WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department released thousands of files Friday from its investigation into convicted sex offender&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>&nbsp;even as it acknowledged that its documents disclosure about the wealthy financier, known for his connections to President Donald Trump and other influential people, was incomplete.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein">Click here to see</a>&nbsp;the files and do a search

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-release-justice-department-32cbc21a6ae8189dccd00455dc83d2be">The records</a>&nbsp;arrived with public anticipation that they could offer the most detailed look yet at nearly two decades worth of government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-investigation-records-timeline-545c371ee3dd3142355a26d27829c188">investigations into Epstein’s sexual abuse</a>&nbsp;of young women and underage girls. But it remained unclear how much substantive new information was included in the photos, call logs, grand jury testimony and interview transcripts, or how much if any additional insight might be gleaned about Epstein’s relationships with rich and powerful contacts.

The files were being released in accordance with a congressionally set deadline of Friday, but the Justice Department signaled that it would not fully meet that mark, with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche telling Fox News Channel that he expected the department to release “several hundred thousand” records Friday and then several hundred thousand more in the coming weeks.

Their release has long been demanded by a public hungry to learn whether any of Epstein’s rich and powerful associates knew about — or participated in — the abuse.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-survivors-react-a7cceac935feda8d94b8fa59e13b01fa">Epstein’s accusers</a>&nbsp;have also long sought answers about why federal authorities shut down their initial investigation into the allegations in 2008.

Bowing to political pressure from fellow Republicans, Trump on Nov. 19 signed a bill giving the Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-justice-department-4872c23a3ed03bf3d4c526581d3aed59">30 days to release most of its files</a>&nbsp;and communications related to Epstein, including information about the investigation into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-jail-suicide-prison-death-8d194a756f2b429067f009a0c70f96c0">his death in a federal jail</a>. The law’s passage was a remarkable display of bipartisanship that overcame months of opposition from Trump and Republican leadership.

That law allows for redactions about the victims or ongoing investigations but makes clear no records shall be withheld or redacted due to “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi said on Nov. 14 that she had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-trump-clinton-investigation-justice-department-d0ce8385cb7f42705ac068310e3231be">ordered a top federal prosecutor</a>&nbsp;to investigate Epstein’s ties to Trump’s political foes, including former President Bill Clinton. Bondi acted after Trump pressed for such an inquiry, though he did not explain what supposed crimes he wanted the Justice Department to investigate. None of the men Trump mentioned in a social media post demanding the investigation has been accused of sexual misconduct by any of Epstein’s victims.

In July, Trump dismissed some of his own supporters as “weaklings” for falling for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supporters-epstein-sex-trafficking-investigation-bondi-47370e63060d79af64b0b8ac70b970a4">“the Jeffrey Epstein hoax.”</a>&nbsp;But both Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., failed to prevent the legislation from coming to a vote.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-trump-congress-c858fcd7d587bb61d1b73753487b0ee1">Trump did a U-turn</a>&nbsp;on the files once it became clear that congressional action was inevitable. He insisted that the Epstein matter had become a distraction to the Republican agenda and that releasing the records was the best way to move on.

Police in Palm Beach, Florida, began investigating Epstein in 2005 after the family of a 14-year-old girl reported she had been molested at his mansion. The FBI joined the investigation, and authorities gathered testimony from multiple underage girls who said they had been hired to give Epstein sexual massages.

Ultimately, though, prosecutors&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-florida-e2a4431f7319afd037023d9a586aa291">gave Epstein a deal</a>&nbsp;that allowed him to avoid federal prosecution. He pleaded guilty to state prostitution charges involving someone under age 18 and was sentenced to 18 months in jail.

Epstein’s accusers then spent years in civil litigation trying to get that plea deal set aside. One of those women, Virginia Giuffre, accused Epstein of arranging for her to have sexual encounters, starting at age 17, with numerous other men, including billionaires, famous academics, U.S. politicians and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, then known as Britain’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-entertainment-lifestyle-virginia-prince-andrew-60348f70fd605c26c26615ffc5ed5f14">Prince Andrew</a>.

All of those men denied the allegations. Prosecutors never brought charges in connection with Giuffre’s claims, but her account fueled conspiracy theories about supposed government plots to protect the powerful.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-roberts-giuffre-obit-778c4fdd6fac2522133ca3d79244bccd">Giuffre died</a>&nbsp;by suicide at her farm in Western Australia in April at age 41.

Federal prosecutors in New York brought new sex trafficking charges against Epstein in 2019, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-jail-suicide-prison-death-8d194a756f2b429067f009a0c70f96c0">he killed himself in jail</a>&nbsp;a month after his arrest. Prosecutors then charged Epstein’s longtime confidant, British socialite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ghislaine-maxwell">Ghislaine Maxwell</a>, with recruiting underage girls for Epstein to abuse.

Maxwell was convicted in late 2021 and is serving a 20-year prison sentence, though she was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-justice-department-prison-27d53cd22f8c53d9f2b5012cea32eb5e">moved from a low-security federal prison in Florida</a>&nbsp;to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas after she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-justice-department-interview-transcripts-1d38a010e72b5b58cca944cb3bbb0e6a">was interviewed</a>&nbsp;over the summer by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. Her lawyers argued that she never should have been tried or convicted.

The Justice Department in July said it had not found any information that could support prosecuting anyone else.

Lots of Epstein records were already public

After nearly two decades of court action and prying by reporters, a voluminous number of records related to Epstein is already public, including flight logs, address books, email correspondence, police reports, grand jury records, courtroom testimony and transcripts of depositions of his accusers, his staffers and others.

Yet, the public’s appetite for more records has been insatiable, particularly for anything related to Epstein’s associations with famous people including Trump, Mountbatten-Windsor and Clinton.

Trump was friends with Epstein for years before the two had a falling out. Neither he nor Clinton has ever been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and the mere inclusion of someone’s name in files from the investigation does not imply otherwise.

