National News

One escaped monkey captured in South Carolina, several others located on property

One escaped monkey captured in South Carolina, several others located on property

Yemassee Police Department(YEMASSEE, S.C.) -- The ongoing operation to capture 43 monkeys that escaped from a South Carolina lab nabbed at least one of the furry runaways on Saturday, according to officials.Officials in the town of Yemassee said they recovered overnight one of the rhesus macaque monkeys that had escaped from Alpha Genesis Primate Research… ... Continue Reading
Flash flooding threat in South as major storm moves across country

Flash flooding threat in South as major storm moves across country

ABC News(NEW YORK) -- A large storm over the central U.S. is bringing a range of weather issues, from flooding rain and severe weather to heavy snow in the Rockies.This early season snowstorm has brought more than three feet of snow to portions of New Mexico.Angel Fire, New Mexico, is home to a popular ski… ... Continue Reading
Suspect in custody following spate of stabbing attacks in Seattle: Police

Suspect in custody following spate of stabbing attacks in Seattle: Police

mbbirdy/Getty Images(SEATTLE) -- Five people were stabbed in Seattle on Friday, marking the latest incident in a string of stabbings over the past two days in the same area, police said.A suspect was taken into custody following Friday's stabbing attack, which appeared to be random, Seattle Police Deputy Chief Eric Barden told reporters at a… ... Continue Reading
Chinese hacking effort is far more pervasive than previously reported, sources say

Chinese hacking effort is far more pervasive than previously reported, sources say

STOCK PHOTO/Adobe Stock(NEW YORK) -- The Chinese effort to hack prominent Americans is far more pervasive than previously reported, ABC News has learned.Sources told ABC News that U.S. law enforcement and intelligence officials are concerned the espionage operation by the Chinese government may have been in place for well over a year -- and perhaps… ... Continue Reading
NC State student arrested for string of random highway shootings in Raleigh: Police

NC State student arrested for string of random highway shootings in Raleigh: Police

Police investigate a shooting spree near I-40 in Raleigh, North Carolina, Nov. 7, 2024. Via WTVD

(RALEIGH, N.C.) -- A North Carolina State student has been arrested for a string of apparently random shootings at cars on multiple highways in Raleigh.

Since Monday, police have received 12 reports of shots being fired at vehicles and buildings in the vicinity of Interstates 40 and 440, according to Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson.

“At this time, we do believe that the 12 incidents are related,” Patterson said at a press briefing Thursday.

Andrew Thomas Graney, 23, has been charged with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and 11 counts of firing a weapon into an occupied vehicle or dwelling, police said. Graney is a senior at NC State, majoring in anthropology and has been enrolled since fall 2019, the school confirmed to Raleigh ABC station WTVD.

A second person was taken into custody alongside Graney at a residence in Raleigh on Thursday but has since been released without charges, police said.

A judge ordered Graney held without bond during his initial court appearance Friday afternoon.

"This is one of those cases that put fear in the heart of the entire community," Judge Debra Sasser said.

Stacy Newton, an assistant district attorney with the Wake County District Attorney's Office, said during the hearing that the suspect fired into seven vehicles and three occupied residences.

Investigators had linked Graney to the shootings through his cellphone and vehicle, according to the prosecutor. His cellphone was in each of the locations over the four-day period, and his vehicle matched the description of one used in several of the incidents, she said.

Police recovered .45-caliber shell casings at many if not all of the shootings, and a .45-caliber firearm was recovered from inside the suspect's vehicle, she said.

A motive remains under investigation, Newton said.

"This was an absolutely senseless and random series of acts of violence that really put this community on edge," Newton said while requesting no bond in the case.

Graney appeared virtually during the hearing and asked to have a public defender appointed.

Police had urged drivers in the Raleigh area to remain vigilant following reports of vehicles being fired into during the early morning hours on I-40.

In one incident, on Monday, a woman was shot in the leg while driving, suffering a non-life-threatening injury, police said.

Patterson said it is unclear at this time if shots were being fired from a vehicle or on foot.

Police previously said they believed a handgun was used in the shootings.

The shootings remain under investigation. Patterson urged anyone with surveillance or dashcam footage to come forward.

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Wildfires erupt in New Jersey, fueled by dry, windy conditions

Wildfires erupt in New Jersey, fueled by dry, windy conditions

Getty Images

(NEW JERSEY) -- Multiple wildfires have erupted across New Jersey amid windy and dry conditions.

New Jersey residents should be prepared for smoke conditions to last for several days, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service warned on Friday.

A large brush fire broke out on the Palisades Interstate Parkway in Bergen County in northern New Jersey, near New York City. The fire covers 39 acres and is 30% contained, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said. No structures are threatened.

New York City Emergency Management said New Yorkers may smell smoke on Friday.

