(NEW ORLEANS, La.) — Nearly a month after a terrorist drove a truck down Bourbon Street, killing 14 people, New Orleans is set to host Super Bowl 59.
At a press briefing Monday, officials said there were no credible threats to the game, or its many surrounding events.
“Right now we have no specific credible threats to this event … which I think should give us all a sense of security,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told reporters in New Orleans on Monday. “We recognize the importance of making sure that we’re doing due diligence and being prepared for events as proactive as possible, and pre-deploying resources and partnerships that will help us make sure that these events come off safely and with a focus on security.”
She added, “We have partners that we are dedicated to working with to make sure we get through these types of events in a way that has been important to focus on the priorities.”
NFL Chief of Security Cathy Lanier said in the days after the terrorist attack, the NFL changed their security plan.
“We have reviewed and re-reviewed all the details of what happened on Jan. 1,” Lainer said. “We have reviewed and re-reviewed each of our roles within the overarching security plan, and we have reassessed and stressed tested — our timing, our communication protocols, our contingency measures and our emergency response plans multiple times over, over the past several weeks.”
There will be over 2,700 state, federal and local law enforcement members securing the game, according to officials.
Lainer said the event is a “no-drone zone” meaning drones are not allowed anywhere near the stadium. A drone that was not cleared to fly over M&T Bank Stadium briefly halted the Steelers-Ravens wild card game last month.
Noem was on Bourbon Street on Monday at the site of the terrorist attack. Bollards that were not in place during the New Year’s celebrations, due to repair, are now back in place.
“We have an opportunity to learn from what happened,” Noem told reporters earlier in the day, she said she also wanted to honor the victims lost. “The Super Bowl is the biggest Homeland Security event we do every single year.”
The game gets a SEAR 1 rating — meaning there is a federal coordinator that is in charge of the security, in this case Eric DeLaune, the special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations’ New Orleans field office.
DeLaune is a Louisiana native and securing the game is personal for him, he said.
“I have worked to coordinate the security of the land, air and local waterways, with the vital support of our partners, leveraging a united front of all of those law enforcement entitles,” he said. “In the days ahead, there will be a significant increased law enforcement presence in New Orleans, some of which will be visible and obvious.”
(PHILADELPHIA) — The black box from the medical transport jet that crashed in Philadelphia Friday evening is on its way to Washington, D.C., where the National Transportation Safety Board will try to extricate any information, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said during a press conference Monday.
The jet, which was carrying a child and her mother along with four other people, was in the air for less than a minute after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport before coming down in a fiery “high-impact” crash.
The six people on board, as well as one person on the ground, were killed.
The Learjet 55, operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, took off at 6:06 p.m. Friday, climbed to about 1,500 feet and then rapidly descended, according to NTSB investigator Bill Hicks.
“The entire flight lasted less than a minute,” Hicks said.
The child, who had just received care from Shriner’s Hospital in Philadelphia, was returning home to Mexico with her mother.
There were also four crew members on board. All were Mexican citizens, according to a statement from the Mexican government. NTSB investigators announced on Sunday that the aircraft’s engines and cockpit voice recorder had been recovered from the crash.
The CVR was located at the site of initial impact, at a depth of 8 feet, according to investigators.
The airplane’s enhanced ground proximity warning system, which could also contain flight data was recovered Sunday as well, officials said. Both components have been sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory in Washington, D.C., for evaluation.
Jet Rescue Air Ambulance identified those aboard the crashed jet as 11-year-old pediatric patient Valentina Guzman Murillo and her 31-year-old mother, Lizeth Murillo Ozuna; Dr. Raul Meza Arredondo, paramedic Lopez Padilla, flight Capt. Alan Alejandro Montoya Perales and co-pilot Josue De Jesus Juarez Juarez.
Jet Rescue Air Ambulance said Montoya Perales, 46, had worked for the company since 2016, and that 43-year-old Juarez Juarez had been with the company since December 2023. Arredondo, 41, has been flying with the air ambulance company since 2020 and 41-year-old Padilla has been with the company since November 2023.
The mayor of Ensenada, Mexico, a city in the state of Baja California, confirmed two of the victims as Valentina Guzman Murillo and her mother.
Ensenada government officials said the plane was bound for Tijuana, Mexico. The plane was scheduled to make a stopover in Springfield, Missouri, before continuing to Tijuana, officials said.
In addition to those aboard the aircraft, at least one person in a vehicle died in the crash. The identity of the person has not been disclosed.
