(HOUSTON, Texas) -- Deputies responded to reports of multiple people shot inside a Kroger outside Houston, Texas on Wednesday afternoon, the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office said.

The incident took place at the Cypresswood Drive location in the Houston area around 3:00 p.m. CT.

A possible suspect was detained, according to law enforcement.

The scene was closed off as investigators searched searched the area. It was not immediately clear how many victims were involved.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Minn.) -- A northern Minnesota county declared a state of emergency and an air quality alert was issued on Tuesday due to wildfires raging across northern Minnesota and Canada.

St. Louis County in northeast Minnesota issued a State of Local Emergency and a State of Local Disaster due to wildfire damage and the utilization of public resources needed.

The U.S. Forest Service reported at least 17 wildfires burning across Superior National Forest, including three in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, on Tuesday.

"I've seen a lot of fire in my 25 years on this forest," Nick Petrack, fire staff officer for the Superior and Chippewa National Forests, said at a Wednesday press conference. "This is probably the most and the largest number of fires that I have seen in July."

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued an air quality alert across much of the state due to wildfire smoke from 9 a.m. on Tuesday through 11 a.m. Friday.

Air quality reached the hazardous category in parts of the state Wednesday afternoon. The agency advised anyone in the hazardous region to avoid all outdoor activity and remain indoors.

Firefighters and first responders are continuing to evacuate visitors and nearby residents as the fires burned across the region.

Petrack said it is "no easy feat" evacuating visitors from the region, as first responders access parts of the boundary waters via canoe.

Phil Manuel, incident meteorologist at the National Weather Service, said in the press conference that hot, dry and windy conditions, along with a high number of lightning strikes, have allowed the fire to spread.

"Normal high temperatures here are in the upper 70s," Manuel said. "Where have we been the last three days? Over 100 degrees in some cases. I saw some temperatures of 104."

Though rain is in the forecast in the coming days, Manuel said the scale of the fires and the low probability that rain would stop the fires entirely.

"Odds are, these fires will be here until it snows," Manuel said.

While fires are natural in these forests, as they are fire-dependent ecosystems, blazes at this scale are not normal, officials said.

The fires have burned through at least 33,000 acres as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Officials said they are awaiting the arrival of federal first responders who plan to assist in firefighting efforts.

In a social media post Wednesday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said two groups of YMCA campers stranded by the wildfires near the Minnesota-Canada border were rescued.

The smoke has also spread into Michigan. Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy issued an air quality alert for Wednesday and Thursday across the state.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer urged Michiganders to limit time spent outdoors, especially seniors, children and anyone with respiratory conditions.

Tom Hall, agency administrator for Superior National Forest, said in the press conference that first responders conducted 17 air rescues on Monday and none have been conducted since.

St. Louis County said it set up temporary evacuation points at a municipal center to serve people from St. Louis and Lake Counties impacted by the fires. It said public health staff is at the evacuation points to connect people with necessary resources.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW HAVEN, Conn.) -- Yale University said it's negotiating with the Department of Justice over a potential resolution of the Trump administration's findings of alleged racial discrimination in its medical school’s admissions processes, according to a statement by the university's president.

President Maurie McInnis also confirmed for the first time that the DOJ's inquiry extends beyond Yale's medical school, with two pending investigations into admissions processes at Yale College and Yale Law School.

The statement issued on Monday describes recent university-wide changes to admissions processes to meet federal guidelines, stating that "academic strength" is its main consideration when evaluating Yale College applicants.

"We now state explicitly that academic strength has long been the predominant criterion in our holistic evaluation of applicants," McInnis said.

ABC News has reached out to Yale University and the Department of Justice for a comment.

In May, following a yearlong investigation, the DOJ released a letter of findings alleging that the Yale School of Medicine discriminated based on race in its admissions practices. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 -- which prohibits discrimination in any program receiving federal funding -- requires that the government seek a voluntary resolution with the institution following an investigation.

McInnis characterized Yale's decision to engage in this process as "standard" and "required" by law, saying in her statement: "These investigations concern university compliance with federal law...As a university committed to the rule of law, we take that obligation seriously."

Three legal experts on higher education told ABC News that although, historically, it has been customary for universities to undergo the resolution process, they say it is not required. 

"Going back several administrations, there was always the opportunity to say, 'No, thank you. I don't want to go through voluntary resolution,'" explained Dr. Peter Lake, law professor and director of Stetson University's Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy. "...Most institutions wouldn't pick that option for various reasons because the consequences could be very severe."

However, norms surrounding the voluntary resolution process have been called into question since the start of President Donald Trump's second term, according to legal experts.

“In this instance, and I think that this is why a lot of individuals at Yale and others are raising alarm over a quick settlement is that, we are in uncharted waters with how this administration has used legal mechanisms to try to get higher education to do what it wants,” said Dr. Neal Hutchens, a professor at the University of Kentucky specializing in legal and policy issues in higher education.

“This is pushing an investigation based on a DOJ memorandum that may not have conclusions or interpretations of law that are necessarily sound or that would be backed by courts,” Hutchens continued. “I think there are real questions there, and so, I think there are some real legal questions about why you would necessarily fold too quickly on this.”

Dr. Jonathan Feingold, a professor at the Boston University School of Law, told ABC News that he believes Yale does not "even come close" to violating federal law and criticized the university for engaging with the Trump administration in "good faith."

