Rutgers fraternity shut down after hazing investigation, frat says

CNN Newsource on October 25, 2025

By Andrew Ramos

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — A Rutgers University fraternity has been shut down after an investigation found hazing occurred at an off-campus house where a student suffered serious injuries, the frat said.

Alpha Sigma Phi said Friday it was closing its Rutgers chapter after concluding hazing was a factor in the 19-year-old’s injuries at the home in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

“Any member involved, directly or indirectly, will be permanently expelled. We will continue to fully cooperate with the University and criminal investigations and hope the students involved face the maximum penalties allowed,” Gordy Heminger, president and CEO of Alpha Sigma Phi International, said in a statement to CBS News New York.

Police found the teenager unresponsive at the frat house on College Avenue just after midnight on Oct. 15.

The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed at the time it was investigating an incident there, but did not provide additional information about what happened.

After the fraternity announced the results of its own investigation, an official with the prosecutor’s office told CBS News New York it had no update on the incident and, “it is still under investigation.”

The official said the student remains hospitalized, but is no longer in critical condition.

Neither Rutgers nor county prosecutors have identified the teen.

It is unclear if the hazing incident was an isolated incident or if it was a regular practice that took place at the fraternity house.

Rutgers officials said the university is fully cooperating with the county prosecutor’s investigation.

Students react to hazing incident Some students who spoke to CBS News New York said the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity did not have the best reputation on campus.

“Nothing’s gonna change if these guys don’t face some serious punishments,” former Rutgers student Novle Avellino said. “I think there are some frats that can be run really well. Some others, if they’re not able to play by the rules and keep everyone safe, then I don’t know why they’re on campus.”

“I mean, I never thought it would get this bad, honestly. I never thought people would, like, get hurt,” Rutgers sophomore Jacob Buss said.

“You hear about it so much, but when it actually happens, like, this close to home, it’s like, wow, this is reality,” Rutgers sophomore Prithish Srinivasan said.

Despite the fraternity house being declared unsafe for human occupancy by the City of New Brunswick due to a number of building code violations, CBS News New York’s cameras captured at least one individual inside Friday evening.

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8-year-old girl hospitalized after dog attack outside Hollywood apartment, officials say

CNN Newsource on October 25, 2025

By Nikiya Carrero

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    MIAMI (WFOR) — An 8-year-old girl is recovering in the hospital after being attacked by a dog outside a Hollywood apartment building Friday afternoon, according to her mom and local officials.

Mom recounts terrifying attack outside apartment Keyrelly Jean Castro told CBS News Miami she had just picked up her daughter from school when the attack happened.

As they were walking into their apartment building, her daughter — who is autistic — ran toward their door and that’s when the dog attacked.

Jean Castro said in Spanish that she stood by and screamed “kill it” repeatedly as she watched her daughter being bitten by their neighbor’s dog.

She showed CBS News Miami photos of her shirt covered in her daughter’s blood after the attack.

“I looked at the guy and I didn’t even open the gate fully and she started running. My daughter. She was over there. And the dog attacked her,” Jean Castro said in Spanish.

Dog had reportedly shown aggression before Jean Castro said this was not the first time the dog had been aggressive. She shared a video from last month that she said shows the same dog trying to attack her and her older daughter while they were moving furniture.

Although the dog was on a leash, Jean Castro said it was long enough for the animal to run from one side of the courtyard to the other.

Witnesses describe chaotic moments after attack Hollywood Fire Rescue said Friday’s attack happened around 2:30 p.m. on the 1800 block of Funston Street.

A witness who did not want to show their face described the scene as chaotic, saying people rushed to help and wrapped the girl’s head in a towel.

“I see somebody is running. So, I just stepped out and I see somebody is sitting on the grass. And I walk out. And I see the little girl and her mom sitting on the grass and all over the blood,” the witness said off camera.

Officials investigate as child recovers Hollywood Fire Rescue said the girl was treated at the scene for facial injuries before being taken to the hospital, where she is now recovering.

While there has been no official update on the dog’s status, Jean Castro said police took the animal away.

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Atlanta parents prepare their trick-or-treaters for a safe and spooky Halloween

CNN Newsource on October 25, 2025

By WUPA Staff

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    ATLANTA (WUPA) — With Halloween just a week away — and a chill in the air — metro Atlanta families are finishing final touches on costumes and making plans to keep their trick-or-treaters safe.

