Category: National

(MARYVILLE, Tenn.) — Two law enforcement officers were injured in a crash during an “executive protection mission” in Maryville, Tennessee, officials said.

The incident occurred Friday evening south of Knoxville on East Lamar Alexander Parkway at Merritt Road in Maryville, according to a statement from the Maryville City Government.

An officer in the Maryville Police Department’s motor unit was involved in a crash with a state trooper “during an executive protection mission involving multiple law enforcement agencies,” Maryville officials said.

Both were transported to an area hospital for treatment. One officer is in critical condition, according to Maryville officials, who did not provide further information on the injuries the officer suffered in the crash.

“We ask everyone to keep the officer, family and the medical staff in your prayers,” Maryville Police Chief Tony Crisp said in a statement. “All of us at the Maryville Police Department appreciate the concern and outpouring of support from this incredible community.”

City officials said additional information will be released as it becomes available.

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(OAKLAND, Calif.) — Legendary former football coach John Beam died on Friday morning after he was shot on the Laney College campus in Oakland, California, on Thursday, the Oakland Police Department said, as authorities announced a suspect’s arrest.

Beam, featured in Netflix’s “Last Chance U,” is a football legend in the Bay Area and had coached the sport for over 40 years before becoming solely the school’s athletic director last year.

Beam was at the Laney Fieldhouse when he was shot shortly before noon on Thursday, authorities said. The alleged shooter fled the scene.

Police combed through surveillance footage, and at 3:15 a.m. Friday, a person matching the suspect’s description was spotted at a Bay Area Rapid Transit station and was taken into custody, Oakland police said.

Police did not discuss a possible motive.

The suspect — 27-year-old Cedric Irving — did know the coach, but “they did not have a relationship,” police said. Irving played high school football in the Bay Area, but never played for Beam.

Irving didn’t attend Laney College or work at the college, but he went to campus “for a specific reason” and “has been known to loiter on or around the campus,” police said.

Oakland police said Irving was not known to the department.

A gun recovered from the suspect is the same caliber as the casings and rounds recovered at the crime scene, police added.

Beam, who was hospitalized in critical condition, died at about 10 a.m. Friday, Gloria Beltran of the Oakland police said.

Piedmont Police Chief Frederick Shavies called the coach an “absolutely incredible human being.”

“Our hearts are aching,” Shavies said.

“Coach John Beam was a giant in Oakland and mentored thousands,” Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said at a news conference on Friday.

“He gave Oakland’s youth their best chance,” Lee said.

“Coach Beam’s legacy isn’t measured in championships or statistics … it’s measured in the thousands of young people he believed in, mentored and refused to abandon, including my nephew,” Lee said.

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(NEW YORK) — A inmate in Louisiana is on the run after allegedly throwing a chemical substance at an officer and escaping from jail, according to the Berwick Police Department.

Cecil Michael Stratton, 46, fled from prison on Wednesday at approximately 10:12 p.m. local time while jailers were “securing inmates during lockdown procedures,” police said in a statement on Thursday.

During a “brief struggle” between Stratton and authorities, a chemical substance was hurled into an officer’s face, allowing for Stratton — and another inmate who has since been recaptured — to flee, police said.

As of Friday afternoon, the multi-agency manhunt continues for Stratton, police confirmed to ABC News.

“We are asking for the public’s assistance in reviewing any home or business surveillance cameras for suspicious activity that may have occurred in your area,” police said. “Even the smallest detail could be helpful to our investigation.”

Stratton, who is allegedly known to have “violent tendencies,” has previously escaped from a prison in North Louisiana, police said.

He is wanted for unauthorized entry of a critical infrastructure, disarming a peace officer, battery of a police officer, aggravated battery and aggravated escape, police said.

Stratton’s criminal record includes a slew of previous charges, including theft, illegal possession of a stolen property, marijuana possession, attempted first-degree murder and resisting an officer, according to ABC Baton Rouge affiliate WBRZ.

The public is urged to use “extreme caution if Stratton is seen or located” and is discouraged from approaching the suspect, officials said.

Anyone with information on Stratton’s whereabouts should contact the Berwick Police Department at 985-384-7710, officials said.

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(WASHINGTON) — The Justice Department will seek to move or dismiss a lawsuit filed by former prosecutor Maurene Comey over her “unlawful and unconstitutional” firing from the office where she prosecuted Sean Combs, Ghislaine Maxwell and other high-profile defendants, according to a new court filing.

The daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, Maurene Comey was considered a star trial lawyer in the Manhattan prosecutor’s office but was abruptly fired in July.  Her lawsuit, filed in September, said that “Defendants did not identify any cause or provide Ms. Comey any due process for her removal.”

The DOJ’s filing said the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York recused itself from the case, which will now be handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, which is led by a loyalist of President Donald Trump with no prior experience as a prosecutor.

The government was supposed to respond to Comey’s lawsuit by Nov. 21 but the new office assigned to the case asked for an extension “to familiarize ourselves with this matter.”