Parker said Monday that the number of people injured on the ground had risen from 22 to 24. She said four people remained hospitalized as of Monday, two are in stable condition and two are in critical condition.
There was no indication of a problem radioed from the flight deck of the jet back to air traffic control before the crash, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy told reporters. “In fact, in the recording that we have, there is an attempt by air traffic controllers to get a response from the flight crew that they didn’t receive,” she said.
The NTSB has classified the crash as an accident.
The “high-impact” crash left debris scattered across four to five city blocks, Homendy said.
At least five homes caught fire in the aftermath of the crash, Philadelphia officials said.
The Federal Aviation Administration is assisting in the investigation. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Monday a preliminary report on what caused the crash will be available within 30 days.
The crash of the medical jet came just two days after an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with a regional American Airlines jet near Reagan National Airport just outside Washington, D.C., killing 67 people.
Homendy said her agency is able to carry out both investigations simultaneously.
“We are a highly skilled agency,” she said, adding that it’s not unusual for the board to investigate two incidents.
In a message posted on X, Duffy called the back-to-back disasters a “heart-wrenching week.”
Regarding the Philadelphia crash, Duffy said, “We’re not going to have answers right away. It’s going to take time. But as I get those answers, I’m going to share it with all of you.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Monday the incident shows “a thin line between tragedy and triumph, between danger and safety.”
“That line you can literally witness on Cottman Avenue,” Shapiro said during a press conference on Monday. “[A] millisecond difference could have claimed more lives in our community. Thank God, it didn’t.”
ABC News’ Stephanie Ramos contributed to this report.
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship will face its next legal hurdle this week when three separate federal judges hold hearings to consider whether to block the order.
Ahead of the hearings, lawyers with the Department of Justice argued in legal filings that birthright citizenship creates a “perverse incentive for illegal immigration” while claiming that Trump’s executive order attempts to resolve “prior misimpressions” of the Fourteenth Amendment.
“Text, history, and precedent support what common sense compels: the Constitution does not harbor a windfall clause granting American citizenship to, inter alia, the children of those who have circumvented (or outright defied) federal immigration laws,” Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate wrote in a recent filing.
U.S. District Judge John Coughenour blocked the order last month — describing it as “blatantly unconstitutional ” — with a temporary restraining order that is set to expire this week.
Coughenour scheduled a Thursday morning hearing to consider whether to issue a preliminary injunction ordering the Trump administration to stop enforcing the order.
Judges in two additional federal cases challenging the order also scheduled hearings this week, including a Wednesday hearing in a Maryland case filed by five undocumented pregnant women and a Friday hearing in a lawsuit filed by 18 state attorneys general.
The hearings will likely provide the first opportunity for Department of Justice lawyers to outline their defense of Trump’s Day-1 executive order that sought to eliminate birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented immigrants or immigrants whose presence in the United States is lawful but temporary.
According to a recent court filing, Trump’s executive order clarified the phrase “subject to the jurisdiction” within the citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment, interpreting the phrase to mean that immigrants in the country unlawfully or temporarily would not be entitled to birthright citizenship.
“Prior misimpressions of the Citizenship Clause have created a perverse incentive for illegal immigration that has negatively impacted this country’s sovereignty, national security, and economic stability,” the lawsuit said. “But the generation that enacted the Fourteenth Amendment did not fate the United States to such a reality.”
Lawyers for the Department of Justice attempted to defend the lawfulness of the order by comparing undocumented immigrants to the foreign diplomats, who are not entitled to birthright citizenship.
“Just as that does not hold for diplomats or occupying enemies, it similarly does not hold for foreigners admitted temporarily or individuals here illegally,” the filing said.
While the Supreme Court established birthright citizenship in the 1898 case United States v. Wong Kim Ark, DOJ lawyers claim that the case is only relevant for the children of parents with “permanent domicile and residence” in the United States, suggesting the executive order does not run afoul of the longstanding legal precedent.
“And if the United States has not consented to someone’s enduring presence, it follows that it has not consented to making citizens of that person’s children,” the lawsuit said.
Trump’s executive order got a frosty reception last month when Judge Coughenour, in the course of issuing his temporary restraining order, reprimanded the Department of Justice attorney who suggested that Trump’s executive order was constitutional.
“I have been on the bench for over four decades,” said Judge Coughenour. “I can’t remember another case where the question presented is as clear as it is here.”
Trump, vowing to appeal the temporary restraining order, criticized Judge Coughenour — who was nominated to the bench by President Ronald Reagan in 1981– as partisan.
