Category: CNN Regional

By Ashley Grams

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    MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (WCCO) — The Minneapolis Fire Department says two firefighters are hospitalized with minor burns amid a blaze Sunday evening on East Franklin Avenue.

Assistant Fire Chief Melanie Rucker says her department was notified around 4 p.m. of “someone possibly starting a fire” inside a business on the corner of East Franklin and South 13th avenues, just a few blocks west of Highway 55/Hiawatha Avenue.

Rucker says crews arrived to find flames inside the building, but racks inside were impeding their movement and eventually blocked their exits, leading two firefighters to suffer burns.

“But they were able to come out on their own, so we were luckily we’re not able to have to, you know, send them in. So they’re both being treated at the hospital right now, they’re doing fine,” Rucker said. “They’re in stable condition with some minor burns, a lot of exhaustion trying to, you know, get out, but we have our masks on so there shouldn’t have been any smoke inhalation or anything like that.”

Rucker says it led to a mayday call for a three-alarm fire, with 50 to 60 firefighters dispatched to scene to rotate in and out.

“Half of the building, the 1300 building roof, has collapsed. We have had several of the large air conditioning units fall through the roof,” Rucker said. “At some point, firefighters were on the roof when one of the air conditioners did fall through, and they were able to exit the roof, but they weren’t near that collapse.”

Rucker says crews are focused on keeping the blaze from spreading to neighboring businesses.

“Usually the older brick buildings do have a fire stop, but they have a common basement,” Rucker said. “A lot of water damage and smoke damage that we are really quite concerned about.”

LaSasha McGinnis works at the adjoining building, the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, which she says houses “30 years of Dakota curriculum and Ojibwe curriculum.”

“The Fond du Lac Chippewa Tribe, the Fond du Lac Urban Tribe is also housed in this building, which she has things that you can’t replace,” McGinnis said. “There’s unreplaceable things in this building from water damage, smoke damage. It’s actually really sad to see this here.”

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 Matthew Ablon

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    DALLAS, Texas (KTVT) — The Dallas Police Department has arrested one of its own officers after police say he was accused of soliciting a prostitute.

Senior Corporal Christopher Grall was arrested on Thursday, Oct. 8, the department said. Further details about what led to his arrest were not immediately shared. Dallas Police noted that solicitation of a prostitute is a state jail felony.

Grall has worked at the department since 1990 and is assigned to the training division. Dallas Police said he has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

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 Garrett Behanna

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    ERIE, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — Memorial trees are being planned for the two young children killed in a shooting in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 9.

The Youth Peace and Justice Foundation, also known as the Uvalde Foundation for Kids, plans to plant memorial trees in Allegheny National Forest through its Trees for Peace initiative as it also prepares outreach to the city to explore the possibility of a local memorial.

The shooting killed eight victims, including a 5-year-old boy and a 1-year-old girl. The suspected shooter also died, bringing the reported death toll to nine.

Foundation founder and president Daniel Chapin said the planned memorials are intended to honor the children and support those grieving their deaths.

“These children deserved the chance to grow up, make memories, and build futures of their own,” Chapin said. “We cannot undo what happened, but we can remember them, support those who are grieving, and make sure their lives are not reduced to the circumstances of their deaths.”

Chapin also shared the “Letter of Hope to Erie Families,” offering condolences to those affected by the shooting, including grieving families, witnesses and the impacted community.

The organization, formed following the May 2022 shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, is preparing to contact the city of Erie to discuss establishing a local memorial. However, those plans remain in the early stages, and no city partnership or planting date has been finalized.

The planned trees would become part of the foundation’s broader effort to remember children and young people who have died across the country.

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 Joe Brandt, Ryan Hughes, Eva Andersen, Andrew Krietz, Madeleine Wright

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    PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (KYW) — The man accused of shooting two police officers, killing one and injuring another, early Saturday morning in West Philadelphia is identified as 35-year-old Eric Lewis, according to District Attorney Larry Krasner.

Lewis faces a slew of charges in the shooting death of 40-year-old officer Shane Seiber. Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel identified the fallen officer as a 10-year veteran of the force with two children. His wife and other relatives were by his side at the hospital, he said.

“He fought valiantly, but he lost his life today,” said Bethel during a mid-morning news conference. “I want to say I appreciate all of the calls and all the support we received when we left out of [the hospital] this morning.

“We had an immense amount of hope.”

