(NEW YORK) -- A daredevil couple who climbed to the top of the Empire State Building on Wednesday appeared to have broken through a door to get to the antenna, investigators revealed Thursday before the pair was given a supervised release.

Officers could not go up to the couple during their stunt, which ended with one of the climbers proposing to the other, because they had to power the antenna down for safety, investigators said.

Angelina Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, both Russians with a current address in East Orange, New Jersey, were charged with multiple felonies in Manhattan Criminal Court including reckless endangerment, burglary and other charges. They did not enter a plea.

"We will do supervised release. We will do it at a low level," a judge said Thursday.

Still despite the serious charges and dangerous aspects of their stunt, the two were all smiles and kissed for cameras on Thursday as the newly engaged pair left court.

"We love New York," Kuznetsov said after the court appearance.

Kuznetsov told detectives he had to "do something special for his engagement," according to the complaint.

Jason Krinsky, an attorney who is representing the couple, said the district attorney's office "overcharged" the case.

"They are trying to send a message," Krinsky said after the court appearance about the prosecutors' charges. 

"As far as what I've seen, and I'm sure you have all seen, It was a message of love. You know, that's a nice thing."

The couple appeared in court wearing the same black outfits they had during their stunt. Their next court appearance is August 24.

They held hands and smiled after they left court and barely spoke to reporters who asked questions about the stunt and their wedding plans.

Just before the couple entered a subway, they posed for cameras with a long kiss.

The DA's criminal complaint provided more details on how the couple allegedly climbed their way to the 1,454 foot peak of the building.

The complaint alleges that a lock on the security door to the Empire State Building's 104th floor, which provides access to the building's broadcast antenna, was broken.

An officer told prosecutors that there was an additional safety risk for the couple and first responders as the antenna "emits high-frequency radio signals that are powerful enough to cause harm to the human body," the criminal complaint said.

"As a result, the antenna was powered down before members of the NYPD Emergency Services Unit could approach the two individuals on and around the broadcast antenna," the criminal complaint said.

First responders had to wait 30 minutes while the antenna powered down before they could approach the couple, according to the complaint.

Nikolau and Kuznetsov, who have gained an online following for their death-defying skyscraper climbs around the world, stayed on top of the structure for several minutes as cameras rolled on the action before they came down the spire, the New York Police Department said.

They unfurled a black banner with an apparent reference to a Jimi Hendrix quote and said in white letters, "When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace."

Kuznetsov, who is also known as Ivan Beerkus, appeared to propose to his longtime girlfriend before they were taken into custody.

They posted close up photos of the proposal and the ring on social media before they were taken into custody.

Security was supposed to have been strengthened following previous attempts by trespassers to take selfies near the spire.

Officials said they believe the two may have observed building employees and used a worker entrance to get around the screening.

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(NEW YORK) -- A dangerous heat wave is bringing prolonged extreme heat to more than two dozen states across the Midwest, the South and the East Coast.

The heat wave began in the Midwest on Monday and has since spread east, where it's set to last into the Fourth of July weekend.

With holiday travel in full effect, Amtrak canceled over a dozen trains in the Northeast Thursday due to the heat.

On Thursday, the heat index -- what temperature it feels like with humidity -- is expected to hit a scorching 111 degrees in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., 106 in Boston, 102 in Chicago, 108 in Detroit, and 110 in Nashville, Tennessee.

New York City's heat index is forecast to reach 110 degrees, which has only happened three times in the last 80 years.

The city has activated its heat emergency plan and is opening hundreds of cooling centers.

"I'm also asking every employer to plan ahead with their teams, build in flexibility, and make sure that no one is put at risk during their jobs this week," Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.

On Friday, the heat index is forecast to hit 108 degrees in New York, 105 in Boston, 112 in Washington, D.C., and 111 in Memphis, Tennessee.

There will be minimal relief overnight, which makes the heat even more dangerous.

On the Fourth of July on Saturday, the heat will improve slightly for the Northeast, but will still feel like the triple digits, with the heat index expected to reach 103 degrees in New York and 107 in D.C.