In Dunwoody, neighborhoods are already decked out for the holiday. Nine-year-old Lexie Meach and her brother Jasper are counting down the days. Lexie plans to dress up as a pop star, while Jasper is channeling Harry Potter — and, like many kids, he’s most excited about the candy.

But for their mom, Annic Jobin, safety is always the priority.

“I always check the candy before the kids eat — for allergies and for safety reasons,” she said.

Jasper is allergic to peanuts, so Jobin makes sure all treats are safe for him to eat. She also outfits her kids in reflective gear — especially important for her son on the autism spectrum.

“Because we have a kid on the spectrum who can run when overwhelmed, we use neon yellow or orange gear that can be seen from a distance,” Jobin explained.

According to Dr. Maneesha Agarwal, a pediatrician and professor at Emory University School of Medicine, Halloween is one of the most dangerous nights of the year for children.

“Kids are twice as likely on Halloween night to be hit by a car,” Dr. Agarwal said. “It starts with awareness — pick out bright costumes that are easy to see.”

She says the most common Halloween injuries are pedestrian accidents and choking hazards — particularly when kids eat candy that’s not age-appropriate or that contains nuts.

As the excitement builds for costumes, songs, and candy, families are being reminded to slow down, stay alert, and make visibility a top priority.

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Victims in fatal Everett crane collapse confirmed as members of Pile Drivers union

CNN Newsource on October 25, 2025

By WBZ Staff

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    Massachusetts (WBZ) — A local union confirmed the two people killed in Friday’s crane collapse on the waterfront in Everett, Massachusetts were members.

“Our union is mourning the loss of two of our Brothers after an incident on a job site this afternoon. We put a strong emphasis on prioritizing our efforts to ensure the safety of our members. It devastates us that our members and their families were impacted by this unfortunate incident,” said the Pile Drivers & Divers Local 56 in a statement. “We will do all that we can to provide comfort and support to those affected. We would like to thank emergency responders and others on-site who did all they could for our Brothers.”

The workers’ names have not been released.

The collapse happened Friday afternoon at a site on Rover Street, near the Encore Boston Harbor casino. Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria said a cable snapped and the crane fell on workers cutting pipes off the dock.

The crews had been working to dismantle a former Exxon Mobil facility as part of a multimillion-dollar renovation to the waterfront. Everett Landco, which owns the site, said work has now stopped in the area after the collapse.

The deaths are being investigated by the Middlesex District Attorney’s office, Everett and state police, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

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Body cam shows Baltimore County officers stunned after gun scare was just a bag of chips

CNN Newsource on October 25, 2025

By Caroline Foreback

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    BALTIMORE (WJZ) — WJZ has obtained the body cam footage of police confronting a student at Kenwood High School after an A.I. gun detection system mistakenly detected that a student had a weapon.

Baltimore County leaders are now calling for a review of that system.

During the footage from Monday’s incident, officers are seen approaching the student, searching him, and then stunned when they themselves realize what A.I. flagged as a gun was just a bag of Doritos chips.

With guns drawn, Baltimore County Police surrounded a group of students after the Omnilert AI Gun Detection System warned school leaders that a student had a gun.

Body camera footage shows police detaining all of those students and then searching one of them.

Though the student never had a gun. Instead, what Omnilert detected was a bag of chips.

After confirming there was no weapon, the Department of School Safety and Security reviewed and canceled the initial alert.

“Just so you guys are aware…basically, the cameras around the system, they pick up on things that look like guns…I guess just the way you were eating chips…Doritos, whatever…. it picked it up as a gun,” an officer explained.

County leaders call for review of AI gun-detection system Officials with the school and Omnilert said the system was working properly, but county leaders have called for its review, concerned that the false alarm traumatized the students.

“How did it come to be that we had police officers with guns drawn approaching a kid because of a bag of Doritos?” said Julian Jones, Baltimore County Councilman.

“…the program did what it was supposed to do, which was signal an alert and for humans to take a look to find out if there was cause for concern in that moment,” Myriam Rodgers, the superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools, explained during a press conference.

As police conclude their investigation, one of the responding officers is heard pointing out the system’s faults on bodycam footage, stating, “AI is not the best.”

Kenwood’s principal wrote in a letter to the school community that counseling will be provided to the students who were involved in the incident and will be available to any student who may need support.

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Crane collapses on Massachusetts waterfront, 1 person killed

CNN Newsource on October 24, 2025

By Victoria D

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    EVERETT, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A large crane collapsed on the waterfront in Everett, Massachusetts on Friday afternoon, killing one person.

