Michigan church shooting survivor says she looked gunman who killed her father in the eyes: “I forgave him right there”

CNN Newsource on October 1, 2025

By Kierra Frazier

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    MICHIGAN (WWJ) — A woman who survived the deadly attack on a church in Michigan on Sunday says in a letter posted on social media that she looked the gunman in the eyes after he killed her father, and “I forgave him right there.”

In the letter shared Monday, the woman recounted the events of the shooting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, in which four people were killed. She said she needed to share what she went through for her dad and “for anyone who can set aside hate.”

“When he [the gunman] came over to me I felt very calm, peaceful even as I kneeled next to my dad, my hands still on dad,” she wrote. “It felt like a long time I stared into his eyes while answering his question.”

“The only way I can describe it is I saw into his soul. I never took my eyes off his eyes, something happened, I saw pain, he felt lost. I deeply felt it with every fiber of my being. I forgave him, I forgave him right there, not in words, but with my heart,” she wrote.

Her father was one of the four people killed in the attack. CBS News is not naming the woman and her father to respect the family’s request. The victims range in age from 6 to 78 years old. Eight others were wounded in the shooting.

The suspect was identified as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford of Burton, Michigan. Sanford drove his pickup truck through the front doors of the church, exited his vehicle and opened fire with an assault-style rifle at around 100 churchgoers, Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye said. Officials say he then set the church building on fire. Sanford died after “exchanging gunfire” with police, according to Renye.

Law enforcement officials described the shooting as “an act of targeted violence.” Based on conversations with the FBI director, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday the attacker was “an individual who hated people of the Mormon faith.”

In her letter, the woman wrote that when she gave a description of the attacker to the FBI, she told them he had blue eyes; however, she learned that was not the case after she saw his photo.

“In the middle of the night while texting my sister I realized it was my eyes I saw,” she wrote. “I saw into his soul and he saw into mine. He let me live.”

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Principal confirms person posing as teen successfully enrolled in Twin Cities high school

CNN Newsource on October 1, 2025

By Ubah Ali

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    MINNESOTA (WCCO) — There is palpable outrage and calls for accountability after a person posing as a teenager enrolled at White Bear Lake Area High School in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.

In a letter to families, principal Russell Reetz confirmed an individual over the age of 21 used fraudulent documents and false identity to enroll as a student, adding, “the individual in question is currently in police custody and is not allowed on any district property.”

Still, for parents like April Jorgenson, that doesn’t make things any easier.

“I’m scared that they’re not keeping our kids safe. I don’t understand how this man got into my kid’s school,” Jorgenson said.

The mother of three students broke down in tears, overwhelmed that this individual slipped through the cracks.

“You need to have a record and you need to have a physical to do these activities. We just can’t figure out how this happened,” Jorgenson said.

Students are even more rattled.

“The district failed us,” said a student who wanted to remain anonymous. “The people who were overseeing this issue and let this slip past, they need to face the consequences.”

State law allows students to attend public school until 21, if they enroll before turning 21.

The school is in District 36, led by State Rep. Elliott Engen. He’s calling for tougher laws and demanding the superintendent step down.

“There’s a system breakdown,” Engen said. “I’d like to see him resign immediately and issue out an apology.”

WCCO has reached out to district leaders for information on their enrollment process and oversight protocols.

Dale Hager, chief of the White Bear Lake Police Department, told WCCO they’re investigating, but have not made any arrests.

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Mom reunites with North Texas nurse who saved her and her baby’s lives eight years ago

CNN Newsource on October 1, 2025

By Nicole Nielsen

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    TEXAS (KTVT) — For eight years, Chaltu Emana searched for the nurse who saved her and her baby’s lives during a traumatic delivery at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. She only remembered the nurse’s face, not her name.

Emana’s labor, at 39 weeks, quickly turned dangerous when her uterus ruptured. Amid the chaos, one nurse stayed by her side, alerting doctors to the emergency and helping make sure both mom and child survived.

“I thought I was going to die, and I thought the baby was going to die too,” Emana said.

Emergency surgery saved mom and baby Minutes later, an emergency C-section saved them both. But Emana never learned the nurse’s name and spent years asking hospital staff for help.

“I kept saying her name was like Gina or something, and they kept saying we don’t know that person,” she said.

Photo helped unlock long search The search finally broke through when Emana spotted an old photo in the background of her baby’s picture. Recognizing the nurse’s face, she reached out — just as she had started working as a nurse herself at the same hospital.

