News4 has previously reported that prosecutors are not filing any criminal charges against PetSmart employees, but an attorney for the pet owners argued that while the employees may not have been responsible for the deaths, the attorneys claim the Petsmart employees delayed getting one of the dogs care which could’ve lead to the dog’s death.

News4 recently received pages of notes from the investigation through the Freedom of Information Act and found a timeline of events on the day Andrew Noles’ dog, Clark, died.

The timeline shows a 10-hour window between the time PetSmart employees noticed something was wrong with Clark and when he was finally taken to the vet.

Noles’ Clark was in the care of the Alexandria PetSmart Pets Hotel on June 29, and he died later that day.

After Clark died, two employees with the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria conducted an investigation and interviewed some PetSmart employees and we obtained a copy of the notes and investigation summary.

According to the report one employee says she saw vomit in Clark’s kennel at 6:15 on June 29.

That employee told a colleague who checked and confirmed vomit and diarrhea in the kennel and then relayed that to a manager who then checked on Clark.

At 2:40 p.m., another employee noticed Clark appeared lethargic, had not eaten his food, and was panting heavily.

At 3 p.m. another employee was notified about Clark’s condition and then at 3:50 that employee found Clark non-responsive. Clark was transferred to the animal hospital where he later died.

Investigators sought the medical opinion of the state doctor who conducted the necropsy on Clark, which is basically an autopsy for animals.

The Animal Welfare League’s investigation report says in part, “Dr. Wiseman stated that in her opinion, Clark had developed his illness prior to his stay at the PetSmart boarding facility and likely would have become very sick regardless of if he were at home or in a boarding facility.”

“She did add that if care had been sought out sooner, it may have increased Clark’s chances of survival but only minimally.”

The summary went on to say, “I do find it concerning that so much time had passed from when the original concern was reported to when care was provided, but the current animal care codes do not stipulate how soon care must be provided.”

News4 reached out to PetSmart on Monday to ask about the response time but we have not heard back.

Last month, when PetSmart employees were cleared of any criminal wrongdoing, the company sent News4 a statement that said in part, “We take pride in our level of care and are pleased that the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria confirmed our findings that PetSmart did not have any wrongdoing in these matters.”

Noles sent the following statement to News4:

“I’ll never understand why PetSmart delayed providing the necessary medical care to Clarke. It’s heartbreaking to think that Clarke’s last hours were filled with suffering.

I’m even more heartbroken that PetSmart also neglected critical medical concerns with Blue and Nova. It doesn’t take a trained medical professional to recognize the urgency when a dog is coughing up blood, has blood in its stool, or when its eyes are hemorrhaging. Yet, none of these dogs received the care they desperately needed, and their pet parents weren’t even informed that their dogs were in distress.

Pet parents need to be very careful about where they board their pets. I didn’t realize these businesses weren’t regulated and so many bad things could happen. I hope laws will be passed to stop businesses like PetSmart from putting profits over quality care and that the Commonwealth Attorney will start prosecuting animal cruelty cases.”

A decade later, they have never been found.

The children’s mother, Catherine Hoggle, was charged with killing them, but the charges were dropped because she was found not competent to stand trial.

News4 has followed the case since the start. We recently combed through years of archival footage and spoke with the children’s father and prosecutors about finding the children and holding their mother accountable.

‘I’ll die looking for them’

In fall 2014, it seemed like you couldn’t go anywhere without seeing Sarah’s and Jacob’s faces.

The mystery of what happened to them gripped the D.C. area. Where were they and why wouldn’t their mother tell investigators what she did with them?

The Hoggle children’s father, Troy Turner, has spent the past decade trying to find them.

“I feel like my kids will be searched for until they’re found, or I’ll die looking for them. It could turn into 30, 40 years, or however long I’m blessed to live,” he said.

A father realizes his children are gone

Hoggle and Turner lived together with their three kids in Montgomery County.

According to multiple law enforcement sources, Hoggle took Jacob and Sarah separately by car and returned each time without them.

Investigators say she has told various stories about where they went: She took them for pizza. She took them to a friend’s house. She dropped them off at day care.

“She was able to abduct them while I was at work,” Turner said. “When I went to work that day, she was never supposed to be alone with the kids. There was a family plan in place. A family member threw her the keys, allowed her to take my son. When she came back without him, nobody called me. And then, because of that, she was also able to get Sarah later.”

Turner, who worked nights, didn’t immediately realize the kids were gone.

He said Hoggle told him the children were at a new day care. Later in the day, Turner tried to get Hoggle to take him to the day care.

“Whenever I turned back around and said, ‘OK, what’s the address?’ She said, ‘I don’t know.’ I said, ‘What’s the phone number there so I can call them?’ She said, ‘I don’t know.’ I said, ‘Well, what street is it on?’ She said, ‘I don’t know.’ I said, ‘You mean to tell me you don’t know what it’s called, you don’t know where it is, you don’t know the address and you don’t have a phone number? And you dropped our kids off there?’” he said.

After hours of driving to different places, Turner decided they had to go to the police.

But Hoggle wanted to stop at Chick-fil-A in Germantown for a drink first, Turner said.

She went inside but Turner never saw her head back out. She was gone.

“I go look in the women’s bathroom. I look in the men’s bathroom, check all the stalls in both, probably look like a crazy person,” he recalled. “I come back out, don’t see her anywhere, look out the other door, don’t see her in the parking lot anywhere. So, then I go get in the car and just drive directly to the police station.”

Hoggle went missing for several days. Surveillance video showed her in a building. She had changed her appearance.

Eventually, she was found and taken into custody. But Sarah and Jacob were not with her.

Police had Turner try to get Hoggle to say where their children were.

“She was saying that the kids were fine. She had given them to someone to watch until she could execute her plan to, like, go live somewhere else, like the beach or something like that. I don’t remember exactly what that was. But, she had a plan. Supposedly they were going to watch them while she got things together,” he said.

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Maryland Judge Drops Murder Charges Against Catherine Hoggle in Case of Missing Children

‘We’ve not given up hope on this case’

Detectives, the family and the community searched for the children, and Hoggle was held on abduction charges. The charges were upgraded to murder in 2017.

Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy called the case one of the most frustrating he has ever prosecuted.

“I was very hopeful that we would ultimately find out where they were. That has not turned out to be the case,” he said. “I think probably what surprises me more is the journey that we’ve traveled and not being able to get her to trial because I was, you know, I was virtually certain that ultimately she would be found competent and we would go to trial in this matter. So, that to me, that’s the real surprise.”

Hoggle was found not competent to stand trial. That led to the murder charges being dropped in 2022.

“If you cannot restore a person to competency within a specified period of time, in this instance it was five years, the charges against her must be dismissed,” McCarthy said. “So as we sit here today, she’s not charged with the crime, but she’s not free in the community. And the reason she’s not free in the community is the same: Doctors who said she was incompetent to stand trial said that she continues to be a danger to herself or others. And so she was civilly and involuntarily committed, because of her dangerousness. And she remains, to my knowledge, remains incarcerated in an institution for treatment for that reason.”

Hoggle could be charged with murder again one day, McCarthy said.

The defense could still raise the argument that Hoggle was not criminally responsible, entering an insanity plea.

“We’ve not given up hope on this case,” McCarthy said. “You know, not giving up hope that someday she will improve satisfactorily, that the state doctors who are evaluating her will find that she’s competent or think that she’s no longer a danger to anyone else and release her back into the community. And if she’s released back into the community, we’ll reinstitute the charges.”

‘I think that justice was done’

David Felsen represents Hoggle.

“There was no question that she was incompetent to stand trial. Every doctor – and these were the state doctors – found that she was incompetent to stand trial. They basically agreed in their diagnosis and prognosis. Even when the state asked for a second state doctor, that doctor agreed with the diagnosis of the prior doctors and the subsequent doctors. And I think, under the law, I think that justice was done.”

Felsen contends that the answers people are looking for simply don’t exist. News4 asked him if he believes there ever will be a time when Hoggle will be able to tell her family and authorities what happened to the children.

“No, I don’t,” Hoggle’s lawyer said. “As I said, what happened back in September of 2014, she was in the throes of paranoid schizophrenia with delusions. And to think that anything she might recall or say that she recalls would not be credible in terms of any investigation.”

Hoggle’s lawyer declined to comment on whether he believes that Hoggle killed her children.

“I personally don’t know what happened. I do know what the records say, but I have never seen any forensic evidence of anything relative to the children. I’ve never seen any video evidence relative to the children. I don’t know what happened and, unfortunately, I don’t know that we will ever know.”

Felsen said he doesn’t know if Hoggle will ever be competent to stand trial. He said Hoggle has been “vilified.”

“There’s no question that she’s been vilified. There also is no question that she is a loving and caring mother, that she cared about her children, that she was also in the throes of probably some of the most profound mental health issues that that one could think of and one could describe,” he said. “This case is a tragedy. As I said, this case is a tragedy on many levels, including for her.”

Still asking why, all these years later

Questions that have never been answered are if Hoggle killed her children, why? And why did she take them in the first place?

Turner said he believes Hoggle resented choices he made when he had her committed a year earlier.

“When I had her committed in 2013. I think that created some resentment. I think the family plan that was put in place afterwards, where she could not be alone with the children and things like that, I think that definitely caused some resentment,” he said. “And I think she probably – and this is just me guessing, obviously – but I think that she probably kind of felt like maybe, you know, it was almost like having a life, her life be like a prison in a way where she wasn’t allowed to just do what she wanted.”

McCarthy, the prosecutor, said he was unsure of Hoggle’s motive.

“I think that’s a question that only Catherine can answer,” he said.

Turner said he believes the system failed Sarah and Jacob.

Hoggle “has more rights and protections than my kids. In the state of Maryland, victims are just not protected. There’s no hope for us out there, you know, in terms of the system itself. The system isn’t designed to protect, you know, people from crime. The system there right now is designed to protect criminals. And I’m not talking about punishing people for being mentally ill; I’m talking about protecting victims and handling criminals appropriately with a justice system.”

Turner said he refuses to give up his life’s mission and purpose.

“If the police are correct, then they were put in a dumpster and incinerated. So that’s why we possibly will never find the bodies, in which case I’ll die looking for my children,” he said. “If they’re not, then, I mean, we have to find them, if they’re out there somewhere and whatever that entails, and bring them home.”

Go here for more stories in our NBC Washington Rewind series, which takes a look back at some of the biggest news in our region using unforgettable NBC4 footage from over the decades.

The lawsuit accuses them of creating poor living conditions that “shocked even seasoned investigators,” while collecting housing voucher money.

One resident says he opened his oven drawer to find it full of mouse droppings and six baby mice.

“It’s a lot of stuff,” that resident, Jayshaun, Gill said. “It’s a lot more than mice. It’s a lot of flies; flies are a big problem, too.”

Gill and his daughter live at a rent-controlled apartment complex on W Street SE.

Their neighbor Mae Gupton says building management refuses to fix the issues.

“Me and my daughters are living with rats,” Gupton said. “This whole building is infected with rats. I even called the exterminator. The exterminator said, ‘Ma’am, you won’t be able to pay that bill.”

Gupton said the rats have been coming out from behind her stove, too, so she’s afraid to walk in that part of her kitchen.

“I’m terrified; my family, it’s like I’m … It got me and my daughters sick,” she said.

In addition, her dishwasher is broken, so every time she uses it, she has to use a plunger to drain the water that comes up out of the sink, she said.

On Monday, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb announced two lawsuits against the building’s owner, Ali “Sam” Razjooyan, and his business partners for allegedly creating poor conditions there, as well as at the Minnesota Commons Apartments in Northeast.

Residents there sent News4 a video of water pouring down inside. Video also shows black water in a sink and trash piled up outside.

“It’s bad,” said Minnesota Commons resident Christine Smith. “Nobody should be able to live in this condition.”

Schwalb said: “The properties at issue in these lawsuits are in deplorable condition, some of the worst conditions that we’ve seen in the District.”

He says the lawsuits are aimed at forcing Razjooyan to make repairs, pay damages to tenants and pay penalties for violating D.C. housing code.

“That certainly happens far too often in our city, where landlords prey upon those who are least able to have the economic flexibility to move to take care of problems,” Schwalb said.

News4 went to Razjooyan’s house for comment, but no one answered the door. We also tried calling several phone numbers associated with the building owner but didn’t hear back.

At the W Street apartments, resident Kianna Smith says there are still stains on the wall from an hours-long sewage leak.

“Feces coming down my wall,” she said.

She said management doesn’t pick up the phone when she calls.

“This is not fair to anyone,” she said. “I’m pretty sure they’re not living like this, so why should we live like this?”

The D.C. Department of Buildings says it issued seven stop work orders at Minnesota Commons this year. But the owner allegedly ignored them.

Hill, who was detained during a traffic stop and eventually cited for reckless driving and driving without a license, was pulled from his car by an officer about a minute into the video – and pushed to the ground. Hill was pulled out of the car after a dispute over his window being rolled up after the initial contact with an officer.

One police officer has been placed on administrative leave and an internal investigation into the incident is underway, according to officials.

In the video, the star wideout appears to be talking on the phone while on the asphalt, with several officers now involved, saying, “I’m getting arrested.” As he is handcuffed, an officer tells him, “When we tell you to do something, you do it.”

Hill was then brought up to his feet, where officers took him to sit along the sidewalk. One police officer can be seeing putting an arm around Hill’s neck and forcing him to the ground while Hill yells repeatedly that he recently had surgery on his knee.

A representative for the police union said the 30-year-old was at fault for not being “immediately” cooperative with officers.

Toward the end of the video, Hill could be heard telling an officer, “I can’t run. I’m not gonna run, bruh. I promise you I’m not gonna run, s—.”

“If I wasn’t Tyreek Hill, lord knows, I probably would have been like, worst-case scenario, I would have been shot or would have been locked up” and “put behind bars, you know, for a simple speeding ticket,” Hill told NBC News in the aftermath of the incident.

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The Miami-Dade Police Department later on Sunday opened an Internal Affairs investigation into the situation, and one of the involved officers was placed on administrative duties.

Drew Rosenhaus, Hill’s agent, told NBC6, “We’re going to look into it. This isn’t over on our end.”

Hill eventually suited up to play the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he logged seven catches for 130 yards and a touchdown, which he celebrated with a handcuff move.

A team of dietitians at the hospital unloaded the week’s shipment of fresh food for patients with diabetes and pre-diabetes Thursday morning.

Then, they piled fresh green beans, apples, squash, carrots and other healthy foods into bags.

“Food is a huge part of the disease state,” said Sarah Roberts, a clinical dietitian for Children’s National. “It’s very important that families understand the importance of using these whole grains, these fruits and vegetables in their diet because when we’re looking at the disease state, we want to tackle it from all points.”

Pre-diabetes and diabetes patients with food insecurity at Children’s National receive three bags of food tailored to their medical needs as part of a food pharmacy program with the Capital Area Food Bank.

Roberts said they’ve seen an increase in patients reporting food insecurity in recent years. Patients’ guardians fill out screenings when they visit the hospital.

“That was another reason for starting the food pharmacy is not only the increase of food insecurity during the in the pandemic, but the increase of type 2 diabetes during the pandemic,” she said.

The proper foods can treat, prevent and, in some cases, reverse a diagnosis of diabetes, experts say.

“I’ve lost about 50-60 pounds just because I’ve been able to have good choices,” Children’s National patient Iman Bangura told News4 via a video call.

Bangura, who has type 2 diabetes, has been in the food pharmacy program for more than a year.

For her, the food pharmacy isn’t just her way out of a food desert, it’s helping change family history.

The food pharmacy served about 30 patients a month when the program began in 2021. Now, more than 200 families a month receive the fresh and healthy groceries.

Roberts said it’s been a vital tool in providing well-rounded care.

“If we’re in here doing these educations with these patients about fresh fruits and vegetables and they’re not able to purchase those things on their own and get those in the store, then it feels like we’re not fully meeting the needs of those patients,” she said.

The following content is created in partnership with Windstar Cruises. It does not reflect the work or opinions of the NBC Washington editorial staff. Click here to learn more Windstar Cruises.

As travel surges back to pre-pandemic levels, finding under-the-radar locales away from bustling crowds grows ever more appealing. And while Europe’s most visited cities and landmarks have certainly earned their allure, there’s something to be said about the unique qualities and unspoiled beauty of an off-the-beaten-path destination. For those eager to experience the charm and authenticity of Europe without the throngs of tourists, these enchanting cities offer a unique blend of culture, history, and local flavor, promising unforgettable experiences for the discerning traveler. Furthermore, these port-cities limit access to only smaller cruise ships, offering the perfect opportunity to experience the personalized service and relaxed atmosphere of a small-yacht cruise while fostering deeper connections with local cultures and communities in more remote destinations.

