(SANTA COUNTY, Ariz.) -- State prosecutors said Monday they will not seek to retry 75-year-old George Alan Kelly, the Arizona rancher accused of fatally shooting an unarmed migrant on his property near the U.S.-Mexico border.
“Because of the unique circumstances and challenges surrounding this case, the Santa County Attorney’s office has decided not to seek a retrial,” said Deputy County Attorney Kimberly Hunley at a status hearing.
As prosecutors made their announcement, Kelly could be seen hanging his head and appeared to be overcome with emotion.
Another hearing will be set to consider the defense’s request to dismiss the case with prejudice.
Last Monday, a judge declared a mistrial in the case after jurors were unable to reach consensus about whether to charge Kelly with second-degree murder and aggravated assault. He had pleaded not guilty.
Kelly was accused of shooting his AK-47 from a far distance at a group of migrants who were headed back across the border into Mexico. Prosecutors said Gabriel Cuen-Buitimea, 48, a migrant who lived just across the border in Nogales, Mexico, and was looking for work, was fatally struck. Law enforcement officials were never able to recover the bullet, and Kelly’s lawyers tried to make the point that another person may have shot him. No other weapon was discovered in the area.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
(CHARLOTTE, N.C.) -- "Numerous" law enforcement officers were struck by gunfire and one suspect is dead in an incident in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Monday afternoon, police said.
The number of people shot and the nature of their injuries was not immediately known, but the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said "multiple" officers were transported to the hospital.
At the time of the shooting, the U.S. Marshals Task Force was serving a warrant in an investigation in the area "when they were engaged by active gunfire from a subject," police said.
Just before 5 p.m., about three hours after police said there had been a shooting, police said "at least one shooting suspect was located deceased at the residence after clearing the scene." It was not immediately clear how the suspect died.
Police are questioning two other people who lived in the home, they said.
Police previously described the incident as an "active situation" and said a SWAT team was on scene. Police said the shelter-in-place order was lifted after the house was cleared.
In a statement on social media, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said he was in touch with police about the shooting and has offered up state resources to help.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(NEW YORK) -- Protests have broken out at colleges and universities across the country in connection with the war in Gaza.
Many pro-Palestinian protesters are calling for their colleges to divest of funds from Israeli military operations, while some Jewish students on the campuses have called the protests antisemitic and said they are scared for their safety.
The student protests -- some of which have turned into around-the-clock encampments -- have erupted throughout the nation following arrests and student removals at Columbia University in New York City. Students at schools including Yale University, New York University, Harvard University, University of Texas at Austin, University of Southern California and more have launched protests.
Here's how the news is developing:
Apr 29, 5:27 PM Columbia begins suspending students who refuse to leave encampment
A representative from Columbia University said the school has begun suspending students who have defied the 2 p.m. deadline to leave the encampment.
Ben Chang, the vice president of the office of public affairs, did not say how many people would be suspended but said those students would not be able to attend classes or graduate.
The school's campus is still closed to anyone who doesn't have a student ID.
-ABC News' Darren Reynolds
Apr 29, 4:23 PM Protesters clash with police at UT-Austin
Police and protesters clashed on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin on Monday afternoon after authorities issued a dispersal order.
The UT Austin Police Department asked protesters to leave the South Mall area at about 1 p.m. local time.
Protesters could be heard chanting, "There is no riot here, why are you in riot gear?" Soon after, police moved in to clear the area by force.
The university said in a statement, "After protesters ignored repeated directives from both the administration and law enforcement officers to comply with Institutional Rules and remove tents assembled on the University’s South Lawn, then physically engaged with and verbally assaulted Dean of Students staff who attempted to confiscate them, UT and partner law enforcement agencies dismantled an encampment and arrested several protesters."
It continued, "Baseball size rocks were found strategically placed within the encampment. The majority of protesters are believed to be unaffiliated with the university."
More than 50 people were arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest on the campus last week, however, charges were later dropped.
Apr 29, 3:31 PM Protesters clash with police at UT-Austin
Police and protesters clashed on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin on Monday afternoon after authorities issued a dispersal order.
The UT Austin Police Department asked protesters to leave the South Mall area at about 1 p.m. local time.
Protesters could be heard chanting, "There is no riot here, why are you in riot gear?" Soon after, police moved in to clear the area by force.
More than 50 people were arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest on the campus last week, however, charges were later dropped.
Apr 29, 3:05 PM Columbia protesters defy 2 p.m. deadline to disperse
Protesters camped out at Columbia University are defying the school's order to pack up and leave by 2 p.m.
Sueda Polat, a representative from the protesters' negotiating team, told reporters that the university did not engage in good-faith negotiations and failed to meet their demands to divest from Israel.
"It is against the will of the students to disperse," she said. "We do not abide by university pressures. We act on the will of the students."
Police were outside of the campus as the deadline approached but they did not immediately enter after it passed.
"Students are aware of the risk of law enforcement. ... They know how to come together in that risk," Polat said.
Apr 29, 1:57 PM Cal Poly Humboldt campus leaders offer escorts to concerned students
Cal Poly Humboldt said it will close off campus to non-school members through May 10 as protesters have occupied two buildings.
Campus leaders also said it will now offer escorts off campus to anyone who feels their safety is threatened.
The school urged the protesters who have been occupying Siemens Hall and Nelson Hall East since last week to leave immediately.
"Leaving voluntarily will be considered as a possible mitigating factor in University conduct processes and may reduce the severity of sanctions imposed. This does not, however, eliminate responsibility for any potential conduct or criminal charges."
-ABC News' Bonnie McLean
Apr 29, 12:24 PM UGA arrests protesters after 'crossing a line,' blocking sidewalks
The University of Georgia-Athens said protesters who set up an encampment on campus "crossed a line" Monday morning and several were arrested.
Approximately "25 protesters began erecting tents and a barricade, blocking sidewalks and building entrances and using amplified sound," school spokesman Greg Trevor said in a statement.
The protesters met with university police and student affairs members to discuss the violation and were given multiple warnings to remove the barriers, but they refused, according to Trevor.
"At 8:30 a.m., UGA Police were left with no choice but to arrest those who refused to comply," he said.
The school did not specify how many people were arrested.
"While we must provide ample opportunity for protected expressive activities, we also have the right and duty to regulate the time, place and manner in which they occur," Trevor said.
-ABC News' Ahmad Hemingway
Apr 29, 11:11 AM Columbia tells protesters to leave encampment by 2 p.m.
Columbia University has distributed a letter to members of the encampment on campus telling them to gather their belongings and leave the area by 2 p.m., saying if they identify themselves and sign a form "to abide by all University policies through June 30, 2025, or the date of the conferral of your degree, whichever is earlier, you will be eligible to complete the semester in good standing."
The school said it has "already identified many students in the encampment" and "if you do not identify yourself upon leaving and sign the form now, you will not be eligible to sign and complete the semester in good standing." The school warned it could take action up to suspension or expulsion if they do not leave the encampment.
