Category: CNN Regional

By Eric Graves

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    LIBERTY, Missouri (KMBC) — Liberty, Missouri, police are issuing a scam warning after a store clerk stepped in Thursday when they noticed an older customer getting ready to send a large sum of money through a cryptocurrency ATM while on the phone.

Police said the clerk intervened, then called their department.

Officers spoke to the man and learned he believed he was having computer problems, and he thought he was on the phone with Microsoft support.

Bodycam video provided by Liberty Police shows the man tell authorities, “I was on my computer trying to do something and all of a sudden it locked up, and so, I called what I thought was Microsoft.”

The man told police the person on the other end of the line was directing him to send money to fix the virus through a cryptocurrency ATM.

“It sounds real familiar?” the man asked police.

“Yeah, a little bit, unfortunately,” the detective told the man.

Liberty Police Capt. Nathan Mulch said the man had the cash in hand ready to deposit it in the crypto ATM when the store clerk became concerned the man was being scammed. “The store clerk noticed this gentleman seemed confused,” Mulch said. “He was on the phone, and the clerk started kind of striking up a conversation with him, and she realized pretty quickly that he was being scammed, and she got him to stop talking to the person and then called us real quick.”

Mulch said it’s unclear what made the victim’s computer freeze up, but the man got the scam phone number after searching for it online. Scammers can pay for these phone numbers to pop up as a top result for searches. Then, the criminals just wait for someone to fall into their trap.

“It was the first number that popped up on the search engine, so he thought, ‘Well, that’s good,'” Mulch said. “It’s a reputable search engine, and so he gave them a call and they talked him through it, and he thought that’s what he had to do to fix his machine so he can start using it again.”

Once these scammers have a potential victim in their sights, they’re relentless. At the end of the body camera video, you hear a ringtone from the victim’s phone. Mulch said that was the scammer calling back.

“The scammer was calling him, and one of our officers took the phone and they hung up on the officer once they realized that it wasn’t the gentleman anymore,” Mulch said.

Mulch hopes people passing by or employees who work at places with cryptocurrency ATMs will keep an eye out like the store clerk did in this situation.

“If you see someone on the phone and you can tell they’re probably not investing in crypto, go up to strike up a simple little conversation with them, make sure they’re okay,” Mulch said. “If they seem confused or distraught, give us a call and we’ll come out and we’ll talk to them ourselves.”

Mulch said they see about one of these scams a week with people losing thousands of dollars each time.

“They’ve become an incredible drain on our law enforcement resources,” Mulch said.

In fact, over the weekend, Liberty PD was alerted to another cryptocurrency ATM scam.

Mulch said the victim in this crime thought he was talking over the phone with a deputy. The scammer told him he had missed jury duty and had a warrant out for his arrest. The victim sent the scammer $5,000 through a crypto ATM.

“You’ll never pay a bond through crypto machines or Apple gift cards or iTunes or things like that,” Mulch said. “You’re going to go to a department and you’re going to pay for it there, and we’re not going to call you on the phone if you have a warrant and walk you through how to get there. We’re going to come knock on your door and talk to you in person and take you to the station.”

Every crypto ATM in Clay County now has multiple signs attached to it warning users of potential scams.

However, the signs still aren’t stopping every the scam. The crypto ATM at the Liberty gas station where the most recent victim lost $5,000 had four signs on the machine and more warnings once you started using it.

Once the money is deposited into the machine, it is very hard for law enforcement to recover it.

“The value for a scammer, in this case, is the speed at which they can acquire the currency,” said Nick Gicinto, chief information security officer at William Jewel College. “It’s a race for them to try and acquire that crypto into their wallet, move it further along on the crypto chain to where they can get it, convert it back to fiat currency and into their bank account.”

Gicinto said scams like the one targeting the first victim are very common.

“If the victim has clicked on something, a phishing scam, and that pop-up shows on their screen telling them to call, that’s how they get lured in in some cases,” Gicinto said. “They just Google what they think is Microsoft support or Amazon support or whatever, what have you, and because those search results pop up, they trust the first thing that they see.”

When searching for a site or number online, Gicinto said people should run any URLs through VirusTotal.com.

“Right on that front page of that site, you can paste in the website, run a search and it will tell you whether or not that site is potentially malicious,” Gicinto said. “Whenever you have somebody asking for money, usually if it’s cryptocurrency, that’s a major red flag.”

Crypto ATM scams have become a quickly growing crime as the machines have spread across the metro. KMBC9 has covered multiple instances of attempted and successful scams.