Mountbatten-Windsor denied ever having sex with Giuffre, but King Charles III&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uk-royals-andrew-prince-title-removed-c1538b68893cb1395073e1ca6b9468f4">stripped him of his royal titles</a>&nbsp;this year after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-guiffre-jeffrey-epstein-memoir-983e88151ce72ac5428fd7940ad19d1e">Giuffre’s memoir</a>&nbsp;was published after she died.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766179629581.png" alt="Image released Thursday by the House Oversight Committee" />
 <figcaption>Image released Thursday by the House Oversight Committee</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department released thousands of files Friday from its investigation into convicted sex offender&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>&nbsp;even as it acknowledged that its documents disclosure about the wealthy financier, known for his connections to President Donald Trump and other influential people, was incomplete.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein">Click here to see</a>&nbsp;the files and do a search<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766179219604.png" alt="Image from the DOJ web site on Friday Dec. 19, 3p.m. CST.&nbsp; The DOJ acknowledged to Congress that the file release is incomplete and expects additional disclosures by the end of the year." />
 <figcaption>Image from the DOJ web site on Friday Dec. 19, 3p.m. CST.&nbsp; The DOJ acknowledged to Congress that the file release is incomplete and expects additional disclosures by the end of the year.</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-release-justice-department-32cbc21a6ae8189dccd00455dc83d2be">The records</a>&nbsp;arrived with public anticipation that they could offer the most detailed look yet at nearly two decades worth of government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-investigation-records-timeline-545c371ee3dd3142355a26d27829c188">investigations into Epstein’s sexual abuse</a>&nbsp;of young women and underage girls. But it remained unclear how much substantive new information was included in the photos, call logs, grand jury testimony and interview transcripts, or how much if any additional insight might be gleaned about Epstein’s relationships with rich and powerful contacts.The files were being released in accordance with a congressionally set deadline of Friday, but the Justice Department signaled that it would not fully meet that mark, with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche telling Fox News Channel that he expected the department to release “several hundred thousand” records Friday and then several hundred thousand more in the coming weeks.Their release has long been demanded by a public hungry to learn whether any of Epstein’s rich and powerful associates knew about — or participated in — the abuse.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-survivors-react-a7cceac935feda8d94b8fa59e13b01fa">Epstein’s accusers</a>&nbsp;have also long sought answers about why federal authorities shut down their initial investigation into the allegations in 2008.Bowing to political pressure from fellow Republicans, Trump on Nov. 19 signed a bill giving the Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-justice-department-4872c23a3ed03bf3d4c526581d3aed59">30 days to release most of its files</a>&nbsp;and communications related to Epstein, including information about the investigation into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-jail-suicide-prison-death-8d194a756f2b429067f009a0c70f96c0">his death in a federal jail</a>. The law’s passage was a remarkable display of bipartisanship that overcame months of opposition from Trump and Republican leadership.<h2>What the law allows</h2>That law allows for redactions about the victims or ongoing investigations but makes clear no records shall be withheld or redacted due to “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity.”Attorney General Pam Bondi said on Nov. 14 that she had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-trump-clinton-investigation-justice-department-d0ce8385cb7f42705ac068310e3231be">ordered a top federal prosecutor</a>&nbsp;to investigate Epstein’s ties to Trump’s political foes, including former President Bill Clinton. Bondi acted after Trump pressed for such an inquiry, though he did not explain what supposed crimes he wanted the Justice Department to investigate. None of the men Trump mentioned in a social media post demanding the investigation has been accused of sexual misconduct by any of Epstein’s victims.In July, Trump dismissed some of his own supporters as “weaklings” for falling for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supporters-epstein-sex-trafficking-investigation-bondi-47370e63060d79af64b0b8ac70b970a4">“the Jeffrey Epstein hoax.”</a>&nbsp;But both Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., failed to prevent the legislation from coming to a vote.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-trump-congress-c858fcd7d587bb61d1b73753487b0ee1">Trump did a U-turn</a>&nbsp;on the files once it became clear that congressional action was inevitable. He insisted that the Epstein matter had become a distraction to the Republican agenda and that releasing the records was the best way to move on.<h2>The Epstein investigations</h2>Police in Palm Beach, Florida, began investigating Epstein in 2005 after the family of a 14-year-old girl reported she had been molested at his mansion. The FBI joined the investigation, and authorities gathered testimony from multiple underage girls who said they had been hired to give Epstein sexual massages.Ultimately, though, prosecutors&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-florida-e2a4431f7319afd037023d9a586aa291">gave Epstein a deal</a>&nbsp;that allowed him to avoid federal prosecution. He pleaded guilty to state prostitution charges involving someone under age 18 and was sentenced to 18 months in jail.Epstein’s accusers then spent years in civil litigation trying to get that plea deal set aside. One of those women, Virginia Giuffre, accused Epstein of arranging for her to have sexual encounters, starting at age 17, with numerous other men, including billionaires, famous academics, U.S. politicians and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, then known as Britain’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-entertainment-lifestyle-virginia-prince-andrew-60348f70fd605c26c26615ffc5ed5f14">Prince Andrew</a>.All of those men denied the allegations. Prosecutors never brought charges in connection with Giuffre’s claims, but her account fueled conspiracy theories about supposed government plots to protect the powerful.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-roberts-giuffre-obit-778c4fdd6fac2522133ca3d79244bccd">Giuffre died</a>&nbsp;by suicide at her farm in Western Australia in April at age 41.Federal prosecutors in New York brought new sex trafficking charges against Epstein in 2019, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-jail-suicide-prison-death-8d194a756f2b429067f009a0c70f96c0">he killed himself in jail</a>&nbsp;a month after his arrest. Prosecutors then charged Epstein’s longtime confidant, British socialite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ghislaine-maxwell">Ghislaine Maxwell</a>, with recruiting underage girls for Epstein to abuse.Maxwell was convicted in late 2021 and is serving a 20-year prison sentence, though she was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-justice-department-prison-27d53cd22f8c53d9f2b5012cea32eb5e">moved from a low-security federal prison in Florida</a>&nbsp;to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas after she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-justice-department-interview-transcripts-1d38a010e72b5b58cca944cb3bbb0e6a">was interviewed</a>&nbsp;over the summer by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. Her lawyers argued that she never should have been tried or convicted.The Justice Department in July said it had not found any information that could support prosecuting anyone else.<h2>Lots of Epstein records were already public</h2>After nearly two decades of court action and prying by reporters, a voluminous number of records related to Epstein is already public, including flight logs, address books, email correspondence, police reports, grand jury records, courtroom testimony and transcripts of depositions of his accusers, his staffers and others.Yet, the public’s appetite for more records has been insatiable, particularly for anything related to Epstein’s associations with famous people including Trump, Mountbatten-Windsor and Clinton.Trump was friends with Epstein for years before the two had a falling out. Neither he nor Clinton has ever been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and the mere inclusion of someone’s name in files from the investigation does not imply otherwise.Mountbatten-Windsor denied ever having sex with Giuffre, but King Charles III&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uk-royals-andrew-prince-title-removed-c1538b68893cb1395073e1ca6b9468f4">stripped him of his royal titles</a>&nbsp;this year after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-guiffre-jeffrey-epstein-memoir-983e88151ce72ac5428fd7940ad19d1e">Giuffre’s memoir</a>&nbsp;was published after she died.___Sisak reported from New York.

See the files: Some long-awaited Epstein files finally released

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday announced the start of a military operation in Syria to “eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites” following the deaths of three U.S. citizens in an ambush attack almost a week ago.

A U.S. official described it as “a large-scale” strike that targeted multiple locations and concentrated areas across central Syria that had Islamic State group infrastructure and weapons. Another U.S. official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive operations, said more strikes should be expected.

The attack was conducted using F-15 Eagle jets, A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack aircraft and AH-64 Apache helicopters, the officials said. F-16 fighter jets from Jordan and HIMARS rocket artillery also were used, one official said.

“This is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance. The United States of America, under President Trump’s leadership, will never hesitate and never relent to defend our people,” Hegseth said on social media.

President Donald Trump had pledged “very serious retaliation” after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-us-military-attack-palmyra-is-22f67e54c1a15fcc643de2672b83aacb">the shooting in the Syrian desert</a>&nbsp;last Saturday that killed two Iowa National Guard members and a U.S. civilian interpreter. He blamed IS for their deaths. The troops were among hundreds of U.S. troops deployed in eastern Syria as part of a coalition fighting IS.

The attack was a major test for the warming ties between the United States and Syria since the ouster of autocratic leader Bashar Assad a year ago. Trump has stressed that Syria was fighting alongside U.S. troops and said Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa was “extremely angry and disturbed by this attack,” which came as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-syria-troops-islamic-state-kurds-3354f71e88d278427994d209b2d16d9c">U.S. military is expanding its cooperation</a>&nbsp;with Syrian security forces.

Syrian state television reported that strikes hit targets in rural areas of Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa provinces and in the Jabal al-Amour area near Palmyra. It said they targeted “weapons storage sites and headquarters used by ISIS as launching points for its operations in the region.”

White House officials noted that Trump had made clear that retaliation was coming.

“President Trump told the world that the United States would retaliate for the killing of our heroes by ISIS in Syria, and he is delivering on that promise,” White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said in a statement.

Trump this week met privately with the families of the slain Americans at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware before he joined top military officials and other dignitaries on the tarmac for the dignified transfer, a solemn and largely silent ritual honoring U.S. service members killed in action.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-attack-iowa-national-guard-islamic-state-38dd71dca411213f3789ccdb94e37f4e">The guardsmen</a>&nbsp;killed in Syria on Saturday were Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, according to the U.S. Army. Ayad Mansoor Sakat, of Macomb, Michigan, a U.S. civilian working as an interpreter, was also killed.

The shooting nearly a week ago near the historic city of Palmyra also wounded three other U.S. troops as well as members of Syria’s security forces, and the gunman was killed. The assailant had joined Syria’s internal security forces as a base security guard two months ago and recently was reassigned because of suspicions that he might be affiliated with IS, Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba has said.

The man stormed a meeting between U.S. and Syrian security officials who were having lunch together and opened fire after clashing with Syrian guards.

When asked for further information, the Pentagon referred AP to Hegseth’s social media post.

Associated Press writer Abby Sewell in Beirut, Lebanon, contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766004117046.png" alt="On Wednesday, President Trump witnesses the dignified transfer of the three American Patriots killed in Syria." />
 <figcaption>On Wednesday, President Trump witnesses the dignified transfer of the three American Patriots killed in Syria.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday announced the start of a military operation in Syria to “eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites” following the deaths of three U.S. citizens in an ambush attack almost a week ago.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">CENTCOM forces launched fighter jets, attack helicopters and other assets to conduct the large-scale strike. <a href="https://t.co/3szSo2u5rm">pic.twitter.com/3szSo2u5rm</a>&mdash; U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/2002154219089113254?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Earlier today, U.S. forces commenced OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE in Syria to eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites in direct response to the attack on U.S. forces that occurred on December 13th in Palmyra, Syria. This is not the beginning of a war — it is a…&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/2002140737060692098?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A U.S. official described it as “a large-scale” strike that targeted multiple locations and concentrated areas across central Syria that had Islamic State group infrastructure and weapons. Another U.S. official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive operations, said more strikes should be expected.The attack was conducted using F-15 Eagle jets, A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack aircraft and AH-64 Apache helicopters, the officials said. F-16 fighter jets from Jordan and HIMARS rocket artillery also were used, one official said.“This is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance. The United States of America, under President Trump’s leadership, will never hesitate and never relent to defend our people,” Hegseth said on social media.President Donald Trump had pledged “very serious retaliation” after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-us-military-attack-palmyra-is-22f67e54c1a15fcc643de2672b83aacb">the shooting in the Syrian desert</a>&nbsp;last Saturday that killed two Iowa National Guard members and a U.S. civilian interpreter. He blamed IS for their deaths. The troops were among hundreds of U.S. troops deployed in eastern Syria as part of a coalition fighting IS.The attack was a major test for the warming ties between the United States and Syria since the ouster of autocratic leader Bashar Assad a year ago. Trump has stressed that Syria was fighting alongside U.S. troops and said Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa was “extremely angry and disturbed by this attack,” which came as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-syria-troops-islamic-state-kurds-3354f71e88d278427994d209b2d16d9c">U.S. military is expanding its cooperation</a>&nbsp;with Syrian security forces.Syrian state television reported that strikes hit targets in rural areas of Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa provinces and in the Jabal al-Amour area near Palmyra. It said they targeted “weapons storage sites and headquarters used by ISIS as launching points for its operations in the region.”White House officials noted that Trump had made clear that retaliation was coming.“President Trump told the world that the United States would retaliate for the killing of our heroes by ISIS in Syria, and he is delivering on that promise,” White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said in a statement.Trump this week met privately with the families of the slain Americans at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware before he joined top military officials and other dignitaries on the tarmac for the dignified transfer, a solemn and largely silent ritual honoring U.S. service members killed in action.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-attack-iowa-national-guard-islamic-state-38dd71dca411213f3789ccdb94e37f4e">The guardsmen</a>&nbsp;killed in Syria on Saturday were Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, according to the U.S. Army. Ayad Mansoor Sakat, of Macomb, Michigan, a U.S. civilian working as an interpreter, was also killed.The shooting nearly a week ago near the historic city of Palmyra also wounded three other U.S. troops as well as members of Syria’s security forces, and the gunman was killed. The assailant had joined Syria’s internal security forces as a base security guard two months ago and recently was reassigned because of suspicions that he might be affiliated with IS, Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba has said.The man stormed a meeting between U.S. and Syrian security officials who were having lunch together and opened fire after clashing with Syrian guards.When asked for further information, the Pentagon referred AP to Hegseth’s social media post.___Associated Press writer Abby Sewell in Beirut, Lebanon, contributed.