According to Krasner, Lewis shot the two police officers and opened fire on nine other officers around 1 a.m. on the 100 block of North 52nd Street in West Philadelphia. Lewis is charged with homicide of a law enforcement officer, murder, attempted homicide of a law enforcement officer, possession of an instrument of crime, reckless endangerment and more.

Krasner added that the nine other officers who were fired at weren’t struck by gunfire.

Lewis is being held without bail, Krasner said. Lewis appeared in court Sunday morning, and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Oct. 26.

“Thoughts and prayers — I hate when people say that — thoughts and prayers. My thoughts and prayers, but our deeds with these charges are what I’m looking forward to at this point,” Councilmember Curtis Jones said during an afternoon news conference.

The president of District Council 33, the union representing many city workers, said Lewis is a member and works for the Philadelphia Water Department. The Water Department referred any questions about the shooting to the city.

The union expressed condolences for Seiber’s family and colleagues and said it will cooperate with the investigation in a post on social media.

The Delaware FOP State Lodge said Seiber was a veteran and served at the Dover Air Force Base from 2007 to 2015.

“Thoughts and prayers — I hate when people say that — thoughts and prayers. My thoughts and prayers, but our deeds with these charges are what I’m looking forward to at this point,” Councilmember Curtis Jones said during an afternoon news conference.

The president of District Council 33, the union representing many city workers, said Lewis is a member and works for the Philadelphia Water Department. The Water Department referred any questions about the shooting to the city.

The union expressed condolences for Seiber’s family and colleagues and said it will cooperate with the investigation in a post on social media.

The Delaware FOP State Lodge said Seiber was a veteran and served at the Dover Air Force Base from 2007 to 2015.

“Shane was intensely committed to his military sisters and brothers and news of his Delaware connection has deepened the sense of shock and sadness,” the Delaware FOP State Lodge wrote in part on Facebook.

What led to the Philadelphia police shooting Police initially received a call about a man with a gun on the porch at the West Philly home. When officers arrived, they approached and came under heavy gunfire, Bethel said.

Mayor Cherelle Parker said two of the officers were “badly wounded.” They were rushed into surgery at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.

Bethel said Seiber was shot three times. The other officer, a 33-year-old father of five, was shot 12 times, said Bethel, adding that “he’s not out of the woods yet.”

Seiber had recently completed SWAT training and hoped to be transferred to that unit, police sources told CBS News Philadelphia.

After the initial gunfire, more officers — including a SWAT team — were called to the scene and closed in on Lewis, who allegedly fired at the responding officers multiple times.

Lewis was eventually arrested after police pulled him from a tree and took him into custody.

Pennsylvania state Rep. Amen Brown, who lives a few blocks away, said Lewis was hiding in the tree for hours. Brown said he was on the scene to see the suspect being taken into custody.

The suspect lives in the neighborhood and has “an extensive criminal record,” Brown said. While Lewis was being arrested, he allegedly said he wished he had killed more officers, Brown added.

Police recovered three guns from the scene — two handguns and a shotgun. One of the handguns had been taken from one of the officers who was shot, according to Bethel.

Lawmakers react to Philadelphia police shooting Parker said the incident is a reminder of the dangers police officers face on the job and urged the public to pray for the officers.

“I want to be very clear, I am grateful for their service and the reason is because for nights like tonight. We think of them as law enforcement officers, but I see mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters,” Parker said.

“Beyond the fact that this is incredibly tragic, it feels even more tragic because the community has been working so hard here to make things safer,” Councilmember Jamie Gauthier said during an afternoon news conference.

Parker also called upon Pennsylvania state leaders to consider bills to address mental health and substance abuse to help improve public safety.

“We are … [seeking] legislation that will expand involuntary commitment laws to cover not only severe mental illness, but substance use disorder and any kind of mental and/or behavioral challenge that could interfere with Philadelphia’s ability to keep itself safe,” Parker said.

“I don’t apologize for it.”

In a statement, Gov. Josh Shapiro said he ordered U.S. and state flags to fly at half-staff in honor of Seiber.

“Our law enforcement officers are the very best of us,” Shapiro said. “They put their lives on the line every day, running towards danger to keep their fellow Pennsylvanians safe, not knowing if they will return home. We owe them our deepest gratitude.”

Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. John Fetterman posted on X that “we’re hoping for a full and speedy recovery for the other officer.

“It’s a stark reminder of the dangerous job our law enforcement has in keeping us all safe — and why we should always be grateful for their service,” his post read.