“Obviously, we’ll appeal it. They put it before a certain judge — in Seattle, I guess, right? And there’s no surprises with that judge,” Trump said from the Oval Office.
(ZION NATIONAL PARK, Utah) — A 37-year-old man fell to his death while hiking at Zion National Park in Utah, authorities confirmed.
The hiker was found dead Sunday morning on the Canyon Overlook Trail, a mile-long trail that runs along the east side of the park, according to the National Park Service.
Authorities received a call at 7:06 a.m. reporting a “possible fall of a hiker in Zion National Park,” according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Department.
Hurricane Valley Fire and Rescue were first on the scene, where they found the deceased man “at approximately 7:40 a.m.” and determined “he was beyond help,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Washington County sheriff’s deputies arrived shortly after the Hurricane Valley Fire and Rescue team and “confirmed their findings,” according to the statement.
The Zion National Park Technical Search and Rescue Team assisted in recovery efforts and the “hiker’s remains were transferred to the Washington County Medical Examiner for further examination,” according to the National Park Service.
The Canyon Overlook Trail was temporarily closed due to the incident but has since reopened, the National Park Service said.
Officials said the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident. The identity of the hiker has not been released.
This is not the first time someone has fallen to their death at Zion National Park. In October, a 40-year-old man fell approximately 200 feet to his death while canyoneering with three others, according to the National Park Service.
The aircraft went down in the frigid Potomac River, breaking into multiple pieces. There were no survivors.
There were 64 passengers aboard the plane and three Army soldiers in the helicopter.
Among the victims were 14 people who were returning home from a national figure skating development camp in Wichita, according to Doug Zeghibe, the CEO and executive director for the Skating Club of Boston.
“Skating is a tight-knit community where parents and kids come together six or seven days a week to train and work together. Everyone is like family,” Zeghibe said in a statement.
Here’s what we know about the victims so far:
Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova
Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, a married couple, were killed in the crash, according to the Skating Club of Boston.
Naumov and Shishkova, who were figure skating coaches, were world champions in pairs competition in 1994.
They joined the club in 2017, Zeghibe said.
Jinna Han and Jin Han
Jinna Han, a figure skater, and Jin Han, her mother, were killed in the crash, according to the Skating Club of Boston.
Spencer Lane and Christine Lane
Skater Spencer Lane and his mother, Christine Lane, were among the victims, the Skating Club of Boston said.
Doug Lane, Spencer’s father and Christine’s husband, told WCVB he and his wife adopted Spencer from South Korea.
Spencer Lane, 16, “just had amazing athletic abilities,” and once he got interested in something, “you couldn’t stop him,” his father said.
The teen decided to try skating three years ago after seeing Nathan Chen in the Olympics and “committed himself to it,” his dad said.
Christine Lane, 49, who worked as a graphic designer, was “such a beautiful person” who “just connected with everyone,” he said. She had just gotten her real estate license, and was also a talented quilter and volunteered at a local animal rescue, he added.
His wife would “do everything for her children, including fly to Wichita, Kansas, for a week,” Doug Lane said. “She just gave parenting her all.”
Alexandr Kirsanov
Alexandr Kirsanov was a coach of two of the youth ice skaters on board, his wife, Natalya Gudin, told ABC News.
“I lost everything,” Gudin said. “I lost my husband, I lost my students, I lost my friends.”
Gudin said Kirsanov traveled with two youth skaters to attend a development camp in Kansas this week. Gudin, who also coaches students with her husband in Delaware, said she stayed home to be with their other skaters.
She last spoke with her husband as he boarded the flight on Wednesday, she said.
“I need my husband back,” Gudin said. “I need his body back.”
Samuel Lilley
Samuel Lilley, the first officer on board American Airlines Flight 5342, recently got engaged, his sister, Tiffany Gibson, told ABC News.
“He was an amazing person. He loved people. He loved adventure. He loved traveling. He was excited. He was young. He was so young, and he was excited about life and his future and getting a dog and a house and kids. And it’s just, this is just tragic,” she said.
Samuel Lilley’s former brother-in-law, Greg Gibson, remembered him for his passion for flying and willingness to help others.
Samuel Lilley died on the same flight path his father, Timothy Lilley, flew for years. Timothy Lilley flew Black Hawk helicopters for the Army, transporting passengers over the Potomac River from his base in Virginia.
