Category: CNN Regional

By Michael Chen

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    SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A 28-year-old City College graduate remains hospitalized with severe brain damage after being beaten outside his City Heights apartment. A 41-year-old man faces attempted murder charges in connection with the attack.

Louis Estrada was beaten just outside his City Heights apartment complex near 42nd Street after going out to chase off a ‘transient known for causing problems in the area,’ according to his father, Johnny Castillo.

Castillo said his son spotted the man near a back window and went out to chase him off.

“He will sleep there at night. Scream out and wake up the entire complex. He has been kicked out by everybody there,” Castillo said.

When Estrada did not return after several minutes, Castillo and his wife went to look for him. A passing driver pointed to to a body in a nearby alley.

“I found him face up, bleeding, struggling to breathe,” Castillo said.

A shocked Castillo desperately performed CPR while his wife got in her car and cornered the suspect a few blocks away.

Prosecutors told Castillo his son was beaten with an object and using the pavement.

“He was in a rage. He just didn’t stop,” Castillo said.

At the hospital, loved ones received a grim diagnosis. Tests confirmed severe brain damage.

“It’s not good, doesn’t look good,” Castillo said.

Despite the dire prognosis, Castillo said his son has defied expectations.

“He wasn’t supposed to last 3 days. He’s here past 2 weeks, he’s fighting,” Castillo said.

Castillo is a constant presence at his son’s hospital bedside.

“Most doctors say he won’t wake up, but I pray for him. I pray for strength every day,” Castillo said.

Estrada, a City College graduate and devoted dog owner, had been planning to return to school to become a plumber.

Police arrested 41-year-old Phillip Hightower in connection with the attack. He was booked on charges including attempted murder.

Castillo said he is leaning on his faith as he waits for justice.

“I want him to answer for what he did. He needs to pay for what he did,” Castillo said.

A mental competency hearing for Hightower is scheduled for June 11.

A Gofundme campaign has been set up for the family to help with medical and other expenses.

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

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 Ava Kershner

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    CARLSBAD, California (KGTV) — Living in Southern California comes with high home costs, with big repair bills if anything needs a fix.

For some seniors, there’s a risk of being scammed into paying far more than they should.

Martin Carr, CEO of Roof Maxx in Carlsbad, said he has seen firsthand how some roofing contractors take advantage of homeowners, particularly older residents.

“And I see that where people have had quotes that are, you know, $10,000 to $15,000 over what the cost of a roof should be,” Carr said.

Carr advises doing research before hiring a contractor is critical.

It’s something Leslie Wisner learned when her roof was damaged during a Santa Ana wind event.

“I called about 25 different people,” Wisner said. “I got so many bids. I was so tired of it.”

Wisner is 78 years old and uses a wheelchair after losing her leg, which made it impossible for her to climb up and inspect her roof herself.

That left her dependent on the quotes from sales representatives, with some doubling the actual cost of the repairs, according to Carr.

“I mean, because I was in my wheelchair, so he thought maybe he could take advantage of me,” Wisner said, describing one incident with a sales person. “I guess I don’t know what he was thinking, but he wouldn’t leave.”

Wisner said the experience gave her a deeper understanding of how vulnerable some seniors can be in these situations.

“It was very difficult, and I can understand where some seniors that really don’t have it together enough to … do their homework,” Wisner said.

To combat these scams, Carr is developing an online calculator that allows homeowners to upload their address to receive a more accurate repair estimate. He hopes the tool will give consumers the information they need to identify a fair price.

“Seniors particularly don’t have $15,000 to $20,000 to spend, you know; they’re on low income year in, year out,” Carr said. “If the roofing company comes around and tells them their roof is about to collapse, it scares them. That’s where the scams happen.”

Carr said his goal is to make sure seniors can afford to live in Southern California without being taken advantage of.

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 Darren Cunningham

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    ROMULUS, Michigan (WXYZ) — Spirit Airlines employees who just got the ax are trying to navigate a new reality after the company shut down abruptly this weekend.

Many are in the process of filing for unemployment and wondering what comes next.

The Spirit ticket and check-in counter at Detroit Metro Airport is a ghost town.

Dayneen Daniels and Latasha Green spent their Monday afternoon at Michigan Works in Wayne. They weren’t checking in for a shift. They were filing for unemployment benefits. Both are former Spirit ticket and gate agents.

While the airline has faced financial turbulence before, they said this final descent caught them completely off guard.

“I thought of it as nothing. I’m thinking we’ll be fine. I go to work Friday, Saturday no work,” Daniels said.

They said the realization didn’t come from a manager or a memo, but it came from watching the news.

The pair said they didn’t receive an official notification until just before noon on Saturday, well after the headlines had already broken the news.

“I’m just thinking how am I going to take care of my son. That’s mainly what was on my mind,” Green said.

While their source of income has disappeared, the bills haven’t. Daniels said she’s turned to crowdfunding and started a GoFundMe while she works to land a new job.