US launches retaliatory strikes in Syria targeting ISIS

CASS COUNTY —The  Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal officer shooting involving a member of the Belton Police Department.

Just after 10a.m. Friday, police in the Kansas City suburb of Belton responded to a the 16,000 Block of Rebecca Lane to check the welfare of a subject possibly experiencing&nbsp; mental health issues, according to a media release from the&nbsp; MSHP. Officers made contact with the subject at the residence. The subject refused any assistance from officers.

Just before 12:30p.m. Officers were called to the same address a second time on a re port the original subject&nbsp; threatening a member of the residence with a&nbsp; knife. Officer arrived and contacted the reporting party in the front of the home. During the conversation, the subject exited the residence and was armed with a knife. The subject ran toward the officers and they retreated.&nbsp; The subject continued to chase an officer. At 12:35p.m., the officer fired shots striking the subject. EMS transported the subject to a local hospital where they were pronounced deceased.&nbsp;

No officers were injured during the incident. Investigators recovered a knife at the scene.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is in charge of the investigation. Their final report on the incident will forwarded to the Cass County Attorney for review.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766181673996.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>CASS COUNTY —The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal officer shooting involving a member of the Belton Police Department.Just after 10a.m. Friday, police in the Kansas City suburb of Belton responded to a the 16,000 Block of Rebecca Lane to check the welfare of a subject possibly experiencing&nbsp; mental health issues, according to a media release from the&nbsp; MSHP. Officers made contact with the subject at the residence. The subject refused any assistance from officers.Just before 12:30p.m. Officers were called to the same address a second time on a re port the original subject&nbsp; threatening a member of the residence with a&nbsp; knife. Officer arrived and contacted the reporting party in the front of the home. During the conversation, the subject exited the residence and was armed with a knife. The subject ran toward the officers and they retreated.&nbsp; The subject continued to chase an officer. At 12:35p.m., the officer fired shots striking the subject. EMS transported the subject to a local hospital where they were pronounced deceased.&nbsp;No officers were injured during the incident. Investigators recovered a knife at the scene.The Missouri State Highway Patrol is in charge of the investigation. Their final report on the incident will forwarded to the Cass County Attorney for review.

Patrol: Suspect shot, killed after chasing officers with a knife

BUTLER COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just after 2p.m. Thursday in Butler County.

According to Undersheriff Daimon Cundiff, a 1998 Harley Davidson driven by 53-year-old Salvador J. Tovar Jr., of Augusta was&nbsp;northbound in the 4000 Block of SW Haverhill Road in El Dorado. The driver lost control of the motorcycle as it entered the curve just north of SW 50th Street and was ejected. 

Tovar was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; He was not wearing a helmet, according to Cundiff.&nbsp; High winds are believed to be a contributing factor in the crash.

BUTLER COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just after 2p.m. Thursday in Butler County.According to Undersheriff Daimon Cundiff, a 1998 Harley Davidson driven by 53-year-old Salvador J. Tovar Jr., of Augusta was&nbsp;northbound in the 4000 Block of SW Haverhill Road in El Dorado. The driver lost control of the motorcycle as it entered the curve just north of SW 50th Street and was ejected. Tovar was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; He was not wearing a helmet, according to Cundiff.&nbsp; High winds are believed to be a contributing factor in the crash.

Sheriff: High winds contributed to fatal Kan. motorcycle crash

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>

WASHINGTON — The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a prestigious cultural hub in the nation’s capital, will be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Thursday.

<a href="https://www.kennedy-center.org/about-us/leadership/trustees/">Click here to see the</a> Center's Board of Trustees

The renaming comes after President Donald Trump named himself chair of the board in February in a major shake-up. He later fired the Kennedy Center president as well as board members appointed by President Joe Biden before appointing his own members.

Leavitt said the board unanimously approved the name change. However, a federal statute appears to prohibit the renaming of portions of the center, which is considered a living memorial to Kennedy.

“After December 2, 1983, no additional memorials or plaques in the nature of memorials shall be designated or installed in the public areas of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,”&nbsp;<a href="https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title20/chapter3/subchapter5&amp;edition=prelim" target="_blank">according to the U.S. code.&nbsp;</a>

Congress likely would need to change the law for the center to be renamed officially.&nbsp;

The Kennedy Center was renamed in 1964 to honor President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated.

Leavitt said the renaming was “because of the unbelievable work President Trump has done over the last year in saving the building. Not only from the standpoint of its reconstruction, but also financially, and its reputation.”

“Congratulations to President Donald J. Trump, and likewise, congratulations to President Kennedy, because this will be a truly great team long into the future!,” she wrote.

Since the president’s takeover of the center, major artists and performers have canceled performances or boycotted performing. The artist Issa Rae, and the musical “Hamilton” will no longer perform at the center and dozens of cast members of “Les Misérables” refused to perform for Trump officials earlier this year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766113484318.png" alt="The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which the White House said will be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center. (Photo courtesy of Kennedy Center) " />
 <figcaption>The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which the White House said will be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center. (Photo courtesy of Kennedy Center) </figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>WASHINGTON — The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a prestigious cultural hub in the nation’s capital, will be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Thursday.<a href="https://www.kennedy-center.org/about-us/leadership/trustees/">Click here to see the</a> Center's Board of TrusteesThe renaming comes after President Donald Trump named himself chair of the board in February in a major shake-up. He later fired the Kennedy Center president as well as board members appointed by President Joe Biden before appointing his own members.Leavitt said the board unanimously approved the name change. However, a federal statute appears to prohibit the renaming of portions of the center, which is considered a living memorial to Kennedy.“After December 2, 1983, no additional memorials or plaques in the nature of memorials shall be designated or installed in the public areas of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,”&nbsp;<a href="https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title20/chapter3/subchapter5&amp;edition=prelim" target="_blank">according to the U.S. code.&nbsp;</a>Congress likely would need to change the law for the center to be renamed officially.&nbsp;The Kennedy Center was renamed in 1964 to honor President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated.Leavitt said the renaming was “because of the unbelievable work President Trump has done over the last year in saving the building. Not only from the standpoint of its reconstruction, but also financially, and its reputation.”“Congratulations to President Donald J. Trump, and likewise, congratulations to President Kennedy, because this will be a truly great team long into the future!,” she wrote.Since the president’s takeover of the center, major artists and performers have canceled performances or boycotted performing. The artist Issa Rae, and the musical “Hamilton” will no longer perform at the center and dozens of cast members of “Les Misérables” refused to perform for Trump officials earlier this year.

Controversy: Kennedy Center to be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas teen who admitted her role in an acid attack on another girl is going to prison.

On Friday Judge Tyler Rousch sentenced Tayronnia West, who was 18 at the time of the crime, to 34 months in prison and 24 months of post release supervision,&nbsp; according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The judge followed the state’s recommendations and denied a motion for a departure to probation.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas teen who admitted her role in an acid attack on another girl is expected to learn her fate Friday.

