Tag Archives: authorities say – CNN

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Watsonville plane crash: 3 people are killed after 2 planes collide over California airport, authorities say

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A single-engine Cessna 152 and a twin-engine Cessna 340 collided during their final decent, according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration. One person was on board the Cessna 152 and two people were on board the Cessna 340, the FAA said.

No one was injured on the ground, the FAA added. A pet on board one of the planes was also killed, Montesino said.

Reports of the incident came in just before 3 p.m., according to a Twitter post from the city.

The city of Watsonville is about an hour south of San Jose.

In a later statement, city officials said they were “absolutely saddened to hear about the tragic incident that took the lives of several people.”

“The City of Watsonville sends its deepest condolences to the friends and family of those who passed,” the statement said.

Both the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating, the FAA statement said. In a post on Twitter, the NTSB confirmed it was investigating the mid-air collision.

It is not clear what caused the two planes to collide.



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2 cyclists killed and 3 injured by an SUV that crossed over the center line, authorities say

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The five cyclists were all participating in the Make-A-Wish bicycle tour, a three-day fundraising event and endurance ride that spans most of the state, according to the Ionia County Sheriff’s Office.
The cyclists were traveling southbound when the SUV, which was traveling northbound, crossed the center line, the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post.

Ionia County is roughly 40 miles east of Grand Rapids.

One cyclist was pronounced dead at the scene while another died from injuries at a nearby hospital, the sheriff’s office said. The three surviving cyclists were transported to hospitals with severe injuries, officials added.

The driver of the SUV was arrested on two counts of Operating while Intoxicated Causing Death and taken to the Ionia County Jail, the sheriff’s office added. Authorities did not release the driver’s name pending charges and an arraignment.

The names of the cyclists were also not released. An investigation is ongoing, the sheriff’s office added.

The Make-a-Wish Foundation expressed its condolences towards the cyclists and their loved ones in a statement shared with CNN.

“Our staff and the entire Make-A-Wish family are heartbroken and offer our deepest sympathy for the riders involved, their loved ones, and all members of the WAM community during this difficult time,” the organization said. “We are thankful to the first responders who arrived immediately to save lives. We are supporting our riders, staff, and volunteers with grief counseling and assisting with the law enforcement investigation.”

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Subway stabbing: A 14-year-old is fatally stabbed at a train station in New York, authorities say

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Officers responding to a 911 call found the boy on a train platform in a north Harlem subway station with a stab wound to the abdomen, police said in a statement. Preliminary investigations indicate “a fight or dispute began on the street and continued into the train station where an altercation occurred,” said Jason Wilcox, the chief of transit for the NYPD.

The teen was taken to a hospital, Wilcox said, where he was pronounced dead about half an hour later. Investigators recovered a knife and what appears to be a broomstick from the scene, he said.

Surveillance footage from the MTA provided images of people who were at the scene, and investigators released descriptions of possible suspects to responding officers. One man who matched some of the description and was bleeding from his back and abdomen was taken into custody, authorities said.

The NYPD said on Sunday they arrested a 15-year-old boy and recommended a murder charge. Police did not release his name or clarify if he knew the victim. He was charged with criminal possession of a weapon.

It’s unclear whether the 15-year-old has a lawyer. He has not been arraigned.

Police are going through video from the scene and talking to witnesses. There are no other suspects being sought, Wilcox said, who urged people with information to come forward.

“At this time, we do not believe this was a random attack,” Wilcox said. “It is believed that the individuals involved are known to each other.”

Officials have placed an increased focus on resident safety and law enforcement response at subways amid an uptick in city crime, including a mass shooting at a Brooklyn subway station in April.
The city has recorded a nearly 38% increase in major crimes this year through July 3 compared to the same period in 2021, according to statistics released by the NYPD. Historically, such crime rates are still lower now than in past decades like the 1980s and 1990s.

Man fatally shot after threatening authorities, police say

In an unrelated incident on Saturday, a man allegedly called police, identified himself and made threats against the governor, some elected officials and members of the NYPD, authorities said.

During the phone call, the man said he’d “blow the head off of the first police officers that he saw,” according to Jeffrey B. Maddrey, NYPD chief of patrol. The man then made a second phone call to an NYPD precinct in Queens and reiterated the same thing, Maddrey said.

