‘Threw a baby out the window’: April Fools’ Day prank sparks multi-agency response

CNN Newsource on April 3, 2026

By Meghan Mosley

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    OKLAHOMA CITY (KOCO) — An April Fools’ Day prank sparked a real multi-agency response Wednesday night, with police, firefighters and Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers responding to the false call.

Now, there are serious questions about how this all unfolded.

KOCO 5 has confirmed that a dispatcher called out over Oklahoma City police radio that police were involved in a chase, where a baby was reportedly thrown from the window of a car.

It was all a prank, and now the state’s 911 coordinator is sounding the alarm, calling it dangerous.

‘It wastes resources’ “Anytime we have emergency calls that are false, it wastes resources within the 911 center and also the response. And it also endangers the public,” said Lance Terry, Oklahoma’s state 911 coordinator.

KOCO 5 played the radio dispatch for Terry, which our team first heard over a police scanner radio on Wednesday night.

“Officers, be advised, suspect in pursuit, Southwest 29th and Walker, northbound, red Charger, no tag,” a dispatcher could be heard saying.

The dispatcher, who works for the Oklahoma City Police Department, went on to report that the suspect, at one point, threw a baby out of the car and then minutes later reported a “transient” had been run over.

“I’m not sure where the Charger is,” a person said during the radio conversation.

The call led to officers, firefighters and troopers to be dispatched.

“They are currently southbound on Robinson from Southwest 29th,” a dispatcher said. “The unit in pursuit, something’s wrong with their radio, so they’re not broadcasting, but we’re watching on the map, and they’re getting … messages.”

You can hear the moment Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers became involved.

“Sounds like Santa Fe is in pursuit. Can we see if they need our assistance? 157 all units, unless it’s a felony, we’re going to stay out of it for the 10-13 right now,” troopers said.

“Oklahoma City to all units, we have advised Santa Fe is in pursuit, it is going to be felony charges, they’re going to be westbound from Grand and Robinson. It’s going to be a red Charger with no tag, city just advised the suspect threw a baby out the window,” a dispatcher said.

The Oklahoma City Fire Department confirmed that one of their engines, rescue ladder trucks, an entire “blood unit,” and a district chief responded.

“157, be advised this vehicle supposedly ran over a transient,” a trooper said. “782 city, can you tell us if this was eastbound, westbound?”

‘It was an April Fools’ prank’ Five minutes into the call, a dispatcher said it was an April Fools’ Day prank, but there’s no indication of where it all originated.

“We’re going to terminate this pursuit,” a person could be heard in the radio exchange. “It was an April Fools’ prank.”

“My initial feeling is, is how much stress and workload did it take on all responders, including the 911 dispatchers, to manage that event. And also, what was going on in the background, what other calls may have been delayed or put on the side as this incident was rolling out,” Terry said.

Oklahoma City Fire Department officials told KOCO 5 that when they found out from police that the call wasn’t real, they called off their response.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol officials said they did not have a statement to release about the incident.

Oklahoma City Police Department officials released a statement about the incident Thursday evening. “We are aware of a reported pursuit involving some of our officers that included serious claims, which has since been determined to be false. The matter is currently under review as part of an internal investigation. Due to the ongoing nature of this process, we are unable to release any additional information at this time. We take this situation seriously and are committed to ensuring a thorough review is conducted,” officials wrote.

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Santa Cruz Mountains residents react to strongest earthquake since 1989

CNN Newsource on April 3, 2026

By Jazmon DeJarnette

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    BOULDER CREEK, California (KSBW) — Residents of the Santa Cruz Mountains felt every second of a magnitude 4.6 earthquake early Thursday morning, marking the strongest quake in the region since the 1989 Loma Prieta disaster.

“I did go outside expecting to see the Earth open, and it was that intense,” said Keith Swick, a mountain resident.

Home cameras captured the moment the world started shaking just before 2 a.m. The earthquake originated in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

“This felt like the whole forest fell,” Swick said.

The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed that this is the largest earthquake in the mountain region since the 1989 Loma Prieta quake.

For neighbors who lived through that disaster, Thursday’s quake brought back some scary memories.

“The role of the floor was definitely different because Loma Prieta was a really quick shake back and forth. It just kept going. This one had that long swaying, rolling feeling which made it feel more dramatic,” said Krista Cheshire, another resident.

Since the initial jolt, the U.S. Geological Survey hasn’t recorded any major aftershocks.

However, experts caution that there is still a chance of a larger earthquake following any magnitude 4 or 5 event.

“It’s well documented that there is still a chance of a larger earthquake followed by any magnitude four or five event,” said Natalia Ruppert, early warning earthquake program coordinator for USGS.

Mountain residents say they are used to staying prepared for the possibility of more shaking.

