(CALIFORNIA) -- An "emergency hazmat incident" in California has prompted evacuations, with officials warning that a chemical tank at an aerospace facility is in "crisis" and will either fail or explode.

Firefighters initially responded to a leak at an aerospace manufacturing company in Garden Grove on Thursday, for vapor releasing from a 34,000-gallon tank containing methyl methacrylate, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. 

Officials updated Friday that there is no active gas leak or plume, but that the tank is "actively in crisis" and unable to be secured. Damage to a valve on the tank has "created additional operational challenges," city officials said.

"There are literally two options left remaining: one, the tank fails and spills a total of about 6- to 7,000 gallons of very bad chemicals into the parking lot in that area. Or two, the tank goes into a thermal runaway and blows up, affecting the tanks that are around them that have fuel or the chemicals in them as well," Orange County Fire Authority Division Chief Craig Covey said in a video update Friday.

"Most importantly, right now, there is no active gas leak, no plume in the area. We are setting up these evacuations in preparation for these two options -- it fails or it blows up," he said.

Authorities have issued evacuation orders for the surrounding area. Over a dozen schools have temporarily closed, and those adjacent to the evacuation area are canceling outdoor activities "out of an abundance of caution," the Garden Grove Unified School District said.

Methyl methacrylate is an industrial chemical used in plastics and manufacturing.

ABC News has reached out to the aerospace manufacturing company, GKN Aerospace, for comment.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been briefed on the incident, his office said.

The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services said it is "closely monitoring the incident in Garden Grove and has deployed personnel to work alongside local partners."

"Please heed all orders from local authorities -- evacuation orders have expanded," it said Friday.

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(WASHINGTON) -- The Trump administration's $1.8 billion compensation fund to pay those who claim they were targeted by the Biden administration is now at the center of three federal lawsuits. 

The nonprofit watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington on Friday asked a federal judge to halt the creation of the fund, calling it "a jaw-dropping act of presidential corruption."

Earlier Friday, a coalition of nonprofits and individuals, including a former Jan. 6 prosecutor, filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Virginia, alleging that the creation of the fund bypassed Congress' authority over federal spending and violated the 14th Amendment's prohibition on using federal funds "in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States." 

"Created following a collusive agreement between the President and his own administration, this Fund has no congressional authorization, no basis in law, and no accountability," the lawsuit said. 

The CREW lawsuit attempts to establish legal standing by focusing on the purported secrecy of the fund, which it says is in “defiance of federal records preservation and access laws.”

The new suit comes two days after former Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn and Metropolitan Police Department Officer Daniel Hodges, who both defended the U.S. Capitol in 2021 during the Jan. 6 attack, filed a similar lawsuit in D.C. asking a judge to halt the creation and funding of the controversial fund. 

The lawsuit filed early Friday was brought by a former federal prosecutor who brought Jan. 6 cases, a law professor who was acquitted after being charged for his actions during an immigration raid, the National Abortion Federation, the nonprofit Common Cause, and the City of New Haven, Connecticut.

"Since its inception, this fund has been on a collision course with the United States Constitution," the lawsuit said.  

The Department of Justice's launch of the "Anti-Weaponization Fund" -- in exchange for President dropping his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS and two other civil claims -- has sparked accusations of "collusive litigation" and a bipartisan uproar over the possible use of taxpayer money to pay rioters who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6.

While Trump previously said he was not involved in the creation of the fund, he took to social media on Friday to defend the use of taxpayer money in that manner. 

"I gave up a lot of money in allowing the just announced Anti-Weaponization Fund to go forward. I could have settled my case, including the illegal release of my Tax Returns and the equally illegal BREAK IN of Mar-a-Lago, for an absolute fortune. Instead, I am helping others, who were so badly abused by an evil, corrupt, and weaponized Biden Administration, receive, at long last, JUSTICE!" Trump wrote. 

Friday's lawsuit is also alleging that the use of the federal Judgment Fund -- an unlimited appropriation used by the federal government to pay court judgments and settlements -- to create the "Anti-Weaponization Fund" is an unlawful end-run around Congress' authority to appropriate money.  

The lawsuits precede the establishment of the fund itself, which, according to the settlement agreement between Trump and the DOJ, is to be created by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche within 30 days. As part of the arrangement, Blanche is to appoint a five-commissioner committee to oversee claims. 

Some legal experts have raised concerns about the viability of the lawsuits and if the plaintiffs bringing the cases -- including officers who defended the Capitol and a broad coalition of affected parties -- will be able to establish legal standing for the case to proceed. 

ABC News Legal Contributor James Sample noted that the case filed earlier this week might struggle to establish that the two officers have been directly injured by the proposed creation of the fund. 

"There's no question that they've been subjected to threats and harassment, and who knows what else from a security perspective, for the manner in which they've spoken out about Jan. 6 since then," Sample said -- but added that "all of those are past injuries that are not fairly traceable to the judgment fund." 

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(FORT WAYNE, Ind.) -- The family of a 75-year-old woman who died following a physical altercation with an employee at a Tim Hortons in Indiana will be able to see the full, unredacted surveillance footage of the incident, officials confirmed on Friday.

The full video will not be released to the public at this time, the Fort Wayne Mayor's Office told ABC News.

"The Grayson family will be able to see the entire video," a spokesperson for the mayor's office said in a statement. "There are no plans to show additional video to the public/media beyond what was shared earlier this week."

The incident occurred on May 13 in Fort Wayne, police said. The customer, Anita Grayson, entered the Tim Hortons that morning to "address an issue" with a drive-thru order, at which point she got into a physical altercation with the store's 20-year-old shift lead, according to the Fort Wayne Police Department.

Police said the shift lead intervened when Grayson "began berating a 17-year-old female employee" by stepping between the two and repeatedly telling Grayson to leave. When Grayson appeared to move toward the teen, the shift lead "placed her hands" on Grayson, who police said then "forcefully shoved the shift lead backward" and struck her in the nose. The two continued to struggle, with police saying Grayson scratched the shift lead's face, knocked off her glasses and pulled her to the ground by the hair, pulling out a chunk.

An officer responding to the location found Grayson unresponsive, and paramedics arrived and attempted life-saving measures, police said. She was transported from the scene and later pronounced dead by medical personnel, police said.

Fort Wayne police released surveillance footage of the incident on Tuesday due to what it called "significant public concern and misinformation" in the wake of Grayson's death, citing a "poor-quality video circulating publicly." 

The three-minute video released by police showed the physical altercation and moments of Grayson then walking around and sitting, though not the entire aftermath or emergency response. The video has no sound.

Grayson's family has called for the release of the full video.

"I need it to be released publicly because the world is waiting for what happened to her," Grayson's daughter, Tawnda Grayson, said during a press conference outside of the Tim Hortons location on Friday. 

Carlton Lynch, a pastor in Michigan and former community activist in Fort Wayne who spoke alongside Grayson's family members at the press conference, said they had been informed Friday that the "mayor and the city police have agreed to allow the family to see the entire video."

"We don't know the extent of what took place in that restaurant," he said.

The family continued to urge police to release the full video to the public. 

"I need it to be released publicly, because the world is waiting for what happened to her," Tawnda Grayson said.

"My whole entire family loved our mom, that was the matriarch of our family," she said. "So what's been taken from us is irreplaceable."

Tawnda Grayson told ABC Fort Wayne affiliate WPTA her mother had congestive heart failure and was wearing a heart monitor a week before the altercation.

The cause and manner of death remain pending, police said Tuesday.

The Allen County Prosecutor's Office is reviewing the case.

"At this time, no decision regarding this matter will be made until the Prosecutor's Office has received and reviewed all evidence related to the investigation, including the complete report from the Allen County Coroner's Office," the Allen County Prosecutor's Office said in a statement on Wednesday. 