The school reiterated that negotiations with protesters had broken down and said the protests are a "disruption" to those taking final exams and preparing for graduation.
"As you are probably aware, the dialogue between the University and student leaders of the encampment is, regrettably, at an impasse," the letter states. "The current unauthorized encampment and disruption on Columbia University’s campus is creating an unwelcoming environment for members of our community. External actors have also contributed to this environment, especially around our gates, causing safety concerns – including for our neighbors."
Apr 29, 9:09 AM Columbia cannot come to agreement with protesters, president says
Protesters at Columbia University, who sparked many of the protests across the nation earlier this month, are now being asked to voluntarily disperse after the school's president said it was not able to come to an agreement through negotiations.
Since Wednesday, "a small group of academic leaders has been in constructive dialogue with student organizers to find a path that would result in the dismantling of the encampment and adherence to University policies going forward. Regretfully, we were not able to come to an agreement," Columbia President Minouche Shafik said in a statement Monday morning.
One of the top demands of the protesters, for Columbia to divest from Israel, was flatly denied by the university, according to the statement.
The school asked protesters, who number in the hundreds, to voluntarily disperse, but offered no explanation for what would happen if they did not. The school said it did not "want to deprive thousands of students and their families and friends of a graduation celebration." The school's graduation ceremony is set to be held May 15.
"We urge those in the encampment to voluntarily disperse," Shafik wrote. "We are consulting with a broader group in our community to explore alternative internal options to end this crisis as soon as possible. We will continue to update the community with new developments."
Apr 29, 8:54 AM Dozens of arrests made at Virginia Tech
Police cleared out an encampment at Virginia Tech late Sunday after protesters had set up tents on the lawn of the campus' Graduate Life Center.
"Those who gathered were advised by university officials to remove their possessions and to disperse voluntarily; those who failed to comply were then approached by Virginia Tech Police and were again asked to leave and advised that anyone who failed to comply would be charged with trespassing, in accordance with Virginia law," the school said in a statement.
The university added, "At approximately 10:15 p.m., police approached protesters to ask them to disperse within five minutes. Those who remained were subject to arrest."
Dozens of protesters were taken into custody, according to Lynchburg, Virginia, ABC affiliate WSET.
Apr 28, 8:52 PM UCLA increases security measures after physical altercations during protest
UCLA announced it is instituting additional security measures amid protests on campus over the Israel-Hamas war in a statement on Sunday.
"UCLA has a long history of peaceful protest and we are heartbroken to report that today, some physical altercations broke out among demonstrators on Royce Quad," Mary Osako, vice chancellor of UCLA Strategic Communications said.
"We have since instituted additional security measures and increased the numbers of our safety team members on site," Osako said.
"As an institution of higher education, we stand firmly for the idea that even when we disagree, we must still engage respectfully and recognize one another’s humanity," Osako continued.
Addressing the physical altercations during the protests, Osako said, "We are dismayed that certain individuals instead chose to jeopardize the physical safety of the community."
Last week, the University of California rejected calls to divest from companies that do business with Israel.
Apr 28, 10:07 AM White House: 'We don't want to see anybody hurt in the process'
The White House said Sunday that President Joe Biden respects the right of demonstrators to make their voices heard -- peacefully -- and "we don't want to see anybody hurt in the process."
"The president knows that there are very strong feelings about the war in Gaza. He understands that, he respects that, and as he has said many times, we certainly respect the right of peaceful protest. People should have the ability to air their views and to share their perspectives publicly, but it has to be peaceful," White House national security spokesman John Kirby told ABC News' This Week anchor George Stephanopoulos on Sunday.
Kirby did warn that some language heard during the demonstrations crossed a line with the administration.
"We absolutely condemn the antisemitism language that we've heard of late, and we certainly condemn all the hate speech and the threats of violence out there. These protests, we understand they're important, but they do need to be peaceful," he said.
"We'll leave it to local authorities to determine how these protests are managed," Kirby told Stephanopoulos, "but we want them to be peaceful protests and obviously we don't want to see anybody hurt in the process of peacefully protesting."
Apr 28, 12:07 AM USC temporarily closes main campus due to 'disruption,' LAPD issues alert
The University of Southern California closed its main campus Saturday evening "due to a disturbance," the university said on X.
Los Angeles Police Department issued a citywide tactical alert due to a protest on USC's campus, urging people to avoid the area.
A tactical alert allows LAPD to keep officers on past their shifts and to move officers between divisions if they need extra staffing in one area of the city.
(SALEM, Ore.) -- The winners of the $1.326 billion Powerball ticket were officially revealed by the Oregon Lottery on Monday.
During a press conference at the Oregon Lottery Headquarters in Salem, Oregon, husband and wife Cheng and Duanpen Saephan and their friend Laiza Chao were announced as the winners of the massive lottery drawn earlier this month.
Cheng Saephan, an immigrant from Laos living in Portland, explained how life-changing the lottery win is amid his eight-year cancer battle.
"I'm happy for my family, they will have a good life," Saephan said during the press conference. "I'm battling cancer so thinking how am I going to spend all the money," he said, adding that he can now find a "good doctor" and that he and his wife plan to buy a home with their lump-sum winnings.
Saephan immigrated to America in 1994 and used to work in aerospace.
He and his wife and their friend, Laiza Chao, bought 20 Powerball tickets in hopes of winning the jackpot.
"I call Laiza as she's driving to work, I told her you don't have to go to work now; we won the lottery; we won the jackpot!" Saephan recalled during the press conference.
The staggering $1.326 billion Powerball ticket was the fourth-largest Powerball jackpot in history and the eighth-largest among U.S. jackpot games, according to the Oregon Lottery.
On April 6, a lucky ticket matching all six Powerball numbers was sold at the Plaid Pantry convenience store in Portland, Oregon, the state's lottery announced at the time.
The numbers drawn for the jackpot were 22, 27, 44, 52 and 69, with a Powerball of 9, the lottery said.
"This is our first winner on this scale, so this is very exciting for us," Melanie Mesaros, spokesperson for the Oregon Lottery told ABC News on April 7.
The lottery winners have the opportunity to accept a lump cash sum of $621 million or receive annual payouts of the $1.3 billion, also pre-tax -- starting with one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5% each year, the lottery said.
The jackpot is subject to federal taxes and state taxes in Oregon.
The Plaid Pantry location in northeast Portland will also receive a $100,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket, according to the lottery.
"Plaid Pantry is thrilled to learn that one of our 104 Oregon stores sold the $1.3 billion dollar Powerball ticket," Plaid Pantry President and CEO Jonathan Polonsky said in a statement to the Oregon Lottery. "This store is one of our newest and most loved stores. Proceeds from the Oregon Lottery fund many programs that benefit everyone in the state, and we've been a proud partner with the Oregon Lottery since the very beginning."
The individuals with the winning $1.326 billion ticket came forward on April 8 and underwent a vetting process before their identity was announced.