Rovinj, Croatia

On the west coast of Croatia situated on the north Adriatic Sea lies the delightful town of Rovinj. Ruled by Venetians for more than five centuries, it offers a distinctive Italian flare evident in its narrow cobblestone streets, pastel-colored houses, and seaside cafes.  A tranquil escape from the crowds with a serene atmosphere and stunning views of the Adriatic Sea, Rovinj also boasts a vibrant cultural scene, delicious local cuisine, and high-quality leather goods, making it a worthy stop on the Istrian Peninsula.

Bilbao, Spain

You don’t build a Frank Gehry architectural marvel without attracting a few tourists. But much like the French town of Arles (home of the striking LUMA museum designed by the man himself), Bilbao remains a lesser-known stop on the venerable European tour. Indeed, Bilbao is home to the iconic Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum, a masterpiece of contemporary architecture that draws art enthusiasts from around the world. Often described as one of Spain’s most underrated cities, Bilbao’s revitalized waterfront, vibrant pintxos bars, and charming old quarter provide a welcoming atmosphere and an authentic Spanish experience.

French Polynesia–Papeete, Tahiti, The Tuamotu Islands, and Society Islands

Though France is plainly invoked in the name, most people don’t automatically think of Europe when they think of French Polynesia. The country, in fact, is a French territory associated with European Union. It is also a tropical paradise comprised of several archipelagos boasting pristine beaches, crystal-clear waters, and vibrant coral reefs. The islands’ uniquely unspoiled beauty is largely due to local government regulations which ensure limited development and promote conservation measures. Travelers willing to make the lengthy flight (about 13 hours from New York City or 9 hours from Los Angeles) will be rewarded with more than just breath-taking natural scenery; the rich Polynesian culture is something to behold from the flower lei greetings and the black pearl farming to millennium-old relics of the Maori civilization. Windstar Cruises, a small-yacht cruise line with a long history of sailing the islands has spent decades fostering local relationships from Tahiti to Bora Bora, enabling the cruise line to arrange intimate excursions and authentic local experiences for an unforgettable vacation.

Bordeaux, France

While Bordeaux is not exactly under-the-radar, the city offers all the charm and quality wine of Paris but with a decidedly more tranquil atmosphere than its metropolitan counterpart. Best known as the wine capital of France, Bordeaux has also earned a spot on this list by receiving The European Capital of Smart Tourism award in 2022, a recognition for exemplary achievements in tourism. In other words, while many destinations buckle under tourist traffic and dilute their character to cater to visitors, Bordeaux has proactively implemented practices with regard to accessibility, sustainability, digitalization, and cultural heritage so that it may welcome travelers without compromise to the city’s culture and local people. Renowned for its world-class vineyards, Bordeaux is a paradise for wine enthusiasts, with picturesque chateaus and rolling vineyards offering unforgettable tastings. The 18^th-century architecture, dynamic cultural scene, and well-preserved historic center (a UNESCO World Heritage site) make Bordeaux a captivating travel destination and a worthwhile stop on small cruise tours. In addition to having the access to Bordeaux’s ports not available to large cruise ships, small intimate tours like Windstar Cruises have the added flexibility and expertise to tailor excursions from guided countryside tours to wine tastings with local producers. They are also the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation so guests can expect top-notch culinary excursions in addition to delicious and innovative meals on board.

Patmos, Greece

This hidden treasure in the Aegean Sea offers a low-key upmarket alternative to more popular Greek islands and cities like Athens. Admittedly harder to reach, Patmos is the perfect stop on a small-yacht cruise itinerary like Windstar Cruises. Known as the “Island of the Apocalypse,” it is home to the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse where St. John is believed to have written the Book of Revelation, both UNESCO World Heritage sites. Visitors will also enjoy fine-sand shores, striking blue waters, elegant Patmian embroidery, and traditional whitewashed villages, altogether creating a picturesque setting with a more relaxed pace.

Exploring these European port cities offers a refreshing alternative to the well-trodden paths of major tourist hubs. And because their ports exclude large cruise ships, travelers can benefit from smaller cruise lines that mirror the smaller scale and authenticity of these enchanting locales. With fewer than 300 guests aboard a small-yacht cruise like Windstar’s, staff have the latitude to offer guests personalized service and intimate excursions for authentic local experiences. A smaller guestlist also means more expertise and resources devoted to innovative and delicious meals with locally sourced ingredients, and lighter crowds at these beautiful cities and towns. As you plan your next adventure, consider venturing off the beaten path with any one of these unforgettable destinations.

If you crave unique experiences and authentic connections with local cultures, Windstar Cruises can help you can escape the crowds with the personalized service that only a small-yacht cruise can offer. To start planning an unforgettable journey and learn more about Windstar Cruises, click here.

Ernest Joseph Dyson, 39, was working on a water main break near the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue and Rodney Road about 4:40 a.m. when the driver of a black 2011 Volkswagen CC hit him, police said.

He died at the scene of the crash.

“WSSC Water is devastated by this tragedy,” WSSC Water General Manager and CEO Kishia L. Powell said in a statement Monday. “Ernest was the embodiment of professionalism and public service. He was a dedicated and highly respected member of the Utility Services Department and a beloved member of Team H2O with nearly 18 years of service to WSSC Water customers.”

Ernie Dyson was killed doing his job — a public service — one that he was proud of. He cared about giving back to his community.

“Anyone that came in contact with Ernie just loved him,” said his cousin, Alfonso Dyson. “Loved his personality. He’d do anything for anyone. He would give of himself in a moment’s notice.”

He says there’s a void in the hearts of his family members. Ernie Dyson was the youngest of five children and a loving son. 

“One of the things with Ernie is that he never lost sight of his family,” his cousin said. “That was most important to him.”

“We don’t have our loved one anymore,” he said. “He’s gone. He’s gone. And the family has to suffer through this.”

Ernie’s impact was also felt by his friends and coworkers. In a statement, WSSC Water said, “We are all heartbroken and honestly still in shock as we process this senseless tragedy. Our deepest condolences are with Mr. Dyson’s family during this incredibly difficult time.”

In the midst of tragedy, Ernie Dyson’s family hopes others don’t have to face the senseless pain they now feel.

“There’s no reason why this person had to get behind the wheel,” his cousin said. “Especially in today’s time. There’s Uber, there’s Lyft, call a friend, call a family member. This should be a lesson to everyone.”

Montgomery County Police have not identified the driver who struck Ernie Dyson. The investigation is still ongoing.

Police are asking anyone who might have seen the crash to call 240-773-6620.

The family says funeral arrangements are in the works, and he’s expected to be laid to rest in Clinton.

Stay with News4 for updates to this developing story.

After a disastrous performance in the first general election debate of this cycle in June, President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid, upending the campaign in its closing months and kicking off the rapid-fire process that allowed Harris to rise as Democrats’ nominee in his place.

As was the case for the June debate, there will be no audience present.

Pennsylvania is perhaps the nation’s premier swing state, and both candidates have spent significant time campaigning across Pennsylvania. Trump was holding a rally in Butler, in western Pennsylvania, in mid-July when he was nearly assassinated by a gunman perched on a nearby rooftop. Harris chose Philadelphia as the spot where she unveiled Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate in August.

In 2020, it was Pennsylvania’s electoral votes that put Biden over the top and propelled him into the White House, four years after Trump won the state. Biden’s victory came after more than three days of uncertainty as election officials sorted through a surge of mail-in votes that delayed the processing of some ballots, and the Trump campaign mounted several legal challenges.

An estimated 51.3 million people watched Biden and Trump in June. But that was before many people were truly tuned into the election, and the potential rematch of the 2020 campaign was drawing little enthusiasm.

Tuesday’s debate will almost certainly reach more people, whether or not it approaches the record debate audience of 84 million for the first face-off between Hillary Clinton and Trump in 2016.

Here’s a look at what to expect:

When is the 2024 presidential debate?

The presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump takes place at 8 p.m. CT/9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

The planned debate comes nearly three weeks after the conclusion of the 2024 Democratic National Convention, in which Harris formally accepted the party’s nomination after a turbulent month kickstarted by Biden’s withdrawal.

How to watch the presidential debate

Will mics be on or off? Full list of debate rules

The parameters now in place for the Sept. 10 debate are essentially the same as they were for the June debate between Trump and President Joe Biden.

According to ABC News, the candidates will stand behind lecterns, will not make opening statements and will not be allowed to bring notes during the 90-minute debate. David Muir and Linsey Davis will moderate the event.

“Moderators will seek to enforce timing agreements and ensure a civilized discussion,” the network noted.

A Harris campaign official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss planning around the debate, said a candidate who repeatedly interrupts will receive a warning from a moderator, and both candidates’ microphones may be unmuted if there is significant crosstalk so the audience can understand what’s happening.

After a virtual coin flip held Tuesday and won by Trump, the GOP nominee opted to offer the final closing statement, while Harris chose the podium on the right side of viewers’ screens. There will be no audience, written notes or any topics or questions shared with campaigns or candidates in advance, the network said.

Here’s the full list of rules:

– The debate will be 90 minutes with two commercial breaks.

– The two seated moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, will be the only people asking questions.

– A coin flip was held virtually on Tuesday, Sept. 3, to determine podium placement and order of closing statements; former President Donald Trump won the coin toss and chose to select the order of statements. The former president will offer the last closing statement, and Vice President Harris selected the right podium position on screen (stage left).

– Candidates will be introduced by the moderators.

– The candidates enter upon introduction from opposite sides of the stage; the incumbent party will be introduced first.

– No opening statements; closing statements will be two minutes per candidate.

– Candidates will stand behind podiums for the duration of the debate.

– Props or prewritten notes are not allowed onstage.

– No topics or questions will be shared in advance with campaigns or candidates.

– Candidates will be given a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water.

– Candidates will have two-minute answers to questions, two-minute rebuttals, and one extra minute for follow-ups, clarifications, or responses.

– Candidates’ microphones will be live only for the candidate whose turn it is to speak and muted when the time belongs to another candidate.

– Candidates will not be permitted to ask questions of each other.

– Campaign staff may not interact with candidates during commercial breaks.

– Moderators will seek to enforce timing agreements and ensure a civilized discussion.

– There will be no audience in the room.

Are other debates planned?

Though the September debate is currently the only debate currently planned between Harris and Trump, Harris’ campaign said that a potential October debate was contingent on Trump attending the Sept. 10 debate.

In addition to the planned Harris-Trump debate on Sept. 10, vice presidential candidates Tim Walz and JD Vance also agreed to a debate, scheduled to be hosted by CBS News on Oct. 1.

When is Election Day?

Voters will officially head to the polls just over a month later Tuesday, Nov. 5, for Election Day, though early voting starts significantly earlier in many states.

Decision 2024 Sep 4

Trump and Harris campaigns agree to rules for ABC debate

Alex Delgado, 20, of Silver Spring, and the 17-year-old, of New Carrollton, are accused of killing 18-year-old Anibal Suazo from Lothian, Maryland.

Police did not name the 17-year-old but said that the teen is being charged as an adult.

Police responded to the 4700 block of Kenilworth Avenue at 6 p.m. after a shooting was reported. Officers discovered Suazo suffering from a gunshot wound. He died on the scene.

The shooting also injured Delgado and a woman. They were taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. Police recovered two guns on the scene.

“Everybody ducked and started running away. Seconds later, we heard more gunshots,” one man said.

One witness said they heard some sound coming from the middle of the laundromat and saw two people fighting before a couple of gunshots went off. When people started running , the witness said there were “a lot more gunshots.”

Patrons took cover until police arrived.

The 17-year-old fled the scene in a car. He was arrested later by police after a pursuit with a Prince George’s County Guardian helicopter.

A preliminary investigation revealed Delgado and the teen suspect targeted Suazo at the laundromat, police said. According to police, both suspects knew Suazo. When they approached him, they started to physically assault him, police said.

During the fight, Delgado shot Suazo and the woman and then Suazo returned fire, police said.

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At the laundromat on Monday, a woman told News the 18-year-old shot and killed was her sister’s boyfriend. Her sister, who’s also 18, was shot four times in her feet and leg.

“She’s doing good. She’s stable. She’s in the hospital, waiting to get surgery,” she said.

Two clothes dryers were taped over and out of service on Monday. A woman showed bullet holes in a shirt she had inside a dryer with the gunfire began.

“Everybody started crying. It’s too difficult for me,” she said.

Despite the shooting, the laundromat opened on time at 6 a.m. Monday.

Some people retrieved belongings they left behind in the chaos; others had no idea there had been a murder.

Prince George’s County police are conducting an investigation into the motive for the assault and shooting. They said that it appeared to be an isolated incident and there was no threat to the public.

The laundromat owner said he had been in business for five years and never had any trouble. He described the shooting as an isolated, targeted incident and said he’s cooperating with investigators.

If anyone has information relevant to this investigation and would like to speak to a Homicide Unit detective, they are asked to please call 301-516-2512.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

If you’re here, you likely know that Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will face off for the first time in a debate hosted by ABC News on Tuesday. NBC News will broadcast the full debate live and offer primetime coverage starting at 8 p.m.

If you want to watch with some fellow election nerds (and perhaps an on-theme drink), D.C. is the place to be.

In general, we recommend making reservations or at least showing up early to snag a seat.

Here are watch parties and specials for your debate night.

Presidential debate watch parties in the DC area

The Admiral
1 Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.
Details

Tune into the debate on 15 TVs inside and on the patio. Quench your thirst with Blue Wave and Red State shots ($6.50), discounted draft refills ($5.75) or a burger, fries and beer special ($17.99).

All-Purpose takeout specials
Shaw, Riverfront and AP Pizza Shop in Bethesda
Details

Picking up pizza for a private watch party? Three All-Purpose locations will offer free focaccia breadsticks or garlic bread for any to-go order over $50. You must order online and use promo code VOTE.

Boundary Stone
116 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, D.C.
Reservations

This Bloomingdale pub will show the debate at full volume and serve a drink called Kamala’s Coconut Daiquiri, made with local Cotton & Reed rum.

Johnny Pistolas
2333 18th St NW, Washington, D.C.
Details

Watch the debate projected on a 12.5-foot screen while sampling $10 drink specials including the Filibuster Buzz, the Bipartisan Breeze and the Swing State Sangria.

Madhatter
1319 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington D.C.
Details

The Trump vs. Harris showdown will be shown on all TVs – with the sound on – at this Dupont bar and restaurant. Specials include $8 smash burgers, $5 Jello-O shots and Taco Tuesday deals.

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metrobar
640 Rhode Island Avenue Northeast Washington, D.C.
Details

The transit-themed bar’s debate watch party coincides with specials for Industry Night and the “Beetlejuice” sequel at the Metro-themed bar. You’ll find $9 specialty cocktails from 4-11 p.m.

Royal Sands Social Club
26 N Street SE, Washington, D.C.
Details

Dip into the pool-themed bar for Brat or Mar-a-Lago Punch shots ($6.50). Other specials include $6 Kona drafts, $10 frozen drinks, $2 off sushi rolls and a $10.50 slider trio.

Large groups are welcome to watch the debate on 25 TVs.

Shaw’s Tavern
520 Florida Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.
Details

Enjoy taco and margarita specials while the debate is shown on TVs on two floors and the covered patio. Doors open at 7 p.m. Grab a reservation for a table or show up early for a seat at the bar.

Solaire Social
8200 Dixon Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland
Details

The new food hall in Silver Spring will offer an all-day happy hour to soothe any debate-related nerves. You’ll also find $20 beer pitchers or buckets, plus Tequila Tuesday specials.

Whitlow’s Debate Watch Bingo Party
901 U Street NW, Washington, D.C.
Details

Whitlow’s adds a twist to their debate watch party with a Bingo game built around campaign buzzwords. Winners could get prizes including Whitlow’s t-shirts and gift cards.

Head to the second floor of Whitlow’s to play and watch the debate on five TVs and a large screen.

Union Pub
201 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, D.C.
Details

For one of D.C.’s most politically-oriented bars steps from the U.S. Capitol, debate night is basically the Super Bowl.

Sip on coconut or orange drinks, join a drinking game and grab specials including $4 shots and discounted pitches and beer buckets.

Make reservations or get there early (very early) to beat the crowd.

Want to know what’s up for your weekend? Sign up for The Weekend Scene, our newsletter about events, experiences and adventures for you and for your family around the DMV.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

After a disastrous performance in the first general election debate of this cycle in June, President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid, upending the campaign in its closing months and kicking off the rapid-fire process that allowed Harris to rise as Democrats’ nominee in his place.

As was the case for the June debate, there will be no audience present.

Pennsylvania is perhaps the nation’s premier swing state, and both candidates have spent significant time campaigning across Pennsylvania. Trump was holding a rally in Butler, in western Pennsylvania, in mid-July when he was nearly assassinated by a gunman perched on a nearby rooftop. Harris chose Philadelphia as the spot where she unveiled Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate in August.

In 2020, it was Pennsylvania’s electoral votes that put Biden over the top and propelled him into the White House, four years after Trump won the state. Biden’s victory came after more than three days of uncertainty as election officials sorted through a surge of mail-in votes that delayed the processing of some ballots, and the Trump campaign mounted several legal challenges.