“I did start applying for other jobs. Aviation jobs, customer service jobs, secretarial skills job, different jobs like that,” Green explained.

Daniels said, “We actually loved our job. We loved working for Spirit. We loved dealing with all the different customers, people from all walks of life.”

“I loved it. Honestly, I was ready to go to work every morning,” Green added. “And I’m really affected by this. Like that really hurt my heart.”

The heartbreak is shared by those who spent their careers in the cabin. Sherri Mercier was also at Michigan Works trying to navigate a complex unemployment system while processing the loss of a 12-year career.

“We had some of the best passengers. We had some of the most amazing people,” she said. “I had gotten in from working 12 hours, a red-eye and I couldn’t take my uniform off. I cried all day, and it wasn’t until about 8 o’clock that I finally took it off because I knew that was the last time.”

For flight attendants, the “start over” is particularly daunting. Decades of seniority and pay scales effectively evaporated overnight.

“My friends that are now family, they’ve been here 20, 25, 28 years and it’s just, we’re flight attendants and starting over, you start over at the bottom,” Mercier said.

As employees fight to be paid for accrued paid time off, she said they’ve been told they will only receive pay for time worked.

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 WXYZ Web Team

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    ST. CLAIR SHORES, Michigan (WXYZ) — Storms with strong winds and hail caused damage in Southeast Michigan Monday night.

A tree fell onto a home around 8:30 p.m. in St. Clair Shores near 13 Mile Road and Jefferson Avenue, crushing it. The home was vacant at the time.

The exact cause of the tree falling is unclear at this time. First respnders put caution tape around the home.

Martin Ender spoke with 7 News Detroit and said his sister had owned the home before she died. The family was selling the house and an agreement was made with buyers the day before.

The family is figuring out what is next.

“I can’t believe how bad it was. I just thought it was the awning, but it’s way beyond the awning,” Ender said.

Ender said he will fully assess the property in the morning for next steps.

In Roseville, a tree snapped in half and slammed into the roof of a home between 10 Mile Road and Curtis Street. The homeowner told us it was the strongest, fastest wind she’s ever felt. She says she’s thankful for homeowners insurance.

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 Kelly Doty

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    BUNCOMBE COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS) — Five suspects face charges in what the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office called an AT&T wire theft ring that caused widespread outages across the county.

The sheriff’s office said the investigation began in December 2025.

Working in partnership with AT&T personnel, the sheriff’s office said detectives found several burn and wire-stripping sites in Swannanoa and the Leicester community, along with hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of cut wire.

The sheriff’s office said Travis Warren Glenn was charged with two counts of felony larceny, two counts of injury to utility wires/fixtures and two counts of injuring property to obtain nonferrous metals and posted a $20,000 bond. He was then charged with two more counts of felony larceny and two counts of injury to utility wires/fixtures and posted a $25,000 bond.

Justin Bryant Banks was arrested and charged with obtaining property by false pretenses, two counts of financial card fraud, attempting to obtain property by false pretenses, felony conspiracy, financial card theft, hit and run/failure to stop with property damage, no liability insurance and driving while license revoked and was issued a $10,000 bond.

The sheriff’s office said Banks also has three active warrants, including injury to utility wires/fixtures, injuring property to obtain nonferrous metals and felony larceny.

Sheron Nicole Nelon was charged with injury to utility wires/fixtures, injuring property to obtain nonferrous metals, felony larceny and felony conspiracy. Authorities said she posted a $50,000 bond.

Joseph Clay Bryant was charged with obtaining property by false pretenses and felony larceny. He was issued a $5,000 bond.

Kevin Michael Fox was charged with injuring property to obtain nonferrous metals, misdemeanor larceny and possession of stolen property. He was issued a $5,000 bond.

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 Montse Ricossa

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    FRANKLIN, Wisconsin (WDJT) — Police departments across Wisconsin are warning students to be mindful of the community as many play the nationwide game “Senior Assassin,” or “Paranoia.”

It’s where students are assigned a “target” and have one week to shoot them with a water gun. Nicolet High School Senior Abraham Olson described it as “March Madness but with squirt guns.”

However, the popular game has caused some disruptions across our hometowns. Franklin police responded to two incidents Monday morning, May 4, that were connected to the game called “Paranoia” being played by students at Franklin High School, according to the department.

The first was around 6:40 a.m. for a report of a naked man with a gun in the middle of the street, which led to what was described as a “high-risk traffic stop” that disrupted the morning commute.

“We were very concerned, especially with the morning commute, especially with children on buses and at bus stops in that area,” shared Franklin Police Officer Gary Wallace.

He was one of about a dozen officials who responded to the neighborhood, preparing for the worst. “We ran out of the station, concerned we were responding to a really serious issue. It was in the back of our minds, and even spoken, that this may be a case of the ‘Paranoia’ game,” he shared.

