Author: CNN Newsource

By Rachael Lardani & AJ Sisson

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    DUNCANNON, Pennsylvania (WGAL) — An 11-year-old boy faces homicide charges after shooting and killing his father in Perry County, according to Pennsylvania State Police.

WGAL News 8 obtained court documents that reveal new details about what happened the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 13, in Duncannon Borough.

Officers responded to a home on South Market Street around 3:20 a.m. for an “unresponsive male” and found Douglas Dietz, 42, dead from a gunshot wound to the head, according to the documents.

Douglas was found in his bed in the bedroom he shares with his wife, which is connected to their son’s bedroom by a closet, according to the affidavit.

After investigating, police identified Douglas’ 11-year-old son, Clayton Dietz, as the suspect.

According to the court documents, Douglas’ wife told police she was asleep when a loud noise woke her, and she smelled something similar to fireworks. She said she tried to nudge Douglas, but he didn’t move. She then heard what she thought was water dripping, but when she turned on the light, she realized it was blood, according to the documents.

Police said Clayton then entered the bedroom and shouted, “Daddy’s dead.” Troopers at the scene also said they heard Clayton tell his mother, “I killed Daddy.”

Officials noted that Douglas and his wife adopted Clayton in 2018.

Happened on son’s birthday, police say According to the court documents, the couple went to bed shortly after midnight after singing happy birthday to Clayton.

Clayton told investigators that he had a good day with his parents, according to police. “When his dad told him he needed to go to bed, he got mad at him,” the documents stated.

When police asked Clayton what happened, he said, “I shot somebody,” according to the affidavit. “He admitted that he had someone in mind whom he was going to shoot, whom he identified as his father,” the documents said.

The wife told police there was a gun safe in the bedroom, but she denied knowing where the key was kept, according to investigators.

Clayton said he found the key in his father’s drawer and unlocked the safe in an attempt to find his Nintendo Switch, which was previously taken away from him, according to the documents.

Clayton admitted to “removing the gun from the safe, loading bullets into it and walking over to his father’s side of the bed,” the affidavit stated. “He pulled back the hammer and fired the gun at his father.”

When police asked Clayton what he thought would happen when he fired the gun, he said that “he was mad, and he had not thought about that,” investigators stated.

According to state police, Clayton was taken into custody and charged with criminal homicide.

Clayton was denied bail and is being held at the Perry County Prison, where a hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 22.

WGAL News 8 Reporter AJ Sisson spoke to a neighbor who expressed shock, saying they didn’t expect something like this to happen in their community.

“They’re very kind. I mean, I didn’t talk to them much. They, you know, kept to themselves over there and just seemed pretty nice. I didn’t expect this,” said Jesse Weldon, lifelong Duncannon resident.

Weldon lives just down the road and was outside during the Pennsylvania State Police’s investigation, but barely knew the people inside. Neighbors who spoke off-camera say this street used to be a tight-knit community, but not many know each other nowadays.

“Have you ever seen something like this here in the area?” asked Sisson.

“Not really. Not this close. I mean, you hear about it, like, not like right next door to people, you know?” said Weldon. “I remember the 90s when stuff was just transitioning, technology, and from now back to then, so much has changed.”

The Susquenita School District in Perry County released a statement late on Wednesday afternoon, expressing sympathy to the community following the shooting.

“We recognize that in a close-knit community such as ours, events like this can affect our students. Our school counselors and psychologists are available to provide support to any students in need.”

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 Shanice Hopkins

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    OKLAHOMA (KOCO) — Pleasant Hill Elementary in the Mid-Del School District improved its state report card grade from an F to a C by focusing on growth, consistency and collaboration.

“It’s about growth,” said Patrice Tucker, principal at Pleasant Hill Elementary.

She explained that the school’s success was due to tier one instruction, which she described as “good old-fashioned teaching” and adhering to the district curriculum to ensure students understand the material taught each day.

Schools across Oklahoma are graded on academic achievement, growth and overall progress. In the most recent report, Oklahoma scored a D in academic achievement.

Pleasant Hill Elementary saw a 14% increase in academic achievement, demonstrating the importance of what they say is consistency.

A key component of the school’s improvement strategy is collaboration. Every other week, Principal Tucker meets with teachers, district officials, and other members of a “professional learning community” to discuss data and targeted instructional strategies aimed at increasing student performance.

“We discuss data. We look at targeted instructional strategies just to help increase our student performance, which, you know, you have to have a picture of every student in order to grow them,” Tucker said.

According to the Department of Education, the number of schools receiving an A last year decreased, while the number of schools receiving a D increased, and the number of schools graded at F remained about the same.

“We can look at those letter grades, those As and those Bs. But what’s important is growing our kiddos each and every day, and if you’re doing that, then they will achieve at higher levels, and they will meet your expectations,” Tucker 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 Nick Sloan

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    KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KMBC) — A Missouri lawmaker has introduced a proposed constitutional amendment that would significantly rewrite the state’s marijuana and hemp laws.