“From my perspective, as someone who cares about higher education but has no personal relationship with Yale, even the posture of treating the Trump administration's investigation as legitimate in entering this sort of process is a betrayal to the entire Yale community,” he said.

Feingold also sees the pursuit of settlements -- in lieu of litigation in court -- as a common tactic by the Trump administration to place what he sees as undue pressure on universities.

He explained, "I think the institution would benefit, and the community would benefit, actually, from the litigation because you get to put all facts on the table and you don't get to allow the Trump administration to sort of manufacture the story that it wants to."

When reports of potential resolution talks first circulated last week, a wide coalition of critics emerged -- including the national American Association of University Professors, the Yale undergraduate student government, and Connecticut senator and Yale Law School alum Richard Blumenthal. In various petitions and statements, they have called for the university to resist a settlement and to defend its admissions practices through legal channels.

While Yale's talks follow a string of settlements between American universities and the Trump administration, other universities have resisted talks with the Trump administration -- most notably Harvard University, which is currently fighting DOJ lawsuits over its admissions records and handling of campus protests.

“For instance, Harvard engaged with the new government, but certainly didn't just accept the demands, and they challenged it in court,” Hutchens told ABC News. “And so, I think Harvard charts a path of just not acquiescence or just not folding, that Yale will have a decision potentially to make.”

In early June, the DOJ announced investigations into the admissions practices of fifteen additional medical schools. These investigations have not yet concluded.

Following McInnis' statement Monday evening, the Yale chapter of the AAUP -- which represents 300 Yale faculty -- renewed their call for transparency.

A spokesperson for the Yale AAUP chapter confirmed to ABC News Tuesday that they are currently reviewing legal options, including litigation to “assert our rights as faculty in this matter.” 

“[This case] has implications for Yale, but there are [also] a lot of institutions around the country that are wanting to understand what they can do in terms of race-neutral alternatives to still try to assemble classes,” said Lake. 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(SAN FRANCISCO) -- One person is dead and three others are missing after a boat with more than a dozen passengers aboard capsized and sank in San Francisco Bay near Alcatraz Island on Tuesday, according to local authorities. 

Authorities said they believe 20 people were aboard the Volare, a 50-foot cabin cruiser based out of Stockton, California, when it was hit by a wave, causing it to capsize.

The man who died was taken to the shore severely injured and, despite CPR being administered, was pronounced dead, officials said. He was identified on Wednesday by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner as 79-year-old Clifford Joseph Boisa.

Three people were taken to the hospital and reported to be in stable condition. They were expected to be released later Tuesday.

San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispen told reporters that authorities believe that there was a memorial service that the 20 passengers, all adults and mostly comprised of family members, were engaging in on the vessel when it capsized. One survivor said it was a memorial for her sister, ABC San Francisco station KGO reported.

Rescuer Justin Marceline told KGO that some passengers were "banging on the windows, trying to get out" of the boat.

"It was pretty wild, seeing that, honestly," Marceline said, adding that conditions in the water were "really bad."

"The people that were bobbing in the water, we pulled them out first," Marceline said. "The people in the water were elderly folks, they were conscious, but people were too tired and worn out."

The San Francisco Fire Department said it initially received a call for a fire on the boat at 3:30 p.m. local time. However, authorities said they haven't yet seen evidence that there was a fire on board.

Earlier, authorities said they believed there were 19 people aboard and that they were looking for two missing passengers.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) -- The Iranian American Legal Defense Fund filed a motion Wednesday asking for a stay and a preliminary injunction barring the U.S. government from "sharing the confidential information of Iranian asylum seekers with the Iranian Government" while the issue is adjudicated in court.

The filing came a week after the organization sued the Trump administration over those allegations.

According to that complaint, many Iranian asylum seekers are pro-democracy protesters, members of religious minorities, or members of the LGBTQ community who have sought refuge in the U.S. -- and that disclosing their confidential information to the Iranian government puts them "at risk of persecution, torture, and death" should they be deported back to Iran.

Wednesday's motion also asks the government "to take the necessary steps to prevent the removal of any detained individuals whose confidential information has already been shared with the Iranian Government," according to the filing.

In the filing, the IALDF alleges that the sharing of information was started in March of 2025, and that since late September 2025, at least three deportation flights have taken place, returning more than 100 Iranian nationals to Iran.

The filing includes 11 declarations by Iranian detainees in the U.S., more than half of which describe interactions, while in detention, with Iranian officials who knew details about their asylum claims.

"It's shocking to think that at the same time the United States is engaged in hostilities with Iran, that the United States is handing over immigration files from ICE to the Iranian Interest Section in Washington, DC," said Michael Kirkpatrick, an attorney for Public Citizen who filed the case on behalf of IALDF. "These files are full of extremely confidential and sensitive information."

"It basically spells out all the reasons somebody in the United States fears being returned to Iran and that could be because they participated in pro-democracy demonstrations; it could be because they have converted to a minority religion like Christianity; it could be that they're part of the LGBTQ community," Kirkpatrick said. "That kind of information is exactly the kind of information that they -- that would result in their persecution if they went back to Iran."

"They are terrified," said Ali Rahnama, the interim executive director of IALDF, saying they're scared not only for themselves but for family and friends back in Iran. "I want everyone to know these are not statistics; these are human beings who trusted the U.S. government and our laws," he said.