“Well, living in the forest, we actually have some things together ready, like a to-go box. And so we have all our paperwork in an easy-access place,” Chesire said.

Experts say serious damage usually starts at a magnitude 5, but in the mountains, the rules are a little different.

“If it’s a mountainous region like this, there are always loose rocks that can be shaken off the slopes,” an expert said.

For Richard Swick, the earthquake meant finding a new crack in his roof that wasn’t there before the sun went down.

Scientists say while we can’t predict when the next one hits, the advice for when it does remains the same.

“If you’re in a building, in a room, home or office, be prepared to drop, cover and hold,” Ruppert said.

You can sign up for Early Earthquake warnings at: earthquake.ca.gov/get-alerts

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Police: South Carolina woman beaten in hotel room before writing ‘Call 911’ on window in soap

CNN Newsource on April 3, 2026

By Graham Cawthon

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    NORTH CHARLESTON, South Carolina (WJCL) — A South Carolina man has been charged in connection with a violent kidnapping and assault at a hotel.

Keith Jerome Galloway was charged Wednesday with kidnapping and first-degree assault and battery in connection with an incident that happened more than two years ago, according to the North Charleston Police Department.

Police said officers responded March 13, 2024, to a hotel in the 7400 block of Northside Drive. When officers arrived, they found a woman inside a room in disarray with visible injuries.

The specific hotel was not named by police.

The woman told police she met Galloway about a week earlier and considered him a friend. She said an argument over a lost room deposit and the possibility of having to leave the hotel escalated into violence.

According to police, Galloway destroyed the woman’s cellphone, disconnected the room phone and prevented her from leaving. She told officers he repeatedly assaulted her. Police said other hotel guests heard her screams.

Investigators said Galloway fled on foot before officers arrived. The woman, still afraid to leave the room, wrote “Call 911” and the room number on a window with soap, prompting others to check on her and help alert authorities.

Police later identified Galloway, 41, during the investigation. Members of the Warrants Unit found him in custody at the Berkeley County Jail, where he was served with arrest warrants. Authorities said he was later transferred to the Al Cannon Detention Center.

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Man accused in ‘unprovoked’ attack on New Hampshire state trooper

CNN Newsource on April 3, 2026

By KC Downey

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    DOVER, New Hampshire (WMUR) — A man is facing multiple charges after accusations that he attacked a New Hampshire state trooper on Thursday afternoon. Police called the alleged assault “unprovoked.”

Police said around 2 p.m., Jonathan G. Newcomb, 53, of Dover, parked his vehicle next to the trooper’s cruiser, which was in a parking lot on Dover Point Road, near Route 16.

Newcomb allegedly got out of his vehicle and approached the trooper while holding a stick and a metal tool.

According to state police, Newcomb became verbally aggressive and challenged the trooper.

While the trooper tried to identify him, a physical encounter ensued, police said.

Police said Newcomb punched the trooper, tore his uniform and tried to take the trooper’s gun.

After what police described as a “prolonged struggle,” the trooper was able to arrest Newcomb.

Police said bystanders intervened to help the trooper at the scene.

Newcomb faces felony charges, including criminal threatening and attempting to take a firearm from law enforcement. He also faces misdemeanor charges of driving while intoxicated, stalking, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, assault on a police officer, criminal mischief and theft.

Newcomb suffered minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Police said the trooper was evaluated at the hospital as a precaution. Both were later released.

Newcomb is set for an arraignment Friday.

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Dog survives bear attack while guarding family’s chickens

CNN Newsource on April 3, 2026

By Meagan Halbardier Moore

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    ESPAÑOLA, New Mexico (KOAT) — Honey, a 12-year-old mixed-breed dog owned by the Martinez family, is being praised for her bravery after surviving a bear attack while protecting the family’s chickens.

The family said they woke up in early March to find Honey barely breathing and badly injured in their driveway. At first, they knew something was seriously wrong, but the full extent of her injuries became clear only when they looked closer.

Lenna Martinez said Honey had suffered severe wounds to her neck, leaving them shocked and devastated by what they saw. “I turned her head to the right, and that’s when I saw like her whole neck, like the skin was just ripped off her entire neck, where the collar was covering. And I just immediately started crying. Like, I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing and how severe it was.”

After an investigation, the Martinez family said they believe a bear came onto their property in an attempt to get to the chickens. Honey, whom the family described as an extremely protective dog, appears to have confronted the animal and fought to keep it away from the coops.

“They could see the tracks of her running back and forth, trying to keep the bear out of the chicken coops,” said Mattie Allen, the director of communications and programs at Española Humane. “And unfortunately, Honey took the brunt of the bear’s anger.”

