Surveillance video shows police officer ambushed in patrol car

CNN Newsource on January 13, 2026

By WJCL Staff

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    GREENVILLE, South Carolina (WJCL) — New details are coming to light after a South Carolina police officer was shot multiple times in what authorities described as an ambush-style attack at the Greenville County Law Enforcement Center.

Sheriff Hobart Lewis said a man approached an officer who was sitting in his patrol car around 1 a.m. Sunday and opened fire. The officer was taken to Greenville Memorial Hospital for treatment and later returned home to recover, officials said.

Authorities said the suspect fled the law enforcement center, prompting a short chase that ended in a parking lot near Independence Boulevard and Ponders Ray Lane. Additional shots were fired during the encounter, and the suspect died at the scene, Greenville County Coroner Mike Ellis said.

The suspect was identified as 42-year-old David William Lane. The coroner’s office said an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.

Officials said there was no indication of an ongoing threat to the public.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating. A motive has not been determined.

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.

Parents of student who was shot thank his friend who didn’t survive for saving their boy

CNN Newsource on January 13, 2026

By Lisa Crane

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    PLEASANT GROVE, Alabama (WVTM) — Many folks in Pleasant Grove are feeling a bit somber after a double shooting over the weekend involving two high school seniors. One died from his injuries; the other is recovering at UAB Hospital.

Birmingham police say Brandon Campbell was killed when someone shot into the car he was in. Investigators are still looking for the person responsible.

Seventeen-year-old Sam Slaughter and 18-year-old Brandon Campbell were best friends. Sam’s parents say they were closer than brothers.

The Pleasant Grove High School seniors were shot repeatedly Saturday night in their car — Brandon in the driver’s seat and Sam in the passenger’s seat.

Brandon died from his injuries, Sam survived. Two bullets went through his right arm, and one in his stomach.

His mother, Lashunda Jackson, said, “Where the bullet went through his stomach, came out through his back. It didn’t hit his spine. It didn’t hit his heart. It was inches away from those both. He could have been paralyzed or gone.”

As Sam’s parents stay by his side at UAB Hospital, they’re thankful he’s alive, but they’re also mourning the loss of another boy, one they considered family.

Samuel Slaughter said, “He wasn’t my son, but he was my son. When I told him I loved him the last time I saw him, I meant that.”

The double shooting has hit the Pleasant Grove community hard. Crystal Dunn owns a food truck. Her daughter goes to school with the victims, and her husband is a Birmingham police officer who responded to the shooting scene.

“We need all the prayers and the love and words of encouragement. If you see our kids out, you know, hug them a little bit tighter for us. Because they need it,” she said.

Police say that as someone was shooting into the boys’ car, Brandon drove almost a mile before crashing into a tree. Sam’s parents say that the tree was in front of Sam’s cousin’s house.

He now has a message for Brandon.

“I know you would never hear these words. Well, Brandon, I really appreciate what you did. You used the moments that you had left in order to save your friend, to save your brother,” he said.

Slaughter’s parents say he’s scheduled to have surgery Tuesday morning. Birmingham officers say if you have any information that may help their investigation, call them or Crimestoppers.

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Madison County suspect confesses to setting ‘synagogue of Satan’ on fire

CNN Newsource on January 13, 2026

By Richard Bourne

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    JACKSON, Mississippi (WAPT) — Court documents are revealing new details after a Jackson synagogue was set on fire over the weekend.

The FBI said Stephen Spencer Pittman’s father contacted authorities and notified them his son confessed via text message to setting the synagogue on fire.

The Jackson Fire Department was called to Beth Israel Congregation on Old Canton Road early Sunday morning.

Cellphone map data showed Pittman, 19, traveled from his Madison County home to the synagogue. Before arriving at the scene, cell data showed he stopped at a gas station in Ridgeland. Pittman later confessed that he stopped to get gas, and he took his license plate off his car while stopped.

The FBI said Pittman texted his father a picture from the scene as well as messages saying, “There’s a furnace in the back,” “Btw my plate is off,” “Hoodie is on,” “They have the best cameras” and “I did my research.”

Officials said he used an axe to break a window of the building to get inside Beth Israel, poured gas all over inside and used a torch lighter to start the fire. Pittman said he caught himself on fire while setting the building on fire.

Surveillance video captured a hooded man pouring gasoline inside the building.