The documents in the filing also relate details about an alleged phone call and meeting between IALDF board member Cyril Mehri and a senior Iranian official with the Iranian Interest Section in the United States. "According to the Senior Official, ICE has provided the Iranian Government with immigration documents related to each detainee, including asylum applications and related case files," the filing said.

The IALDF argues that the government's actions in sharing information without the consent of the detained individuals are unlawful.

The Department of Homeland Security has denied sharing information with the Iranian government, writing in a social media post, "These allegations that ICE shared asylum application records with the Iranian government are FALSE. ICE meets and works to get travel documents for detainees with every country. ICE is committed to ensuring that illegal aliens are informed of their right to communicate with their consular representatives."

"Consistent with established protocols, ICE provides illegal aliens the opportunity to contact their consular post and facilitates consular access to detained individuals, in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and agency policy," the DHS post said. "We will continue to use all lawful options to deport illegal aliens including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists from American communities."

A State Department spokesperson, following the filing of the lawsuit last week, said that the department, as a general matter, does not comment on pending or ongoing litigation, or on private diplomatic discussions.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) -- Kathy Ruemmler, who once served as White House counsel for President Barack Obama and later worked as the top lawyer for investment bank Goldman Sachs, on Wednesday told House investigators that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was a "masterful liar," according to a copy of her prepared remarks reviewed by ABC News.

Ruemmler is appearing Wednesday in a closed-door session with the House Oversight Committee in its ongoing probe of the government's handling of the investigations into Epstein.

Ruemmler never represented Epstein as an attorney, though documents in the Epstein files suggested she frequently provided legal and public relations advice to him. When Epstein was arrested on July 6, 2019, one of the first phone calls he made was to Ruemmler.

"If I knew then what I know now about who Epstein really was, I never would have accepted an initial meeting with him. It was a mistake to deal with him, and I regret it," Ruemmler told the committee, according to her prepared remarks.

Ruemmler said she never saw any "evidence of ongoing criminal conduct or misconduct of any kind by Epstein" and would have reported him had she seen evidence of abuse. When he was indicted in 2019, Ruemmler said she was "shocked" by the allegations and cut ties with Epstein.

"I was shocked by the indictment, which alleged that Epstein had intentionally enticed and recruited minor girls to engage in sex acts with him in exchange for cash. Those horrific allegations -- which covered conduct that had occurred almost 10 years before I met Epstein -- contradicted what I had understood about the nature and scope of that prior conduct," she said.

While she said she was aware of Epstein's 2008 guilty plea to prostitution-related charges, Ruemmler said she trusted the plea deal was "a proportionate and final resolution of his criminal conduct. She added that the high-profile individuals who she thought were associated with Epstein suggested he was no longer engaging in criminal conduct, adding that he appeared to have "remorse, embarrassment, and regret for his conduct."

"Epstein was a masterful liar, and he clearly lied to me. I can see now that he used me and other respectable people to legitimize his standing, and I know now that he often exaggerated his relationship with me to others," she said, according to her prepared remarks. "I understand how frustrating and hurtful it must have been for anyone victimized by Epstein to see him going about his life without facing the type of accountability and consequences that he deserved. I am angry that he hurt so many people, and I regret ever having anything to do with him."

Ranking Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia, speaking to reporters during a break in the proceedings, expressed doubt about the truthfulness of some of Ruemmler's answers to the panel's questions.

"I think it is difficult to see how she's being completely truthful in there with the answers that she's giving the committee," Garcia said, adding that he felt she was "unwilling to take any responsibility for her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein."

"Let's remember that she continued to have a relationship. She was one of the last people he spoke to before he passed, and during that period of his life, she knew about the conviction, and yet she continued to have -- to interact, to be friendly, to make jokes about massages that entire time," Garcia said. "For her to continue to engage in these kind of playful activities with Jeffrey Epstein, and then for her to deny when we can all read the emails in the files about her making jokes about massaging ... it just, I don't buy that, and I don't think we buy that."

Ruemmler faced renewed scrutiny over the relationship after the Department of Justice's release of Epstein files earlier this year showed a trove of emails from 2014 to 2019 between her and Epstein.

In the emails to Epstein -- who she occasionally referred to as "Uncle Jeffrey" and compared to an "older brother" -- Ruemmler thanked him for lavish gifts, got advice about her career, and lambasted lawyers representing Epstein's victims.

"Victim's rights, my ass," Ruemmler wrote in a February 2015 email about a case related to the Crime Victims' Rights Act.

Amid the renewed scrutiny, Ruemmler announced plans earlier this year to step down as Goldman Sachs' chief legal officer and general counsel, and a spokesperson for the bank at the time said she "regrets ever knowing" Epstein.

In March, the House Oversight Committee sent letters to a group of individuals associated with Epstein -- including Ruemmler, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, billionaire Leon Black, and others -- to request they participate in transcribed interviews as part of their Epstein probe.

"Ms. Ruemmler welcomes the opportunity to appear before the Committee," Jennifer Connelly, a spokeswoman for Ruemmler, said in a statement following the request. "At the time she interacted with Jeffrey Epstein, she was a practicing criminal defense attorney and shared a client with him. She has done nothing wrong and had no knowledge of any ongoing criminal activity on his part."

Despite her initial plan to depart from Goldman Sachs by June, Ruemmler continues to advise the bank on its search for a new general counsel. During an interview Monday on CNBC, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon said he is "really pleased" and "very grateful that she continues to help the firm."