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 Alan Etter

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    MIDDLEBURG, Virginia (WTOP) — Leo and Virginia “Ginger” Hergenroeder of Middleburg, Virginia, are getting ready to celebrate Valentine’s Day this weekend. But that wasn’t always a certainty this year.

Last April, Ginger received a donated kidney through MedStar Georgetown Hospital’s paired kidney exchange program, which allows doctors to search for suitable donors through a massive database.

Initially, Leo was cleared to donate a kidney to his wife. He was a pretty good match, but doctors were confident they could find an even closer match.

And they did. Leo was still able to donate his kidney, which went to someone else in need.

“Leo went in first, for them to harvest his kidney. Then, I came in,” Ginger said, adding that she and her husband had their procedures on the same day.

She recalled the day of her surgery when her doctor pointed to a plain brown box on a table in the operating room and said the donated kidney would soon be inside her body.

She laughed, recalling how plain she thought the box was: “It should be more festive. It should be wrapped in pink paper with a big red bow.”

Leo and Ginger, both graduates of West Springfield High School, went their separate ways after high school, building their lives. They reconnected at their 30-year high school reunion and began dating long-distance as Ginger lived in Florida at the time.

In 1995, Ginger, an avid equestrian and fitness enthusiast, developed Goodpasture Syndrome, an autoimmune disease that led to her kidneys declining and failing. She was able to maintain decent health through diet and exercise, but the disease caught up to her.

She researched several places to receive renal care before deciding on MedStar Georgetown in D.C.

“I’m really glad that we were able to be thorough and get this done for them,” said Dr. Jennifer Verbesey, director of MedStar Georgetown’s Living Donor Kidney Transplant Program.

She described the paired kidney exchange program as part of a national matchmaking service that helps people who need an organ to get that organ quickly and efficiently.

As for Leo and Ginger, they’re making plans for Valentine’s Day.

“We’re going to stay home,” said Leo, as Ginger laughed. “Candy and flowers!”

“The whole goal of all of this is that they go live their normal lives and do whatever they want to do,” Verbesey said. “If they want to go out and party that’s great. If they want to stay home together, that sounds perfect to me.”

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 Chloe Godding

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    LEAWOOD, Kansas (KMBC) — At least one person is facing charges after a shooting at a senior living facility in Leawood, Kansas.

Officers with the Leawood Police Department were called to the Healthcare Resort of Leawood at 5401 W. 143rd St. around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday for an armed disturbance.

Police determined two male employees got into a verbal altercation that escalated into gunfire. One of the employees fired shots at the other, and the other shot back.

No one was hurt in the shooting, and no senior residents were involved.

One of the men involved remained on the scene and is cooperating with police. The other fled but was later found by the Overland Park Police Department. That employee was taken into custody and is facing charges.

Police are still investigating the shooting. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Leawood Police Department at 913-663-9309 or tips@leawood.org.

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 Quanecia Fraser

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    OMAHA, Nebraska (KETV) — Holly Knihal survived a violent attack by her ex-boyfriend, and now she works as an advocate for others experiencing domestic violence.

At Heartland Family Service, her work is much more than a desk job.

“When somebody tells me that I had made a big impact or I changed their life, that’s what I do it for,” Knihal said.

She’s a case manager and victim advocate for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

If you or someone you know needs help, you can access Heartland Family Service’s 24-hour crisis line at 1-800-523-3666.

“If they need me to go to court with them, I go to court with them. If they need help with protection orders, I’ll do that,” Knihal said.

But to see how she got here, you have to go back to August of 2023.

“We had just gone to a pool party out in Blair that day. We had been drinking all day,” Knihal said.

“On August 12th, 2023, I received a call for a disturbance out at the Cottonwood Marina and responded to that with a couple of the other deputies who were working that night. It ended up being a domestic assault call,” Washington County Deputy Andrea Murphy said.

Murphy said Knihal was physically assaulted by her boyfriend at the time.

“When I responded, she was already starting to show signs of bruising. She was covered in blood,” Murphy said. “And she had cut on her nose, and the bruising was starting in and around her eyes.”

“I’d say I took probably 40 or 50 closed fist punches to the face that night. And I kept trying to get out of the car, and he wouldn’t let me. And finally, somebody realized something was going on and came and stopped it,” Knihal said.

She provided photos to KETV showing the immediate and progressive aftermath of her injuries.

“It could have been worse. I’m glad that I had the strength to get out when I did because I probably wouldn’t be here to talk to you right now if I didn’t,” Knihal said.

She was rushed to the hospital.