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 Neal Riley

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    BOSTON, Massachusetts (WBZ) — The Brigham & Women’s Hospital nurses union has postponed plans for what was set to be the largest open-ended nurse strike in Massachusetts history.

About 4,000 registered nurses were getting ready to walk off the job this Wednesday amid a contract dispute with Mass General Brigham. But on Saturday night, the Boston healthcare system made its “best and final offer,” and the union decided to put the strike on hold so its members can vote on the proposed contract.

“As a democratic organization, given the complexity of the agreement and the impact of a potential strike on our nurses and the community, the Brigham Nurses’ MNA Committee has decided to postpone the strike to allow the 4,000 Brigham nurses to vote on this offer,” the Massachusetts Nurses Association said in a statement. “Brigham nurses will decide our next steps.”

Both sides had been battling for months over wages and health insurance costs. The union says Mass General Brigham wants nurses to agree to a multiyear pay freeze.

“Nurses have spent countless hours negotiating and making compromises to find a path forward,” the union said. “Yet MGB continues to refuse to provide cost of living wage increases, a strategy we believe is intended to break our union, putting patients and the community at risk.”

The Brigham, however, says its nurses are already among the highest-paid locally and nationwide, and says nurses will still be getting annual raises as they progress through their wage scale.

“During our 27th bargaining session with the MNA, the hospital made significant movement on several of the union’s priorities and presented its last, best and final offer in an effort to reach agreement,” the Brigham said in a statement. “The hospital believes its final proposal reflects the value our nurses bring to patient care while balancing our responsibility to patients, our workforce, and the long-term strength of the hospital.”

While a strike is still not off the table, the hospital said the union would need to give a new 10-day notice before a strike could occur.

In July, Brigham nurses went on a one-day strike but the hospital locked them out for four additional days due to contract obligations for temporary workers. It was the largest healthcare strike in state history, but an open-ended strike would be far more disruptive to patients.

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 Neal Riley

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    HOPKINTON, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A man walking his dog in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, Sunday evening was hit by an SUV driver and critically injured, police said.

It happened near the intersection of Wood and Fruit streets at about 6 p.m. The 79-year-old Hopkinton man was rushed to the hospital, where he was in critical condition.

The dog was also hit by the SUV. A neighbor took the dog to the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine for treatment.

“The Hopkinton Police Department asks that the community keep the victim and his family in their thoughts,” Interim Police Chief Scott van Raalten said in a statement.

Police said the driver of the 2018 Nissan Rogue is a 29-year-old Northboro woman who stayed at the scene of the crash and is cooperating with investigators. She is not currently facing any charges. Authorities have not released the name of the pedestrian or the driver.

Drivers were asked to stay away from the area. There was a heavy police presence on Wood Street, which was expected to be closed for several hours between Fruit and Winter streets while an accident reconstruction team worked to determine the cause of the crash.

It was raining heavily in Massachusetts Sunday evening as the remnants of Hurricane Isaias moved through the area.

Police are asking anyone who witnessed the crash, or anyone who has dash camera or doorbell camera footage of the incident, to contact them.

Hopkinton is about 26 miles west of Boston.

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By Drew Aunkst

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    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJZ) — The owner of a Baltimore restaurant is asking the community for help after someone smashed a window at her business, leaving her with costly repairs that she says her insurance will not cover.

Elisa Milan said The Empanada Lady, located near Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, was vandalized Thursday, Oct. 8.

Video obtained by CBS News Baltimore shows a man walking down the street before picking up an object and appearing to throw it through the restaurant’s window. He then continues walking.

The damage left shattered glass and a large hole in the building. The window was replaced with plexiglass.

Milan said the restaurant reopened the following day, but the incident has been emotionally and financially difficult.

“It was so expensive to get a replacement done the same day, and I just want people to understand that part because it might look like a Band-Aid, but it wasn’t easy to put that Band-Aid on, and it’s not even done,” Milan said.

Now, she’s encouraging people to visit The Empanada Lady, enjoy some empanadas and show their support as she works to cover the cost of the damage.

“I really do want to encourage people to show up and support us as we try to deal with this very expensive vandalism by supporting the business,” Milan said. “Come dine in if you can, come see the team. Come give somebody a hug. Really just show up and experience The Empanada Lady.”

Milan said she has already seen a spike in business since the incident, but hopes the community will continue to show up and support the restaurant.

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.