"Kathy stepped away because of the noise," he said. "Kathy has agreed to act as an adviser and help us navigate through until a new general counsel is seated. We're running a search. We're deep into that search. We will seat a chief legal officer at some point, you know, in the near term. And once that person is seated, Kathy will move on and do other things." 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — A Florida woman is on the run as she faces a murder charge in the death of a man found in a shallow grave last month, according to police. 

Isabelle Johnson, 38, has been charged with killing 43-year-old Jason Christopher Coulthart, according to the Walton County Sheriff's Office. 

Coulthart was reported missing on May 24 after he was last seen leaving the College Condominiums complex in Florida, according to the sheriff's office. 

Unidentified remains were found on a Freeport, Florida, property on June 25 after investigators were able to identify where Coulthart's body had been buried, according to the sheriff's office.

On July 9, the sheriff's office and the Niceville Police Department received DNA confirmation identifying the remains as Coulthart, according to the sheriff's office. 

Investigators have been searching for Johnson, who is wanted on an open count of murder and is believed to be "actively evading law enforcement," according to the sheriff's office. 

The sheriff's office released a last known video of Johnson obtained from a business in Destin days after Coulthart's remains were found.

Five others have been charged and arrested in connection with the murder, including two people who allegedly helped Johnson evade law enforcement after the alleged murder, the sheriff's office said. 

"Anyone found to have helped or is still assisting Isabelle Johnson avoid arrest will be charged accordingly," Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson said in a statement Saturday.

"If you give her a place to stay, help her hide, or lie for her, you will face consequences. This is a homicide case. We will not allow anyone to get in the way of this investigation," he said.

Johnson is described as a white female, approximately 5 feet 3 inches tall and 120 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. 

Johnson may be using multiple identities and is known to use several aliases, including Harley, Jessica Elaine Bowman, Jessica Elaine Thrush, Jessica Dowdy and others, according to the sheriff's office.

The sheriff's office said Johnson is considered dangerous and instructed the public not to approach her if she is spotted. 

Anyone with information on Johnson's whereabouts is asked to contact the Walton County Sheriff's Office at (850) 892‑8111. Anonymous tips may be submitted through Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers at 850‑863‑TIPS (8477). A cash reward may be available for information leading to her location and arrest. 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump has overturned the temporary pause on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement traffic stops, according to a source familiar with the discussion, allowing the traffic stops to resume.

This comes after Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin gave the directive to halt the traffic stops, a law enforcement source told ABC News on Tuesday.

In an email sent to ICE deportation officers, a senior ICE official wrote that the vehicle stops were paused "immediately," according to the email reviewed by ABC News.

"All personnel are instructed to prioritize other existing operational methods, outside of vehicle stops, to conduct immigration enforcement activities," the official wrote.

Multiple sources said the pause was temporary and that ICE officers would receive new training on vehicle stops.

Additionally, one source said that ICE officers can conduct some vehicle stops during the pause but only in the presence of a local law enforcement officer trained to make vehicle stops that partners with ICE under the agency's 287(g) program.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told ABC News that the agency won't "disclose or discuss law enforcement tactics," but added that it's "always evaluating our procedures to keep our officers safe and criminals off our streets."

In an interview on Fox News, border czar Tom Homan confirmed the temporary pause and said DHS will review the past few incidents. 

“It is not a policy change, it is a temporary pause," Homan said. "Look – last couple of shootings, ICE leadership along with DHS wants to look at these last couple incidents and look, is there something that could have been done better? Is there any training that could be improved? Or simply is ICE doing their job and bad things happen when people don't comply with law enforcement officers? I think it going to be a short pause and I am confident that ICE is well trained in vehicle stops and you're going to see us keep moving forward."

On Monday, 26-year-old Joan Sebastian Guerrero was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Biddeford, Maine, after agents tried to stop the car he was driving, according to Sen. Angus King, I-Maine.

Guerrero, a Colombian national, was not the target of the operation and ICE agents had been given a final order for another man they were targeting to be removed from the U.S., King told ABC News.

An ICE spokesperson said that the agency was “conducting targeted surveillance on the last known address of an illegal alien with a final order of removal," and when an “illegal alien departed the residence in a vehicle,” ICE agents “attempted to conduct a vehicle stop.”

“The vehicle attempted to flee the scene and fearing for public safety an officer discharged his weapon,” ICE said.

The Maine Attorney General's Office said "the suspect attempted to flee in the vehicle in the direction of the officer and was fatally shot."

Witness Daniel Boucher told ABC News that he watched agents pull the shooting victim from his car and put him on the ground.

"I heard the young man say, 'I tried to stop.' I clearly heard him say that," said Boucher, adding that he overheard one of the ICE agents allegedly say the driver tried to run him over.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(KISSIMMEE, Fla.) -- A 4-year-old boy shot and killed a 2-year-old boy with a gun that was left unsecured in a car, according to authorities in Florida.

Officers responded Sunday afternoon to a home in Kissimmee where they found a 2-year-old boy with a gunshot wound, Osceola County Sheriff Chris Blackmon said at a news conference. The little boy was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, the sheriff said.

The two children were alone in the car when the 4-year-old found an unsecured gun and discharged it, striking the 2-year-old, the sheriff said.

The gun was "literally in the open," Blackmon said.

"I would think if it's in a holster, maybe make it harder for the child to manipulate, as well, but it's literally laying out by itself. So it's easy to grab, and you pull the trigger. And you can't recall that, it's not a video game," Blackmon said.