This summer, Emana was finally reunited with Jenna Perry, the nurse who had stayed with her during the emergency.

“I saw her face; I was like that is her. I couldn’t stop crying,” Perry said. “That day and that story has stuck with me for the last eight years. It was honestly one of the most incredible moments I have had in my career,” Perry said.

Baby now thriving eight years later The baby Emana once feared losing, Aaron, is now 8 years old — healthy, active, and full of life.

“As a nurse, you really need to know you’re doing things for a patient that could be simple, but life-changing,” Perry said. “Seeing her and saying thank you is all I wanted, and it finally happened.”

Reunion brought long-awaited closure For Emana, the reunion offered closure and gratitude after nearly a decade.

“In that moment, I could finally say the words I’ve held onto for eight years: ‘Thank you!'” she said.

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Lyons police chief says he’s frustrated that he can’t keep serial porch pirate behind bars

CNN Newsource on October 1, 2025

By Marissa Sulek

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    LYONS, Chicago (WBBM) — Local News Lyons police chief says he’s frustrated that he can’t keep serial porch pirate behind bars chicago By Marissa Sulek Updated on: September 30, 2025 / 10:41 PM CDT / CBS Chicago

Suburban police said they’re fed up with a serial porch pirate who continues to be let out of jail.

A homeowner who took things into his own hands to help stop the thief. Now, a police chief is speaking out, saying he’s frustrated they can’t keep the man behind bars, and shared how he may be choosing his targets.

Lyons police said 27-year-old Joseph Davenport is the man who has been stealing packages from suburban homes for months.

Jaleel Anthony was also fed up with the serial porch pirate. He confronted him, with a gun in hand, after placing fake packages to lure him. Police later found Davenport’s car had over 30 packages inside.

“I walked into the detectives a couple days ago and said, ‘I do not want to hear the name Davenport again.'”

Lyons Police Chief Thomas Herion said they have charged Davenport six different times for theft, and it’s costing taxpayers thousands of dollars.

Court documents from a 2023 case indicated that Davenport worked at the Amazon sorting center in University Park. Chief Herion believes that’s the method to his madness.

“Every single theft we’ve had, the packages are delivered in 15 to 30 minutes, he shows up,” he said.

Police sent out an alert in the last few weeks. In it, they said Davenport indicated he was working with another person inside Amazon, but would not give any other information when he was questioned.

Chief Herion said they’ve spoken with Amazon, but they would not cooperate.

Another frustration for herion, he said, is that because of the Illinois Safe-T Act, they cannot detain Davenport with a misdemeanor theft charge. So once they catch him, they must release him.

“We are trying to coordinate with the state’s attorney’s office to upgrade charges against this individual,” Herion said.

As to what Davenport is doing with the packages, Chief Herion says they still are not sure, but they plan to search his cell phone and find out in the coming weeks.

“I think everyone needs to know about this individual. I’d be shocked if he wasn’t doing this throughout the city of Chicago,” he said.

CBS News Chicago reached out to Amazon for a comment, but haven’t heard back.

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At least 5 OBX homes fall into ocean amid rough surf from offshore hurricanes

CNN Newsource on September 30, 2025

By Maddie Miller, Will Thomas

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    OUTER BANKS, N.C. (WTKR) — Five oceanfront homes in Buxton collapsed into the water on Tuesday, bringing the total of fallen Hatteras Island homes to 17 since 2020.

The Cape Hatteras National Seashore says the unoccupied homes collapsed between 2 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. There are no reported injuries at this time.

Seashore officials have closed the entire oceanfront area from northern Buxton to the off-road vehicle (ORV) ramp 43. Anyone using ORV ramp 38 should avoid driving south.

Here is a list of the houses that collapsed, as of Tuesday afternoon:

46001 Cottage Avenue 46002 Cottage Avenue 46007 Cottage Avenue 46209 Tower Circle Road 46211 Tower Circle Road More collapses are expected due to the rough surf, the seashore says, and visitors are advised to avoid the surrounding area due to dangerous debris.

News 3 Meteorologist Tony Nargi says the Outer Banks is seeing very rough surf Tuesday, thanks to Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda offshore, with heights of 6 to 12 feet and NE wind gusts between 35 and 45 mph. These winds and high surf will lead to coastal erosion, and overwash is expected in vulnerable areas of the dune. A Coastal Flood Warning is in effect from Rodanthe and points south for 2 to 3 feet of coastal floodwater inundation.