A sentencing hearing for Tayronnia West, who was 18 at the time of the crime is scheduled in Judge Tyler Rousch's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In September, West pled guilty to Reckless Aggravated Battery, severity level 5, person felony, according to the District Attorney's office.&nbsp;

In June Judge Tyler Rousch sentenced West's accomplice Ye'Kira Acoya Hollins, who was 18, at the time of the crime, to 34 months in prison and 24 months of post-release supervision, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. A&nbsp;jury found Hollins guilty of aggravated battery. She is being held in the Topeka Correctional facility and has been disciplined five times since June, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

In May of 2024, police responded to a disturbance in the 400 block of N Dodge in Wichita, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses. The victim in this case, an 18-year-old girl later arrived at an area hospital with second degree burns to the face and neck believed to be caused by a suspect throwing an acidic liquid on her during a fight.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766269444506.png" alt="West-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>West-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas teen who admitted her role in an acid attack on another girl is going to prison.On Friday Judge Tyler Rousch sentenced Tayronnia West, who was 18 at the time of the crime, to 34 months in prison and 24 months of post release supervision,&nbsp; according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;The judge followed the state’s recommendations and denied a motion for a departure to probation.------------------SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas teen who admitted her role in an acid attack on another girl is expected to learn her fate Friday.A sentencing hearing for Tayronnia West, who was 18 at the time of the crime is scheduled in Judge Tyler Rousch's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;In September, West pled guilty to Reckless Aggravated Battery, severity level 5, person felony, according to the District Attorney's office.&nbsp;In June Judge Tyler Rousch sentenced West's accomplice Ye'Kira Acoya Hollins, who was 18, at the time of the crime, to 34 months in prison and 24 months of post-release supervision, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. A&nbsp;jury found Hollins guilty of aggravated battery. She is being held in the Topeka Correctional facility and has been disciplined five times since June, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.In May of 2024, police responded to a disturbance in the 400 block of N Dodge in Wichita, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses. The victim in this case, an 18-year-old girl later arrived at an area hospital with second degree burns to the face and neck believed to be caused by a suspect throwing an acidic liquid on her during a fight.&nbsp;

Sentencing day for acid attack on Kansas teen

Hutchinson police investigated a reported threat at Central Christian School overnight and determined it was not credible, according to authorities.

Captain Dayton Gates with the Hutchinson Police Department said the school received a threatening message on its voicemail overnight. Officers responded to the campus and conducted a sweep of the building as a precaution and cleared the school after finding no validity to the threat.

Central Christian School notified families through a parent alert, stating that a threat had been made and that police were on scene assisting students in relocating to Union Valley Bible Church as a precaution. The message said officials did not believe the threat was credible but were taking all necessary safety measures and would provide updates as available.

Dr. John Walker, superintendent of Central Christian School, said the matter remains under investigation.

“A threat was made to Central Christian School this morning. This is an ongoing investigation being handled in coordination with the Hutchinson Police Department. Students and staff are safe. At this time, we do not have any additional information to share,” Walker said.

Walker later said that, out of an abundance of caution, school was canceled for the day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766164026374.png" alt="-Hutchinson Police investigate threat made to Central Christian School (Marc Jacobs/Hutch Post" />
 <figcaption>-Hutchinson Police investigate threat made to Central Christian School (Marc Jacobs/Hutch Post</figcaption>
 </figure>MARC JACOBS Hutch Post&nbsp;Hutchinson police investigated a reported threat at Central Christian School overnight and determined it was not credible, according to authorities.Captain Dayton Gates with the Hutchinson Police Department said the school received a threatening message on its voicemail overnight. Officers responded to the campus and conducted a sweep of the building as a precaution and cleared the school after finding no validity to the threat.Central Christian School notified families through a parent alert, stating that a threat had been made and that police were on scene assisting students in relocating to Union Valley Bible Church as a precaution. The message said officials did not believe the threat was credible but were taking all necessary safety measures and would provide updates as available.Dr. John Walker, superintendent of Central Christian School, said the matter remains under investigation.“A threat was made to Central Christian School this morning. This is an ongoing investigation being handled in coordination with the Hutchinson Police Department. Students and staff are safe. At this time, we do not have any additional information to share,” Walker said.Walker later said that, out of an abundance of caution, school was canceled for the day.

Police investigate voice mail threat at Kansas school

RILEY COUNTY – Law enforcement investigating a homicide that occurred&nbsp; in the 800 Block of Colorado Street in Manhattan on December 6, have made additional arrests.

On Thursday, police arrested Danielle Sanchez, 47, of Manhattan, in the 1000 block of Pottawatomie Court on requested charges of interference with a law enforcement officer; conceal/alter/destroy evidence in a felony case and attempted obstruction of apprehension of prosecution; committed or charged with a felony, according to al media release from the Riley County Police Department.

On December 10, police arrested Joleann Killham, 24, and Eli Smith, 22, both of Manhattan on requested charges of interference with a&nbsp;law enforcement officer; conceal/alter/destroy evidence in a felony case and obstructing apprehension of prosecution; committed or charged with a felony. 

Sanchez and Killham and Smith met the requirement of a $10,000 bond and are no longer in custody. Smith remains confined, according to the RCPD.

These arrests are the results of continued investigative efforts following the apprehension of Erick Sanchez-Chavez, 29, of Manhattan, who was arrested on Dec. 8 and charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault and criminal threat in the death of 36-year-old Mark Rickenbaker. Sanchez-Chavez is being held on a $1,000,000 bond.

RILEY COUNTY – Law enforcement investigating a homicide that occurred&nbsp; in the 800 Block of Colorado Street in Manhattan on December 6, have made additional arrests.On Thursday, police arrested Danielle Sanchez, 47, of Manhattan, in the 1000 block of Pottawatomie Court on requested charges of interference with a law enforcement officer; conceal/alter/destroy evidence in a felony case and attempted obstruction of apprehension of prosecution; committed or charged with a felony, according to al media release from the Riley County Police Department.On December 10, police arrested Joleann Killham, 24, and Eli Smith, 22, both of Manhattan on requested charges of interference with a&nbsp;law enforcement officer; conceal/alter/destroy evidence in a felony case and obstructing apprehension of prosecution; committed or charged with a felony. Sanchez and Killham and Smith met the requirement of a $10,000 bond and are no longer in custody. Smith remains confined, according to the RCPD.These arrests are the results of continued investigative efforts following the apprehension of Erick Sanchez-Chavez, 29, of Manhattan, who was arrested on Dec. 8 and charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault and criminal threat in the death of 36-year-old Mark Rickenbaker. Sanchez-Chavez is being held on a $1,000,000 bond.

3 more accused in connection with homicide in Manhattan

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military said Thursday that it had conducted two more strikes against boats it said were smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing five people.

U.S. Southern Command posted on social media, “Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” though it did not provide evidence. It posted videos of each boat speeding through water before being struck by an explosion.

The military said three people in one vessel and two in the other were killed.

The attacks brought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">the total number of known boat strikes</a>&nbsp;to 28 while at least 104 people have been killed, according to numbers announced by the Trump administration. President Donald Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e">justified the attacks</a>&nbsp;as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and asserted the U.S. is engaged in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">“armed conflict” with drug cartels</a>.

The administration is facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-pete-hegseth-venezuela-9f46a5f074b5b3c979ee41082949b196">increasing scrutiny from lawmakers</a>&nbsp;over the boat strike campaign. The first attack in early September involved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-strike-video-footage-boat-caribbean-3cf2ca9cbe4523978e935b99c2979caa">a follow-up strike that killed two survivors</a>&nbsp;clinging to the wreckage of a boat after the first hit.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military said Thursday that it had conducted two more strikes against boats it said were smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing five people.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">On Dec. 18, at the direction of <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted lethal kinetic strikes on two vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known… <a href="https://t.co/CcCyOgYRto">pic.twitter.com/CcCyOgYRto</a>&mdash; U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/Southcom/status/2001840669313135099?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>U.S. Southern Command posted on social media, “Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” though it did not provide evidence. It posted videos of each boat speeding through water before being struck by an explosion.The military said three people in one vessel and two in the other were killed.The attacks brought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">the total number of known boat strikes</a>&nbsp;to 28 while at least 104 people have been killed, according to numbers announced by the Trump administration. President Donald Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e">justified the attacks</a>&nbsp;as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and asserted the U.S. is engaged in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">“armed conflict” with drug cartels</a>.The administration is facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-pete-hegseth-venezuela-9f46a5f074b5b3c979ee41082949b196">increasing scrutiny from lawmakers</a>&nbsp;over the boat strike campaign. The first attack in early September involved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-strike-video-footage-boat-caribbean-3cf2ca9cbe4523978e935b99c2979caa">a follow-up strike that killed two survivors</a>&nbsp;clinging to the wreckage of a boat after the first hit.

🎥US strikes 2 more drug boats killing 5 'narco-terrorists'

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee’s governor pardoned country star&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jelly-roll">Jelly Roll</a>&nbsp;on Thursday for his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jelly-roll-pardon-nashville-tennessee-9f3f76fc1692b874d0c9df6b0941ae61">criminal past</a>&nbsp;in the state, acknowledging the Nashville native’s long road back from drugs and prison through soul-searching, songwriting and advocacy for second chances.

The rapper-turned-singer whose legal name is Jason Deford has spoken for years about his redemption arc before diverse audiences, from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jelly-roll-oregon-prison-concert-2477195ba3ae8227e3c45c9e08755e78">people serving time</a>&nbsp;in correctional centers to concert crowds and even in testimony before Congress.

Republican Gov. Bill Lee issued the pardon after friends and civic leaders of the Grammy-nominated musician joined in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jelly-roll-pardon-nashville-tennessee-9f3f76fc1692b874d0c9df6b0941ae61">outpouring of support.</a>

Jelly Roll’s convictions include robbery and drug felonies. He has said a pardon would make it easier for him to travel internationally for concert tours and to perform Christian missionary work without filling out burdensome paperwork.

He was one of 33 people to receive pardons Thursday from Lee, who for years has issued clemency decisions around the Christmas season. Lee said Jelly Roll’s application underwent the same monthslong thorough review as other applicants. The state parole board gave a nonbinding, unanimous recommendation for Jelly Roll’s pardon in April.

“His story is remarkable, and it’s a redemptive, powerful story, which is what you look for and what you hope for,” Lee told reporters.