Members of the NYPD’s 113 precinct in Queens sent uniformed officers and marked vehicles to respond to an area near “the address in question,” Maddrey said.

At the home, a man came out and one of the officers called him by his name, Maddrey said. The man confirmed that he was the caller and began cursing at the officers. He did not listen to their commands asking him to take his hands out of his pockets, police said.

There was a short verbal exchange before the man brandished a firearm and pointed it at police, Maddrey said. The man fired several rounds and “at least six” officers fired their guns in return, he said.

Officers subdued the injured man and began life-saving measures, taking him to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, Maddrey said.

Multiple police officers were also taken to the hospital and treated for various injuries, including tinnitus and high blood pressure, Maddrey said. The scene is still under investigation.

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San Antonio trailer deaths: 46 migrants have been found dead inside a semitruck, authorities say

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“An alleged human smuggling event” was alerted by San Antonio police to the US Department of Homeland Security’s investigation unit, which is leading the probe, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson said Monday. The incident appears to be among the most deadly in recent years for migrants near the southern border.

Three people are in police custody, though their connection to the situation is unclear, Police Chief Bill McManus said at a news conference Monday night.

Authorities were alerted to the scene just before 6 p.m., when a worker in a nearby building heard a cry for help, McManus said. The worker found a trailer with doors partially opened and saw people deceased inside, McManus said.

Sixteen people — 12 adults and four children — were taken to medical facilities, San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood said. Three taken to Methodist Hospital Metropolitan were in stable condition, a Methodist Healthcare spokesperson said.

Those found alive were hot to the touch and suffering from heat stroke and exhaustion, Hood said, and were conscious when taken for care. There was no sign of water in the refrigerated semitractor-trailer and no visible working air conditioning unit, he said.

High temperatures Monday in the San Antonio area ranged from the high 90s to low 100s, according to the National Weather Service.

Victims ‘were likely trying to find a better life’

“I am heartbroken by the tragic loss of life today and am praying for those still fighting for their lives,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said on social media. “Far too many lives have been lost as individuals — including families, women, and children — take this dangerous journey.”

The 60 firefighters that were on scene are being put through a critical incident stress debriefing, Hood said.

“We’re not supposed to open up a truck and see stacks of bodies in there. None of us come to work imagining that,” the fire chief said.

“It’s tragic,” Mayor Ron Nirenberg said Monday. “There are, that we know of, 46 individuals who are no longer with us, who had families, who were likely trying to find a better life. And we have 16 folks who are fighting for their lives in the hospital.”

Assistance to Mexican nationals would be provided, Mexico’s consul general in San Antonio said on social media. At least two of the 16 survivors have been identified as Guatemalan, according to Mexico’s foreign minister, citing the consul.

US officials are working to better handle the flow of migrants to the US-Mexico border, Mayorkas told CNN earlier this month. Their operation builds on previous initiatives to go after smugglers whom migrants often depend on as they make their way to the border. Homeland Security last spring also announced an effort to crack down on criminal smuggling organizations, alongside federal partners.

Migrants in recent years have faced other tragedies and challenges enduring dangerous heat and terrain while trying to cross the US-Mexico.

Rescues across the US southern border have outpaced those of the last fiscal year. Since October, more than 14,000 searches and rescues have happened along the US southern border, according to US Customs and Border Protection — including rescues from dangerous water crossings. That’s up from 12,833 searches and rescues in fiscal year 2021, with more than three months left to go.
In 2017, 10 people died and dozens were injured from heat-related conditions after being discovered in a tractor-trailer at a San Antonio Walmart. The driver of the truck was sentenced to life without parole in a federal prison.
In 2003, 18 victims ranging from age 7 to 91 were found dead in the back of a semitruck with about 100 other people as temperatures soared past 100 degrees, investigators said. The driver in that case was initially sentenced to life in prison, but in 2011 was resentenced to almost 34 years in prison.
Heat has not been the only danger to migrants crammed in vehicles. In March 2021, a semitruck packed with 25 people collided with an SUV on an isolated stretch of California’s Imperial Valley, killing 13 undocumented immigrants.

CNN’s Carolyn Sung, Priscilla Alvarez, Michelle Watson, Karol Suarez, Sharif Paget, Jen Deaton, Amanda Jackson and Steve Almasy contributed to this report.