Another wildfire is threatening over 100 structures in Burlington and Camden counties in southern New Jersey, outside of Philadelphia. The blaze spans 360 acres and is 75% contained, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said.

In Jackson Township, in central New Jersey, the Shotgun Wildfire has burned through 350 acres and is 80% contained, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said. No structures are threatened.

Six other fires have been reported in the state.

Fire danger has increased in the Northeast due to the combination of a historically dry fall, gusty winds near 30 mph and relative humidity down to 25%. A red flag warning has been issued from Boston to New York City and Philadelphia to Washington, D.C.

Meanwhile, on the West Coast, the Mountain Fire in Southern California has exploded in size, blazing through 20,000 acres, destroying at least 220 structures and prompting mass evacuations.

Five civilians and one firefighter have been injured from the Mountain Fire, officials said. The fire is 7% contained.

ABC News' Max Golembo contributed to this report.

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Early season snowstorm pounding New Mexico, Colorado

Early season snowstorm pounding New Mexico, Colorado

ABC News Illustration(SANTA FE, NM) -- A major storm system is bringing a historic early season snowstorm to New Mexico and Colorado.Some areas could see up to 3 to 4 feet of snow, as the storm system moves out of the Southwest and into the western Plains.A blizzard warning has been issued for parts of… ... Continue Reading
Text service says it shut down accounts that allegedly sent racist texts

Text service says it shut down accounts that allegedly sent racist texts

STOCK IMAGE/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- A text messaging service said Friday that it discovered "one or more" of its users allegedly sent out racist text messages to phone numbers across the country and that the service quickly shut down the accounts.A representative from TextNow, a mobile provider that allows people to create phone numbers for free,… ... Continue Reading
43 primates on the loose in South Carolina town after escaping from research lab

43 primates on the loose in South Carolina town after escaping from research lab

Yemassee Police Department

(YEMASSEE, SC) -- Forty-three primates remain on the loose in a South Carolina town, two days after escaping from a research laboratory, authorities said Friday.

As of midday Friday, the monkeys "have not yet been re-captured and returned to their enclosures," a Yemassee Police Department spokesperson said in a statement.

Traps were being set around the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center in Yemassee, where the rhesus macaque monkeys escaped en masse from their enclosures around 1 p.m. on Wednesday, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office.

The animals have since been seen near the research center, according to the Yemassee police spokesperson.

"Current observations show the primates playfully exploring the perimeter fence of the facility, engaging with those still inside by cooing to them," the spokesperson said while urging the public to "stay clear of this area as Alpha Genesis works diligently to safely recover these animals and return them to their habitats unharmed."

The monkeys escaped when a new employee at the Alpha Genesis center left the door to their enclosure open, Yemassee Town Administrator Matthew Garnes said during a briefing Thursday with town officials.

Mia Mitchell, a resident of Yemassee, told ABC News she was driving home Wednesday evening when she saw one of the escaped primates running across a road.

"I thought my eyes were deceiving me and I was like, 'That couldn't be a monkey,'" Mitchell said.

Mitchell said she and her daughter immediately pulled over and stopped to get a closer look.

"I turned around and parked on the side of the road and it ran across the road toward a house and up a tree," Mitchell said. "I stood there and my daughter, she was jokingly saying, 'Here monkey, monkey!' And I was like, 'Girl, don't call that monkey.'"

Police officers were searching for the furry fugitives using thermal imaging cameras, according to the sheriff's office.

The primates, according to police, are all very young females weighing 6 to 7 pounds each. There is no public health threat, police said.

"The animals have never been used for testing due to their young age and size," the Yemassee Police Department said in a statement Thursday. "A spokesperson from Alpha Genesis can confirm that these animals are too young to carry diseases."

Police warned residents that the monkeys can act "skittish and any additional noise or movement could hinder their safe capture."

"Residents are strongly advised to keep doors and windows secured to prevent these animals from entering homes," the sheriff's office said. "If you spot any of the escaped animals, please contact 911 immediately and refrain from approaching them."

Police said they are working with staff of Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center to find the escapees.

Representatives of the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center could not be immediately reached for comment.

According to its website, Alpha Genesis "provides the highest quality nonhuman primate products and bio-research services worldwide," including serum, plasma, whole blood and tissue samples.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., said in a social media post Thursday afternoon that she is looking into the escaped monkeys.

"We’re diligently gathering all relevant information to keep our constituents informed regarding the recent escape of primates from Alpha Genesis Inc. in Beaufort County," Mace said. "Our office has been in direct communication with the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office and is working closely with their team to monitor and assess the situation."