“We were stationed in Virginia, and [Timothy Lilley] flew that same route back and forth to the Pentagon, over and over and over again until he retired,” Tiffany Gibson said.
Ian Epstein
The family of Ian Epstein, the flight attendant onboard American Airlines Flight 5342, is remembering him as a cherished father, husband, brother and stepfather.
“Ian Epstein was full of life. He loved being a flight attendant because he truly enjoyed traveling and meeting new people. But his true love was his family. He was a father, a stepfather, a husband and a brother! He will be truly missed. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and support we’ve received, but at this time we would ask for privacy as we process and grieve our loss,” his family said in a statement.
Wendy Jo Shaffer
The family of victim, Wendy Jo Shaffer confirmed she had been on the plane.
“We are devastated. Words cannot truly express what Wendy Jo meant as a daughter, a sister, a friend, a wife and most importantly, a mother. The family is requesting privacy at this time,” the family said in a statement.
Brielle Beyer and Justyna Beyer
Brielle Beyer, 12, and her mother, 42-year-old Justyna, were both killed in the crash, according to Andy Beyer, Brielle’s father and Justyna’s husband.
Andy Beyer is left with the couple’s 6-year-old son, he said.
He said his wife and daughter were returning from the U.S. Figure Skating National Development Camp in Wichita, Kansas.
Brielle was a member of the Skating Club of Northern Virginia and beat cancer when she was just 4 months old.
“She was just such a fighter in everything she did,” Andy Beyer said of his daughter, in an interview with ABC News. “She just lived life to the fullest with everything.”
He added, “She was so proud of herself in figure skating for the progress she had made … Making that team was one of her life goals. And she achieved it. And she was just so, so proud of herself.”
He remembered his daughter’s passion and beautiful singing voice.
“She just lit up the house with her wonderful voice,” he said.
Andy Beyer said his wife and daughter had been away for six days for the figure skating camp.
“I missed them… Figure skating at that level, it’s a lifestyle,” he said. “It’s a full family commitment.”
Elizabeth Keys
Elizabeth Keys was a Washington-based attorney who caught an early flight home to go on a date for her birthday with her long-term boyfriend David Seidman, who remembered her for being the person who always “pushed you to be the best version of yourself.”
Keys graduated from Tufts University in 2014 after spending four years on the varsity sailing team, her mother, Mary Keys, said in a statement.
Keys graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 2020 and worked as an attorney for Wilkinson Stekloff.
She and her boyfriend were devoted parents to their Yorkshire terrier, Tucker.
“She loved deeply and was deeply loved. Liz was a warm, generous woman. She was so fun — and funny!” her mom said in a statement. “Liz had a sharp wit and appreciated it in others. Gatherings were always better when Liz was there; she was filled with light and joy. Liz was a dear friend to so many, offering her best self to them all.”
“Elizabeth was strong and fearless — she embraced life at full speed,” her mom said. “Liz was always surrounded by friends on her ski trips out West, where she described skiing as ‘flying,’ and frequently visited her favorite place, Hawaii, to hike and relax on the beach. Every weekend was full: Liz and David especially loved hosting their friends around their fire pit at their home in DC.”
Sean Kay
Sean Kay was traveling with his skating coach Alexandr Kirsanov after attending the U.S. Figure Skating’s National Development Camp. His death was confirmed in a statement by Delaware Sen. Chris Coons.
Angela Yang
Angela Yang was traveling with her skating coach Alexandr Kirsanov after attending the U.S. Figure Skating’s National Development Camp. Her death was confirmed in a statement by Delaware Sen. Chris Coons.
Casey Crafton
Casey Crafton was a father to three sons and husband from Salem, Connecticut. His death was confirmed in a statement by Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont.
Grace Maxwell
Grace Maxwell was an engineering student from Wichita, Kansas who was aboard American Airlines 5432, according to a statement from Cedarville University.
University president Thomas White described her as a “thoughtful, quiet student leader” who helped teach other undergraduates about engineering.
She recently signed up to create a hand-stabilizing device to help a disabled child feed himself without assistance from others.
Olivia Ter
Olivia Ter, 12, was a treasured member of the Tucker Road Ice Rink in Fort Washington, Maryland, who inspired her peers and coaches, according to a statement from the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.
She was one of four elite skaters from her region to attend the U.S. Figure Skating National Development Camp in Wichita and earned praise for her ” talent, determination and sportsmanship.”