The collapses come two weeks after another Buxton home was claimed by the ocean. The home was owned by the family of Bonnie Clarke Lattimore, who tells News 3 the family had conversations of moving it two years ago. They recently started the process to move it after Hurricane Erin, but time wasn’t on their side before the ultimate collapse of “Dream House One.”

“The amount of people and love and memories of those house… I feel like someone died. You can hear it in my like emotions. I’ve been really struggling this past week with it all,” said Lattimore.

Before the recent Buxton collapses, all of the homes that have fallen into the ocean since 2020 have been located in Rodanthe.

The collapses have sparked discussions about how to protect threatened oceanfront structures. One solution that’s been underway includes moving homes further away from the water, but community members and officials are still working to take other preventative measures.

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How this Utah influencer is changing how young people see family history

CNN Newsource on September 30, 2025

By Mya Constantino

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    EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Utah (KSTU) — Utahn Kalima Watson doesn’t just dig into family trees. He helps people find their roots and discover who they are, all online.

“I’m trying to get people to see genealogy and family history the same way that I do,” Watson said.

The Hawaiian native who now lives in Eagle Mountain is the creator behind “Just Kalima,” — an online channel that has amassed nearly 200,000 followers on Instagram. He makes videos about genealogy and family history for people, but he’s especially trying to reach younger audiences.

“Genealogy can feel boring sometimes. I wanted to find a way to make it engaging and get through to people,” he said.

He says people send him their family names, and then he’ll use sites including Ancestry.com and Family Search.org to track down the details, and then turn them into quick stories for various social media platforms.

Watson’s journey started after moving from Hawaii to Utah in 2017. He wanted a tattoo that represented his Hawaiian roots so he could stay close to home while in Utah. But before getting it, he dove into his family’s history. That’s when he started learning about his ancestors, who he says were chiefs, voyagers, and leaders in Hawaiian history.

“People who did incredible things,” he said. “And the more I learned about them, the closer I felt to them.”

That search is what eventually gave him the idea for the videos he creates now.

At times, Watson chooses followers at random and creates videos about their ancestry. One of those followers is Mark Helske, also from Eagle Mountain. He said Watson uncovered stories about his family he hadn’t known. “I had no idea who Matthew Pennell was, that I was related to him,” Helske said during a Zoom call. “He managed a lighthouse that was under a lot of scrutiny because previous keepers of the lighthouse had not been doing their job properly and there was like a big accident. Matthew Pennell took over for years and years. I had no idea that was a part of my family’s history.”

He added, “It gives you like a feeling of pride knowing that you have ancestors that did something meaningful.”

That is exactly what Watson says he hopes people walk away with. “When you know the hard things they’ve done, it makes doing hard things yourself feel easier,” he said. “That’s the goal — to empower people.”

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Rain helps slow spread of 89-acre Dry Creek Fire near University of Utah

CNN Newsource on September 30, 2025

By Michael Martin

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    SALT LAKE CITY (KSTU) — The Dry Creek Fire that sparked overnight near the University of Utah campus has grown to an estimated 89 acres, but officials say its forward progress has been stopped.

Utah Wildfire Info said around 2:30 p.m. that although the forward spread has stopped, official containment is at 0% as they work to establish a perimeter.

No structures are currently threatened, and there are no evacuation orders. The Salt Lake City Fire Department is monitoring the situation should that change.

People are being told to stay off trailheads going up towards the fire location in Dry Creek, City Creek, Bonneville Shoreline Trail, and the surrounding foothills, even up behind the Avenues neighborhood and near the University of Utah Hospital.

The fire department is waiting and relying on outside resources to battle the fire, as the flames are in an area too far up for them to reach. Officials told FOX 13 News that the Division of Forestry and state resources are monitoring and assisting in the situation.

Even with all the rain the area has received, the new fire is a reminder that there is still plenty of dry vegetation that can start a new wildfire.

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5-year-old welcomed home after 975 days in hospital

CNN Newsource on September 30, 2025

By Erin Cox

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    Utah (KSL, KSL TV) — After nearly three years in the hospital, one community decided to surprise a 5-year-old and her family.

The Barton’s Saratoga Springs neighborhood has supported them from the beginning. From prayers and rides to the hospital to raising more than three grand to send the Burton’s daughter to Texas for a donor heart — now they wanted to give her a grand welcome home.