The sheriff described the two boys as relatives but not siblings.

"The family had just arrived and was visiting here from Georgia" for vacation, Blackmon said.

The investigation is ongoing, the sheriff said, noting that charges are likely. Prosecutors said on Wednesday, "Because this is an active and ongoing investigation, we have no information to release at this time."

ABC News' Aidan Gellert contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) -- More than 830 wildfires were burning on Wednesday in Canada, along with more than a dozen in northern Minnesota, near the border, growing with little or no containment and forcing mandatory evacuations.

Some of the largest wildfires are burning in west-central Ontario, and those fires are burning through thick forests, releasing an incredible amount of smoke.

The wind is now directing that very heavy smoke into America, creating dangerous air quality for millions across the upper Midwest and Northeast on Wednesday and through the end of the week

Rain on Friday over the upper Midwest and on Saturday for the Northeast should help disperse smoke.

Very heavy smoke is over Duluth, Minnesota, and Marquette, Michigan, on Wednesday morning, and extreme smoke is over northern Wisconsin.

Some heavy smoke will move over New York State and New England by mid-morning, potentially reaching New York City to Boston by 2 p.m. ET.

By sunset on Wednesday, very heavy smoke may reach from Buffalo to New York City and Philadelphia -- streaming through Green Bay, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids, Detroit and Toronto.

Conditions in New York City are not expected to be as intense as they were in June 2023.

Hazy skies are expected and air quality will likely become unhealthy.

Conditions could, however, be that bad -- Mars-like and smelling like a campfire -- and some of the worst air quality in the world, on Thursday from Duluth to Green Bay and Marquette through much of northern Michigan.

Cleveland, Columbus, Baltimore and D.C. will likely see heavy smoke on Thursday.

The smoke will be serious for millions and may reach a dangerous level for everyone -- not just those with respiratory issues.

Air quality alerts are in place from Minnesota to New York City, including the entire states of Wisconsin and Michigan.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) -- Olympian Suni Lee is officially returning to competitive gymnastics.

The 23-year-old made the announcement in a video shared Tuesday on her Instagram page that featured clips of her from past practice sessions and in competition.

"I know what I'm capable of. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get there," Lee can be heard saying in a voiceover.

The end of the short video also included a message, which read: "This is more than a comeback, stay tuned."

Lee's announcement comes two years ahead of the start of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

USA Gymnastics celebrated Lee's return in its own Instagram post. "The journey continues! Welcome back, Suni!" the organization captioned the post, re-sharing Lee's video.

Fellow gymnasts and Olympians also shared excitement for Lee’s big news.

“She's back!!!!” Jordan Chiles wrote in a comment.

“yesssss,” Hezly Rivera added.

Lee, a two-time Olympian, has won six medals in her Olympic career so far, including two gold medals, one silver medal and three bronze medals. She specializes in the uneven bars and became the first American woman to win two medals in uneven bars at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Lee has also been public about getting treatment for two rare kidney diseases. In 2025, she even brought one of her doctors as her guest to the 2025 ESPY Awards.

When she was honored with the 2025 ESPY for best comeback athlete, Lee gave Dr. Marcia Faustin, co-head team physician for the USA Gymnastics Women's National Team, a shoutout in her acceptance speech.

"Thank you for guiding me through the toughest moments, reading every scan and report by my side," Lee said.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) The woes of airplane middle seats are soon to be eradicated for some United Airlines passengers.

The Chicago-based carrier announced on Tuesday a new type of Economy Plus fare that features a fully blocked off middle seat, giving passengers extra elbow room and a shared table between them.

United said it will start selling the new seat option later this year, exclusively on its new Airbus A321XLR aircraft.

"On each XLR, one row will have large, custom-designed tables stretching from armrest to armrest across the open middle seats, giving customers sitting in the window or aisle seat extra space to stretch out on longer international flights," United said in a press release. "The table is permanently fixed, with a soft leather-like covering, and two indentations for cups."

The airline noted that "the extra space is in addition to the three inches of additional legroom already offered in Economy Plus on the XLR."

United says it is currently the only U.S. airline offering the blocked-off middle seat option.

The middle seat block notably keeps the XLR aircraft within the 150-passenger capacity, which would require a minimum of just four flight attendants as opposed to five, as required under federal regulations.

The seat-block option comes four months after United unveiled a new Relax Row option, a row of three economy seats with individually adjustable leg rests that fold up at a 90-degree angle to create a lie-flat sleeping area.

The Relax Row will be outfitted on all of United Boeing 787 and 777 widebody aircraft, starting with 90 planes at launch in 2027.

Andrew Nocella, United's executive vice president and chief commercial officer, said in a statement included in Tuesday's press release, "We're investing nose-to-tail across our fleet and giving customers choice and value in every cabin."

"The XLR is our newest aircraft and not only offers all-aisle access lie-flat seats in United Polaris but now also includes seats in Economy Plus with extra leg and elbow room," Nocella said. "Our customers are going to love all these new options."

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(UVALDE, Texas) -- Former Uvalde, Texas, school police chief Pete Arredondo was due to appear in federal court Tuesday, but the hearing was abruptly postponed due to heavy rain and flooding in parts of Texas, and a new date has not yet been scheduled.

Tuesday's hearing was to be part of Arredondo's push to compel federal agents to testify at his trial for allegedly endangering students during the response to the Robb Elementary School mass shooting.

