall and increase the risk of heatwaves both on land and in the ocean," WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said in a statement.

While adjectives such as "super" and "extreme" are popular ways of describing the strength of an El Nino event on social media, NOAA and the WMO classify the strength as weak to moderate, strong, and very strong. The WMO noted in a recent statement that "the term [[super]] is not part of standardized operational classifications."

El Nino and La Nina events occur at irregular intervals, typically every 2 to 7 years. El Nino has been somewhat more frequent than La Nina in past observations, but both phases vary in timing and intensity from one cycle to the next.

As Earth's climate warms, however, identifying and measuring these events becomes more challenging because temperature differences are superimposed on the long-term ocean warming trend.

"As the climate warms, interpreting anomalies becomes more challenging," said Dr. Tim Stockdale, principal scientist at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). “Rising background temperatures can make recent El Nino events appear stronger than they are, and La Nina events seem weaker."

To address these challenges, NOAA and ECMWF updated the way they measure El Nino and La Nina this year, using a new index which compares sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific to global tropical ocean conditions rather than just that region’s historical data. NOAA calls this new method the Relative Oceanic Nino Index (RONI), which helps remove the effect of overall ocean warming.

The WMO notes that there is no evidence that human-amplified climate change increases the frequency or intensity of El Nino events.

Typical El Nino impacts across the United States

Impacts from El Nino, similar to La Nina, tend to be most consistent and pronounced from late autumn through early spring following the event’s onset, NOAA says. There is usually a delay between the onset of the event and many of the associated effects.

Experts caution that the impacts on weather patterns are nuanced. Each season is different, and typical El Nino conditions don’t always materialize.

"Every El Nino is different in terms of timing, magnitude, and geographic extent, and such differences lead to variability in the impacts -- on temperatures and rainfall, for example -- on a global scale," Andrew Kruczkiewicz, senior staff researcher at Columbia Climate School, said.

Typically, during El Nino, the northern half of the United States and parts of Alaska are more likely to see warmer-than-average temperatures, with near- to below-average temperatures favored along the southern tier of the U.S., most likely from Texas to the Southeast.

For precipitation, wetter-than-average conditions are typically observed along the southern tier of the U.S. in parts of California, the Southwest, Gulf Coast and Southeast. Below-average precipitation is frequently observed across parts of the northern Rockies, south-central Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley and Great Lakes regions.

El Nino typically increases the odds of above-average snowfall in the southern Rockies, south-central Plains, mid-Atlantic and coastal areas of the Northeast, with below-average snowfall favored in the northern Rockies, northern Plains and Great Lakes regions.

El Nino's influence on hurricane season activity

El Nino conditions often suppress tropical activity during the Atlantic hurricane season by producing unfavorable atmospheric winds. In the Eastern Pacific, the opposite occurs, with favorable conditions supporting above-average hurricane season activity.

This was reflected in NOAA’s hurricane outlook released on May 21, with the agency predicting below average tropical activity for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season with above average activity likely in the eastern Pacific.

"El Nino increases convection (thunderstorms) across the eastern and central Pacific, which causes downstream wind shear over the Atlantic from strong upper-level winds," said Andy Hazelton, an associate scientist at the University of Miami’s Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies.

Vertical wind shear, which refers to changes in wind speed and direction with height in the atmosphere, is often a primary factor in below-average hurricane season activity. Strong vertical wind shear can tear a developing tropical system apart or even prevent it from forming, NOAA says.

"The rising motion over the Pacific also leads to increased subsidence (sinking air) over the Atlantic, which suppresses thunderstorms and tropical cyclone development," Hazelton added.

El Nino’s impact on tropical activity will largely depend on how quickly it intensifies. Even so, El Nino is only one of several important variables which influence tropical activity.

Other factors, such as sea surface temperatures, also play an important role in tropical cyclone development and strength. Unseasonably warm ocean waters can partially offset the effects of unfavorable atmospheric winds, according to forecasters.

Global temperature records could be challenged again

2024 ranked as the planet’s warmest year on record, following the last El Nino event, which emerged in mid-2023 and persisted through spring 2024, according to NOAA. However, the return of El Nino means global temperature records could be challenged again in the near future, depending on its peak intensity and duration.

While global air and sea surface temperatures are currently falling short of new record highs, climate scientists warn this pause is unlikely to last. Record highs in global average temperature often occur during El Nino years, combined with the long-term global warming trend driven primarily by human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.

"Warmer ocean temperatures associated with El Nino, together with its tendency to favor warmer conditions in many areas, often contribute to warmer than normal global annual temperatures," Jon Gottschalck, Chief of the Operational Prediction Branch at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center said.