By Sunday and Monday, the strongest heat and humidity will settle over the Southeast. Raleigh, North Carolina, is expected to feel like 107 degrees and Savannah, Georgia, will feel like 105 degrees.

Extreme heat is the deadliest weather-related hazard in the U.S. At least 13,000 Americans have died from the heat since 2018, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Click here for tips on how to stay safe.

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(PHILADELPHIA) -- One of the teen suspects in the fatal shooting of a Penn State University student was arrested in Colorado after the Philadelphia Police Department said it had obtained arrest warrants for two 16-year-old boys.

Azzubair Outen-Fleming was arrested in Colorado Springs at a distant relative's home, the U.S. Marshals Service of Philadelphia said in a social media post.

Outen-Fleming and Kaiseem Smith are wanted for murder and related offenses for the June 6 slaying of 22-year-old William "Billy" Schmidt, police announced on Tuesday.

Billy Schmidt had been watching the NBA Finals with his friends at a bar and was walking home when he was shot in the chest in an apparent robbery, according to police and his family.

Schmidt was studying digital journalism and media at Penn State World Campus, the university said.

He was set to graduate in December and hoped to work in sports broadcasting, his sister, Anna Schmidt, told ABC News.

She said her brother "was one of the nicest, most genuine and honestly, goofiest, people there is."

Outen-Fleming was arrested by the U.S. Marshals' Colorado Violent Offender Task Force, officials said.

"He was arrested at a distant relatives home after attempting to deny his identity," the U.S. Marshals of Philadelphia said. "He is housed at the Zebulon Pike Youth Center waiting extradition back to" Philadelphia.

Police ask anyone with information on the suspects' whereabouts to call the department's tip line at 215-686-TIPS (8477).

ABC News' Jessica Gorman contributed to this report.

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(CALIFORNIA) -- U.S. Forest Service Rangers rescued a woman over the weekend who was climbing Mt. Shasta in California and fell over 1,500 feet in the snow.

The unidentified 31-year-old woman was part of a group of three novice climbers who were ascending the Left of Heart variation of the Avalanche Gulch route on Mount Shasta on Sunday, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Around noon that day, the rangers got a call about the woman falling approximately 1,500 vertical feet before coming to rest on the mountain, according to the Forest Service.

Weather conditions prevented a helicopter rescue so three rangers ascended on foot, the Forest Service said.

They were assisted by one member of the climbing party who had descended to help carry rescue equipment, according to the Forest Service. Another climber who happened to be in the area also stopped to assist the injured climber and remained with the group throughout the rescue, the Forest Service said.

The woman who fell was found safe and in good spirits with a suspected fractured right ankle and other injuries, according to the Forest Service.

The civilian and Forest Service rescuers secured the woman in a SKED rescue litter and lowered her to Lake Helen before a California Highway Patrol helicopter transported her to a hospital, the Forest Service said.

"This incident serves as an important reminder that Mount Shasta is a high-altitude mountaineering environment, not a hike. Even experienced climbers can encounter rapidly changing weather, steep snow and ice, rockfall, and hazardous fall conditions," the U.S. Forest Service said in a statement.

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(NEW YORK) -- The brother of an NFL player was arrested Tuesday in Atlanta after he allegedly killed his mother in her home the day before, according to police.

Ciarre Campbell was charged with murder, aggravated assault and possession of a knife in connection with the killing of Nateal Campbell, 71, the Atlanta Police Department said in its arrest warrant.

The suspect is the brother of Baltimore Ravens defensive end Calais Campbell, who used to play for the Atlanta Falcons.

Lt. Christopher Butler of the Atlanta Police Department told reporters Tuesday that officers received a call for a welfare check Monday from a "concerned family member." When officers arrived at the home they found the Nateal Campbell's body, according to Butler.

"A brief look into the history does show some calls back in April dealing with this location a possible arson incident," Butler said. "There have been some indications of possible some mental health issues with an individual."

Ciarre Campbell's arraignment was pending.

Jay Abt, an attorney representing the suspect, told ABC affiliate WSB that his client is innocent until proven guilty.

