Month: August 2026

By Jesse Sarles

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    TELLER COUNTY, Colorado (KCNC) — Two Colorado State Patrol troopers were shot and injured while attempting to conduct a traffic stop in southern Colorado, the law enforcement agency said. It happened on Tuesday morning in the mountains west of Colorado Springs, near Woodland Park, in Teller County.

After an extensive search, the suspect was located and shot by officers during a confrontation and a Blue Alert that was issued by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation was deactivated.

“This is a difficult situation, but I will tell you this. If you shoot a Colorado state trooper, the world is coming for you, and that’s what happened today — and I’m grateful for that response,” Colorado State Patrol Chief Matthew Packard said in a Tuesday afternoon news conference.

Officials with the Colorado State Patrol said at approximately 7:15 a.m., the troopers were trying to pull someone over on Highway 24 near Piney Point Lane, very close to the community of Crystola, when the driver shot the trooper multiple times. A second trooper arrived to help, and CSP says the suspect also shot at them.

Both troopers were able to drive themselves to the hospital, and one has since been released. Authorities say both are expected to recover.

The Teller County Sheriff’s Office said in an online post that the suspect was driving a blue Subaru Impreza “with license plates not visible through tinted covers.” He allegedly drove off after the shooting, and law enforcement were searching for him near Westwood Lakes and Woodland West. Just before 10 a.m., the sheriff’s office said the suspect was located when a nearby homeowner recognized him from the reverse 911 call and the Blue Alert issued after the first shooting.

The CBI sends out Blue Alerts when there is a suspect who is not in custody after a law enforcement officer was killed or severely wounded. Tuesday’s Blue Alert was in effect for more than an hour.

A shelter-in-place order that was put into place for residents on Trout Creek Road and Piney Point Lane was also lifted. The sheriff’s office used a drone to assist with the search in that area.

At about 9:40 a.m. a SWAT team and dozens of other armed law enforcement officers could be seen in video from CBS Colorado’s news helicopter outside of a house located close to Highway 24. That’s where Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said the suspect began firing at law enforcement officers including county deputies. None were hurt, but the suspect died as a result of gunshot injuries he sustained in return fire.

“In Colorado, we have very good law enforcement officers. And I will tell you — to attempt an ambush and take the life of my deputy? The party was struck multiple times. Our deputies are well trained, and we will not allow someone in this county to ever attempt to take the lives of someone in this county,” Mikesell said.

One of the troopers’ injuries was described as serious, and the other’s were described as being minor. Both troopers were being treated at a hospital and are expected to survive. Neither has been identified.

Mikesell said, “There’s a lot of questions about why somebody did this. But I want you to understand something. These deputies and officers were heroic in everything they did. They were ambushed the first time. And I want you to think about something. They were ambushed a second time, and then we had another ambush on an officer. Look, I can’t say enough at how heroic those deputies are, because we don’t know what this subject would have done afterward.”

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 Beret Leone, WCCO Staff

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    MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (WCCO) — Law enforcement has released an extensive report on the response and investigation into last year’s deadly attack at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis.

The mass shooting, which occurred during the first Mass of the school year on Aug. 27, 2025, killed 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski. Eighteen other children, ranging in age from 6 to 15, were hurt, as well as three adults. The shooting happened at the church, which is connected to a school building.

The report is about 2,600 pages long, including hundreds of pages of photographic evidence connected to the attack, providing the clearest picture yet of the response and the investigation that followed.

The report is broken into two: the first stemming from Minneapolis Police Department’s investigation, and the second mostly coming from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension along with other local departments that responded.

The Minneapolis police report outlines the response of more than 150 first responders, detailing their movements and actions throughout the day, including locating the 23-year-old suspect, treating victims and clearing rooms inside the church.

The police report also lists each witness, victim, neighbors and parents police interviewed following the deadly shooting. It also includes 10 crime lab reports. In all, just this first report is 816 pages long.

The second report lays out responses from outside agencies, including an off-duty Dakota County Drug Task Force Officer who came to help on scene and a Bloomington officer’s response report.

It also includes a report from the BCA and a synopsis of 15 interviews they conducted as part of their investigation, including interviews with the suspect’s dad, a former partner, St. Louis Park library staff, a former employee of the city of Richfield, a family friend and more.