According to NOAA, 2025 ranked as the third-warmest year on record globally, trailing 2024 and 2023. The slightly lower ranking came amid recent La Niña conditions, which typically cause a temporary dip in global average temperatures.

There is usually a delay between the onset of El Nino and its peak impacts on global temperatures, NOAA says. As with the most recent event, its greatest influence often occurs in the months after it peaks, which can keep global temperatures elevated into the following year.

According to the latest outlook from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, the likelihood that 2026 will rank among the five warmest years on record is about 98.5%, while the probability of it becoming the warmest year is less than 1%. However, those odds could rise significantly in 2027, depending on how the event unfolds.

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(WASHINGTON) -- Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on Wednesday told the House Oversight Committee probing the government's investigation of Jeffrey Epstein that Gates "never victimized anyone" and that meeting with Epstein "was a grave error in judgment," according to his prepared opening remarks.

Gates, appearing in a closed-door setting, faced questions about his relationship with the late financier, marking one of the most high-profile interviews conducted by the Oversight Committee since it began probing the government's handling of its investigations into the notorious sex offender. 

Gates told lawmakers that when he first began to engage with Epstein, and throughout the time he spent with him, he was aware that Epstein had a criminal conviction that was sexual in nature, but insisted he did not know the details of Epstein's crimes, according to multiple sources familiar with the interview. 

Gates told lawmakers that he was not friends with Epstein and that they didn't socialize beyond dinners where Epstein suggested that he could help Gates raise money for philanthropic endeavors. Gates said that no young women were present at the dinners, sources said. 

Included among the millions of documents released by the Justice Department this year in response to the Epstein Transparency Act are draft emails where Epstein claimed Gates had extramarital affairs resulting in a sexually transmitted infection -- a claim Gates has denied. 

Gates acknowledged having two extramarital affairs that Epstein later learned about. He said that he met those women separately from Epstein and that Epstein never offered women to him, according to sources.  

Gates said that he doesn't know for sure when Epstein first learned about his extramarital affairs, but he believes his former science advisor Boris Nikolic informed Epstein about them, sources said. 

'I have never victimized anyone'

"I never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct. I never went to his island, his ranch, or his Florida home. I have never victimized anyone," Gates testified in his closed-door appearance, according to a copy of his prepared opening statement.

Gates said that Epstein sought to "foster a personal relationship" with him, but said his focus remained on using Epstein to recruit new donors for Gates' global health initiative.

"My interactions with Epstein began with a limited number of preliminary meetings -- three in 2011 and two in 2012 -- during which I talked about the goals of my work," Gates said, according to his statement. "We began more extensive conversations in 2013 and 2014. The discussions focused on identifying potential giving structures, such as donor-advised funds, and how to enroll individuals he claimed were interested in making significant contributions."

Gates said he can "recall being aware that Epstein had faced prior legal issues" but added he "did not fully understand the extent of the crimes he committed," per the statement.

He also told the committee that he Epstein learned "sensitive information about my personal life" -- including that he had been unfaithful in his marriage to Melinda French Gates.

"These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein, but they were painful for my family," Gates said, according to the statement. "As the public can now see, based on what has been released in the files, Epstein was working to use information about my infidelities -- in addition to many lies that he layered on top -- to pressure me to re-engage with him. He was unsuccessful in this effort, but it shows some of the ways he tried to leverage his interactions with me to further his agenda."

In brief remarks to reporters on his way in Wednesday morning, Gates said, "I'll start with an opening statement in the hearing room. I hope my testimony is helpful to the work, important work of the committee to find justice for the victims." Following his appearance, Gates did not answer questions from reporters as he left the Capitol.

Rep. Robert Garcia, the committee's ranking Democrat, said during a break that Gates was being "cooperative" in answering the committee's questions, but noted at times he was "pushing back."

"So far, Mr. Gates has been cooperative and answering our questions," Garcia said.

Garcia said Gates referenced other individuals who were involved with Epstein, including former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia said "there has been a lot of apologies" from Gates.

"He is sorry he associated with Epstein so much ... but in the end what is done is done," he said.

Comer seeks Blanche appearance

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) first reached out to Gates in March to schedule the behind-closed-doors interview, writing in a letter that the tech billionaire might "have information that will assist in its investigation." In recent weeks, the Committee has conducted similar transcribed interviews with former Attorney General Pam Bondi, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Epstein's longtime executive secretary Lesley Groff. 

Comer told reporters Wednesday morning that he also wants Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general and President Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general, to answer questions before the panel.