If passed, the proposal would expand legal protections, remove possession limits, and reshape how marijuana is regulated, taxed, and enforced across Missouri.

House Joint Resolution 106 would repeal the state’s existing constitutional provisions on marijuana and replace them with a new framework that covers both medical and recreational cannabis.

Under the proposal, statewide purchase and possession limits would be eliminated, adults and qualifying patients could grow marijuana at home, and legal protections would expand for consumers, caregivers, and businesses involved in cannabis-related activity.

The resolution also calls for expunging certain nonviolent marijuana-related convictions and limiting civil and criminal penalties tied to lawful use.

It includes workplace protections that would prohibit discrimination for off-duty cannabis use, unless impairment affects job performance or safety.

If lawmakers approve it, the proposal would go before Missouri voters in the November 2026 general election.

The measure directs the General Assembly to establish a regulatory and tax structure for marijuana and hemp products, with limits on combined state and local taxes.

Revenue would be dedicated to veterans’ services, substance abuse treatment, and public defender programs.

For now, the measure has been introduced but hasn’t been debated or approved by either chamber of the Missouri General Assembly.

No hearings have been scheduled yet.

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 Amari Saxton

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    ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — An Albuquerque family has received a $1 million settlement after losing their home in a deadly house fire resulting from a botched SWAT operation four years ago.

In 2022, the Albuquerque Police Department conducted a raid at the family home of Sundra Coleman in an attempt to execute a warrant on a person who did not live there. Police threw tear gas canisters into the home while trying to make the arrest, causing a fire and ultimately ending with the death of 15-year-old Brett Rosenau and their family dog.

The house was destroyed in the fire, and during the operation, officers held Coleman, her daughter, and her baby grandson at gunpoint. They watched as their home burned down hours later.

The family lost all of their possessions in the fire and struggled with housing instability for several months, having to live in their car.

The attorney general’s office investigated Brett’s death and ruled it “avoidable.” The ACLU of New Mexico and Atkins & Walker Law represented the family in a June 2024 lawsuit filed against the city of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County. The city of Albuquerque agreed to settle its portion of the case for $400,000, and Bernalillo County settled its portion for $600,000.

“I just want to be happy. It’s a day-to-day process of just learning how to live again — learning how to relax. Even though it’s been a tragedy, I can still see light and joy,” said Sundra Coleman, plaintiff and owner of the burned home. “I feel like this [settlement] represents a new foundation and beginning. At this point, after everything we’ve been through, I believe it proves our resilience and shows that my family and I are worth fighting for.”

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 Hunter Geisel

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    ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Florida (WFOR) — A Florida deputy is going viral after bodycam video captured the moments he apprehended an evasive and hostile suspect, the sheriff’s office said. That suspect? A large, flightless bird.

On Jan.9, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office (SJCO) responded to reports of a runaway emu on County Road 13, about 20 miles west of St. Augustine.

SJCO Cpl. Keisler, whose bodycam video was shared on the sheriff’s office Facebook page, captured the entire incident.

“Interesting, I’m in pursuit of an emu,” Keisler is heard saying after he picked up the call.

Upon arrival, Keisler located the large bird and began following it.

“I’m currently behind the emu,” he’s heard telling dispatchers. “He’s running back southbound in the middle of the road.”

Once he got close, Keisler could be seen in the video stepping out of his patrol vehicle and slowly beginning to approach the emu, trying to get the bird’s attention. Once he got the emu’s attention, Keisler then attempted to herd the bird off the road.

“You have some big ol’ talons,” Keisler is heard saying as he continues commanding the emu off the road.

Once off the road, Keisler attempted to secure the emu; however, “the large bird ignored his commands, kicked several times using its large talons and fled on foot recklessly,” SJCO said.

After a short chase, Keisler cornered the emu near what appeared to be its possible enclosure, from which it fled.

“I’ll be honest with you, I’ve never handcuffed an emu before,” Keisler is heard telling someone off-camera. “But, they’ll fit around his legs and that’ll keep him from kicking.”

Once Keisler got close enough to the emu, he secured the bird with a makeshift lasso and handcuffed its legs to render the talons useless, SJCO said.

“Are you done resisting?” Keisler asked the emu. “I don’t want to have to charge you — don’t talk back to me.”

After talking the emu down, Keisler was able to detain the emu without causing any harm or injury to the bird, SJCO said.

“In my 25 years, I’ve never handcuffed an emu,” Keisler said on Facebook. “This is definitely a new one.”

According to SJCO, the emu was then reunited with its owner and returned home safely, and “all criminal charges against the emu were dropped.”

Emus are native to Australia

Emus are large, flightless birds that are native to Australia. The avian species is the second-largest living bird in the world, only the ostrich is bigger, and the largest Australian bird, standing at an average height of 5.7 feet and weighing between 110 and 132 pounds, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute.