"This is an unprecedented jackpot win for Oregon Lottery," Oregon Lottery Director Mike Wells said in a press release on April 8. "We're taking every precaution to verify the winner before awarding the prize money, which will take time."
The Powerball jackpot previously ballooned to an estimated $1.3 billion ahead of the April 6 drawing after a record-tying streak with no jackpot winner.
The Powerball hasn't been won since Jan. 1, when a ticket sold in Michigan claimed a $842.4 million jackpot.
In 2022, the largest U.S. lottery jackpot, worth $2.04 billion, was won in California.
Powerball is a multi-state jackpot operated by 44 states, plus the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, according to Oregon Lottery.
Powerball tickets are $2 per play and the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, according to Powerball.
(WASHINGTON) -- Ralph Puckett Jr., Colonel, United States Army, Retired. A name of honor and now for history.
Medal of Honor recipient Puckett's cremated remains lay in honor Monday afternoon at the center of the Capitol rotunda -- one of the nation's highest honors. Puckett died April 8 at the age of 97 in Columbus, Georgia.
To lie in state or honor at the U.S. Capitol is a privilege reserved for the country's most-distinguished citizens and leaders, including United States presidents and some of the country's most-decorated veterans of war. Only seven citizens -- Rosa Parks and Billy Graham and four U.S. Capitol police officers -- have ever lay in honor.
Puckett drew enemy fire and exposed himself multiple times to danger to allow his fellow Army Rangers to find and destroy enemy positions during a multi-wave attack, which earned him the Medal of Honor.
"The courage and self-sacrifice that earned that honor will be this great man's eternal legacy," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said during Monday's ceremony.
President Joe Biden awarded Puckett the Medal of Honor on May 21, 2021, upgrading one of his Distinguished Service Crosses, for Puckett showing "extraordinary heroism and selflessness" in the Korean War more than 70 years ago, explaining that the award finally gave Puckett's "act of valor the full recognition they have always deserved."
Moon Jae-in, president of the Republic of Korea, joined the celebration in the East Room -- becoming the first foreign leader to attend a Medal of Honor ceremony.
"Colonel Puckett is a true hero of the Korean War. With extraordinary valor and leadership, he completed missions until the very end, defending Hill 205 and fighting many more battles requiring equal valiance," Moon said. "Without the sacrifice of veterans, including Colonel Puckett and the Eighth Army Ranger Company, freedom and democracy we enjoy today couldn't have blossomed in Korea."
Speaker Mike Johnson expressed hope that the next generation of service members and warfighters "learn" from Puckett's example and "aspire the same great virtues of valor and honor and courage."
"These heroes were forged by fire. They were built through great adversity. They were ordinary men. Most of them had to do extraordinary things because they were driven by a profound sense of duty and self-sacrifice and faith that their cause was just," Johnson said. "That our values in our country were worth defending, and that God would honor the inestimable value of their personal commitments. The soldiers of the Korean War did the right thing, even at great cost to themselves, and theirs is an example we should all admire and aspire to."
According to a military citation read at the ceremony, Puckett was awarded the Medal of Honor "for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty" serving as the commander 8th U.S. Army Ranger Company during November 25-26,1950, in Korea.
As Puckett's unit commenced a daylight offensive, the Korean enemy directed mortar, machine gun and small-arms fire against the advancing U.S. force, the citation read. Puckett mounted a tank, "exposing himself to the deadly enemy fire" before leaping from the tank, shouting "words of encouragement" to his men before leading the Rangers in the attack.
As enemy fire "threatened the success of the attack by pinning down" one U.S. platoon, Puckett "intentionally ran across an open area three times to draw enemy fire, thereby allowing the Rangers to locate and destroy the enemy positions and to seize Hill 205," the citation noted.
A counterattack lasted hours, and though Puckett was wounded by grenade fragments early in the fight, he refused evacuation and continually directed artillery support that decimated attacking enemy formations.
During a sixth attack, two enemy mortar rounds landed in his foxhole, inflicting "grievous wounds" and limiting his mobility. Puckett issued a command to leave him behind and evacuate the area. But two Rangers refused the order and retrieved him from the foxhole -- moving him out from under enemy fire to the bottom of the hill, where Puckett then "called for devastating artillery fire on the top of the enemy-controlled hill."
"First Lieutenant Puckett's extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army," the citation concluded.
Puckett later returned to service and deployed to combat in Vietnam, where he was again honored for his gallantry. Among his other awards are five Purple Hearts, two Silver Stars, three Legion of Merit awards, two Bronze Star medals and a second Distinguished Service Cross for his actions in Vietnam.
The flags at the U.S. Capitol flew at half-staff on Monday in tribute to Puckett.
(WASHINGTON) -- Attorneys representing President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden are threatening to sue Fox News for violating "revenge porn" laws and publishing since-discredited bribery allegations as part of a scheme to "paint him in a false light," according to a letter obtained by ABC News.
The letter, which Hunter Biden's counsel transmitted to attorneys at Fox News last week, includes a request for the conservative news outlet to "preserve all documents potentially relevant to the allegations in this letter" -- a common precursor to litigation.
"We anticipate that litigation against FOX ... is imminent," the letter says.
To pen the letter to Fox, Hunter Biden enlisted the law firm Geragos & Geragos, whose principal, Mark Geragos, has represented A-listers like Michael Jackson, singer Chris Brown, and actress Winona Ryder.
Geragos also has experience representing family members of presidents: He negotiated a plea deal in 2001 for Roger Clinton Jr., the brother of former President Bill Clinton, for driving under the influence.
After years of quietly weathering a federal criminal investigation and deluge of negative press, Hunter Biden embarked on an aggressive legal counteroffensive last year against several individuals who played some role in obtaining and disseminating the contents of a laptop purportedly belonging to him.
Among those are John Paul Mac Isaac, the computer repairman who initially obtained the laptop; Rudy Giuliani, who denied Hunter Biden's claim that he manipulated and disseminated data from the laptop; and Garrett Ziegler, a onetime Trump White House aide who published the contents of the laptop -- including several graphic images -- to the internet.
According to accounts given by Mac Isaac and his attorney, on April 12, 2019, Hunter Biden arrived at Mac Isaac's computer repair shop with three damaged devices and asked if the data could be recovered. Days later, Mac Isaac said, he asked Hunter Biden to return to the shop to retrieve the devices and pay an $85 service fee. Mac Isaac has said he never heard back from Hunter Biden, and the invoice was never paid.
After 90 days, according to Mac Isaac and his attorney, the abandoned laptop became Mac Isaac's property, pursuant to the work order agreement Hunter Biden allegedly signed when he first visited Mac Isaac's shop.
Mac Isaac subsequently turned the laptop and external hard drive over to the FBI in December 2019, and later sought to share information from the devices with then-President Donald Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, who made the contents of the devices available to other Trump allies and some news outlets in the weeks prior to the 2020 presidential election.