"I'm communicating with the Department of Justice. I would like for Todd Blanche to come in in July, Comer said. "He's got, you know, I think we all know he has a big confirmation coming up, but I've always wanted Blanche to come in."

Comer would not specify whether he intends to seek a transcribed interview or a public hearing with Blanche. Asked what he hopes to learn from Blanche, Comer said, "I think that the main thing that we have for Blanche is the question on, you know, what, if any, documents are left out there."

Garcia said during a break that he would like Blanche to sit for a videotaped deposition under oath, although he'd prefer a public hearing. ABC News first reported on Garcia's request in a June 2 letter he sent to Comer in which he sought "video-taped, transcribed interviews" with Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel.

"It's very important to us that that is a deposition that is under oath and it's videotaped and released to the American public," Garcia told reporters Wednesday.

To date, the committee has only recorded video of the depositions it's held with witnesses under subpoena, as opposed to the transcribed interviews where witnesses have appeared voluntarily.

Comer also said that he is seeking a transcribed interview with attorney Alan Dershowitz after consulting with some of Epstein's victims in the wake of Groff's transcribed interview on Tuesday. Dershowitz, when contacted by ABC News, said he is eager to testify before the panel and that he "has a lot of relevant information" about the disgraced financier. 

"I would be the most relevant person for them to call," Dershowitz said. "I want it to be open. I want it to be under oath."

Dershowitz claimed to have information that would contradict some of the testimony the committee has already heard, arguing that some of Epstein's victims were "complicit." 

"The area is much grayer than it looks," Dershowitz said. 

Very, very painful times'

Gates' association with the late financier has roiled his nonprofit and reshaped the public perception of the tech billionaire who was once the world's richest man. HIs relationship with Epstein faced a new wave of scrutiny earlier this year when the Department of Justice's release of Epstein files included correspondence between the two men, as well as cryptic notes drafted by Epstein that hinted at Gates' extramarital affairs. 

According to the Wall Street Journal, Gates apologized to the staff of his nonprofit during a town hall in February and acknowledged that he had affairs with two Russian women that Epstein later discovered. A spokesperson for Gates in a 2023 statement said that Epstein "tried unsuccessfully to leverage a past relationship to threaten Mr. Gates."

"In the town hall, Bill spoke candidly, addressing several questions in detail, and took responsibility for his actions," a spokesperson for the Gates Foundation told ABC News. 

Melinda French Gates -- who previously said her 2021 divorce from Bill Gates was driven in part by his association with Epstein -- said earlier this year that the documents brought back memories of "some very, very painful times" in their marriage.

"Whatever questions remain there ... those questions are for those people, and for even my ex-husband," she said on NPR's Wild Card podcast about what she described as a societal "reckoning" over the Epstein files. "They need to answer to those things, not me."  

Members of the Oversight Committee have expressed a desire to learn whether Epstein used his sex trafficking network to lure in wealthy and influential men to blackmail -- allegations that the DOJ and FBI said they found "no credible evidence" of last year. 

Neither of the women who Gates acknowledged having affairs with -- a Russian bridge player and nuclear physicist -- were said to have been introduced to Gates by Epstein, though a spokesperson later said that Epstein sought to "leverage" his knowledge of one of his past relationships to "threaten" Gates. 

The interview is also likely to touch on how Epstein was able to ingratiate himself with Gates just three years after pleading guilty to charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution. Gates has previously said he was aware of an "18-month thing" that limited Epstein's travel, and he regrets not further investigating Epstein's background.  

According to documents released earlier this year by the Department of Justice, Gates first met Epstein in 2011. 

"I won't have time to do another meeting and I won't be able to do the dinner with Jeff Epstein," Gates wrote in a 2010 email to Boris Nikolic, his former science advisor. "I was looking forward to the dinner."

Gates later said he hoped he could leverage Epstein's relationships with "very rich people" to support his global health philanthropic efforts. 

"The focus was always: he knew a lot of very rich people, and he was saying he could get them to give money to global health. In retrospect, that was a dead end," Gates told 9News Australia in February. 

'No fund was ever created'

According to documents released by the DOJ, both men continued to communicate for at least three years, with Epstein at one point urging Gates to use a specific philanthropic vehicle known as a "donor advised fund" to make charitable contributions. At the time, Epstein compared donor advised funds to "cloud computing for the giving world."  

"It is a good analogy," Gates wrote in a February 2014 email. "It is clearer to me now than before and it could be a great thing." 

But by December 2014, Gates appeared to cool on Epstein's proposal, suggesting in an email that the plan was not viable for him. 

