Category: CNN Regional

By Griffin Gonzalez

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    FISHERS, Indiana (WRTV) — Fishers police officers went above and beyond their duties this week, delivering dozens of packages after arresting a delivery driver during a traffic stop.

The incident began as a routine traffic stop that quickly escalated when the driver fled and abandoned his car, according to Major Ryan Jones with the Fishers Police Department.

“The driver that he was trying to stop ran from the traffic stop into a shopping center area,” Jones said. “From there, they were able to detain the subject and get him into custody.”

The driver was arrested for dealing marijuana, resisting law enforcement, leaving the scene of an accident and driving while suspended.

During the investigation, officers discovered the suspect was a package delivery driver with an estimated 40 to 50 packages in his vehicle.

Rather than leave the packages undelivered, Fishers police officers loaded them into their cruisers and delivered them throughout the city themselves.

“They were all throughout the city of Fishers through different beats,” Jones said. “So they divided them up by the beats and made the deliveries to the citizens.”

The gesture didn’t go unnoticed by the community.

Fishers’ neighbors took to Facebook to thank their police officers for taking the time to deliver packages right to their doorsteps.

Jones said this type of community service is typical for Fishers officers.

“These officers go above and beyond all the time, whether it’s changing tires, getting gas for people that run out of gas,” Jones said.

The department views these actions as part of its broader mission to serve the community.

“We’re not only out there protecting citizens of Fishers, but we’re also out there serving the citizens of Fishers,” Jones said. “I think it goes to show the support we have from the community, and we’d like to give the support back to the community.”

Amazon confirmed to WRTV that they have no record of the arrested driver in their database of third-party delivery drivers. WRTV was not told which delivery service the suspect worked for.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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 Cate Cauguiran

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    CHICAGO (WLS) — Conversations were held Thursday between an Indiana hospital and the pregnant woman turned away moments before she gave birth.

Mercedes Wells gave birth to her daughter in her car, after she was told she wasn’t far enough along in the birthing process to be admitted.

The family is now talking with hospital representatives about how to move forward. ABC7 Chicago spoke with the baby’s father Thursday night.

The Wells family says while they are hopeful for the talks to come. Their Chicago-based attorney says there was “disconnect over what happened and what should be done.”

Leon and Mercedes Wells are determined to make changes at Franciscan Health in Crown Point. That’s where the couple says Mercedes was discharged from the hospital while in active labor.

Minutes later, Leon delivered their daughter Alena on the side of the road.

“I put my fingers around my baby’s head, and as my wife pushed, I pulled,” Leon said. “This is while I still in driver’s seat.”

The couple and their attorney had their first meeting with Franciscan Health hospital administrators on Thursday.

“My wife wasn’t heard when this first situation happened, and I’m not too sure she’s heard now,” Leon said.

Franciscan Health Crown Point say they’ve since fired the physician and nurse directly involved with Mercedes’ care and made changes, including mandated cultural competency training for labor and delivery staff.

President and CEO Raymond Grady said in a statement, in part, “After spending time with the Wells family, I am even more confident that we share the same goals, to ensure every patient is heard and receives compassionate, equitable care.”

However, the family’s attorney, Cannon Lambert Sr., says more needs to be done, including adding implicit bias training and firing the two nurses seen here wheeling Mercedes after the couple says she pleaded for them to admit her.

“When you see something, you should say something, They didn’t.” Lambert Sr. said.

The family’s attorney says the couple has not filed a lawsuit against the hospital, but depending on how the talks continue, that is an option. Their bottom line is to make sure no mother has to endure what Mercedes did.

“For them to see this and not say anything about it. It’s really hurtful,” Leon said.

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By Stef Manchen

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    TULSA, Oklahoma (KJRH) — The moment she got answers, life as Angel Horn knew it flipped upside down.

“In that moment, hearing his diagnosis, I went numb,” she said. “When they told me he was on the spectrum level three it was hard to hear, but I already knew.”

Horn said she noticed signs that her 5 year old son Willie had some challenges, but wasn’t sure how to respond, having three older neurotypical children.

Instead of letting the diagnosis cripple her, she turned her fear into purpose.

“I got up out that chair, I wiped my tears and before I left that door, I said, ‘okay, I’m ready for the journey,” said Horn. “Hearing the diagnosis just pushed me to learning about it, educating myself about it. Just because it’s a diagnosis doesn’t mean he will lack in any way.”