In a statement to ABC News, Hunter Biden's legal team said, "For the last five years, Fox News has relentlessly attacked Hunter Biden and made him a caricature in order to boost ratings and for its financial gain. The recent indictment of FBI informant Smirnov has exposed the conspiracy of disinformation that has been fueled by Fox, enabled by their paid agents and monetized by the Fox enterprise. We plan on holding them accountable."
Attorneys for Hunter Biden demanded that Fox News "expeditiously remove and disable access" to the images. They sent the letter on April 23 and requested that Fox's legal team "have taken steps outlined in this letter" by Friday, April 26.
A person familiar with the matter said that as of Monday, Fox News had not responded. A spokesperson for Fox News did not respond to a request for comment from ABC News.
If Hunter Biden moves forward with a lawsuit against Fox News, it would constitute his first action against a major media firm.
In their letter to Fox News, attorneys for Hunter Biden cited statistics that they say demonstrate how ubiquitous the outlet's coverage of the president's son had become in recent years.
Some of Fox News' star anchors, including Maria Bartiromo and Sean Hannity, ran hundreds of segments about a now-discredited claim that Joe and Hunter Biden accepted millions of dollars in bribes from a Ukrainian oligarch, according to statistics gathered by media watchdog Media Matters.
Alexander Smirnov, the source of the allegation, has since pleaded not guilty to charges that he fabricated the story to harm the president politically.
But according their letter, attorneys for Hunter Biden charge that "rather than walk back the story and correct the record, FOX double-downed on the debunked bribery allegation and used Smirnov's indictment to suggest an even deeper conspiracy."
Attorneys for Hunter Biden also demanded that Fox News remove a miniseries called "The Trial of Hunter Biden" from its streaming services.
The miniseries, described by Fox Nation as a mock trial that seeks to show "how a possible Hunter Biden trial might look," includes several sexually graphic images of Hunter Biden, which are reproduced in the letter.
The miniseries "unlawfully published and continues to publish intimate images of Mr. Biden depicting him in the nude as well as engaged in sex acts in violation of the majority of states' laws against the nonconsensual disclosure of sexually explicit images and videos, sometimes referred to as 'revenge porn' laws," Hunter Biden's attorneys wrote.
The images cited in the letter date back to a time when Hunter Biden was in the throes of drug and alcohol addiction. In his 2021 memoir, "Beautiful Things," Hunter Biden described frequent drug-infused binges that often involved sexual interactions with women.
When special counsel David Weiss brought tax-related charges against Biden last year, his indictment included an accounting of how Hunter Biden spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on women instead of paying his taxes. Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to those charges.
(NEW YORK) -- After former President Donald Trump spent the day in a courtroom in downtown Manhattan last Tuesday, one of the star witnesses in the criminal hush money case against him went live on social media to talk about the trial as thousands listened.
"Trump 2024?" said Michael Cohen, Trump's former attorney and "fixer" who is now a central figure in the criminal case. "More like Trump 20-24 years."
As he awaits his turn to take the witness stand, Cohen has discussed Trump, the ongoing trial, and the testimony already underway during nightly livestreams on TikTok which appear to be earning him financial benefit through viewers' donations, according to hours of his streams viewed by ABC News.
And while the undertaking doesn't appear to run afoul of any court order, experts say it hurts the already-blemished credibility of an essential witness in the case.
"I'd be furious," said ABC News contributor and former Georgia prosecutor Chris Timmons. "As a prosecutor, the last thing you want your witness to do is to be talking about the case in a forum other than the courtroom."
Jeremy Saland, a defense attorney who formerly worked in the Manhattan district attorney's office that is now bringing the case, told ABC News that Cohen's actions are only likely to benefit Trump's defense.
"I have no doubt that Team Trump is scrutinizing and listening and watching whatever they can, and they are rightfully going to weaponize it in a court of law to tear down his credibility," Saland said.
"If I'm the prosecution, I'm on the phone right now saying, 'Stop what you are doing -- right now,'" Saland added. "I can't make you, but you need to stop for your own sake because it's going to get worse for you in that courtroom. And you are compromising the case."
Asked about the livestreams, Cohen on Monday told ABC News, "I am not the defendant in this criminal matter and am not the subject of Judge Merchan's gag order. Donald is."
"Nevertheless," he said, "I elected, out of respect to the court and the prosecutors, to cease commenting on Trump and this matter; which I have done."
'See you in a month'
Trump is on trial after pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records to hide the reimbursement of a hush money payment that Cohen made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.
In a statement to ABC News on Monday, Cohen said he would cease commenting on Trump and "this matter."
"I am not the defendant in this criminal matter and am not the subject of Judge Merchan's gag order. Donald is," Cohen told ABC News. "Nevertheless, I elected, out of respect to the court and the prosecutors, to cease commenting on Trump and this matter; which I have done."
The statement echoed what Cohen -- who has been criticizing Trump for years -- publicly announced last Wednesday on social media, when he said that he would "cease posting anything" about the former president on X until after he takes the stand in the ongoing trial.
"See you in a month (or more)," Cohen wrote on X, formally known as Twitter.
It was a move that prosecutors were pleased with, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
But just a few hours later, Cohen fired up his TikTok account, went live with thousands of viewers, and briefly talked about Trump and the trial with Rosie O'Donnell.
"I'm washing my hands of him until I end up seeing him face to face, and I am a witness on the stand to provide truthful testimony," Cohen said at one point after O'Donnell said she hoped "we will as a nation stand up to [Trump] and the indictments will follow through and he will be held accountable for all of the horrors that he has done."
The district attorney's office declined to comment.
While his livestream on Thursday night was considerably less focused on Trump or the trial, Cohen has frequently hosted hours-long TikTok livestreams where he discusses the trial and the former president, and engages with thousands of viewers who ask him questions and sometimes make monetary donations.
Early on, the prosecutors bringing the case against Trump acknowledged that their witnesses have, as they put it, "some baggage," and they attempted during jury selection to weed out those who may have a problem with that.
"Will you keep an open mind?" Steinglass asked the prospective jurors, warning them they would hear from individuals who may previously have lied or been convicted of a crime. Many said they would.
Donald Trump's attorneys have sought to eviscerate Cohen's credibility as a central aspect of their defense, describing him to the jury as a criminal who is "obsessed" with "getting" Trump -- and is financially motivated by Trump's downfall. Trump attorney Todd Blanche specifically told the jury about Cohen's out-of-court statements, saying that on the eve of Trump's trial Cohen said he had a "mental excitement" about it.
"His entire financial livelihood depends on President Trump's destruction," Blanche said in his opening statement. "You cannot make a serious decision about President Trump by relying on the words of Michael Cohen."
'I'll just tell the truth'
Cohen's streams often seem like a fever dream -- with Trump's one-time fixer fluctuating between personal attacks on his former boss and making heart shapes with his hands after a user sends him a gift.
This week he also detailed how he saw the trial playing out in light of testimony from former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, who testified that, in the runup to the 2016 election, he caught and killed negative stories about Trump as part of an agreement between him, Trump and Cohen.