Officers determined the individual and a passenger were participating in the game. The student was arrested and cited for disorderly conduct. The reason for being naked? It’s a loophole, as there’s a rule accepted between students that if you’re without clothes (like when showering), then you cannot be eliminated.

“A lot of people in the community are frustrated about the resources that were being tied up this morning. So we asked again the participants, please keep in mind the effect of what you’re doing has on the community.” — Officer Gary Wallace

A second situation in Franklin involved several shirtless people arguing outside a residence and making threats.

Police departments including Monroe, Columbus, and Twin Lakes put out statements surrounding the game, with warnings for students.

In Germantown on April 16, police responded to a call of armed suspects, matching descriptions for what turned out to be 16 and 18-year-olds playing the “Senior Assassin” game.

“You guys have got to be kidding me — wearing masks and hiding outside an apartment complex playing a stupid game?” said one of the officers. Another officer pointed out that from down the road, where they were looking for the armed suspects, it was hard to tell that the “weapons” were actually water guns. The students can be seen in body camera video apologizing to the officers, asking if they’d get detention. The four students were eventually allowed to go home, after calls to their parents.

Officer Wallace reminds kids to be mindful of how they’re perceived: “You need to be respectful. You need to be aware of the disturbance that you’re creating. Have fun, but be mindful of everyone else around you, too.”

While there are warnings to be safe, Officer Wallace acknowledged the game could be fun if played correctly. That was echoed by Nicolet High School senior Abraham Olson and his mom, Julie Olson.

“I’d say it gets pretty serious. Some people are hiding out in their houses all day long or getting their parents to drive them around places, decoy cars, leaving their phones at home,” said Abraham. About 200 of his classmates play the game, which is set up on an app, assigning everyone their “targets.”

For the Olsons though, it’s a way for the family to get involved and have fun. Julie explained that she and her husband have a “decoy car” so her son could make it to work, as the only “safe zones” are school, home, work, and places of worship.

While Julie acknowledged there may be disruptions in neighborhoods with kids running around, “You have to take it for what it is. It’s seniors celebrating their last days of being kids and having this fun game.”

Franklin police said they must respond to such calls with full precautions, regardless of context, noting similar incidents across the country have had serious outcomes. The department is asking parents and community members to talk to young people about potential consequences.

Franklin High School put out a statement on May 4 that read in part:

“This activity is strictly prohibited on school property. Students and families should be aware that participation that leads to police involvement could carry legal consequences which impact a student’s eligibility for school athletics and activities under the Athletics & Activities Co-Curricular Code of Conduct.

We strongly encourage families to speak with their students about making safe, respectful, and responsible choices. As always, student safety is our top priority, and we appreciate your partnership in reinforcing these expectations. If you have concerns about unsafe behavior in the community, please contact the Franklin Police Department directly. Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting our students.”

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 Meredith Hackler

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    MADISON, Wisconsin (WDJT) — Evie McClenny and her dog Ernie are starting a new life together. Evie adopted Ernie after getting involved in the effort to relocate the Ridglan dogs a month ago. Evie came all the way from Omaha, Nebraska, to advocate for the beagles.

After following the efforts online for a few months, Evie decided to fly to Wisconsin to be a part of the group of advocates who tried to take beagles from Ridglan Farms.

She said, “I believe in science, I do. I think there is a way to do it without having outcomes like this.”

McClenny took part in what the advocates are calling the “open-air rescue,” which led to several people being arrested. While she wasn’t arrested, she says things did get physical with law enforcement.

“Myself and hundreds and hundreds of people included got brutalized by private security, the police. I mean, I was pepper sprayed in point-blank range, teargassed, zip-tied,” McClenny said.

But that didn’t stop her. She came back last week to volunteer to help with the 1,500 dogs that were taken from Ridglan Farms. And while she was doing that, she met Ernie and knew he was her dog.

“I was like, no, I need to come, I need to come back out here and be a part of helping transporting the dogs,” added McClenny. “Luckily, Big Dog Rescue was amazing, and they knew a little bit of my story, and they were like, no, you deserve to take one home.”

When she met Ernie, there was an instant connection. Now, she’s excited to show him the world.

“He is just going to explore the world. Literally, three days ago was his first time he’s ever been outside.”

Evie says she thinks Ernie’s vocal cords have been cut because he hasn’t made a sound since she got him. She will know more once she takes him to her vet back home. In the meantime, she’s looking forward to advocating for the remaining 500 dogs still at Ridglan Farms. She hopes the amount of national attention that Ridglan Farms is getting will lead to changes in the law.

“I’m incredibly happy, excited, and relieved these dogs are finally out,” McClenny said. “I’m also furious that it took hundreds of everyday people from across the country to step in when the legal system didn’t. People showed up, put their lives on hold, and many, including myself, were brutalized by excessive force for simply trying to save these dogs. Yes, we helped save these beagles. But only because the legal system failed them.”

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.