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Business

As gas prices soar, thieves steal thousands of dollars’ worth of gasoline to sell, authorities say

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Now, thieves are pumping thousands of dollars’ worth of fuel from gas stations and selling it on the black market, according to authorities.

Two men were arrested in connection with the theft of thousands of dollars’ worth of gasoline from a Virginia Beach Citgo gas station, according to the Virginia Beach Police Department.

Officers began investigating after they noticed an unusual number of people pumping gas and congregating at the Citgo, which was closed at the time, a news release stated.

The officers discovered the use of devices to illegally obtain gas from the pumps and individuals selling the gas at a cheaper price, the release stated.

They also “advertised the operation on social media,” according to the release.

The suspects are being charged with grand larceny, conspiracy and possession of burglary tools, according to the release. Authorities say the investigation is ongoing.

CNN affiliate WESH in Orlando, Florida, reported police in nearby St. Cloud are looking for two people who they say stole more than 1,000 gallons of fuel from a gas station, using what police believe is a large tank in the bed used to store fuel.
CNN affiliate KVVU in Las Vegas, Nevada, reported that highly modified vehicles are being used to steal tens of thousands of gallons from local gas stations, according to authorities.
And in Greenville, South Carolina, CNN affiliate WHNS reports police have made several arrests for gas thefts. Authorities believe thousands of dollars’ worth of fuel were stolen.
President Joe Biden has invited oil company executives to a meeting next week to discuss high gas prices.

CNN’s Chris Isidore, Matt Egan, Kate Sullivan, and Claudia Dominguez contributed to this report.

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A Texas woman is wanted for the alleged murder of an elite cyclist who had a relationship with her boyfriend, authorities say

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Anyone with information about where Armstrong might be is urged to contact authorities, the Marshals Service said in a news release last Friday.

Wilson, who lived in San Francisco, was in Austin, Texas, for a cycling race when she was shot multiple times at the home of a friend she was staying with, according to an arrest affidavit filed in Travis County District Court.

The affidavit described how both the victim and the suspect had been in romantic relationships with the same man, and detailed text messages and interviews with tipsters pointing to jealousy as a possible motive.

On the day of the murder, Wilson had gone out for an afternoon swim with Colin Strickland, a fellow professional cyclist she’d been dating on and off since last fall, according to the affidavit. During that time, Strickland was living with Armstrong, his girlfriend.

Strickland told police he began his romantic relationship with Wilson during a two-week period when he was separated from Armstrong, according to the affidavit. Strickland maintained his relationship with Wilson after resuming his relationship with Armstrong, per the affidavit, and admitted to trying to hide his communications with her from Armstrong by changing Wilson’s name in his phone and deleting texts.

It’s unclear if Wilson and Strickland were still in a romantic relationship at the time of her death.

Armstrong had contacted Wilson several times and in one instance told her to “stay away” from Strickland, one of Wilson’s friends told investigators, according to the affidavit.

Strickland considered Wilson to be one of the best cyclists in the world, he told police, and a VeloNews feature published on the day of her death called her “the winningest woman in the American off-road scene.” Wilson had won a series of races in California this spring, the article notes, before traveling to Austin.

Multiple law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation obtained security camera footage that captured Armstrong’s car near the house before Wilson’s body was found, according to the affidavit.

Within 24 hours of Wilson’s death, officers from the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force apprehended Armstrong in connection with an unrelated arrest warrant and spoke to her. However, Austin Police then said they learned Armstrong’s arrest warrant was not valid and told her she was free to leave.

Armstrong requested to end the interview and left after detectives began confronting her about the security camera video that placed her car near the crime scene, the affidavit states.

Ballistic evidence found at the scene of the killing was compared to bullets test-fired from a firearm Strickland had purchased for Armstrong, according to the affidavit. The test showed “the potential that the same firearm was involved is significant,” the document says.

CNN’s Chris Boyette and Elizabeth Wolfe contributed to this report.

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A California police officer was fatally shot while conducting a traffic stop, authorities say

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The Salinas Police Department identified the slain officer as 30-year-old Jorge David Alvarado, a five-year veteran of the force.