The coroner's findings may not be available for another four to eight weeks, the office noted.

Tim Hortons offered its condolences to Grayson's family.

"The health and safety of our guests and team members is our highest priority and the local franchisee has been cooperating fully with the police," the company said in a statement. 

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(WASHINGTON) -- A federal judge on Friday dismissed the criminal human smuggling case brought by the Department of Justice against Kilmar Abrego Garcia. 

U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw granted Abrego Garcia's motion to dismiss, finding that the federal government failed to rebut Abrego Garcia's "presumption of vindictiveness."

Abrego Garcia, who had been living in Maryland with his wife and children, was deported in March of last year to El Salvador's CECOT mega-prison -- despite a 2019 court order barring his deportation to that country due to fear of persecution -- after the Trump administration claimed he was a member of the criminal gang MS-13, which he denies.

He was brought back to the U.S. in June to face human smuggling charges in Tennessee, after which U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis released him from ICE detention while he was awaiting trial.

Judge Crenshaw, in his decision Friday, wrote that the timing of a DHS agent's decision to reopen a closed investigation of a November 2022 traffic stop, and that "now unrebutted public statements tying the reopened investigation to Abrego's successful lawsuit taints the investigation with a vindictive motive."

"Because the presumption of vindictiveness remains unrebutted, the indictment must be dismissed," Crenshaw said. 

The criminal charges in Tennessee stem from a 2022 traffic stop that was disclosed in an April 2025 press release issued by the Department of Homeland Security, which said it had a "bombshell investigative report" regarding the stop, alleging that Abrego Garcia was a suspected human trafficker. The release included a screengrab of body camera video from the traffic stop.

Abrego Garcia was not charged or arrested during the traffic stop, which lasted for more than an hour. Body camera footage showed Tennessee troopers -- after questioning Abrego Garcia -- discussing among themselves their suspicions of human trafficking because nine people were traveling in the vehicle without luggage. 

"Instead of investigating the November 2022 traffic stop to identify who was responsible for the human smuggling, Blanche started the investigation to implicate Abrego," Crenshaw wrote, referring to now-Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. "He did so to justify the Executive Branch's decision to remove him to El Salvador."

A Justice Department spokesperson said in a statement following the order, "Another activist judge has placed politics above public safety. The judge's order is wrong and dangerous, and we will appeal."

"Justice is a big word and an even bigger promise to fulfill, and I am grateful that today, justice has taken a step forward," Abrego Garcia said in a statement released by CASA, an immigrant advocacy group that represents him. 

"Kilmar Abrego Garcia is a victim of a politicized, vindictive White House and its lawyers at what used to be an independent Justice Department," Abrego Garcia's criminal attorneys told ABC News in a statement. "We are so pleased that he is a free man."

In Friday's dismissal order, Judge Crenshaw mentioned the involvement in the case of high-ranking DOJ officials including Associate Deputy Attorney General Aakash Singh, who called the case a "top priority" in emails to prosecutors. He also mentioned a Feb. 5, 2025, memo from then-Attorney General Pam Bondi warning DOJ staff of potential termination if they refused to advance the administration's goals.

Judge Crenshaw concluded that while there was insufficient evidence to prove actual vindictiveness, the government could not justify its sudden shift from wanting to deport Abrego Garcia to prosecuting him. 

"The evidence it labels as newly discovered was available to be obtained with due diligence long before April 2025," the judge wrote. "Even more, it does not explain the Government's change in position to remove Abrego and not prosecute him to then prosecute and not remove him."

In his order, Crenshaw quoted former Attorney General Robert H. Jackson: "Therein is the most dangerous power of the prosecutor: that he will pick people that he thinks he should get, rather than pick cases that need to be prosecuted."

Abrego Garcia had been scheduled to go to trial on the Tennessee charges, to which he pleaded not guilty, in January.

He is still fighting his deportation case in Maryland, where U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has blocked the government from re-detaining him. 

ABC News' Alexander Mallin contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- President Donald Trump said on Friday he will not be attending his son Donald Trump's Jr.'s wedding this weekend, and that he will stay at the White House instead.

"While I very much wanted to be with my son, Don Jr., and the newest member of the Trump Family, his soon to be wife, Bettina, circumstances pertaining to Government, and my love for the United States of America, do not allow me to do so," Trump wrote in a social media post.

"I feel it is important for me to remain in Washington, D.C., at the White House during this important period of time," Trump added. "Congratulations to Don and Bettina!"

Trump previously said he would "try" and make his son's wedding this weekend, which is reportedly taking place in the Bahamas -- though he said the event is "not good timing" for him given his responsibilities surrounding the war in Iran.

During an event in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said his son wants him to come his wedding with fiancée Bettina Anderson but that the president has "a thing called Iran -- and other things."

"He'd like me to go, but it's going to be just a small, little private affair, and I'm going to try and make it," Trump said. "This is not good timing for me. I have a thing called Iran and other things. That's one I can't win on."

"If I do attend, I get killed. If I don't attend, I get killed by the fake news," Trump said. "Hopefully they're going to have a great marriage."

Donald Trump Jr. is the eldest son of the president who has five children with his ex-wife, Vanessa Trump.

Vanessa Trump announced on Instagram Thursday that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

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(WASHINGTON) -- The Trump administration on Friday issued a sweeping policy directive requiring most temporary visa holders and humanitarian parolees living in the U.S. to return to their home countries to apply for and complete their green card applications.

The policy memo issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services as part of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, instructs agency officers to treat U.S.-based "adjustment of status" applications as an "extraordinary form of relief."

"We're returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation's immigration system properly," U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Zach Kahler said in a statement. "From now on, an alien who is in the U.S. temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances."

Immigration lawyers told ABC News the new policy could impact hundreds of thousands of people with temporary work visas who are pursuing permanent residency from within the United States.

Rosanna Berardi, an immigration lawyer in New York, said the policy would affect any foreign national with a pending U.S.-filed green card application, including legal workers and humanitarian parolees.

"Afghans who assisted U.S. forces, Ukrainians fleeing war, face a specific trap: The memo treats their choice to apply for a green card inside the U.S. as an adverse factor, because their admission was temporary," Berardi said. "Many have nowhere safe to return to."

Immigration attorney Todd Pomerleaus said the Immigration and Nationality Act allows individuals who were legally inspected and admitted into the country to adjust their status from within the U.S.

"You can't, through a stroke of a pen, overturn a statute," he said. "I think it's illegal, and it's going to get shut down in court very quickly," Pomerleau said.

Shev Dalal-Dheini, the senior government director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, told ABC News that Congress designed the U.S.-based adjustment framework to prevent families from being separated and to ensure U.S. companies could retain employees during visa backlogs.

"Since the 1950s, Congress has specifically allowed non-immigrants to adjust their status in the United States to that of a green card, and over the course of years they've slowly expanded that eligible class," Dalal-Dheini said. "The statutory scheme is pretty well set, and it's been around for many, many decades."

"This administration says they're going to go after people who are criminals, but in the same breath, they are upending [the process] for people who are trying to follow the law," Dalal Dheini said. "These are individuals who came here legally or were admitted legally ... and now overnight, without any advance warning, through a policy memo, they are upending it."

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(NEW YORK) -- Gas prices stand near their highest level in four years as millions of Americans ready themselves to hit the road over Memorial Day weekend.

The national average for a gallon of gas on Friday stood at $4.55, which amounts to a roughly 42% rise from this time last year, AAA data showed. Gas prices surged in recent months as the Iran war choked off global oil supply.

Six states boast average gas prices above $5, including Washington and Alaska. California, the state with the nation's highest gas prices, offers drivers an average gallon of $6.13, according to AAA.

