(SIOUX FALLS, S.D.) — A nationwide manhunt for a man and a woman suspected in a string of shootings in Ohio, West Virginia and Indiana that left two people dead and three wounded ended with their arrests Monday morning in South Dakota, authorities said.
Timothy Sargent, 42, of Akron, Ohio, was taken into custody by state troopers in Sioux Falls, according to the Northern Ohio Fugitive Task Force. Also arrested was Savannah Emich, 20, who had allegedly been on the run with Sargent and is a suspect in one of the shootings that left two people wounded near a state park in Indiana, officials said.
“The task force here in Ohio worked around the clock with its local partners and law enforcement across the county to locate and apprehend this pair of violent individuals,” U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott said in a statement.
The three-state shooting rampage began on Aug. 17, when Sargent allegedly shot and wounded a 29-year-old man on a section of the Towpath Trail in Akron, police said. The victim, who was living at a homeless campsite on the trail and was acquainted with Sargent, was shot multiple times and helped police identify Sargent as the suspected shooter, according to Akron police.
The following day, Sargent is suspected of fatally shooting his girlfriend, Rebecca Tomlinson, 22, whose body was discovered near a set of railroad tracks in Akron, according to police.
Sargent also is suspected in the slaying of a 62-year-old man who was shot on the morning of Aug. 19 while driving a car on a highway in Milton, West Virginia, according to authorities.
Hours after the West Virginia shooting, police believe Sargent and Emich, also of Ohio, drove to Indiana. On the night of Aug. 19, police believe Sargent and Emich opened fire on an SUV occupied by a family of three near the entrance to O’Bannon Woods State Park in Corydon, Indiana.
The driver of the SUV and his wife were wounded and the vehicle crashed into a tree, according to Indiana State Police. A 16-year-old girl, sitting in the backseat was not harmed, police said.
A motive for the shooting rampage is under investigation.
Sargent and Emich were being held in South Dakota pending extradition back to Ohio, authorities said.
(NEW YORK) — The global coronavirus pandemic has now killed more than 806,000 people worldwide, nearly a quarter of those in the U.S.
More 23.2 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, unreported cases and suspicions that some national governments are hiding or downplaying the scope of their outbreaks.
The United States is the worst-affected country, with more than 5.6 million diagnosed cases and at least 176,659 deaths.
Here’s how the news developed today. All times Eastern. Aug 24, 1:12 pm Tuscaloosa closes bars until September after cases rise at University of Alabama
The city of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, will close its bars starting at 6 p.m. on Monday after the University of Alabama reported a rise in COVID-19 cases.
Mayor Walter Maddox signed an executive order restricting all bars from serving alcohol until Sept. 8 — anyone who violates the order could be fined or sentenced to a maximum of 180 days in the municipal jail.
In a letter to students on Sunday, university President Stuart Bell called the rise in cases on campus to be “unacceptable” and said this is a “critical moment” for the school.
“Make no mistake, this trend is a real threat to our ability to complete the semester on campus,” Bell said, adding that “violations to our health and safety protocols” are “subject to harsh disciplinary action, up to and including suspension” from the university.
University police and the Tuscaloosa Police Department will monitor bars, restaurants and off-campus residences where guidelines are not being followed. ABC News’ Janice McDonald contributed to this report.
Aug 24, 12:09 pm New York records lowest infection rate to date
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the COVID-19 infection rate in the state was 0.66% as of Sunday, the lowest since the start of the pandemic.
“It is a great day,” Cuomo said at Monday’s press briefing, noting that the state has now had an infection rate under 1% for more than two weeks.
However, the western part of the state, including the Buffalo region, has seen an uptick in cases and the infection rate, he said.
Aug 24, 11:36 am EPA approves 1st long-lasting disinfectant against novel coronavirus
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday that it has granted emergency authorization for the first antiviral surface coating approved for use to continuously protect against the virus that causes COVID-19 with a single application.
The product, SurfaceWise 2 from the Texas-based company Allied BioScience, is now approved for use by American Airlines, the Texas Methodist Health Group and at certain locations of the Texas-based clinics Total Orthopedics Sports & Spine.
“This is, I believe, a major game-changing announcement for our efforts to combat coronavirus and COVID19,” EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler said on a call with reporters Monday morning.
While the product is intended to deactivate the virus on surfaces between routine cleanings for up to seven days, Wheeler said it’s not supposed to replace frequent cleaning with disinfectants, hand washing, wearing masks or social distancing. He also said that the EPA did not find any adverse health risks from coming in contact with the product on a surface, though the National Institutes of Health has found the main ingredient, quaternary ammonium, can be an irritant and exacerbate asthma. ABC News’ Stephanie Ebbs contributed to this report.
Aug 24, 10:52 am University of Hong Kong reports 1st case of human reinfection
The University of Hong Kong claims it has documented the world’s first case of COVID-19 reinfection.