That torch lighter was later found at the scene. Pittman told authorities that he also left his primary cellphone inside. The FBI recovered the burned cellphone.

Court filings said when Pittman’s father saw him later that day, he saw the burns on him and Pittman confessed to breaking into what he referred to as the “synagogue of Satan” and lighting it on fire, laughing as he confessed to his dad, saying he finally got them.

Pittman has been charged with arson. The FBI agent leading the investigation has experience handling cases related to domestic and international terrorism, but no charges of those kind have yet been filed.

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.

Louisville Tool Library helps neighbors save money by sharing resources

CNN Newsource on January 13, 2026

By Jennifer Baileys

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    LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WLKY) — Need a drill, sewing machine or even a lawnmower, but don’t want to buy one?

A Louisville nonprofit is offering a solution that works just like a traditional library, except instead of books, it lends out household items.

The Louisville Tool Library operates on a simple concept: Share resources so people don’t have to own everything themselves. While it may sound new, founding volunteer Shelby Rodeffer said tool libraries have been around for decades.

“A lot of people think we came up with the concept, but tool libraries have been around since the end of World War II,” Rodeffer said.

The Louisville Tool Library opened in Shelby Park in the summer of 2022 and has continued to grow. Everything inside the space, from the tools to the shelving, lights and computers, has been donated.

The library functions much like a traditional one, but with power tools, sewing machines, lawn equipment, camping gear and more. Unlike a public library, there is a membership fee, though Rodeffer said the cost is designed to be accessible for everyone.

“We’re sustained by membership fees that are sliding scale,” she said. “You could pay a minimum of $20 for a year, or you could pay 0.1% of your income.”

Inside the library, items are organized into three main sections: home, outdoor and traditional tools. Members may also borrow things like label makers, laminators, audio equipment, kitchen appliances and hobby kits, including rock tumbling and glass-cutting kits.

Rodeffer said the idea is especially helpful in neighborhoods where storage space is limited.

“In this neighborhood, it’s a lot of shotgun homes without garages. And you still have a yard, but it might only be 10 feet wide. And it doesn’t really make sense to own a lawnmower. Like, do you keep that in your living room, or where does it go? So this way, everyone owns this lawnmower together. We’re all responsible for the upkeep of it through our membership fees and through taking care of things while you have them borrowed,” she said.

Rodeffer added that the library is about more than saving money. It also focuses on education, sustainability and building community.

“This space is meant for you to try something out,” she said. “There’s no risk, but there’s a lot to gain by trying something for the first time.”

The Louisville Tool Library currently has about 2,500 donated items, nearly 400 active members and a volunteer network of around 80 people.

The library is open Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The organization is always looking for volunteers and donations.

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.

Vermont’s first “Kid Governor” sworn into office

CNN Newsource on January 13, 2026

By Jack Thurston

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    MONTPELIER, Vermont (WPTZ) — Vermont’s first-ever “kid governor” began her one-year term in office on Monday, following an inauguration ceremony at the Vermont State House in Montpelier. Roslyn Fortin of Highgate was sworn in along with members of her youth cabinet from around the state.

Fortin won an election for fifth graders last fall that more than 1,000 Vermont students voted in. As reported on NBC5 In Depth in December, the Kid Governor program was designed by the Connecticut Democracy Center and is run locally by the office of Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas. It asks fifth graders to identify a problem in their community and lay out a vision to solve it.

Fortin will work on projects like a 5 K and food and clothing drives to support people experiencing homelessness.

“These actions may seem simple, but when we work together, they can create real change,” Fortin said in her inaugural address. “I believe when we come together with kindness and compassion, even small actions can make a big difference. You do not have to be Kid Governor to make a difference. Every act of kindness, big or small, helps Vermont become a better place to live, learn, and grow.”

Other finalists in the Vermont Kid Governor election will serve as Fortin’s cabinet members. The cabinet members are Karin Ashley of the Barnet School, Phoebe Bingham of Red Fox Community School in Manchester, Westyn Danforth of Bradford Elementary, Rumano Hassan of Champlain Elementary in Burlington, Gaelen McNaughton of the Weathersfield School, and Lincoln Ratta of Lincoln Community School. Each has their own priorities, including youth mental health and preventing bullying, which the cabinet members will work with the secretary of state’s office to address.