Shalise Swenson, who helped plan the surprise, gathered pink and purple to line the streets for the Barton’s daughter, Sienna, who loves Taylor Swift and Disney.

“She’s spice and big heart,” Swenson said.

A big heart that’s been through a lot. Sienna was born with half a heart. She had surgery at six days old, six months old and was supposed to go in again at three years old.

“It’s a very discouraging process,” said Francesca Barton, Sienna’s mom.

In January 2023, Sienna went into heart failure and was hooked up to a mechanical heart while she waited for a new one.

“Twenty eight months later, we were still there waiting,” Barton said.

That’s when the Barton’s found a hospital in Texas that would have a greater chance of finding a donor with the right heart size for Sienna.

They flew to Texas in May 2025, and Sienna had a donor by June.

“Our daughter is only alive today because another family chose donation,” said Fano Barton, Sienna’s Dad.

Sienna needed to stay at least 90 days following her heart transplant. And on day 975 of the family’s journey, Sienna returned home to Saratoga Springs.

“She was two years old when she went into the hospital and now, she’s five,” Fano said.

Sienna waved her hands and threw out candy to neighbors as their car paraded through the streets.

“Our community has been behind us these past three years,” Barton said. “We’re just so grateful to them.”

After all this time, Sienna’s big heart, still beats.

“Our hearts are so full,” Barton said.

There’s a lot of healing and learning left for Sienna.

The Barton’s will go to Texas every six weeks for checkup appointments. The family said Sienna has physical therapy, feeding therapy and on top of that, they just want to catch up on being all together as a family after nearly three years of living in different places.

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Couple finds and adopts abused puppy who had duct tape around mouth, say they were “appalled”

CNN Newsource on September 30, 2025

By Olivia Young

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    Colorado (KCNC) — A Colorado couple on vacation in San Francisco found a puppy who had been horribly abused. They rescued the pup and ultimately decided to adopt her. For a week now, she has been recovering in Colorado.

To see the pup playing in her Broomfield yard, you’d have no idea what she’s been through. But her name, “Brazen,” reflects how strong she is.

“It just fits her so well. I love the definition being bold and without shame,” said Lina Robles.

The night Robles and her partner, Allison Lopez-Bock, found Brazen is burned into their memory.

Returning to their San Francisco Airbnb after a concert, they saw a flash of black fur running at them.

“We think for sure we’re about to get mauled,” Robles said.

But when the dog got close, the pair realized it was a puppy, with duct tape around her mouth and eyes and a rope around her neck.

“It was horrific. I mean, I was shocked, I was appalled and also just really worried about her,” said Lopez-Bock.

“It was really distressing to see her in that state. She was just whimpering. She just cowered in between my legs,” Robles said.

Immediately, the women carefully removed the tape.

“She made a really big cry when we cut it off,” Robles said.

They brought her inside, cut off the rope, and gave her food and water.

“Immediately just licking us,” said Lopez-Bock.

The next morning, they dropped her off at a shelter and flew home to Colorado.

“At that point, it was just like, this is goodbye,” Robles said.

But they couldn’t get the 4-and-a-half-month-old lab they’d named Brazen off their minds.

When the shelter called to say they were running out of room, the women knew what to do.

“We felt like it was meant to be,” said Lopez-Bock.

They went back to California that day to adopt Brazen themselves.

“It was incredible. Her excitement was off the charts when we first saw her. She was very excited, jumping all over us,” said Lopez-Bock. “It was really sweet. Really cuddly, puppy loving. It was so sweet.”

They also shared Brazen’s story on social media.

“Just the outpouring of support and kind messages, donations, like, even just like people offering to donate their, like, dogs’ old toys to us. It’s just been really moving. I think she’s set for life. She has so much support now,” said Robles.

Brazen has adjusted to her new life in Colorado quickly.

“We went on our first hike this weekend. Took it in the fall foliage. And she had a great time,” Robles said. “We’re loving having her here. And now that we have her, we can’t picture it any other way.”

But a scar on her neck is a reminder of the abuse she endured. The rope had been tied so tight that it caused a laceration and infection.

“I was bawling, like crying so hard, thinking about someone doing that to her and the audacity that anybody has to treat pets that way. It’s so cruel,” said Lopez-Bock.

San Francisco Animal Care & Control told CBS Colorado they took Brazen in on Sept. 7 and treated her for wounds around her neck. They said, “The dog did not have a microchip and there were no cameras in the area the dog was found. We have no leads on who abused the dog and there is no active investigation.”