That journey led her to founding Piece by Peace Child Development Research Services, an organization focused on connecting families with autism resources.

“I wanted to be able to bridge that gap between resources and families, and let women, families, caregivers know you’re not in this alone,” said Horn.

This Christmas, she’s launching a new holiday tradition: an autism Christmas party. Horn is hoping for community support through a toy drive to make the celebration special.

“Our toy drive is about inclusion,” she said. “We want like a party. We want every kid that’s on the spectrum to come in, have a good time.”

Pop-its, fidgets, slime and squishies are just a few ideal sensory-specific toys, though Horn welcomes any donations to ensure these children have the best Christmas possible.

“They don’t get invited to a lot of things, so I want to bring them in, have a party, celebrate them,” said Horn. “They can be who they are, without any judgment. No one’s going to look at them, no ones going to judge them.”

In just one year, Horn has connected with 30 families in the Tulsa area, creating a support network and resource-sharing space.

“I just don’t want anyone to feel lonely. Each mom that I meet, the stories that they tell me, I’m like, I’ve been there, it’s okay and they always thank me like ‘you get it,’ and I’m like ‘yeah, I do get it. I get it. You’re not in here alone,'” Horn said.

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By Faraz Javed

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    GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, Michigan (WXYZ) — It’s been just over two months since the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints in Grand Blanc Township was attacked, a shooter taking the lives of four parishioners and leaving the rest of the community scarred.

7 News Detroit reporter Faraz Javed was one of the first reporters on the scene and has been on the story from the very start. Now, he’s bringing you a story you’ll only see on Channel 7 with exclusive body camera footage from two Genesee County Sheriff’s deputies who are also trained medics.

You’ll witness their fight to save lives inside a burning church — and hear from those who lived through the gunfire, the flames, and the heartbreak.

“You never really think that it can happen that close to home,” said Dustin Roy, a Genesee County Sheriff’s Deputy Medic.

Sgt. Collette Hunt, a Genesee County Sheriff’s Deputy Medic, recalls arriving on the scene.

“When I got there, the shooter was already down,” said Sgt. Hunt. “The building was on fire inside.”

Roy said the smoke was so thick that you almost began choking.

“Everybody was doing their part, but it was chaos,” said Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson.

At the Grand Blanc LDS church, the morning of September 28 brought gunfire, chaos, and lives hanging in the balance. But a response from a specialized unit of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office was unlike anything you might expect.

Exclusively obtained bodycam footage shows the response of the Sheriff’s medics, Dustin Roy and Collette Hunt, who were among the first on the scene.

“You were hearing on the radio that the shooter was down, but at that point, there was no way for you guys to know that there was a second shooter,” Faraz said.

“There were conflicting stories that said that there was more than one, and then one had taken off,” said Sgt. Hunt.

Sheriff Swanson said these were no ordinary medics.

“They have tactical helmets, rifles, and they’re trauma kits. And they’re looking for the deceased, they’re looking for the injured, and they’re also looking for a possible second offender,” he said.

Since 1978, this is the only specialized hybrid unit in Michigan, a deputy and medic combo that can render aid and neutralize a threat at the same time.

Early after news crews arrived, we were hearing a lot of kids were unaccounted for.

“Kids or adults. You still have to try. We tried crawling until we couldn’t see and the air wasn’t breathable. And I finally grabbed him by the back,” said Sgt. Hunt.

Roy said he was spitting out chunks of black for days after the event.

“Got a pretty nasty sinus infection from it, but all of it was well worth it just to make sure that nobody was in there,” he said.

That fateful day, Hunt says she treated three patients. While Roy moved countless others — triaging, carrying them, guiding them to safety.

“What’s the one moment you’ll never forget about that day?” Faraz asked.

“The steeple falling, 100 percent,” said Roy.

Hunt also recalled that moment, “The fire finally came to the roof and the steeple fell. That was extremely heart-wrenching. And there was like a weird fire tornado that was next to it. And both him and I were like, man, it looks like hell.”

Roy added, “It was scary. It was definitely scary. That was the biggest emotional thing for me. The way that it felt too reminded me very much of 9-11.”