An estimated 51.3 million people watched Biden and Trump in June. But that was before many people were truly tuned into the election, and the potential rematch of the 2020 campaign was drawing little enthusiasm.

Tuesday’s debate will almost certainly reach more people, whether or not it approaches the record debate audience of 84 million for the first face-off between Hillary Clinton and Trump in 2016.

Here’s a look at what to expect:

When is the 2024 presidential debate?

The presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump takes place at 8 p.m. CT/9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

The planned debate comes nearly three weeks after the conclusion of the 2024 Democratic National Convention, in which Harris formally accepted the party’s nomination after a turbulent month kickstarted by Biden’s withdrawal.

How to watch the presidential debate

NBC News will broadcast the full debate live and offering extensive primetime coverage beginning at 8 p.m. ET. You can watch it here on the News4 streaming channel.

NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt and TODAY co-anchor Savannah Guthrie will anchor a pre-debate primetime special starting at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, followed by a live presentation of the ABC News-hosted debate at 9 p.m. ET. Holt and Guthrie will continue special coverage following the debate. 

Viewers can watch the debate live on NBC4 or on the News4 streaming channel, which is available 24/7 and free of charge across nearly every online video platform, including The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus and the NBC News app on smartphones and smart TVs.

Will mics be on or off? Full list of debate rules

The parameters now in place for the Sept. 10 debate are essentially the same as they were for the June debate between Trump and President Joe Biden.

According to ABC News, the candidates will stand behind lecterns, will not make opening statements and will not be allowed to bring notes during the 90-minute debate. David Muir and Linsey Davis will moderate the event.

“Moderators will seek to enforce timing agreements and ensure a civilized discussion,” the network noted.

A Harris campaign official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss planning around the debate, said a candidate who repeatedly interrupts will receive a warning from a moderator, and both candidates’ microphones may be unmuted if there is significant crosstalk so the audience can understand what’s happening.

After a virtual coin flip held Tuesday and won by Trump, the GOP nominee opted to offer the final closing statement, while Harris chose the podium on the right side of viewers’ screens. There will be no audience, written notes or any topics or questions shared with campaigns or candidates in advance, the network said.

Here’s the full list of rules:

– The debate will be 90 minutes with two commercial breaks.

– The two seated moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, will be the only people asking questions.

– A coin flip was held virtually on Tuesday, Sept. 3, to determine podium placement and order of closing statements; former President Donald Trump won the coin toss and chose to select the order of statements. The former president will offer the last closing statement, and Vice President Harris selected the right podium position on screen (stage left).

– Candidates will be introduced by the moderators.

– The candidates enter upon introduction from opposite sides of the stage; the incumbent party will be introduced first.

– No opening statements; closing statements will be two minutes per candidate.

– Candidates will stand behind podiums for the duration of the debate.

– Props or prewritten notes are not allowed onstage.

– No topics or questions will be shared in advance with campaigns or candidates.

– Candidates will be given a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water.

– Candidates will have two-minute answers to questions, two-minute rebuttals, and one extra minute for follow-ups, clarifications, or responses.

– Candidates’ microphones will be live only for the candidate whose turn it is to speak and muted when the time belongs to another candidate.

– Candidates will not be permitted to ask questions of each other.

– Campaign staff may not interact with candidates during commercial breaks.

– Moderators will seek to enforce timing agreements and ensure a civilized discussion.

– There will be no audience in the room.

Are other debates planned?

Though the September debate is currently the only debate currently planned between Harris and Trump, Harris’ campaign said that a potential October debate was contingent on Trump attending the Sept. 10 debate.

In addition to the planned Harris-Trump debate on Sept. 10, vice presidential candidates Tim Walz and JD Vance also agreed to a debate, scheduled to be hosted by CBS News on Oct. 1.

When is Election Day?

Voters will officially head to the polls just over a month later Tuesday, Nov. 5, for Election Day, though early voting starts significantly earlier in many states.

Decision 2024 Sep 4

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They have just three weeks to do so. Funding for the government runs out at the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30, and former President Donald Trump is urging Republicans to force a shutdown unless certain demands are met, NBC News reports. A shutdown would close federal agencies and national parks, while limiting public services and furloughing millions of workers just weeks before the election.

The presidential race looms over the final stretch for Congress; it is expected to leave again at the end of the month and return after Election Day. When the House left town for its summer break on July 25, President Joe Biden had just dropped out of the presidential race, Democrats were preparing to pick Vice President Kamala Harris as their new standard bearer, and Republicans were rushing to draw up a new playbook against Harris.

House Republicans have now settled on some lines of attack, which they’ll highlight in politically charged GOP hearings and investigations into both Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, on issues from border security to the Afghanistan withdrawal.

Here’s what to expect during Congress’ final three-week sprint before it returns to the campaign trail in October.

Another shutdown threat

The single biggest task for Congress is to fund the government by the Sept. 30 deadline. It’s a foregone conclusion that lawmakers will need a stopgap bill to keep the government open past the election — they are nowhere close to agreement on a full-year funding measure. But the details and length of the bill are a source of consternation.

Under pressure from Trump and right-wing members, the Republican-led House released a stopgap bill that would keep money flowing through March 28 and tie it to the SAVE Act, a GOP-led bill to overhaul voting laws nationwide by requiring proof of citizenship to vote. Democrats oppose the latter measure, noting that it’s already illegal for noncitizens to vote, with hefty penalties that make the practice very rare. They also say it could deter Americans from voting, as many lack easy access to passports or birth certificates.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said House Republicans are “taking a critically important step to keep the federal government funded and to secure our federal election process.” But if the bill passes the House, it’s going nowhere in the Democratic-led Senate, and Johnson will have to decide whether to back off or hold firm, as the GOP risks being blamed for a shutdown as the party that instigated the standoff.

“If Speaker Johnson drives House Republicans down this highly partisan path, the odds of a shutdown go way up, and Americans will know that the responsibility of a shutdown will be on the House Republicans’ hands,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in a joint statement Friday after the release of the bill.

Also expiring on Sept. 30 is the farm bill for agriculture programs, which has already been punted once and is expected to be extended on a stopgap basis with a continuing resolution.

House GOP probes

After spending much of the 118th Congress focused on investigating Biden, House Republicans are now shifting their focus to Democrats’ new presidential ticket.

The House Education Committee subpoenaed Walz last week for information about how his administration responded to a large pandemic fraud scheme in Minnesota. While the committee has been investigating this issue since 2022 and had previously requested information from the state Education Department, this subpoena was the first outreach to Walz himself.

The House Oversight Committee, meanwhile, launched an investigation last month into contact Walz has had with Chinese Communist Party entities and officials, dating to the early 1990s, when Walz was a teacher leading student groups on educational trips to China.

Republicans are also focusing on the botched U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, which the Trump campaign has criticized Harris over. McCaul has threatened to hold Secretary of State Antony Blinken in contempt unless he agrees to testify about Afghanistan on Sept. 19.

House Republicans also have a full lineup of hearings this week focused on the “Biden-Harris administration.” There’s a Judiciary Committee hearing on “The Biden-Harris Border Crisis: Victim Perspectives.” An Energy and Commerce subcommittee is holding one called “From Gas to Groceries: Americans Pay the Price of the Biden-Harris Energy Agenda.” And the Veterans Affairs Committee has a hearing titled “Accountable or Absent?: Examining VA Leadership Under the Biden-Harris Administration.”

While the House committees conducting the impeachment investigation of Biden released a report in August saying that the president committed impeachable offenses, it’s unlikely the full House will attempt to vote to impeach the president given the GOP’s razor-thin majority and skepticism from some rank-and-file members. Johnson only thanked the committees and encouraged Americans to read the report in a statement at the time.

Democrats strike back

House Democrats have launched their own investigations into the GOP presidential nominee, Trump, though they lack subpoena power in the minority.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, and Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the panel’s subcommittee for national security, the border and foreign affairs, sent a letter to Trump last week asking him to show proof he had never received any money from Egypt.

The top Democrats said they were probing a possible “$10 million cash bribe from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi” to Trump’s 2016 campaign, after The Washington Post reported on Aug. 2 about a secret Justice Department probe into the alleged bribe; NBC News has not independently verified that report.

“Surely you would agree that the American people deserve to know whether a former president — and a current candidate for president— took an illegal campaign contribution from a brutal foreign dictator,” the Democrats wrote.

The Trump campaign responded by calling the story “fake news.”

In the Senate, Schumer has put members on notice that they will vote to confirm nominees and Biden-picked federal judges for the remainder of this year — including in the lame duck session after the election.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:

• House GOP leaders weigh options as Trump pushes for a government shutdown fight
• ‘Caught off guard’: How Tulsi Gabbard’s big moment with Harris is playing into Tuesday’s debate
• Sen. Bernie Sanders says he considers Harris ‘progressive’ and her policy changes are ‘pragmatic’

1. Near record lows this morning
2. Warming trend ahead
3. No rain in sight
4. Tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico

Our long-term drought continues to worsen, with no significant chances for rain in the forecast through at least the end of the week.

The other big headline is the chill in the air Monday morning. Many locations were down in record-low territory for the second morning in a row!

Dulles dropped to 43° on Sunday morning, for a new record, and was near the record of 40° on Monday morning. Early-morning frost and freeze advisories were issued, but will not be needed for Monday night going into Tuesday morning.

Sunny skies will be the rule all week, with a warming trend that starts Monday. Highs will stay just below 80° before returning to the low to mid-80s for the rest of the week and into the weekend.

Tropical storm expected to develop, likely won’t hit DC area

The tropics are coming back to life after a long stretch of inactivity. A storm organizing in the Gulf of Mexico is likely to take on the name Francine within the next 24 hours.

This storm is expected to become a hurricane by late Tuesday night and land on the central Louisiana coast by 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Extreme Weather Sep 9

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The remnant moisture will bring rain right up the Mississippi Valley. Whatever is left of Francine is likely to be between Memphis, Tennessee and Saint Louis, Missouri by Friday.

It would be great if some of that tropical moisture could reach our area but that does not look likely at this time. The same area of high pressure that is bringing us the sunny and dry weather is likely to keep all that needed rain far away from us.

Weather radar

Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.

10-day forecast

Quickcast

TODAY:
Mostly Sunny
Super Low Humidity
Elevated Fire Danger
Wind: West 5-10 mph
Chance Of Rain: 0%
HIGHS: 74° – 78°

TONIGHT:
Clear Skies
Light Breeze
Coolest In Rural Areas
Wind: West 3-6 mph
Chance Of Rain: 0%
LOWS: 54° – 62°

TUESDAY:
Mostly Sunny
Super Low Humidity
Light Breeze
Wind: Northwest 4-8 mph
Chance Of Rain: 0%
HIGHS: 78° – 84°

WEDNESDAY:
Mostly Sunny
Slightly More Humid
Light Breeze
Chance Of Rain: 0%
Wind: Southeast 5-10 mph
HIGHS: 82° – 86°

THURSDAY:
Sunny Morning
Increasing Clouds
Staying Dry
Wind: Southeast 5-10 mph
Chance Of Rain: 0%
HIGHS: 78° – 84°

Sunrise 6:45 Sunset 7:25
Average High: 83° Average Low: 67°

Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.

His family and friends gathered for a vigil Sunday in the hopes of making sure his murder is not forgotten.

The 23-year-old was driving in the 1800 block of Minnesota Avenue in Southeast D.C. Police say he was an innocent victim, apparently caught in crossfire while running errands for his mother.

The crime remains unsolved.

The family observed a year since Gant’s death by calling for justice for their loved one.

His mother, Toloria Gant, was unconsolable as strains of Brandon Gant’s favorite song played at his gravesite.

“A major incident like that and don’t nobody know nothing,” she said. “That’s crazy.”

The best lead police had was a picture of a suspect vehicle, but after a year, that evidence hasn’t led to an arrest.

“Somebody saw it, and I know they saw it,” his mother said.

She says her son wasn’t involved in the streets, that he was a selfless and hard-working young man who put others before himself. That’s what he was doing the day he was killed: Picking up allergy medication and gassing up his mother’s car.

“But I don’t know if he ever made it,” she said.

She does know the dangers that surrounded her son and other mothers’ sons, even those walking the right path, especially when that path takes them to the increasingly notorious Minnesota Avenue

“Even before Brandon, I’m like it’s too many accidents, too much crime down here,” she said. “You got so many speed cameras all over the city, you can catch a tag a mile away but you can’t catch a crime.”

The family released doves at the gravesite as symbols of hope and peace — peace from the violence that took Brandon Gant and the continuing hope that his killer is brought to justice.

“It don’t matter how long it’s going to take,” his mother said. “I want justice for my son, Brandon. He didn’t deserve this.”

Washington lost 37-20 in a contest that had far more lowlights than highlights. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels looked great as a runner, gaining more than 80 yards on the ground and scoring twice, but could not get much going through the air.

On the first play of the second half, wide receiver Terry McLaurin streaked down the left sideline, two steps clear of his defender. A good throw likely results with a walk-in touchdown, however, Daniels sailed the ball just out of McLaurin’s reach.

Outside of Daniels’ scrambling ability, the Washington offense struggled. The pass game seemed centered far too much on passes at or near the line of scrimmage. Midway through the third quarter Commanders receivers only had three catches total, and none of them were named McLaurin.

Defensively, it was worse.

Second-year cornerback Emmanuel Forbes was repeatedly beaten in this game, and the secondary as a whole gave up consistent yardage. Basic tackling was a problem all afternoon. The pass rush wasn’t much better as Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield wasn’t sacked until the third quarter.

Mayfield finished the game with nearly 300 yards passing and an impressive four touchdowns while the Tampa offense piled up more than 100 rush yards.

Perplexing coaching decisions and a bad outing from new kicker Cade York didn’t help either. York missed two field goal attempts and also put a kickoff out of bounds, resulting in a penalty. It’s safe to say York has serious job security questions.

Dan Quinn has zero job security questions, and this is just the first game of his Commanders tenure. Still, questions need to be asked about some of his decision-making.

After a Jayden Daniels rushing touchdown in the second half gave Washington a chance to cut the Bucs lead to a one-score game, Quinn inexplicably kicked an extra point instead of going for two.

The result? The Commanders trailed by nine, which means two scores to take the lead. If Washington failed on the two-point conversion attempt, then they’d be down 10, which would still mean two scores to take the lead.

Throughout the contest, Quinn seemed to err on the side of caution rather than aggression. Perhaps that was because his team was outmanned. Perhaps that’s his manner. Those questions will get answered over time.

What else will take time? Washington’s rebuild.

This was a bad team last year. They only won four games, had no Pro Bowlers and finished with the worst point differential in the NFL.

To expect immediate and overnight success from the new regime was optimistic at best and probably naive. The Commanders need players – good players – and new general manager Adam Peters made clear his intention is to build up the roster through the draft.

That will take years. Plural. But maybe things can look less ugly along the way.

The former and future “Saturday Night Live” star Rudolph is up for three more Emmys. Her voice-over work as the Hormone Monstress on the Netflix animated show “Big Mouth” has earned her four of her Emmys.

“I’m really proud to be a part of this show,” she said. “It humanizes being human.”

She got emotional when as she talked about the privilege that she gets to do what she loves in her life.

“It’s making me cry because I’m very menopausal,” Rudolph said.

She won on the first of the two-night Creative Arts Emmys, which honor behind-the-scenes artistic and technical achievement in television and are a precursor to the main Emmys ceremony, hosted by Dan and Eugene Levy, that will air at 8 p.m. EST Sept. 15 on ABC.

Bassett appeared to collect her trophy for best narrator, a category that is usually star studded but where the winner, like Barack Obama last year, rarely shows.

“Oh my god, wow, my first Emmy,” an emotional Bassett said. “I couldn’t be more thrilled and more grateful.”

Bassett was attracted to the wildlife documentary project because of the all female-led production team, a rarity in the medium, she said backstage.

“It just touched my heart,” she said. “So I said yes.”

Bassett is a two-time Oscar nominee who won an honorary Academy Award earlier this year.

Other winners included the recently retired Pat Sajak, who won best game show host for his final season on “Wheel of Fortune.” It was his fourth time winning the award, and first time since 1998.

“Saturday Night Live” thrived in the craft categories with six wins, including victories for its makeup and production design.

Rudolph won two Emmys when she was a cast member on the show, and is nominated for two more for her work as host of the sketch institution last season. Those will be awarded Sunday.

She will be returning this fall to play Vice President Kamala Harris on the 50th season of “SNL” in the weeks leading up to the election.

“I feel like I am connected somehow to an incredible time in this country and an excitement that I haven’t felt in a long time,” she said backstage on Saturday.

She is also nominated at the main Emmys ceremony for best actress in a comedy for her Apple TV+ series “Loot.” She is a longshot for that award, where the favorites are Jean Smart for “Hacks” and Ayo Edebiri for “The Bear,” which leads all shows in the comedy category with 23 nominations.