Skyeye was over the scene on Rover Street, not far from the Encore Boston Harbor casino, where the crane was tipped over and part of it was submerged in the water. Emergency vehicles were also on the scene.

Everett Fire Chief Joe Hickey confirmed one person was killed and another was taken to the hospital. He didn’t say what that victim’s condition is. Neither person’s name has been released.

Everett Police said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been notified. Officials said the crews had been working dismantling a former Exxon Mobil facility on the waterfront.

“We’re just praying that people are OK,” said Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria. He said it’s believed at one person fell into the water in the collapse.

Hickey said the cause of the collapse is under investigation.

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Men walk a mile in heels to raise awareness for domestic violence in El Paso

CNN Newsource on October 24, 2025

By Tyaun Marshburn

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    EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — More than 400 men and boys took to Main Street on Thursday in bright red high heels to show support for domestic violence survivors during the annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event hosted by the YWCA El Paso del Norte Region.

The event challenged participants to “step into someone else’s shoes,” both literally and figuratively, as they raised awareness and funds for victims of domestic violence.

“It’s amazing,” first timer Andy Cervantes said. “So many people from so many different companies just representing the heart of El Paso.”

Proceeds from the walk benefit the YWCA’s Sarah McKnight Transitional Living Center, which provides food, clothing, and support services to more than 200 families each year.

“I really appreciate what they do for women and children and I just wanted to be a part of that,” walker Chris Worden said.

While some found the walk more difficult than expected, it also served as a lesson in empathy. “It was a learning curve,” one man admitted. “I thought I had great ankles, but absolutely not. I was walking slower and on my toes.”

Another participant said the experience gave him a new appreciation for his wife. “When I walk with my wife and she’s in heels, I used to tell her to hurry up,” he said with a laugh. “Now I understand it’s not easy, she’s really doing a fantastic job.”

The YWCA says the event’s goal is to show victims of domestic violence that the community stands with them even through their pain.

“This is what El Paso is all about,” one participant said. “The community helping the community.”

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Deepfake Elton John video scams Northeast Ohio man out of $20,000

CNN Newsource on October 24, 2025

By Mike Brookbank

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    CLEVELAND, Ohio (WEWS) — At a time when so many people are living paycheck-to-paycheck and the cost of living remains high, I learned we’re all more vulnerable to certain schemes now than ever before.

It’s no secret that everyone is trying to stretch their dollar, and many are looking for ways to make more, which is a prime setup for scammers.

That’s why when you log onto social media or check your inbox, you might see ads claiming you can make some serious cash quickly.

But some of them, as you might imagine, are not legit. They fall under what’s called “push button scams,” a type of financial fraud where scammers trick someone into authorizing a payment to them under false pretenses.

“So, they’ll put phony ads on social media, they’ll use deep fake videos of celebrities to say that you can make a ton of money,” said Pamela Anson, BBB of Greater Cleveland.

That’s exactly what happened to one man in Northeast Ohio.

I spoke with him as he now tries to repay tens of thousands of dollars in debt he incurred after watching a video featuring a music superstar.

It was a deepfake video on social media featuring music legend Elton John that piqued Ray’s interest.

He truly believed it was Elton John in the Instagram video.

“Yeah, I did,” said Ray.

Ray wants to share what happened to him, but requested we don’t show his face or use his last name.

The video claimed the 71-year-old could make easy money.

I asked Ray what he thought he’d be doing to make extra income.

“Well, I thought that I would be able to set up the store and start earning money,” said Ray.

It would be an online store.

“They showed you all these cool items that you’d be selling,” he said.

Ray was set up with two representatives, who he thought were from the company supplying the products.

They had Ray open a bank account.

“To get a credit card with like U.S. Bank and Apple,” said Ray.

He went through the setup process with the hopes of making $25,000 to $30,000 a month.

But it didn’t take long for suspicion to set in and Ray to realize things weren’t adding up.

“When these two young girls were setting me up with this store as like, and they were clueless,” he said.

Ray told me he learned the pair lived on a chicken farm in the Philippines.

“And when I got to that point, it’s like, yeah, you know, there’s something right, not right about this,” said Ray.

By then, it was too late.

The pair of so-called representatives charged Ray’s credit cards.

“Before you know it, it’s like $20,000,” said Ray.

I shared Ray’s experience with Anson.

“You really have to do your due diligence to see that the content you’re getting fed is legitimate,” said Anson.

Anson told me people are more susceptible to these kinds of scams, given current economic conditions.

She encourages everyone to do their homework and remember that if it sounds too good to be true, steer clear.

