2 adults, 3 children dead in New Jersey house fire
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(PATERSON, N.J.) — A rapid moving house fire claimed the lives of five people Friday night in Paterson, New Jersey, according to fire officials.
Paterson Fire Chief Alex Alicea said that the fire broke out in the home at around 9:54 p.m. and spread quickly from the lower floor to other parts of the building due to heavy winds in the area on Friday night.
“The fire was under heavy wind which contributed to the rapid spread of the fire onto the second floor where, eventually, five victims were found … two adults and three children,” Alicea told ABC News’ New York station WABC.
Alicea said that 11 other people who lived in the building survived but are now displaced due to the fire.
“The Red Cross is here on scene to assist with that,” said Alicea.
The identities of the five victims have not yet been identified, and the cause and origin of the fire is currently under investigation, officials said.
Firefighters battle flames from the Canyon Fire on August 7, 2025 in Castaic, California/Eric Thayer/Getty Images
(LOS ANGELES) — The Canyon Fire, a rapidly spreading blaze in California, is impacting communities in the Los Angeles area as thousands have been placed under evacuation orders and warnings, according to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger.
The local emergency proclamation issued by officials enables the county to “expedite access to critical resources and cut through bureaucratic red tape to enhance firefighting and recovery efforts,” according to a statement from Los Angeles County.
So far, the Canyon Fire burning in Ventura and Los Angeles counties has grown to just under 5,000 acres in a matter of hours and is 0% contained, according to the Ventura County Fire Department. On Thursday, the fire had burned 1,500 acres.
Five zones in Los Angeles County are under evacuation orders, with 2,700 residents evacuated and 700 structures threatened by the flames, officials said. Six other zones in this county are currently under an evacuation warning, with 1,400 residents and 5,000 structures at risk, officials said.
Ventura County also has five zones under evacuation orders and two areas under evacuation warnings.
“The issuance of this emergency proclamation is a crucial step in our fight against the Canyon Fire,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “It allows us to unlock vital state and local resources more quickly and removes barriers that could slow down our first responders. Our priority is to protect lives, homes, and critical infrastructure, and this proclamation will help ensure that we have the tools and support necessary to meet the urgent needs of our communities.”
The emergency declaration grants authorities the flexibility to “coordinate across agencies, mobilize additional firefighting personnel and equipment, and streamline procurement processes,” officials said.
The blaze, which began on Thursday afternoon, is burning east with a “rapid rate of spread in light to medium fuels,” according to Cal Fire. Multiple strike teams of engines, hand crews and dozers have been ordered to “reinforce the initial response,” with 250 personnel and seven helicopters assigned to fight the flames, officials said.
As of Thursday evening, there have not been any residences damaged or reported injuries, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Supervisor Barger urges all residents in affected areas to remain vigilant, follow evacuation orders, and stay informed through official channels as the situation evolves.
Officials said residents should visit the Los Angeles County Emergency Website for incoming updates and information.
This wildfire comes as the Gifford Fire — which is situated within the Los Padres National Forest in Solvang, California — has burned nearly 100,000 acres and is the largest blaze in the state this year, according to Cal Fire. This blaze, which began on Aug. 1, has destroyed 99,232 acres and is 15% contained, according to an update from officials on Thursday evening.
Martin County Sheriff’s Office/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images
(FORT PIERCE, Fla.) — Jurors in the criminal trial of the man accused of trying to assassinate Donald Trump on his golf course last year are set to hear testimony Friday from five law enforcement witnesses, concluding a chaotic start to the case that could send the alleged assassin to prison for the rest of his life.
While prosecutors originally estimated needing about three weeks to conclude their case against 59-year-old Ryan Routh, they signaled on Thursday that their case might conclude sooner than planned because of the quick pace of the first few witnesses’ testimony.
Routh, who is representing himself despite not being a lawyer or having any legal training, has not yet objected to any of the questions posed by prosecutors during the direct examination of witnesses, and his cross-examinations have been usually short.
“I’m very simple-minded, yes,” Routh told U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon Thursday when she inquired about his plans to cross-examine future witnesses.
Routh has been rebuked several times by Cannon after making unexpected and off-topic comments. During opening statements Thursday, Routh launched into a speech about the origin of the human species, global conflicts, and his political grievances, before the judge cut him off after about six minutes for making arguments that she said have “absolutely nothing to do with the evidence in this case.”
Jurors at the trial in Fort Pierce, Florida, heard Thursday from the Secret Service agent who confronted an armed Routh on the golf course before Routh fled, and a witness who identified Routh to police.
Prosecutors allege that Routh put together a methodical plan — including purchasing a military-grade weapon, researching Trump’s movements, and utilizing a dozen burner phones — to kill Trump based on political grievances.
Hiding in the bushes of Trump’s Palm Beach golf course and armed with a rifle, Routh allegedly came within a few hundred yards of the then-presidential nominee before a Secret Service agent spotted his rifle poking out of the tree line.
Routh allegedly fled the scene but was later arrested by a local sheriff’s office on a nearby interstate.
He faces five criminal charges, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, using a firearm in furtherance of a crime, assaulting a federal officer, possessing a firearm as a felon, and using a gun with a defaced serial number.
Jason Allen Glidewell II, 19, is wanted in a shooting, August 28, 2025, on Interstate 85 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, that left a 20-year-old driver dead and his female passenger injured./ (Virginia State Police)
(NEW YORK) — A manhunt for the suspect in a Virginia freeway shooting that left a 20-year-old driver dead and his passenger injured intensified on Tuesday when state police asked for the public’s help and released photos of the alleged gunman and his vehicle.
The suspect was identified as 19-year-old Jason Allen Glidewell, who the Virginia State Police said should be considered armed and dangerous.
The shooting unfolded Thursday afternoon on Interstate 85 in Mecklenburg County, about five miles from the Virginia-North Carolina border, according to a statement from the state police. A motive for the shooting remains under investigation.
The victim killed in the freeway shooting was identified by state police as 20-year-old Hunter A. Bates, of Colonial Heights, Virginia.
Bates was driving northbound on Interstate 85 when he was shot around 3:47 p.m., according to the state police. Bates’ car swerved off the freeway and came to a rest in a culvert, police said.
Bates was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. His passenger, a woman whose name was not released, was taken to a local hospital, treated and released, police said.
“State Police are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to please contact the Virginia State Police Division 3,” according to the state police statement.
Authorities on Tuesday released a photo of Glidewell, who is believed to have ties to the Richmond and Henrico, Virginia, area.
“On August 28, 2025, Hunter’s life was cut short by a senseless act of violence that has left our hearts broken. As we come to terms with this unimaginable loss, we are reminded of how precious and fragile life is,” Bates’ family said of Hunter Bates in an obituary published by the Owen Funeral Home in Jarratt, Virginia.
ABC News’ Benjamin Stein contributed to this report.