The Ron Howard-directed documentary “Jim Henson Idea Man” won four times and “Welcome to Wrexham” won three including best unstructured reality show. “Shark Tank” won best structured reality show. In an awards show crossover, the telecast of the Oscars won four Emmys including best live variety special.

Dick Van Dyke, who turns 99 next month, may have stolen the show when “Dick Van Dyke 98 Years Of Magic” won best pre-recorded variety special.

Van Dyke did a little dance and announced “that hurt” afterward. As the winners were being played off stage, he said, “I’d like to take this opportunity to invite you to my memorial. I don’t have a date yet but I’m not feeling very well.”

Van Dyke became the oldest person to get a daytime Emmy when he won in June for appearing on “Days of Our Lives.”

The season’s top overall nominee, “Shogun,” got a win of sorts Saturday when the team that puts together the post-show making of featurette took home an Emmy. The FX series itself is up for 25 Emmys. Seventeen of those will be handed out on Sunday, which focuses on scripted television.

Plenty of big names are also up for Creative Arts Emmys on Sunday, including Oscar winners Jamie Lee Curtis and Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling.

This year’s theme is “No Judgement. Just Help.”

Monica Johnson, the director of the 988 & Behavioral Health Crisis Coordinating Office, said that the day was put in place because not many people know about the resource.

988 is the national three-digit number that anyone can call or text when they are experiencing any thoughts of suicide or having any behavioral stress, Johnson said.

“That could be concerns about substance abuse,” Johnson said. “It could be feelings of depression, sadness, loneliness, grief – it could be whatever is divine for that individual in a crisis.”

Johnson explained that there is a difference between someone calling 911 for help and calling 988 for help. While people might be used to calling 911 for all emergencies, 988 is specifically for mental health crises.

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“You’ll be connected to a trained crisis counselor that can help you or someone else that you may be calling on behalf of where you don’t need to involve local law enforcement,” Johnson said.

In 2023, there were 856,000 youth and 1.5 million adults who attempted suicide.

“Suicide is preventable,” Johnson said. “It is a public health concern.”

Johnson explained some of the signs that someone might be going through a mental health crisis. Some examples include not wanting to go to work, not being able to engage with others at social events or struggling to connect with friends and family.

For more information, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website about getting help through 988.

It can affect anyone at any time. It doesn’t discriminate by age, race, gender or income. Yet many of us find that mental health and mental illness are tough topics to talk about. That’s why NBC4 is shining a light on the subject by providing education, information and hope. Read more Changing Minds coverage.

Norfolk Southern’s board is examining allegations that CEO Alan Shaw engaged in an inappropriate workplace relationship, according to three people familiar with the matter.

The company confirmed late Sunday evening it was probing Shaw over “possible conduct” that violated the company’s code of ethics and that it had hired outside legal counsel to investigate.

The probe is in its early stages. The company is working with outside legal advisors on the probe, two of the people said.

Shaw did not return phone calls or text messages requesting comment. The board is chaired by former Canadian National Railway CEO Claude Mongeau, who also did not respond to requests for comment.

Norfolk Southern, a $57 billion company, is one of just a handful of Class 1 railroads left in the United States. Class 1 railroads haul huge amounts of commodities and freight, and are critical to the nation’s economy. Norfolk Southern’s operations span 22 states across the Eastern U.S.

Norfolk Southern’s board has undergone dramatic change over the last few months.

An activist investor earlier this year sought to oust Shaw from the top job at the railroad over his handling of the toxic East Palestine derailment, the poor performance of Norfolk Southern’s stock and what the activist described as a flawed operating strategy.

Activist Ancora did not manage to fire Shaw, although shareholders did elect three of its candidates to the board, and roughly 36% of shareholders voted against Shaw’s reelection. A spokesperson for Ancora did not respond to a request for comment.

Shaw has been CEO since 2022. Were Shaw to step down, the two likeliest internal candidates to replace him on an interim basis would be COO John Orr or CFO Mark George.

Orr joined the company in the midst of the proxy fight and has spent a significant amount of time working in the field to turn around the company’s operations. Orr is a longtime and respected railroad operator — he was previously an executive at Canadian Pacific Kansas City — but he has faced allegations of misconduct that Ancora resurfaced during its campaign. At the time, Norfolk Southern defended Orr’s track record and accused the firm of trying to distract from the qualifications of its own executive candidates.

George has been Norfolk Southern’s CFO for roughly five years, joining the railroad from HVAC maker Carrier.

The company could also look to tap board member Sameh Fahmy, who was previously Orr’s boss and was most recently in charge of the former Kansas City Southern’s precision-scheduled railroading program.

WATCH: Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw on earnings, East Palestine

The NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation announced Sunday that Lamar would lead the halftime festivities from the Caesars Superdome on Feb. 9. The rap megastar, who has won 17 Grammys, said he’s looking forward to bringing hip-hop to the NFL’s championship game, where he performed as a guest artist with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg in 2022.

“Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date,” Lamar said in a statement. “And I’ll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one.”

Lamar has experienced massive success since his debut album “good kid, m.A.A.d city” in 2012. Since then, he’s accumulated 17 Grammy wins and became the first non-classical, non-jazz musician to win a Pulitzer Prize for his 2017 album “DAMN.”

The rapper’s latest album “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers,” was released in 2022. He was featured on the song “Like That” with Future and Metro Boomin on a track that spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this year. He also garnered another hit with “Not Like Us.”

Roc Nation founder Jay-Z called Lamar a “once-in-a-generation” artist and performer.

“His deep love for hip-hop and culture informs his artistic vision,” Jay-Z said. “He has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture globally. Kendrick’s work transcends music, and his impact will be felt for years to come.”

Roc Nation and Emmy-winning producer Jesse Collins will serve as co-executive producers of the halftime show. The creative direction of Lamar’s performance will be provided by pgLang.

The NFL’s leading wide receiver from last season has since been released and will be available for the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the team confirmed in a statement. The Dolphins said that several teammates saw the incident and stopped to support Hill.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter shared a video of the incident, with Hill being handcuffed on the ground while surrounded by multiple officers.

ESPN’s Jeff Darlington reported that Hill was cited for reckless driving. He then got into a verbal altercation with the police, according to Darlington, and the officer then chose to handcuff Hill.

Hill is available to play in the team’s season opener, which kicks off at 1 p.m. ET in Miami. The 30-year-old wide receiver is entering his third season with the Dolphins after signing a restructured contract with $65 million guaranteed last month.

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In Virginia, several Loudoun County shelters are collaborating on a one-day adoption blowout. All fees will be waived, and there will be many different animals to choose from.

“We’ll definitely have all sizes, ages, breeds of cats and dogs, puppies and senior dogs as well, which are 8 years and older. They’re all wonderful animals looking for their forever homes,” a spokesperson from a shelter said.

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Anthony Beninca knows first-hand how important it is to give these pets a second chance.

“I think it’s great to adopt because you are giving these guys here a chance at a better home. It cannot be overstated the amount of joy that a pet will bring you,” Beninca said.

The event, sponsored by the organizations Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA), Middleburg Humane Foundation, Humane Society of Loudoun County, and Homeward Trails, will be held in Segra Field on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Click here for more information.

In addition, the Humane Rescue Alliance in Washington D.C., will hold another Clear the Shelters adoption event from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Click here for more information.

Clear The Shelters is NBCUniversal Local’s nationwide pet adoption and donation campaign that encourages people to adopt from their local shelters. Each year, more than 100,000 animals are adopted from shelters and rescues that participate in our initiative. 

Police said they discovered suspicious chemicals while searching a home in Herndon, Virginia.

Herndon police said they went to a home in the 200 block of Herndon Station Square to execute a search warrant about 11:30 a.m. Friday on behalf of a police department in Pennsylvania. The man who lives at the home, Steven Timothy Kyle, 44, was wanted by the Central Bucks Regional Police Department for criminal mischief, stalking and three counts of harassment.

While searching for items related to the stalking and harassment charges, Herndon police said they found chemicals and other evidence that alarmed them enough to call in the Fairfax County bomb squad and the ATF.

“Based on their training, they knew they had to call somebody else,” Herndon Police Chief Steve Pihonak said.

Kyle was taken into custody without incident.

Residents of about 20 nearby townhouses were evacuated, and police deemed it safe for them to return home Friday evening.

Pihonak said the chemicals found in the home were “safe.”

Police couldn’t comment on what the chemicals are or what they could be used for. However, the chemicals they found were not related to the charges in Pennsylvania, they said.

Kyle was the only resident in the home.

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Warren Curtis Grant, 15, died after the shooting at Joppatowne High School, the sheriff said at a media briefing.

A 16-year-old student whom police identified as the shooter fled shortly afterward but was caught minutes later nearby.

“He has yet to be charged, but will be charged, and at the time those charges are preferred as an adult, we will release the name of the suspect,” Gahler said.

Gahler also said that the sheriff’s office has had more than 10 incidents since 2022 “where the suspect was either the victim, witness or the suspect in an incident handled by the Harford County Sheriff’s Office,” adding that the investigation was in its early stages.

Shortly after the shooting, the sheriff’s office asked people to avoid the area, but emphasized that the confrontation was an “isolated incident, not an active shooter.” A parent-student reunification center was established at a nearby church. More than 100 personnel responded to the high school about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northeast of Baltimore, Gahler said.

The fight happened two days after a shooter whom authorities identified as a 14-year-old student killed four people at a high school outside Atlanta. Wednesday’s attack renewed debate about safe storage laws for guns and had parents wondering how to talk to their children about school shootings and trauma.

The women, who said they were roommates, told the court they heard screaming outside their apartment along Georgia Avenue NW the morning of Oct. 17, 2023 before finding 64-year-old Reggie Brown bloodied and beaten in an alleyway.

After hearing the screams, they said went out to the balcony of their apartment to investigate and saw a body lying in the alley.

One of the women said she was trained in first aid so, after calling 911, they went down to see if they could help.

“We heard screaming. … looked like they jumped him … We are right by him. He is not responding. … There is blood under his body and around his head,” one of the witnesses said in a second call to 911.

Brown’s siblings have attended the trial being held in D.C.’s juvenile court.

“Unfortunately, he passed and whatever she was able to do, it didn’t work out for him and he’s no longer with us, and it breaks my heart,” Brown’s sister Malda Brown said outside the courthouse. “What I want to say today – I thank God that those two young ladies who came forth who was able to call an ambulance to let them know there was somebody out there.”

Two girls, ages 13 and 14, who were charged with murder in the case were in court Friday. In all, five girls have been charged in connection to the beating. A man involved in the attack has still not been identified.

The attack was caught on surveillance video as well as cellphone video.

Earlier this year, a detective testified that video shows the girls walking away in a “celebratory” mood.

First, the man who would attack Brown “escorted” him across Georgia Avenue, Detective Harry Singleton previously testified. The man was wearing a blue coat.

According to what was caught on numerous cameras in the area, the man was the first person to assault Brown. He threw him against a wall and knocked him to the ground, the detective testified.

A prosecutor played several videos that showed a group of girls walking on Georgia Avenue. One girl asked the man if she could “fight him too.”

Videos show Brown managing to get up and try to get away.

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Girls, 12 and 13, accused of beating 64-year-old man to death along DC's Georgia Avenue

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The girls kicked and stomped on Brown and then left in a “celebratory” mood, cellphone video from a girl who was not charged showed, the detective said.

When officers arrived at the 6200 block of Georgia Avenue, near Rittenhouse Street, Brown was dead.

There’s no indication that Brown knew the girls, the detective testified.

Singleton described a monthslong investigation, with detectives reviewing videos frame by frame to try to identify the attackers.

Brown was described as being physically handicapped, with missing fingers on each hand and ongoing ailments.

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In July, the D.C. Bar’s Board of Professional Responsibility alleged Kerkhoff Muyskens hid key video evidence and made false statements about video evidence at least 12 times to judges, defense attorneys and even internal investigators at the Department of Justice.

The D.C. Bar case could result in her losing her law license, but that could take years.

The D.C. ACLU’s Interim Legal Director Michael Perloff called the Kerkhoff Muyskens case “an egregious example of prosecutorial misconduct.”

On Jan. 20, 2017, hundreds of protesters took to D.C.’s streets to protest Trump’s inauguration. D.C. police mass arrested more than 200 people, and many were later indicted on felony rioting charges.

Alexei Wood, one of the arrested protesters who was acquitted at trial, said Kerkhoff Muyskens, “really had absolutely nothing [at trial]. And she just kept going and going and going and going.”

In court, not a single person was convicted, and dozens of cases were eventually dismissed.

In her denial filed Monday, Kerkhoff Muyskens, who is now an assistant U.S. attorney in Utah, acknowledged she was the prosecutor in the protest cases but denied any misconduct, paragraph by paragraph.

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While she waits for the D.C. case to proceed, federal court records in Utah show she’s withdrawn or been replaced by another attorney in dozens of cases that just weeks ago she was prosecuting.

The records don’t currently show a single case she’s actively working on in Utah. The bulk of the removals came days after the D.C. ethics case was filed and started the same day the I-Team reached out to the U.S. attorney in Utah. That office is not commenting except to confirm she’s an employee.

The News4 I-Team found Utah lawyers are paying attention. At least one asked for a delay in sentencing of their client to review the ethics charges against Kerkhoff Muyskens. A judge granted it.

Attorneys in Utah told the I-Team other delay requests may soon follow.

Kerkhoff Muyskens and an attorney linked to her have not returned the I-Team’s repeated requests for comment.

This story was reported by News4 Investigative Reporter Ted Oberg and News4 Investigative Producer Rick Yarborough, and shot by News4 Photojournalist Carlos Olazagasti

Usman Shahid, who was 18 at the time of the crash, was sentenced to two years for each of two counts of involuntary manslaughter. Once he is released, he’s set to be under post-release supervision for three years.

The victims were Oakton High School students Leeyan Hanjia Yan, who was 15, and Ada Gabriela Martinez Nolasco, who was 14.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano said he hopes the sentence can bring some peace to their families.

“While there is nothing that can heal the broken hearts of Ada and Leeyan’s families, friends, and loved ones, I hope that this outcome can help our community finally begin to close what has been an incredibly painful chapter,” he said in a statement.

Shahid was found guilty in April and the jury recommended a four-year sentence.

He initially faced up to 10 years in prison for the deaths that devastated the Oakton High School community. In a sentencing argument, the prosecutor told jurors the victims’ families were not seeking the maximum punishment.

In court on Friday, the mother of one of the girls who was killed tearfully read a statement about her and her husband’s heartbreak. She said the sentence is too light.

“Even though two years have passed, every night as I lie in bed, tears stream down my face. I still dream of the horrific scenes, and when I wake up, the pain in my heart is unbearable,” she said.

“This jury’s verdict feels like a slap in the face. Two years per one life lost. How light is the value of a human life? Where is the dignity for my daughter and her friend?” she continued.

Shahid’s attorney asked for leniency and the driver himself apologized to the victims’ families.

“I made a very, very immature decision. I’m deeply sorry, and I’ve been deeply reflecting on my wrongful actions,” he said.

‘I think I killed three girls’

Prosecutors have said that just days after Shahid’s high school graduation, he was driving a BMW and accelerated to 81 mph in a 35 mph zone on Blake Lane just before noon on June 7, 2022.

It was near the end of the school year, and classes had ended early. Shahid saw that a traffic light was yellow, floored it and slammed into a Toyota 4Runner whose driver had been turning left, prosecutors said.

Police testified that the force of the crash sent Shahid’s BMW off the road and onto the sidewalk, where he hit three teen girls.

Shahid, who had three friends in the car and was driving on a learner’s permit, then plowed through a mailbox, utility box and power pole.

One passenger testified that in the moments after the crash, Shahid said, “I think I killed three girls.”

Two of the crash victims died of their injuries, and the third was seriously hurt.

A resident of the area described a heartbreaking scene after the crash, with a woman performing CPR on one victim. He said Shahid was worried about how his father would react to the crash.

15-year-old Leeyan Hanjia Yan was among the Oakton crash victims

Yan, who was killed in the crash, was her parents’ only child.

Yan’s mother described her as a bright social butterfly who brought her friends together and excelled in Bible school. She was funny, full of faith and looking forward to college.

“I recall the moments she was laughing loudly with her friends on the phone and then I … scolded her to be quiet. We never knew it was her last moment,” her mother said in a victim impact statement.

Her mother struggled to describe the pain of losing her daughter.

“Any word could not describe that sorrow. The tortured agony took a color away from our vision. All objects in the world looked white and black,” she said.

‘You hurt me forever, along with so many in this courtroom’

At a hearing this spring, the parents of the girls who died described their incredible loss, and the surviving victim, now 17, offered equally heartbreaking testimony. She lost her cousin and her best friend. 

“I hold so much love for them,  an indescribable love,” she said through tears and sobs.

The survivor was hospitalized with serious injuries when her mother gave her the news that the other girls had died. 