“I worry that she has a whole litter of puppies that is out there being still abused. So that’s a really big concern of mine,” Robles said.

Robles and Lopez-Bock hope Brazen’s story inspires others to take better care of animals.

“If you have the ability and the time to spend some time with dogs or even better foster dogs, adopt a dog, that that would probably be my biggest message,” Robles said.

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Local bikers stumble upon missing hiker

CNN Newsource on September 30, 2025

By Lisa Lete, EastIdahoNews.com

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    POCATELLO, Idaho (eastidahonews.com) — For two intense days, search crews scoured the rugged central Idaho wilderness for missing Blaine County hiker Heather Wayment while her family, friends and community waited anxiously for news.

However, the breakthrough didn’t come from the organized search teams but three Pocatello mountain bikers who, despite extensive media coverage, had no idea anyone was even missing.

Brothers Tommy and Vinton Gwinn, along with their friend Shelton Robinson, were on their annual mountain biking and camping trip in Stanley when they say they came upon Wayment in the mountains of Camas County, wandering in her underwear with her feet covered in blood, about 17 miles from her vehicle.

Wayment was reported missing by family members on Wednesday, Sept. 17, after she failed to return from a hike the previous day near the Prairie Creek area of Blaine County.

Her vehicle was located at the trailhead, sparking a multi-agency search led by the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office and assisted by Idaho Mountain Search and Rescue, Snake River Search and Rescue, canines, drones, and teams on foot, horseback, and bikes.

EastIdahoNews.com spoke with Tommy Gwinn and Shelton Robinson, who described how what began as an afternoon trail ride turned into the discovery of Wayment and the effort to contact rescue crews that ultimately brought her safely back to her family.

Finding the missing woman

At the junction of Mule Creek and Big Smoky Creek, they spotted Wayment quite a way off the trail, severely disoriented, with scratched legs, no shoes, and raw, bleeding feet. She appeared dehydrated and malnourished.

Wayment had taken off her shorts in an attempt to bandage her feet. She’d left her phone in the car and had nothing else with her.

“We stopped as she was obviously in bad shape,” said Gwinn. “She didn’t want help at first. She was scared and very guarded. It took about a half hour before she would talk.”

“We got her some filtered water from the creek and gave her a jacket,” said Robinson. “She let her guard down a bit and told us her name and that she was lost.”

As they were assisting her, three dirt bike riders from the Magic Valley — Andrew Mortensen, Randy Ivy, and a third rider whose name was not known — happened upon the scene and recognized her as the missing hiker.

We’d been camping and hadn’t watched the news for a couple of days, so we didn’t know there was an ongoing search for a missing hiker,” said Gwinn.

Getting help with technology

The dirt bike riders gave Wayment some food and more water while Gwinn and Robinson worked to pinpoint their location and call for help — no easy task in the Idaho wilderness with no cell service.

Using GPS coordinates, the onX off-road map app and satellite texting, Gwinn was able to send messages to his wife in Pocatello, who then relayed the information to Blaine County Search and Rescue.

“At 3:45 p.m. and about 50 messages later we finally got word that a rescue helicopter was on the way,” said Gwinn. “Technology worked very well in this situation.”

“The only safe place for the helicopter to land was in a meadow about a half mile below where we were,” said Robinson. “One of the dirt bike riders lifted her (Wayment) onto the back of his bike and took her down to the awaiting helicopter, saving the rescue crews time.”

Thoughts on the rescue

As they watched the helicopter lift off from a distance, the men reflected on what had just happened.

“This is really rugged country. She was not on a bike path and had to go over numerous mountains to get where she was.” said Gwinn. “It was so cold at night. It’s remarkable she’s still alive.”

“We’re super grateful we found her,” said Robinson. “It’s always in the back of your mind that something could happen and you need to be rescued. It was cool to see how an actual rescue works. I was very impressed.”

While Wayment’s rescue is a happy ending, questions remain about how and why she ended up so far from her car and what state of mind she was in at the time.

Gwinn and Robinson say the hiker’s ordeal carries important lessons.

“We all like to recreate in the beautiful outdoors, but make sure to take food, water, appropriate clothing, supplies, reliable navigation and, if possible, satellite communication,” said Gwinn.

“Always tell people where you’re going and when they can expect you back — especially if you’re going alone,” added Robinson.

Both men said they’re thankful Wayment is home safe and hope she’s on the mend.

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