The U.S. Attorney’s office for the Northern District of New York sought a response deadline of Dec. 15, by which time it would either answer the complaint or seek to dismiss it, the filing said.  The filing also indicated that the office would try to move Comey’s suit out of Manhattan.

The Northern District office is led by John Sarcone, whose legitimacy to serve as acting U.S. attorney is being challenged by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Sarcone is investigating James for allegedly violating President Trump’s civil rights after she successfully sued Trump over a decade’s worth of business fraud.

Comey alleged she was fired with “no legitimate explanation” and “solely or substantially because her father is James Comey,” who himself is being prosecuted by a U.S. attorney’s office in Virginia on charges of lying to Congress. The elder Comey has denied all charges.

“In addition to her fundamental constitutional rights, Ms. Comey had statutory protections under the Civil Service Reform Act that governed how and why she could be terminated, including specific prohibitions against termination for discriminatory reasons such as political affiliation. Her termination violated every one of those protections,” Maurene Comey’s lawsuit said.

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(LAS VEGAS) — The Nevada Supreme Court has ruled that the criminal case against six so-called “fake electors” who were charged for their alleged role in efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election can proceed in Las Vegas.

The decision, released on Thursday, reversed a lower court’s dismissal of the case after a judge ruled last year that the case was filed in the wrong venue.

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford brought the charges two years ago against some of the top officials from the Nevada Republican Party, who were accused of falsely portraying themselves as Nevada’s presidential electors.

The charges included offering a false instrument for filing, offering a forged instrument, and offering a false instrument titled “Certificate of the Votes of the 2020 Electors from Nevada” to the president of the Senate and other officials.

The case was filed in Clark County, which is home to Las Vegas.

In response to Thursday’s decision, Ford said that the defendants “cannot evade accountability in Nevada for their unlawful actions.”

“As attorney general, it is my duty to hold those who sought to undermine the results of our state’s free and fair election responsible,” Ford said in a statement.

Last week, President Donald Trump issued a sweeping pardon to dozens of key figures who were allegedly involved in the plan to arrange an alternate slate of 2020 electors, including the defendants charged in Nevada.

The pardons are largely symbolic as no one on the list was facing federal charges, and Trump does not have the ability to pardon state charges.

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(NEW YORK) — Looks like Team Rocket has struck again.

Almost $10,000 worth of Pokémon and baseball cards were stolen from Tom Brady’s card store in New York City last month, the NYPD said Friday.

The crime occurred at CardVault at around 11:40 a.m. on Oct. 20 when the male suspect bypassed the store’s payment machine, leaving the SoHo store with a collectable card stash worth approximately $9,710, according to police.

“Once the transaction was declined, the unidentified individual began to enter manual prompts into the contact payment terminal without the employee’s knowledge to bypass the transaction being declined,” the NYPD said in a statement to ABC News.

The NYPD told ABC News that the suspect is being investigated for grand larceny.

“At time in place of occurrence, unknown defendant utilized a tap to pay account and then manipulated the point of sale system in order to obtain property without the permission and authority to do so, resulting in the loss of 9,710 U.S. currency in merchandise. It’s being investigated by the Financial Crimes Task Force of the NYPD,” a police department spokesperson said, citing the crime report.

The suspect was last seen walking south on Lafayette Street wearing black clothes with a black Yankees cap and a multicolored bag, according to video of the crime shared by police.

The store had just opened on Oct. 8, less than two weeks before the robbery. Brady had acquired 50% of the company in February, according to a press release.

CardVault describes itself online as a store where customers can engage in “buying, selling, trading, and grading sports cards and collectibles.”

“Founded in 2020 by an all-star team and backed by Brady’s personal passion for the hobby, CardVault’s commitment to community, authenticity, entertainment, and exceptional customer experience sets it apart in the collectibles market,” the store’s website reads.

The store also has locations in Dallas, Chicago, Boston, East Hampton and more, according to the store’s website.

Brady is set to attend the opening of a new CardVault at the Mall of America in Minnesota on Sunday, according to the mall.

CardVault did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ABC News. 

Anyone with information about the suspect can call the NYPD at 1-800-577-8477 in English or 1-888-57-74782 in Spanish.

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(OAKLAND, Calif.) — An arrest has been made in Thursday’s shooting of legendary former football coach John Beam on the Laney College campus in Oakland, California, according to the Oakland Police Department.

Additional details on the arrest were not immediately released.

Beam, featured in Netflix’s “Last Chance U,” is a football legend in the Bay Area and had coached the sport for over 40 years before becoming solely the school’s athletic director last year. He remains in the hospital and his condition is not clear.

Beam was at the Laney Fieldhouse when he was shot shortly before noon on Thursday, authorities said. The alleged shooter fled the scene.

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said in a statement on Thursday, “Coach Beam is a giant in Oakland — a mentor, an educator, and a lifeline for thousands of young people.”