“The impact of Olivia’s life will continue to resonate in our youth sports community, and she will be sorely missed,” stated Bill Tyler, director of the commission’s Department of Parks and Recreation in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Kiah Duggins
Kiah Duggins was a civil rights attorney and an incoming Howard University professor.
Duggins was a Wichita native and attended Wichita State University, received a Fulbright grant, attended law school at Harvard and worked as a civil rights attorney.
In the fall, Duggins was planning to begin teaching as a professor at Howard University School of Law.
“As a civil rights lawyer, she dedicated her career to fighting against unconstitutional policing and unjust money bail practices in Tennessee, Texas and Washington, D.C,” a statement from the university said.
Duggins worked to challenge police misconduct, fight cash bail policies, and pursued prison industrial complex abolition, according to her professional biography. She also was a White House intern during the administration of former President Barack Obama.
Lindsey Fields
Lindsey Fields, the president-elect of the National Association of Biology Teachers, was flying from Wichita to D.C. to “advocate for excellence in life science education,” according to the organization.
She was a professor and biology department chair at Butler Community College in Kansas, where she taught anatomy and physiology.
She loved to garden and had a keen interest in wildlife, including restoring native prairie plants, according to her professional biography.
Butler Community College said in a statement, “With broken hearts we send our condolences to her family and friends, and the students, faculty and staff whom we know without a doubt were positively impacted by Lindsey’s energy and dedication to her craft.”
“Lindsey was a colleague, friend, and educator who dedicated her wisdom and talents to changing students’ lives every day,” the statement continued. “We owe her much gratitude for sharing her light with us and we will forever feel this loss.”
“This is a tremendous loss,” the National Association of Biology Teachers added. “Please keep Lindsey, the other victims, and their families in your hearts.”
Donna Smojice Livingston, Peter Livingston, Everly Livingston and Alydia Livingston
Donna Smojice Livingston, her husband Peter Livingston, and their daughters Everly Livingston and Alydia Livingston all died in the crash, according to Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Everly and Alydia were the famed duo behind the “Ice Skating Sisters” Instagram account, and their last photo depicted them near the ice in Wichita.
Jesse Pitcher
Jesse Pitcher, 30, was one of five members of the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters killed in the crash, the union said. He was a member of UA Local 5.
“May God bless each of our fallen Brothers, and all those who knew and loved them,” the union said in a statement Friday.
Charles ‘Charlie’ McDaniel
Charles McDaniel, 44, was one of five members of the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters killed in the crash, the union said. He was a member of UA Local 602.
Jonathan Boyd
Jonathan Boyd, 40, was one of five members of the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters killed in the crash, the union said. He was a member of UA Local 602.
Michael ‘Mikey’ Stovall
Michael Stovall, 40, was one of five members of the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters killed in the crash, the union said. He was a member of UA Local 602.
Alexander ‘Alex’ Huffman
Alexander Huffman, 34, was one of five members of the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters killed in the crash, the union said. He was a member of UA Local 602.
Ryan O’Hara
One of the three soldiers on the helicopter during the training mission was identified as Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia, the Army said.
O’Hara had been an Army helicopter repairer since July 2014 and he served in Afghanistan in 2017.
“His awards include Army Commendation Medal w/C Device, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal x4, Army Good Conduct Medal x3, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Aviation Badge and Senior Aviation Badge,” the Army said.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp offered his condolences to the families of both victims from Georgia: O’Hara and Lilley, who was the first officer on board the American Airlines flight.
“Both of these young Georgians shared a passion for flight and for serving others, and this terrible tragedy is that much more difficult knowing their lives were cut so unexpectedly short,” he said in an X post. “Marty, the girls, and I ask that all Georgians join us in keeping their loved ones in our thoughts and prayers.”
Andrew Eaves
Another soldier on the helicopter was identified as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland, the Army said.
Eaves served in the Navy from 2007 to 2017 and then transitioned to an Army UH-60 pilot.
“His awards include Army Commendation Medal x3, Navy Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Navy Achievement Medal x3, Navy “E” Ribbon x2, Navy Good Conduct Medal x3, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon and Army Aviator Badge,” the Army said.
Sarah Best
Victim Sarah Best graduated summa cum laude from Vanderbilt University with a double major in neuroscience and classical languages, and then graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law school, said her sister, Jessica Best.
She clerked for judges at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York before joining the law firm Wilkinson Stekloff last fall.
“She was always formidable. She was highly intelligent and immersed herself until she emerged as the best,” Jessica Best said in a statement.