"From everything that I heard from people today, well, David Pecker is basically is corroborating what I have been saying for six years," said Cohen, who said that he's been following the coverage by watching CNN and MSNBC. "And if I give my testimony and it corroborates his, well there you go, the circle starts closing. Then you got Hope Hicks, you got Keith Davidson, you have Stormy, you have Karen McDougal ... all the way across the board, right? And that's what will happen."
At one point on Tuesday night, in the middle of Cohen discussing his upcoming possible testimony, a TikTok user gifted Cohen a "Knight Helmet," which cost 199 TikTok coins. The gift placed a cartoon helmet on Cohen's head, prompting him to stop briefly mid-sentence before continuing,
"Ultimately what will happen is it will be my day ... I'll go there with my helmet, my spear, and I'll sit my ass in that witness stand and I'll just tell the truth," Cohen said.
A core feature of TikTok's platform allows users like Cohen to monetize their livestreams by allowing viewers to donate "gifts" as they watch. After the stream ends, the gifts donated by viewers can be turned into "diamonds" to "obtain a reward payment from us, such as money or virtual items," according to the platform's website.
Information about revenue is only available to the TikTok account holder, so it's unclear how much money Cohen is making on his streams. A representative for TikTok told ABC News that "the amount a creator can earn by going LIVE can vary greatly, and viewers have a range of virtual gifts to choose from."
According to the social media company's website, "The more often you go LIVE and engage with your audience, the more opportunities to collect diamonds and make money. By collecting diamonds, you may be able to obtain a reward payment in money or in virtual items from TikTok."
Cohen did not specify how much he has made on the streams when asked by ABC News.
Timmons, the former prosecutor, said the financial benefit of Cohen's social media presence is particularly problematic.
"It's one thing to be providing out-of-court statements -- that's bad," Timmons said. "Getting paid for them can be disastrous."
"Anytime there's money involved with a witness it's a bad thing, because the jury is going to think this person is saying these things in court because they have a financial motive, not a motive of the truth," said Timmons.
On Tuesday night's stream, Cohen also discussed the pending gag-order ruling against the former president, just hours after the judge held a hearing on the issue.
"With the gag order -- the other day Donald once again, he comes out, comes out of the courtroom and goes right into that little cage, which is where he belongs, in a f------ cage like an animal," said Cohen.
On Tuesday morning, lawyers for the Manhattan district attorney argued for the judge overseeing the hush money case to hold the former president in contempt for repeatedly violating the limited gag order in the case, based in part on attacks he's made against Cohen.
Prosecutors highlighted seven instances this month in which Trump made a social media post mentioning likely witnesses Cohen or Daniels; two instances when his campaign website reposted information about Cohen; and one instance where Trump suggested that "undercover liberal activists" are trying to infiltrate the case's jury.
'There will be no boredom'
It's unclear what prompted Cohen to publicly announce on Wednesday that he would no longer talk about Trump on social media, but Trump's former fixer appeared to notice that his viewership dropped as a result.
On Tuesday night, as Cohen railed against Trump and discussed the latest developments in the trial, his viewership hovered between 2,000 and 3,000. But on Wednesday, after he said he would no longer discuss the trial, his livestream count dropped below 800.
"Wow, it's a low one -- I wonder why?" Cohen said Wednesday night. "Is Wednesday, like, a big TV night or something?"
By the weekend, he was back to discussing the trial, going live on TikTok again on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night.
On Friday's stream, Cohen reiterated what he called his "pledge to myself" not to discuss Trump or the ongoing trial -- but moments later, he slammed Trump for bringing Boris Epshteyn, one of Trump's advisers, to the trial. Epshteyn is not officially involved in the hush money case.
"For example, [Trump] brought Boris Epshteyn," Cohen said. "Why? Who the f--- knows. Boris has never tried a case in his life. So, now all the sudden what is he, a legal adviser? Yeah that's definitely what you want."
Cohen then praised Trump's trial attorneys Susan Necheles and Todd Blanche for having "excellent reparations" as lawyers before questioning why Blanche decide to take on the case.
He then sparred with a viewer who commented that the "jury looked bored" during the trial, before hyping up his own potential upcoming testimony.
"Why would you say that the jury is bored? Were you there?" Cohen said. "One thing I can assure you, when I hit that stand, there will be no boredom. That I can promise you."
"So, don't worry so much about this jury. They are going to do the right thing based off the evidence, based off the judge gives the jury instructions, plain and simple," Cohen said, before adding after a brief pause, "No different than any other case."
(SALIDA, Colo.) -- Suzanne Morphew, the Colorado mom who went missing on a bike ride in May 2020, died by homicide, according to an autopsy released Monday, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation said in a statement.
Her death was determined to have been caused by "Homicide by undetermined means in the setting of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine intoxication," according to the autopsy.
"These drugs are marketed as a compounded injectable chemical immobilizer for wildlife," according to the autopsy from the El Paso County coroner.
There was no indication of trauma to her body at the time of her death, according to the report.
Barry Morphew, Suzanne's husband, was charged with her murder in 2021, but those charged were dropped in April 2022 just before a trial was supposed to begin. No one has been arrested in the case since.
FDA brings lab tests under federal oversight in bid to improve accuracy and safety "The Colorado Bureau of Investigation and our law enforcement partners understand and appreciate the public interest surrounding this case," CBI Director Chris Schaefer said in a statement Monday. "The investigative team assembled to work this case continues to follow the evidence and only the evidence as we seek justice for Suzanne's death."
Her body was found in September 2023 while investigators were searching in an unrelated case. Her remains were found in Moffat, Colorado, in Saguache County, about 90 minutes south of where she lived in Chaffee County.
"For the past four years the Morphews have agonized over Suzanne’s disappearance," the Morphew family said in a statement from their lawyer. "This included not only the pain of the loss of their wife and mother but also the false accusations and prosecution of Barry Morphew. The Morphews have prayed the authorities would remove their blinders and not only find Suzanne, but find the suspect responsible for her disappearance and murder. However, the Morphews are left with more questions than answers and a lack of justice for Suzanne, the family and the community."
In addition to her clothes, the autopsy notes a "weathered bullet" was found with her remains.
Barry, and the couple's adult daughters Macy and Mallory, also accused investigators of not telling them whether they tested the bullet or the clothing for any DNA evidence.
Barry and his daughters spoke to ABC News in May 2023 after they filed a lawsuit against prosecutors saying he was wrongfully charged.
"They've got tunnel vision and they looked at one person and they've got too much pride to say they're wrong and look somewhere else," Morphew said at the time. "I don't have anything to worry about. I've done nothing wrong."
ABC News' Meredith Deliso, Morgan Winsor and Erielle Reshef contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) -- A line of strong thunderstorms is pushing through Louisiana and southeastern Texas on Monday, making for a stormy morning from Houston, Texas, to Jackson, Mississippi.