Roughly 39 million people are expected to travel by car over the Memorial Day holiday, exceeding last year’s total, AAA forecasted.

"Travel demand remains strong, and despite higher fuel prices, many people are prioritizing leisure travel," Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA travel, said in a statement.

Americans will spend about $2 billion more on gasoline over the four-day Memorial Day weekend compared to a year ago, amounting to an added cost of roughly $22 million per hour, Patrick De Haan, a petroleum analyst at GasBuddy, said in a post on X on Friday.

Nineteen states are expected to post record-high Memorial Day gas prices, among them Colorado, Ohio, Missouri and New Mexico, De Haan said.

Crude oil is the main ingredient in auto fuel, accounting for more than half of the price paid at the pump, according to the federal U.S. Energy Information Administration. The Middle East conflict triggered a historic oil shortage, driving up crude prices and hiking the cost of auto fuel.

The surge in oil prices came about after Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime trading route that facilitates the transport of about one-fifth of global crude supply.

The U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures price -- a benchmark of U.S. oil prices – has soared 50% since the outbreak of war on Feb. 28.

The U.S. is a net exporter of petroleum, meaning the country produces more oil than it consumes. But since oil prices are set on a global market, U.S. prices move in response to swings in worldwide supply and demand.

Oil prices have fallen slightly this week, however, as negotiations have given rise to hope among traders about a possible resumption of normal tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

As a result, De Haan said, gasoline prices may drop over the weekend, falling to an average below $4.50 by Memorial Day.

Roughly one of every 10 low-income households is spending more than 10% of its monthly income on gas, Bank of America said in a research report shared with ABC News last month, citing internal data. For middle- and upper-income households, the share spending that much on gas drops stands at about one of every 20.

Oil prices remain well below the highs reached after some previous economic shocks. In 2022, the price of Brent crude surged above $139 per barrel in March, just weeks after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. During the 2008 financial crisis, U.S. oil prices shot up as high as $147 a barrel.

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(SAN DIEGO) --The family of Caleb Vasquez, one of the teenage suspects involved in the deadly Monday shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, has released a statement saying they are “deeply sorry for the pain and devastation caused” and that their son’s alleged actions “do not reflect the values we raised our family with or the beliefs we hold in our hearts.”

Three people were murdered before the two suspects, aged 17 and 18, took their own lives and were found dead in a vehicle nearby, officials said

“Over the last several days, our family has been trying to process the horrific actions carried out by our son against the Islamic Center San Diego Community,” read a statement released on Thursday from Colin Rudolph, the attorney for the Vazquez family, and obtained by ABC News' San Diego affiliate KGTV. “We want to begin by acknowledging that nothing we say or do could ever repair the damage his actions have caused. We are completely heartbroken and devastated by what has happened. We condemn these hateful and violent actions entirely.”

“As much as we mourn the child we raised and love, we mourn even more deeply for the innocent lives of Amin Abdullah, Mansour Kaziha, and Nadir Awad,” the statement continued. “We honor and thank them for their heroic actions that day, which prevented the loss of even more innocent lives. Our hearts and prayers are with each of their families during this unimaginably tragic time.”

Abdullah, who was a security guard, Kaziha and Awad were killed in the shooting on Monday, authorities said, with investigators saying they are currently considering the incident as a hate crime.

Abdullah has been hailed as a hero for stymying the suspects, who were just 15 feet from 140 children. Kaziha, a community elder, was the first person to call 911 and Awad rushed from across the street where he lives to help when he heard the shooting, community members and advocates said.

The two suspects, aged 17 and 18, were found dead in a vehicle nearby, police said. Authorities are investigating two teenagers, Cain Clark and Caleb Vazquez, as the suspected attackers in the shooting.

Investigators are examining a lengthy document circulating online that is comprised of two hate-filled essays totaling 75 pages allegedly written by the suspected shooters, sources told ABC News.

Both essays promote white nationalism and express a hatred for immigrants, racial minorities and others, as well as anger toward women who prefer taller men, according to sources. Vazquez allegedly writes he is an "accelerationist" in his essay, echoing nihilistic rhetoric, sources said.

It's unclear when the essays were actually written -- a section intended to identify the "targets" is left blank, sources said.

Police are investigating how the suspects obtained firearms in the shooting, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said Tuesday. The guns belonged to the parents of one of the suspects, he said, but did not confirm if the guns were safely locked up or stored.

During searches of two residences associated with the suspects, authorities seized "numerous pistols, rifles, shotguns, ammunition, tactical gear, as well as electronics," Mark Remily, the special agent in charge of the FBI's San Diego Field Office, said.

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(WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- The Pentagon unveiled another batch of its so-called UFO files on Friday, part of a rolling release of once-classified material ordered released by President Donald Trump.

Friday's release included more than 50 previously classified videos and other documents related to unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), the official term used by the federal government to describe UFO’s.

Among the newly released files are a video from an infrared sensor operated by the U.S. Coast Guard in April 2024 showing an object flying near a plane over the Southeastern U.S.

Another video labeled "Syrian UAP instant acceleration" was taken from an infrared sensor aboard a U.S. military platform in 2021 and uploaded to a classified network in 2024, according to the Pentagon.

After multiple investigations, the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) has found no evidence that any of these incidents are of an extraterrestrial nature -- but military officials admit many remain "unresolved" and cannot be explained.

So far, the Pentagon has released over 200 files related to UAPs -- which have long been an object of public fascination -- following the directive from Trump.

Another of the newly released records -- a video from 2020 taken in an undisclosed area under U.S. Central Command -- appears to show a sphere flying over a population center before it eventually flew higher, off into the sky.

Also included in the files is a written account from a senior U.S. intelligence officer last year who described seeing "two large orbs flare up" alongside their helicopter while on a mission. The officer wrote they were "orange with a white or yellow center, and emitted light in all directions."

Fighter jets then scrambled to identify the objects -- but couldn't, the officer recounted. He said "the same orbs we had encountered were now 'chasing' the fighters ... We were virtually speechless after these observations."

Two weeks ago, the Pentagon released the first batch of files from various federal agencies, some dating as far back as the late 1940s. Those files were posted on a new website that has already received more than a billion views worldwide, according to the Pentagon’s top spokesman.

"In an effort for Complete and Maximum Transparency, it was my Honor to direct my Administration to identify and provide Government files related to Alien and Extraterrestrial Life, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, and Unidentified Flying Objects," Trump said at the time in a post on his social media platform. "Whereas previous Administrations have failed to be transparent on this subject, with these new Documents and Videos, the people can decide for themselves, "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" Have Fun and Enjoy!"

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Senior personnel at a telecommunications company orchestrated a "calculated embezzlement scheme" to divert millions of dollars into their own pockets, federal prosecutors in New York charged in the first case of its kind that involved self-reporting by the company that allowed the corporation to avoid criminal charges.

Mohd Hafiz Lockman, Mohd Yuzaimi Yusof and Khanh Thuong Nguyen allegedly misappropriated more than $20 million from Telekom Malaysia's U.S. subsidiary using false statements, forged records, fictitious transactions and corporate and individual impersonations to deceive counterparties, suppliers, auditors and supervisors, the indictment said.

Lockman, 48, of Dublin, California, Yusof, 44, of Livermore, California, and Nguyen, 48, of Manassas, Virginia, are charged with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. All three were taken into custody last month and were released on bond. They have not yet entered pleas.

Their parent company, Telekom Malaysia Berhad, reported the alleged fraud to the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan last month and the company has been cooperating with the ongoing investigation, prosecutors said.