“But more than this, Sarah was unusually perceptive, empathetic and supportive. When I was stressed studying for tests, she drew good luck signs and taped them to my bedroom door so I could see them in the morning,” she said.
“Up to the very day she died, my sisters and I were texting each other in our group thread, as we did everyday, multiple times a day, and even as the youngest one of us, she was always providing sage advice,” Jessica Best said.
She said her sister participated in Teach for America and kept a card from her students framed in her apartment. The message in the card said she showed her students “that there is always a good in life … there really is not another teacher like you.”
Jessica Best said the last time she saw her sister was when Sarah threw her baby shower in August.
“I was so proud when guests who only met her briefly told me how brilliant and amazing she was, and that they have never met anyone like her,” she said.
Jessica Best said her son “will never meet his incredible auntie Sarah. But I will tell him about her … and I’ll be the better person that she has always encouraged us to be.”
Melissa Nicandri
Melissa Nicandri, 28, “was everything that anyone could hope for with a daughter — beautiful, smart, funny, kind, and generous,” the Nicandri family said in a statement.
“Her future was so bright,” the family said. “Melissa had an adventurous spirit and will be missed forever.”
Nicandri worked for the financial company Moody’s and died alongside a colleague, Chris Collins, according to the company.
“They leave an immeasurable void in our community, and our hearts go out to their families, friends and colleagues, as well as all those grieving from this terrible tragedy,” a Moody’s spokesperson said.
Chris Collins
Massachusetts native Chris Collins was a beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, the Collins family said in a statement.
“Chris was a true adventurer with a passion for the outdoors and a lifelong love of animals,” the family said. “His talent as a financial professional brought him to New York City, where he fell in love with a city girl, his cherished wife Jen. While Jen and Chris built a joy-filled city life together, Chris’ call to the outdoors never wavered, whether it was hiking Lögberg in Iceland, camping and rafting in the Great Smoky Mountains, skiing and snowboarding, and most of all, enjoying the coastal outdoor landscape of Brewster, MA and the rest of Cape Cod.”
“Chris’ kindness and compassion extended to everyone, whether you were a family member, friend, or one of the many strangers he connected with during his outdoor adventures,” the family said. “He will be in our hearts forever.”
Collins worked for Moody’s and died alongside his colleague, Melissa Nicandri, according to the company.
“The Moody’s family mourns the loss of two of our best, Chris Collins and Melissa Nicandri,” the company said. “Chris and Melissa were cherished colleagues who embodied our values and enriched our lives with kindness and warmth.”
Jonathan Campos
Capt. Jonathan Campos was the pilot aboard American Airlines Flight 5342. His death was confirmed in a statement from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he graduated in 2015.
He also served as a flight instructor at the Epic Flight Academy in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
“He was a skilled and dedicated pilot with an undeniable passion for flying,” Epic Flight Academy said in a statement. “Our deepest condolences go out to Jonathan’s family, friends, and all those who lost their lives or were impacted by this devastating tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this incredibly difficult time.”
Roger Haynos, Stephanie Haynos and Cory Haynos
Cory Haynos and his parents Roger and Stephanie Haynos died in the crash, according to their cousin Matthew Alan LaRaviere.
“Cory was a driven young man like his father and grandfather and it showed up in his skating, and we all expected to see Cory in the Olympics in the future,” LaRaviere said. “When Cory would fall down on the ice when he was just getting started skating, Roger would tell us that Cory would get up crying, but ready to try again. He would not quit.”
Roger Haynos was a “dream dad,” LaRaviere said. “Roger always had a sense of humor and never seemed to take like too serious (in a good way) and was an inspiration to all who knew him best. Roger & Stephanie’s life was all about their kids. Roger also was an avid fan of horse racing and an owner of race horses over the years.”
Roger and Stephanie Haynos are survived by a daughter in college who was not on the flight.
Jonathan ‘Jon’ Boyd
Jonathan “Jon” Boyd’s death was confirmed in a statement from the Southern Maryland Sabres Hockey Club, where his son Reed plays. “Jon will be deeply missed by all who knew him, and we stand together as a community in support of his family,” the organization said.
Rebecca Lobach
Capt. Rebecca Lobach was identified by the Army as a soldier in the Black Hawk helicopter.
Lobach, of Durham, North Carolina, was a six-year Army member, who was assigned to the 12th Aviation Battalion at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, according to the Army.
“Rebecca was many things. She was a daughter, sister, partner, and friend,” her family said in a statement. “She was a servant, a caregiver, an advocate. Most of all, she loved and was loved. Her life was short, but she made a difference in the lives of all who knew her. Our hearts break for the other families who have lost loved ones in this national tragedy and we mourn with them.”
