2 dead, officer injured in Kentucky shooting; suspect shot and killed
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LEXINGTON, Ky. — Two women were shot and killed at a Kentucky church by a suspect who fled there after allegedly shooting a state trooper elsewhere, according to officials.
A suspect allegedly shot a Kentucky State Police trooper near the Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, KY, and then fled to a church, where the suspect shot four people before police shot and killed the suspect, officials said at a Lexington Police Department press conference late Sunday afternoon.
Two of the churchgoers, both women, were killed, officials said. The other two victims, both male, were taken to the hospital for treatment. One of them is in critical condition while the other is stable, according to officials.
“Something like this has a huge impact on our community,” Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers said during the press conference.
The incident occurred at approximately 11:36 a.m. on Sunday when a suspect “shot a trooper and then fled the scene,” Kentucky State Police said in a statement.
The suspect shot the trooper on Terminal Drive, adjacent to the Blue Grass Airport, then fled to the Richmond Road Baptist church, according to the Lexington Police Department.
The gunman was able to escape by carjacking a vehicle, police said during the press conference.
Officers were able to track the suspect’s vehicle, leading them to the church, where the suspect shot four individuals. The two women — a 72-year-old and a 32-year-old — were pronounced dead at the scene, and the two men were transported to the hospital.
The trooper wounded in the shooting is also receiving medical attention, according to the agencies, with the Lexington Police Department statement saying that the trooper “is in stable condition.”
The suspect was shot by responding law enforcement and was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said. The identity of the shooter will be provided once the suspect’s family has been notified, police said.
Officials said they believe that the suspect had a connection to individuals at the church. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear.
A official briefed on the investigation told ABC News that the suspect had a history of mental health, drug and anger issues. He had had a domestic situation with an ex-girlfriend who then filed protection orders against him, the official said.
Coroner Gary Ginn said the majority of the people at the church were related biologically or “have been friends for many years.”
“It’s a tight-knit group of people,” Ginn said during the press conference.
Lexington police said in an earlier statement that officers had “temporarily closed some roads nearby” the incident and that authorities will “remain in the area until the investigation is complete.”
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in a statement that he is “heartbroken” regarding the news of the two deaths.
“Violence like this has no place in our commonwealth or country. Kentucky, let’s stand strong together and support our Lexington neighbors during this difficult time,” Beshear said in a post shared on X. Police said they will provide more information on the incident “as it becomes available.”
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(BOSTON) — Heavy storms are now reaching the East Coast as a Nor’easter heads toward New England ahead of the holiday travel period for Memorial Day weekend.
As a low-pressure system from the Mid-Atlantic moves out to sea, it will become a Nor’easter and move up the New England coast.
This late season Nor’easter will bring cold windswept heavy rain to New England, including Boston, on Thursday — with wind gusts up to 50 mph and the potential for minor coastal flooding.
The soaking rain will likely come to an end for Boston on Friday morning, but pockets of showers remain possible Friday afternoon into Saturday as the system continues north.
With scattered showers remaining in New England on Saturday, it won’t be completely dry again until Sunday as rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches are expected through much of the Northeast Wednesday through Saturday.
Storms have also now reached the East Coast and even though most are not expected to be severe, a few scattered severe storms have been reported early Wednesday morning in the Southeast.
Washington, D.C. will have rain showers by 8 a.m. while thunderstorms are expected further south of Richmond and Norfolk in Virginia.
Elsewhere, Philadelphia is expecting a rainy morning and New York City will have occasional showers through the afternoon, but a washout is not expected today.
Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania are under a flood watch through Wednesday night because 1 to 3 inches of rain is possible which may create river, stream flooding and other low-lying flood-prone areas to become saturated as urban areas may also experience flooding from excessive rainfall.
On Wednesday afternoon, a few strong storms are also possible in eastern North Carolina and, overnight, strong storms are possible in southern Missouri and northern Arkansas.
Meanwhile, in the last 48 hours alone, at least 31 tornadoes have been reported across nine states from Oklahoma to Alabama, with 11 tornadoes striking Alabama, Illinois, Tennessee and Arkansas alone on Tuesday.
Baseball-sized hail was reported in Tennessee and Alabama on Tuesday night as wind gusts stronger than 70 mph were recorded in Tennessee overnight.
(BRENHAM, Texas) — The body of a 10-year-old girl was found on Tuesday after she was swept away by floodwaters in Texas. The sad end to the search comes as a a storm threat continues to impact millions in the South and Northeast on Tuesday.