At around 10:45 p.m., Alvarado made a traffic stop that led to the officer-involved shooting, police chief Roberto Filice said during the news conference. He did not provide further details about what happened during the stop.

“The officer stayed in the fight all the way to the end. Ultimately, he paid the price for it, he gave his life for it,” the chief said. “But thanks to his actions, we were able to apprehend the suspect and we currently have him in custody.”

Officials did not share information about the suspect during the news conference.

“Our community and our police department are devastated,” Mayor Kimbley Craig said. “The death of a Salinas police officer in the line of duty has not occurred in nearly 80 years.”

“Our officers are grieving. They’ve lost a brother. We have lost a public servant,” she added.

The city of Salinas is around 59 miles south of San Jose, in Monterey County.

Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni said her office was notified about the incident, as is protocol with officer-involved shootings, and is investigating. “The death of an officer while performing his duties takes a huge toll on a police department,” Pacioni added.

The police department is also conducting an investigation.

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Waukesha parade crash suspect appeared to have no emotion as officers tried to stop him, authorities say

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At least six people were killed and another 62 were injured in the ensuing crash, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday in Waukesha County Circuit Court. The youngest victim who died was only 8 years old, according to his family’s GoFundMe. More than a dozen people remain hospitalized at a nearby children’s hospital, and three were released Tuesday, according to the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.
Darrell E. Brooks, 39, was later apprehended by police and officially charged Tuesday with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide, according to the Waukesha County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors said they will consider an additional homicide charge following the death of a sixth person on Tuesday from sustained injuries.

One officer, identified in the complaint as Detective Casey, first heard a horn honking near his location along the parade route. As Casey went to investigate, he saw a red Ford Escape SUV driving past parade participants and “observed people jumping out of the way,” according to the complaint.

The SUV was moving at a slow speed at the time, the complaint said, and Casey pounded on the hood of the vehicle while yelling “Stop” multiple times. The SUV brushed past Casey and continued further toward the procession.

Casey chased the vehicle on foot as it began to be driven faster, the complaint said, and radioed for assistance. Seconds later, other reports came in over the police radio that people were being hit by the vehicle.

Another officer, identified as Officer Butryn, also tried to get in front of the SUV, yelling at the driver to “Stop, stop the vehicle,” according to the complaint. The officer estimated the vehicle was moving at around 25 miles per hour at the time.

“Officer Butryn observed the driver looking straight ahead, directly at him, and it appeared he had no emotion on his face,” the complaint said.

The SUV passed Butryn, at which point he saw the vehicle increase in speed until it reached an intersection where it appeared to stop, the complaint said.

“The vehicle then appeared to rapidly accelerate, as Officer Butryn heard tires squeal,” the complaint read. “At this point, it was clear to Officer Butryn that this was an intentional act to strike and hurt as many people as possible.”

Butryn saw the vehicle driving in a zig-zag-like pattern, the complaint said, and saw “bodies and objects” flying.

“It was like the SUV was trying to avoid vehicles, not people. There was no attempt made by the vehicle to stop, much less slow down,” one witness told an officer, according to the complaint.

After witnessing the SUV running over people, another officer identified in the complaint as Officer Scholten shot at and struck the vehicle three times as it sped away. Authorities do not believe any shots were fired from the vehicle, Waukesha Police Chief Dan Thompson said Sunday.

Brooks sought help from a stranger

After Brooks allegedly fled the scene, he asked a stranger for assistance and stated he was homeless, according to a Waukesha resident.

Daniel Rider, 24, told CNN that he was unaware of what had happened Sunday when he heard the doorbell ring at his house.

A man — identified by authorities as Brooks — asked for Rider’s help, saying he was homeless and needed to borrow a phone to call an Uber. Rider said Brooks was not wearing shoes and only wearing a t-shirt on a cold day, so he said he believed him and allowed him into the home.

“He was pretty flustered,” Rider said of Brooks, but described him as polite during their encounter. Rider made Brooks a sandwich and let him borrow a jacket as he used his phone.

After a few minutes, Rider noticed police going up and down the street and had a feeling it was in relation to Brooks, so Rider asked him to step outside. As Brooks spoke on the phone, the two were outside when Rider said a nearby neighbor flagged him to the situation. Rider then went to Brooks and asked for his phone and jacket back, he said, and Brooks complied. Rider entered the home and then locked the door.