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/Bloomberg via Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — Staff with the U.S. Agency for International Development were told overnight that the agency’s Washington headquarters will be closed Monday, according to an email obtained by ABC News from multiple sources.
“Agency personnel normally assigned to work at USAID headquarters will work remote tomorrow, with the exception of personnel with essential on-site and building maintenance functions individually contacted by senior leadership,” the email said. “Further guidance will be forthcoming.”
The email arrived as Elon Musk, the leader of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, said he was “in the process” of “shutting down” the agency. Musk claimed he had briefed President Donald Trump on his efforts, which he said Trump supports.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was made acting administrator of USAID, multiple sources told ABC News Monday, in what appears to be the latest step in the Trump administration’s effort to move USAID under the State Department. Rubio was in El Salvador on Monday on a trip to Latin America, his first international trip since being sworn in.
The developments are expected to add to the ongoing turmoil inside USAID, where sources told ABC News that DOGE staffers have moved to take over offices, escalating tensions as more senior staff members are locked out of internal systems, additional employees are placed on administrative leave and the agency’s newly appointed chief of staff resigned.
The Musk-led agency is working to assert control over the USAID, which oversees foreign aid, disaster relief and international development programs.
On Friday night, a dramatic scene played out when a group of individuals who identified themselves as State Department employees and DOGE representatives arrived at the USAID offices in the Ronald Reagan Building and demanded immediate access to every office, according to sources familiar with the incident. It is unclear what legal authority, if any, DOGE representatives have to make such demands.
“It looked like people who dressed up for their first job interview,” a source said.
After initially being denied entry, the group told security guards that if they were not granted entry, they would call the U.S. Marshals Service, sources said. The guards ultimately complied, the source said.
Two top security officials at USAID were placed on administrative leave after they refused to comply on Saturday amid the ongoing turmoil at the agency, sources told ABC News.
Sources told ABC News that more USAID employees were also placed on administration leave, and many were locked out of internal systems amid clashes with DOGE representatives working to take over the agency.
Amid the upheaval, USAID Chief of Staff Matt Hopson resigned just days after Trump appointed him to the position, sources said. It was not immediately clear if Hopson’s resignation was due to changes inside the agency.
However, Musk has been joining USAID staff calls during the week amid the shakeup at the agency, according to a source familiar with the matter. And as reports emerged over clashes inside USAID, Musk unloaded a barrage of attacks against the agency across his social media platform, X.
“USAID is a criminal organization. Time for it to die,” Musk wrote in one post.
When shown Musk’s posts on X targeting USAID, a senior official for the agency told ABC News, “The warp-speed of this mafia-like takeover has shaken USAID staff to the core.”
“We are not criminals. Where are Republican Senators like Senator Graham and Risch who have supported the good work of this agency in the past? Will they speak out?” the official asked. “Yes, USAID needs reform, like all agencies, but we’d expect this to come with a degree of thought and involvement from Congress.”
Inside the Ronald Reagan Building, posters and flags featuring USAID were taken down and stacked in hallways, sources who were in the building told ABC News. Some USAID employees who were placed on administrative leave had their ID badges and work computers seized, the sources said.
In response to reports on DOGE’s activity at USAID, DOGE spokesperson Katie Miller wrote on X, “No classified material was accessed without proper security clearances.” The USAID press office did not respond when asked for comment.
The group gained access to USAID’s internal systems on Friday, including the agency’s website and several critical databases, according to sources familiar with the matter. Among the systems was the Development Evaluation Clearinghouse, which houses reports on past and ongoing USAID programs, as well as the Development Information Solution (DIS) — a system used to track congressionally mandated and performance-related data for all USAID programs worldwide.
Sources also said that the group also seized control of a software system called Phoenix, a program for USAID’s financial management system used to track and manage the agency’s budgeting, accounting and financial transactions. The system was down over the weekend, sources said, which has sent shockwaves across contractors for USAID who are fearful they won’t be paid for their work. Major firms that manage global supply chains, including those for initiatives like antiretroviral (ARV) drugs and other essential medicines to combat HIV/AIDS, rely on Phoenix.