Honey was treated by Española Humane, which the family credited with helping save her life. They say the care she received gave them a second chance with a dog that has shown fierce loyalty to their family.

Now recovering, Honey is being celebrated not only as a survivor but as a hero whose courage helped protect the animals in her care. The family now calls her “Honey the Bear Slayer.”

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Hoist the Cone: Pirates embrace new dugout celebration despite the mystery behind it

CNN Newsource on April 3, 2026

By Raquel Ciampi

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    PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (WTAE) — The Pittsburgh Pirates seem to have started a new tradition in their dugout, “hoisting the cone.”

Pitching ace Paul Skenes talked about the trend on the Pat McAfee Show Thursday after it was seen during their last game against the Reds.

“Well the life of the cone — (it) has been used a lot recently, so gotta keep that going. Uh, I don’t know. There’s probably going to be a number of people who hoist the cone this year. Cruz wore it a couple times. He looked like he was at Hogwarts. I don’t know the story on the cone,” Skenes said.

While Skenes may not know the story of the cone, it appears to track back to a shirt the licensed sports gear company Fanatics was selling.

Pittsburgh Clothing Co. spotted the “Hoist the Cone” shirt and shared the image on X, asking a question that has now infiltrated the minds of many Pirates fans, “What the heck does “Hoist the Cone” mean”

Was it a misprint? Was it supposed to read Hoist the Colors? Or was it a reference to the Pittsburgh Cone from 2019 — a waffle cone special filled with everything a yinzer needs: kielbasa, pierogi, Swiss cheese and more. No one appears to know.

What we do know is Skenes believes the cone that was spotted in the team’s dugout was picked up by one of his teammates on the side of the road in Cincinnati earlier this week.

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Arrest made in violent road-rage attack against two reality TV stars in Hollywood

CNN Newsource on April 3, 2026

By KABC staff

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    LOS ANGELES (KABC) — A man has been arrested in connection with a violent road-rage attack against two reality TV stars in Hollywood, according to Los Angeles police.

Patrik Simpson and Pol’ Atteu, co-hosts of the show “Gown and Out Beverly Hills” and the “Undressed” podcast, say they were on Melrose Avenue and Vine Street Sunday morning when the driver of a Toyota 4Runner blocked their car at the busy intersection.

Footage of the attack shows a man punching and kicking the window and door of the couple’s car before taking off.

“He gave me this death glare, like, literally, I thought he was going to kill us,” Simpson, who recorded the video, recounted to Eyewitness News earlier this week.

The reality stars say the violent interaction came without warning as they sat at the intersection.

“He punched the window… blood on the car. His hand was bleeding. That’s how hard he hit the car,” Simpson said.

The couple said they couldn’t figure out what triggered the man in the first place.

Police identified the suspect as Kevin Antonio Hernandez.

He was arrested Wednesday and booked on suspicion of felony vandalism. He’s since been released.

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Doctors, nurses arrested in SoCal health care fraud investigation

CNN Newsource on April 3, 2026

By Anabel Munoz

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    LOS ANGELES (KABC) — The U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday announced what they called a major health care fraud takedown throughout Southern California, which included the arrest of doctors and nurses.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli was joined during a press conference by several law enforcement agencies including the FBI, and Dr. Mehmet Oz, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

They said they served a series of search and arrest warrants throughout the region, from Covina to Lakewood. Eight people were arrested and more than a dozen are being charged for suspected health fraud.

They also mentioned fraudulent hospice care.

“These defendants recruited beneficiaries who were not terminally ill, and paid them to pose as patients receiving hospice care. Medicare then paid millions of dollars – hundreds of millions of dollars – on false and fraudulent claims submitted by fraudsters,” said Essayli.

Among those arrested were a Covina couple. Prosecutors said 66-year-old psychologist Gladwin Gill and his wife, Amelou Gill, a registered nurse, operated a fraudulent hospice business out of Glendale.

“This particular hospice submitted more than $5.2 million in fraudulent claims, and Medicare actually paid out more than $4 million,” Essayli said.

Gill’s attorney told Eyewitness News he denies the allegations and looks forward to his day in court.

Oz announced a broader review of hospice providers in the state.

“We’re going to review every single hospice in California to make sure that they’re all appropriate, and we hope to do that expeditiously. We’ll do it this year,” Oz said.

During the news conference, federal authorities were questioned about a video Gov. Gavin Newsom said in January his office was reviewing. In that video, Oz, who is Turkish American, was shown standing in front of an Armenian-owned bakery in Van Nuys while alleging widespread fraud in the area.

Essayli confirmed that none of the defendants named Thursday were connected to that video. Oz responded to outcry that his accusations, which the business owner denounced as false, were discriminatory.

