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By Christopher Harris

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    JASPER, Georgia (WUPA) — Authorities are investigating a shooting at a Veterans Affairs clinic in Jasper, Georgia, where police say a suspected gunman was shot by officers after reports of gunfire at the facility.

According to the City of Jasper, officers with the Jasper Police Department were dispatched around 1:30 p.m. to a report of shots fired at the VA Clinic on East Church Street.

When officers arrived, they located the suspected shooter at the scene. Police said the individual was confronted by responding officers and shot during the encounter.

Officials said one victim was found at the scene and taken for medical treatment before being airlifted to a hospital. Authorities have not released the victim’s condition.

Earlier, CBS News Atlanta was told by the FBI in Atlanta that it was aware of the shooting and was assessing whether federal involvement would be necessary.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed it has been asked to assist with the investigation.

City officials described the area around the VA building as a controlled law enforcement scene and asked residents to avoid the area while investigators continue their work.

Authorities have not released the identity of the suspected shooter or additional details about what led to the incident. The case remains under active investigation, and officials say more information will be released as it 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 Amelia Mugavero

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    PLANO, Texas (KTVT) — March is Pregnancy After Loss Awareness Month, a time meant to support families navigating profound grief. For one North Texas family, that loss is deeply personal.

Natalie Martin, a Plano second-grade teacher, died Feb. 15 while giving birth to her first child, leaving her husband, Aaron Martin, to care for their newborn son.

“Just being here… I catch myself, I wish she was still here,” Aaron Martin said.

Inside the family’s home, photos and keepsakes reflect a relationship built on shared faith and deep connection.

“Everything about our faith and our personalities just meshed so well,” he said. “We complemented each other.”

Natalie Martin worked in Plano ISD, where her husband said she was known for putting others first, especially her students.

“She put everyone first, that included her students… just being someone that was sacrificial from herself to others,” her husband added.

One of life’s most beautiful moments turns tragic

Her pregnancy had been healthy, he said, and the couple was nearing their due date when she began experiencing sudden back pain and went to the hospital as a precaution.

“Just a precautionary check-in to make sure all was well,” he said. “Obviously, things kind of declined from there on.”

Doctors performed an emergency C-section. Natalie Martin died hours later due to internal bleeding.

“There was just some bleeding that they couldn’t stop,” Martin admitted. “I was just in shock… trying to wrap my mind around the situation.”

A battle of grief and joy

Their son, Parker, survived and is healthy.

Martin described the conflicting emotions of overwhelming grief and joy.

“She gave everything for him, and he was first,” he said. “In the few hours they got together, it was clear that nothing else mattered except him.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 18 out of every 100,000 mothers died from pregnancy-related causes in 2024, a slight decrease from the year before. While maternal deaths remain relatively rare, the United States continues to have higher rates than many other developed countries.

Martin said he never expected his family to be part of those statistics.

“She was healthy. Parker was healthy during the pregnancy, so it was never really a thought on our mind that anything could go wrong,” he said. “It was definitely shocking.”

Honoring Natalie

Friends, family and colleagues gathered Friday, March 13, for a candlelight vigil to honor Natalie Martin’s life, remembered for her kindness, faith and devotion to others.

Martin said he finds comfort in seeing his wife reflected in their son.

“Every time I look at him, I see her,” he said. “When we talked about Parker and our future, she would just glow… and when I see him, I see her.”

Martin hopes others facing loss will lean on their support systems.

“It’s something you can’t ever really prepare for,” he said. “But being able to look at him and know we’re going to be OK, and that he’s going to know his mom, that means everything.”

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 Anne Ryman

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    TEMPE, AZ (KNXV) — Christopher Hoopes, the Tempe man charged with second-degree murder in the 2022 shooting death of his wife, will not face trial until this summer at the earliest.

Tempe police say Hoopes shot and killed his 25-year-old wife, Colleen, in the middle of the night. She was a dancer with Ballet Arizona.

Christopher Hoopes has pleaded not guilty. His trial has been moved back multiple times, most recently because he switched defense attorneys, and his new lawyer has been involved in another lengthy trial.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Monica Edelstein addressed the delays during a recent court hearing.

“It sounds like, and I just want to make sure the court is tracking based on my notes, there was still work being done with regard to experts, gathering information, disclosing information,” Edelstein said.

Both the prosecution and defense agreed to the extended time. His next court hearing is set for June 15.

ABC15 has covered this case extensively. As ABC15 previously reported, court records indicate his defense team hired pharmacy experts for a potentially unusual defense.

“At the time of the incident, Mr. Hoopes was legally prescribed medications. The use of these medications and the effects of these medications are directly relevant to Mr. Hoopes’ defense,” according to a filed motion by his attorneys previously.