According to the report, the suspect’s father “had no concerns” about the suspect’s “behavior leading up to the shooting,” but added his ex-wife, the suspect’s mother, did have concerns about their interest in airsoft guns.

In another interview, the suspect’s ex-girlfriend described the suspect as “a friendly person” who “would never harm anyone.” She said in recent months the suspect had been “distant” but it wasn’t concerning behavior.

The suspect, a former Annunciation student, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after firing nearly 120 rounds into the church’s windows.

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 Sara Tenenbaum

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    BURNS HARBOR, Indiana (WBBM) — Indiana State Police said that an escaped prisoner in Northwest Indiana has been captured.

State police said they transferred custody of the individual to Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Tuesday afternoon.

They said an ICE officer was transporting the person heading westbound on I-94 near Exit 22 for Burns Harbor/Porter to a holding facility for processing.

State police said during the transport, the prisoner freed himself from his restraints and jumped out of the moving vehicle and fled north across the highway into a brush line.

The escapee was found Tuesday night in a marsh area, cold and wet after hiding in the water for five hours, and taken into custody without incident, state police said.

No further information was 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 Jermont Terry

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    OAK LAWN, Illinois (WBBM) — A southwest suburban police department is under scrutiny over the forceful removal of a teenager from a public meeting in Oak Lawn.

The incident sparked a rally by activists and some community members who took their complaints, accusing the Oak Lawn Police Department of racism, to Tuesday night’s council meeting. The teen involved in the incident was also in attendance.

The group rallied after images were captured at a public meeting. They say it shows officers placing a 14-year-old in a chokehold.

“Oak Lawn Police Department responded to a 14-year-old’s public comment by picking him up, slamming him into a counter in the back and putting him in a chokehold, which again is illegal,” said Muhammad Sankari.

This 20-second video provided to CBS News Chicago by members of the Arab American Action Network says it illustrates the injustice this teen endured while speaking at a police and fire commission meeting on Aug. 5.

“All of this because Oak Lawn Police refuses to acknowledge the fact that there’s deep-seated racism in this village,” Sankari said.

For three years, the group has attended every police and fire commission meeting. They are upset after the Oak Lawn Police Department did not charge a woman after she hit and killed Murod Kurdi.

The group contends that back in 2023, OLPD failed to properly test the driver and arrest her for driving under the influence in Kurdi’s death. That 14-year-old was at the meeting to protest the lack of charges.

But police say “…individuals in attendance have engaged in disruptive conduct that has interfered with the commission’s ability to conduct its official business” and constantly are “… shouting obscenities, having physical confrontations with police officers, knocking over chairs, and refusing to comply with lawful requests…”

On the day the images were taken, Oak Lawn police say the teen yelled obscenities while speaking and “when officers attempted to escort the juvenile away from the podium, an adult female interfered with the officers and was subsequently removed from the meeting.”

The group acknowledges the teen swore at the meeting.

“There is specific language you should be using in a public meeting, but at the end of the day, again, never ever, ever should have resulted him into a chokehold,” said Nadiah Alyafai, Arab American Action Network.

Oak Lawn police say they respect the First Amendment, but it can’t disrupt public meetings.

The teen’s mother is accused of interfering while her son was being removed, with police claiming she hit officers. She was later arrested and charged with assault.

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 Doug Myers

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    PLANO, Texas (KTVT) — Four behavior analysts at a Plano autism treatment center had their state licenses suspended after regulators said they failed to report suspected sexual abuse of a 4-year-old child by two center employees.

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation issued emergency suspension orders Aug. 17 against four professionals tied to Apara Autism Center:

– Nicole Ercan, behavior analyst – Amberly Bossert, behavior analyst – Karah Pack, behavior analyst – Alice Agyeman, assistant behavior analyst

Texas law sets mandatory reporting rules “When abuse is suspected, each professional has a duty to report directly to the proper authorities, and TDLR will take action when that responsibility under the law is not met,” TDLR Executive Director Courtney Arbour said.

TDLR said the child’s mother contacted staff at the center on May 12 after the child disclosed information raising concerns about possible sexual abuse involving two other workers.

Center officials addressed the allegation internally and reviewed surveillance video, according to the agency.

Pack and Agyeman brought the matter to their supervisors, Ercan and Bossert, TDLR said. But regulators said none of the four contacted law enforcement or the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to report the suspected abuse.

The child’s mother later took the child to an emergency room for a sexual assault examination. Hospital personnel then notified law enforcement and DFPS, according to TDLR.