Hunt and Roy will never forget September 28th.

“When you look at that picture, you can only see fire and nothing else. It’s like you guys are walking into fire,” Faraz said.

“That’s what it was like,” said Hunt.

Roy said, “When I look at that picture, a piece of scripture stands out to me. It’s Isaiah 6:8, and you hear the voice of God, of whom shall I send, who will go for us? And Isaiah said, here am I, send me.”

Roy also said luck played a factor on that day.

“If you had given that shooter an additional 60 seconds, without police intervention that day, it would have been a thousand-fold more catastrophic than it already is,” he said.

Hunt said, “A lot of the kids you mentioned were missing, were LS trained through their schools, so they all knew exactly what to do, they just all hopped out of the window and took off running into the woods.”

After the tragedy, Sheriff Swanson has a message: “Don’t let hate fill the void. That’s what caused the shooting. It was pure hate. It’s a day that I saw order come out of chaos. A day where the community came together, and I saw the best of EMS, fire and police.”

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

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By Madison Myers

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    MCGREGOR, Texas (KXXV) — A McGregor mother says SpaceX activity shook her home so violently that her kitchen cabinets collapsed.

Irma Gonzalez started her morning like any other day inside her McGregor home.

“I was warming up my coffee,” said Gonzalez.

But things quickly fell apart.

“All of a sudden I just heard ‘boom’ and a loud noise,” said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez says the cabinet on her kitchen wall fell off because of strong rattling she claims came from SpaceX activity nearby—something she and her neighbors are far too familiar with.

“There are some days when it is really loud and it just shakes and shatters everything, sometimes you can even hear the windows making noise,” said Gonzalez.

Now Gonzalez and her son are left picking up the pieces.

“We recovered what we could but a lot of stuff we had to throw away because there was glass and some of the bags were busted,” said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez shared her story on Facebook, explaining she’s currently out of work and a single mother. That post sparked a response from neighbors who stepped in to help.

“I even had one person who donated a microwave to me which was awesome, I didn’t even ask for anything but I guess she saw the picture and it was on the floor,” said Gonzalez.

So although this week has been far from what she expected—

“Right now I’m just trying to get a cabinet,” said Gonzalez.

She tells 25 News’ Madison Myers she’s still thankful for a community who cares.

“It really feels great to know you have a community who is there to help you and you are not alone,” said Gonzalez.

25 News reached out to SpaceX for comment on this situation but have not yet heard back.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

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By Ryan Gamboa

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    FRANKLIN COUNTY, Kansas (KSHB) — Curiosity filled the air inside Franklin County Courthouse as residents gathered Thursday to witness the opening of a time capsule sealed inside the building’s cornerstone for 133 years.

The capsule, placed in 1892 by Franklin County settlers and founders, contained newspapers, Bibles and pictures — relics from the state’s frontier days.

“I figured it’d be a lot of papers cause back then they wouldn’t have much else,” said Scott Dickinson, a Franklin County resident.

Diana Staresinic-Dean, executive director of the Franklin County Historic Society, had the honor of opening the century-old capsule.

The historical society wasn’t planning to open the capsule this year, but stonework on the courthouse provided an unexpected opportunity.

“We were worried about what we would find, because we don’t know what the condition is,” Staresinic-Dean said. “Many courthouses have burned or flooded… We even had a flood come up to the courthouse in the past… I wasn’t sure if we’d find a moldy mess or a pile of dust.”

Among the contents was a handwritten note from George Washburn, the architect who designed the Franklin County Courthouse and the original Johnson County, Kansas Courthouse.

“I just held this little piece of paper, with George Washburn’s handwriting,” Staresinic-Dean said. “To know that as I gently opened this up, I’m the next person to open this paper that he handled.”

The contents and presentation offered a glimpse into the area’s rich history, including the Ottawa Indigenous Peoples Tribe’s local influence.

Wayne Duderstadt, a Franklin County resident, noted the significance of the tribe’s connection to the community.

“The name from Ottawa was really based on the Ottawa Tribe that settled here in the 1830s,” Duderstadt said. “They deeded the land over to the county, including the university that is in Ottawa. And back in the 1860s, the treaty that they signed, Abraham Lincoln signed.”

Among the artifacts was a penny, which Franklin County Commissioner Colton Waymire found particularly meaningful.