“I will never forget the cries I let out that night,” she told jurors. “It felt like someone had punched me and I repeatedly told her, “No, no, no!’ We were supposed to graduate together. We were supposed to  live our lives together.”

The survivor later turned and spoke directly to Shahid, telling him: “You, Usman Shahid, went 81 miles per hour. You did not hit the brakes. You chose to be irresponsible. You took two lives. You hurt me forever along with so many in this courtroom.”

“Because of you, we will remain in unending pain for  the rest of our lives,” she told him.

The testimony from the surviving victim and her family was so emotional that Shahid’s mother collapsed and had to be taken to a hospital.

Shahid took the witness stand.

“I beg for your forgiveness, your mercy, and hopefully you see me as a good person and not such an evil or bad person at all,” he said.

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Defense tried to shift blame to another driver after teens were killed in Oakton crash

Shahid’s defense attorney argued that Shahid was an inexperienced driver and tried to shift blame to the driver of the Toyota 4Runner. That driver testified that he was stationary and trying to make a left turn when Shahid’s car crashed into his with incredible force.

In court, the SUV driver tearfully described what happened.

“I was waiting for the tail end of the group coming through … I felt, like, a slam. It was a train-like collision I’ve never experienced before … My initial thought was it was a bad movie … I was in shock,” he testified.

The defense also faulted a detective, accusing her of tunnel vision with her investigation, and asked why she did not record an interview with the SUV driver.

A nationally known crash expert testified in support of the prosecution and said the BMW’s sophisticated data recorder showed that Shahid accelerated form 60 to 81 mph and never hit the brakes.

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In closing arguments, prosecutor Jenna Sands told the jury only one person was responsible for the crash: Shahid.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

White, who represents Ward 8, is accused of agreeing to accept $156,000 in exchange for using his position to pressure employees of the D.C. Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement and the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) to extend several contracts, prosecutors said.

He’s chair of a D.C. Council committee that oversees several agencies, including DYRS.

White received $35,000 in four cash payments in the alleged scheme, court documents filed on Thursday say.

His lawyer declined on Friday to comment on the latest development.

White has not commented on the case or entered a plea since federal authorities arrested him in the Navy Yard area on Aug. 18. On Instagram, posted a brief video thanking people who have continued to support him.

Following White’s arrest, the D.C. government launched a wide-ranging review of violence interruption work.

Read the full indictment here:

Here’s what federal prosecutors say Trayon White did

Federal prosecutors say White agreed starting in June to accept $156,000 in bribes in exchange for using his position to pressure government employees to extend violence intervention contracts worth $5.2 million.

He’s accused of accepting envelopes full of cash as he was caught on a hidden camera. Here’s how the FBI broke down the payments:

• June 26: $15,000 cash received
• July 17: $5,000 cash received
• July 25: $10,000 cash received
• Aug. 9: $5,000 cash received

Images included in court documents show what prosecutors say is White receiving envelopes stuffed with cash.

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An FBI informant who operated businesses that contracted with the D.C. government agreed to cooperate with authorities as part of an agreement to plead guilty to bribery and bank fraud charges. Several conversations between White and the informant were recorded in a parked car wired for video and audio, including outside White’s home, prosecutors say.

At one meeting, White and the informant discussed contracts the informant had with ONSE. The informant asked White if the contracts would be renewed and said he had $15,000 cash.

Initially, White asked, “What you need me to do, man? I don’t, I don’t wanna feel like you gotta gimme something to get something. We better than that.”

Then he tucked the envelope with the cash into his jacket pocket, prosecutors say.

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Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

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The board gave unanimous approval on Thursday to the Prologis warehouse planned for Livingston Road.

The group Fort Washington Forward has held demonstrations against the project, which they said will bring truck traffic to an area that’s already congested.

“No warehouse on Livingston Road” and “A warehouse? We deserve better!” protest signs carried by residents said.

Fort Washington Forward joined neighbors and community organizations in speaking against the plan at a virtual meeting Thursday.

“Allowing large and/or 18-wheeler trucks into this environment is a reckless decision,” one resident said.

“This neighborhood should be a priority for relief, not more harmful development that erodes our health, quality of life and wealth,” Staci Hartwell of the Prince George’s County NAACP said.

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Critics said a new, 140,00-square-foot warehouse would add to traffic on nearby Route 210, which has been called the Highway of Death because of the number of traffic deaths there.

Representatives for Prologis called the company a good corporate citizen. The land on which the warehouse will build was a vehicle salvage yard for years. Representatives said the company has done extensive cleanup work, including removing contaminated soil.

“Prologis was attracted to this specific site because it was zoned industrial and it’s located in a major transportation corridor,” a representative said during Thursday’s meeting.

Opponents said the plan does not fit the long-term vision for the community, which includes plans to add traffic-calming measures and become more friendly to pedestrians and cyclists.

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Board members expressed some reservations about the project but said the developer had met requirements and planned to improve the property.

Members of Fort Washington Forward told News4 they will keep fighting the project.

Troy Turner pleaded for help finding Sarah and Jacob in a video released by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

“As a dad, I want to have hope. And as a father, obviously, I love my kids and I want to hope that in some way, they’re still there,” Turner said. “We’re gonna keep fighting.”

In hopes of getting answers, the NCMEC released age-progressed images of what the Hoggle siblings may look like today. The hope is that the images may spark a memory, or inspire someone to come forward with information.

Sarah would be 13, and Jacob would be 12 years old.

“There’s tremendous frustration that we have gone 10 years and not had, sort of, a conclusion to this,” John McCarthy, the State’s Attorney for Montgomery County, said.

Murder charges against children’s mother were dropped

Sarah and Jacob were last seen on Labor Day weekend 2014, in the care of their mother, Catherine Hoggle, the NCMEC said.

Catherine Hoggle was later arrested and charged with murder. Despite extensive searches, Sarah and Jacob have never been found. According to the NCMEC, Hoggle continues to say her children are “safe.”

The last major update in the case came two years ago when a judge dropped charges against Catherine Hoggle.

Montgomery County courts repeatedly deemed Hoggle not mentally competent to stand trial, and Maryland law mandated the charges be dropped after five years. Police said she refused to cooperate, and prosecutors accused her of faking the extent of her mental illness.

A judge ordered Hoggle to be involuntarily committed to a psychiatric institution civilly after it was determined that she remained a danger to herself and others. Hoggle, who had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia before the children went missing, has been held in a maximum-security psychiatric hospital since her arrest.

The State’s Attorney’s office continues to monitor Catherine Hoggle’s condition and would charge her again if they can, McCarthy said.

“If her mental health status improves to the point that she can be removed from the hospital because she’s no longer a danger to herself and others in the community, we’ll reindict this case,” he said.

In a release from the NCMEC, Turner, the father, said it’s time to move the focus onto finding his son and daughter.

“For the past 10 years the focus has been on her and whether she was competent to stand trial,” Turner said.  “I want the focus to be put back on finding my children. It is definitely time to have some movement in the case. If someone knows anything, if anyone saw anything, it’s time to come forward. It’s past time.”

Anyone with information can contact the NCMEC at 1-800-843-5688 or Montgomery County Police at 301-279-8000.

NBC Washington is looking back at the Hoggle case. Stay tuned for updates.

Jurors deliberated for less than three hours before convicting the 20-year NYPD veteran, Thomas Webster, of all six counts in his indictment.

Webster was the first Jan. 6 defendant to be tried on an assault charge and the first to present a jury with a self-defense argument. His conviction proved to be a bellwether for the dozens of trials that followed.

Finding a viable trial defense hasn’t been easy for rioters who stormed the Capitol. Of the nearly 100 riot defendants who have elected to a trial by jury, none has been fully acquitted.

Many have said they were swept up in the moment. Some have tried to shift the blame for their actions to former President Donald Trump and his lies about a stolen election. Others have claimed they were trying to protect themselves from overzealous police officers.

In Webster’s case, prosecutors repeatedly showed frame-by-frame footage of him assaulting a Metropolitan Police Department officer with a metal flagpole, tackling him to the ground and trying to rip off his gas mask.

Webster testified he was trying to protect himself from a “rogue cop” who punched him in the face. A juror who spoke to reporters after the May 2022 verdict said the videos refuted Webster’s self-defense claims.

“I guess we were all surprised that he would even make that defense argument,” the juror said. “There was no dissension among us at all. We unanimously agreed that there was no self-defense argument here at all.”

Before U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta sentenced him to 10 years in prison, Webster apologized to the officer. He said he wished he had never come to Washington, where he says he “became swept up in politics and former President Trump’s rhetoric.”

“I wish the events of that horrible day had never happened. People would still be alive, people would not have gotten hurt, and families would not have been thrown apart. Perhaps our country would not be as divided as it is today,” Webster said.

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs opened the 2024 NFL regular season with a strong 27-20 home win over the Baltimore Ravens Thursday.

Lamar Jackson led the Ravens down the field on the opening drive before Derrick Henry punched it home, but they quickly fell behind not long after and didn’t have enough to overcome Kansas City.

It eventually came down to the final play when Jackson found tight end Isaiah Likely in the end zone as time expired for a would-be touchdown as John Harbaugh signaled to go for two. However, Likely’s toe was on the line following a review and the game ended.

Let’s analyze the match further with five winners and losers:

WINNER: Xavier Worthy, Chiefs

Look away, Buffalo Bills. Buffalo traded back in the 2024 draft that allowed Kansas City to take Worthy, a speedy wideout out of Texas. Worthy immediately made an impact on his first touch, running home a jet sweep from 21 yards out.

Later in the game, Worthy added a receiving touchdown when he beat Marlon Humphrey and Baltimore didn’t bring safety help. Mahomes easily found Worthy for a 35-yard score.

After not having enough reliable weapons last season, Mahomes may have a speedy gem in Worthy. Second-year wideout Rashee Rice led the way in the department with seven catches for 103 yards while Travis Kelce was held to only three catches for 34 yards.

LOSER: Mark Andrews, Ravens

The Ravens may have a clear-cut new TE1. Former All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler Mark Andrews had an extremely rough game, catching just two passes for 14 yards. He had a clear chance to get a first down on a 3rd and four play late in the game, but slipped and fell short after just a few yards.

Baltimore needed more from its veterans and didn’t get much from Andrews or new star running back Derrick Henry, who rushed for just 46 yards on 13 carries with the opening touchdown. Second-year wideout Zay Flowers also had a rough opener, catching six passes for just 37 yards.

Likely led the way with 111 yards on nine catches and a touchdown, while Lamar Jackson had a solid dual-threat game. The 2023 MVP threw for 273 yards and a touchdown on 26 of 41 completions while rushing for 122 yards on 16 attempts. He did fumble once, however, but he did his part.

WINNER: Chiefs’ secondary

A vital part to Kansas City’s win was its secondary. The Chiefs last season deployed a robust defense and there were signs of that continuing this year, with Jackson’s shiftiness causing problems for the front seven.

But the secondary delivered, with Jaylen Watson logging 11 tackles (seven solo), Justin Reid adding nine (eight solo) and second-year safety Chamarri Conner putting up six, all solo. Wide receivers will continue to struggle if they, along with Trent McDuffie, maintain high levels.

LOSER: Penalties

It didn’t take long for referees and penalties to trend. In fact, it took just the first drive by the Ravens, where illegal formations started to be called and continued to be called throughout, primarily on Baltimore.

Ravens head coach Harbaugh could be seen telling a referee to call the illegal formations both ways as he felt it wasn’t being called on Kansas City, as well as Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo calling a timeout that shouldn’t have counted since coordinators are not allowed to do so.

In the end, Baltimore had seven penalties called against it for 64 yards while the Chiefs had six for 45.

WINNER: Chiefs’ chances

The Chiefs will have to feel good about the result, particularly considering Baltimore is one of its primary threats for the AFC throne. But Kansas City, just like it did in last season’s AFC Championship Game, took a lead and didn’t look back.

Last year, Kansas City fell to the Detroit Lions in the opener and had a sluggish regular season. This year, it is starting off its three-peat goals on the right foot.

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Reggie Brown, 64, was taking a walk on Georgia Avenue in October when a group of five girls allegedly attacked him unprovoked, prosecutors said in opening statements.

One of those girls took cellphone video of the attack in which the group appeared to be in a celebratory mood afterward, according to prosecutors.

Brown faced health issues for much of his life, weighing just 110 pounds and missing six fingers due to lupus. He also was battling cancer and liked to take long walks at night, according to his family.

On Oct. 17, a still unidentified man attacked Brown, as seen on surveillance video.

Five girls, ages 12 to 15, joined the attack, prosecutors say. Surveillance video showed them stomping Brown’s head into the pavement and whipping him with his own belt.

He died shortly afterward.

In court Thursday, the defense for one of the girls argued she was not involved in the attack and wasn’t even there. Her defense said the case was based on “unreliable, untrustworthy evidence and grainy video” because police were “under serious pressure to solve this case.”

The defense for the other girl argued, “Not every death is a murder or homicide,” and said the evidence does not show an intent to kill or seriously injure.

Brown’s sister said it’s been heartbreaking to hear what her brother went through.

“We’re here because we want to ensure that justice be done and that this doesn’t happen to any other family,” Malda Brown said.

“Everybody up in D.C., upper Northwest, knew my little brother, and he was just a good soul,” she said. “And for something like this to happen to him is just hurting the whole neighborhood up in D.C.”

She wishes the two girls could have been tried as adults and feels D.C. needs tougher laws when it comes to juvenile crime.

Metropolitan Police Department (DC Police / MPD) Apr 1

Girls left in ‘celebratory' mood after deadly DC beating, detective testifies

Gun violence Mar 29

Girls, 12 and 13, accused of beating 64-year-old man to death along DC's Georgia Avenue

“These young people are committing crimes knowingly that if you commit crimes while you are a juvenile, that nothing is gonna happen,” she said. “That is the word on the street that they say, Oh, we can commit crimes because nothing is gonna happen to us.”

A third girl in the case pleaded guilty to assault last month. The other two girls are scheduled to go on trial in November.

If any of the four girls being tried are convicted, they will remain in the custody of D.C.’s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services until they turn 21.

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D.C.’s prison closed decades ago, so once its inmates are sentenced, they are sent to federal prisons all over the country. Both inmates and experts told the News4 I-Team they often feel targeted.

According to Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) data analyzed by the I-Team, at least six D.C. inmates serving in federal prison have been killed in the past four years. This does not include the dozens whose deaths have been ruled natural or “other.” Some of their families are still wondering what happened to them.

Derek’shea Hawkins is now among them. She said her husband, Camara Jones, was a dutiful father but also a complicated man who went in and out of prison. A parole violation put him back behind bars — this time thousands of miles away. Hawkins told the I-Team her husband felt targeted.

Hawkins said he told her, “For some reason they just automatically don’t like people from D.C.”

The distance made it almost impossible for her to see him in person. She said she couldn’t afford to travel thousands of miles with their children, so their communication was limited to letters and very few phone calls where the news was not always good.

Hawkins said Jones expressed concern for his safety and told her he had been injured but didn’t say by whom. He described having a broken collarbone and fractured ribs, according to Hawkins.

Then the news became unbearable

“I missed him prior to this and, now that I know he’s… now it’s a different feeling because I know he’s not coming home,” Hawkins said.

On March 22, Jones’ body was discovered in the Special Housing Unit, a form of isolation for prisoners also known as the SHU, at USP Victorville in California. His death was ruled a homicide.

“The coroner’s office called me and told me that they had his body,” Hawkins said. 

“I asked her, you know, about the autopsy and, like, what happened,” she said. “And she said, well, it doesn’t say anything. The only thing that it says is that he was found standing in the shower. And I inquired, like, how was somebody deceased standing in the shower?”

Prisoners can be removed from general population and placed in the SHU for various reasons, including if they’re part of an investigation, for discipline or for protection at their request. Hawkins said she doesn’t know why Jones was there.

According to BOP records obtained by the I-Team, correctional officers tried to resuscitate Jones after he was found leaning against the shower. A roommate also in the cell was restrained and removed but not named in the report.

Five months before Jones’ death, Robert Jeter — another D.C. inmate serving time at Victorville — died after being found unresponsive inside the SHU.

Initially ruled undetermined, the BOP now list his death as a homicide caused by blunt force trauma.

That update in his cause and manner of death was confirmation for his mother, Christina Jeter. She told the I-Team last spring that doctors who tried to revive her son at a California hospital told her he was severely injured. Christina recalled them saying, “So severely that his brain had swollen and hemorrhaged and that he was beaten so severely that his liver was split.”

Jeter said USP Victorville would not confirm those injuries to her. And they were not mentioned in the prison’s incident report on his death obtained by the I-Team. Those records do, however, confirm that Jeter was also found in the SHU and in the shower, just like Jones.

“So many D.C. prisoners have a level of insecurity and instability that other state prisoners don’t have,” said Brenda V. Smith, professor of law at the American University Washington College of Law.