Jelly Roll and Lee meet at the governor’s mansion

Lee said he never met Jelly Roll until Thursday, when the musician visited the governor’s mansion over the pardon news. The two hugged in front of a lit Christmas tree and a fireplace decorated with holiday garlands.

Unlike recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rudy-giuliani-donald-trump-pardons-2020-election-73348c1c5d2779741bf8af5b5ffb1472">high-profile federal pardons</a>, which let people off the hook for prison, a Tennessee pardon serves as a statement of forgiveness for someone who has already completed a prison sentence. Pardons offer a path to restoring certain civil rights such as the right to vote, although there are some legal limitations, and the governor can specify the terms.

Jelly Roll broke into country music with the 2023 album “Whitsitt Chapel” and crossover songs like “Need a Favor.” He has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cmt-awards-2024-ec7a3a43a049efc0ec1452811bcb9e39">won multiple CMT Awards</a>, a CMA Award and also picked up seven career Grammy nominations.

Much of his music deals with overcoming adversity, like the song “Winning Streak” about someone’s first day sober. Or the direct-and-to-the-point, “I Am Not Okay.”

“When I first started doing this, I was just telling my story of my broken self,” he told The Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jelly-roll-2026-grammy-awards-interview-0ab1d082afb24e096b3e04aaa15de9b2">in an interview</a>. “By the time I got through it, I realized that my story was the story of many. So now I’m not telling my story anymore. I’m getting to pull it right from the crevices of the people whose story’s never been told.”

Jelly Roll: '‘I was a part of the problem’

Before the parole board, Jelly Roll said he first fell in love with songwriting while in custody, calling music a therapeutic passion project that “would end up changing my life in ways that I never dreamed imaginable.”

Outside of sold-out shows, he’s testified before the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/clip/public-affairs-event/music-artist-jelly-roll-appeals-to-congress-to-take-action-on-fentanyl-crisis/5101539" target="_blank">U.S. Senate</a>&nbsp;about the dangers of fentanyl, describing his drug-dealing younger self as “the uneducated man in the kitchen playing chemist with drugs I knew absolutely nothing about.”

“I was a part of the problem,” he told lawmakers at the time. “I am here now standing as a man that wants to be a part of the solution.”

Jelly Roll’s most serious convictions include a robbery at 17 and drug charges at 23. In the first case, a female acquaintance helped Jelly Roll and two armed accomplices steal $350 from people in a home in 2002. Because the victims knew the female acquaintance, she and Jelly Roll were quickly arrested. Jelly Roll was unarmed, and was sentenced to one year in prison plus probation.

In another run-in 2008, police found marijuana and crack cocaine in his car, leading to eight years of court-ordered supervision.

Sheriff whose jail held Jelly Roll urged a pardon

Friends and civic leaders cited his transformation in backing a pardon.

Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall, who runs Nashville’s jail, wrote that Jelly Roll had an awakening in one of the jails he managed. Live Nation Entertainment CEO and President Michael Rapino cited Jelly Roll’s donations from his performances to charities for at-risk youth.

“I think he has a chance and is in the process of rehabilitating a generation, and that’s not just words,” Hall said in a phone interview Thursday. “I’m talking about what I see we need in our country, is people who accept responsibility, accept the fact that they make mistakes and accept the fact that they need help.”

The parole board began considering Jelly Roll’s pardon application in October 2024, which marks the state’s five-year timeline for eligibility after his sentence expired. Prominent Nashville attorney David Raybin represented Jelly Roll in the pardon case.

Lee’s office said no one was pardoned Thursday who had a homicide or a sex-related conviction, or for any crime committed as an adult against a minor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766106542975.png" alt="Photo provided by the office of Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee" />
 <figcaption>Photo provided by the office of Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee</figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee’s governor pardoned country star&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jelly-roll">Jelly Roll</a>&nbsp;on Thursday for his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jelly-roll-pardon-nashville-tennessee-9f3f76fc1692b874d0c9df6b0941ae61">criminal past</a>&nbsp;in the state, acknowledging the Nashville native’s long road back from drugs and prison through soul-searching, songwriting and advocacy for second chances.The rapper-turned-singer whose legal name is Jason Deford has spoken for years about his redemption arc before diverse audiences, from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jelly-roll-oregon-prison-concert-2477195ba3ae8227e3c45c9e08755e78">people serving time</a>&nbsp;in correctional centers to concert crowds and even in testimony before Congress.Republican Gov. Bill Lee issued the pardon after friends and civic leaders of the Grammy-nominated musician joined in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jelly-roll-pardon-nashville-tennessee-9f3f76fc1692b874d0c9df6b0941ae61">outpouring of support.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766106522340.png" alt="Photo provided by the office of Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee shows Gov. Bill Lee, left, giving country musician Jelly Roll news of his official pardon&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo provided by the office of Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee shows Gov. Bill Lee, left, giving country musician Jelly Roll news of his official pardon&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Jelly Roll’s convictions include robbery and drug felonies. He has said a pardon would make it easier for him to travel internationally for concert tours and to perform Christian missionary work without filling out burdensome paperwork.He was one of 33 people to receive pardons Thursday from Lee, who for years has issued clemency decisions around the Christmas season. Lee said Jelly Roll’s application underwent the same monthslong thorough review as other applicants. The state parole board gave a nonbinding, unanimous recommendation for Jelly Roll’s pardon in April.“His story is remarkable, and it’s a redemptive, powerful story, which is what you look for and what you hope for,” Lee told reporters.<h2>Jelly Roll and Lee meet at the governor’s mansion</h2>Lee said he never met Jelly Roll until Thursday, when the musician visited the governor’s mansion over the pardon news. The two hugged in front of a lit Christmas tree and a fireplace decorated with holiday garlands.Unlike recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rudy-giuliani-donald-trump-pardons-2020-election-73348c1c5d2779741bf8af5b5ffb1472">high-profile federal pardons</a>, which let people off the hook for prison, a Tennessee pardon serves as a statement of forgiveness for someone who has already completed a prison sentence. Pardons offer a path to restoring certain civil rights such as the right to vote, although there are some legal limitations, and the governor can specify the terms.Jelly Roll broke into country music with the 2023 album “Whitsitt Chapel” and crossover songs like “Need a Favor.” He has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cmt-awards-2024-ec7a3a43a049efc0ec1452811bcb9e39">won multiple CMT Awards</a>, a CMA Award and also picked up seven career Grammy nominations.Much of his music deals with overcoming adversity, like the song “Winning Streak” about someone’s first day sober. Or the direct-and-to-the-point, “I Am Not Okay.”“When I first started doing this, I was just telling my story of my broken self,” he told The Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jelly-roll-2026-grammy-awards-interview-0ab1d082afb24e096b3e04aaa15de9b2">in an interview</a>. “By the time I got through it, I realized that my story was the story of many. So now I’m not telling my story anymore. I’m getting to pull it right from the crevices of the people whose story’s never been told.”<h2>Jelly Roll: '‘I was a part of the problem’</h2>Before the parole board, Jelly Roll said he first fell in love with songwriting while in custody, calling music a therapeutic passion project that “would end up changing my life in ways that I never dreamed imaginable.”Outside of sold-out shows, he’s testified before the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/clip/public-affairs-event/music-artist-jelly-roll-appeals-to-congress-to-take-action-on-fentanyl-crisis/5101539" target="_blank">U.S. Senate</a>&nbsp;about the dangers of fentanyl, describing his drug-dealing younger self as “the uneducated man in the kitchen playing chemist with drugs I knew absolutely nothing about.”“I was a part of the problem,” he told lawmakers at the time. “I am here now standing as a man that wants to be a part of the solution.”Jelly Roll’s most serious convictions include a robbery at 17 and drug charges at 23. In the first case, a female acquaintance helped Jelly Roll and two armed accomplices steal $350 from people in a home in 2002. Because the victims knew the female acquaintance, she and Jelly Roll were quickly arrested. Jelly Roll was unarmed, and was sentenced to one year in prison plus probation.In another run-in 2008, police found marijuana and crack cocaine in his car, leading to eight years of court-ordered supervision.<h2>Sheriff whose jail held Jelly Roll urged a pardon</h2>Friends and civic leaders cited his transformation in backing a pardon.Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall, who runs Nashville’s jail, wrote that Jelly Roll had an awakening in one of the jails he managed. Live Nation Entertainment CEO and President Michael Rapino cited Jelly Roll’s donations from his performances to charities for at-risk youth.“I think he has a chance and is in the process of rehabilitating a generation, and that’s not just words,” Hall said in a phone interview Thursday. “I’m talking about what I see we need in our country, is people who accept responsibility, accept the fact that they make mistakes and accept the fact that they need help.”The parole board began considering Jelly Roll’s pardon application in October 2024, which marks the state’s five-year timeline for eligibility after his sentence expired. Prominent Nashville attorney David Raybin represented Jelly Roll in the pardon case.Lee’s office said no one was pardoned Thursday who had a homicide or a sex-related conviction, or for any crime committed as an adult against a minor.