A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for the area until 9 a.m. CT on Monday. Flash flood warnings are also in effect along the line of storms. About 1 to 3 inches of rain has already fallen, with an additional 1 to 3 inches possible before the rain stops.
The storms in the region on Monday follow a weekend of severe weather, including strong deadly tornadoes in the heartland.
More than 130 tornadoes have been reported since Thursday in what amounts to a multi-day severe tornado outbreak.
The strongest tornadoes to have been surveyed so far have been in Sulphur and Marietta, Oklahoma, both of which were initially recorded as "at least" EF3 twisters, with winds up to 165 mph, the National Weather Service said. Those ratings may increase depending on further investigation, NWS said.
Another tornado with winds stronger than 135 mph was reported in Holdenville, Oklahoma.
Elba and Douglas County, Nebraska, were also both struck by tornadoes over the weekend.
Winds estimated to be up to about 145 mph demolished a well built metal structure and damaged a farm home in Elba. Another tornado with “at least EF3 damage” tore through Douglas County, according to the National Weather Service, with further detail expected to be released Monday afternoon.
Parts of southeastern Kansas are under a Flood Warning where up to 9" of rain fell overnight. Roads are reportedly impassible, including two U.S. Highways.
Lena Badr’s grandmother, Aziza Badr, was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Az-Zawayda neighborhood in Gaza on Dec. 23, 2023. (Lena Badr)
(NEW YORK) -- When Palestinian American Lena Badr learned about the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, she said she was "horrified and immediately concerned" about what Israel's retaliation would mean for the Gaza Strip where part of her family resides.
Badr scrambled to reach her family, to send money in anticipation of the hardships ahead: "I knew it would be bad. I did not – I couldn't have envisioned that it would be this bad," said Badr.
Since Israel began its retaliatory bombardment of the Gaza Strip, she said two of her family's homes have been hit with airstrikes.
The massive loss of life in the Israel-Hamas war has wiped out swaths of family lines -- and gone with them are parts of the culture they carried, Palestinians say. The loss has become all the more poignant as Arab American Heritage Month celebrations come to an end, while Palestinians mourn their loved ones and they ponder what this growing loss means for the survival of Palestinian culture.
Badr said she has lost 15 family members in the airstrikes, including her grandmother, three aunts, two uncles and seven cousins.
"Palestinian people have always been deliberately silenced, or preferably unheard victims and I'm determined to change that," Badr said.
"They had names, they had dreams, they had hopes," she said, listing the names of her relatives who were killed: Aziza Badr, Awatef Badr, Islam Al-Najjar, Abdelrahman Albeheiri, Asmaa Al-Najjar and Akram Al-Najjar, Etaf Badr, Maysoon Albeheiri, Mazen Albeheiri, Mohammad Albeheri, his wife and two young daughters, Tawfiq Albeheiri and Hanan Badr.
Her family members are some of the more than 34,000 people killed and 77,143 injured in Gaza since Oct. 7, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health.
In Israel, at least 1,700 people have been killed and 8,700 others injured in the war, according to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The massive loss of life in Gaza has wiped out large swaths of family lines -- and gone with them are parts of the Palestinian culture they carried: The stories, the history, the memories.
"I always imagine seeing us back together," said Badr, who has not been able to visit Gaza in years due to the blockade on goods and people imposed by Israel. "My grandmother would end every phone call with, 'May God bring us together to celebrate things soon.'"
Helga Tawil-Souri, a professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at New York University, said the rising loss in the war may affect Palestinian culture for years to come and how it gets passed from generation to generation.
"Every song, every dance, every recipe, every expression is itself a form of resistance against our erasure and our obliteration," said Tawil-Souri. "Culture is also not just simply what is being done in the moment, but what connects us across these sorts of timeframes."
Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Gazan who came to America as a teen and lives in California, said he has lost 31 family members, his childhood homes and many of the cultural landmarks that shaped his life in Gaza to the war.
Somewhere in the rubble of his mother's home in Gaza are the photos of his family and his childhood.
"I feel like a part of me is lost," Alkhatib told ABC News. "I'm just so desperate to [preserve] the memories and the heritage and the connections. If I ever have children, like, I can't show them what I used to be like, as a child or as a young man."
Alkhatib watches as photos and videos come out of Gaza capturing the flattened streets he used to walk as a child and teen.
Within a month of the war, more than 100 cultural sites -- including universities, mosques, museums and more -- across the Gaza Strip were destroyed, according to the cultural research group, Heritage For Peace.
This includes the destruction of the Great Omari Mosque, one of the largest and oldest mosques in Palestinian territories dating back centuries, and damage to Church of Saint Porphyrios, one of Gaza's oldest active churches.
"You had an endless street full of restaurants and also private clinics -- I actually got my braces done in this downtown area," Alkhatib said.
He continued, "The sheer amount of destruction to the infrastructure is just unimaginable. And yet, even up until the war, it was a beautiful place – still with the blockade, with the restrictions, with all of the pain that people have endured as a result of Hamas' control over the Gaza Strip, as a result of the multiple wars that we've experienced in the last decade and a half."
The memory of some cultural landmarks, including the Yarmouk Stadium in Gaza City, have been tainted by footage of unrest in the region.
One video appears to show rows of men stripped to their underwear and Israeli soldiers rounding up stripped detainees in Yarmouk Stadium, though ABC News has not been able to independently verify the date of the incident nor the origins of the video.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) neither confirmed nor denied the authenticity of the video, but told ABC News that the video was not released by any official IDF channels and was not filmed by an IDF videographer.
"Layers upon layers of sadness and pain, to see beautiful landmarks not only destroyed, but become symbols for what is so horrible about this war, which is damage, death, destruction and detention, imprisonment and humiliation," said Alkhatib.
In Washington, D.C., where Badr lives with her husband and children, she has begun pulling out and dusting off the embroidery from her aunt Awatef that has been kept protected and put away for many years.
Her aunt was part of a collective of women who created embroidered goods as a source of income.
She's pulled out her pillow covers, tissue covers, tapestries and more -- placed carefully around her house as reminders of her family and home: Palestine.
"What we are seeing in Gaza is a very immense loss of everything that spoke to the cultural fabric of the Gaza Strip," said Badr, adding that it feels "impossible to recall an aspect of our culture that has remained untouched by these experiences."
However, she said, Palestinian culture "is not something that can easily be extinguished."
Tawil-Souri said that documenting and passing on the culture, traditions, languages and other aspects of Palestinian heritage are vital to protecting Palestinian culture into the future.
"When I look at how I'm raising my son and how we are responding as a family to this conflict, I don't see us burying our culture anymore," Badr said. "We will continue to refute this fate of erasure."
Before this war, Badr said she would represent her culture in a way that is "palatable" to the masses -- the cuisine, the art and the hospitality of Palestinian people.
She thought it would keep her safe. Amid ongoing warfare in Gaza, she said it is impossible to divorce the beauty of Palestinian culture from what is happening on the ground.
