Shamsud-Din Jabbar, an Army veteran, and Master Sgt. Matthew Alan Livelsberger, a Special Forces master sergeant, briefly served together at Fort Liberty and in Afghanistan. While they overlapped in their service, there is no connection between the separate incidents they were involved in on New Year’s Day. Livelsberger, 37, orchestrated a suicidal explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas using a Tesla Cybertruck, … Continue reading Army records show brief career overlaps between New Orleans and Las Vegas suspects

Lt. Mark Meadows, a 30-year veteran of the Irondale Police Department, was killed on Monday after being struck by a pickup truck while directing traffic outside the Church of the Highlands in Alabama. The 60-year-old officer was taken to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries. The 32-year-old driver remained at the scene, and authorities are investigating the incident, the Associated Press has reported. Irondale’s … Continue reading Alabama police officer killed by driver while directing traffic near a church

A massive winter storm, driven by a southward dip of the polar vortex, has blanketed much of the U.S. east of the Rockies with ice, snow, and strong winds, causing hazardous roads, school closures, power outages, and flight cancellations. Southern states, including Texas and Florida, faced unusually cold conditions, while Washington, D.C., saw heavy snow during the certification of President-elect Trump’s victory. In Kentucky, freezing … Continue reading Polar vortex keeps much of the US in its icy grip

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced a full review of New Orleans’ security plans following the New Year’s Day terror attack on Bourbon Street, which killed 14 and injured dozens. The review will examine planning, funding, and risk assessments for New Year’s Eve and the Sugar Bowl, amid criticism over the failure to deploy anti-vehicle barriers and the removal of malfunctioning bollards. Murrill praised police … Continue reading Louisiana AG orders review of New Orleans security plans after deadly truck attack

A federal judge has held Rudy Giuliani in contempt of court for failing to provide information about his assets after being ordered to pay $148 million to two Georgia election workers for defamation. Judge Lewis Liman ruled that Giuliani deliberately missed the deadline to disclose his finances, accusing him of stalling. Sanctions will be imposed later, and a trial on January 16 will determine if … Continue reading Rudy Giuliani held in contempt of court in 2020 election defamation case 

Civil rights advocates have long fought to remove criminal records, but many people’s lives continue to be affected by old media coverage of minor offenses. Some news outlets have launched programs to remove or deindex these stories to help individuals move on. For example, Cleveland.com’s Chris Quinn pioneered a “right-to-be-forgotten” initiative, reviewing old stories to remove names in cases of minor crimes. This effort has … Continue reading US newspapers are deleting old crime stories

A Virginia man, Alexander Sweetman, 19, was arrested on New Year’s Day after fleeing from police and being found in a car containing items resembling homemade explosives. Police had received reports of a suspicious vehicle and located Sweetman at a 7-Eleven, where he was apprehended. A search of the car, which Sweetman did not own, revealed burglary tools and possible explosives.  Authorities, including the bomb … Continue reading Virginia man arrested with homemade explosives in car on New Year’s Day, police say

Three people, including a 16-year-old, were arrested in connection with the death of Paul Clifford, a 53-year-old good Samaritan in Arizona. Clifford was found dead near a burned car northeast of Tucson after leaving home on December 23 to help someone with a stranded vehicle. The suspects, Jack Upchurch, 40, Elmer Smith, 19, and the minor, face charges including first-degree murder, armed robbery, and arson. … Continue reading 3 arrested in connection with good Samaritan’s killing in Arizona

An avalanche in western Wyoming killed 36-year-old skier Kenneth Goff and injured another after their group triggered the slide while ascending a 10,400-foot slope east of Grand Teton National Park. The avalanche buried Goff completely and partially buried a second skier, who suffered leg injuries. Stormy weather delayed rescue efforts, with rescuers taking nearly four hours to reach the site by skis, the Associated Press … Continue reading 1 person killed in large avalanche in western Wyoming backcountry

Assistant District Attorney Ian Kersting, a prosecutor specializing in sexual assault cases, died by suicide Saturday night inside the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office. Kersting, 34, was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene. Admitted to the Louisiana bar in 2020, he worked in the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) unit, focusing on sex crimes investigations using … Continue reading Orleans Parish prosecutor dies by suicide in office

The New Orleans Fire Department responded to two partial building collapses. The first occurred at a commercial building under renovation on Decatur Street, where a trash chute detached, causing part of a second-floor balcony to fall. The street remains temporarily closed for safety assessments. The second collapse happened at a deteriorating home on Frenchman Street, where an exterior wall fell onto a neighboring property. Three … Continue reading New Orleans Fire Department responds to two partial building collapses

Three former Virginia sheriff’s deputies have been charged with second-degree murder following the death of 34-year-old Rolin Hill, who was restrained at a local jail in June. A grand jury indicted the deputies after reviewing evidence. Hill was arrested on trespassing and disorderly conduct charges and died from asphyxia due to restraint. The deputies involved, Eric Baptiste, Michael Kidd, and Kevin Wilson, were fired after … Continue reading Ex-deputies in Virginia are charged with murder over inmate’s death while restrained

Jerry Hal Saliterman, 77, plans to plead guilty to charges related to hiding and threatening others over the stolen ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz. The slippers were stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and recovered by the FBI in 2018. Last month, they sold at auction for $32.5 million. Saliterman is accused of concealing … Continue reading Man accused of hiding stolen “Wizard of Oz” ruby slippers plans to plead guilty, attorney says