Jelly Roll pardoned by Tennessee governor for robbery, drug convictions

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Thursday afternoon in Leavenworth.&nbsp;

Just after 3:30 p.m., the Leavenworth Police Department received several calls reporting an armed man behind the bank located at 601 Delaware St. in Leavenworth, according to a media release from the KBI.&nbsp; Multiple officers arrived and located a man who was armed with a rifle and wearing a trench coat and a surgical mask. Officers made contact with the man, who was later identified as Andrew L. Hutchinson, 24, of Leavenworth.&nbsp;

Preliminary information indicates that Hutchison briefly complied with commands to get on the ground, but then fled on foot through the alley behind the bank. Multiple officers chased Hutchison. During the chase one officer fired toward Hutchinson, striking him.&nbsp;

The rifle was secured, and officers and EMS rendered aid to Hutchinson. He was then transported to an area hospital. Hutchinson is currently in stable condition, and is expected to recover from his injuries.

No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.

This independent investigation aims to discover all events leading up to the officer-involved shooting. In police use of force cases, the KBI releases details to the public as soon as possible. This information is preliminary in nature, and is based on evidence collected and early statements of the parties involved, witnesses, medical personnel and others. It does not represent final or thorough findings which take several weeks to complete.

When this investigation concludes, case findings will be presented to the Leavenworth County Attorney for determination of charges. The investigation is ongoing.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an officer involved shooting in Leavenworth County.

Just after 4p.m. Thursday, police responded to a report of a suspicious person near 6th and and Shawnee Street in Leavenworth, according to a media release.

Officers found a person wielding a rifle and wearing a mask and trench coat. Officers did shoot the armed suspect.&nbsp; The suspect was transported to an area hospital. Police did not release details on what led up the shooting or the the condition of the hospitalized suspect. No officers were injured.&nbsp; The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is in charge of the investigation.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Thursday afternoon in Leavenworth.&nbsp;Just after 3:30 p.m., the Leavenworth Police Department received several calls reporting an armed man behind the bank located at 601 Delaware St. in Leavenworth, according to a media release from the KBI.&nbsp; Multiple officers arrived and located a man who was armed with a rifle and wearing a trench coat and a surgical mask. Officers made contact with the man, who was later identified as Andrew L. Hutchinson, 24, of Leavenworth.&nbsp;Preliminary information indicates that Hutchison briefly complied with commands to get on the ground, but then fled on foot through the alley behind the bank. Multiple officers chased Hutchison. During the chase one officer fired toward Hutchinson, striking him.&nbsp;The rifle was secured, and officers and EMS rendered aid to Hutchinson. He was then transported to an area hospital. Hutchinson is currently in stable condition, and is expected to recover from his injuries.No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.This independent investigation aims to discover all events leading up to the officer-involved shooting. In police use of force cases, the KBI releases details to the public as soon as possible. This information is preliminary in nature, and is based on evidence collected and early statements of the parties involved, witnesses, medical personnel and others. It does not represent final or thorough findings which take several weeks to complete.When this investigation concludes, case findings will be presented to the Leavenworth County Attorney for determination of charges. The investigation is ongoing.---------------LEAVENWORTH COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an officer involved shooting in Leavenworth County.Just after 4p.m. Thursday, police responded to a report of a suspicious person near 6th and and Shawnee Street in Leavenworth, according to a media release.Officers found a person wielding a rifle and wearing a mask and trench coat. Officers did shoot the armed suspect.&nbsp; The suspect was transported to an area hospital. Police did not release details on what led up the shooting or the the condition of the hospitalized suspect. No officers were injured.&nbsp; The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is in charge of the investigation.

KBI: Police shot armed man who was wearing a trench coat, mask

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a shooting in southwest Kansas that sent a victim to the hospital.

Just before 7p.m. Dec. 15, sheriff's deputies responded to the 3000 block of W. Jones Avenue in Garden City, according to a media release.

First responders found a 44-year-old Garden City man in his home suffering from a gunshot wound. The man was provided care, transported to the hospital and was listed in stable condition. Preliminary investigation indicates the shooter shot through the front door of the residence, striking the victim. Investigators released no additional details and have not reported an arrest.

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a shooting in southwest Kansas that sent a victim to the hospital.Just before 7p.m. Dec. 15, sheriff's deputies responded to the 3000 block of W. Jones Avenue in Garden City, according to a media release.First responders found a 44-year-old Garden City man in his home suffering from a gunshot wound. The man was provided care, transported to the hospital and was listed in stable condition. Preliminary investigation indicates the shooter shot through the front door of the residence, striking the victim. Investigators released no additional details and have not reported an arrest.

Sheriff: Man shot through front door of SW Kansas home

Due to recent delays in heating propane, on Dec. 17 Governor Laura Kelly signed a proclamation of State of Disaster Emergency for all 105 Kansas counties, according to a media release from Kelly's office.

“As every Kansan knows, our winters can become dangerously cold at times,” said Governor Kelly. “We want to make sure every person has access to a steady supply of heating fuel throughout the winter months, particularly those in rural areas who depend on propane to warm their homes.”

The proclamation states “Areas within Kansas and surrounding state are experiencing a delay in delivery of propane for residential heating, causing long lines at fuel terminals thereby causing a disruption in supply delivery and a need for drivers to increase the number of hours of service to deliver product.”

In response, Governor Kelly ordered the adjutant general, director of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, to activate the disaster response and recovery portions of the Kansas Response Plan. The governor also temporarily suspended any regulatory statutes that would hinder or delay timely response to heating fuel deliveries.

The proclamation covers dates through Dec. 31, 2025.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573129144676.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Due to recent delays in heating propane, on Dec. 17 Governor Laura Kelly signed a proclamation of State of Disaster Emergency for all 105 Kansas counties, according to a media release from Kelly's office.“As every Kansan knows, our winters can become dangerously cold at times,” said Governor Kelly. “We want to make sure every person has access to a steady supply of heating fuel throughout the winter months, particularly those in rural areas who depend on propane to warm their homes.”The proclamation states “Areas within Kansas and surrounding state are experiencing a delay in delivery of propane for residential heating, causing long lines at fuel terminals thereby causing a disruption in supply delivery and a need for drivers to increase the number of hours of service to deliver product.”In response, Governor Kelly ordered the adjutant general, director of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, to activate the disaster response and recovery portions of the Kansas Response Plan. The governor also temporarily suspended any regulatory statutes that would hinder or delay timely response to heating fuel deliveries.The proclamation covers dates through Dec. 31, 2025.

Kan. Governor declares state of emergency over propane delays

RENO COUNTY—As of 8:25 p.m., the evacuation has been lifted for the North Plum area near Hutchinson, according to a statement from the Hutchinson Fire Department.&nbsp; All residents are allowed to return home.&nbsp; There was some smoke drifting across Plum near 69th&nbsp;street.&nbsp;&nbsp;

All mutual aid, in county and out of county task forces have been released from the scene on North Plum. HFD is still on scene working a few hot spots and hay bale fires. Hutchinson crews will remain in the area overnight on patrol. Projection for tomorrow shows a wind shift out of the South. Crews have already solidified the North perimeter in preparation of this. HFD will be on site tomorrow patrolling the area and doing a damage assessment.

No homes have been reported damaged. No injuries of firefighters or residents. Approx. 500 acres burnt. Cause is currently under investigation.

The evacuation area will be lifted later tonight. Our concern with this at this hour is the smoke drifting across Plum Street from a large amount of hay bales on fire. When this dissipates, all areas will be open. As residents return, please keep an eye out on your property and advise 911 if you feel there is a threat. You will see areas burning, these will mostly be in the middle of a burnt area. Again, crews will be in the area all night.

Hutchinson Fire could not have done this without the help of great mutual aid partners. We thank all that were willing to assists us. 100 firefighters from multiple departments over 4 counties, multiple reno county agencies, and business partners.

Fire crews are working grass fires in many areas across Kansas as the National Weather Service issued high wind and red flag warnings for Thursday.

Early Thursday afternoon, Reno county emergency management was evacuating an area between Plum Street and K 61 and north of 68th Avenue and south of 82nd Avenue.

The Buhler USD 313 evacuated Plum Creek Elementary to Cross Point Church at 1410 East 30th Avenue. The district says parents will need to pick up their students at the church after 2:15pm today, the district says not to go to Plum Creek because of the evacuation process. If you have any questions, you can call the Buhler central office at 620-543-2258.&nbsp;

On his social media page, Trooper Tod Hileman shared video of the wildfire burning in southeast Russell County. He urged the public to avoid the area as firefighters work to contain it.

Due to the wildfire north of Hutchinson, the Kansas State Fairgrounds is accepting horses only for temporary emergency shelter, effective immediately and until further notice.

Horse owners needing shelter may bring animals to the Fairgrounds by entering through Gate 10. Upon arrival, owners must stop at the Stalling Office, located just inside Gate 10 next to the Big Red Barn, to provide contact information and receive directions.

Horses will be separated by travel history to protect animal health. Horses that have traveled within the past 15 days will be housed in Barn 1, while horses that have remained local will be placed in Barns 2 and 3.