"Starvation is widespread. Food, diapers, shelter, everything is almost impossible to find and every day presents new challenges people fight for survival," she said. "It is really important for us to keep the easier parts of the culture intertwined with those realities, because you don't get one without the other."
(NEW YORK) -- Three police officers were wounded in a fatal standoff with a gunman in Louisiana on Sunday, officials said.
Kenner Police were called to the 700 block of Farm Avenue at approximately 9:45 a.m. local time after two people were shot outside of a residence, according to a statement from Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto and Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley.
The residence belonged to a family member of Michael Lathers, 31, who was wanted for an attempted murder and armed robbery that occurred earlier in the week in Kenner, officials said.
In a standoff with Lathers, three Kenner police officers were wounded and Lathers was fatally shot by a Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy, according to the statement.
"Multiple attempts were made to contact Lathers to open negotiations, but all efforts were unsuccessful," Lopinto and Conley said in the statement.
The wounded officers were transported to a local hospital and are in stable condition, officials said.
Lathers was pronounced dead on the scene, according to the statement.
(NEW YORK) -- At least five deaths, including one of a 4-month-old child in Oklahoma, were confirmed Sunday from a severe storm that swept through the heartland, spawning multiple tornadoes across four states, including a powerful pair of twisters that touched down in Nebraska, officials said.
Emergency officials in Hughes County, Oklahoma, said the baby was one of four people killed in storms that struck Holdenville. One person died from storm-related injuries at a sports bar in Sulphur that was hit by a tornado, officials said. At least 30 people were injured in Sulphur, including 20 who were at the sports bar, according to officials.
Oklahoma Gov. J. Kevin Stitt confirmed Sunday afternoon that at least four people were killed in the storms that slammed his state.
One person was reported dead in Marietta, Oklahoma, and two people were killed in Ada, Oklahoma, Stitt said.
A state of emergency was declared in 12 Oklahoma counties, authorities said.
Sunday night, the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma, announced a preliminary determination of "at least" an EF3 tornado in Sulphur and also "at least" an EF3 in Marietta.
President Joe Biden spoke to Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt on Sunday, according to the White House. The president offered the "full support of the federal government" after Saturday's fatal tornadoes.
Nebraska Gov. Governor Jim Pillen Sunday night issued an emergency declaration for Douglas, Lancaster and Washington Counties, making the eligible to "receive assistance funding through the state for recovery."
A man who was injured and hospitalized when a tornado hit Minden, Iowa, on Friday, has also died, his family confirmed Sunday to Omaha, Nebraska, ABC affiliate KETV.
A tornado tore through Minden in Pottawattamie County around 6 p.m. on Friday, destroying 40 to 50 homes, or about half the town, according to the Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office. County officials confirmed that three people were injured in the tornado.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds toured the devastated town on Sunday and activated emergency policies.
As communities were left reeling from the devastating twisters, a new tornado watch was issued Sunday afternoon for portions of eastern Texas just as two funnel clouds were confirmed near Rosebud and Freestone, Texas, officials said. The tornado watch will be in effect until 9 p.m. CT.
Sunday marks the third day of the severe weather outbreak across the heartland states. More than 22 million people are under a threat of violent storms Sunday in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas and Illinois.
Holdenville, a town of about 6,000 people 77 miles southeast of Oklahoma City, was left reeling after a violent tornado touched down near the city late Saturday amid a statewide tornado outbreak.
A search for victims and an assessment of damage was launched Saturday night after storms passed through the area, Hughes County Emergency Management officials said.
A Holdenville family told Oklahoma City ABC affiliate station KOCO-TV that a relative lost their home in the storm and remained hospitalized Sunday.
At one point, crews searched the damaged Holdenville home for the child before finding the baby, who was pronounced dead at a hospital, according to the Hughes County emergency manager.
"My prayers are with those who lost loved ones as tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma last night," Gov. Stitt said in a statement Sunday. "Thank you to Oklahoma Emergency Management and those who have worked through the night to keep Oklahomans safe and have worked to clear debris and assess damage."
A destructive tornado also hit Sulfur, Oklahoma, in Murray County, destroying buildings and scattering debris for miles, authorities said. At least four other people were injured in Sulphur, including three with major injuries, officials said.
An ABC News crew in Sulphur on Sunday observed several damaged businesses, including one with a collapsed roof and others with broken windows. Several cars were seen flipped over in the downtown area.
"I never dreamed it could do this much damage," Julie Cox, a Sulphur business owner, told ABC News.
Cox's business, Pamper Me Boutique, was destroyed, and she tearfully told ABC News she let her insurance lapse due to the economy and now doesn't know how she will rebuild.
Tornadoes were reported Saturday across Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and Nebraska, officials said. There were nearly 120 tornado reports in the last two days, according to the National Weather Service.
NWS teams were working Sunday to confirm the tornado reports but cautioned that the numbers are constantly being adjusted as new reports come in and duplicates are removed.
An enhanced risk for severe thunderstorms is in the outlook Sunday from eastern Texas to southern Missouri, as well as the possibility of strong tornadoes, damaging wind and large hail.
While Oklahoma was taking the brunt of the tornado outbreak, Nebraska endured the strongest tornadoes confirmed on Saturday.
Preliminary information suggests that two "strong, rare tornadoes" touched down in Douglas County, Chris Franks with the National Weather Service said during a press briefing Saturday. The NWS found evidence of EF-2 and EF-3 tornado damage there following Friday's storms, Franks said.
No fatalities have been reported so far following the Nebraska storms, officials said.
Widespread damage was reported in the Elkhorn neighborhood of Omaha, officials said. New photos emerged Sunday showing numerous destroyed homes in the area.
"For that big of a storm, to have the property damage that was so extensive, without the loss of life," Douglas County Emergency Management Director Paul Johnson said during the press briefing. "It's a tremendous attribute to the city of Omaha."
Another tornado emergency was issued Saturday for Knox City, Texas, where a large and damaging tornado was reported near the town. Baseball-sized hail was also reported with this tornadic storm, officials said.
A tornado was also confirmed Saturday near the intersection of Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri. The confirmed tornado was eight miles north of Robinson, Kansas.
Storms are forecast to continue Sunday across the multistate region with heavy rain expected at times.
A flood watch remains in effect Sunday for a large area in the southern Plains and Ozarks, covering portions of seven states. Flash flood warnings were issued Saturday night and into Sunday morning as many communities reported 2 to 5-plus inches of rainfall and emergency officials urged residents to avoid flooded roads.
Severe weather left a trail of destruction in the Heartland on Friday with 83 reports of tornadoes across five states.
The multi-day tornado outbreak continued Saturday, with powerful storms expected from Texas to the Great Lakes.
Emergency officials in Hughes County, Oklahoma, confirmed one death due to storms in Holdenville.
There is a tornado watch in effect for parts of six states, from Texas to Iowa into the late evening. This watch will likely expand east slightly as the day wears on.