"We vigorously protest his innocence. We look forward to his day in court. I'm honored to defend him and, most importantly, the Campbell family, I'm asking on their behalf that the public respect their privacy at this time," he told the station.

Calais Campbell's family released a statement to ESPN Wednesday asking for privacy.

"We are devastated to share that the Campbell Family has lost its matriarch, Mrs. Nateal Campbell. While the details of her passing are still being investigated, we take comfort in knowing she is reunited with our father, her beloved Chuck, and in the arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ," the family said.

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(NEW YORK) -- A daredevil couple climbed to the top of the Empire State Building and unfurled a banner on top of its spire Wednesday afternoon, taking their love to new heights.

Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, who have gained an online following for their death-defying skyscraper climbs around the world, stayed on top of the skyscraper for several minutes as cameras rolled on the action before coming down on the spire, police sources told ABC News.

Beerkus then appeared to propose to his longtime girlfriend before they were taken into custody.

The black banner appeared to reference a Jimi Hendrix quote and said in white letters, "When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace."

The banner has been recovered, police said.  

An NYPD helicopter was sent and the building's observation deck was cleared of visitors as police arrived. The observation deck was reopened later in the afternoon.

The top of the building's spire is 1,454 feet above the ground.

It was not immediately clear how the couple got into position to free climb the metal structure that services the spire, broadcast antenna and red anti-collision beacon atop the building.  

A spokesperson for the Empire State Building said in a statement to ABC News that there was at no time danger to the building's tenants or visitors.

"It is to be emphasized that the Empire State Building Observation Deck, atop the World's Most Famous Building in the center of New York City, does offer a practical way for the most memorable marriage proposals," the spokesman said in a statement.

The Empire State Building’s rules prohibit masks and costumes.  

The observation deck was reopened later in the afternoon on Wednesday.

They were featured in a 2024 Netflix documentary "Skywalkers: A Love Story." The film showcased the couple's climb of Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, the world's second tallest building at 2,227 feet.

The Russian couple have frequently posted photos of their stunts on their social media pages. In many of their posts, they are seen standing and posing at the edge of buildings from extreme heights.

Some of their posts show them hugging and kissing while on top of buildings.

Nikolau and Beerkus appeared to chronicle their climb up the Empire State Building on social media Wednesday and posted close-up images of the proposal from the spire along closeups of the engagement ring.

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(VINTON COUNTY, Ohio) -- Four people have been charged with child endangerment after 16 children were removed from a home in Ohio where officials say they were living in "deplorable conditions."

Authorities executed a search warrant at the home in Hamden in Vinton County on Tuesday, where they say they found the children and four suspects inside.

Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer said during a press briefing Wednesday that this is not a case of human trafficking, but an "intra-family situation."

The four suspects -- Gary Siders Sr., 73; Christina Siders, 67; Gary Siders II, 36; and Elizabeth Siders, 33 -- have each been charged with 16 counts of endangering children, a second-degree felony, according to officials. They pleaded not guilty during their arraignment Wednesday morning and their bond was set at $300,000 each.

Archer described the suspects as being the "grandma, grandpa, father, and mother."

The charges allege the four suspects abused the children, resulting in "serious physical harm."  

Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said the evidence in the case is "beyond comprehension."

The children range in age from 1 ½ to 18, according to Wilson. He did not go into the nature of the injuries but said seven of the children were transported to the hospital on Tuesday, including two who were airlifted there. One of the children was in critical condition, Wilson said.

Archer said the children are safe and officials are working to have them placed in temporary custody.

"They are currently in a good situation and are being protected," he said.

Wilson said the investigation has been ongoing for some time, leading to the search warrant being executed on Tuesday.

The family had lived in Vinton County for the past four years and were "clearly bouncing around," according to Wilson.

"They were pretty adept at keeping these kids out of sight and out of investigative eyes," he said.

The children were not enrolled in school, according to Wilson. The eldest child is included among the charges because the 18-year-old is believed to developmentally still be a minor, officials said.

"Some of these children couldn't even speak," Wilson said. "It was terrible."

Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain described the condition of the house as "disgusting," including the presence of human feces, and said the children were largely confined to a small area.