The Kansas State Fair will provide water. Owners should bring feed, buckets, halters, medications, and any other necessary supplies. Trailers may park in the Midway area.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766110021103.jpeg" alt="Firefighters continue to put out burning bales of hay Thursday evening west of Plum Street near 69th Avenue. (Photo courtesy Sandra Milburn)" />
 <figcaption>Firefighters continue to put out burning bales of hay Thursday evening west of Plum Street near 69th Avenue. (Photo courtesy Sandra Milburn)</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY—As of 8:25 p.m., the evacuation has been lifted for the North Plum area near Hutchinson, according to a statement from the Hutchinson Fire Department.&nbsp; All residents are allowed to return home.&nbsp; There was some smoke drifting across Plum near 69th&nbsp;street.&nbsp;&nbsp;7p.m. All mutual aid, in county and out of county task forces have been released from the scene on North Plum. HFD is still on scene working a few hot spots and hay bale fires. Hutchinson crews will remain in the area overnight on patrol. Projection for tomorrow shows a wind shift out of the South. Crews have already solidified the North perimeter in preparation of this. HFD will be on site tomorrow patrolling the area and doing a damage assessment.No homes have been reported damaged. No injuries of firefighters or residents. Approx. 500 acres burnt. Cause is currently under investigation.The evacuation area will be lifted later tonight. Our concern with this at this hour is the smoke drifting across Plum Street from a large amount of hay bales on fire. When this dissipates, all areas will be open. As residents return, please keep an eye out on your property and advise 911 if you feel there is a threat. You will see areas burning, these will mostly be in the middle of a burnt area. Again, crews will be in the area all night.Hutchinson Fire could not have done this without the help of great mutual aid partners. We thank all that were willing to assists us. 100 firefighters from multiple departments over 4 counties, multiple reno county agencies, and business partners.---------------<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766089811922.png" alt="Image from KHP video" />
 <figcaption>Image from KHP video</figcaption>
 </figure>Fire crews are working grass fires in many areas across Kansas as the National Weather Service issued high wind and red flag warnings for Thursday.Early Thursday afternoon, Reno county emergency management was evacuating an area between Plum Street and K 61 and north of 68th Avenue and south of 82nd Avenue.The Buhler USD 313 evacuated Plum Creek Elementary to Cross Point Church at 1410 East 30th Avenue. The district says parents will need to pick up their students at the church after 2:15pm today, the district says not to go to Plum Creek because of the evacuation process. If you have any questions, you can call the Buhler central office at 620-543-2258.&nbsp;On his social media page, Trooper Tod Hileman shared video of the wildfire burning in southeast Russell County. He urged the public to avoid the area as firefighters work to contain it.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F26129322513342026%2F&show_text=false&width=267&t=0" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Due to the wildfire north of Hutchinson, the Kansas State Fairgrounds is accepting horses only for temporary emergency shelter, effective immediately and until further notice.Horse owners needing shelter may bring animals to the Fairgrounds by entering through Gate 10. Upon arrival, owners must stop at the Stalling Office, located just inside Gate 10 next to the Big Red Barn, to provide contact information and receive directions.Horses will be separated by travel history to protect animal health. Horses that have traveled within the past 15 days will be housed in Barn 1, while horses that have remained local will be placed in Barns 2 and 3.The Kansas State Fair will provide water. Owners should bring feed, buckets, halters, medications, and any other necessary supplies. Trailers may park in the Midway area.

Evacuation order lifted; hundreds of acres burned near Hutchinson

A frantic search for the suspect in last weekend’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-active-shooter-c7c9d1c7da19a76c2a27685c7e63d6da">mass shooting at Brown University</a>&nbsp;ended at a New Hampshire storage facility where authorities discovered the man dead inside and then revealed he also was suspected of killing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mit-professor-shooting-massachusetts-portugal-3ab1e3e7e369de5cef90c7c911995dbb">Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor</a>.

Claudio Neves Valente, 48, a former Brown student and Portuguese national, was found dead Thursday night from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, said Col. Oscar Perez, the Providence police chief.

Investigators believe he is responsible for fatally shooting two students and wounding nine other people in a Brown lecture hall last Saturday, then killing MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro two days later at his home in the Boston suburbs, nearly 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Providence. Perez said as far as investigators know, Neves Valente acted alone.

Brown University President Christina Paxson said Neves Valente was enrolled there as a graduate student studying physics from the fall of 2000 to the spring of 2001.

“He has no current affiliation with the university,” she said.

Neves Valente and Loureiro previously attended the same academic program at a university in Portugal between 1995 and 2000, U.S. attorney for Massachusetts Leah B. Foley said. Loureiro graduated from the physics program at Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal’s premier engineering school, in 2000, according to his MIT faculty page. The same year, Neves Valente was let go from a position at the Lisbon university, according to an archive of a termination notice from the school’s then-president in February 2000.

Neves Valente had come to Brown on a student visa. He eventually obtained legal permanent residence status in September 2017, Foley said. It was not immediately clear where he was between taking a leave of absence from the school in 2001 and getting the visa in 2017. His last known residence was in Miami.

After officials revealed the suspect's identity, President Donald Trump suspended the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-mit-shooting-suspect-green-card-1d6c1d83bc1237a21d0ca65d39981fa8">green card lottery program</a>&nbsp;that allowed Neves Valente to stay in the United States.

There are still “a lot of unknowns” in regard to motive, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said. “We don’t know why now, why Brown, why these students and why this classroom,” he said.

The FBI previously said it knew of no links between the Rhode Island and Massachusetts shootings.

Police credited a person who had several encounters with Neves Valente for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-shooting-university-witness-tipster-e114eb38248e2023dcdf92a29e6c6b30">providing a crucial tip</a>&nbsp;that led authorities to him.

After police shared security video of a person of interest, the witness — known only as “John” in a Providence police affidavit — recognized him and posted his suspicions on the social media forum Reddit. Reddit users urged him to tell the FBI, and John said he did.

John said he had encountered Neves Valente hours earlier in the bathroom of the engineering building where the shooting occurred and noticed he was wearing inappropriate clothing for the weather, according to the affidavit. He again bumped into Neves Valente a couple blocks away and saw him suddenly turn away from a Nissan sedan when he saw John.

“When you do crack it, you crack it. And that person led us to the car, which led us to the name,” Neronha said.

His tip pointed investigators to a Nissan Sentra with Florida plates. That enabled Providence police to tap into a network of more than 70 street cameras operated around the city by surveillance company Flock Safety. Those cameras track license plates and other vehicle details.

After leaving Rhode Island, Providence officials said Neves Valente stuck a Maine license plate over his rental car’s plate to help conceal his identity.

Investigators found footage of Neves Valente entering an apartment building near Loureiro's in a Boston suburb. About an hour later, Neves Valente was seen entering the Salem, New Hampshire, storage facility where he was found dead, Foley said. He had with him a satchel and two firearms, Neronha said.

Victims include renowned physicist, political organizer and aspiring doctor

Loureiro, a 47-year-old physicist and fusion scientist, had joined MIT in 2016 and was named last year to lead the school’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, one of its largest laboratories. The scientist from Viseu, Portugal, had been working to explain the physics behind astronomical phenomena such as solar flares.

The two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-victims-e5b40e867f1a349c5c9b7c4f0e866af8">Brown students killed</a>&nbsp;during a study session for final exams were 19-year-old sophomore Ella Cook and 18-year-old freshman Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov. Cook was active in her Alabama church and served as vice president of the Brown College Republicans. Umurzokov’s family immigrated to the U.S. from Uzbekistan when he was a child, and he aspired to be a doctor.

As for the wounded, three had been discharged and six were in stable condition Thursday, officials said.

Although Brown officials say there are 1,200 cameras on campus, the attack happened in an older part of the engineering building that has few, if any, cameras. And investigators believe the shooter entered and left through a door that faces a residential street bordering campus, which might explain why the cameras Brown does have didn’t capture footage of the person.

Associated Press reporters Mark Scolforo in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu, Hallie Golden in Seattle and Matt O'Brien in Providence contributed.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A man who is suspected of killing two and wounding several others at Brown University has been found dead in a New Hampshire storage facility, a law enforcement official and a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

The man was found dead Thursday evening. He is believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the person familiar with the matter said.

Investigators believe the man is responsible for both the shooting at Brown and the killing of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor who was fatally shot in his Brookline home Monday, the official said. Authorities have not formally confirmed a connection between the two shootings.

The official and the person familiar with the matter could not publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and both spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

Two people were killed and nine were wounded in the mass shooting Saturday at Brown University. The investigation had shifted Thursday when authorities said they were looking into a connection between the Brown mass shooting and an attack&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mit-shooting-nuno-fg-loureiro-portugal-f310824e354180816c33c9f40c0c5195">two days later</a>&nbsp;near Boston that killed MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro.

The FBI previously said it knew of no links between the cases.

It has been nearly a week since the shooting at Brown. There have been other high-profile attacks in which it took days or longer to make an arrest, including in the brazen New York City sidewalk killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO last year, which took five days.

But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-attack-investigation-a79661656428a4952920fd72a8ca21bc">frustration mounted in Providence</a>&nbsp;that the person behind the attack managed to get away and that a clear image of their face hadn't emerged.

What can be learned from past investigations?

In such targeted and highly public attacks, the shooters typically kill themselves or are killed or arrested by police, said Katherine Schweit, a retired FBI agent and expert on mass shootings. When they do get away, searches can take time.

In the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, it took investigators four days to catch up to the two brothers who carried it out. In a 2023 case, Army reservist Robert Card was found dead of an apparent suicide two days after he killed 18 people and wounded 13 others in Lewiston, Maine.