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At special counsel's request, judge pauses upcoming deadlines in Trump's election interference case

At special counsel's request, judge pauses upcoming deadlines in Trump's election interference case

Alex Wong/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- The judge in former President Donald Trump's federal election interference case has paused all upcoming deadlines in the case, after special counsel Jack Smith filed a motion Friday requesting the pause.As ABC News previously reported, Smith and the Justice Department are in talks about the best way to wind down the election case and his… ... Continue Reading
Fake guns found at home of 13-year-old who allegedly planned to scare students at elementary school: Police

Fake guns found at home of 13-year-old who allegedly planned to scare students at elementary school: Police

Teen believed to be armed stopped from entering Wisconsin elementary school. Via Kenosha Police Department(KENOSHA, Wis.) -- Several replica guns have been recovered from the home of a 13-year-old who allegedly planned to scare students at a Wisconsin elementary school, but was stopped from entering the building, according to police.The 13-year-old tried to enter his… ... Continue Reading
'Narrowly missed a tragedy': Teen believed to be armed stopped from entering Wisconsin elementary school

'Narrowly missed a tragedy': Teen believed to be armed stopped from entering Wisconsin elementary school

Teen believed to be armed stopped from entering Wisconsin elementary school. Via Kenosha Police Department(KENOSHA, Wis.) -- Authorities in Wisconsin say an armed 13-year-old carrying a backpack and duffel bag was stopped from entering an elementary school Thursday morning after being confronted by school staff and taken into custody several hours later."We narrowly missed a… ... Continue Reading
California brush fire explodes over 20,000 acres, Newsom declares state of emergency

California brush fire explodes over 20,000 acres, Newsom declares state of emergency

Etienne Laurent/AFP via Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) -- A wind-whipped Southern California brush fire that exploded to over 20,000 acres in about 24 hours, destroying homes and prompting mass evacuations, remained out of control Thursday as Gov. Gavin Newsom rallied state and federal resources to battle the blaze.The governor declared a state of emergency in Ventura… ... Continue Reading
2 people detained after vehicles, buildings fired at in Raleigh: Police

2 people detained after vehicles, buildings fired at in Raleigh: Police

Police investigate a shooting spree near I-40 in Raleigh, North Carolina, Nov. 7, 2024. Via WTVD(RALEIGH, N.C.) -- Two people have been detained in connection with a spate of shootings that occurred in Raleigh this week, authorities said Thursday.Since Monday, police have received 12 reports of shots being fired at vehicles and buildings in the… ... Continue Reading
82-year-old Washington woman arrested for a suspected hate crime after allegedly assaulting Trump supporters

82-year-old Washington woman arrested for a suspected hate crime after allegedly assaulting Trump supporters

A still from body-camera footage of the suspect talking to an officer in Edmonds, Washington, Nov. 4, 2024. Via Edmonds Police Department(EDMONDS, Wash.) -- An 82-year-old white woman was arrested for a suspected hate crime and assault following an altercation with Trump supporters in which she confronted one about voting for the former president based… ... Continue Reading
President Biden has no plans of pardoning son Hunter Biden, White House says

President Biden has no plans of pardoning son Hunter Biden, White House says

Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- President Joe Biden does not plan to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted on federal gun charges, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated during a press briefing on Thursday.Hunter Biden is scheduled to be sentenced next month on the gun charges as well as federal tax-related… ... Continue Reading
How advocates predict Trump's 2024 win could impact gun violence prevention laws

How advocates predict Trump's 2024 win could impact gun violence prevention laws

ABC News (NEW YORK) -- Drew Spiegel was preparing to march in the 2022 Fourth of July parade in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park when gunfire rang out."In that short time span, seven people died, 48 more [were] injured," the 19-year-old told ABC News. "I texted my parents that I might not be coming… ... Continue Reading
Judge says Giuliani faces contempt if he doesn't turn over property to poll workers

Judge says Giuliani faces contempt if he doesn't turn over property to poll workers

Adam Gray/AFP via Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- A federal judge in New York on Thursday raised the possibility of holding Rudy Giuliani in contempt if he fails to turn over property by next week to the two Georgia poll workers he defamed after the 2020 election.A 90-minute hearing devolved into what the judge called "griping"… ... Continue Reading
Trial of alleged Delphi murderer Richard Allen continues as he maintains his innocence

Trial of alleged Delphi murderer Richard Allen continues as he maintains his innocence

Lindsey Jacobson/ABC News, FILE(DELPHI, Ind.) -- The small town of Delphi, Indiana, is reeling with grief and shock after the horrific double murder of two teenage girls in broad daylight, forever changing the lives of those who knew and loved the victims.Now, seven years later, one man is standing trial in the murders.The story of… ... Continue Reading
Harris concedes presidential election but not 'the fight that fueled this campaign'

Harris concedes presidential election but not 'the fight that fueled this campaign'

Kent Nishimura/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- Vice President Kamala Harris said her heart is "full of resolve" after losing the presidential election to former President Donald Trump."My heart is full today -- full of gratitude for the trust you have placed in me, full of love for our country and full of resolve," Harris said Wednesday at… ... Continue Reading