“At the end of the day, this program is preparing kids to be voters when they are adults,” Copeland Hanzas said. “I can’t wait to see what happens when these fifth graders turn 18 and take on the world.”

After the swearing-in ceremony, Fortin and her cabinet members met with Gov. Phil Scott, R-Vt. Scott heard from the elementary schoolers’ about their advocacy projects and shared some interesting history facts with them about the Vermont State House.

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.

Oakland community calls on city to prevent illegal dumping, citing health impacts

CNN on January 13, 2026


KPIX

By Sooji Nam

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    San Francisco (KPIX) — Faith in Action East Bay and other Oakland-based community organizations are calling on city leaders to provide solutions to illegal dumping.

“Living in the community, and you’re having all this trash build up. I mean, it’s everywhere. It’s demoralizing, it’s inhumane,” Roberta Avant, who has been living in Oakland for more than 30 years, told CBS News Bay Area.

“It’s there, and it could be there for three days to a week. And then at some point, it will be cleaned up,” she added.

On the 311 Service Request Hotline, the city of Oakland reported more than 25,000 calls for service at illegal dumping sites in 2025. And so far this year, they received more than 150 calls.

“Probably until about 15 years ago that I really started noticing a lot of illegal dumping, especially when I was on BART,” Avant said.

She is one of many neighbors who are making 311 calls and reporting these illegal dumping grounds.

“This is a health crisis. Look at this. This brings about rats, other rodents, bug infestation. This is a nightmare,” she said. “This does not come from a homeless encampment. These are actually, someone is driving up into the area, and dumping their belongings and leaving it.”

Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, professor of medicine and infectious disease specialist at UCSF, said dumping grounds can be harmful both physically and mentally.

“You can be stepping on needles, or nails, or debris that can puncture the skin and lead to infections,” Dr. Chin-Hong said. “Chemical exposures that might release gases like methane, carbon monoxide.”

“There have been studies showing that people who live near the dump areas undergo a lot of depression and anxiety, so that can’t be underestimated,” he added.

He advises neighbors living near these sites to take extra measures.

“A lot of times these toxic dumps can seep into the soil, so if you’re using well water, I’d probably avoid that. Try to use bottled water, if at all possible, if you’re not sure of the water supply. Again, with the soil, probably not planting vegetables in the area because of the chemicals that seep into the soil,” Dr. Chin-Hong said. “The pests can carry diseases. So, pest-proofing your home, if at all possible. Closing your garbage in your home, because there will be lots of mosquitoes, rats, and so on.”

Avant said more needs to be done to protect her city.

“You got chemicals that are in these containers, you have no idea what these containers are containing. This is a health hazard to our communities, the city of Oakland. We deserve better,” she 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.

Oakland community calls on city to prevent illegal dumping, citing health impacts

CNN Newsource on January 13, 2026

By Sooji Nam

Click here for updates on this story

    San Francisco (KPIX) — Faith in Action East Bay and other Oakland-based community organizations are calling on city leaders to provide solutions to illegal dumping.

“Living in the community, and you’re having all this trash build up. I mean, it’s everywhere. It’s demoralizing, it’s inhumane,” Roberta Avant, who has been living in Oakland for more than 30 years, told CBS News Bay Area.

“It’s there, and it could be there for three days to a week. And then at some point, it will be cleaned up,” she added.

On the 311 Service Request Hotline, the city of Oakland reported more than 25,000 calls for service at illegal dumping sites in 2025. And so far this year, they received more than 150 calls.

“Probably until about 15 years ago that I really started noticing a lot of illegal dumping, especially when I was on BART,” Avant said.

She is one of many neighbors who are making 311 calls and reporting these illegal dumping grounds.

“This is a health crisis. Look at this. This brings about rats, other rodents, bug infestation. This is a nightmare,” she said. “This does not come from a homeless encampment. These are actually, someone is driving up into the area, and dumping their belongings and leaving it.”

Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, professor of medicine and infectious disease specialist at UCSF, said dumping grounds can be harmful both physically and mentally.

“You can be stepping on needles, or nails, or debris that can puncture the skin and lead to infections,” Dr. Chin-Hong said. “Chemical exposures that might release gases like methane, carbon monoxide.”

“There have been studies showing that people who live near the dump areas undergo a lot of depression and anxiety, so that can’t be underestimated,” he added.

He advises neighbors living near these sites to take extra measures.