Shortly after, Brooks began “pounding on the door,” Rider said, claiming he left his ID inside. Rider refused and told him he would look for it. Moments later, police arrived and arrested Brooks.

Rider said Brooks had called his mother to have an Uber to pick him up. “Uber showed up maybe a minute after he was in custody,” Rider said. “So I just think about sometimes if he’d gotten in that car, what could have happened?”

Brooks’ bail has been set at $5 million following his initial court appearance Tuesday, with the judge citing potential flight risks.

Brooks had been out on bail after allegedly running over a woman who said she’s the mother of his child earlier this month, according to court documents.

6 people have died from injuries

On Monday, authorities identified five of the six people killed as Virginia Sorenson, 79; LeAnna Owen, 71; Tamara Durand, 52; Jane Kulich, 52; and Wilhelm Hospel, 81.
Another victim was identified Tuesday as Jackson Sparks, 8, according to the family’s verified GoFundMe page. It is not immediately clear if Jackson is the sixth parade death mentioned by prosecutors and confirmed by Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.

“This afternoon, our dear Jackson has sadly succumbed to his injuries and passed away,” an update post to the page said Tuesday.

Two of the 16 children admitted to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin were able to go home Monday, the hospital said in a statement. Three more children were sent home Wednesday, the hospital said. A total of 10 children remain hospitalized, with five in critical condition, two in fair condition and three in good condition, the statement said.

One of the injured, a firefighter’s son, has just been moved out of the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Intensive Care Unit, according to his father Don Tiegs.

Erick Tiegs was marching with Waukesha South High School Marching Band when he was struck by the SUV, according to a news release by Caledonia Firefighters Association.

“He has undergone surgery to repair a broken femur. He is still being treated for other injuries, including placement of a chest drainage tube, and is continuing to be assessed for any further complications. Unfortunately, he has a long road to recovery ahead of him,” read the release.

CNN’s Amir Vera, Holly Yan, Raja Razek, Joe Sutton, Jennifer Henderson, Claudia Dominguez and Dave Alsup contributed to this report.

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Waukesha Christmas parade: Suspect may have been fleeing another incident, authorities say

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There are indications the Waukesha suspect was fleeing another incident when he drove into the parade route, according to multiple law enforcement sources familiar with the preliminary investigation findings.

Witnesses described the horror of seeing people struck and lying on the ground after a red SUV drove through a series of barricades and barreled into the crowded parade route on Main Street around 4:39 p.m. local time.

On Monday morning, the belongings of paradegoers were still strewn across the scene as authorities try to confirm what led up to the calamity.

Police Chief Daniel P. Thompson said officers are working with the Waukesha County Medical Examiner’s Office to identify victims.

Thompson said there is “a person of interest in custody,” but would not say whether it was the driver of the SUV nor if any arrests have been made.

“This is still a very fluid investigation,” the chief told reporters Sunday night. He said children are among the injured.

A Waukesha police officer opened fire to try to stop the driver, and no bystanders were struck by the officer’s gunfire, the chief said. Thompson added he doesn’t believe any shots were fired from the vehicle.

“The scene is now safe and secure,” Thompson said.

At least several of those hospitalized were in critical condition

Aurora Medical Center-Summit, a hospital in Waukesha County, said it was treating 13 patients as of Sunday night: three listed in critical condition, four in serious condition and six in fair condition. “We are deeply saddened by today’s senseless tragedy and our hearts are with the Waukesha community,” the hospital said in a statement.

Children’s Wisconsin, a pediatric hospital in Milwaukee, said it was treating 15 patients who were hurt, with no reported fatalities as of Sunday night. Waukesha is about 20 miles west of downtown Milwaukee.

Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee — the only Level I trauma center in southeast Wisconsin — said it was also treating patients from the parade incident but is not providing a specific number nor conditions. Level I trauma centers typically care for the most critically ill patients.

Witnesses describe a joyous night that ended in tragedy

A video obtained by CNN shows the moment the vehicle struck pedestrians. A red SUV is seen hitting an individual participating in a marching band, then the vehicle continues forward, hitting and running over others in the band and crowd before driving away.