The university made the announcement in a press release Monday, revealing findings from its study of an “apparently young and healthy patient” who had a second episode of COVID-19 infection which was diagnosed more than four months after the first episode. A team of researchers showed that the genome sequence of the virus strain in the first episode of COVID-19 infection is “clearly different” from that of the virus strain found during the second episode of infection, according to the press release.
Last week, the World Health Organization said there were over 75,000 COVID-19 sequences identified and that they would need to see evidence of individuals who were infected by two different sequences in order to prove reinfection.
There are dozens of studies on COVID-19 immunity being conducted around the world. So far, WHO officials say they have learned that people do develop an immune response to the virus, but it’s not completely clear yet how strong that response is and for how long it lasts.
“What we understand from the press release is that this ‘may’ be an example of reinfection,” Dr. Maria van Kerkhove, WHO’s COVID-19 technical lead and an infectious disease epidemiologist, said at Monday’s news briefing in Geneva.
“It’s very important we document this and in countries where sequencing can be done that would be very, very helpful,” she added. “But we need to not jump to any conclusions, even if this is the first documented case of reinfection.”
ABC News’ Christine Theodorou and Karson Yiu contributed to this report.
Aug 24, 9:16 am France records highest rise in cases since ending lockdown
France’s national public health agency identified 4,897 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, the country’s highest day-to-day increase in infections since coming out of lockdown.
However, just one coronavirus-related fatality was recorded in the past 24 hours.
Since the start of the pandemic, France has reported 242,899 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 30,513 deaths. The country is among the hardest-hit in Europe.
The positivity rate for COVID-19 tests in France increased from 2.8% on Aug. 18 to 3.6% on Aug. 24, according to the national public health agency. ABC News’ Ibtissem Guenfoud contributed to this report. Aug 24, 8:33 am US reports under 1,000 new deaths for 1st time in almost a week
There were 34,567 new cases of COVID-19 identified in the United States on Sunday, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University.
It’s the first time in six days that the country’s day-to-day rise in cases is under 40,000. Sunday’s tally is also well below the national record set on July 16, when 77,255 new cases were identified in a 24-hour reporting period.
An additional 449 coronavirus-related deaths were also recorded Sunday, the first time in a six days that the daily death toll was lower than 1,000. The figure is also under the record 2,666 new deaths that were reported on April 17.
A total of 5,704,447 people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the pandemic began, and at least 176,809 of them have died, according to Johns Hopkins. The cases include people from all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C. and other U.S. territories as well as repatriated citizens.
By May 20, all U.S. states had begun lifting stay-at-home orders and other restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. The day-to-day increase in the country’s cases then hovered around 20,000 for a couple of weeks before shooting back up and crossing 70,000 for the first time in mid-July.
Week-over-week comparisons show that the nationwide number of new cases and new deaths has continued to decrease in recent weeks, according to an internal memo from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, obtained by ABC News on Friday night.
(KILLEEN, Texas) — As the search for missing Fort Hood soldier Sgt. Elder Fernandes continues, his unit at a Texas base says he seems to have left by choice.
“Information gathered from fellow soldiers indicate Sgt. Fernandes left on his own accord,” the 1st Cavalry Division said in a statement over the weekend.
The unit also reaffirmed that the search for Fernandes, 23, will continue until he is found.
“Soldiers have visited local hotels and hospitals throughout central Texas and continue to expand their search efforts,” the statement said. “The chain of command is working closely with local civilian and military agencies to coordinate search efforts.”
Fernandes’ mother and aunt told ABC News on Friday that he was admitted to an on-base hospital this month. They said they spoke to him several times while there, but that he was vague as to nature of his visit. They said they did not hear from him again after Sunday, Aug. 16, the day before Fernandes was discharged.
A 1st Cavalry Division official confirmed that Fernandes was hospitalized from Aug. 11 to Aug. 17.
According to police, Fernandes was last seen by his staff sergeant on the afternoon of the 17th, who dropped him off at a residence in nearby Killeen, Texas, police said.
His aunt, Isabel Fernandes, said he used to live at the address, but his former roommate told the family he had not stayed there for some time and never entered after he was dropped off outside.
Division spokesman Lt. Col. Chris Brautigam also confirmed there is an ongoing investigation into claims Fernandes made of “abusive sexual contact” toward him. He added that updates will be given once the investigation is complete.
Fernandes’ older brother, Elton Fernandes, told ABC News that he spoke with him about the alleged incident about a month ago, which he said involved another man grabbing Elder Fernandes’ buttocks.
Elton Fernandes said his brother told him “not to worry about it, because he’s taking care of it.”
In its statement Sunday, the 1st Cavalry Division called for Fernandes to return to the base and resume care.
“Our priority remains to ensure Sgt. Fernandes’ safety and we ask him to reach out to his leadership, his family, the local police or a nearby hospital or clinic so we can ensure he receives the care he needs,” the statement said.
While family members told ABC News they were dissatisfied with the communication they’d received from the Army, the 1st Cavalry Division said the command intends to share as much information with them as possible and has been talking with the family regularly since Fernandes was hospitalized.