In Florida, it is legal to own an emu but it depends on the intended use of the animal (i.e. livestock or pet) and requires adherence to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) regulations, with commercial farming often exempt from personal pet permits but requiring permits for public sales and display, and owners must follow federal rules enforced by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) if the emus aren’t strictly livestock.

Emu farms are specifically mentioned as exemptions to certain permit rules for public sale and exhibition, but people still need to follow the right regulations depending on their specific situation.

According to the National Zoo, emus are also fast runners, capable of reaching speeds up to 31 mph as their long legs enable them to walk considerable distances or outrun danger (or the police).

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 Alyssa Munoz

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    BERNALILLO, New Mexico (KOAT) — Bernalillo High School girls basketball head coach Ashley Duran is chasing a state championship while fighting breast cancer, showing up for her team even on the hardest days.

Duran, now in her third year as head coach, was diagnosed in April with stage 2 breast cancer. At first, doctors believed it wasn’t aggressive. But a second opinion in Arizona revealed it was more serious and needed quicker treatment.

“Death goes through your mind a lot, but I just didn’t let it beat me. Right. Like, alright, what am I going to do to keep going, to keep fighting?” Duran said.

Duran had surgery in September and is now in preventative treatment.

“I didn’t miss a game. I didn’t miss the practice. My role changed a little bit. Like, I sat on the sidelines kind of coaching, barking my orders from the chair instead of being as physical on the court,” she said.

Her players say her determination has pushed them, too. Junior Samaria Brown says seeing their coach keep showing up changed the way they approach every day.

“She’s been the best coach since freshman year for all of us. She pushed us through all of our ups and downs. She helped us through all of our plays and hearing from her having like cancer, it helped us play harder,” Brown said.

That bond has only grown stronger through Duran’s treatment. She says her team became part of what kept her going.

“They’ve gotten me through this more than anything because the mental battles is a struggle. Their positive attitude and their drive to succeed has really carried me,” Duran said. “They make me cards. They make me posters, they come to my house, they bring my son coloring books. They hang out with our family. I don’t know if they plan this, but no matter what, like, every day, I was getting a text from one of the girls on the team.”

And on the court, the Spartans are proving it. They’re 16-0 this season, and a state championship now feels within reach, powered by a team playing for more than just wins.

Duran hopes her story reminds others to trust their instincts when it comes to their health.

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 Tara Lynch

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    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJZ) — A community event at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) on Wednesday raised awareness for a Maryland woman who organizers say is being held by the Filipino government.

Friends of Chantal Anicoche say she was in the Philippines doing humanitarian work and is now in military custody.

“Very worried for her” Anicoche’s friends describe her as the life of the party and very passionate, particularly about humanitarian issues in the Philippines.

They say she was in Mindoro, a rural island with a large indigenous population, when the Armed Forces of the Philippines dropped bombs and opened fire there on New Year’s Day.

“I’m very, very worried for her,” said Rika Ramos, who is a friend of Anicoche. “When I first heard the news that she was missing, I was devastated. I was crying.”

Emerging from a hole in the Philippines

In a social media video posted by the country’s military, Anicoche was seen emerging from a hole where the Filipino government says she was for eight days after the attack. The video was shared Jan. 8.

“The military was pressured, we believed into surfacing her, and they posted a video online that many human rights advocates, humanitarians, believe is possibly staged,” said Gordon Mutch, a member of the Baltimore Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines.

“I was actually glad that she was alive, but it was hard to see her in those conditions,” said Frances Quijano, who is a friend of Anicoche.

Little information on her condition Days later, the Armed Forces posted on social media again, saying Anicoche was “voluntarily” staying in the Philippines for medical treatment, which her friends called suspicious.

“I don’t believe it for a second,” Ramos said. “If they wanted to be sure that she was voluntarily staying there, why don’t we hear it from her own mouth? Why do they keep speaking for her?”

Her friends say there is little information about her condition and whereabouts because the government is limiting what information is shared. They also say she was only found with bug bites which shouldn’t require extensive treatment.

“It’s a little worrying, because I don’t really believe that she’s voluntarily staying there, and it makes me a little bit more concerned about what her true conditions are,” Quijano said.

WJZ has not heard back from her family, but some of her friends say they are asking for privacy.

“It’s really tough to have your daughter be missing and then be found in military captivity,” Mutch said. “I can’t imagine that. I think I’ve known her for almost five years and it’s really been the toughest week of my life.”

Call to bring Anicoche home Now, Anicoche’s friends are calling on members of Congress pressure the state department to bring her back home.

WJZ reached out to the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Embassy in Manila. As of Wednesday night, neither agency has commented.

Additionally, WJZ reached out to members of the Maryland Congressional Delegation who could not confirm if her family had reached out for support.

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.