Two sisters were walking home from school in Brenham, Texas, on Wednesday afternoon when an adjacent creek rose quickly and one of the girls, 10-year-old Dhava Woods, got swept away in the water, officials told Houston ABC station KTRK.
A male neighbor saw what happened and got in the water to try and rescue the child. He was able to make contact with her, but couldn’t hold on, officials said. A Brenham police officer also saw the child farther down the creek, but was unsuccessful in rescuing her due to the swift waters, officials said.
“With more severe weather anticipated, we ask the community to keep everyone involved in your thoughts and prayers during this challenging time,” the Brenham Fire Department said in a statement on Monday.
Brenham city officials announced on Tuesday that Woods’ body was recovered at 10 a.m.
“Our hearts are with the student’s family, and we ask our community to keep them in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time,” the girl’s school district said in a statement.
This incident came amid nearly 100 storm reports across 10 states — along with one tornado in Jamesville, North Carolina — overnight on Monday.
Severe storms and flash flooding will continue to threaten parts of the south-central U.S., with over 24 million people placed on flood watches across nine states on Tuesday.
A tornado watch has been issued for portions of central, east and southeastern Texas until 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
The threat for severe weather will shift farther east on Tuesday, stretching from the Texas Panhandle to Louisiana.
Cities including Houston, Dallas and Austin remain under a slight risk for severe weather and parts of east Texas are now under an enhanced risk. These areas could see damaging winds, very large hail and storms that could produce strong tornadoes.
A widespread flash flooding threat expands farther east into Wednesday, extending from southeastern Colorado all the way to Alabama. Parts of the Deep South, including most of Louisiana, southeastern Mississippi and eastern Texas, face the greatest threat for flash flooding.
Parts of the lower Mississippi River could receive the most rain over the next few days, with the potential for another 3 to 6 inches. Additionally, parts of southern Louisiana and southeastern Mississippi could see rainfall totals exceed 6 inches over the next two days, with some areas receiving up to 12 inches.
Another 1 to 4 inches of rainfall is expected in parts of north Texas, the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma and the rest of the Lower Mississippi River Valley through Thursday. These areas have already seen significant rainfall over the last few weeks and are still recovering from river flooding.
Parts of eastern Pennsylvania, northwest New Jersey and southern New York state are also under a slight risk for severe storms on Tuesday, which could generate damaging winds and hail.
(NEW YORK) — After a week of testimony from star witness Cassie Ventura, federal prosecutors in the ongoing trial for Sean “Diddy” Combs on Monday started calling witnesses they believe could corroborate his ex-girlfriend’s allegations of threats, abuse and violence.
Dawn Richard, a former member of the pop group Danity Kane, told jurors that she personally witnessed Combs assaulting Ventura. Ventura’s former best friend Kerry Morgan recounted pleading with Ventura to leave what Morgan viewed as an abusive relationship. And Combs’ former assistant, David James, offered a glimpse of what it was like working for the rap mogul.
“This is Mr. Combs’ kingdom. We’re all here to serve in it,” James recounted one of Combs’ employees telling him when he interviewed for the job.
Across six hours of testimony that played out like a legal tug-of-war, lawyers for Combs tried to cast doubt on prosecution witnesses and highlighted inconsistencies in the testimony, clawing back some of the credibility they might have built up with the jury during direct examination.
Combs has pleaded not guilty and denies allegations of sex trafficking and racketeering, arguing that while he might have committed other crimes – like domestic abuse and illegal drug use – he has not sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone.
Testimony is set to resume Tuesday, when James retakes the stand to explain how he would prepare hotel rooms for Combs – a piece of testimony that prosecutors plan to use to establish what, they allege, is a criminal enterprise with Combs at its center. Such a criminal enterprise is a key to proving the racketeering charges prosecutors have filed against Combs.
Prosecutors are expected to call an escort known as “The Punisher” and to call Ventura’s mother on Tuesday.
Dawn Richard testified about star-studded dinner where Combs allegedly punched Ventura
Dawn Richard began her testimony after Ventura left the witness stand Friday. She resumed her appearance in court Monday morning by testifying about how she witnessed Combs beat Ventura multiple times.
Richard testified that she witnessed Combs punch his then-girlfriend Ventura in the face with a “closed fist” in 2009 before a music festival in Central Park. After Ventura put on sunglasses and makeup to hide the injury, Richard said she put on sunglasses “in solidarity” with Ventura. The jury then saw a photo of Richard, Ventura and another member of Danity Kane wearing sunglasses at the festival.