Smith has studied and advocated for improved conditions for D.C. prisoners since the city’s Lorton Reformatory closed in the early 2000s. She is critical of the city sending its prisoners to federal prisons around the country.

“They’re going to a place where nobody knows them,” Smith said. “Nobody has heard about them and all they’ve heard is about, you know, this D.C. population that’s coming to them that is entitled, who is violent.”

Smith said that makes D.C. prisoners who are in federal prisons more vulnerable because most of their families are not able to routinely check on their well-being due to the distance.

“We cannot send people all over the U.S. and have them moved around like checkerboards and be able to keep up with them,” said Smith.

Nailah Seabron of the D.C. Corrections Information Council (CIC) – the city agency that bridges the gap between D.C.’s inmates, the federal prisons and the city’s legislators – said they visit up to five or more prisons a year, checking on conditions and talking with D.C.’s incarcerated.

“We are here to give them a voice,” said Seabron.

CIC makes recommendations based on what they find to the BOP and D.C. officials.

In a CIC Inspection Report of Victorville from 2016, numerous D.C. inmates said the prison was unsafe and dangerous with high rates of gang-related violence. More than half the inmates interviewed reported being assaulted and expressed fear for their safety or lives. D.C. inmates also complained they were sent to the SHU more than others and were called troublemakers.

The I-Team asked the BOP about those complaints.

“The Federal Bureau of Prisons takes seriously our duty to protect the individuals entrusted in our custody, as well as maintain the safety of correctional employees and the community,” a spokesperson said. “We make every effort to ensure the physical safety and health of the individuals confined to our facilities through a controlled environment that is secure and humane.”

As for what happens to those CIC recommendations, Seabron said, “I would hope that they’re reading (the reports) and taking in the information … Change comes from legislation, and until there’s specific legislation enacted, we just keep churning out reports.”

The I-Team reached out to the office of D.C. Council member Brooke Pinto, chair of the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. A Pinto spokesperson responded in a statement that said, “The homicides in the federal Bureau of Prisons facilities are extremely troubling. When D.C. residents are incarcerated in the federal system far away from the District, this makes oversight of their custody, rehabilitation and successful reentry much more difficult and less just. I will continue to work with Congress and our federal partners on oversight to ensure the safety of District residents and will keep fighting for more local control over our jail and prison system, agreements to have residents serving time in federal BOP facilities to do so closer to home, and local control over our parole system. I am grateful to the work of the CIC to continue their important visits and oversight work over the federal Bureau of Prisons and the D.C. Department of Corrections.”

CIC does not have the power to enforce its recommendations, and it’s only notified of an inmate’s death in federal custody when the BOP issues a press release.

The I-Team asked how the CIC can properly do its oversight work and data collection without being notified of all D.C. inmate homicides and other deaths.

“I think that that’s where the families come into play,” Seabron said. “If they contact us and they let us know what happened, then we can contact the powers that be at the BOP and inquire within. That’s just the flow of information at this time.”

In another CIC inspection report at Victorville from 2022, there were fewer complaints about violence among inmates, but a quarter of the D.C. inmates there were housed in the SHU at that time.

The San Bernardino (California) Sheriff’s Department told the I-Team the FBI is investigating the homicides of Jones and Jeter. Hawkins said the FBI confirmed to her it’s investigating.

The BOP said that due to privacy, safety and security reasons, it couldn’t comment on the condition or any potential investigations involving inmates when asked about the deaths of Jeter and Jones.

Meanwhile, Hawkins and her children wait and hope to one day understand what happened.

“You know, you want to have answers, like, why he was there in the first place, why was he that far … let alone why he’s not coming home at all,” she said. 

Reported by Tracee Wilkins, produced by Rick Yarborough, shot by Jeff Piper and Carlos Olazagasti, and edited by Jeff Piper.

The Virginia Department of Elections on Wednesday accepted the necessary documents for Earle-Sears to run for governor next year, WRIC was first to report.

Earle-Sears is the first Republican to officially enter the race for the party’s nomination in 2025. She recently said she was exploring a run.

The current governor, Republican Glenn Youngkin, cannot run for reelection because Virginia is the only state that doesn’t allow governors to run for consecutive terms.

U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger is the only Democrat currently seeking her party’s nomination to run for governor.

Earle-Sears was part of a Republican sweep of top offices in 2021 that also saw Youngkin and Attorney Gen. Jason Miyares get elected.

A Marine veteran who immigrated to the United States from Jamaica as a child, Earle-Sears defeated Democrat Hala Ayala to become only the second woman in Virginia’s long history to serve in a statewide office. Attorney Gen. Mary Sue Terry, who was elected in 1985, was the first.

A staunch conservative who speaks frequently about her Christian faith, Earle-Sears has made history as a woman in politics before.

She got her start in elected office in 2001 when she stunned both parties by defeating a 10-term Democrat in an overwhelmingly blue district to become the first Black Republican woman elected to the House of Delegates.

She served just one term before deciding not to seek reelection. She also unsuccessfully challenged U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott in a race The Associated Press described at the time as “a campaign of raw invective.”

Earle-Sears went on to serve on the State Board of Education and more recently as the national chair of an organization dedicated to reelecting former President Donald Trump. She has also led a men’s prison ministry, served as director of a women’s homeless shelter, and run a plumbing and electrical supply company.

Naresh Bhatt appeared in court on Thursday, and a judge agreed to the defense’s motion to waive a grand jury, paving the way for a trial within months.

Mamta Kafle Bhatt has not been seen for over a month. The 28-year-old originally from Nepal moved to the U.S. for an arranged marriage in 2021. She recently missed her baby girl’s first birthday, and her family members rushed to the U.S. to take care of the child.

Her husband was arrested at the couple’s home last month on a single charge of concealing a body. But in the criminal complaint, police accused him of killing Mamta Kafle Bhatt. Prosecutors have laid out chilling allegations, including that pooling blood was found in the primary bedroom and bathroom of the couple’s home.

Naresh Bhatt’s defense gets speedy trial

Judge Carroll Weimer granted Naresh Bhatt’s defense team their request to skip the grand jury process in favor of a speedy trial. The rare legal maneuver means prosecutors will have five months from the next hearing, which is scheduled for Sept. 16, to bring the case to trial.

Prosecutors had argued against a speedy trial, saying it would be challenging to be ready that quickly.

“I have no doubt that the Commonwealth is putting together a very strong case,” Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s coworker Holly Wirth said outside the courthouse Thursday. “Mr. Bhatt thinks he’s smart, but I can guarantee you the weight of justice is leaning hard on him and we are going to see this come to fruition.”

Wirth was among dozens of friends and community members who came to the hearing. Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s mother and brother were also in court for the first time since they arrived from Nepal.

“They absolutley feel the love of the community and appreciate everyting the community is doing,” Wirth said.

The defense is expected to ask for funds for expert testimony at the Sept. 16 hearing.

Manassas Park police do new search

As Thursday’s hearing ended, Manassas Park officers and the Prince William County police search and rescue team were searching several areas for evidence, including the Blooms Crossing Community, the area surrounding Manassas Christian School, Camp Carondelet and part of Blooms Park.

It’s still unknown if searchers found anything relating to the case.

“Hoping that they’re getting closer to leads or something so we can just have closure and she can be laid to rest the right way,” Manassas Park resident Patty Winske said.

Investigators with the Manassas Park and Prince William County police departments searched a different park on Friday.

Timeline of Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s disappearance

Mamta Kafle Bhatt, a nurse, was reported missing after failing to show up for her shifts at work. Friends said that was highly unusual since she was caring for her baby and often active on social media.

Investigators have conducted multiple searches at the Bhatt home. Search warrants have revealed details about what investigators believe were Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s last days.

A detective wrote that on July 29 – the last day friends heard from Mamta Kafle Bhatt – there were numerous calls with her husband. After that, all calls went to voicemail.

Naresh Bhatt told police his wife destroyed her phone before July 31 — the day he told police that he last saw her.

But on Aug. 1, her phone was pinging in the Aldie area of Northern Virginia. Naresh Bhatt told police he was at a cafe there.

Police say they have video showing Naresh Bhatt at a Walmart purchasing cleaning supplies. He also went to a Walmart in Prince William County and purchased a set of knives. Two of those knives are now missing, prosecutors said.

Police conducted a welfare check on Aug. 2, and Naresh Bhatt reported his wife missing on Aug. 5, police said.

Bhatt was arrested on Aug. 22, one day after investigators were seen in the Bhatt family home.

Passports for Bhatt and his daughter were in full view when police entered the home for a search. Prosecutors said there’s evidence that Naresh Bhatt was in the process of packing up his home and selling his car.

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Videos of a little red and black robot rolling down a sidewalk on four wheels have circulated on social media recently, and many wondered if the robot is another way for D.C. to give drivers speeding or parking tickets.

The D.C. Department of Transportation told News4 Wednesday the robot is not for issuing tickets.

“Right now, it is helping us to update and maintain our sign inventory,” DDOT Innovation Branch Manager Stephanie Dock said.

There are more than 200,000 traffic signs across the city, Dock said, which requires a lot of maintenance.

“Stuff is constantly changing on our streets. And we need a way to keep that information updated and current,” she said.

Dock said having human beings take inventory of the traffic signs proved to be difficult in the past, “And so we’re exploring how much automation and robotics can help us in that problem.”

DDOT currently has one robot, called a Kiwibot, as part of a pilot program.

When the agency sends it out, a DDOT employee can watch the video the robot captures and decide whether or not to send a crew to the area to make any sign repairs.

Dock said if something goes wrong with the robot, there’s always DDOT employees close enough that can “come and help it.”

Rael Enteen was fired, a Commanders source told News4’s JP Finlay a day after the team suspended him.

It does not appear Enteen was aware he was being recorded.

The Commanders released a statement Wednesday reading: “The language used in the video runs counter to our values at the Commanders organization. We have suspended the employee pending an internal investigation and will reserve further comment at this time.”

An outlet named O’Keefe Media Group published the video.

James O’Keefe is the CEO and creator. He was the founder of Project Veritas, which was a conservative activist group known for its use of undercover stings and other deceptive tactics in an effort to discredit mainstream media organizations and progressive groups.

O’Keefe responded to a request for comment in a video posted on Tuesday. 

“I’m not discrediting him. I’m actually, um, crediting him, showing him saying things in his, um, own words. It’s his words and I’m publishing his words that, um, came out of his mouth and it’s on video,” he said. 

Hunter Biden’s stunning decision to plead guilty to misdemeanor and felony charges without the benefits of a deal with prosecutors came hours after jury selection was supposed to begin in the case accusing him of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes.

The president’s son was already facing potential prison time after his June conviction on felony gun charges in a trial that aired unflattering and salacious details about his struggles with a crack cocaine addiction. The tax trial was expected to showcase more potentially lurid evidence as well as details about Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings, which Republicans have seized on to try to paint the Biden family as corrupt.

Although President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential election muted the potential political implications of the tax case, the trial was expected to carry a heavy emotional toll for the president in the final months of his five-decade political career.

“After watching prosecutors exploit his family’s pain during the Delaware trial and realizing that they were planning to do it again here in California, Hunter decided to enter his plea to protect those he loves from unnecessary hurt and cruel humiliation,” defense attorney Abbe Lowell told reporters outside the Los Angeles courthouse.

“Hunter put his family first today, and it was a brave and loving thing for him to do,” Lowell said.

Hunter Biden quickly responded “guilty” as the judge read out each of the nine counts. The charges carry up to 17 years behind bars, but federal sentencing guidelines are likely to call for a much shorter sentence. Sentencing is set for Dec. 16.

More than 100 potential jurors had been brought to the courthouse in Los Angeles on Thursday to begin the process of picking the panel to hear the case alleging a four-year scheme to avoid paying taxes while spending wildly on things like strippers, luxury hotels and exotic cars.

Prosecutors were caught off guard when Hunter Biden’s lawyer told the judge Thursday morning that Hunter wanted to enter what’s known as an Alford plea, under which a defendant maintains their innocence but acknowledges prosecutors have enough evidence to secure a conviction.

Prosecutors said they objected to such a plea, telling the judge that Hunter Biden “is not entitled to plead guilty on special terms that apply only to him.”

“Hunter Biden is not innocent. Hunter Biden is guilty,” prosecutor Leo Wise said.

Hunter Biden Jun 25

Hunter Biden's law license suspended in Washington, D.C. after criminal conviction

Hunter Biden Jun 11

Hunter Biden found guilty on all charges in federal gun trial

Hunter Biden walked into the courtroom holding hands with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, and flanked by Secret Service agents. Initially, he pleaded not guilty to the charges related to his 2016 through 2019 taxes and his attorneys had indicated they would argue he didn’t act “willfully,” or with the intention to break the law, in part because of his well-documented struggles with alcohol and drug addiction.

Hunter Biden had agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor tax offenses last year in a deal with the Justice Department that would allow him to avoid prosecution in the gun case if he stayed out of trouble. But the agreement imploded after a judge questioned unusual aspects of it, and he was subsequently indicted in the two cases.

His decision to change his plea Thursday came after the judge issued some unfavorable pre-trial rulings for the defense, including rejecting a proposed defense expert lined up to testify about addiction.

Scarsi, who was appointed to the bench by former President Donald Trump, also placed some restrictions on what jurors would be allowed to hear about the traumatic events that Hunter Biden’s family, friends and attorneys say led to his drug addiction.

The judge barred attorneys from connecting his substance abuse struggles to the 2015 death of his brother Beau Biden from cancer or the car accident that killed his mother and sister when he was a toddler.

The indictment alleged that Hunter Biden lived lavishly while flouting the tax law, spending his cash on things like strippers and luxury hotels — “in short, everything but his taxes.”

Hunter Biden’s attorneys had asked Scarsi to also limit prosecutors from highlighting details of his expenses that they say amount to a “character assassination,” including payments made to strippers or pornographic websites. The judge has said in court papers that he will maintain “strict control” over the presentation of potentially salacious evidence.

Prosecutors had said they want to introduce evidence about Hunter Biden’s overseas dealings, which have been at the center of Republican investigations into the Biden family often seeking — without evidence— to tie the president to an alleged influence peddling scheme.

The special counsel’s team had planned to have a business associate of Hunter Biden’s testify about their work for a Romanian businessman, who prosecutors say sought to “influence U.S. government policy” while Joe Biden was vice president.

Sentencing in Hunter Biden’s Delaware conviction is set for Nov. 13. He could face up to 25 years in prison in that case, though he is likely to get far less time or avoid prison entirely.

It feels like fall, y’all! Time to plan an apple-picking day trip in Maryland or Virginia.

The Red Line shutdown is over just in time to Metro to the Bethesda Row Arts Festival, Adams Morgan Day or the D.C. State Fair (Yes, the District has a state fair! It’s near Metro Center station).

Here are four things to know for your weekend:

• Weekend Weather: Sunday is looking like the best day of the weekend thanks to Saturday showers. Here’s the forecast.
• Football is back, baby! It’s Commanders vs. Buccaneers at home this Sunday.
• Say hi to Telemundo 44 and meet some of your favorite reporters and anchors at the Festival Salvadoreñisimo this Sunday.
• Adoption centers around the DMV are waiving fees for Clear The Shelters!

Weekend highlights

Free pick
Bethesda Row Arts Festival
Sat. and Sun., near Elm Street and Woodmont Avenue
🔗 Details

There is real competition to get a spot at the Bethesda Row Arts Festival, conveniently located in Bethesda Row. Artists from all over the East Coast and dozens of local creators were selected for the largest juried art fair in the D.C. area. Last year, Ruth Becker welcomed us into her studio to show off her creative treasures.

Jewelry, oils, watercolors, ceramics, fiber, sculpture and many more styles will be on display – you might need both days to check it all out. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Free pick
One Lacrosse Gathering Celebration
Sat., National Mall, free
🔗 Details

The inaugural One Lacrosse Gathering Celebration shows America’s oldest team sport like you’ve never seen it before.

The game is rooted in Native American tradition and dates back to the year 1100.

The President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition looks to make lacrosse accessible to anyone at the National Mall’s JFK Fields. Look for representation from tribal communities and pick-up games for newbies and more experienced players. Howard University’s women’s team will be on hand, too.

Fun fact: Lacrosse will be played in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

• The Future Scene: The JFK Fields along the Tidal Basin are also the site for the upcoming National Mall of Pickleball later this month.

Free pick
DC State Fair
Sat., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Franklin Park in downtown D.C.
🔗 Details

County fair season isn’t over yet. The last weekend of the Maryland State Fair might top your list for agricultural adventures, but don’t sleep on D.C.

The D.C. State Fair won’t be awarding sheep ribbons, but go to celebrate the food, products, culture, performance and civic orgs that make D.C. proud.

Highlights are sure to be Jump DC’s jump rope performance and the National Hand Dance Association taking center stage.

• Coming soon: The Great Frederick Fair is set for Sept. 13-21.