"In terms of the DAF I don't think we have any people at this point who will move to do something soon," Gates wrote. "It is a good idea, but it won't come together with 4-6 partners anytime soon." 

In a statement earlier this year, the Gates Foundation said it did not move forward with Epstein's fund and never transferred any funds to the disgraced financier. 

"On the basis of Epstein's claims that he could mobilize significant philanthropic resources for global health and development, a small number of foundation employees interacted with Epstein to try to secure this potential funding. Ultimately, the foundation did not pursue any collaboration with Epstein and no fund was ever created," a spokesperson for the Gates Foundation said in February. 

By March, the Gates Foundation commissioned an external review to assess its past engagement with Epstein as well as its policies for vetting philanthropic partnerships. Foundation officials said in a statement they expected to get an update about that review later this summer. 

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(NEW YORK) --  A former NYPD detective pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of misconduct and receipt of unlawful gratuities after he sent inappropriate messages to two women and had sex with a woman shortly after she was arrested.

Matthew Lambert resigned from the NYPD in December 2025.  He was sentenced to two years' probation and is no longer eligible to be a police officer elsewhere in New York state.

“The defendant’s disturbing conduct is unacceptable for a member of law enforcement,” said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in a statement announcing the guilty plea. 

In March 2024, while investigating a missing package, Lambert texted the victim, “Not to be inappropriate, but do people tell you that you look way younger than you are.”  He also sent a message saying, "Celebration drinks when this is over?” and “If you say no, I’m still gonna work hard on your case. I promise.”

The woman eventually blocked Lambert's phone number. Lambert and his lawyer did not answer questions going into and out of court.

During a separate investigation, Lambert texted an assault victim, "You are absolutely beautiful. I was shocked when I met you. I mean no disrespect to you and your relationship. I’m saying this in a respectful way. If that’s even possible.”

In May 2024, Lambert arrested a woman for petit larceny and told her he could “probably” issue her a desk appearance ticket and release her from custody.

Lambert also showed her a picture of his penis and, as they walked out of the station house, said, “I told you I was going to get you out,” prosecutors said.

Later that day, Lambert texted the woman, "If you want I could come say hello. Up to you. You tell me if you want me to.”

Lambert drove to the woman's house, and they had sex in his car.  Afterward, he sent additional texts, including “You’re so cool,” and “Thanks for hanging out.”

“In addition to sending extremely inappropriate messages to victims while he was investigating their cases, he abused his power to engage in a sexual encounter with a woman he had arrested just hours earlier. This is not how anyone should be treated – whether a victim, witness, or person accused of a crime," Bragg said.

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(NEW YORK) -- More than 40 million people from Kansas City to Chicago are in the path of severe weather on Wednesday, a day after a tornado tore through a Michigan town, damaging numerous homes.

Destructive winds in excess of 70 mph, tennis ball-sized hail, and strong tornadoes are all possible across the Midwest on Wednesday afternoon and into Thursday.

Some areas of the Midwest are at risk of multiple rounds of storms that could produce flash flooding.

Minneapolis; Omaha, Nebraska; and Wichita, Kansas, are also under a level 2 out of 5 threat for severe weather on Wednesday afternoon.

On Thursday, the threat for severe weather will be at a 3 out of 5 for parts of Missouri, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois -- including the cities of Chicago, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids, Michigan; Madison, Wisconsin and Springfield, Illinois. The areas are at risk of destructive winds of up to 80 mph, large hail and strong tornadoes.

On Thursday morning, Iowa is expected to see a destructive storm complex roll through the state and into Wisconsin.

'It literally sounded like a freight train'

The blustery weather comes on the heels of an EF-1 tornado that ripped through the town of Freeland, Michigan, about 13 miles north of Saginaw, on Tuesday afternoon. The twister damaged 40 homes and businesses in the community, local officials said.

The tornado ripped the roof off an auto shop as workers hunkered down inside.

"I was in my shop, and then it was like all of a sudden, my brother came running out. He said, 'We got to take cover.' When somebody says, 'We gotta take cover,' it's too late," Al Wisniewski, owner of AW Racecars, told ABC affiliate station WJRT in Flint, Michigan.

Wisniewski said he sheltered in place in his automotive shop as the twister hit.

"It literally sounded like a freight train coming through here," said Wisniewski, adding that neither he nor other workers in the shop were injured. "The whole building was shaking and everything, and there's no place to go."

Also on Tuesday, the town of Lanesville, Indiana, about 17 miles west of Louisville, Kentucky, was hit with flash flooding after more than a half-foot of rain fell in two hours, officials said.