Angela O’Boyle, who lives in an apartment on the fifth floor which overlooks the parade route, told CNN she was on the balcony watching when “the next thing I heard were screams, and turned my head and saw the car come and plow into the band that was just past my balcony at that point.

“It hit at least two people right away and rolled over them. And then continued down the road to People’s Park which is at the end of the block — and then kept going, it didn’t stop.”

Boyle said she heard screaming and people yelling out their children’s names, adding “it was not something that I wanted to see … a little freaked out.”

Kaylee Staral, a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel intern who witnessed the incident, said “probably around 20 to 30 minutes into the parade, a red SUV came running down the middle of the street — there were a lot of screams — and we almost thought maybe it was Santa, but it was a red SUV and it hit a lot of people.”

Staral went on to say “there were multiple people on the ground.”

In her description into those injured, Staral said “right in front of me in the little spot where I was sitting, probably four people were down, so there were a lot of people that ran to go check on them. I believe that the four people in front of me were still breathing but they were down, they were not moving.”

Schools closed as a community mourns

Roads in the area will remain closed for at least 24 hours, Thompson said. Businesses along the roadway where the incident took place should remain closed Monday, city officials said.

Waukesha police had sent a push alert to cell phones in the area after the incident, asking those “within a 1/2 mile radius of the 5 points downtown” to immediately shelter in place. The alert is no longer in effect, Thompson said.

The School District of Waukesha canceled classes on Monday, according to the school district, and will determine if classes will resume Tuesday.

“The District will have additional counselors available during the school day at all buildings for all students that may be in need of support services,” school officials said in a statement.

Waukesha County executive Paul Farrow said he “had just finished participating in the parade with my wife when I noticed police sirens.” Farrow asked for prayers for the community and said he has been in touch with Mayor Shawn Reilly and Gov. Tony Evers.

The governor said on Twitter, “Kathy and I are praying for Waukesha tonight and all the kids, families, and community members affected by this senseless act. I’m grateful for the first responders and folks who acted quickly to help, and we are in contact with local partners as we await more information.”

Waukesha alderman Don Paul Browne told CNN he was marching in the front of the parade and was out before the incident, saying “this is so sad and so senseless.”

The White House is in touch with state and local officials, according to a White House official, and President Joe Biden has been briefed.

“The White House is closely monitoring the situation in Waukesha and our hearts go out to everyone who has been impacted by this terrible incident,” a White House official said. “We have reached out to state and local officials to offer any support and assistance as needed.”

CNN’s Shimon Prokupecz, Evan Perez, Alaa Elassar, Natasha Chen, Andy Rose, Arlette Saenz, Conor Powell and Evan Perez contributed to this report.



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North Korea has fired at least one ballistic missile from the country’s east coast, authorities say

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The launch took place in the port city of Sinpo, Hamgyong province, at about 10 a.m. local time Tuesday (9 p.m. ET Monday), South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

Japan’s Deputy Secretary General Yoshihiko Isozaki said two ballistic missiles were estimated to be fired during Tuesday’s launch, while South Korea’s military only announced one projectile.

“North Korea’s latest actions threaten the peace and security of Japan and the region,” Isozaki said. “Furthermore, the continued ballistic missile launches pose a serious challenge not just for Japan but for the entire international community.”

Tuesday’s test was “extremely regrettable” and violated UN Security Council resolutions, Isozaki added.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Japan would “respond resolutely” to North Korea’s action in a tweet on Tuesday.

South Korea’s National Security Council (NSC) expressed “deep regret” over the launch, according to a text sent to reporters by the Presidential Office Blue House, adding it came while South Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia were “actively” in discussions to achieve peace in the Korean Peninsula.

In a meeting held following the launch, NSC standing committee members called on North Korea to engage in dialogue, emphasizing the importance of stability in the region, the Blue House said.

The latest North Korean test follows months of seesawing tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Pyongyang has been testing a growing number of projectiles in 2021, including what it claimed was a new hypersonic missile in late September.
At the same time, relations have been warming between North and South Korea, with Pyongyang agreeing to reopen official communications with Seoul on October 4.

South and North Korea spoke on a joint-communication line at 9 a.m. local time Tuesday, prior to the reported missile launch, a South Korean Unification Ministry official said, but the North did not discuss the launch during the call.

Another call is scheduled for 5 p.m. local time Tuesday.

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