State Department confirms US citizen killed in Syria after disturbing videos surface
Obtained by ABC News
(NEW YORK) — The U.S. State Department confirmed on Tuesday that a U.S. citizen was killed in Syria after disturbing videos surfaced showing him among a group of men apparently being executed by Syrian government forces.
“We offer condolences to the family on their loss and are providing consular assistance to them,” the State Department said in a statement. “We are greatly concerned when any U.S. citizen is harmed overseas, wherever they are. The United States calls for accountability in all cases where U.S. citizens are harmed abroad.”
Family and friends confirmed to ABC News that one of the men executed was Hosam Saraya, an American citizen.
The confirmation came after videos shared on social media last week showed eight men kneeling next to each other in civilian clothes, with a group of soldiers filming. In one video, the soldiers are seen talking to each other. Then, without warning, they open fire, shooting the unarmed, kneeling men dozens of times at close range.
The videos were filmed in Tishreen Square, in southern Syria, on the afternoon of July 16 amid ongoing fighting there.
ABC News has spoken to friends and family of Hosam Saraya, a American-Syrian citizen, and confirmed that he and other relatives were among those seen in the video being gunned down.
Besides Saraya, the family said his brother, Karim, their father, Ghassan, and their uncles and cousins were also shot to death in the incident.
The family showed ABC News Saraya’s American passport, confirming his U.S. citizenship.
The State Department is “looking into accounts of the death of an individual reported to have been a U.S. citizen in Syria,” a spokesperson said.
The Saraya family are Druze, the largest ethnic group in the city but a minority in Syria. Sectarian clashes broke last week between government forces and Druze, Sunni Bedouins and other Sunni factions.
A close friend of the Sarayas who worked with Hosam told ABC News that he spoke with Hosam and his relatives last Tuesday night and that they told him bombs had been falling around their home. On Wednesday, the friend, who only wants to be identified as Omar, heard from other family members that Hosam and the others had been taken from their home by government forces.
Saraya’s mother was left in their ransacked home, Omar said.
(BROOKLYN PARK, MN) — A Minnesota state representative and her husband were shot and killed, and a state senator and his wife were shot and wounded in an “act of targeted political violence” at their homes early Saturday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said.
A manhunt is now underway for the gunman who was impersonating a police officer, authorities said.
State Rep. Melissa Hortman, a Democrat, and her husband were shot and killed in what appears to be a “politically-motivated assassination,” Walz said at a news conference.
Hortman, formerly the Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, “was a formidable public servant,” the governor said of his friend. “She is irreplaceable.”
State Sen. John Hoffman, a Democrat, and his wife were both shot multiple times and underwent surgery, the governor said.
“We’re cautiously optimistic they will survive this assassination attempt,” Walz said.
The two shooting locations are a few miles away from each other in Champlin and Brooklyn Park, just north of Minneapolis.
Hoffman and his wife were shot around 2 a.m. in Champlin, Superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Drew Evans said.
After Hoffman was shot, officers were heading to pro-actively check on Hortman when they encountered the suspect at Hortman’s home around 3:35 a.m., Evans said.
The officers found a person who was dressed as a police officer — wearing a vest and a badge, and with a Taser and other equipment — at the door, coming out of Hortman’s house, police said.
The suspect fired at the officers; gunfire was exchanged and the suspect was able to escape and flee on foot, authorities said.
The suspect’s vehicle — which looked like a police vehicle, including police lights — was in Hortman’s driveway, authorities said.
A list of other possible targets was retrieved from the suspect’s vehicle, authorities said. Police said the list had “many lawmakers,” including the victims.
Security resources have been dispatched to protect those people named on the list, authorities said.
The gunman did say something to the victims, police said, but authorities did not reveal what that was.
President Donald Trump has been briefed on the shooting and said “such horrific violence will not be tolerated,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on social media.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said she’s closely monitoring the situation.
“This horrific violence will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” she said in a statement.
House Speaker Mike Johnson also condemned the violence and said “every leader must unequivocally condemn it.”
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, formerly the Minnesota Democratic party chair, said he’s friends with both Hoffman and Hortman.
“Speaker Hortman was a leader in every sense of the word — from ushering in free lunch for our kids, to protecting women’s rights and reproductive care, to standing up for Minnesota families,” Martin said in a statement. “Melissa was also a close friend whom I’ve known since the very start of her political career. She was someone I personally relied on for advice, counsel, and friendship and I am beyond words. As I said many times when I introduced her at events, she is the very best Speaker of the House that Minnesota has ever had.”
“This senseless violence must end. These heinous murders are a reflection of the extremism and political violence that have been fomented in our country,” Martin said. “Today, we recommit ourselves to fight harder for the values that Melissa and Mark embodied — building a kinder, more just, and loving world. If this murderer thinks we will be silenced, he’s wrong.”
With the manhunt ongoing, police are urging community members to be cautious. Brooklyn Park is under a shelter in place order, officials said.
Police warned, if an officer comes to your door, call 911 to confirm that the officer is supposed to be there.
“Police are asking that no one open their door to a lone police officer,” the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office said. “Licensed officers are working in pairs.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(NORFOLK, Va.) — A 21-year-old Navy sailor has mysteriously disappeared in Virginia, leaving her mother desperate for answers.
Angelina “Angie” Resendiz was last seen on Thursday, May 29, at 10 a.m. at her barracks in Miller Hall at Naval Station Norfolk, according to the Virginia State Police.
“This disappearance poses a credible threat to their health and safety as determined by the investigating agency,” police said.
Resendiz, a Texas native, is a culinary specialist assigned to the USS James E. Williams, the Navy said.
Resendiz’s mother, Esmeralda Castle, insists that her daughter “does not miss work. Sick, snow, feeling down, she shows up.”
Resendiz joined the Navy in 2023 after high school “because she felt it was something that called her,” Castle wrote to ABC News.
As a culinary specialist, “She thought that one day she might be able to cook for the president and other world leaders,” Castle said. “She worked really hard on her ship.”
“She’s fun, loving, kind, compassionate, uplifting,” she added.
“People that care about Angie shared with me that the last person she was with was missing with her,” and “that person showed up Monday but not Angie,” Castle said.
“There are no answers for me,” she said. “I just want my kid, she doesn’t deserve to be missing.”
The Navy told ABC News in a statement that it’s “cooperating fully with the investigation.”
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service said, “Out of respect for the investigative process, NCIS will not comment further while the investigation remains ongoing.”
Anyone with information is urged to call NCIS at 877-579-3648.
(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.