“His immediate leadership initiated communication with the Family before his current disappearance and has met with them daily since their arrival. We met again with them in person [Sunday],” the statement said.
(KENOSHA, Wis.) — Authorities issued a curfew in Kenosha, Wisconsin, as angry crowds gathered in protest after a Black man was shot and seriously wounded by police Sunday evening.
The shooting occurred just after 5 p.m. local time when officers from the Kenosha Police Department responded to a reported domestic incident on 40th Street near the intersection with 28th Avenue. The officers provided “immediate” medical aid to the individual who was shot. The person was then flown about 45 miles to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa, just west of Milwaukee. The individual was listed in serious condition at the time, according to a press release from the Kenosha Police Department.
Police did not identify the wounded individual nor elaborate on what led to the shooting.
Cellphone video allegedly taken by a bystander has been circulating on social media since the incident and has been viewed thousands of times. The video appears to show three officers with their weapons drawn following a Black man as he walks from the back of a vehicle to the driver’s side. As the man enters the driver’s side of the car, one officer, who is hanging onto the man’s shirt, opens fire. Shouting and several gunshots can be heard in the video.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), which is investigating the shooting, said all of the officers involved in the incident have been placed on administrative leave.
“All involved law enforcement are fully cooperating with DCI during this investigation,” the agency said in a press release. “DCI is continuing to review evidence and determine the facts of this incident and will turn over investigative reports to a prosecutor following a complete and thorough investigation.”
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has identified the wounded individual as Jacob Blake.
“Tonight, Jacob Blake was shot in the back multiple times, in broad daylight, in Kenosha, Wisconsin,” Evers wrote in a Facebook post late Sunday. “While we do not have all of the details yet, what we know for certain is that he is not the first Black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country.”
Milwaukee ABC affiliate WISN spoke to Blake’s fiancé, Laquisha Booker, who said two of their kids were sitting in the back of the car when he was shot by police. She claimed the officers threatened to shoot her as well.
Booker told WISN she never called police and wasn’t sure why they were there. She said her fiancé wasn’t armed and didn’t own any guns or weapons.
“It doesn’t make sense to treat someone like that,” Booker told WISN.
A large crowd of protesters amassed at the scene after the shooting, prompting local authorities to impose the citywide curfew. Officers were seen using tear gas on protesters who had gathered outside the Kenosha Police Department.
Police said they have received “numerous” calls overnight about armed robberies and shots fired in the city.
Authorities later announced the Kenosha County Courthouse and administration building will be closed Monday due to “damage sustained during last night’s civil unrest.”
Renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump said he has been retained by Blake’s family and that the man is in stable condition. Crump claimed that Blake was helping to deescalate a domestic incident when police drew their weapons and Tasered him. As Blake was walking away to check on his kids, the officers fired their weapons several times into his back at point blank range, according to Crump.
“We all watched the horrific video of Jacob Blake being shot in the back several times by Kenosha police. Even worse, his three sons witnessed their father collapse after being riddled with bullets,” Crump said in a statement Monday. “Their irresponsible, reckless, and inhumane actions nearly cost the life of a man who was simply trying to do the right thing by intervening in a domestic incident. It’s a miracle he’s still alive.”
“We will seek justice for Jacob Blake and for his family as we demand answers from the Kenosha Police Department,” he added. “How many more of these tragic ‘while Black’ tragedies will it take until the racial profiling and undervaluing of Black lives by the police finally stops?”
(NEW YORK) — Marco has weakened even more as of 5 a.m. Monday morning and winds are now down to 60 mph.
Marco is expected to continue weakening and Hurricane Warnings have been discontinued for the Louisiana coast.
Here are all the Watches and Warnings for the region this morning along with new Tropical Storm Warnings that have been issued for Laura in the Florida Keys, including Key West.
As you can see on the path map below, Marco should make landfall somewhere south of Morgan City, Louisiana, late tonight as a weak Tropical Storm.
Wind will not be an issue but a storm surge of 2 to 4 feet south of Morgan City is still expected.
Some heavy rain is also expected with, locally, more than a half a foot possible but no major flooding is anticipated.
Laura is a different creature and is just days behind Marco even though they are not connected at all.
Laura continues to strengthen this morning as it passes now south of Cuba in the warm Caribbean waters with winds now 65 mph with higher gusts.
A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for the Florida Keys due to Laura passing to the south tonight.
Once Laura emerges over the Gulf of Mexico Monday night, environmental conditions will become favorable for possible rapid intensification and Laura could become a Category 2 hurricane on Tuesday into Wednesday with winds over 100 mph.
At this moment the landfall looks like will be in western Louisiana sometime Wednesday night between Lake Charles, Louisiana and Beaumont, Texas.
Threats with Laura will include damaging winds, deadly storm surge and flooding rain.
iStock/carlballouBY: BILL HUTCHINSON