Alexander Paffendorf, a California man linked to a 15-year-old girl who fatally shot a teacher and student at a Wisconsin religious school, apologized in court but did not clarify his role. Authorities say Paffendorf, 20, discussed plans with the shooter, Natalie Rupnow, about attacking a government building with guns and explosives. Following the Dec. 16 attack, where Rupnow also injured two students before taking her … Continue reading California man apologizes for connection to Wisconsin school shooting without detailing his actions

A nurse, Erin Elizabeth Strotman, 26, has been arrested and charged with malicious wounding and felony child abuse after multiple babies suffered unexplained fractures at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital NICU in Virginia. Authorities began investigating after injuries to four babies in summer 2023 and three more in late 2023. Despite increased monitoring and preventative measures, injuries continued, leading to the NICU’s closure in October. Investigators are … Continue reading Nurse arrested after multiple babies suffered horrific injuries at Virginia hospital

A small plane crashed into a furniture manufacturing building in Fullerton, California, killing two people—believed to be on the plane—and injuring 19 others inside the building. The crash occurred shortly after takeoff from Fullerton Municipal Airport, with the pilot reporting an emergency. Security footage showed the plane tilting before impact, causing an explosion and fire. Emergency services evacuated nearby businesses and treated victims, with 11 … Continue reading 2 dead and 19 injured in Southern California plane crash

A large portion of downtown Omaha lost power Thursday after a garbage truck became stuck in a sinkhole, exposing utility lines. The truck was tilted in the hole, which was over 10 feet deep, near an alley entrance. Officials had previously placed a barricade to prevent vehicles from entering, but the driver moved it to pass through. As a result, the Omaha Public Power District … Continue reading Part of Nebraska city loses power for hours after garbage truck falls in sinkhole

New York’s Attorney General Letitia James appointed Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick as a special prosecutor in the case of Robert Brooks, who died after being beaten by state corrections officers. James recused her office due to potential conflicts of interest, as some officers under investigation were represented by her office in other cases. Brooks was attacked while handcuffed at Marcy Correctional Facility, and … Continue reading Special prosecutor appointed in death of man beaten by New York corrections officers

At least 10 people, mostly teenagers aged 16 to 20, were injured in a mass shooting outside the Amazura nightclub in Queens late Wednesday night. Four men fired over 30 shots into a crowd after a private event. Police are searching for a light-colored sedan linked to the shooting. None of the victims are in critical condition, and all are expected to survive, the New … Continue reading At least 10 wounded in mass shooting outside Queens nightclub

The FBI confirmed that Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran from Texas, acted alone in the New Year’s Eve truck attack in New Orleans, reversing earlier claims of possible accomplices. Inspired by the Islamic State, Jabbar posted five videos on Facebook pledging allegiance to the group before driving a rented truck into a crowd, killing 14 people. He was fatally shot by police after the … Continue reading Driver who killed 15 in New Orleans joined ISIS over summer

Green Beret Matthew Livelsberger, 37, carried out a bombing outside Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel using a rented Tesla Cybertruck, leaving seven injured. Livelsberger, who was on leave from active duty in Germany, died in the explosion. Authorities suspect the blast was caused by explosives or large fireworks stored in the truck’s bed. Livelsberger, a decorated soldier with 19 years in the Army Special Forces, … Continue reading Bomber in Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion is Green Beret from Colorado

DNA evidence has identified James Vanest, 68, as the suspect in the 1981 murder of 18-year-old Debra Miller in Mansfield, Ohio. Miller was fatally beaten with an oven grate in her apartment, and Vanest, who lived above her, was questioned but not considered a suspect at the time. Advanced DNA analysis in 2021 linked Vanest to evidence from the crime scene. After fleeing to West … Continue reading Fugitive killed in Ohio shootout is responsible for 1981 slaying of woman, 18, authorities say

The FBI discovered the largest cache of finished explosive devices in its history during the arrest of Virginia man Brad Spafford on December 17. Authorities found over 150 homemade pipe bombs, some labeled “lethal” and preloaded into a vest, along with a jar of highly unstable explosive material stored in a freezer next to food. The investigation began after a neighbor reported Spafford’s weapons stockpile … Continue reading FBI says it seized largest cache of homemade explosives in history

A New Year’s Eve explosion, believed to be caused by illegal homemade fireworks, left at least three people dead and over 20 critically injured in Honolulu. The blast occurred around midnight on Keaka Drive, with heavy smoke and chaotic scenes reported. First responders described injuries resembling combat trauma, including burns, missing limbs, and shrapnel wounds. Authorities anticipate the death toll may rise. Honolulu Mayor Rick … Continue reading At least 3 dead, multiple hurt after massive fireworks explosion in Hawaii

The suspect in the Bourbon Street attack, identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar from Texas, was fatally shot by police after driving a rented Ford truck into a crowd, killing 10 and injuring 35. Authorities confirmed Jabbar carried an ISIS flag, wore military gear, and had weapons and an improvised explosive device (IED) in the vehicle. A related fire broke out at an Airbnb in the … Continue reading New Orleans attack suspect named, accused of killing at least 10, injuring dozens