Sources told ABC News the Trump administration’s foreign aid cuts are being overseen by Peter Marocco, a campaign ally in the Office of Foreign Assistance who was reportedly caught on camera inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Sources also told ABC News that Trump ally Mark Kevin Lloyd has been placed as acting assistant administrator for the Bureau of Conflict Prevention and Stabilization (CPS) at USAID, which oversees a considerable budget. Lloyd, a Tea Party activist, was Trump’s Virginia field director in 2016 and later appointed USAID religious freedom adviser in 2020.
The chaos inside the agency has led those familiar with USAID to question whether the overhaul of the agency marks the end of U.S. international development efforts or a strategic consolidation of resources under the State Department. Some see the potential for the administration to leverage USAID’s existing infrastructure — its contracting officers, global footprint and established contract mechanisms — to rapidly redirect aid programs in a way that far exceeds the capacity of the State Department.
After the USAID website went dark on Saturday, the agency’s chief information officer sent an internal email stating that the website is “currently unavailable” and that they have no information on when it will be restored, according to an email obtained by ABC News.
“M/CIO is informing users that USAID.gov is currently unavailable. We will send a follow-up notice once there is more information. At this time there is no update on when the site will be available,” the email, which was sent Saturday evening, reads.
A source told ABC News that these notices would typically detail that the team is working to restore access, but that was missing from this notice.
Some staff are taking the “no update” on when the site will be brought back as “a decision made to turn out the (internet) lights.”
Petty Officer 1st Class Brandon Giles/ U.S. Coast Guard via Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — Hundreds of families are in mourning after an American Airlines regional jet collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, with both aircraft plunging into the Potomac River near Washington, D.C.’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
No one survived.
Sixty-four people were on board the plane, which departed from Wichita, Kansas. Three soldiers were on the helicopter.
The Warren County Sheriff’s Office have been identified as the remains of missing person Dana Leigh Mustian in North Carolina. (Warren County Sheriff’s Office)
(VANCE COUNTY, NC) — The remains of a North Carolina woman who had been missing for over a year have been found by a dive team, officials said.
A dive team discovered human remains in Vance County on Thursday, according to the Warren County Sheriff’s Office. Vance County is northeast of Raleigh and Durham, and borders Virginia on its north.
The remains were identified by the medical examiner’s office as those of Dana Leigh Mustian, 33.
Mustian was last seen at her home on Nov. 30, 2023, according to the Warren County Sheriff’s Office.
She was reported missing by her father on Dec. 4, 2023, according to the sheriff’s office.
The investigation into her disappearance and death will continue, the sheriff’s office said.
“We would like to thank Sheriff Curtis Brame and the Vance County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance,” the sheriff’s office added.
John McDonnell/ for The Washington Post via Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — Family members of the victims of the plane crash in Washington, D.C., visited the crash site on Sunday morning.
Dozens of the victims’ loved ones could be seen gathered by the Potomac River to commemorate the 67 people killed in the deadly midair collision last week.
An American Airlines regional jet collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
There were no survivors.
Among those lost in the crash were a civil rights attorney, a biology professor, several champion figure skaters and many others.
National Transportation Safety Board investigator J. Todd Inman was asked Saturday during a press briefing about his interactions with the victims’ families and others who have been directly impacted by the incident.
“They’re all just hurt and they want answers, and we want to give them answers,” he said. “It’s horrible. No one has to suffer this.”
The Army Corps of Engineers is expected to begin removing the jet and helicopter wreckage from the Potomac River on Monday.
Passenger captures the moment an United Airlines plane gets filled with smoke after engine issue and the following evacuation on slides at Houston airport, Feb. 2, 2025. (Ashlyn Sharp)
(HOUSTON) — Passengers on a United Airlines flight from Houston to New York were evacuated before takeoff on Sunday due to engine issues, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
No injuries were reported, according to the Houston Fire Department, which was assisting at the scene.
The FAA said takeoff was “safely aborted” due to a “reported engine issue.”
“Passengers deplaned on the runway and were bused to the terminal,” the FAA said in a statement.
United Airlines confirmed the incident, saying passengers evacuated the aircraft “via a combination of slides and stairs.”
In one video taken by a passenger, smoke could be seen coming out of the plane.
In another video, passengers were seen deplaning via the aircraft’s evacuation slide.
One passenger, Kelcie Davis, called it a “terrifying experience” in a post she shared on TikTok.
“Engine blew out right as our wheels were leaving the ground,” Davis said. “Plane lost control on the runway for a few seconds, but thank god our pilot was able to get the plane back under control. Only one slide was working for the entire plane to evacuate.”
ABC News’ Ayesha Ali and Camilla Alcini contributed to this report.