"Most of our livestock is kept in better condition than the children," Cain said during Wednesday's briefing.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine called the situation "tragic."

"It is heartbreaking to learn the conditions that these children were living in, and to learn of their medical conditions," DeWine said in a statement, which also thanked those helping them.

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

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(NEW YORK) --A dangerous heat wave is bringing prolonged extreme heat to the Midwest, the South and the East Coast this week.

The heat started in the Midwest, where extreme humidity levels are rivaling the Amazon rainforest, creating life-threatening conditions for tens of millions of people.

Chicago activated cooling centers throughout the city, including at community service centers, senior centers, libraries, city colleges and police districts. Chicago Public Schools said all summer programming will be inside through Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the dangerous heat expands from the Midwest and the South into the Northeast.

The heat index -- what temperature it feels like with humidity -- is forecast to soar to 104 degrees in Chicago, 109 in Detroit, 104 in New York City, 107 in Philadelphia, 108 in Washington, D.C., and 111 in Nashville, Tennessee.

By Thursday, the heat index could reach 106 degrees in Boston, a scorching 111 degrees in New York, 110 in Washington, D.C., and 109 in St. Louis, Missouri.

There will be minimal relief overnight, which makes the heat even more dangerous.

The unrelenting heat will continue on Friday. The heat index is forecast to hit 107 degrees in New York, 110 in D.C., 105 in Raleigh, North Carolina, and 109 in Memphis, Tennessee.

It'll stay hot and humid on the 4th of July on Saturday, with triple digit heat indices across the Midwest, South and Northeast.

Extreme heat is considered the deadliest weather-related hazard in the U.S.
At least 13,000 Americans have died from heat since 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Click here for tips on how to stay safe.

ABC News' Dan Peck and Michelle Simmons contributed to this report.

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(WILKES COUNTY, N.C.) -- A United States Postal Service letter carrier was murdered while delivering mail on her rural North Carolina route, authorities said.

Brandi Reynolds, a 35-year-old mother of two, was shot and found dead by responding authorities in Wilkes County, according to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. The incident occurred Friday afternoon, while she was on her route, according to the United States Postal Inspection Service. 

William Craig Durham, 56, was subsequently arrested in connection with the deadly shooting and has been charged with first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping, court records show.

The charges allege that Durham restrained and kidnapped Reynolds "for the purpose of terrorizing" her and "did of malice aforethought kill and murder" her, according to a court filing. Authorities have not released any further information, including an alleged motive and any connection between the victim and suspect. 

Durham is being held without bond following his initial court appearance on Monday, online records show.

The judge noted that Durham has a "significant criminal record," a court filing shows. His prior convictions include second-degree kidnapping and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to court filings.

Durham's attorney had no comment when contacted by ABC News.

The homicide investigation is being conducted jointly by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Wilkes County Sheriff's Office.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service said no additional information on the case is being released at this time amid the ongoing investigation. 

"Our heartfelt sympathies go out to her family and co-workers," the U.S. Postal Inspection Service said in a statement.

Reynolds was remembered as a friendly and dependable presence in the community.

"Outgoing, friendly, usually never missed a beat. We could count on her," Julie Smith, who received mail from Reynolds along her route, told ABC Greensboro affiliate WXLV. "I think if you ask anybody in the community, they would probably tell you the same thing."

"My heart broke for her family and for her children," she said.

Reynolds is survived by two daughters, who were "her whole world," her obituary noted.  

Tragedy previously struck the family last year, when her husband, Brent Andrew Reynolds, died in a car crash in December 2025. 

His obituary remembered him as a "loving and devoted husband, father, son, and brother," and called Brandi his "soulmate" and their two girls the "light of his life."

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(WASHINGTON) -- Doug Band, a former close adviser to President Bill Clinton, repeatedly told lawmakers that he could not recall his involvement on several topics related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, multiple sources said following Band's appearance Tuesday before the House Oversight Committee.

Band, who began his tenure with Clinton as an intern in the mid-1990s, was questioned for four hours by the panel as part of its ongoing probe of the government's handling of the investigations into Epstein. 