Richard also testified that the violence extended to other public settings, alleging that Combs punched Ventura in the stomach during a group dinner attended by Usher, Ne-Yo and Interscope Records co-founder Jimmy Iovine. Richard mentioned that allegation in her civil lawsuit against Combs, but defense lawyers highlighted that Richard’s prior discussion of the dinner did not mention the high-profile guests.
Richard in 2024 sued Combs for assault, copyright infringement and false imprisonment, alleging — among other things — that he groped her on numerous occasions and forced her to endure inhumane work conditions. Combs denied all of the allegations and his attorneys last week filed a motion to dismiss the case.
On cross-examination, defense attorney Nicole Westmoreland said Richard’s account of an alleged assault has changed several times, prompting some members of the jury to visibly shake their heads and scribble notes. Westmoreland also suggested Richard agreed to testify against Combs because he ruined her music career by dismantling the music groups she had once been a part of.
“You felt like Mr. Combs ruined your career not once but twice,” Westmoreland said. “Yes,” Richard answered.
Ventura’s former best friend takes the stand
Ventura’s former best friend Kerry Morgan testified on Monday about two instances when, she said, she personally saw Combs assault Ventura.
She testified she saw Combs hit Ventura in a home Combs rented in Hollywood Hills, and she testified about a second instance when Combs — allegedly in her presence — assaulted Ventura during a trip to Jamaica.
“I heard her screaming and I went to the hallway. The hallway was extremely long. They were coming out of the master bedroom, and he was dragging her on the floor by her hair,” Morgan testified about the Jamaica trip.
Prosecutors also asked Morgan about the aftermath of a 2016 incident when Combs is accused of assaulting Ventura. Ventura has testified this occurred when she tried to leave a “freak-off” at the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles. Part of that incident was captured on hotel closed-circuit security cameras.
Morgan’s account matched what Ventura told jurors last week, saying the police arrived after the incident but Ventura refused to cooperate.
Morgan said her relationship with Ventura ended in 2018 after she says Combs tried to choke Morgan and hit her with a wooden coat hanger. Morgan testified that Combs demanded she tell him “who Cassie was cheating on him with” while Ventura locked herself in a bathroom.
Morgan said she later accepted a $30,000 payment from Combs after she threatened to sue. She agreed to a confidentiality deal in return for the money, she testified.
On cross examination, defense lawyers questioned why Morgan has not rekindled her relationship with Ventura. They tried to reinforce the idea that Combs was violent simply out of jealousy and because of the drugs he was taking – not that he was using violence to coerce Ventura and keep her under his control.
“I draw the line at physical abuse,” Morgan said. “The reason I stopped speaking to her was she was not supportive of me after that incident.”
Combs’ former assistant testifies about ‘Mr. Combs’ kingdom’
David James, Combs’ former personal assistant, began his testimony on Monday by telling jurors about interviewing for the job he had with Combs.
As he entered the headquarters of Bad Boy Entertainment in New York, James said an employee remarked about a photo of Combs hanging on the wall. “This is Mr. Combs’ kingdom. We’re all here to serve in it,” James said the woman told him.
James testified about the demanding hours, the weapons Combs’ security staff carried and the time Ventura warned him about Combs.
“She said to me, ‘Man this lifestyle is crazy,'” James testified Ventura saying. “She said, ‘I can’t get out. You know Mr. Combs oversees so much of my life. He controls my music career, he gives me an allowance.'”
James’ testimony is set to resume on Tuesday morning, when he is expected to continue describing the alleged process of preparing hotel rooms for Combs.
That line of testimony could establish the broader enterprise of people who supported and enabled his activities.
Prosecutors release evidence from Ventura’s testimony
After four days of Ventura’s brutal and deeply intimate testimony last week, federal prosecutors Monday released many of the photos they have shown the jury in their effort to convict Combs in their sex trafficking and racketeering case.
Through the evidence, jurors were able to see some of the bruises, gashes and welts that Ventura said she suffered after Combs beat her. They also saw a knife that Ventura said she used to block a door and protect herself from Combs.
“I was getting a lot of unannounced visits from Sean where he was angry, and trying to kill two birds with one stone, to lock it and have a weapon,” she testified.
Prosecutors also released photos from the night Combs was arrested last year, including $9,000 in cash, substances that they said tested positive for ketamine and MDMA, and bottles of baby oil that were allegedly stocked by Combs for use during the sex parties that witnesses have described in court testimony.