“Watching for what you’re clicking on social media, doing your research, that is this company that is claiming that you’ll make a lot of money legitimately. Check the website. You can do a who is search to see how long the website’s been created,” said Anson.

As Ray deals with the emotional toll of being taken advantage of, he’s trying to figure out that his finances are taking such a huge financial hit.

“Everything they tell you is a lie to get money. I just wanted extra income, and I just got sucked into it,” said Ray.

Here’s the sad reality about scams like this.

Ray was only working part-time when he got caught up in the scheme.

The loss has now forced him to return to full-time work as he looks to chip away at the debt he owes.

Since my interview with Ray, he emailed to let me know that one credit card had credited his account $9,400.

He is working with the other creditor to recover his money.

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GRIEF BECOMES ADVOCACY: Unlikely friends travel to DC for fentanyl rally

CNN Newsource on October 24, 2025

By Brodie Myers

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    TULSA, Okla. (KJRH) — When 2 News viewers first met Jacob Towe, he was just beginning his work.

“Unfortunately, we’re in a community that we never asked to be in,” Towe said.

WATCH: GRIEF BECOMES ADVOCACY: Unlikely friends travel to DC for fentanyl rally

Towe lost his son, Leo, to fentanyl poisoning at age three. He’s advocating for the creation, and passage of Leo’s law, which would require fentanyl testing for some Oklahoma parents before taking custody of their children.

That advocacy has stretched all across Oklahoma, creating a network of supporters, including a new friend, Caden Hill.

“It’s really hard to lose somebody so close to you,” Hill said.

When Hill was just 13 years old, he lost his mom to fentanyl poisoning. He misses her dearly.

“Everything man. The way she would just … the way she’d care for us, me and my baby brother, she left behind. I just …. Man, there’s a lot of things I miss about her, just everything,” Hill said.

Hill and Towe have a lot in common, and they both wanted to make the trip to Washington, D.C. for the Lost Voices of Fentanyl Rally.

“It didn’t look like we were gonna go, and overnight, just woke up and there was enough money to go on the trip in the GoFundMe account,” Towe said.

“The next morning he called me and was like, we’re going to DC buddy! Pack a bag, we’re going,” Hill said.

Just like that, they boarded the first plane to Washington.

They joined families from across the country, advocating for more safety and protection around fentanyl.

“I lost my mom. I didn’t want other people to lose their kids, their siblings, their parents, whoever it may be. I don’t want anyone else to feel the feeling that we did,” Hill said.

The trip culminated outside the Washington Monument, as Towe delivered a speech to hundreds in the audience.

“So today we fight. We fight for our children. We fight for every single lost voice of fentanyl. Evil will not win this battle,” Towe said in the speech.

Towe says Leo’s Law will be considered during the next legislative session. Additionally, a return trip to Washington is in the works.

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Parent charged with allegedly threatening Eastpointe teacher over their child not getting “snack time”

CNN Newsource on October 24, 2025

By Joseph Buczek

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    DETROIT (WWJ) — An Eastpointe elementary school parent, upset that their child did not get a “snack time,” was charged after police say he allegedly threatened a teacher.

Eastpointe police responded to Pleasantview Elementary School on Toepfer Drive around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday to investigate a threat to shoot up the school. Police say that during school dismissal, the parent, identified as 43-year-old David Scott Jr., approached the teacher and questioned him as to why his child did not receive a “snack time.”

Scott then began cursing, screaming and threatening the teacher in front of school staff, students and other parents, police said. Authorities say he threatened several times that he would return to the school the following day and “air the place out,” which police said is a slang term meaning to “shoot up the place.”

Eastpointe police arrested Scott within two hours of the alleged threats.

Scott was charged on Thursday with one count of possession of ammunition by a prohibited person, one count of intentional threat to commit an act of violence against a school, employees or students, and one count of disorderly person. Scott was charged as a habitual offender.

Scott was arraigned and received $150,000 cash/surety bond. He is ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation. If released, he is ordered to wear a GPS steel-cuff tether, not leave the state of Michigan, not consume drugs and alcohol, and have no contact with the school, staff or witnesses.

“There is absolutely no excuse for threatening violence against a school or its staff—especially over something as minor as a classroom snack,” said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido in a statement. “Our office takes all threats to schools seriously, and we will continue to pursue charges to ensure the safety of students, teachers, and our community.”

Scott is scheduled to appear for a probable cause conference on Nov. 5 and a preliminary examination on Nov. 12.

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