Hoopes received permission to hire two expert witnesses: a pharmacologist and a forensic psychiatrist. The pharmacologist is needed to “educate the jury on the medication, uses, and side effects of the legally prescribed medications,” according to a court filing. The forensic psychiatrist is needed to assist attorneys and “educate the jury on Mr. Hoopes’ mental state, the effects of various medications, and how the relevant medications impact intent.”

James Charnesky, a Tucson defense lawyer who is not involved in the case, told ABC15 in a previous interview that Hoopes may be considering a defense called “involuntary intoxication.”

This is where a defendant claims their legally prescribed medicine caused unintended, even dangerous, side effects that affected their perception.

Court records don’t name the specific medications Hoopes was prescribed. He told police he took medications for blood pressure and asthma, according to a police report, but it’s unclear which ones.

Christopher Hoopes has had his trial delayed multiple times

Christopher Hoopes, the Tempe man charged with second-degree murder in the 2022 shooting death of his wife, will not face trial until this summer at the earliest. Tempe man accused of killing ballerina wife won’t face trial until summer 220506_baz_17296.jpg By: Anne Ryman Posted 1:20 AM, Mar 17, 2026 TEMPE, AZ — Christopher Hoopes, the Tempe man charged with second-degree murder in the 2022 shooting death of his wife, will not face trial until this summer at the earliest.

Tempe police say Hoopes shot and killed his 25-year-old wife, Colleen, in the middle of the night. She was a dancer with Ballet Arizona.

Christopher Hoopes has pleaded not guilty. His trial has been moved back multiple times, most recently because he switched defense attorneys, and his new lawyer has been involved in another lengthy trial.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Monica Edelstein addressed the delays during a recent court hearing.

“It sounds like, and I just want to make sure the court is tracking based on my notes, there was still work being done with regard to experts, gathering information, disclosing information,” Edelstein said.

Both the prosecution and defense agreed to the extended time. His next court hearing is set for June 15.

ABC15 has covered this case extensively. As ABC15 previously reported, court records indicate his defense team hired pharmacy experts for a potentially unusual defense.

“At the time of the incident, Mr. Hoopes was legally prescribed medications. The use of these medications and the effects of these medications are directly relevant to Mr. Hoopes’ defense,” according to a filed motion by his attorneys previously.

Null ABC15 is committed to finding the answers you need and holding those accountable.

Submit your news tip to Investigators@abc15.com

Hoopes received permission to hire two expert witnesses: a pharmacologist and a forensic psychiatrist. The pharmacologist is needed to “educate the jury on the medication, uses, and side effects of the legally prescribed medications,” according to a court filing. The forensic psychiatrist is needed to assist attorneys and “educate the jury on Mr. Hoopes’ mental state, the effects of various medications, and how the relevant medications impact intent.”

James Charnesky, a Tucson defense lawyer who is not involved in the case, told ABC15 in a previous interview that Hoopes may be considering a defense called “involuntary intoxication.”

This is where a defendant claims their legally prescribed medicine caused unintended, even dangerous, side effects that affected their perception.

Court records don’t name the specific medications Hoopes was prescribed. He told police he took medications for blood pressure and asthma, according to a police report, but it’s unclear which ones.

Body camera video from Tempe police that night shows Hoopes telling officers who respond to his home that he was asleep for three hours. He says he woke up startled and grabbed his gun out of his nightstand.

“It was like a dream. I don’t know. Like, I just woke up in a panic,” he tells the officer.

He tells the officer he grabbed the gun, stood up, and shot.

“I fired at my wife.”

“Then I realized it was her.”

The police officer asks Hoopes how many times he shot.

“I think three times,” he says.

Hoopes goes on to say:

“At first, when I shot her, I didn’t, I thought it was someone else.”

The officer questions him further.

“Were you fully aware of what was going on? Did you knowingly do what you were doing?

Hoopes responds, “I didn’t knowingly shoot my wife.”

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 Graham Cawthon

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    CONWAY, South Carolina (WJCL) — A South Carolina man has been sentenced to prison for a deadly shooting outside a bar.

Collins Xavier Manning Bates, 32, of Columbia, pleaded guilty Monday to assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature and possession of a firearm by a convicted violent felon. Bates was scheduled to go to trial in April.

Bates was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges stemming from a May 2023 shooting in Myrtle Beach, Fifteenth Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson announced.

Authorities said Bates and a group of friends drove from Columbia to Myrtle Beach on May 28, 2023. About 5 a.m., an argument inside the vehicle led to the victim and his girlfriend being forced out of the car in the parking lot of The Waterway House Sports & Spirits.

As the victim got out, Bates opened his door and fired one shot, striking the victim in the abdomen, prosecutors said. Bates then told the driver to leave the scene.

About eight minutes later, North Myrtle Beach police stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation. While officers spoke with Bates at the passenger-side window, the female driver mouthed, “Help me,” prosecutors said.