Multiple sources familiar with his testimony said Band had no evidence or information that President Clinton ever went to Epstein's island, Little St. James, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, despite telling Vanity Fair on the record in 2020 that Clinton had visited the island. Band told the committee that he didn't remember why he had made that claim to Vanity Fair.

Often described as one of the architects of Clinton's post-presidential endeavors, including the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative, Band was pressed about his own communications with Epstein's convicted co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, which were made public earlier this year by the Justice Department as part of the release of files mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

Emails between Band and Maxwell included talk of meetings with Epstein and numerous exchanges containing suggestive innuendo and cheeky nicknames for each other like "babycakes" and "booboo," according to files released by the DOJ.

The bulk of the messages were exchanged between 2001-2004, before Epstein first faced criminal charges in Florida in 2006. 

Band, according to sources, told committee members that he didn't recall sending individual emails to Maxwell, but he confirmed that an email address associated with Clinton that was found in the Epstein files was Band's and that no one else had access to it.

Band stated that he took steps to insulate Clinton from Maxwell as Band became aware of allegations, according to the sources.

Band stated that he never had sexual contact of any kind with Maxwell and didn't recall ever being introduced to any woman or girl associated with Maxwell, sources said.

Band also said he did not recall ever engaging with Epstein on any of the flights he took with Clinton on Epstein's private jet, and did not recall having conversations with Epstein, said sources.

"We know that Mr. Band set up several meetings between Clinton and Epstein," House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., told reporters prior to Band's appearance. "We know Mr. Band accompanied Mr. Clinton on several flights on Epstein's jet. We know that Mr. Band also had a lot of communication with Ms. Maxwell, so that'll be a topic of several questions."

Band, 54, has not been accused of any wrongdoing. His appearance before the Oversight Committee was voluntary and was not recorded. The committee has typically released transcripts of interviews after they are reviewed for accuracy and redacted to remove any potential references to alleged victims.

Earlier this year, Band told The New York Times that his messages with Maxwell occurred when he was in his 20s and unmarried -- and he denied any romantic involvement with Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex-trafficking and other offenses.

"There was absolutely no physical relationship that occurred between us. Ever," Band said in a statement to the Times, in which he referred to Maxwell as "a monster."

Records created by Epstein's pilots made public through civil litigation show Clinton -- and an entourage that typically included Band -- aboard Epstein's plane on more than two dozen flight legs in 2002-03, but none of those flights went to the island, according to the pilot's logs. Clinton, Epstein and Maxwell have all denied that the former president had ever been to Little St. James.

"He never, absolutely never went. And I can be sure of that because there's no way he would have gone," Maxwell told then then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in a recorded interview last summer.

"I've never been to that island," Clinton said in his own interview with the Oversight Committee in February.

The former president has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection to his association with Epstein. He has said he stopped interacting with Epstein before any criminal allegations surfaced and has denied knowledge of any of Epstein's crimes.

Clinton told the committee that he and Band were once "close," and that Band had been one of the people he tasked to "operationalize" plans to develop the Clinton Global Initiative in his early post-presidency years.

"He worked for me for years," Clinton said. "[H]e arranged airplane flights and things like that and was doing work on the first Clinton Global Initiative in 2005. And I know that he knew both Epstein and Maxwell. I do not know to what extent he was in contact with them."

In her interview with Blanche, Maxwell said she began spending time with Clinton after he left the White House in 2001, as he was forging his post-presidential path through the establishment of the Clinton Foundation and, later, the Clinton Global Initiative.

"I was part of the beginning process of the Clinton Global Initiative. And that was something that I helped with and that was me, and Epstein may have helped me help them," she said, according to a transcript of the July 2025 interview.

"I started spending time with the former president and with Doug and his team," Maxwell said. "I had no purpose, really, other than I had -- obviously offered something. I don't know, ideas." 

In recent weeks the committee has heard from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and two of Epstein's former assistants, Sarah Kellen and Lesley Groff.

Later this summer, interviews are scheduled with former Obama White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler, former Epstein attorney Alan Dershowitz, and Epstein's former private banker at JPMorgan Chase, Jes Staley.

Comer has indicated that a report on the investigation's findings will be issued by the end of the year.