“We are praying for him,” Lee said.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(LOS ANGELES) — Over 22 million people in Southern California are under a flood watch as a West Coast storm could slam burn scar areas, bringing potential mudslides, debris flows and excessive rainfall.

Evacuation warnings are now in place through Friday evening for the following burn scar areas: Canyon, Bethany, Eaton, Palisades, Hurst, Kenneth, Sunset, Lidia, Franklin and Bridge, according to Los Angeles County officials.

“Anyone in these areas should be ready to leave at a moment’s notice,” county officials said.

The storm will bring light to moderate rain for most of Friday, but the main threat for flooding will begin Friday night going into Saturday, with excessive rainfall — accompanied by lightning and some strong wind gusts — possible for some areas.

Beginning late Friday, evacuation orders will be in effect for the following burn scar areas: Canyon, Bethany, Eaton, Palisades, Hurst, Kenneth, Sunset, Lidia, Franklin and Bridge.

According to the Los Angeles Public Works, some streets may be “entirely blocked by debris” and some structures may be at risk depending on location.

These areas could see 1 inch of rain per hour, with rainfall between Friday and Saturday totaling 4 to 6 inches. Areas with the heaviest storms or at higher elevations could see 6 inches of rain or more.

A moderate risk for excessive rainfall and flash flooding is in place for Los Angeles and Santa Barbara areas, mostly for the heaviest rain which is expected on Friday night, Saturday morning and early Saturday afternoon.

The heavy rain will be occurring from 8 p.m. local time Friday to 3 p.m. Saturday. More rain is possible in these areas every day next week, with the threat of mudslides and debris flows continuing due to the already-saturated ground.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday that emergency resources will be pre-deployed ahead of the storm to protect communities in the Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties from mudslides and debris flows.

On average, Los Angeles records 0.8 inches of rain the entire month of November, with the record being 9.68 inches in 1965. This storm beginning on Friday could likely be more than a November months’ worth of rain within a day for these areas.

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(NEW YORK) — A new prosecutor has been selected to take over the Fulton County, Georgia, election interference case against President Donald Trump and others after District Attorney Fani Willis’ disqualification.

In a statement on Friday, the director of the agency tasked with finding the replacement said he had chosen someone new: himself.

Pete Skandalakis, the executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, said he chose himself to take over the case after he was “unable” to find someone else to accept the job.

“Several prosecutors were contacted and, while all were respectful and professional, each declined the appointment,” he said in a statement. “The decision to assume responsibility for this matter was reached only after careful and deliberate consideration.”

Trump and 18 others pleaded not guilty in August 2023 to all charges in a sweeping racketeering indictment for alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state of Georgia.

The charges, which were brought following Trump’s Jan. 2, 2021, phone call in which he asked Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” the votes needed to win the state, allege that the defendants solicited state leaders throughout the country, harassed and misled a Georgia election worker, and pushed phony claims that the election was stolen, all in an effort for Trump to remain in power despite his election loss.

The selection of a new prosecutor fell to the attorneys’ council after the Georgia Supreme Court in September declined to take up Willis’ appeal of her removal from the case over her relationship with one of the prosecutors on the case.

Skandalakis was facing a Nov. 14 deadline to appoint someone new or the case would face dismissal, according to an order from Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee. Skandalakis said he did not believe McAfee dismissing the case because of the missed deadline would be “the right course of action.”

Skandalakis wrote in his statement that he had “not had sufficient time” to complete a review the case file, saying he received 101 boxes of documents from the DA’s office in late October, and an 8-terabyte hard drive of the case file just last week. He said that by appointing himself to the case he can “complete a comprehensive review and make an informed decision regarding how best to proceed” with the case, whose future is still up the air.

“My only objective is to ensure that this case is handled properly, fairly, and with full transparency discharging my duties without fear, favor, or affection,” Skandalakis said.

Trump this week issued a sweeping pardon to all defendants in the Georgia election case and all other cases involving alleged 2020 “fake elector” plots, although the act was largely symbolic as Trump does not have the ability to pardon state charges.

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(NEW YORK) — The Mega Millions jackpot is now the eighth largest in history ahead of Friday night’s drawing where one lucky person could win an estimated $965 million.

The jackpot grew from $900 million to where it currently stands after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Tuesday night.

The jackpot was last won on June 27.

The prize has a cash value of $445.3 million which can be offered as a one-time lump sum payment or an immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments.

After four jackpot wins in the first half of this year, Friday’s drawing will be the 40th drawing in this run, a game record, since it was last won in Virginia on June 27.

Even though nobody won the jackpot on Tuesday night, there were 809,030 winning tickets across all prize tiers for total nationwide winnings of more than $27.9 million, according to Mega Millions.

The odds of winning the jackpot at 1 in 290,472,336, according to Mega Millions.Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets are $5 for one play.

The largest Mega Millions jackpot prize ever won was $1.6 billion prize won on Aug. 8, 2023.

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