Storm threat moving East amid summer-like heat in New York City

On Thursday, New York City, Philadelphia, Detroit, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia, are forecast to be at a level 2 out of 5 threat for severe weather.

Meanwhile, temperatures across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast are expected to rise along with the humidity.

New York City and Washington, D.C., are forecast to reach the 90s on Thursday and possibly on Friday and Saturday.

Meanwhile, Raleigh, North Carolina, is forecast to hit the century mark on Thursday and Friday.

Heat indices, or what the temperature feels like, are expected to be in the mid-90s to near 100 degrees from New York to the Vermont border.

But the summer-like weather in the Northeast is also expected to come with severe weather. Storms are expected to reach cities along the I-95 corridor in the Northeast on Thursday evening.

The mix of hot and severe weather in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic is expected to continue into Friday.

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(PHILADELPHIA) -- A vigil and protest will be held in honor of a Penn State University student who was fatally shot about one block from his Philadelphia home.

William "Billy" Schmidt, 22, was shot in the chest at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday in an apparent robbery, according to Philadelphia police.

No arrests have been made, police said on Wednesday.

Billy Schmidt had been watching the NBA Finals game with his friends at a bar and was walking home when he was shot, his father, Bill Schmidt, told Philadelphia ABC station WPVI.

"He was a really good person who cared about everybody," Bill Schmidt said. "... For him to get shot like that is a travesty."

The vigil and protest, called "Justice for Billy," will be held Thursday evening in Philadelphia.

"We are taking our streets back. ... we won't stop until our community is safe," the flyer said.

The 22-year-old was studying digital journalism and media at Penn State World Campus, according to the university.

"We are heartbroken over the tragic death of William Schmidt, and we share our deepest condolences with his family and friends," a Penn State spokesperson said in a statement.

ABC News' Jessica Gorman contributed to this report.

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(LAGUNA BEACH, Calif.) -- A search is underway for a girl who was swept away in the ocean in Southern California, officials said.

The incident unfolded at about 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday near Treasure Island Beach in Laguna Beach, city officials said. The girl was with her mother and a sibling near the shoreline when they were swept into the ocean by powerful water conditions, officials said.

Bystanders ran into the water and were able to rescue the mother and one of her children, but the other child remains missing, officials said.

The Coast Guard, the Laguna Beach Marine Safety Department and the Orange County Sheriff's Department Harbor Patrol are involved in the search, officials said.

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(ORANGE COUNTY, Calif.) -- Federal authorities are executing a search warrant at a Southern California facility where fears of a catastrophic explosion over a failing chemical tank led to tens of thousands of people being ordered to evacuate last month, according to federal officials.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said the FBI and Environmental Protection Agency are on site Wednesday executing a federal search warrant signed by a judge as part of a federal investigation into the tank incident at GKN Aerospace that prompted a state of emergency in Orange County.

"Obviously, we want to know exactly what happened and determine whether any federal laws were violated, and that's the purpose of the search today," Essayli told reporters at the scene of the facility in Garden Grove, about 30 miles south of Los Angeles.

Essayli said chemists and scientists from the EPA have been brought from across the country to collect evidence as part of the probe, including taking soil samples.

"We're here to get to the bottom of exactly what happened," he said, declining to discuss the case further due to the active investigation.

Federal authorities are expected to be at the site for most of Wednesday, Essayli said.

The situation began unfolding on May 21 at GKN Aerospace, a manufacturing company that builds engines and landing gear for both commercial and military aircraft. A chemical tank filled with toxic chemicals was showing signs of overheating, which could cause it to overheat or spill, officials said.

The 34,000-gallon tank contained methyl methacrylate, an industrial chemical used in plastic manufacturing, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. The chemical is primarily a respiratory irritant. Short-term exposure can cause skin and eye irritation, as well as breathing problems, according to the EPA.

During the height of the crisis, when officials thought they faced only two options -- an explosion or chemical spill -- about 50,000 people in the city of Garden Grove and several surrounding communities were under evacuation orders.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a state of emergency in Orange County in response to the incident.

Following a dayslong effort to cool the contents of the tank and stabilize it, officials determined there was no longer a threat of an explosion, fire or chemical leak and no risk to the public, and all remaining evacuation orders were lifted on May 26.

During a Garden Grove City Council meeting on Tuesday, GKN Aerospace Senior Vice President Steve Carlin apologized for the disruptive and "unsettling" incident.

"On behalf of GKN and the Garden Grove plant, I want to say I'm sorry that this event, this incident occurred," he said.

He said the company is in the early stages of investigating and reviewing what happened on May 21, "so it'd be too early for us to draw any conclusions one way or the other."