“A lot of times these toxic dumps can seep into the soil, so if you’re using well water, I’d probably avoid that. Try to use bottled water, if at all possible, if you’re not sure of the water supply. Again, with the soil, probably not planting vegetables in the area because of the chemicals that seep into the soil,” Dr. Chin-Hong said. “The pests can carry diseases. So, pest-proofing your home, if at all possible. Closing your garbage in your home, because there will be lots of mosquitoes, rats, and so on.”

Avant said more needs to be done to protect her city.

“You got chemicals that are in these containers, you have no idea what these containers are containing. This is a health hazard to our communities, the city of Oakland. We deserve better,” she 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.

Surgeon arrested inside hospital after confronting patient he operated on, report says

CNN Newsource on January 13, 2026

By Stephanie Moore

Click here for updates on this story

    LAVONIA, Georgia (WYFF) — A doctor was arrested inside a Georgia hospital after a confrontation with a patient he had done surgery on that morning, according to Lavonia police.

A report from the Lavonia Police Department said on Thursday an officer was called to St. Mary’s Hospital about a dispute between a patient and a surgeon.

A patient at the hospital said she was on the phone with her surgeon, Steven Muscoreil, about her procedure and Muscoreil “became angry and raised his voice at her,” the report said.

The patient told the officer that Muscoreil then came to her room and “charged toward her in an aggressive manner as if he was going to strike her, got into her face, and began yelling,” the report said. The patient said Muscoreil was shaking his finger inches from her face and yelling loud enough for hospital staff outside the room to hear.

The officer spoke with two nurses who corroborated the patient’s statements.

One nurse told the officer she had to physically intervene and push Muscoreil away from the patient.

Both nurses said Muscoreil was “extremely angry.”

Muscoreil was charged with simple assault and taken to jail.

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.

Hockey dad credits ‘end-of-life care’ with saving his life

CNN Newsource on January 13, 2026

By Jessica Brown

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    BOSTON (WCVB) — Kevin Morrison always felt at home and at his best in high-stress situations.

He’s got boxes of awards, photos, and trading pins that he collected during a legendary career on a hockey rink and a softball diamond.

“If I’m going to umpire, you’re going to notice me,” Morrison said. “Always hustling like crazy.”

So as an umpire, he’s in the USA Softball of Massachusetts Hall of Fame.

As a dad, he’s raised two exceptional student-athletes.

“This is Michael’s rookie card from Topps when he made it to the NHL with the Oilers,” he said, pointing to a framed photo of his son, Michael Morrison, a former NHL goaltender.

But at age 76, Morrison now faces Stage 4 prostate cancer.

It’s his fiercest competition yet.

His doctor recommended chemotherapy.

“And that’s where it went to hell,” he said.

The hell was in his stomach.

Suddenly, Morrison was at his worst.

“They’d say, ‘What’s your pain? Compare 1 to 10, what do you have?'” he told doctors. “I said, ‘I have a 10.'”

Doctors prescribed pills. They didn’t work.

Doctors ordered tests. They showed his prostate cancer responding well to treatment, but no clear source for his stomach pain.      

Morrison’s wife, Rose, was worried.

“It was just getting worse and worse and worse,” she said. “He was losing more and more weight, more and more hope.”

Morrison was desperate — and becoming despondent.

“No one knew what this 10 was and how to get rid of it,” he said. “No one knew. Now I know, I’m at the end of the line with this, so now to figure this out, I’m ready to go to a florist, a gas station, anywhere. I’ll go anywhere to take this away.”

His doctor sent him to Dr. Tamara Vesel, the chief of palliative care at Tufts Medical Center.

“When he walked in, it was very clear to us that he was suffering a tremendous amount,” she said.

Vesel reviewed his medical file, then asked him to tell his story.

She learned about umpiring, being a goalie dad, and the stomach cramp he sometimes felt when he was stressed.

“I saw a pattern,” Vesel said. “The pains went away as soon as he stopped doing his umpire business and came back a decade later when his son was a player. Again, they went away. Then, during cancer care, they returned back.”

She diagnosed Morrison with chronic visceral pain, a common condition that has different triggers, such as inflammation, blockages, and — in Kevin’s case — stress.

The intensity can vary, but many people describe it as a deep ache or pressure.

She prescribed a medication called nortriptyline.

It’s been used for decades to treat depression, but researchers found it also controls this type of pain.