“The penny was ironic, that they chose to stick a penny in there,” Waymire said.

Duderstadt suggested adding a modern penny to the next time capsule, noting that 2025 marks the final year of penny production.

“Put another penny back in that box, and pull it out in 100 years. It’ll be the last penny minted from the government,” Duderstadt said.

The event highlighted what previous generations found valuable and what the current community can learn from their predecessors.

Franklin County has grown significantly since 1892, from about 2,000 residents to more than 25,000 today.

“Just the movement forward with education, and all the things that we’ve done,” Dickinson said about the county’s growth.

Duderstadt reflected on how the community has changed over the decades, particularly when Walmart arrived in 1982. The retail giant transformed the downtown district from mom-and-pop shops to larger retailers — a change common in small towns across the country.

“There’s a lot of the humanity of all these people who touched these things that said this is what is important to us, this is what we value, they represent the community that we value, the service we do, and the democracy that we believe in,” Staresinic-Dean said.

The courthouse remains central to Franklin County and all the county’s democratic processes. The building is home to the county offices where votes are counted, taxes are paid and marriage licenses are issued.

“This building is still our center for democracy,” Staresinic-Dean said.

As Franklin County prepares to create a new time capsule, leaders are considering what items should represent the current era. They’re also being mindful of what media should go into the next capsule given the rapid changes in technology.

Staresinic-Dean suggests finding a way to highlight the ways the community connects, through local restaurants, high school sporting events, and local community gatherings.

Dickinson suggested including a cell phone as something that reflects modern life.

There’s also a letter from 1892, written by those how laid the time capsule. The letter was sealed tight and given the delicate nature of the paper it will be opened at a later date.

County Commissioner Waymire said he needed some time to think about what message he would leave for local leaders and residents. He just hopes the next 100 years will preserve what makes Franklin County special.

“I hope it’s still a good place to raise a family, safe place, where someone wants to work hard and they want to advance themselves… a good place to make an American life, live the American dream,” Waymire said.

The goal remains the same as it was 133 years ago — to not forget where the community came from while documenting the present for future generations.

“We’re transcending time to connect with people from 133 years ago,” Staresinic-Dean added.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KSHB verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

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By Hannah McIlree

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    OMAHA, Nebraska (KMTV) — A man making a quick pit stop at a QuikTrip gas station found himself witnessing and recording a deadly police shootout that left officers injured and a suspect dead.

Albert Jimenez was heading to a work site when he parked at the QuikTrip, but when commotion started, he did the first thing he could think of: start recording.

“I saw everything going on, just powder going out of the guns. I just saw just stuff flying. Everything was going crazy,” Jimenez said.

The witness was less than 200 feet away from the gunfire when chaos erupted.

“It just, I don’t know, my mouth can’t even do that sound. It was just bang bang bang bang bang bang bang. It was just crazy. I don’t know. It’s just nonstop rounds,” he said.

Jimenez captured the moment officers entered the gas station, followed by what he estimated to be over 40 rounds of gunfire.

“I was right here. There’s another Hispanic gentleman. He was right there didn’t even know him, but I panned the camera to him. He was very scared, too, but I was right here. I saw all the commotion coming out. I’ve seen cops left and right showing up here. And then yeah, I just panned my phone that way as the cops were entering the door, and that’s when I heard just over 40 rounds go off, and s— was crazy,” Jimenez said.

His video captured the aftermath as officers were injured in the exchange.

“I’ve seen a cop get carried out over here and then a cop got pulled out, and then they started performing CPR on him,” he said.

Despite being in close proximity to the gunfire, Jimenez said the strong police presence surrounding him made him feel safe enough to continue recording.

“I’ve seen the cops when they’re at that door over there, they’re aiming. When they, when all the gunfire went off, they were aiming down, so the suspect was already down, so I kind of figured that I wasn’t in danger of catching a bullet, so I just kept recording, and I wasn’t really scared,” he said.

A day later, Jimenez said he still feels comfortable returning to the scene, though he realizes how close he came to being inside during the incident.

“If I would’ve been here two minutes earlier, I would’ve probably been inside the restroom,” he said.

Jimenez said he didn’t expect his video to go as viral as it did, and he’s thankful that all of the officers involved are okay.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KMTV verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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.