Police removed Bates from the vehicle and detained him. Investigators later found a firearm under Bates’ seat, and testing by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division matched Bates’ DNA and a shell casing recovered at the shooting scene to the gun, prosecutors said.

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 Hamilton Kahn

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    Sierra County NM (KOAT) — A bobcat that attacked several dogs and tested positive for rabies is the state’s first case of rabies this year, a New Mexico Department of Health news release said.

All the dogs that were attacked have received rabies vaccines and a booster, and will be monitored for rabies symptoms for 45 days. Two people who may have been exposed were given post-exposure rabies vaccines, the release said.

“Rabies is deadly but preventable,” said Dr. Erin Phipps, NMDOH’s public heealth veterinarian. “Unvaccinated pets exposed to rabies must be euthanized or strictly isolated for months to prevent human exposure.”

Bats are the animals most likely to have rabies in New Mexico, along with skunks and foxes. There were 13 confirmed cases in New Mexico of animals with rabies in 2025, including one bobcat, and 12 cases in 2024, including four bobcats, the release said.

Animals that appear sick or acting abnormally should be reported to a local animal control officer or the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.

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 Ben Kaplan

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    DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — Nearly 200 central Iowans whose cremated remains were left unclaimed after they died will soon be laid to rest.

The Final Salute, a nonprofit that works to identify and bury unclaimed veterans, is responsible for the upcoming sendoff.

“We don’t pick out the veterans and say, hey, we’re just going to honor them. We take everybody,” Final Salute founder Lanae Strovers told KCCI.

This isn’t the first time Final Salute has done this.

In 2019, they buried nearly 90 civilian adults. In 2024, there were dozens of unclaimed children who were laid to rest. These are all individuals Dennis Allen of the Final Salute says they worked to identify and learn as much as they could about their lives.

“If you look at a headstone, a lot of times you see a birth year and then a dash and then a death year. And so I always go back and think about the dash. That’s their life,” Allen said.

They’ve learned a lot.

“There are doctors and nurses and teachers and people that worked in construction, in the railroad, and farming,” Strovers said.

Some are even related.

“We have a father and son. We have a mother and daughter. We have siblings,” Strovers said.

Over the last several years, multiple central Iowa funeral homes and the Polk County Medical Examiner’s Office have handed over their cremated remains.

And on April 25, they will be buried at Avon Cemetery together.

“They’ve been family together at Hamilton’s and Iles. They’ll be a family in there,” Allen said.

Never alone.

Never forgotten.

The burial will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 25. Strovers told KCCI that anyone who would like to be part of the procession beforehand should meet in the parking lot of the Southridge Mall at 9:15 a.m.

To find out more, visit the Final Salute on Facebook.

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 Cecilio Padilla

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    SACRAMENTO (KOVR) — Authorities have made an arrest in the cold case disappearance of California teenager Victoria Marquina.

Joshua Anthony Martinez was originally arrested in connection to the Amador County girl’s disappearance in October 2019 but was released from custody.

Now, the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office confirmed Monday that Martinez has been arrested again in connection to the case. According to the jail booking log, Martinez is facing charges of murder along with several alleged sex crimes with a minor.

Martinez was indicted in San Joaquin County court on Monday. He’s being held without bail.

“I met Victoria’s mom shortly after taking office and she told me her heartbreak and not knowing where her daughter was and not having the person that killed her being held accountable,” San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas said outside the courthouse after the hearing. “And it’s weighed heavily on me and it’s one of the things that I’ve thought about almost every single day since taking office.”

Martinez, who was 21 at the time of Marquina’s disappearance, was in an unlawful dating relationship with the 16-year-old, said the Amador County District Attorney’s Office, which has jurisdiction in Sutter Creek and provided support in the investigation. Martinez previously admitted to authorities that he dropped her off in Sutter Creek.

Prosecutors noted that Martinez fled to Mexico shortly after Marquina vanished. He was extradited back to the U.S. prior to his initial arrest.

Marquina’s body has never been found, but her vehicle and her cellphone were located in San Joaquin County shortly after her disappearance.

“I think that by now she would be graduated, received, and would be a fulfilled woman,” Blance Valencia, Marquina’s mother, told CBS News Sacramento. “She had many dreams. Many dreams. Unfortunately, someone cut us off. But I still have faith, I still have hope that she will return home.”

The sheriff’s office said at the time of Martinez’s first arrest that it had circumstantial evidence that allegedly proved he killed her.

“If you know something, if you heard something, if you know where my daughter is, please communicate,” Valencia said.

In 2025, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office started a new cold case task force focusing on cases like Marquina’s.

The Amador County DA’s Office said that earlier this year, it authorized prosecutions in San Joaquin County under jurisdictional laws that allow cases spanning multiple counties to be tried there. The case was later presented to a criminal grand jury in Stockton, which returned a true bill of indictment.

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.