Morrison was ready to try anything.

“They could have given me a quart of gasoline,” he said. “It wouldn’t have mattered.”

The change was immediate.

“Miracle, miracle,” he said. “Within a year, I had a full head of hair, no pain. I was eating like a hog and I’m back to 205 pounds.”

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.

Retired firefighter assaulted at anti-ICE rally; suspect claims stolen valor

CNN Newsource on January 13, 2026

By Rachael Perry

Click here for updates on this story

    BOCA RATON, Florida (WPBF) — A retired firefighter said he was assaulted by a man while protesting against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

WPBF 25 News spoke with the victim, Luis Garcia, a retired Boynton Beach firefighter, who was attending the anti-ICE protest in Boca Raton on Saturday. Garcia said the suspect, Thomas Landry, aggressively approached him, accusing him of stolen valor.

“He immediately came up to me, I’m holding an American flag, and he’s immediately spitting out, screaming, you’re not a real fireman. Where do you work? Where do you work?” Garcia said.

Garcia maintains that Landry punched him in the chest before Garcia can be heard telling nearby protesters to video the incident and call 911.

“That’s a video segment you see. And then I’m backing up, I just tell him to back up, and he just comes at me again, swinging for my head, but I turned slightly. So he managed to knock my firefighter helmet off my head,” he said.

Before approaching Garcia, the police report shows Landry is accused of knocking a sign out of a woman’s hand.

Garcia told WPBF 25 News he has since seen comments of people asking why he didn’t defend himself.

“We were right next to a moving lane of traffic. That would have been pretty stupid. He could have gotten hurt. I could have gotten hurt. We both could have gotten killed,” Garcia said.

At the time of the incident, Garcia was wearing his firefighter helmet and an International Association of Fire Fighters t-shirt. He said Landry continued to yell at him while accusing him of stolen valor.

“He felt it was within his right to attack me because he was also starting to scream stolen valor, stolen valor. He and his wife were yelling at us, calling us illegals, saying we had stolen valor. And I get it. He thought I was just some fat middle-aged guy who bought a helmet online and a t-shirt,” Garcia said.

He explained his T-shirt is from the 2020 campaign supporting former president Joe Biden.

“My belief system is that if I served in the U.S. Marine Corps, I have the right to stand there with an American flag. If I’m a U.S. citizen, I have nothing to be afraid of. If I spent 28 years saving lives, protecting property, helping people, and going into burning buildings, I certainly have earned the right to wear my retiree helmet, even at a political protest,” he told WPBF.

Garcia said Landry seemed fixated on his shirt and couldn’t let it go.

“I’m doing nothing wrong. I’m not impersonating anybody. But he was sure in his mind that there’s no way I could be a real firefighter or a retired firefighter,” he said.

While the incident was shocking, Garcia said he’s dealt with similar issues in the past.

“I’ve encountered Trump supporters who spit in my face, tear my sign out of my hand, and push me, trying to get me to fall to the ground, but it’s always been face-to-face. This is a weird dynamic now that he came up behind me,” he said.

Garcia said he’s been protesting against the Trump administration for several years.

“I think just in the last year, I’ve seen an increase of more people being aggressive and confrontational,” he said. “Just ignore us. If you don’t agree with us, you can shoot the bird, you can say Go Trump, whatever. Drive by. You don’t need to park and sneak up behind us. But I’ve definitely seen a dramatic shift in the last year.”

Deputies with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office were nearby and arrested Garcia, who has now been charged with two misdemeanors. PBSO, which was nearby, was contacted and Landry was arrested on suspicion of battery of Garcia and a woman.

Garcia said he didn’t sustain any injuries but says the incident left him shaken and even feeling a little sorry for Landry.

“In five, 10, 15 years, we’re all going to look back and think about whatever our experience was. Maybe some of us will be proud that we stood up for either side, whatever you believe in on either side. Maybe some people will look back and say with shame that maybe they were misled. And maybe somebody will realize I shouldn’t have attacked other people. At the end of the day, we’re all human beings. We’re all Americans,” Garcia said.

Landry was booked in the Palm Beach County jail and has since bonded out.

A spokesperson for the PBSO said the majority of participants complied with lawful directives and remained within designated protest areas, and no widespread issues involving traffic disruption, property damage, or disorderly conduct were observed.

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.