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer launched a criminal probe into the incident last month, ordering the company not to destroy or manipulate any records, his office said.

The probe seeks to determine how a major military and commercial aircraft gear manufacturer could have allowed such a toxic failure to occur, according to the district attorney.

GKN previously declined to comment specifically on the district attorney's investigation.

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(CHICAGO) -- Chicago police are investigating a disturbing incident in a downtown park where a large cross was set on fire in the middle of the day on Tuesday.

Videos and images of the burning cross in Grant Park, which police say was discovered around 2:30 p.m., went viral, shocking onlookers. The burning cross has historically been a symbol of hate that white supremacists have used to harass and intimidate Black Americans.

Alyna Carlton, 22, who filmed the burning cross while she was in a car with her mother, told WLS Chicago on Tuesday that she could not believe her eyes.

"Seeing that in Chicago, in 2026 ... yeah, we were really taken aback," she said.

The Chicago Fire Department quickly responded and put out the fire, according to investigators. There were no injuries or serious property damage.

The Chicago Police Department said in a statement that it is investigating the incident, but as of Wednesday morning, no arrests have been made.

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(TOLEDO, Ohio) -- A manhunt is underway after investigators have identified one of the two suspects believed to have opened fire at an Ohio festival last weekend. Investigators are now asking the public for help identifying a second suspect, as both remain at large. 

Twelve people were shot at the Old West End Festival last Saturday, with all of them expected to survive, officials said Tuesday. 

One of the shooters has been identified as 20-year-old Ka Nye Taylor. He is described as a 5-foot-11-inch black male with black hair and brown eyes, according to the Toledo Police Department. 

Arrest warrants have been issued for Ka Nye Taylor, who is wanted on 11 counts of felony assault in connection with the shooting at the festival, police said. 

Investigators have released a photo of the second shooter and are seeking help from the public in identifying him. 

Several people of interest were brought in for interviews, and investigators executed several search warrants, but no arrests have been made yet, Toledo Police Chief Michael Trinley said at a press conference Tuesday.

Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from a dispute involving two rival groups, Trinley said. 

Two groups were "disrespecting each other and it led into a little bit of a foot chase" before one individual assaulted another person. At that point, one person pulled out a firearm and started shooting. Someone from the rival group then pulled out his firearm and started returning fire," Trinley said. 

Both suspects are believed to be between the ages of 18 and 24, Trinley said. 

Some of the victims shot were intentionally targeted, but the majority were innocent bystanders, according to Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz. 

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Ka Nye Taylor or the identity of the second shooter is encouraged to call or text Crime Stoppers at 419-255-1111. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

Police are offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the suspects' arrests. The U.S. Marshals Service is also offering an award of up to $5,000. 

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(PHILADELPHIA) -- Two suspects are being sought in a horrific homicide in which police allege a mother of four was beaten with bricks and stomped to death during a robbery in North Philadelphia.

The victim, identified as 45-year-old Keisha Furlow, lived near an alley where she was found brutally beaten early Sunday morning, according to the Philadelphia Police Department.

"Investigators also recovered two bloodied bricks on the ground in close proximity to the victim, which are believed to have been used in the assault," police said in a statement on Wednesday to ABC News.

ABC Philadelphia station WPVI obtained security video that captured the deadly incident. In the grainy video, an individual is seen appearing to throw a woman to the ground in the North Philadelphia alley and then hitting her repeatedly in the head with a brick, kicking her, and stomping her face, WPVI reported.

The suspected attacker and an accomplice fled the scene with Furlow's purse, which was discovered by officers emptied of its contents a few blocks from where the fatal attack occurred.

Police officers were called to investigate a disturbance in the alley off North Opal Street around 6:15 a.m. on Sunday, according to the police statement.

When police arrived, paramedics were already at the scene and pronounced Furlow dead, according to the statement.

"Upon arriving at the location, officers discovered a female victim lying on the ground in the rear alleyway suffering from severe lacerations to her face," police said in the statement.

Authorities are asking anyone with knowledge of the case to contact Philadelphia homicide detectives.

Neighbors expressed outrage over Furlow's death, saying she was a mother of four, including an 11-month-old baby.

"I hope whoever did it, I hope that justice will be brought because she didn't seem to bother anybody in this community, and I just don't understand it," neighbor Alexia Zia told WPVI.

Darnel Henry, another North Philadelphia resident, said Furlow's death is a reminders that "There are demons out here."

"She didn't cause no problems with nobody. She did what she did; that was how she lived. But she was at peace with it," Henry said told WPVI. "But for her to be dead in that alleyway, nobody should go out like that."

ABC News' Jessica Gorman contributed to this report.