The suspensions concern the four licensees’ reporting obligations and do not constitute a finding on whether the alleged sexual abuse occurred. Any investigation into possible criminal conduct is a matter for law enforcement, the agency said.

The two registered behavior technicians accused in the child’s disclosure are certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board and are not licensed by TDLR, according to the agency.

Texas law requires certain professionals who have reasonable cause to believe a child has been abused or neglected to report the suspicion within 24 hours.

The four licensees were ordered to stop practicing immediately. Their suspensions can remain in effect for one year unless TDLR or a court orders otherwise. They may seek expedited hearings before an administrative law judge.

CBS News Texas will provide updates as more information becomes available.

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 Bo Evans

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    FORT WORTH, Texas (KTVT) — He likes playing with a soccer ball, eating cookies, and he loves his mama.

But being a healthy 19-month-old wasn’t always in the cards for Jessie.

“We found out that Jessie had SMA type 1 when he was 7 days old,” said Lupita Vasquez, Jessie’s mom. “I just got really scared. And the type that he has, he has type 1, everything on Google says they don’t live past two years old. So, I was just like, my baby is going to die, I didn’t understand anything.”

“SMA is a progressive neuromuscular condition,” said Dr. Stephanie Accord, a Pediatric neurologist at Cook Children’s in Fort Worth. “With no treatment, he would be unable to sit independently; he would not be able to hold his head up very well. Usually, they don’t end up crawling very well. A lot of times, they end up needing respiratory support with being able to swallow. SMA, before any treatments were approved, was the number one cause, from a genetic perspective, of infant mortality. At 20 months, there used to be an 8% survival rate.”

Jessie began receiving treatment right away – and while his life wasn’t at risk, he wasn’t making as much progress as anyone had hoped. Dr. Accord convinced Jessie’s family to use a drug, Spinraza, to help Jessie’s developmental progress.

However, it would require injecting the medicine directly into his spine four times over two months. This would help Jessie keep developing. Jessie would need to be put under an anesthetic and receive a lumbar puncture, injecting the medicine directly into his spine. Jessie needed this procedure four times over the course of two months.

“He was actually scheduled to receive his first treatment on March 31st, and on March 30th, is when we got news that the higher dose treatment of Spinraza had been approved,” said Dr. Accord.

Jessie became the second child in the country, and the first in Texas, to receive this higher dose – meaning he got more medicine faster. The results? Have been amazing for him.

“It’s been worth it. Right after maybe a couple weeks, he started pulling up to stand and taking little steps here and there. Now he’s walking,” said Vasquez.

And every little step Jessie takes makes it worth it for the people who care for him and little kids just like him.

“Pediatric neurology is a tough field to be in a lot of times. And this particular type of treatment for these kiddos, it changes their life,” said Dr. Accord. “In particular cases like Jessie, we really are making a difference, and this is why I love my job. Because there are lots of hard days, and these days remind why I do what I do.”

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 Vanessa Murdock

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    NEW YORK, New York (WCBS) — The Anne Frank Tree in Liberty Park in Lower Manhattan is struggling to survive.

The tree grew from the rootstock of Anne Frank’s white horse chestnut tree, which she could see from the attic where she hid from the Nazis. It inspired her diary entries, including one reading, “Nature brings solace in all troubles.”

The Anne Frank Center USA donated the tree 10 years ago, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey planted it at the World Trade Center and dedicated it in 2017.

Today, the tree looks bare, and the few leaves still hanging are brown and shriveled.

“We’ll do everything we can to try to save the tree,” said Jolene Yeats, director of the World Trade Center department at Port Authority.

She shares their landscape team has treated the tree for leaf blotch, a fungal disease, numerous times over the years. It looked healthier after the most recent treatment in May, but it took a turn in July. That’s when they sought outside help.

“We worked with our landscape team, and we sent some samples to Cornell,” Yeats said.

The results revealed two more fungi are affecting the tree, and issues go root deep. The Anne Frank Center USA is also helping.

“I started to talk to the men who take care of and grow the trees for us in Indiana, the Vallonia tree and seedling nursery, and ask them of all of these scenarios – could it be too much heat, too much sun, too much water?” said Anne Frank Center USA CEO Lauren Bairnsfather. “And it could be any of these things.”

Bairnsfather adds early leaf drop is not completely out of the ordinary.