“I was stating the facts as they’ve been explained to me, and we have a lot of evidence of where the fraud is, just looking at the numbers,” Oz said.

Oz did not provide any evidence against a specific business in connection to that video. He suggested that half of Los Angeles County hospice care facilities are fraudulent, pointing to survival percentages as evidence.

“World experts at CMS say if you’ve got 100% or near survival, certainly if you’ve got a survival over 50% for population that’s supposed to have passed in six months, you’ve got a problem,” he said.

Newsom responded to accusations that California had not done enough to address hospice fraud, saying in part, “The Trump Administration – home to the biggest fraudsters on Earth – is trying to blame California for issues with THEIR federal programs.”

His press office said the state has taken action for years, including suspending more than 280 licenses and banning new ones.

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Historic Gettysburg flag goes on public display for first time

CNN Newsource on April 3, 2026

By Morrissey Walsh

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    GETTYSBURG, Pennsylvania (WGAL) — A historic American flag that flew proudly above Gettysburg as soldiers returned from battle in 1863 is now on public display for the first time.

“Until today, it’s been in a box in our archives. And so now the public will get to enjoy it,” said Andrew Dalton, the president of Gettysburg History.

Silent reminder of history

The flag, tattered, torn and tarnished with wear, hangs quietly as a silent reminder of history.

“A young man named Daniel Skelly grabbed this flag and ran up to the top of the roof of the store where he worked and flew it off the side of the roof to welcome the Union troops as they marched by,” Dalton said.

“It’s just sensational. The flag was actually donated to our historical society by Daniel Skelly Junior, his son,” said Tim Smith, a historian with Gettysburg History.

Flag represents strength and resiliency

The flag is still here, more than 150 years later, for all to see. With broad stripes and bright stars, historians say the flag represented strength and resiliency following the Battle of Gettysburg.

Now, it serves as a reminder of the country’s journey to 250 years.

“It gave me goosebumps. Really did. To know that that was actually flown over Gettysburg on July 4, 1863,” said Jacqueline White, the owner of the Dobbin House.

Centerpiece of the Spirit of 1776 exhibit

The flag is the centerpiece of the Spirit of 1776 exhibit at the Beyond the Battle Museum. The opening of the exhibit coincides with the start of the fourth annual Gettysburg Film Festival. This year’s program focuses on the American Revolution.

“The fact that the United States were able to defeat the British Empire is really a stunning moment in world history. And now we’re going to explore that and how that happened. It became the country that we are today,” said Jake Boritt, the director of the Gettysburg Film Festival.

Visiting this exhibit is just one way to get a look at history this weekend. The Gettysburg Film Festival has a whole lineup of events running through Saturday in Gettysburg.

The Spirit of 1776 exhibit is free and open to the public.

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Glassblowing business working to create a twist on the traditional Easter egg hunt

CNN Newsource on April 3, 2026

By Marcus McIntosh

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    NEWTON, Iowa (KCCI) — Inside Fuego Hot Glass in Newton, preparations are underway for an Easter egg hunt with an unusual twist: more than 600 of the eggs hidden across town are hand-blown glass creations.

The colorful event combines art, community and competition, with organizers hoping it becomes a new local tradition.

At the center of it are John and Mary Curiel, who opened Fuego Hot Glass in November.

The couple said the idea grew out of a smaller holiday promotion at Christmas, when they hid ornaments that disappeared almost immediately.

That response inspired them to try something similar for Easter, only on a much larger scale.

“We had hidden a few Christmas ornaments at the end of our season last year on Christmas Eve, and they were gobbled up within minutes,” Mary Curiel said. “We were making some eggs, and we just said, ‘Hey, let’s hide a few of them.’ And then we said, ‘Hey, let’s see if anyone else wants to hide a few of them.’”

The concept quickly caught on.

More than 50 businesses have joined the effort by buying the hand-blown eggs and hiding them within Newton city limits.

Curiel said the enthusiastic response from local businesses has helped turn a simple idea into a citywide event.

“So we’re running with it. We’re going to see what happens,” Curiel said. “And we are just delighted with how well it’s been received and how generous these businesses have been.”

Hints for the eggs’ locations will be posted on Facebook at 11:45 a.m. Saturday, with the all-ages hunt beginning at noon.

Supporters say the event is about more than finding eggs — it is also about spotlighting local businesses and bringing people together.

“What a way to bring the community together and promote other businesses, you know, in the town that you may not even know exist,” Jill Immel, Montana Mike’s manager, said.

Each glass egg takes about five to seven minutes to make, with colors and designs customized for participating businesses.

When the hunt ends, one participant will also walk away with a golden egg, redeemable for a $200 gift card to Fuego Hot Glass and a $50 gift card to Montana Mike’s Steakhouse.

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