Arredondo is charged with 10 counts of endangering students for allegedly failing to quickly respond to the May 24, 2022, shooting, in which 19 students and two teachers were killed.

Arredondo filed a civil lawsuit this year to compel 19 U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees to testify during his criminal trial, which is set to begin on Feb. 22, 2027. 

Arredondo's attorneys have argued the testimony is vital for him to have a fair trial.

"The testimony will not only be material to determining whether he alone is responsible for the delay, it will also be helpful to show that Mr. Arredondo is not personally responsible for many shortcomings or any delay of CBP agents as part of the law enforcement response," defense attorney Paul Looney wrote in a court filing.

This year, Looney filed a formal request to make the agents available to testify at trial, arguing that the accounts of the agents who stormed the classroom where the shooter was barricaded is necessary to prove Arredondo was not responsible for the botched response. Uvalde District Attorney Christina Mitchell has sued to compel similar testimony, but CBP declined the requests to facilitate the testimony. 

CBP Chief Counsel Andrew Block said in court filings that the testimony is not necessary for Arredondo's defense, could be sought through other means, could impact CBP operations, and may result in the disclosure of "confidential law enforcement techniques and procedures."

"You seek testimony from 19 CBP employees, which would require CBP to make all 19 officers available before and during the trial, pulling them off duty, incurring travel costs, and lost work hours, which negatively impacts CBP operations and national security," Block wrote. 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) -- Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who famously landed a plane on the Hudson River in New York City in 2009, has revealed he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

"I recently found out I have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. It is early stage," Sullenberger, 75, wrote in part in a statement posted to his website. "For now, this means a name may not come easily to me, I forget a story I have recently told, or I don't sleep as well, but I am in the beginning of this long journey."

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disorder that causes irreversible damage to the nerve cells in the brain, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC notes Alzheimer's, which impacts approximately 7 million people in the U.S., is the most common form of dementia and the seventh-leading cause of death of adults in the U.S.

Early warning signs of Alzheimer's, which tend to appear after the age of 60, may include memory loss, having trouble solving problems or finishing everyday tasks, decreased judgement, misplacing items, or mood and personality changes, according to the CDC.

There is currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease, but various treatment options, such as prescription medications, may be available to patients to maintain brain health, delay symptom onset or manage symptoms, the agency says.

Sullenberger, an Air Force veteran who became a commercial pilot and later an accident investigator, made headlines 17 years ago in what has been dubbed the "Miracle on the Hudson" incident.

On Jan. 15, 2009, Sullenberger and co-pilot Jeff Skiles were at the helm of US Airways Flight 1549 when they struck a flock of Canadian geese. The pilots subsequently pulled off an emergency water landing in the Hudson River near Midtown Manhattan, saving all 150 passengers and five crew in the process.

In his statement Tuesday, Sullenberger said in the aftermath of Flight 1549, he was proud to advocate for further aviation safety, something he said he hopes to continue in the future.

"So this new phase of my life has challenged what it means to be of service," Sullenberger said. "And the answer is to speak up. It is my hope that by sharing this, other families living in the shadows with this disease will feel they too can step forward. And about hope -- so many people told us after Flight 1549, that the outcome gave them hope. Lorrie, my incredible partner of 37 years, says we can all use a little of that hope right now."

Sullenberger is one of several public figures who have shared their Alzheimer's diagnoses in recent months. Others include veteran New York City news anchor Bill Ritter and longtime actor Danny Glover.

"I am now part of a larger community with many of you, and we will be courageous together," Sullenberger wrote Tuesday.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) -- Over 800 wildfires are burning through forests in Canada, creating heavy smoke that could potentially affect millions of Americans this week.

Some of the largest blazes are in west-central Ontario province. Those fires are burning through thick forests, releasing significant amounts of smoke.

Ontario has been experiencing a heat wave, with record-breaking temperatures soaring over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, according to forecasts.

There are also at least a dozen wildfires burning in northern Minnesota near the Canadian border.

The wind will begin directing that very heavy smoke into the U.S. Tuesday night, creating dangerous air quality for millions across the upper Midwest and Northeast Wednesday.

By sunset on Wednesday, very heavy smoke may reach New York City and Providence, Rhode Island. It will stream through Green Bay, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids, Detroit and Buffalo before then.

Conditions in New York are not expected to be as intense as they were in June 2023. Hazy skies are expected and air quality will likely become unhealthy.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(PHILADELPHIA) -- A 14-year-old has been arrested and charged in the murder of a pizza delivery driver in Philadelphia in what police say was an attempted robbery. 

Sincere Camps, 14, is facing 10 charges, including murder, robbery and carrying a firearm without a license, according to the Philadelphia Police Department and court records. He is being charged as an adult.

On June 5, officers responded to a report of a person with a gun to find an unresponsive man lying on the highway, according to police. 

The man, identified as 28-year-old Anshul Kuncha, had suffered a gunshot wound to the back of the head. He was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after, according to police. 

Police said the motive behind the killing was robbery.

Camps was arrested on Friday following an investigation, police said. 

He is currently being held without bail and is scheduled to appear in court on July 21.

No attorney information for Camps was listed in court records.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) -- Writer E. Jean Carroll, who sued President Donald Trump over claims of sexual abuse and defamation, has received more than $5 million as part of a civil judgment paid by Trump. 

Funds totaling more than $5.62 million have been transferred to Carroll, her representatives said Tuesday. 

