Month: April 2026

By WABC News Staff

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    UNION, New Jersey (WABC) — One person is dead and several others are injured after gunfire erupted at a Chick-fil-A restaurant in New Jersey.

The deadly shooting happened around 9 p.m. on Saturday at a Chick-fil-A on Route 22 in Union.

Upon arrival, responding officers found seven victims, one who was subsequently pronounced dead. Six others suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

While no arrests have been made, the shooting is believed to be a targeted incident stemming from a drug or gang dispute. The one fatality is believed to be the target of the shooting and the other victims are believed to be bystanders and/or employees of the Chick-fil-A.

On Sunday afternoon, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill issued a statement responding to the shooting, saying in part, “We now know that last night’s shooting in Union Township tragically claimed one life and left six others injured.”

“Our hearts go out to the victim’s loved ones, and we are hoping for the full recovery of those who were injured.”

All Chick-fil-A locations are closed on Sundays.

Eyewitness News spoke to a father of one of the Chick-fil-A workers on Saturday night. He says that his son called him in a panic, saying that multiple suspects wearing masks entered the establishment. He also says several of his co-workers were injured in a shooting.

The father says he drove to the eatery and described what he called a “warzone.”

A Lyft driver named Martin said he was finishing a trip nearby and heard more than seven shots.

“I finished my trip over there, in the return zone. I heard the shots. When I finished the trip I go to Chick-fil-A to buy two burgers — I see the police, I heard the shots very close,” he says.

The Union County Prosecutor’s Office says it is an ongoing investigation.

The names of the victims have not been released.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Taylor Locke

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    CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Virginia (WTVR) — Kristen’s Kitchen, a Chester restaurant best known for its crab cakes, has teamed up with Commonwealth Autism to offer job opportunities to people on the autism spectrum.

It all started with owner Kristen Bortone’s son: 15-year-old Ryan. Ryan has autism and global developmental disabilities. When he was born, doctors said he would never walk or talk. Now as a teen, he spends many days greeting customers at the door.

“It’s been phenomenal to see him talk to people,” Kristen Bortone said.

Bortone spent Ryan’s whole life thinking about what he would do when he was old enough to work, so she built her answer from the ground up.

Kristen’s Kitchen first started as a food truck. Now, it’s upgraded to a brick-and-mortar location off Branders Creek Dr.

“It makes me feel like I did it. I did what I was supposed to do. You know, like I made a job for Ryan. Forever. He’ll always have a place here,” Bortone said.

The family business is a place where Ryan will always belong. For Ryan, his job description is simple.

“I basically just hand out silverware and menus,” Ryan said.

But ask anyone who has been to the restaurant, and they will tell you that is not all he does.

“He’s a star. Everybody knows Ryan,” Bortone said. “Ryan brings more people to my restaurant than I bring to my restaurant. You know, they come to see him. I just heard someone say that.”

Seeing how the community embraced Ryan, Bortone wanted to do more. She teamed up with Commonwealth Autism, a local nonprofit which provides training for employees and employers on how to support workers with autism.

“This lady walks in named Barbra and she had a packet of papers, they were just looking for Gabe to get a job, so she was just going all over. And I saw it and I was like, ‘Absolutely,’ How could I not?” Bortone said.

Now, 21-year-old Gabe is part of the team. He came from the Commonwealth Autism program ready to work.

“I’m excited for working here for dish washing,” Gabe said.

The program is open to anyone wanting to join.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WTVR’s editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Julia Sandor

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    SYRACUSE, Utah (KSTU) — Chris Needham has always been athletic. There’s no question about that.

Moving to Utah in 2003 as a competitive speed skater, Needham was drawn to the state because of the athletic facilities and coaches. It wasn’t until a doctor’s order that he traded in those skates for sneakers.

“A little over three years ago, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease,” Needham said.

After a visit with his neurologist for an unrelated reason, Needham said a brain scan confirmed that he had the disease, which is a disorder of the nervous system.

“I couldn’t believe it at all,” he said. “I was 42 years old. I thought there was no possible way. I was fit and healthy.”

At first, Chris thought he couldn’t outrun his diagnosis, but his doctor recommended doing just that.

Yanga Pathak has been in the field of neuromodulation for about 15 years as the Medical Affairs Manager for Abbott. She’s seen how exercise can help people with Parkinson’s time and time again.

“Parkinson’s is a progressive disorder, but when you get it early, if you start incorporating things like exercise into your treatment practice, it slows the decline that is typically associated with this kind of disease indication,” Pathak said.

Pathak added that Parkinson’s disease is usually associated with people over the age of 60, but Needham was diagnosed early.

For Chris, that means he’s been able to keep a running regimen.

“My initial exam score was high. Nowadays, I’m at a level that she wouldn’t diagnose me with Parkinson’s if she hadn’t already done so,” he explained. “I have noticed that it’s gotten better with the exercise.”