Free pick
Adams Morgan Day
Sun., noon to 8 p.m., Marie Reed school and Kalorama Park
🔗 Details

For the 46th year, AdMo invites everyone into its streets for music, dance, food and some brews.

Of note, the legendary Blackbyrds will make a rare appearance, headlining the Marie Reed school field at 7 p.m. after a day of international adventure at the Dance Plaza.

Stroll 18th Street NW, check out the local shops and make some new friends. Also enjoy programming from the D.C. library, American University, photo exhibits, kids’ sports clinics and a day of melodies at Kalorama Park.

Doggy swims

Pools are embracing the dog days of summer.

D.C. dogs are invited to four city pools this Saturday for the annual Doggie Day Swim. It’s free, but show up with your dog’s original D.C. Health-issued license and tag.

In Virginia, you can sign up your pooch to swim with other dogs at Water Mine Family Swimming Hole in Reston on Saturday. It costs $10 per dog, and all proceeds help the Fairfax County Animal Shelter.

• Speaking of supporting local animals, our annual Clear the Shelters campaign is wrapping up. Many local shelters are offering free adoptions through Sept. 10. Enter your zip code here to find one near you.

Concerts this weekend

Waxahatchee, 7 p.m. Friday, Wolf Trap, $49+

Katie Crutchfield’s increasingly folk/country-leaning alt-rock gets support from Snail Mail, the indie rock project of Ellicott City’s Lindsey Jordan. Details.

The Descendents/Circle Jerks/Buzzcocks, 6:30 p.m. Friday, Fillmore Silver Spring, $59

Incredible classic punk triple bill with the original pop-punks (Descendents), seminal hardcore band (Circle Jerks) and what’s left of one of the original British punk bands (Buzzcocks). Tickets.

Oceanator, 10 p.m. Friday, Comet Ping Pong, $19.78

Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Elise Okusami comes to town a week after the release of her third LP. “Everything Is Love and Death” is as powerful, driving and hooky as anything she’s released before. Details.

Clutch, 7 p.m. Saturday, The Anthem, $45-$75

Two of the heaviest hard rock bands of the past few decades — including our boys from Seneca Valley High School (Clutch) — have joined for a co-headlining fall tour. Details.

Things to do in D.C.

Sunset Cinema at The Wharf: “King Richard”: Thurs., 7 p.m., The Wharf’s Transit Pier, free

Don’t Tell Comedy “secret shows”: Fri. and Sat., various venues, $25

One Lacrosse Gathering Celebration: Sat., National Mall, free

D.C. State Fair: Sat., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Franklin Park in downtown D.C., free entry

DC Bike Ride: Sat., begins on Constitution Avenue, various prices (registration closes Thursday)

Doggie Day Swim DC: Sat., 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., free but current D.C. dog license required

• Four pools participating: Langdon Park Pool in Northeast, Ridge Road Pool in Southeast and Francis and Upshut pools in Northwest

Jazz in The Parks: Lenny Robinson & Exploration with Special Guest Marshall Keys with opener Music with Mr. Rob: Sat., The Parks at Walter Reed, free

Women in Sports ’24 with US Open Women’s Finals on the big screen and golf simulator: Sat., noon to 8 p.m., The Wharf, free

Washington Spirit vs. Portland Thorns: Sat., 12:30 p.m., Audi Field

Boot ‘N Scoot At Hi Lawn: Sat. and Sun., Hi Lawn at Union Market, $10-$15

Adams Morgan Day: Sun., noon to 8 p.m., Marie Reed school and Kalorama Park, free

Injera Festival: Sun., 2-9 p.m., The Bullpen in Southeast, $15+

Washington Mystics vs. Minnesota Lynx: Sun., 3 p.m., Entertainment and Sports Arena

Things to do in Maryland

Bethesda Row Arts Festival: Sat. and Sun., near Elm Street and Woodmont Avenue, free entry

Mount Rainier Day Festival: Sat., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mount Rainier Nature Center, free

Silver Spring Jazz Festival: Sat., 3-10 p.m., Veterans Plaza, free (no ticket required)

Festival Salvadoreñisimo: Sun., 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Gaithersburg, $50+

Takoma Park Folk Festival: Sun., 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Takoma Park Middle School, free

Commanders vs. Buccaneers: Sun., 4:25 p.m., Northwest Stadium in Landover

Maryland State Fair: Aug. 29-Sept. 2 and Sept. 5-8, Lutherville-Timonium, $11-$16

Maryland Renaissance Festival: Through Oct. 20, Annapolis, Maryland, $26+ for adult tickets through Sept. 8

Things to do in Virginia

Dog Daze canine swim: Sat., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.,  The Water Mine in Reston, $10 per dog

Rosslyn Jazz Fest: Sat., 1-7 p.m., Gateway Park on Langston Blvd, free

US Asian Fest: Sat., 2-9 p.m., One Loudoun, $15-$100

Fall Plant and Garden Sale: Sat., 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mount Vernon overflow parking lot, free entry

The Future Scene

•  The Washington Mystics play the Indiana Fever (you know, Caitlin Clark’s team!) at Capital One Arena next Thursday, Sept. 19.
• Theater Week will bring discounts on shows in the D.C. area from Sept. 26 to Oct. 13. Tickets go on sale Monday!
• Night of the Living Zoo is coming back from the dead! Tickets cost $65 for nonmembers and are on sale now.
• Ever wanted to tour the White House while it’s decked out for Christmas? You can book tours up to 90 days in advance, so it’s a good time to think about contacting your representative for a holiday season tour!

Want to know what’s up for your weekend? Sign up for The Weekend Scene, our newsletter about events, experiences and adventures for you and for your family around the DMV.

Tyrell Lamonte Bailey turned himself in to police at the 7th District Police Station at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, a police spokesperson said. He was charged with carrying a pistol without a license.

D.C. Investigator Wayne David died last Wednesday after the gun he was trying to retrieve from a storm drain went off. He was 52 and served as an officer for 25 years.

Metropolitan Police Department (DC Police / MPD) Aug 28

DC officer dies after gun he retrieved from storm drain goes off

Metropolitan Police Department (DC Police / MPD) Aug 29

‘That type of impact': Fallen DC officer Wayne David remembered fondly

Officers with MPD’s Robbery Suppression Unit were canvassing Quarles Street NE when they saw a man get out of a suspicious car. Officers tried to make contact with him, but he ran to I-295 and stashed the gun in a storm drain, police said. He fled onto the back of a passing motorcycle.

D.C. police have not said whether Bailey will face additional charges.

“I want to thank the members of the Metropolitan Police Department and express my appreciation for the community for their tips and information that led to identifying and the arrest of this individual,” MPD Chief Pamela A. Smith said in a statement about the arrest.

“Our focus is on honoring the memory and legacy of Investigator Wayne David and giving him an exceptional sendoff during his funeral services next week,” the police chief said. “Our department continues to heal, and we’ll continue to support the family as they grieve and heal.”

Bailey was sought by local and federal authorities and a $60,000 reward was available in the case.

‘I do think he is liable for the death’

Bailey appeared in federal court on Thursday wearing a T-shirt that said “Rule 1: F— what they think.”

Court documents reveal new details on the moments before and after David was fatally shot.

Bailey ran out of his shoes after he saw officers and bolted, the documents say. Officers said he was holding his hand like he had a gun in his waistband. Images show him jumping over a wall and onto I-295. That’s where police say he threw a handgun into a drain on the shoulder of the southbound lanes.

Bailey, who had years of experience in gun recovery, was working to remove the gun from the drain when it fired and a bullet struck him.

Court records show Bailey served a multiyear prison sentence for a 2017 crime involving a gun and is therefore prohibited from possessing one.

The charges against him include possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number and unlawfully discarding a gun. They do not include murder.

Ward 2 D.C. Council member Brooke Pinto told News4 she believes Bailey should be held accountable for David’s death.

“I do think he is liable for the death that resulted in his weapon, that was thrown carelessly, and that’s exactly what happens when firearms are thrown carelessly,” she said.

Court documents show the motorcyclist who gave Bailey a ride from the crime scene immediately called police when made aware of what had happened. The motorcyclist said Bailey was a stranger and had yelled that he had been robbed and people were trying to kill him. As Bailey hopped onto the bike, the motorcyclist saw that the passenger wasn’t wearing shoes.

Police say the motorcyclist, who dropped Bailey off in Bladensburg, Maryland, had no idea he was linked to the deadly shooting of David until being told by a relative who had seen the news.

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Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

The Spirit said Wednesday that Bethune, who was part of the U.S. Olympic team that won the gold medal in Paris last month, suffered a torn meniscus “away from training” and won’t play again in 2024 while she rehabs the injury.

The 23-year-old Bethune did not travel with the team for last Sunday’s 1-1 draw at San Diego.

“She had a problem making the first pitch in the baseball game,” Spirit coach Jonatan Giráldez said after the match. “She is not going to be available this season. It is part of life. You have to keep going.”

Bethune, the third overall pick in the NWSL draft, has five goals and 10 assists in 17 games.

She was honored alongside Spirit teammates and fellow Olympians Trinity Rodman, Casey Krueger and Hal Hershfelt before the Nationals hosted the New York Yankees on Aug. 28. She appeared to grimace slightly while walking off the mound after making the pitch.

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Montgomery County police say the same 12-year-old boy broke into five Montgomery County dealerships in August. News4 reported that police said they couldn’t charge him because he’s too young, due to a juvenile justice law.

The boy broke into a Porsche dealership in Bethesda on Monday, police said. Workers say he walked around inside before Montgomery County police arrested him.

“That young individual is in need of some supervision, and I think that it’s critical that he gets that,” said Assistant Chief David McBain.

Investigators say the 12-year-old has broken into six high-end dealerships, including BMW, Jaguar, Audi and Porsche. In some break-ins, he managed to steal cars.

“That is a D.C. resident, and we are actually actively working with the D.C. government,” McBain said.

Police say they weren’t able to take the 12-year-old into custody because of his age and a Maryland juvenile justice reform law passed in 2022. The legislation says children under 13 can’t be charged with property crimes.

“The system we are stuck in now has allowed these repeated occasions to occur,” Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy said.

Maryland state legislators passed a revised juvenile justice bill earlier this year that’s set to go into effect Nov. 1. The bill broadens consequences for 10 to 12-year-olds who commit crimes. It also expands probation, creates diversion programs and details when state’s attorneys can review certain juvenile cases.

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McCarthy said he believes the legislation was a great first step but that additional legislation is needed for young offenders who don’t live in Maryland.

“A juvenile offender who does not live in Maryland who has hit many of our car dealerships here shows you some of the shortcomings that exist in the solutions that were crafted last year by the legislature and it’s not, you know — sometimes these fixes are more complex than that,” McCarthy said.

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The suspect, 25-year-old Arturo Elmore-Adon, is already in custody for alleged crimes against a minor. Now, he’s charged with several more felonies.

“Holding a really disturbing and sick man accountable for his actions that targeted little, little children,” Fairfax County Chief of Police Kevin Davis said.

The investigation started at a Safeway in Reston Aug. 10, where, police say, he touched a 7-year-old girl’s buttocks. According to a police search warrant, Elmore-Adon walked toward the victim and knelt directly behind her. A black object appearing to be a cellphone was placed under the victim’s legs. Police believe Elmore-Adon then filmed the victim.

Detectives executed search warrants on his Reston home and his cellphone.

“What our detectives discovered inside Elmore-Adon’s phone was nothing short of disturbing and disgusting,” Maj. Dan Spital said.

Police say they discovered more than 400 pictures and videos of child sexual abuse material downloaded from the internet. They also found several videos allegedly taken by Elmore-Adon in which he filmed up the shorts of young girls, police say.

He’s charged with unlawfully filming two girls, ages 7 and 8, at Fox Mill Elementary School in 2023. There are several charges from Churchill Road Elementary School in 2023, including one incident in which Elmore-Adon is accused of having an 8-year-old girl look for something while he filmed up her shorts and pulled down the victim’s shirt.

Elmore-Aaron worked as a contractor for Fairfax County Public Schools during the 2022-23 school year, helping with afterschool programming.

“The background check on this individual was done in 2022, and our human resources department reviewed and cleared the candidate at that time,” Superintendent Michelle Reid said.

Fairfax County Public Schools says Elmore-Adon worked afterschool programming at six other elementary schools, and police are urging parents to take a look his picture and let them know if they believe their children may also be victims.

Reid said the suspect worked for Overtime Athletics, which is a vendor of Baroody Camps that Fairfax County and several other school districts have used and still use in various capacities.

Reid said they are working with the families of the victims and giving them every resource available.

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It does not appear Rael Enteen was aware he was being recorded.

The Commanders released a statement reading: “The language used in the video runs counter to our values at the Commanders organization. We have suspended the employee pending an internal investigation and will reserve further comment at this time.”

An outlet named O’Keefe Media Group published the video.

James O’Keefe is the CEO and creator. He was the founder of Project Veritas, which was a conservative activist group known for its use of undercover stings and other deceptive tactics in an effort to discredit mainstream media organizations and progressive groups.

O’Keefe responded to a request for comment in a video posted on Tuesday. 

“I’m not discrediting him. I’m actually, um, crediting him, showing him saying things in his, um, own words. It’s his words and I’m publishing his words that, um, came out of his mouth and it’s on video,” he said. 

The Food and Drug Administration released new standards in March of 2023 in an effort to help more women detect breast cancer sooner. The FDA gave providers until Sept. 9, 2024 to comply with the new rule for them to include a note on mammogram reports noting if their patients have dense breasts.

“It’s really an opportunity to put the power back into the hands of the patients and letting them know what type of density they have,” Molly Guthrie, with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, told News4.

About half of women over the age of 40 in the U.S. have dense breast tissue, which can make cancers more difficult to spot on a mammogram, the FDA said. Dense breasts have also been identified as a risk factor for developing breast cancer.

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D.C. resident Cheryl Shaw beat breast cancer in 2008, but said she never imagined it would come back 11 years later.

“As a mom, as a grandma, I want to be around for them,” Shaw said. “You know, I have a lot more to do in life. I’m not done.”

When her cancer came back, doctors didn’t discover it until it was already in stage 3, even though she’d had a mammogram just months before.

It wasn’t detected because Shaw has dense breasts with a lot of tissue. But she said doctors hadn’t warned her about her breast density.

“If we don’t know what’s going on with our bodies, if we don’t know what the cause is or we don’t know what to look for, we don’t know what questions to ask,” she said.

Those with dense breasts may need to get MRIs or ultrasounds, depending on other risk factors.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breast density can change over time.

Women are more likely to have dense breasts if they’re younger, have a lower body weight, and are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Shaw is now in remission. She works at the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts on U Street, helping give back to cancer patients and spreading awareness on the importance of screenings.

“Some people see cancer as something they don’t want to know about, and that if they find out about it, they’re no longer gonna be here. But the reality is, there’s so many survivors and I’m one of them,” she said.

Each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looks to countries in the Southern Hemisphere as a potential indicator for what’s to come in the United States.

Some countries in South America and Africa experienced an earlier start to their flu seasons, which typically run from April to September and sometimes last until October or November, the CDC said in late August.

Influenza A, specifically H3N2 viruses, were predominant in Australia and South America, particularly in Chile, Ecuador and Uruguay, where there were high levels of severe flu-related disease and hospitalizations, the CDC said.

In Africa, influenza A H1N1 viruses dominated, though influenza B has increased in recent weeks, according to the CDC.

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The CDC said getting a flu vaccine is the best form of protection against severe illness and hospitalization.

A local doctor told News4 some people might want to get their shot as soon as possible as flu activity typically begins in America in October. It usually takes two weeks after a flu shot to build strong immunity.

“If you are in a high risk group, you know, 65 and older [or] you’re a pregnant person, then what you would want to do is get it as soon as possible so you can get that extra bit of protection as soon as you can. However, if you’re not in a high risk group, I would recommend waiting probably until the tail end of September or beginning of October. I think those are a great time so that you can get it to last all throughout the flu season,” said Dr. Adrian Dyer, a family medicine physician for MedStar Health.

It’s safe to get a flu shot and the new COVID-19 shot at the same time, according to the CDC. But Dyer said it’s alright to spread them out, if that’s what a patient prefers.

“You don’t have to do all the shots in one visit. You can space them out. Take one today. Take another one in two weeks. Take it slow,” Dyer said.

Children younger than 9 who have never had a flu shot before should get two doses this year, at least four weeks apart, according to the CDC. Kids in that same age group who have only had one shot during previous flu seasons may also need two shots this year.

The reduction in the $18.9 billion program for fiscal years 2025 to 2030 will result in some deferred projects, such as sidewalk repair and intersection improvements, officials said. It also will delay the transition to the electrification of the state’s bus fleet.

“Despite significant budgetary challenges, the Maryland Department of Transportation continues to prioritize the safety of all who use our transportation system and make investments in projects that will help grow our economy,” Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said in a news release.

