At least 7 injured in shooting during holiday festivities in downtown Chicago
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(CHICAGO) — At least seven people were injured in a shooting in downtown Chicago on Friday night, police said.
Officers were on patrol when they observed a large group of people on the sidewalk close to the Chicago Theater on State Street, according to a statement from the Chicago Police Department.
“Officer’s heard gunshots being fired, and the large group began fleeing the scene,” authorities said. “Officers immediately responded to the area and discovered seven people had sustained gunshot wounds from the gun fire.”
The victims were all treated by the Chicago Fire Department and taken to local hospitals, authorities said.
The shooting happened during a very busy night downtown, with the city holding its Christmas tree lighting ceremony, according to ABC News’ Chicago station WLS.
Though police have not disclosed the identities of any of the victims, they have confirmed that six of them have been listed in good condition and one of them has been listed in fair condition.
No suspects are in custody and detectives are currently investigating the circumstances that led up to the incident.
(NEW YORK) — More than 700 flights nationwide have been canceled Saturday as the Federal Aviation Administration continues limiting flight capacity at 40 major U.S. airports amid the government shutdown.
As of 6 a.m. ET on Saturday, 754 flights have already been canceled nationwide and the total could eclipse Friday’s toll of 1,024 cancellations.
However, despite more than 1,000 flights being canceled on Friday, major delays at airports across the country continue to persist due to staffing issues in air traffic controller towers and centers.
If the government shutdown continues, more air travel reductions could be on the way, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in an interview on ABC News Live on Friday.
“My hope is that this government shutdown will end soon and we can get back in the business of letting Americans travel,” Duffy said in the interview.
It is possible the Department of Transportation may ask airlines to cancel more than 10% of their flights if controllers keep calling out in higher numbers, Duffy told ABC News.
Duffy said the FAA has asked private jets to avoid flying at the 40 airports impacted by the flight reductions, though they are currently not prohibited from flying there. He said private jet companies have been cooperative and are choosing alternate airports to help alleviate the pressure at those airports.
The cancellations are the latest — and perhaps biggest — disruption to air travel since the government shutdown began more than a month ago.
The FAA decided not to cut any international flights as it would be a violation of international agreements with the countries, according to Duffy.
“We have international agreements that we abide by, and because of those international agreements, I’m not going to impact those international flights. And because if I do, what will happen is we have other countries that are waiting to have a breach of those contracts from the US so they can cut down American flights, and then that would have a very long lasting impact on our ability to to to send travelers from the U.S. to those partners that have the agreements,” Duffy said.
Views from the Drift Hotel March 25, 2019 Overseas Highway, Key Largo Florida (Photo by Paul Harris/Getty Images)
(KEY LARGO, Fla.) — The family of the 8-year-old old boy who was bitten by a shark while snorkeling off the coast of Key Largo, Florida, on Labor Day released a statement Wednesday thanking those who helped with his rescue.
Richard Burrows was bitten by a blacktip shark Monday afternoon while snorkeling with his father, David, and his sister, his family said in their statement.
The incident occurred around 3:24 p.m. on Monday, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post. The child was airlifted by Trauma Star to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.
“Richard’s 10-year-old sister, Rose, was instrumental in her brother’s rescue and both of her parents are immensely proud of the strength of character and composure she demonstrated under pressure,” the family statement said.
A good Samaritan, identified as Richard Hayden, heard calls for help over the radio and helped guide the boy’s boat to shore, according to an incident report. Hayden assisted the child’s father in applying tourniquets to the boy’s right leg to control bleeding before emergency responders arrived, the report stated.
The family thanked Hayden in their statement, as well as law enforcement, first responders and medical staff.
“Richard is recovering well from his surgery and is gaining strength by the day. He is in good spirits,” the family statement said. “Our hope is that he will be back enjoying his passion for the ocean and marine life with his older sister in no time.”
“The Burrows family sincerely appreciate and thank everyone for their messages of support and well wishes and assistance in these past days. We now request some privacy for the family to focus solely on Richard’s recovery and will not be commenting further,” the family statement concluded.
The Labor Day attack marks the latest in a series of shark encounters in the Florida Keys region. Last July, Jose Abreu, 37, survived multiple bites from a bull shark while spearfishing near a reef off Key West.
The area has seen several serious shark incidents in recent years. Jameson Reeder Jr., who lost his leg in a bull shark attack in 2022, recently returned to the same waters where he was bitten.
“I was a little scared before I jumped in,” Reeder told ABC News in July. “For a split two seconds, it was like a whole flashback of the shark attack, but I knew I had the Lord and I just had a lot of fun.”
Scientists say there has been an increase in shark populations, which they attribute to warmer water temperatures and successful conservation efforts.
A powerful “microburst and thunderstorm” pushed through Tempe, Arizona, leaving more than 130 people displaced Monday afternoon, officials said.
Several apartment buildings were “severely” damaged during the storm, according to the City of Tempe.
The storm, which began around 1 p.m. local time, lasted a little over three hours and knocked out power for at least 34,000 customers.
A microburst is described as “a small concentrated downburst that produces an outward burst of strong winds at or near the surface,” according to the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory.
A microburst is usually less than or equal to 2.5 miles in diameter, according to the National Weather Service.
As of 8 p.m. local time, a flood watch remains in effect in the area and 10,000 customers are still without power.
The Phoenix Zoo was heavily impacted by the storm that swept through the Phoenix Valley, sustaining damage in and around the zoo.
Despite many toppled trees and walkways being covered by downed objects, no animals, guests or staff were harmed, the Phoenix Zoo told ABC News.
The Zoo will be closed for the next two days as it focuses on cleanup and restoration efforts.