A jury determined in 2023 that Trump was liable for sexually abusing Carroll, a former Elle magazine columnist, in the dressing room of a Manhattan department store in the 1990s, and that he defamed her in a 2022 social media post by calling her allegations "a Hoax and a lie" and saying "This woman is not my type!"

"Three years ago, a unanimous nine-person jury found President Trump liable for sexually assaulting and defaming E. Jean Carroll," Carroll's attorney Roberta Kaplan said in a statement Tuesday. "Today, we are pleased to report that she has received the damages payment the jury awarded her as a result of that verdict."

A federal judge in New York last week ordered Trump to pay the $5 million judgment plus almost $800,000 in interest, after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Trump's appeal of the verdict and judgment. Trump had deposited $5.55 million in the federal government's Court Registry Investment System to be held in escrow during his appeal.

Trump, in a social media post following the Supreme Court's rejection of his appeal, had vowed to continue to fight the case.

"I will continue the fight against this Weaponization and Lawfare Case against me, including the ridiculous claim of Defamation, with all of my power and strength," Trump said in the post.

In 2024, following a separate trial, Trump was ordered to pay $83.3 million in damages to Carroll for defaming her in 2019 when he denied her allegations of sexual abuse. Trump is continuing to appeal that judgment.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(BIDDLEFORD, Maine) -- Protesters are expected to gather Tuesday morning in Maine, a day after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were involved in the fatal shooting of a 26-year-old man.

Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said he was briefed on the deadly encounter by Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, who confirmed that ICE agents conducting an operation in the area were involved in the shooting.

The man who was killed was identified as 26-year-old Joan Sebastian Guerrero, a spokesperson for King's office told ABC News.

King said Guerrero was fatally shot after federal agents tried to stop the vehicle he was driving.

"He was in a vehicle -- pulled out in the vehicle, and the term the secretary used was 'weaponized' the vehicle and was shot by an ICE agent," King told reporters Monday morning.

King told ABC News that Guerrero was not the target of the operation and that ICE agents had been given a final order for another man they were targeting to be removed from the country.

King previously said that Mullin initially told him Guerrero was the intended target of the operation. 

"Body cameras were not on the agents. So we have no video evidence of what occurred in this case," King said. "State and local officials, of course, are attending to it. The FBI will be leading the investigation because it was a federal operation."

Two Maine immigration advocacy groups -- Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition (MIRC) and the Presente! -- issued a joint statement Monday, saying the individual who was killed was a Colombian man whom they claimed was authorized to work in the United States and had a Social Security number.

The groups called for a "prompt, independent, and transparent investigation." They also called for a full accounting of every agency and officer involved as well as the preservation of all body-camera footage, surveillance footage, and communications between the federal officials involved.

"ICE must not be allowed to investigate itself or control the public narrative surrounding a death in which its personnel or operations were involved," the groups said.

The Colombian Embassy in Washington, D.C., issued a statement Monday on social media, saying it "deeply regrets the death of a Colombian national in Biddeford, Maine, and is providing the necessary consular assistance to his family."

The embassy said it has also requested "information and clarification from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding the circumstances surrounding this lamentable death and will continue to follow the case closely as the investigation progresses."

Witness Daniel Boucher told ABC News that he watched agents pull the shooting victim from his car and put him on the ground.

"I heard the young man say, 'I tried to stop.' I clearly heard him say that," said Boucher, adding that he overheard one of the ICE agents allegedly say the driver tried to run him over.

"I could no longer see any movement, which meant he had expired," an emotional Boucher said. "He was bloody, his face was bloody. It was awful."

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered at Mechanics Park in Biddeford on Monday for an impromptu vigil and demanded justice for Guerrero. Another protest is being planned for Tuesday morning outside a federal immigration facility in Scarborough, Maine, according to organizers.

The Maine Attorney General's Office also released a statement, confirming that the ICE operation on Monday morning was targeting a man related to a final order to remove him from the country.

The Attorney General's Office alleged, "the suspect attempted to flee in the vehicle in the direction of the officer and was fatally shot."

Maine Gov. Janet Mills said she was also briefed on the shooting and was informed that federal law enforcement was involved.

"I know situations like these are alarming and frightening," Mills said in a statement. "The Maine State Police are at the scene supporting and working cooperatively with the Attorney General's Office, Maine's Office of Chief Medical Examiner, and Federal officials to determine the facts of what occurred this morning."

The FBI said the agency "responded to assist on-scene immediately following this morning's shooting incident in Biddeford, Maine. We have no additional comment at this time."

An ICE spokesperson provided ABC News with the agency's preliminary alleged version of the incident.

"On July 13, 2026, at approximately 7:00 AM ET, ICE was conducting targeted surveillance on the last known address of an illegal alien with a final order of removal," the ICE spokesperson said. "An illegal alien departed the residence in a vehicle. ICE law enforcement attempted to conduct a vehicle stop. The vehicle attempted to flee the scene and fearing for public safety an officer discharged his weapon."

The ICE spokesperson added, “The driver of the vehicle was struck, and emergency services were immediately contacted. He passed away from his injuries."

The spokesperson did not confirm that the man who was shot was not the person targeted in the ICE operation.

A bystander video verified by ABC News showed what appeared to be federal immigration agents and uniformed law enforcement officers in the aftermath of the shooting performing first aid on an individual on the ground at an intersection.