He’s doing so much better that he’s going a bit further than the extra mile.

“When I found out I was going to run Boston [Marathon] with Team Abbott, it was a very emotional moment for me. I was in my office, and I was truly overcome with emotions,” Needham said.

Abbott, the global healthcare company, is the title sponsor for the Abbott World Marathon Majors series. Team Abbott is a community of runners who have faced health challenges, but like Chris, are overcoming those challenges.

Growing up in the Boston area, Needham has watched the marathon and has always heard the inspiring stories. Now, running it himself, he said it’s proof that Parkinson’s doesn’t define you.

Needham’s goal isn’t to finish first, but to inspire others.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By A.J. Nwoko

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    DINWIDDIE COUNTY, Virginia (WTVR) — Active-duty military members are spending their free time in Dinwiddie County renovating a Habitat for Humanity home for a 100 percent disabled veteran.

Tri-Cities Habitat for Humanity is revitalizing the 1,400-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bathroom home. Executive Director Kellie Parker said the house is a special case because it is a renovation rather than a traditional new build.

“This home was actually built for a Habitat homeowner that was in a wheelchair,” Parker said. “She has since passed, and we are now having the opportunity to revitalize the home, renovate the home and put another Habitat recipient in it.”

Parker, who is also a veteran, said the new occupant is a “100% disabled veteran.”

“I myself am a vet, so I’m always in a position to help my fellow veterans,” Parker said.

The renovations have been underway for over a year, involving the removal of former ambulatory accommodations to open up the space.

Active-duty service members from Fort Lee, which was renamed from Fort Gregg-Adams in July 2025, volunteered to help with the work on Saturday.

“I reached out to Fort Gregg-Adams, and they have been extremely supportive. Anytime I call, they are right there, Johnny on the spot to come out and help,” Parker said.

Devlin Calley, an active-duty military member, helped put the finishing touches on the crown molding of the home.

“I come from a veteran family, and it’s nice to know that the work I’m putting in on my free time is going to go towards somebody who’s really in desperate need of that help right now,” Calley said. “Just being able to see the work getting done over a period of time is just really rewarding.”

The home is expected to be completed by the summer. Calley said he might not be there to see the final result, but the act of service for a fellow patriot makes it worth it.

“Just because you start something doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily finish it, and if you start something, it doesn’t mean you won’t finish it,” Calley said. “I may not see this through completion, but I’m sure somebody will, and I’m sure whoever enjoys it will appreciate every bit of work that’s been put into it.”

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WTVR’s editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Averie Klonowski

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    SANDY, Utah (KSTU) — If you were out and about in the Sandy area on Saturday, you might have seen a group of eight people in yellow, jogging with a purpose. But they weren’t training for a typical marathon; they were on an adventure to etch their names in the Guinness World Records.

“So today we’re going to be running up and down Salt Lake County,” said Jacob Sargent, one of the participants.

The group, which all met through their shared passion for running, is tackling the entire challenge on foot.

Sargent built a map so people could follow their adventure.

“We’re at mile 15 right now, and we’re projected to do around I think 40-50 miles by the end of it,” explained Henry Giles, another member of the team.

While the mileage is impressive, their success isn’t measured by time, but by the number of receipts they can collect. They are chasing a world record for a very specific, and very filling, achievement.

“We are accomplishing the world record for the most amount of fast-food return visits in 24 hours,” Giles said.

The current record stands at 150 restaurants. This ambitious group aimed to surpass that by hitting nearly 200 locations in Salt Lake County.

“The current record is 150, so I think 178 puts us in a safe spot,” Sargent noted.

To achieve this, they’ve had to be strategic, ordering small, easy-to-consume items at each stop. “A lot of cookies, a lot of chips, a lot of side dishes,” Giles said.

At one stop, the choice was particularly unique. “I ate a pickle,” said Giles.

Their minimalist orders have led to some confused looks from restaurant employees.

“A group of eight people and we just ordered a single apple sauce,” Giles recalled. “They’re mostly like: ‘just one?’ And we’re like, yeah, well, we explain we’re going to 150 restaurants, so we’re going to be full.”

FOX 13 News met up with them in Sandy, a city they found with a high density of fast-food chains, perfect for their record-breaking route.

“Just went to Beto’s, I ate an entire tub of guacamole, and that was interesting,” Giles shared.

For this group, the challenge is more than just a quirky record. It’s about creating an adventure in their own backyards.

“Wanted to do an adventure that was close to home,” Sargent said.

Giles echoed that sentiment, adding that it’s a way to “prove that you can do something anywhere, anytime.”

The group later told FOX 13 News that by the time they finished around 10:00 p.m., they had visited a final total of 176 restaurants.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.