A moderate risk -- level 4 out of 5 -- is in the outlook for parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri Saturday, with storms expected to flare up again in the afternoon and evening across a huge area of the country. There is a chance for strong long-track tornadoes as well as very large hail up to 3 inches in diameter and thunderstorm winds up to 80 mph.
In addition to dozens of tornado reports, Friday saw 33 damaging wind reports and 60 large hail reports.
In Iowa, four people were injured Friday and approximately 120 structures were damaged after severe weather hit Pottawattamie County, officials in that county said.
The city of Minden was the hardest hit area in Friday's storms, according to the county. Gas and power have been disrupted, and a 10 p.m. curfew has been issued until further notice.
Gov. Kim Reynolds, Pottawattamie County, and the City of Minden have all declared a state of emergency.
Severe damage was also reported across eastern Nebraska, including Douglas County, where hundreds of homes were damaged in the Omaha area Friday.
Preliminary information suggests that two "strong, rare tornadoes" touched down in Douglas County, Chris Franks with the National Weather Service said during a press briefing on Saturday. The National Weather Service found evidence of EF-2 and EF-3 tornado damage there following Friday's storms, Franks said.
No fatalities have been reported so far following the storms, officials said.
"For that big of a storm, to have the property damage that was so extensive, without the loss of life," Douglas County Emergency Management Paul Johnson said at the press briefing. "It's a tremendous attribute to the city of Omaha."
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen urged people to continue to stay safe as the storm threat continues into Saturday evening.
There have been seven tornado reports so far Saturday. One tornado emergency was issued for Knox City, Texas, where a large and damaging tornado was reported near the town. Baseball-sized hail was also reported with this tornadic storm.
A tornado was confirmed Saturday near the intersection of Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri. The confirmed tornado was eight miles north of Robinson, Kansas.
All modes of severe weather are likely on Saturday.
Damaging winds, huge hail, and long-track tornadoes are all in the cards, especially in Kansas, Oklahoma and northeast Texas. Overall, there is a severe weather threat stretching across the central U.S. from Canada to Mexico.
The threat for these dangerous storms continues into the overnight hours.
In addition to the thunderstorm threat, there is also a flash flood risk with this major storm system.
A flood watch is in effect for eight states from Texas to Iowa until Monday afternoon. This is because heavy downpours may dump significant rainfall in a short time and lead to dangerous flash flooding.
More than 2 to 5 inches of rain may be falling in a short period of time, prompting the Weather Prediction Center to issue a Moderate Risk for Excessive Rainfall from Texas to Missouri.
"Confidence continues to be high in a major flash flood event unfolding for portions of east-central Oklahoma with higher end rainfall totals Saturday beginning late this evening into Saturday night," the Weather Prediction Center said.
A "high risk" for excessive rainfall is the greatest level threat possible. One-third of all flood-related fatalities occur in high-risk areas. It is a rare and serious life-threatening flood event forecast that leads to a high-risk issuance.
The National Weather Service will be conducting damage surveys this weekend to determine the number of confirmed tornadoes, as well as the intensity ratings and other details.
On Sunday, the threat is reduced, but still there is a chance for damaging wind, large hail and a few tornadoes from Austin, Texas, to Davenport, Iowa, and includes Shreveport, Louisiana; Little Rock, Arkansas; Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri.
ABC News' Victoria Arancio contributed to this report.
(LAKELAND, Fla.) -- Two deputies in Lakeland, Florida, were shot and a suspect was killed after a gun battle ensued in an area known for vehicle break-ins and burglaries, according to police.
One deputy is in critical, but stable, condition and the other is in stable condition. Both are recovering in the ICU, according to police
A deputy approached a vehicle deemed suspicious in a park and asked a male to exit the vehicle but he refused, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said at a press conference Saturday.
The deputy then retreated to her patrol vehicle and called for backup, according to the sheriff. With four deputies on the scene, they attempted to remove the male -- who the sheriff described as a "sovereign citizen," -- when the vehicle started moving before the suspect produced a gun and shot two deputies.
One deputy suffered four gunshot wounds in his right arm and another was shot once through the arm and into his chest. Police returned gunfire and "shot a lot," but police are unsure how many rounds were shot, according to the sheriff.
The suspect, who is believed to have been living out of his vehicle, was killed in a gun battle.
"He asked for a gun fight and we gave him a gun fight. And he'll never be in another gun fight again because he's dead, like he asked for," Judd said.
"He chose that outcome and we obliged it," Judd said.
(LUPTON, Ariz.) -- Federal authorities are investigating after a freight train carrying fuel derailed near the Arizona-New Mexico border, igniting a large fire and prompting an evacuation and traffic closures.
A BNSF freight train derailed on Friday at 1:45 p.m. MT near Manuelito, New Mexico, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
"The preliminary information we have is the train derailed at least 22 cars including multiple propane tank cars," the NTSB said in a statement on Saturday.
Two of the tank cars caught fire, the NTSB said. No injuries were reported, the agency said.
A team of NTSB investigators is en route to the scene and is expected to arrive later Saturday to begin documenting the scene and examining the train and equipment.
Investigators with the Federal Railroad Administration also responded to the derailment on Friday, according to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
The train was carrying gasoline and non-odorous propane, according to New Mexico State Police. Heavy black smoke could be seen following the derailment as the train cars burned.
BNSF said in a statement Friday that its personnel were "working to clear the site as safely as possible." The cause of the derailment is under investigation, the freight railroad said.
The derailment has caused traffic disruptions, forcing the temporary closure of part of Interstate 40 and the track. Amtrak has suspended service between Albuquerque and Los Angeles until the track reopens.
The Apache County Sheriff's Office in Arizona, which was among the agencies that responded to the train derailment and fire, said the scene was being treated as a hazardous materials incident and an evacuation was expanded to within a two-mile radius of the event.
The evacuation order impacted parts of the Navajo Nation.
"Our deepest concern is for the safety and well-being of our citizens and those directly affected by this incident," Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said in a statement on Friday. "At this time, we urge everyone to stay clear of the affected area to allow emergency and hazmat teams to manage the situation efficiently."
Nygren said local emergency crews had informed them there is a "low risk of immediate danger to the public," though they are taking all necessary precautions, including evacuating several homes.
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said she is "deeply concerned" about the derailment.
"As we learn more about the situation on the ground, the State of Arizona stands ready to deploy the resources necessary to keep our communities safe," Hobbs said on X Saturday.
Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego also called the train derailment "incredibly concerning."
"As we gather more information on the severity of the derailment, I stand ready to work with our state partners, federal counterparts, and all Arizonans," Gallego said in a statement on Friday.
Buttigieg said in a statement Friday night on X that the department is "coordinating across state, Tribal, and local agencies to ensure safety in the region."
Michael Chupco was among several Amtrak passengers stranded in Albuquerque train station following the derailment. He told ABC Albuquerque affiliate KOAT that the next train he could get was on Monday.
"I'm stuck three days out here on the street," Chupco told the station. "I'm 68 years old. I can't handle living on the street."
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