“When I entered the ambulance, she immediately tried kicking me out, immediately,” Deputy Murphy said.

“I remember being in the back of the ambulance, and I kept telling her to get out, and looking back at it, I was trying to cover for him,” Knihal said. “I was trying to figure out how I was going to get him to get away with this because I loved him and I didn’t want him to get in trouble, and she wouldn’t leave. She wouldn’t leave me.”

Murphy followed up with Knihal in the days after, getting photos and a written statement, along with offering resources. Knihal’s ex was found guilty and sentenced to 18 months in prison.

“You don’t always get to hear or know the impact that you make on someone’s life when you respond to a call,” Murphy said.

For Murphy, the situation hits close to home. She said she’s a survivor of domestic violence herself.

“I think one of the things that I regret in my situation was that I didn’t report it, and I want women to know that they’re supported, that there is a way out. That there are resources out there, when they feel that they maybe don’t have those resources,” Murphy said.

She said it’s what led her to the profession that she’s in now.

“I want people to know that there is help out there, that they’re not alone. And show that support,” Murphy said.

As for Knihal, she said she’d like to see changes when it comes to the justice system.

“Too many times, even in the job I do now, I see cases get pleaded down, and it’s just not fair to the survivors,” Knihal said.

Her message to others going through similar situations is don’t be afraid to ask for help.

“There’s help out there for you. Don’t be ashamed. It’s not your fault. This is a reflection of that other person, it’s not a reflection of you or your actions,” Knihal said.

Knihal has gone back to school and is studying human resources. Her goal is to get a bachelor’s degree in social work.

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 Scott McKane

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    SALT LAKE CITY (KSTU) — There are wild turkeys and peacocks now living in a couple of Salt Lake City neighborhoods.

Sadly, one of the turkeys was recently hit by a car and killed.

But neighbors are doing what they can, trying to protect their feathered friends. We found one of the wild turkeys that have been spotted recently in Rose Park.

Meanwhile, pictures and videos of them are popping up on social media.

And in Poplar Grove, there’s an entire street filled with peacocks. Neighbors have actually worked with city officials to protect their peacock population.

on Salt Lake City’s west side

By: Scott McKane Posted 12:32 AM, Feb 11, 2026 and last updated 12:52 AM, Feb 11, 2026 SALT LAKE CITY — There are wild turkeys and peacocks now living in a couple of Salt Lake City neighborhoods.

Sadly, one of the turkeys was recently hit by a car and killed.

But neighbors are doing what they can, trying to protect their feathered friends. We found one of the wild turkeys that have been spotted recently in Rose Park.

Meanwhile, pictures and videos of them are popping up on social media.

And in Poplar Grove, there’s an entire street filled with peacocks. Neighbors have actually worked with city officials to protect their peacock population.

WATCH: Peacocks, tiny homes and the ‘hobbitville’ lore: Inside Salt Lake’s hidden park

Amy Larsen says the big birds are a big reason why she decided to move into her current Poplar Grove home. She says she’s been a peacock protector ever since.

“When I first got here in 2008, saw the peacocks and went, ‘That’s cool, where do you see that?’”

The peacock population has now grown to about two dozen.

Larsen says she and many of her neighbors have joined forces to try to keep them safe.

“We have a lot of really cool people here who love wildlife and want to help take care of them and keep an eye out for them,” she said.

There are signs throughout the neighborhood, and also a QR code to learn more about them and to contribute if you’d like to help.

“We just kind of work together to keep an eye out for them,” Larsen said. “The city has been great — they got us those signs, and that’s helped to keep people to slow down a little bit.”

Meanwhile, a little farther north in Rose Park, several wild turkeys have made themselves right at home.

Lindsey Musser says she and her daughter really like them.

“I think they’re cool because they just roam around. And you can be like, ‘Hey, look, there goes those turkeys!'” Musser said. “She’s always yelling at me in the car: ‘Mom, look at the turkeys over there!’”

Musser and others have been taking pictures of the turkeys and putting them on social media.

“I got pictures of them jumping onto the carport, then from the carport, jumping onto the tree and then to our house. That was pretty awesome!“ she said.

There’s another picture where some of the wild turkeys are escorting a local postal carrier on their route.

But recently, one turkey was hit by a vehicle and killed near 500 North and 1300 West.

Musser is now exploring the possibility of reaching out to city officials to see if they — like Poplar’s “peacock protectors” — can also get caution signs for the turkeys. She says it’s probably time.

“I think it would be a good smart idea,” she said, “Just to slow down and to watch when they’re there.”

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.