A Ring camera video obtained by ABC News from a residence near the shooting scene captured the sound of what appeared to be at least five gunshots. Several bullet holes could be seen in the the front windshield of the victim's car following the shooting.

Em Akerley, who lives near the shooting scene, told ABC affiliate station WMTW that she was inside her home having her morning coffee when she heard the gunshots.

"I thought it was a backfire, and then I kept hearing them," Akerley said. "I thought it was a drive-by shooting."

She said she looked out her window and saw a small white car being corralled by two men, who appeared to be trying to stop the vehicle from losing control in the intersection.

"All of a sudden, all of these plainclothes vested men started running down the street, abandoning their cars," Akerley said.

Editor's note: This story was updated to add Sen. King's comments saying the deceased, later identified as Joan Sebastian Guerrero, was not the intended target of the operation.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill.) -- Five relatives were killed and two relatives were hurt in "evil" targeted shootings against a family in Illinois, authorities said.

The seven family members were shot at three locations -- a park and two homes -- in the East St. Louis area this weekend, with five victims dying from their injuries, Illinois State Police said.

The two suspects, a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old, were taken into custody on Sunday, with charges expected, police said.

"This is alleged acts of horrific violence, taking this number of lives here in this community," state police Director Brendan Kelly said at a news conference. "It's terrible, it's evil, but it will not keep this city down."

At least one of the suspects is related to at least one of the victims, Kelly said. While the motive remains under investigation, Kelly said, "I think that'll become apparent over time."

The five victims killed were identified by police as 49-year-old Cherie May, 24-year-old Devin May, 74-year-old Patricia May, 21-year-old Quentin Thompson and 25-year-old Shania Thompson.

There's no known threat to the public, police added.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) -- More than 125 million Americans are on alert for sweltering heat from coast-to-coast, as heat alerts are in place from Southern California to the intermountain West and northern Plains, upper Midwest and across to the Northeast.

Daily record highs may be broken in Rapid City, Fargo, Grand Forks in the northern Plains on Tuesday.

In the Northeast, record daily highs could be broken at Plattsburgh and Syracuse, New York. Other parts of New England may get with a degree or two of a daily record today.

Those daily record highs would follow several broken on Monday, including in Bismarck, North Dakota, with 105 degrees F; International Falls, Minnesota, at 97; and Hibbing, Minnesota, at 93. Rapid City, South Dakota, and Dickinson, North Dakota, tied records with 102 and 103, respectively.

On Wednesday, daily record highs are possible around Grand Rapids, MI and Wilmington, Delaware. An extreme heat warning is in place through Thursday for Minneapolis, Minneapolis, with daily high heat index up to 100 possible.

Other extreme heat warnings are in place from Utah to the upper peninsula of Michigan.

In Utah, Salt Lake City is expected to reach near 100 on Tuesday. Fargo is under an extreme heat warnings for a heat index as high as 105.

The heat index for places like Calumet, Michigan, and Duluth, Minnesota, could reach near 100.

Detroit, Michigan, is under a heat advisory for a heat index near 105.

The rest of the week will remain hot and humid across the upper Midwest with highs in the 90s and heat indices feeling even warmer.

In the Northeast, a heat wave begins today, with 3 or more days of temperatures at or above 90 degrees for New York City, Philadelphia and D.C. Those high temperatures could last five days, through Saturday.  

A heat advisory is in place for at least Tuesday and Wednesday across much of the Northeast due to heat indices around 100 expected. The upper Northeast will be hottest today with a heat index of 100 to 104 from Rochester and Albany, New York, to Boston, Massachusetts.

The area between New York City and D.C. will likely be the hottest on Wednesday, with heat indices near 100 in NYC and near 105 in D.C.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Trenton, New Jersey, are under an extreme heat warning for heat indices up to 107 on Wednesday.

Out West, southern California is under heat alerts through Thursday.

Temps will reach 85 to 90 across the coastal valleys and up to 105 for the interior valleys through Tuesday.

A heat advisory stretches up to San Jose, California, where temps will reach the mid to upper 90s on Tuesday.

Wednesday and Thursday will be hotter, with temps in downtown Los Angeles reaching the middle to upper 90s and interior valleys reaching up to 110.

Next week, temperatures look less extreme across America.

Significant flood threat in Texas

For the next three days, there is a level 3 of 4 flood threat in place in South-Central Texas.

That warning came amid a very rare and dangerous setup. Everyone in the region should be on alert, especially those near rivers and low water crossings. But even areas that don't normally flood must be alert.

The greatest threat will lie across the Edwards Plateau into Hill Country and along the Rio Grande Valley between the Big Bend down toward Eagle Pass.

Rainfall rates each day could exceed 2" per hour.

Each day on Tuesday through Thursday could see 3" to more than 7" of rainfall over this area.

Three-day totals over that region could top 15" in some places.

Severe weather threat in northern New England

Fueled by the extreme heat and humidity and a sinking cold front from Canada, severe storms capable of destructive winds of more than 70 mph, large hail large than ping pong balls, and a strong tornado or two will move over northern New England today.

A level 3 of 5 risk is in place from northeast New York through northern Vermont, northern New Hampshire, and northern Maine on Tuesday afternoon and evening. It includes Burlington, Vermont; Plattsburgh, New York; Caribou, Maine; Colchester, Vermont; and Massena, New York.

Storms are most likely after 4 p.m. ET and continuing into the night as the cold front sinks south.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.