It's the first prosecution to result from a self-reporting program U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton announced earlier this year. Telekom Malaysia received a conditional declination of charges against the company provided it cooperates, pays restitution and agrees to report any future criminal conduct for the next three years.

"Today’s fraud charges come within weeks of receiving a self-report from the company,” Clayton said in a statement announcing the charges. “As alleged, Mohd Hafiz Lockman, Mohd Yuzaimi Yusof, and Khanh Thuong Nguyen perpetrated a sprawling fraud to steal over $20 million. The defendants deceived counterparties, suppliers, auditors, and their own supervisors. As a result of the fact that the conduct was reported to this Office and quickly investigated, the defendants will now be held to account for fraudulently lining their own pockets.”

According to the indictment, the defendants first schemed to sell Telekom. Malaysia's broadband capacity without authorization and divert the proceeds to their own accounts. Then, they allegedly impersonated one of Telekom Malaysia's suppliers and intercepted payments the company made to that supplier.

They also allegedly impersonated employees and interns and captured their salaries. The fourth component of the fraud involved reimbursements for fabricated work expenses, officials said.

As one example, the indictment said the trio collaborated to request reimbursement for expenses incurred for a work trip to Las Vegas in December 2025. In fact, no such trip occurred. According to the indictment, when the parent company requested pictures from the trip, the defendants hastily organized a trip to Las Vegas and photographed scenes with Christmas trees to make it appear as though photographs had been taken in December.

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(WASHINGTON) -- The Army has canceled dozens of medical training courses as the service moves to manage a multibillion-dollar budget shortfall that is rippling across the force, according to multiple U.S. officials and internal documents reviewed by ABC News.

At least 34 medical-related courses have been canceled during the second half of the Pentagon’s fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, according to the documents. 

The cuts come from the Army Medical Center of Excellence, the service’s hub for its medical training, headquartered at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

Those cuts come as commanders are being told to closely scrutinize their spending as the service faces ballooning operational costs, including those related to the war in Iran and skyrocketing fuel costs. 

Many of the canceled medical training programs are tied to frontline combat casualty care. An internal memorandum describing the reductions cites "funding shortfalls and limited resources."

Other cuts include leadership and certification courses for senior medical officers, including training for officers preparing to command helicopter medical evacuation units. The service also canceled courses related to animal care, behavioral science, food safety inspections and operating in radioactive environments, according to internal service plans.

"The Army has issued guidance to subordinate commands – for the remainder of this fiscal year, to make tough and sound resource decisions that optimize and prioritize resources toward their most critical requirements, to include major training and readiness events," Col. Marty Meiners, a service spokesperson, said in a statement. 

The cuts are part of a broader financial squeeze that has forced Army planners to slash training across the force while commanders reshuffle money. ABC News previously reported that Army planners had begun canceling training events as the service confronted a projected $4 billion to $6 billion funding shortfall.

The medical course cuts are in addition to what was previously reported, and the cancellations offer the most detailed account of specific training events getting axed until at least October, when the new fiscal year starts. 

Last week, Gen. Chris LaNeve, who is serving as the Army’s top officer in an acting capacity, disputed ABC News’ earlier reporting during testimony before lawmakers.

"We haven't canceled anything," LaNeve said, while acknowledging the Army is in a funding pinch.

LaNeve seemingly conceded to lawmakers that some training cuts were planned, which he framed as typical toward the end of the fiscal year. Yet the service was only halfway through the fiscal year when those plans were being made, documents show. The Army did not make LaNeve available for comment.

Military spending does start to draw more scrutiny from commanders toward the end of the summer as money for the fiscal year dries up, but any belt-tightening is traditionally at the margins, multiple current and former U.S. officials explained. 

The service’s III Armored Corps, based out of Fort Hood, Texas, which includes some 70,000 soldiers and made up of much of the Army’s tank and other heavily armored units, recently had much of its training funds diverted, while an internal memorandum warned that its helicopter units expected to deploy to Europe next year will be at “a lower state of readiness,” as pilot training had to effectively be frozen outside of the bare minimum military requirements to fly. 

All of the Army's major formations are being directed to make cuts, officials explained. The full scope of training and other events being canceled is likely much more significant.

Just to keep its helicopters flying at that minimum level required, $26.6 million was siphoned from the corps’ ground combat training units, an amount of money just slightly higher than cost estimations to keep flying time at a minimum, internal documents show, which directs commanders to scratch any training of scale. Flyovers for public events were also canceled. 

The shortfall stems from a combination of rising costs and increasingly demanding volume of operations, according to two U.S. officials, with one describing it as "a perfect storm."

Those costs include the Army’s support to the Department of Homeland Security during its 76-day shutdown, which involved border construction projects and assistance missions along the southern border. The Army is expected to eventually recoup nearly $2 billion tied to those DHS missions. 

Additionally, rising fuel costs have forced commanders to heavily scrutinize travel, as soldiers mostly use commercial travel to fly to different courses and training events. 

The service is also absorbing expenses tied to the conflict with Iran, as well as the expanding National Guard mission in Washington, D.C., which is projected to cost about $1.1 billion this year, according to estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. One U.S. official said the mission is set to roughly double in size, expected to grow to roughly 5,000 troops over the summer.

The financial strain comes as the Pentagon is seeking a $1.5 trillion budget next year, 50% above current funding levels. The sticker shock has drawn fierce blowback from Democrats on Capitol Hill. But the record-setting request does not account for the costs of the Iran war, which Defense Department officials estimate has already topped $29 billion as of last week. Those expenses are largely tied to munitions and do not include the potentially massive bill for rebuilding bases damaged in Iranian strikes.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are now bracing for the Pentagon to send Congress a supplemental funding request to cover the mounting war-related costs.

On Thursday, Adm. Daryl Caudle, the Navy’s chief of naval operations, warned lawmakers that the service may soon face similar tradeoffs unless Congress approves supplemental funding on top of the Pentagon’s proposed $1.5 trillion budget request, which was finalized before the Iran conflict escalated.

"The [fiscal 2026] budget didn't bake in [Operation] Epic Fury," Caudle told the House Armed Services Committee. "You see a large Navy force in the Middle East. So we're burning bright … but it does come at cost, and it comes at operational costs."

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(LOS ANGELES) -- A social media influencer is accused of plotting to kill a pop singer in an alleged murder-for-hire conspiracy that prosecutors say stemmed from a "bitter custody dispute" over their daughter. 

The influencer, 24-year-old Gabriela Gonzalez, allegedly conspired with her father and then-boyfriend to hire a hitman to kill Jack Avery, the father of her 7-year-old daughter, several years ago, prosecutors in Los Angeles County said in a press release this week.

Avery, 26, is a former member of the boy band Why Don't We, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office confirmed in a press release.

Sometime between 2020 and 2021, Gabriela Gonzalez allegedly sought the help of her boyfriend at the time, 26-year-old Kai Cordrey, to hire someone on the dark web to kill Avery, prosecutors said.

She allegedly repeatedly told one witness that she wanted Avery dead and discussed hiring a hitman and that the "intended killing was discussed as occurring in Los Angeles and being made to look like a car accident," the warrant for her father's arrest stated.

Her father, 59-year-old Francisco Gonzalez, was "deeply involved in the custody conflict" and was the alleged source of the funds for the murder-for-hire plot, according to his arrest warrant.

Francisco Gonzalez allegedly sent Cordrey $10,000 back in April 2021 "as front money to use in locating, hiring and paying someone to kill Avery," the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said in a press release on Tuesday.

Two months later, Francisco Gonzalez allegedly sent Cordrey another $4,000 "after the alleged hit man asked for the additional funds," the office said.

"Several days later, Cordrey allegedly requested that Avery be killed within a couple of days," prosecutors said.