For example, the state will proceed with plans for the Frederick Douglass Tunnel to replace the 1.4-mile (2.3-kilometer) Baltimore & Potomac Tunnel that connects Baltimore’s Penn station to MARC’s West Baltimore Station. The state will also continue plans for the Howard Street Tunnel to create vertical clearance improvements along CSX’s Rail Corridor to allow double-stack trains to travel between Baltimore and Philadelphia.

The proposal also won’t affect plans to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed under the impact of a massive container ship that lost power and crashed into one of its supporting columns.

The state also is proceeding with the project development process for the Baltimore Red Line and Southern Maryland Rapid Transit, the department said.

Revenue forecasts for several state transportation funding sources, including the gas tax, vehicle titling tax, transit fares and vehicle registration, were revised downward to reflect results from this past fiscal year, the department said.

That, combined with existing funding commitments such as operating expenses, support for local governments through increased highway user revenues and Purple Line payments, left the department with fewer state dollars than anticipated to match federal funding for highway and transit projects. The Purple Line is a 16-mile (26-kilometer) light rail line in the suburbs of the nation’s capital that connects New Carrollton in Prince George’s County to Bethesda in Montgomery County.

The reduced ability to fully leverage federal funds is a driving factor behind the $1.3 billion in reductions and will result in certain projects being deferred because of fiscal constraints, the department said. The end of federal pandemic relief, inflation and supply chain disruptions have also had an impact.

Some of the deferrals include system preservation needs, transitioning the Maryland Transit Administration’s bus fleet to zero emission vehicles and pausing the design of major highway expansion projects at logical milestones, the department said in a news release.

The release of the draft program launches the department’s public engagement process. That includes a meeting in every Maryland county and the city of Baltimore to receive input from local officials and the public. This year’s tour is scheduled to take place between September and October with local jurisdictions hosting the meetings.

After the tour, the transportation department will finalize the draft plan and submit a final plan to the legislature in January.

Last year, the department cut the six-year plan by $3.3 billion. Those reductions were eased when Gov. Wes Moore allocated $150 million of the state’s rainy day fund to help offset the cuts. The legislature also responded by approving vehicle registration increases.

The dead were identified as two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Winder, about an hour’s drive from Atlanta. Killed were two other 14-year-olds, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, and instructors Richard Aspenwall and Christina Irimie, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said in a nighttime news conference.

Both Aspinwall and Irimie taught math, according to NBC News. Aspinwall was also a defensive coordinator for the football team.

At least nine other people — eight students and one teacher — were taken to hospitals with injuries. All were expected to survive, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.

The words “hard lockdown” appeared on a screen in junior Layla Ferrell's health class and lights began flashing. She and her frightened classmates piled desks and chairs in front of the door to create a barricade, she recalled.

Sophomore Kaylee Abner was in geometry class when she heard the gunshots. She and her classmates ducked behind their teacher’s desk, and then the teacher began flipping the desk in an attempt to barricade the classroom door, Abner said. A classmate beside her was praying, and she held his hand while they all waited for police.

After students poured into the football stadium, Abner saw teachers who had taken off their shirts to help treat gunshot wounds.

Two school resource officers encountered the shooter within minutes after a report of shots fired went out, Hosey said. The suspect, a student at the school, immediately surrendered and was taken into custody. He is being charged as an adult with murder. Authorities said the weapon was an assault-style rifle.

The teen, identified as Colt Gray, had been interviewed after the FBI received anonymous tips in May 2023 about online threats to commit an unspecified school shooting, the agency said in a statement.

The FBI narrowed the threats down and referred to the case to the sheriff’s department in Jackson County, which is adjacent to Barrow County.

The sheriff’s office interviewed the then-13-year-old and his father, who said there were hunting guns in the house but the teen did not have unsupervised access to them. The teen also denied making any online threats.

The sheriff’s office alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the teen, but there was no probable cause for arrest to additional action, the FBI said.

Hosey said the state Division of Family and Children’s Services also had previous contact with the teen and will investigate whether that has any connection with the shooting.

Authorities were still looking into how the suspect obtained the gun used in the shooting and got it into the school in Barrow County, a rapidly suburbanizing area on the edge of metro Atlanta's ever-expanding sprawl.

At an afternoon news conference, Smith choked up as he began to speak. He said he was born and raised in the community and his kids are in the school system.

“My heart hurts for these kids. My heart hurts for our community,” he said. “But I want to make it very clear that hate will not prevail in this county. I want that to be very clear and known. Love will prevail over what happened today.”

It was the the latest among dozens of school shootings across the U.S. in recent years, including especially deadly ones in Newtown, Connecticut, Parkland, Florida, and Uvalde, Texas. The classroom killings have set off fervent debates about gun control and frayed the nerves of parents whose children are growing up accustomed to active shooter drills in classrooms. But they have done little to move the needle on national gun laws.

Before Wednesday, there had been 29 mass killings in the U.S. so far this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. At least 127 people have died in those killings, which are defined as incidents in which four or more people die within a 24-hour period, not including the killer — the same definition used by the FBI.

Last year ended with 217 deaths from 42 mass killings, making 2023 one of the deadliest years on record for such shootings in the country.

On Wednesday in Winder, Landon Culver, an 11th grader, said he had stepped out of his algebra class to get a drink of water when he heard shots and then saw someone wearing a black hoodie with a long gun.

“I didn’t really stick around too long to look,” he said.

Instead he ran back inside the classroom and locked the door. The class huddled in the back in the dark and waited for the rampage to end. Culver listened as gunshots rang out in the building.

“You’re just wondering like, which one of those is going to be somebody that you’re best friends with or somebody that you love?” he said.

Later police officers arrived and escorted the students out. As they were leaving the building, Culver saw “multiple people who had been shot.”

“You hear about this kind of stuff, but you like never think it’s going to happen to you until like it’s happening.”

When Erin Clark, 42, received a text from her son Ethan, a senior, saying there was an active shooter, she rushed from her job at the Amazon warehouse to the school. The two texted “I love you,” and Clark prayed for her him as she drove.

With the main road to the school blocked, she parked and ran with other parents. They were directed to the football field, and amid the chaos, Clark found Ethan sitting on the bleachers.

Clark said her son was writing an essay in class when he first heard gunfire. He worked with his classmates to barricade the door and hide.

“I’m so proud of him for doing that,” she said. “He was so brave.”

“It makes me scared to send him back,” Clark said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Traffic going to the school was backed up for more than a mile as parents tried to get to their children. Barrow County schools will be closed for the rest of the week as they cooperate with the investigation, but grief counseling will be available.

“It’s just outrageous that every day, in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive," Vice President Kamala Harris said during a campaign stop in New Hampshire.

In a message posted to social media, former President Donald Trump said: “These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.”

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who canceled a speech planned for the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas and returned to the state, said in a statement: “This is a day every parent dreads, and Georgians everywhere will hug their children tighter this evening because of this painful event.”

Apalachee High School opened in 2000 and has about 1,900 students, according to records from Georgia education officials.

On Wednesday evening, hundreds gathered in Jug Tavern Park in downtown Winder for a vigil. Volunteers handed out candles and also water, pizza and tissues. Some knelt as a Methodist minister led the crowd in prayer after a Barrow County commissioner read a Jewish prayer of mourning.

Some were clad in athletic gear from Apalachee’s crosstown rival, Winder-Barrow High School. At the end of the vigil, someone released balloons in Apalachee’s blue, gold and white.

Sophomore Shantal Sanvee, who was in a classroom near the gunshots, said she saw “a whole lot of blood. And it was just, it was just horrible.”

“I don't think I want to be here for like a long time now,” Sanvee said.

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Attorney General Merrick Garland announced charges against two employees of the Russian-backed media network RT accused of conspiring to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act in an indictment unsealed Wednesday in the Southern District of New York.

“The American people are entitled to know when a foreign power is attempting to exploit our country’s free exchange of ideas in order to send around its own propaganda,” Garland said.

While the indictment redacted the names of political parties and candidates, it was clear through the documents that the Russians sought to bolster Republican former President Donald Trump and to harm Democratic efforts — whose nominee likely would have been Joe Biden at the time.

Garland accused Konstantin Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva of implementing a nearly $10 million scheme to hire a Tennessee-based company to publish and disseminate pro-Russian content. That company then contracted with U.S.-based social media influencers to share content on their platforms. The information was “often consistent with Russia’s interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions in order to weaken U.S. opposition to core Russian interests, particularly its ongoing war in Ukraine,” the attorney general said.

Kalashnikov identified himself as RT’s “Deputy Chief of the Digital Media Projects Department,” and Afanasyeva has identified herself on social media as a “producer at RT, dealing with overseas affairs and news,” the indictment said.

“The company never disclosed to the influencers or to their millions of followers as ties to RT and the Russian government. Instead, the defendants and the company claimed that the company was sponsored by a private investor, but that private investor was a fictitious persona,” Garland said.

The company published “hundreds of videos” that contained “commentary on events and issues in the United States, such as immigration, inflation, and other topics related to domestic and foreign policy.”

At the White House briefing, when asked if high-level Russian officials were clued into RT’s activity, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the U.S. believes Russian President Vladimir Putin was aware.

“We believe Mr. Putin is weighing in on these actions,” Kirby said.

‘We have no tolerance’

The attorney general said that the investigation remains ongoing and that the DOJ is seizing 32 internet domains that the Russian government and Russian actors have used to influence the U.S. election.

The attorney general made clear that Iran has also been responsible for activities seeking to compromise former President Donald Trump’s campaign in an effort to interfere with the election outcome.

“The Justice Department’s message is clear: We have no tolerance for attempts by authoritarian regimes to exploit our democratic system of government. We will be relentlessly aggressive in countering and disrupting attempts by Russia, Iran, as well as China or any other foreign malign actor, interfere in elections and undermine our members.”

Before Garland’s announcement, the Treasury Department announced that its Office of Foreign Assets Control had designated 10 people and two entities as part of a “coordinated U.S. government response to Moscow’s malign influence efforts targeting the 2024 U.S. presidential election.”

The Treasury Department weighed in on the influence campaign, saying in its announcement of sanctions that RT “used a front company to disguise its own involvement or the involvement of the Russian government in content meant to influence U.S. audiences.”

Treasury also sanctioned a popular pro-Russian hacktivist group, RaHDIt, and said it was actually headed by current and former Russian intelligence officers. It’s run by Aleksey Alekseyevich Garashchenko, who at the time of the group’s founding was an active member of the FSB, the successor agency to the KGB, and still maintains direct contact with Kremlin intelligence agencies, Treasury said.

RaHDIt is one of dozens of pro-Russia hacktivist groups that has appeared since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Like most of those groups, it brags about its operations on Telegram, where its channel has more than 60,000 followers. Many of its posts are devoted to revealing photographs, names and other biographical information about people it alleges work for Ukraine.

Alex Leslie, a threat intelligence analyst at the cybersecurity company Recorded Future, told NBC News that RaHDIt, unlike some other pro-Russia hacker groups, particularly focuses on hack-and-leak operations and frequently gets coverage in Russian-language media.

A history of Russian efforts

Under the new actions, all property and interests in property of the designated people that are in the U.S. or in the possession or control of Americans are blocked and must be reported to the Office of Foreign Assets Control, the Treasury Department said.

The State Department also announced three related actions, including, a new visa restriction policy imposed on individuals the administration said were acting on behalf of Kremlin-supported media organizations who use those organizations as cover for covert activities. A senior State Department official said it’s also designating six RT affiliates that operate in the U.S. as “foreign missions” as well as offering a reward of up to $10 million for information regarding potential foreign efforts to interfere in U.S. elections.

U.S. intelligence agencies have previously assessed that Russia wants to interfere in the 2024 election and flagged RT as a source of Russian propaganda and disinformation and required it to register as a foreign agent.

RT’s editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan “has close ties to top Russian Government officials” and has stated publicly that “the Russian Government sets rating and viewership requirements for RT and, ‘since RT receives budget from the state, it must complete tasks given by the state,'” according to an ODNI report released publicly in 2017 following Russia’s efforts in the 2016 election.

The office of the Director of National Intelligence specifically said in July that Russia is seeking to exert influence over the U.S. election to undermine support for the Democratic presidential nominee and American public support for arming Ukraine.

CNN was first to report the expected sanctions.

Russia was found to have interfered in the 2016 presidential election by multiple U.S. investigations, including by the team led by then-special counsel Robert Mueller. The probes determined that the efforts were intended to help Donald Trump win the election over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

In February, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the Biden administration had “concerns” about possible Russian interference in the 2024 election cycle.

“This is not about politics,” Sullivan said. “This is about national security. It is about a foreign country, a foreign adversary, seeking to manipulate the politics and democracy of the United States of America.”

NBC News reported that same month that U.S. officials and cyber experts said that Russia was already disseminating disinformation using bots and fake online accounts to hurt President Joe Biden, while he was running for re-election, and other Democratic candidates.

Russian outlets also helped spread misinformation about the 2020 election, but their impact was dwarfed by former President Trump’s efforts to undermine the 2020 election himself.

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National Gallery Nights begin Thursday, Sept. 12 with the theme A Night in Paris. The East Building will transform into a Parisian escape with can-can dancers and a DJ spinning French tunes at an outdoor bar. Visitors can explore the “Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment” exhibit with paintings by Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir and more. Join the lottery here.

Tickets will be given away through a lottery system. The lottery will open 10 days before each event, and winners will be notified via email the Friday before the event.

The lottery for A Night In Paris is set to close at noon Thursday. Limited walk-up tickets will also be available on the day of the event.

There will also be activities on the 4th Street Plaza that don’t require tickets.

National Gallery Nights is set to celebrate Día de los Muertos in October and D.C. culture in November.

National Gallery Nights dates

• Sept. 12, A Night in Paris (Ticket lottery open from Monday, Sept. 2 to Thurs., Sept. 5)
• Oct. 10: Día de los Muertos Celebration (Ticket lottery open from Monday, Sept. 30 to Thursday, Oct. 3)
• Nov. 14: To the District, with Love (Ticket lottery open from Monday, Nov. 4 to Thursday, Nov. 7)

Want to know what’s up for your weekend? Sign up for The Weekend Scene, our newsletter about events, experiences and adventures for you and for your family around the DMV.

They were originally supposed to close on Labor Day.

Leat Corinne Unger, Cousin of Omer Shem Tov

“The locations that will remain open were selected to be most equitable to residents with one pool on both sides of the city and all DPR spray parks,” said Department of Parks and Recreation Director Thennie Freeman. 

Hearst Pool and Oxon Run Pool will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. six days a week until Sept. 22. Hearst Pool is closed Thursdays and Oxon Run Pool is closed Mondays. 

These spray parks will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Sept. 22:

• 14th and Girard Street 
• Benning Stoddert Recreation Center
• Chevy Chase Recreation Center 
• Columbia Heights Community Center 
• Columbia Heights Civic Plaza
• Eastern Market Metro Park 
• Edgewood Recreation Center 
• Fort Davis Community Center
• Fort Stevens Recreation Center 
• Friendship Recreation Center 
• Guy Mason Recreation Center 
• Hardy Recreation Center
• Harrison Recreation CenterHillcrest Recreation Center
• Joseph H. Cole Recreation Center 
• Kennedy Recreation Center 
• King Greenleaf Recreation Center
• Lafayette-Pointer Recreation Center  
• Macomb Recreation Center 
• Marvin Gaye at Division Avenue
• Marvin Gaye Recreation Center 
• Palisades Community Center 
• Park at LeDroit 
• Petworth Recreation Center 
• Potomac Ave Triangle Park
• Reservoir Park Recreation Center 
• Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center 
• Stead Park Recreation Center 
• Takoma Playground 
• Watkins Recreation Center
• Westminster Playground

Information for specific outdoor pool and spray park locations can be found at the Department of Parks and Recreation website. 

Christian Whalen was at a bonfire party in a wooded area off Spotswood Furnace Road when another teenager shot him. A sheriff’s deputy drove him from the scene to a rescue station, from where he was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.

Whalen’s girlfriend, Lacy Milling, said she warned him against going to the party and became worried when he didn’t return her text messages. Then she saw frightening posts on social media.

“Then I go on Snapchat and I see people posting on their story ‘pray for Christian,’” she said. “Just, it was everywhere.”

Soon she got a message from Whalen’s father confirming her fears. 

“I see a notification from his dad saying, ‘Christian died,’” she said. “Literally, those two words.” 

She was not surprised to learn investigators believe he was trying to stop trouble. 

“He does not like arguing at all,” she said. “He hates it so much.”

Lacy said she lost the love of her life. She had been in a serious relationship with Whalen for almost a year. Her father said Whalen lived with their family for several months.

“He’s the most, like, kindest person,” Lacy said. “He would help anybody, like, even it came down to his worst enemy.”

Kenneth Watson, 18, is charged with homicide, accused of firing the fatal gunshot.

“He took what I wanted the most, which was almost a family to grow up with,” Lacy said. “I almost had what I wanted, but he took it from me.” 

The sheriff’s office wants to hear from anyone with information about the shooting.

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