“What we really need to do is wait through the winter and see how the tree is doing next spring,” she said.

“We’ve seen it have struggles before and recover, so we’re just really hoping that we’ll see that resilience again,” Yeats said.

They hope this symbol of hope continues to bloom for generations.

The Anne Frank Center USA shares there are 22 Anne Frank trees planted around the country, and this is not the first to face such challenges.

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 Tim McNicholas, Walter Smith Randolph

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    TUCKAHOE, New York (WCBS) — A CBS News New York investigation has found that a car registered to the former police chief of Tuckahoe in Westchester County was involved in multiple reported hit-and-runs within minutes.

Now, the Westchester district attorney is investigating how police handled the case.

Yonkers Police say they took a report on Aug. 14 that someone driving an Infiniti sedan struck a car near a CVS on Central Park Avenue then drove off.

Officers say someone else then reported the same Infiniti struck and damaged a parked car half a mile away on Falmouth Road.

Yonkers Police say the Infiniti is registered to former Tuckahoe Police Chief John Costanzo, but a witness said a woman was behind the wheel during the incident on Falmouth. That witness said someone tried to stop her, but she drove off before police arrived, so police took a hit-and-run report.

Minutes after the incident on Falmouth, an Infiniti crashed into a parked Amazon truck in Tuckahoe near Main Street and Columbus Avenue, half a mile from Costanzo’s home, CBS News New York learned. Witnesses say police responded, but no one was arrested at the scene.

In a statement, Tuckahoe Mayor Cara Kronen said a vehicle involved in the incident “entered the Village following an earlier incident in Yonkers.”

No injuries have been reported in those crashes, but Amazon did say their truck was scratched and dented.

The village says it referred the case to the Westchester district attorney, and it can’t provide any more details because the DA is now investigating.

The DA’s office will only say their Public Integrity and Law Enforcement Bureau is investigating. That unit typically investigates police misconduct.

No one answered the door when CBS News New York went to Costanzo’s home, and Tuckahoe’s current police chief and mayor would not agree to interviews with CBS News New York.

Costanzo retired from the force in 2023.

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 Jessica Riley

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    PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — A 19-year-old man is in the Allegheny County Jail after police say he assaulted two women and a man in Downtown Pittsburgh on Friday.

Police say that’s just the latest in a string of crimes that 19-year-old Giovanni Moore has been involved in the last few weeks. Moore has been arrested and faces many charges in connection to crimes committed Downtown, including assaults, theft and disorderly conduct. In just the past month, Moore has been charged more than 10 times and has 13 active cases, some of those spreading through different municipalities.

The most recent was Friday outside of the 7-Eleven along Penn Avenue. Police say Moore stole cash from a woman, then punched her and a second woman when he was confronted. According to police, Moore then dragged one of the women along the street before running away.

A short time later at a separate location, police say he assaulted a man, then tried to steal another person’s bag. Moore then ran from the scene again and eventually police caught up with him near the intersection of Ninth and Penn Avenue and arrested him.

Police say his alleged crime spree goes back weeks all throughout Downtown and on different days. According to court records, Moore hasn’t posted bond and he remains inside the Allegheny County Jail.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Pittsburgh Public Safety said, “We would be remiss if we did not mention that this individual appears to have some significant mental health issues.”

A Pittsburgh Public Safety spokesperson said Moore was arrested twice in May for possession with intent charges, “but nothing at that time was overtly concerning behaviorally.”

“They really became aware of him in early August as they arrested him a number of times on more concerning charges,” the statement said. “That’s when PBP began to work with OCHS and a number of different entities to try to intervene in some fashion and get him assistance.”

As for why he was released from jail so many times, Pittsburgh Public Safety said the department can’t speak to decisions made by the courts.

Moore is currently facing charges including assault, robbery, prohibited acts, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, open lewdness, harassment, theft and public drunkenness. With some of the charges, he’s facing more than one count of each.

For many, hearing this news is frustrating as they ask why someone can continue committing crimes and getting released from jail only to allegedly commit more crimes.

“I got my peripheral open like 24/7, everywhere I go. It seems like it’s the norm anymore. In and out, in and out, and eventually they do something crazy,” said Andrew Tucker, who lives Downtown.

“Somebody like that is probably going to continue to do it. I mean, you can’t keep somebody like that on the street. I mean, it’s clear,” said John Petron, who works Downtown.

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.