Cordrey spoke to an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a hitman about the alleged murder-for-hire plot in September 2021, during which he allegedly said Avery was the target and "discussed payment and proof of death," prosecutors said.

"In a subsequent conversation, Cordrey allegedly told the purported hitman that Gabriela Gonzalez wanted the murder to happen and Francisco Gonzalez could pay for the expense," prosecutors said.

Gabriela Gonzalez, her father and Cordrey have been charged with one count each of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and solicitation of murder.

A judge set Gabriela Gonzalez's bail at $2 million during her arraignment on Thursday. She subsequently posted bond, online court records show. She is required to wear a GPS monitor and is allowed to travel to Hawaii, where she lives, Judge Theresa McGonigle ordered as part of the bond conditions.

The judge also ordered that she not communicate on social media regarding the case at this time. Her attorney, Elliot Zarabi, had argued that the influencer be allowed to "post freely about herself and about her case."

"As long as she's not making any threats to the individuals, I think Miss Gonzalez has every right to do anything she needs to do on social media," Zarabi said.

Her next court appearance has been set for July 23, during which issues such as social media will be revisited.

Gabriela Gonzalez, her father and Cordrey have been charged with one count each of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and solicitation of murder.

A judge set Gabriela Gonzalez's bail at $2 million during her arraignment on Thursday. She subsequently posted bond, online court records show. She is required to wear a GPS monitor and is allowed to travel to Hawaii, where she lives, Judge Theresa McGonigle ordered as part of the bond conditions.

The judge also ordered that she not communicate on social media regarding the case at this time. Her attorney, Elliot Zarabi, had argued that the influencer be allowed to "post freely about herself and about her case."

"As long as she's not making any threats to the individuals, I think Miss Gonzalez has every right to do anything she needs to do on social media," Zarabi said.

Her next court appearance has been set for July 23, during which issues such as social media will be revisited.

Her father was arrested in Florida and is awaiting extradition to Los Angeles County. Court records show he is being represented by a public defender. ABC News has reached out to the public defender's office for comment.

It is unclear if Cordrey is in custody at this time.

If convicted as charged, all three face 25 years to life in state prison.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said the FBI began the "lengthy investigation" before the case was turned over to his office.

"This is a case where the defendants are accused of going to great lengths to find someone to commit murder," Hochman said in a statement. "Most fathers raise their children to respect the law, but here we have a dad who allegedly helped his daughter and her boyfriend break the law in the most sinister way imaginable."

Gabrielle Gonzalez has nearly 1 million followers between her Instagram and TikTok accounts. 

Her father has a law practice in Seminole County. His firm had no comment on his charges.

Avery spoke out about the case on Thursday, saying in a post on Instagram that his "focus is on being the best father I can be."

"I'm thankful to have sole custody of my daughter, Lavender, who is safe, healthy, and deeply loved," he said. "I look forward to continuing to build a peaceful and stable life for her."

Avery expressed his "sincere gratitude" to his family, friends, law enforcement, and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office "for their support throughout this process."

In an interview on "The Zach Sang Show" last year, Avery said two FBI agents showed up at his residence and that "someone hired someone to kill me." He did not publicly identify any suspects.

He said he was "traumatized."

"I stayed in my house for like a month straight. I didn't leave," Avery said during the interview. "I was so scared. I was looking out my window every night."

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(NEW YORK) -- This year's Atlantic hurricane season will see below-average tropical activity, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The decreased storm activity is driven by El Nino, which is forecast to emerge soon and persist through the season, the agency announced on Thursday.

Atlantic hurricane season starts on June 1 and continues through Nov. 30.

There is currently a 55% chance that this year's season will be below average, according to NOAA, with eight to 14 named storms, tropical storms and stronger expected for the season.

Three to six hurricanes could occur, of which one to three could major storms with Category 3 intensity or stronger, NOAA said.

NOAA’s hurricane outlooks predict overall seasonal activity, though levels of activity can vary throughout the six-month season. It does not predict how many storms will make landfall or specific locations where landfalls might occur.

An average Atlantic hurricane season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes, according to NOAA.

The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season brought 13 named storms, just below the long-term seasonal average

While there were no landfalling hurricanes in the United States last year for the first time in a decade, the season still proved to be consequential, producing three Category 5 hurricanes, including Melissa, which devastated Jamaica.

Factors affecting this year's hurricane forecast

The impact of El Nino on this year’s Atlantic and Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons will largely depend on how quickly it develops and how strong it gets. Even so, El Nino is only one of several important variables that influence tropical activity.

El Nino conditions often suppress activity during the Atlantic hurricane season by producing unfavorable atmospheric winds. In the Eastern Pacific, the opposite occurs, with favorable conditions supporting above-average hurricane season activity.

“El Nino increases convection (thunderstorms) across the eastern and central Pacific, which causes downstream wind shear over the Atlantic from strong upper-level winds,” Andy Hazelton, an associate scientist at the University of Miami’s Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, told ABC News.

Vertical wind shear, which refers to changes in wind speed and direction with height in the atmosphere, is often a primary factor in below-average hurricane season activity. Strong vertical wind shear can tear a developing tropical system apart or even prevent it from forming, NOAA says.

“The rising motion over the Pacific also leads to increased subsidence (sinking air) over the Atlantic, which suppresses thunderstorms and tropical cyclone development,” Hazelton said.

Other factors, such as sea surface temperatures, play an important role in tropical cyclone development and strength. Unseasonably warm ocean waters can partially offset the effects of unfavorable atmospheric winds, according to forecasters.

“Although El Nino’s impact in the Atlantic Basin can often suppress hurricane development, there is still uncertainty in how each season will unfold,” said NOAA’s National Weather Service Director Ken Graham. “That is why it’s essential to review your hurricane preparedness plan now. It only takes one storm to make for a very bad season.”

The climatological peak of the Atlantic hurricane season is Sept. 10, with most activity occurring between mid-August and mid-October, on average, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Historically, about two-thirds of Atlantic hurricane season activity occurs between Aug. 20 and Oct. 10, the National Hurricane Center said.

Storm names for 2026

A tropical cyclone is assigned a name once it reaches tropical storm strength, which is when maximum sustained winds reach at least 39 mph. A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when maximum sustained winds are 74 mph or higher.

Hurricanes with maximum sustained winds of 111 mph or higher are classified as major hurricanes of Category 3 to Category 5.

The World Meteorological Organization's Hurricane Committee oversees the six tropical cyclone name lists, which repeat every six years. This year’s list was last used in 2020. The first named storm of the season will be called Arthur, followed by Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias, Josephine, Kyle, Leah, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky and Wilfred.

Eastern Pacific outlook

By contrast, El Nino will likely increase tropical activity in the eastern Pacific.

NOAA is predicting above-average tropical activity for the 2026 Eastern Pacific hurricane season, with a 70% likelihood.

The agency has predicted 15 to 22 named storms, with nine to 14 of those storms forecast to reach hurricane strength. Between five and nine major hurricanes could impact the eastern Pacific basin, NOAA said.

An active eastern Pacific could put Hawaii at an increased risk of tropical systems this year, while also increasing the likelihood of indirect impacts to the southwestern United States, such as sending more rain to the region.

Less active seasons can still bring devastating storms

High-impact, devastating storms can still occur during seasons with near to below-average tropical activity.

In 1992, the Atlantic hurricane season was well below average, with only six named storms. However, the only U.S. landfalling hurricane of the season, Andrew, also became the nation’s most expensive natural disaster on record at the time.

In 2018, Hurricanes Florence and Michael brought catastrophic impacts to portions of the southeastern United States, while the overall season featured near-average activity, with 15 named storms.

In 2022, Hurricane Ian brought catastrophic impacts to parts of Florida, becoming the state’s costliest hurricane on record during a season that also featured near-average activity, with 14 named storms.