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(FRISCO, Texas) -- A teen was found guilty of murder over the fatal stabbing of another teen at a high school track meet last year and sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Karmelo Anthony, 19, was indicted on first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a track meet in Frisco, Texas, in April 2025.

Prosecutors called the stabbing "senseless" and "plain and simple murder," while the defense argued that Anthony acted in self-defense.

Following the announcement of the jury's announcement, Metcalf's parents and his twin brother delivered emotional victim impact statements, addressing Anthony directly.

"We will never know what our future could have been," Meghan Metcalf, Austin Metcalf's mother, said, according to WFAA. "For journalists, activists, this is a story. For our family, this is our reality."

Jeff Metcalf, Austin Metcalf's father, said his son's death destroyed the person he used to be.

"People think grief is sadness, it is not. It is rage. Pure unfiltered rage," he said, as he slammed his fist on a table, according to WFAA.

The jury began deliberating midday Tuesday before reaching the guilty murder verdict in three hours, according to a court spokesperson. The jurors also could have considered manslaughter, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years.

The same jury reached a decision on the sentence after several more hours of deliberation on Tuesday.

After being remanded to the custody of the sheriff's office, Anthony could be seen crying when he returned to the court for the punishment phase, according to ABC Dallas affiliate WFAA, which was in the courtroom for the trial.

Anthony's mother was the only person to take the stand during the punishment phase, asking the jurors to show him mercy as he is sorry for what he did, WFAA reported. The judge said that Anthony waived his right to testify during the punishment phase, according to the station.

The murder charge carried a sentence of five years to life in prison. The state agreed to allow jurors to consider "sudden passion," which, if proven, would have limited the sentence from two to 20 years, according to WFAA. The defense argued that Anthony was overwhelmed by a strong emotion and acted before having time to calm down.

The deadly stabbing occurred at a Frisco Independent School District stadium on April 2, 2025, during a track and field competition involving multiple schools in the district.

Police said Metcalf, an 11th grader at Frisco Memorial High School, was stabbed during an altercation under his school's tent in the stadium bleachers. Witnesses said the two got into an argument over Anthony, a then-17-year-old student at Frisco Centennial High School, being under Metcalf's school tent during the rainy track meet.

Jurors heard testimony over four days at the Collin County Courthouse in McKinney, Texas. Anthony did not take the stand in his own defense. 

Judge John Roach imposed a gag order in the case, restricting what those involved can say, and barred any electronics from the courtroom during the trial due to the attention the case has garnered.

Collin County First Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye told jurors that the stabbing was not self-defense but "unjustified" murder, according to WFAA.

In his closing argument on Tuesday, Wirskye claimed that Anthony provoked Metcalf, questioned why the defendant didn't walk away and called the stabbing disproportionate.

"You don't get to meet a shove with a stab -- especially if you provoke a shove," Wirskye told jurors, according to WFAA.

Defense attorney Mike Howard told jurors that Anthony had gone to the Memorial tent to get out of the rain when Metcalf confronted him and told him to leave, WFAA reported. Howard said Anthony "acted in fear and chaos" after Metcalf pushed him, and stabbed the other teen in self-defense, according to WFAA.

During his closing argument on Tuesday, Howard said Metcalf had "no legal right" to use force on Anthony, WFAA reported. In response to contentions that Anthony could have just left, the defense attorney said, "I am sure he wishes he did," according to WFAA.

Multiple students who were at the track meet that day testified that they saw Metcalf push Anthony, who was seated on the bleacher, with some describing it as a two-handed push, like a "lineman move," while others said it was a one-handed "small shove," WFAA reported.

One witness testified that Anthony was asked to leave the tent about 15 times, according to WFAA. Some recalled Anthony saying, "Touch me and see what happens," during the altercation, which witnesses said lasted about four to six minutes, according to WFAA. Another witness quoted Metcalf as telling Anthony, "I'm not going to fight you," the station reported.

Surveillance footage from the track meet played in court did not show the stabbing, and some of the witnesses were asked to demonstrate the incident, according to WFAA.

After the stabbing, witnesses said Anthony jogged away from the tent, and a coach who spoke to him on the track testified that he said, "He put his hands on me. I stabbed him," according to WFAA.

A pocket knife used in the stabbing was found on the bleachers, police said. Collin County Medical Examiner Dr. Elizabeth Ventura testified that Metcalf was stabbed on the left side of his chest, and the knife perforated his right ventricle, according to WFAA. 

Several people spoke during the trial of the efforts to save Metcalf. A football coach who was helping at the track meet testified that he put pressure on the stab wound, and Memorial's athletic trainer said she did CPR until paramedics arrived, according to WFAA.