The man accused of killing conservative political figure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooter-search-utah-governor-21ba12bbf01579fd2fbcdbe1da03dae5">Charlie Kirk</a>&nbsp;in September turned himself in about a day and a half after the attack on Utah Valley University's campus. And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-shooting-suspect-c68d0328f278d85fcf201ae89f634098">Luigi Mangione</a>, who has pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan last year, was arrested five days later at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania.

MIT mourns the loss of an esteemed professor

Loureiro, who was married, joined MIT in 2016 and was named last year to lead the school's Plasma Science and Fusion Center, where he worked to advance clean energy technology and other research. The center, one of MIT's largest labs, had more than 250 people working across seven buildings when he took the helm. He was a professor of physics and nuclear science and engineering.

He grew up in Viseu, in central Portugal, and studied in Lisbon before earning a doctorate in London, according to MIT. He was a researcher at an institute for nuclear fusion in Lisbon before joining MIT, the university said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765805502141.png" alt="FILE photo: Police on the scene Saturday-photo courtesy WJAR TV" />
 <figcaption>FILE photo: Police on the scene Saturday-photo courtesy WJAR TV</figcaption>
 </figure>A frantic search for the suspect in last weekend’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-active-shooter-c7c9d1c7da19a76c2a27685c7e63d6da">mass shooting at Brown University</a>&nbsp;ended at a New Hampshire storage facility where authorities discovered the man dead inside and then revealed he also was suspected of killing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mit-professor-shooting-massachusetts-portugal-3ab1e3e7e369de5cef90c7c911995dbb">Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor</a>.Claudio Neves Valente, 48, a former Brown student and Portuguese national, was found dead Thursday night from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, said Col. Oscar Perez, the Providence police chief.Investigators believe he is responsible for fatally shooting two students and wounding nine other people in a Brown lecture hall last Saturday, then killing MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro two days later at his home in the Boston suburbs, nearly 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Providence. Perez said as far as investigators know, Neves Valente acted alone.Brown University President Christina Paxson said Neves Valente was enrolled there as a graduate student studying physics from the fall of 2000 to the spring of 2001.“He has no current affiliation with the university,” she said.Neves Valente and Loureiro previously attended the same academic program at a university in Portugal between 1995 and 2000, U.S. attorney for Massachusetts Leah B. Foley said. Loureiro graduated from the physics program at Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal’s premier engineering school, in 2000, according to his MIT faculty page. The same year, Neves Valente was let go from a position at the Lisbon university, according to an archive of a termination notice from the school’s then-president in February 2000.Neves Valente had come to Brown on a student visa. He eventually obtained legal permanent residence status in September 2017, Foley said. It was not immediately clear where he was between taking a leave of absence from the school in 2001 and getting the visa in 2017. His last known residence was in Miami.After officials revealed the suspect's identity, President Donald Trump suspended the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-mit-shooting-suspect-green-card-1d6c1d83bc1237a21d0ca65d39981fa8">green card lottery program</a>&nbsp;that allowed Neves Valente to stay in the United States.There are still “a lot of unknowns” in regard to motive, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said. “We don’t know why now, why Brown, why these students and why this classroom,” he said.<h2>Tip helps investigators connect the dots</h2>The FBI previously said it knew of no links between the Rhode Island and Massachusetts shootings.Police credited a person who had several encounters with Neves Valente for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-shooting-university-witness-tipster-e114eb38248e2023dcdf92a29e6c6b30">providing a crucial tip</a>&nbsp;that led authorities to him.After police shared security video of a person of interest, the witness — known only as “John” in a Providence police affidavit — recognized him and posted his suspicions on the social media forum Reddit. Reddit users urged him to tell the FBI, and John said he did.John said he had encountered Neves Valente hours earlier in the bathroom of the engineering building where the shooting occurred and noticed he was wearing inappropriate clothing for the weather, according to the affidavit. He again bumped into Neves Valente a couple blocks away and saw him suddenly turn away from a Nissan sedan when he saw John.“When you do crack it, you crack it. And that person led us to the car, which led us to the name,” Neronha said.His tip pointed investigators to a Nissan Sentra with Florida plates. That enabled Providence police to tap into a network of more than 70 street cameras operated around the city by surveillance company Flock Safety. Those cameras track license plates and other vehicle details.After leaving Rhode Island, Providence officials said Neves Valente stuck a Maine license plate over his rental car’s plate to help conceal his identity.Investigators found footage of Neves Valente entering an apartment building near Loureiro's in a Boston suburb. About an hour later, Neves Valente was seen entering the Salem, New Hampshire, storage facility where he was found dead, Foley said. He had with him a satchel and two firearms, Neronha said.<h2>Victims include renowned physicist, political organizer and aspiring doctor</h2>Loureiro, a 47-year-old physicist and fusion scientist, had joined MIT in 2016 and was named last year to lead the school’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, one of its largest laboratories. The scientist from Viseu, Portugal, had been working to explain the physics behind astronomical phenomena such as solar flares.The two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-victims-e5b40e867f1a349c5c9b7c4f0e866af8">Brown students killed</a>&nbsp;during a study session for final exams were 19-year-old sophomore Ella Cook and 18-year-old freshman Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov. Cook was active in her Alabama church and served as vice president of the Brown College Republicans. Umurzokov’s family immigrated to the U.S. from Uzbekistan when he was a child, and he aspired to be a doctor.As for the wounded, three had been discharged and six were in stable condition Thursday, officials said.Although Brown officials say there are 1,200 cameras on campus, the attack happened in an older part of the engineering building that has few, if any, cameras. And investigators believe the shooter entered and left through a door that faces a residential street bordering campus, which might explain why the cameras Brown does have didn’t capture footage of the person.___Associated Press reporters Mark Scolforo in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu, Hallie Golden in Seattle and Matt O'Brien in Providence contributed.---------------PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A man who is suspected of killing two and wounding several others at Brown University has been found dead in a New Hampshire storage facility, a law enforcement official and a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.The man was found dead Thursday evening. He is believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the person familiar with the matter said.Investigators believe the man is responsible for both the shooting at Brown and the killing of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor who was fatally shot in his Brookline home Monday, the official said. Authorities have not formally confirmed a connection between the two shootings.The official and the person familiar with the matter could not publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and both spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.Two people were killed and nine were wounded in the mass shooting Saturday at Brown University. The investigation had shifted Thursday when authorities said they were looking into a connection between the Brown mass shooting and an attack&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mit-shooting-nuno-fg-loureiro-portugal-f310824e354180816c33c9f40c0c5195">two days later</a>&nbsp;near Boston that killed MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro.The FBI previously said it knew of no links between the cases.<h2>How the Brown investigation has unfolded</h2>It has been nearly a week since the shooting at Brown. There have been other high-profile attacks in which it took days or longer to make an arrest, including in the brazen New York City sidewalk killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO last year, which took five days.But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-shooting-attack-investigation-a79661656428a4952920fd72a8ca21bc">frustration mounted in Providence</a>&nbsp;that the person behind the attack managed to get away and that a clear image of their face hadn't emerged.Although Brown officials say there are 1,200 cameras on campus, the attack happened in an older part of the engineering building that has few, if any, cameras. And investigators believe the shooter entered and left through a door that faces a residential street bordering campus, which might explain why the cameras Brown does have didn’t capture footage of the person.<h2>What can be learned from past investigations?</h2>In such targeted and highly public attacks, the shooters typically kill themselves or are killed or arrested by police, said Katherine Schweit, a retired FBI agent and expert on mass shootings. When they do get away, searches can take time.In the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, it took investigators four days to catch up to the two brothers who carried it out. In a 2023 case, Army reservist Robert Card was found dead of an apparent suicide two days after he killed 18 people and wounded 13 others in Lewiston, Maine.The man accused of killing conservative political figure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooter-search-utah-governor-21ba12bbf01579fd2fbcdbe1da03dae5">Charlie Kirk</a>&nbsp;in September turned himself in about a day and a half after the attack on Utah Valley University's campus. And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-shooting-suspect-c68d0328f278d85fcf201ae89f634098">Luigi Mangione</a>, who has pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan last year, was arrested five days later at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania.<h2>MIT mourns the loss of an esteemed professor</h2>Loureiro, who was married, joined MIT in 2016 and was named last year to lead the school's Plasma Science and Fusion Center, where he worked to advance clean energy technology and other research. The center, one of MIT's largest labs, had more than 250 people working across seven buildings when he took the helm. He was a professor of physics and nuclear science and engineering.He grew up in Viseu, in central Portugal, and studied in Lisbon before earning a doctorate in London, according to MIT. He was a researcher at an institute for nuclear fusion in Lisbon before joining MIT, the university said.“He shone a bright light as a mentor, friend, teacher, colleague and leader, and was universally admired for his articulate, compassionate manner,” Dennis Whyte, an engineering professor who previously led MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, told a campus publication.Loureiro had said he hoped his work would shape the future.“It’s not hyperbole to say MIT is where you go to find solutions to humanity’s biggest problems,” Loureiro said when he was named to&nbsp;<a href="https://news.mit.edu/2024/nuno-loureiro-named-director-mit-plasma-science-fusion-center-0501">lead the plasma science lab</a>&nbsp;last year. “Fusion energy will change the course of human history.”