What's new in forecasting this year

The National Hurricane Center announced several updates to its forecast products for the upcoming season.

For example, the forecast cone, representing a storm's probably track, is going to be about 4% to 8% smaller in the Atlantic basin, and roughly 3% to 8% smaller in the Pacific, compared to the 2025 cone, conveying less uncertainty with the forecasts.

The National Hurricane Center has also launched a mobile-friendly version of its website, hurricanes.gov, which provides tropical forecasts and alerts.

And for the first time, drone data will be incorporated into NOAA’s hurricane forecast model, providing a new tool to help forecasters better predict storm intensity.

The agency partnered with Black Swift Technologies to develop a fleet of small, uncrewed aircraft built to withstand data collection in extreme weather conditions.

The data will be integrated into NOAA’s hurricane forecast model during the 2026 hurricane season. NOAA researchers found that incorporating the drone data into NOAA’s Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFS) can improve intensity forecast accuracy by 10%.

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(BROOKWOOD, Ala.) -- An Alabama man has been charged with manslaughter after his 1-year-old child was found dead in a vehicle, still strapped into a car seat, after the father had allegedly been drinking throughout the day while the infant was in his sole care, authorities said.

Multiple agencies responded to a home in Brookwood, in Tuscaloosa County, Wednesday evening after the child's family reported that the infant was found dead in the vehicle, authorities said.

"Initial investigation shows that the child was in the vehicle for an extended [amount] of time," Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy said in a statement, noting that the temperatures that afternoon were in the mid-90s.  

The child, whose name was not released, had been in the "sole care of its father all day," Kennedy said.

The father, identified by the sheriff's office as 30-year-old Logan Keith Chewning, allegedly admitted to drinking at different points throughout the day and leaving the residence at one point to buy more alcohol, authorities said.

"The father reported that he believed that the child had been sleeping in its crib but must have been left behind in the vehicle," Kennedy said.

Chewning was charged with manslaughter following consultation with the Tuscaloosa County District Attorney's Office, the sheriff's office said.

He is being held in jail, with a bond to be set by a judge at a later date. It is unclear if he has an attorney at this time.

The child's exact cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner, authorities said.

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(MINNEAPOLIS) -- Gregory Morgan Jr., the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent charged by Minnesota prosecutors with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon for allegedly brandishing a firearm at a motorist, will turn himself in to authorities Thursday, his attorney told ABC News. 

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced the charges in April, claiming in the complaint that Morgan was ending his shift on February 5 and was driving back to the Whipple Federal Building when a motorist allegedly cut him off as Morgan was trying to pass. Morgan then produced a firearm and pointed it at the motorists, the complaint said.

Morgan's attorney, Ryan Pacyga, said in part that the complaint contains “inaccurate and incomplete information” and that Morgan did not initiate the encounter.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to an ABC News request for comment, nor did they respond to a similar request when the charges against Morgan were announced.

Morgan, of Temple Hills, Maryland, is charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon related to the encounter, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarity announced in a news conference on April 16.

Moriarity said at the time that Morgan was driving "illegally" on the shoulder, "appearing to bypass shoulder traffic."

The complainant told police that they did not know the person driving the other car was an ICE agent until investigators told them, according to the prosecutor's complaint.

"There were no markings on Defendant's vehicle that would identify it as law enforcement and the vehicle was not displaying or using lights or sirens," according to the complaint. "Defendant continued to travel on the shoulder but rather than continue to drive past the victims, he pulled alongside their vehicle, rolled down his window, and pointed a black handgun directly at Victim 1 and Victim 2."

"Victim 1 had a clear view of Defendant's appearance, saw that Defendant was wearing a black t-shirt, saw that the gun was pointed directly at their heads, saw that the gun was a Glock or Sig Sauer handgun with what appeared to be a red-dot sight, and noted that Defendant 2 yelled something indiscernible," according to the complaint. 

The alleged victims then called police to report what had happened, according to the complaint. Investigators interviewed Morgan, his supervisor and his partner a day later.

"[Morgan] stated that Victim 1 swerved over in front of him and cut him off. Defendant claimed that he feared for his safety and the safety of others so, in response, he pulled alongside Victim 1's vehicle, rolled down his window, drew his firearm, and yelled 'Police Stop,'" the complaint said.

"[Morgan] stated he was trying to get Victim 1 to 'back up.' Defendant acknowledged that his firearm was a Glock 19 with a laser light, which Defendant had holstered on his right hip at the time of the interview. Defendant stated that after he pulled the gun on Victim 1 and Victim 2 he got in front of their vehicle and drove to the Whipple Building," the complaint further said.

Investigators also said they received cellphone footage from the complainant and reviewed traffic camera footage from the road on which they were traveling. 

“The allegations against Gregory Morgan arise from a brief, frightening, and highly stressful roadway encounter that happened in a matter of seconds during congested rush-hour traffic. An encounter that Mr. Morgan did not initiate. It came on the heels of many days of fear that both citizens as well as law enforcement were experiencing during operations in our Twin Cities metro area,” Pacyga said in a statement to ABC News Thursday.

The statement further said that the incident "did not arise from any planned criminal conduct. It developed suddenly during an alarming traffic interaction, initiated by the other driver."

"Law enforcement had been enduring threats to their safety by some members of the community, in neighborhoods and on the roads. This situation presented a perceived danger and Mr. Morgan reacted in real time. These are precisely the kinds of situations where perspective, perception, stress, and split-second decision-making matter,” Pacyga's statement said.

The incident occurred during a contentious period in Minneapolis when the city was the focal point of an immigration enforcement surge and after the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal law enforcement. During that time questions arose about whether ICE agents could be prosecuted by state or local authorities.

ABC News' Jack Date and Luke Barr contributed to this story.

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(CAMBRIDGE, Mass.) -- Police at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are investigating reports of a man who entered campus buildings without authorization on Tuesday. In one case, a student at Harvard reported being assaulted, according to police records. 

Harvard police responded to a report of an assault and battery at around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday to find Cambridge Police at Lowell House, the residence hall where the incident occurred, according to Harvard police records. 

The victim told police a suspect entered the building by following another individual without authorization, according to Harvard police records. 

"As the victim was entering their residence, the suspect approached from behind, covered the victim's mouth, and attempted to force them into the room," according to a Harvard police log. 

The suspect fled the building after several nearby individuals saw the altercation, the victim told police. 

Officers searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect. 

MIT Police issued a similar campus warning, describing a similar incident at an MIT residence hall. 

A suspect followed another individual into the building at around 5:45 p.m. and followed the individual to the fifth floor before fleeing the area, according to an MIT police log.

MIT police did not find the suspect, according to the police log.

Surveillance footage showed the man leaving the building at about 6 p.m., according to MIT police. 

The MIT alert said the individual "matched the description of a person who was the subject of a Harvard University Police Department alert earlier this evening," according to WCVB. 

Both universities urged students and staff to report any suspicious activity. 

MIT police described the suspect as a 5-foot-9-inch white man with a thin build. He was wearing a white T-shirt and dark-colored shorts, according to WCVB.

Harvard police said the incident is being "actively investigated" in a statement Thursday.

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(NEW YORK) -- A wind-whipped wildfire in the Texas Panhandle, one of multiple major blazes to hit the region this month, has destroyed more than 50 homes, authorities said.

The Stinky Fire, burning in Potter County, just north of Amarillo, is among multiple wildfires ravaging the West, including five major blazes that have also destroyed homes in Southern California.

During a news conference on Wednesday afternoon, Max Dunlap, director of the Amarillo Area Office of Emergency Management, said that at least 52 homes have been destroyed by the fire and another 25 were damaged.