"Everybody was praying," Memorial High School head track coach Robert Starr said in emotional testimony, according to WFAA. "I just knew Austin was gone."

Metcalf was transported to an area hospital, where he was ultimately pronounced dead, police said.

"A year ago, when this senseless murder unfolded, I said that it had struck a deep nerve," Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said in remarks following the sentencing, while joined by the Metcalf family. "I asked our community to ignore all the noise and instead be level-headed and patient as the process worked, and today the process delivered accountability."

Among those he thanked were the "brave kids" who testified "despite the trauma of witnessing the senseless murder at a school track meet." He also thanked the Collin County Sheriff's Office for providing security at the courthouse, which had drawn large crowds during the trial, with people holding signs calling for justice for Metcalf and in support of Anthony.

Frisco ISD reacted to the verdict, saying in a statement, "We respect the judicial process and will continue to support our students with compassion and care."

"We know this trial has brought strong emotions and deep grief, and we ask that our community continue to support each other with respect, sensitivity and understanding," the statement continued.

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(LIVONIA, Mich.) -- A man allegedly gunned down his parents, his brother and his brother's girlfriend in a domestic mass shooting at the family's home in Michigan, according to authorities.

The shooting was reported in Livonia, about 20 miles outside of Detroit, at about 5:35 p.m. Tuesday, Livonia police said.

When officers arrived, the 25-year-old suspect walked out of the home with his hands raised and indicated "he had shot family members," police said.

The suspect's parents -- 58-year-old Sterling Pierce and 53-year-old Holly Kimball -- were found shot dead in the backyard, Livonia Police Chief Thomas Goralski said at a news conference Wednesday.

The suspect's brother, 22-year-old Tanner Pierce, and Tanner Pierce's girlfriend, 21-year-old Nevaeh Finch, were found fatally shot in a bedroom, Goralski said.

The parents and the brothers lived in the house and the girlfriend often stayed there, the chief said.

Goralski said there was apparently a "contentious relationship between the suspect and his parents," but he added that police "don't know what happened" and said investigators are still "working on motives."

Police have not been to the house for any prior incidents involving the suspect, the chief noted.

The suspect, who was not named by police, was taken into custody, the chief said. There's no threat to the public, police said.

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(LANSING, Mich.) -- Michigan's attorney general condemned a decision by the Michigan Court of Appeals reversing the conviction of a man who allegedly provided support for a plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. 

The court overturned the conviction of Joseph Morrison on Tuesday, saying in part that kidnapping was not considered a violent felony in this case. 

"This ruling is completely and irredeemably nonsensical, outrageous and irresponsible," Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement. "For the panel to declare that kidnapping is not a violent felony strains all legal credibility and insults the intelligence of every person in this State."

Nessel said her office would appeal the ruling, calling it a "preposterous decision."

Morrison was one of several members of a militia who were convicted in October 2022 for providing material support of a terrorist act, as well as charges related to firearms and membership in a gang. The charge of support for a terrorist act carried a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Whitmer's chief of staff, JoAnne Huls, also reportedly criticized the ruling, said the decision "doesn't change the underlying facts: Joseph Morrison and other men supported an effort to kidnap and murder Governor Whitmer."

"They committed crimes, and they must be held accountable," Huls told ABC News in a statement. "Releasing them poses a danger to the public and letting them walk is a threat to our democracy. We do not agree with today's decision, which invites a culture of fear and violence in Michigan and the country."

"When radical extremists like Joseph Morrison can commit crimes and then walk free, it sends an alarming message and condones political violence. Today's decision may dissuade people from making their voices heard, running for office, and more," Huls said.

Huls acknowledged the work of prosecutors and law enforcement in the case and said Whitmer "will keep working tirelessly to make a difference for Michiganders."

The attorney general's office, in its statement, said the decision to overturn the conviction amounted to an effort by the court to twist "itself into a knot using legal and linguistic gymnastics in order to liberate dangerous criminals using convoluted definitions of the crimes upon which they were convicted."

Morrison was part of a militia group known as the Wolverine Watchmen, which took part in armed protests at the Michigan state capitol, largely over Whitmer's strict COVID-19 shutdown rules. He was among several Watchmen members who were photographed at the Capitol, holding rifles, outside Whitmer's office, during one of those protests in April 2020.

A member of the group eventually turned into a confidential informant in March 2020 after talks turned to harming law enforcement and eventually public officials. 

Fourteen members of the self-styled militia were arrested in October 2020, and news of the plot to kidnap Whitmer emerged.

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