The Stinky Fire ignited in a landfill on Sunday, and wind gusts over 30 mph rapidly spread flames past containment lines and into populated neighborhoods, officials said.

"It is extremely heart-sinking ... this damage. But there were numerous that were saved," said Dunlap, crediting the quick work of the local firefighters battling the blaze.

There were no reports of deaths or injuries.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the fire had burned 2,335 acres and was 85% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The blaze is among five major wildfires that have hit the Texas panhandle since May 14. The largest fire was the Hunggate Fire in Randall County that burned 34,124 acres and destroyed several homes before it was fully contained on Tuesday night, officials said.

The other wildfires in the area have also been 100% contained, officials said.

As Texas firefighters continued to battle the Stinky Fire, firefighters in Southern California were also fighting a series of wildfires.

Fueled by gusting winds and warm temperatures, multiple large wildfires continued to menace Southern California, prompting thousands of residents to evacuate, authorities said.

As of Thursday morning, the five largest wildfires had burned nearly 22,000 acres from Santa Barbara County to the U.S.-Mexico border, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

The Sandy Fire

The most evacuations were being prompted by the Sandy Fire, which ignited on Monday in the foothills above Semi Valley. At one point on Tuesday evening, more than 43,700 people were under mandatory evacuation orders or evacuation warnings, according to the Ventura County Fire Department.

The wildfire had grown to 2,115 acres by Thursday morning and was 30% contained, according to Cal Fire.

Firefighters quickly attacked the blaze from the ground and the air as flames raced downhill in the direction of populated neighborhoods, officials said. As of Wednesday morning, only one structure had been destroyed by the fire, but many evacuation orders remained in place, according to officials.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The Bain Fire

In Southern California's Riverside County, the Bain Fire was threatening homes in the Santa Ana River bottom in Jurupa Valley, according to Cal Fire.

The Bain Fire was reported around 12:20 p.m. local time on Tuesday and, driven by gusting wind, rapidly spread in the direction of homes, prompting evacuations, Cal Fire said.

Overnight, the Bain Fire grew to 1,456 acres and was 39% contained, Cal Fire said in an update on Thursday morning.

While no structures were reported lost, Los Angeles ABC station KABC reported that three people suffered smoke inhalation and a fourth was taken to a hospital with traumatic injuries.

The Verona Fire

As firefighters were responding to the Bain Fire, another wildfire ignited nearby in Riverside County, prompting more evacuation orders and warnings, according to Cal Fire.

The Verona Fire in the unincorporated communities of Green Acres and Homeland had grown to 600 acres as of Thursday morning and was 38% contained, Cal Fire reported.

Residents in the area told KABC that three to four homes had been destroyed by the blaze.

Cal Fire posted a video on social media on Wednesday of a towering "smokenado," or a smoke tornado, that formed as firefighters battled the Verona Fire.

The Santa Rosa Island Fire

The largest fire burning in Southern California is the Santa Rosa Island Fire in the Channel Islands off the coast of Santa Barbara County.

While the fire remains under investigation, the U.S. Coast Guard said it was likely ignited by emergency flares fired by a 67-year-old shipwrecked mariner on the island.

The Coast Guard posted a photo on social media showing the stranded sailor standing near a patch of blackened brush in which he had scratched "SOS" in the dirt.

The wildfire at last word was 44% contained after growing to nearly 17,554 acres, according to Cal Fire.

The Tusil Fire

The Tusil Fire, burning in San Diego County, had spread to over 800 acres and had also forced evacuations on the Campo Reservation, according to Cal Fire.

The wildfire, which started on Tuesday, was 73% contained on Thursday.

"Fire activity moderated overnight, allowing firefighters to strengthen containment lines and continue making progress toward full containment," Cal Fire said in an update on Wednesday.

At least one structure was damaged by the fire, which also shut down the Interstate 8 freeway in both directions in the fire zone on Wednesday, according to Cal Fire. The California Highway Patrol said on Wednesday morning that one lane in each direction of the freeway had been reopened.

One structure was damaged by the fire and some evacuation orders remain in effect, according to Cal Fire.

ABC News' Amanda Morris, Jenna Harrison and Vanessa Navarete contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) -- Sarah Kellen, a longtime personal assistant to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, told the House Oversight Committee on Thursday that she was "sexually and psychologically abused" by the late financier for over a decade, according to a copy of her prepared opening statement obtained by ABC News.

"He groomed me, sexually and psychologically abused me, controlled me, manipulated me, dominated me, and gaslit me, until I could no longer tell which thoughts were mine, and which were his," the statement said.

The closed-door session was part of the panel's ongoing inquiry into the federal government's handling of investigations into the late sex offender.

Kellen, 47, was previously a subject of criminal investigations but has never been charged -- due, in part, to her own allegations of persistent sexual abuse at the hands of the disgraced financier, according to court documents and records released earlier this year by the Justice Department.

Kellen, in her statement, said she was recruited for the job as Epstein's assistant by a co-worker at a hotel in Hawaii, where she had gone to live after getting married at 17 years old. She claimed that after a divorce and ex-communication from her church, she was completely alone and "a perfect target" for Epstein.

"I was 21 years old, far from where I grew up, stuck on an island in the middle of nowhere, with no college degree, no family, no friends, no money, and nowhere to live," she said.

Her job with Epstein, she said, began as a period of training where she traveled with him on his private jet to his homes in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Florida and New York, where she says she was "surrounded by unimaginable luxury."

"After months of unpaid labor, he instructed me to draw him a bath on his island, then ordered me to undress and get in with him, and he said, 'The job is yours. Now you just have to keep it,'" she said in the statement. "He then pulled me onto his bed and made clear what 'keeping the job' required. Only after I submitted to his sexual abuse did the paychecks begin."

Kellen told the committee that Epstein's abuse happened on a "weekly basis" and was at times violent, including an incident in Palm Beach where she says he violently choked and raped her.

"I was being paid in part to be raped. I was on call to him every hour of every day," her statement said.

Kellen said she continues to suffer from depression, anxiety and PTSD as a result of Epstein's abuse. 

Kellen was one of four women named as potential co-conspirators in the non-prosecution agreement reached in 2007 between Epstein and federal prosecutors in Miami.. She told the committee that she was completely in the dark about the agreement and had no idea her name was in it until it became public a few years later.

"No one from law enforcement ever spoke with me, ever heard my side, ever asked me a single question. I did not even know my name was in that agreement until after it had been signed and released to the public. The federal government of the United States branded me a criminal in a secret deal with my own abuser, without ever once speaking to me," the statement said.  

Anticipating questioning from committee members about why she stayed with Epstein -- even after he went to jail for a crime involving an underage girl -- she explained that she felt she had "nowhere else to go."

"I had no money, no family, no education, and no sense that I deserved any better," her statement said.

She also noted that Epstein's connections to the "highest echelons" of society made her fearful of defying him.

"He knew everyone in the fashion industry, academics, finance, government, powerful world leaders, dictators, and everyone in between," her statement said. "From the beginning, he showed me that he was more powerful than basically anyone in the world."

"Jeffrey was able to fool and manipulate the brightest minds in the world; us victims didn't stand a chance," the statement said. "I was a high school dropout from North Carolina. I was a silent body in a chair beside men who started and ended wars. I understood, completely, that if Jeffrey could walk into those rooms, he could walk into any room in the entire world. He could find me anywhere on earth."

Kellen's appearance at the Capitol comes as the committee ramps up for a busy stretch of its investigation, which was officially launched in February of last year. Other notable witnesses scheduled in the coming months include Epstein's longtime executive assistant Leslie Groff, former U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, former Goldman Sachs chief counsel Kathryn Ruemmler, and billionaires Bill Gates and Leon Black.

The committee's chairman, Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), has indicated that a report on its findings will be produced before the end of the year. 

Following Epstein's death in custody in July 2019, federal prosecutors in New York investigating possible collaborators engaged in discussions with Kellen and her attorneys that spanned more than a year. Documents released by the DOJ earlier this year included prosecutors' internal assessments of a potential case against Kellen and emails from her attorneys trying to dissuade the government from filing charges.

"We feel that given [Kellen's] abuse, and given the fact that we see her basically as a cog in Epstein's wheel, acting entirely at his direction and doing what she did at a time that she herself was a very vulnerable victim, a [non-prosecution] would be the appropriate disposition," an attorney for Kellen wrote in the spring of 2020. 

According to DOJ records, the government did not dispute that Kellen "was herself a victim of abuse by Epstein," noting that her account was consistent with others who worked for Epstein and allegedly experienced sexual exploitation.

Prosecutors detailed in a proposed "statement of facts" sent to Kellen's attorneys in late 2020 that several "minor victims reported to federal agents that Epstein paid them for sexualized massages while they were underage girls, including during massages that [Kellen] scheduled."

Kellen conceded that Epstein directed her to schedule his daily massages in the early 2000s when he was staying in his Palm Beach, Florida, residence, according to the DOJ records. She claimed she was provided a directory of names and instructed on who to call, and denied having knowledge that some who came to the house were underage. 

She told prosecutors she viewed the "masseuses as her peers -- i.e. young adults in their early 20s -- and it never [crossed] her mind that any of them were minors," government lawyers wrote in a December 2019 memo summarizing their investigation for Geoffrey Berman, then the top federal prosecutor in New York.

Kellen said she "only learned that Epstein was sexually abusing minors when news articles started coming out about it" in the mid-2000s, according to the records. "She recalled being shocked, angry, and disappointed. She was particularly angry with Epstein for manipulating her to help orchestrate the abuse of other women," the records said.

Federal prosecutors ultimately decided against charging Kellen, though the internal deliberations that led to that outcome are unclear. Much of the legal analysis in the prosecution memos remains redacted in the publicly available versions of the DOJ records.  

Epstein's former associate Ghislaine Maxwell remains the only other person charged in connection with Epstein's crimes. She is serving a 20-year sentence in a federal prison camp in Texas. Maxwell is presently seeking to have her conviction vacated or her sentence reduced.

Kellen -- who has largely avoided public comment surrounding the Epstein investigation -- told a reporter from a British paper who approached her on the street in New York in 2020 that she was "raped and abused weekly."

"I have been made out to be such a monster -- but it's not true. I'm a victim of Jeffrey Epstein," Kellen said, according to the U.K. Sun report.

An attorney who represented Kellen during discussions with federal prosecutors did not immediately respond to a request for comment ahead of Kellen's appearance in Washington, D.C.

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(NEWPORT NEWS, Va.) -- A Virginia judge has granted a defense motion to dismiss the criminal charges against a former assistant principal stemming from the 2023 shooting of a teacher by a 6-year-old student.

Ebony Parker was charged with eight counts of felony child abuse with disregard for life in connection with the January 2023 shooting at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News -- one count for each bullet that was unspent in the gun, according to the Newport News Commonwealth's Attorney's Office.

"The court is of the legal opinion that this is not a crime," Circuit Court Judge Rebecca Robinson said Thursday, following two days of testimony in the criminal trial.

"What happened that day was awful, that's agreed upon by all," the judge later said.

Parker had her head bent over and appeared to be sobbing after the judge dismissed the case.

Prosecutors in the criminal trial alleged that Parker failed to respond and follow school protocol after several staffers raised concerns that the student, identified in the trial as JT, had a gun. The Commonwealth rested on Wednesday after two days of calling witnesses.

Defense attorney Curtis Rogers argued before the judge Thursday morning that Parker may have had a "lapse of judgment" that day, but she didn't act criminally and there was "no willful admission on her part to put these children in harm."

"Nobody acted as if there was an actual firearm. Not following school policy doesn't result in a criminal allegation," Rogers said. "There are acts that should have been done, definitely in hindsight."

Deputy Commonwealth Attorney Josh Jenkins argued that Parker knew of the danger in the school that day.

"There were multiple warnings she received from multiple people that there was an armed student," he said.

"Just the mere fact that a possible weapon is on campus should have triggered the response defined in the crisis management plan, yet it did not," he said.

Parker pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The dismissal of the criminal trial comes after a jury in a civil trial found that Parker acted with gross negligence in the shooting and awarded the injured teacher, Abby Zwerner, $10 million in damages.

Zwerner's attorneys said Thursday's decision by the judge means Newport News can no longer use the criminal charges against Parker to "deny insurance coverage" in her civil case.

"One of the many obstacles the City of Newport News placed in Abby Zwerner's path to justice was their argument they could deny insurance coverage in our civil case because of possible criminal conduct," Zwerner's attorneys said in a joint statement Thursday. "Today that is no longer an excuse that the City can hide behind."

"This was always the Commonwealth's criminal case -- not Abby's civil case. Abby complied with the subpoena requiring her testimony once again, despite the emotional toll of repeatedly reliving this tragedy," the statement continued. "From the beginning, our focus has remained on obtaining justice in civil court for the preventable failures that led to Abby being shot. A Newport News jury has already spoken, returning a $10 million verdict in Abby's favor."

Zwerner, the first witness in the trial, testified that she had told Parker prior to the shooting in her classroom that JT "seemed to be off" that day and "in a violent mood." She said another staffer, reading specialist Amy Kovac, alerted her that JT told other students he had brought a gun to school, and that Kovac reported that to the administration.

Zwerner said that in hindsight, she could have separated JT from the other students and confirmed that she was responsible for the safety of her students. Though she said her understanding that a crisis or emergency needed to be brought to the attention of the administration, and that she trusted her colleagues.

The bullet went through Zwerner's left hand, which she had lifted, and then into her chest. She was initially hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, police said.

Zwerner and Parker both resigned following the shooting.  

The student brought the gun from home, police said. His mother, Deja Taylor, was sentenced to two years in state prison after pleading guilty to child neglect in connection with the shooting. She also pleaded guilty to using marijuana while in possession of a firearm and making a false statement about her drug use during the purchase of the firearm used in the shooting and was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison.

She was released from state custody on May 13 and transitioned to community supervision, according to online Virginia Department of Corrections records.

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(NEW YORK) -- A sinkhole shut down one of the runways at LaGuardia International Airport in New York City, prompting cancellations and delays, according to officials.

Crews found the sinkhole around 11 a.m. on Wednesday, while conducting a daily morning inspection of the airport's airfield, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The sinkhole was located near Runway 4/22, one of the airport's two runways, according to the Port Authority.

Runway 4/22 was "immediately" shut down, and emergency construction and engineering crews are on site to make repairs, the Port Authority said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it is slowing flights into LaGuardia "due to weather and a sinkhole on Runway 4/22."

The runway is expected to reopen before flight operations on Friday, according to the Port Authority. However, the agency said the timing could change, and it could reopen sooner, pending the results of the repairs and inspections currently being performed.

"LGA remains open to flight operations, but we expect delays throughout the day, so travelers should check with their airline for flight status before arriving at the airport," the Port Authority said in a statement.

"Travelers should expect delays and cancellations, particularly with forecast thunderstorms expected later today, and are strongly encouraged to check directly with their airlines for the latest flight status information," the Port Authority said.

A pilot and ground controller could be heard talking about the sinkhole as crews apparently responded, with the pilot asking "what happened" to the runway, according to audio on ATC.com.

"There's a sinkhole," the ground controller responded, noting that it "looks like they got equipment out there now."

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