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(LANSING, Mich.) -- Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday ordered the state's National Guard to limit its mission in Washington exclusively to events tied to the nation's 250th anniversary celebration, drawing a line against the military's prolonged presence in the capital and threatening to pull Michigan troops if they're assigned to any other mission.

In a letter to Maj. Gen. Paul Rogers, the commander of the Michigan National Guard, Whitmer wrote she "has not deployed—and will not deploy—the Michigan National Guard to support the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Mission," referring to the Guard's ongoing presence and patrols across the city.

"If the National Guard is unable or unwilling to ensure the Michigan National Guard is only supporting the America 250 mission," she added, "then I will end Michigan’s support for the America 250 mission."

The Michigan National Guard has deployed 161 troops to Washington in recent weeks, while Minnesota has sent another 107, according to service figures, making them the first Democrat-led states to contribute sizable contingents to the capital since President Donald Trump surged National Guard forces there in August.

Puerto Rico has also deployed 155 National Guard troops to the capital ahead of the July Fourth weekend, while the U.S. Virgin Islands has sent 83.

There is precedent for National Guard units from across the country being activated for major events in Washington, including presidential inaugurations and the response to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. It is likely National Guard units would again be drawn from multiple states to support security operations tied to America’s 250th birthday celebrations.

It remains unclear how the two missions -- ongoing security operations focused largely on high-traffic areas around the Capitol and downtown, and event-driven support for anniversary celebrations -- would be separated in practice.

For most of the so-called "Safe and Beautiful" mission, the force has been drawn almost entirely from Republican-led states, aside from the District of Columbia National Guard. Troops have largely been assigned to high-visibility patrols around Washington's tourist corridors and several downtown Metro stations, while also assisting with litter collection and graffiti removal.

The deployment has focused on some of the city's safest and most heavily trafficked areas and is expected to continue through the remainder of President Donald Trump's term.

An analysis from the think tank Niskanen Center found that the Guard’s presence hasn’t reduced violent crime but has reduced property crime. It also noted troops are far more expensive than police officers, estimating it costs $607 per Guardsman per day, compared with roughly $384 per day for a D.C. police officer, underscoring the higher cost of relying on military personnel with limited legal authority and civil training.

A Congressional Budget Office analysis estimated the Guard’s deployment to the capital would cost roughly $660 million this year, though that projection assumed an average force of about 3,000 troops, including pay, food and lodging for troops in hotels.

The estimate does not fully capture the federal government’s longer-term personnel costs, including the accrual of veterans’ benefits tied to active-duty service, such as retirement and education benefits.

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(SIMI VALLEY, Calif.) -- A car crashed into the outdoor dining area of an Urbane Cafe in Simi Valley, California, on Monday afternoon, killing one person and injuring five others, authorities said.

The crash was reported at about 2:30 p.m. near Tierra Rejada and Madera roads in a busy shopping center, according to Simi Valley Police.

Aerial footage from ABC News Los Angeles station KABC showed a white Tesla lodged in the restaurant's outdoor patio after the collision.

One person was pronounced dead at the scene, while five others suffered minor injuries, according to the Ventura County Fire Department.

Authorities have not released the identity of the person who died, and additional information about the victims was not immediately available.

Investigators said they are still working to determine the cause of the crash. The Tesla driver was a 64-year-old woman with four juvenile passengers in the car, police told KABC.

The driver and one passenger were taken to a hospital for minor injuries, according to KABC.

"We're still trying to determine if speed was involved. We do know that the Tesla was going northbound through the parking lot. It was attempting to make a right-hand turn to go eastbound toward Madera and, unfortunately, did not make the turn and went over the sidewalk when it struck the female victim," Simi Valley police Sgt. Rick Morton told KABC.

Earlier this month, a Tesla Model 3 crashed into a home in Katy, Texas, killing a woman. Her family has since filed a lawsuit against Tesla and the driver, alleging the vehicle's driver-assistance technology contributed to the crash.

Tesla has disputed those claims, saying the driver manually overrode the system by pressing the accelerator. Federal safety officials are investigating the crash.

Authorities have not said whether any driver-assistance technology was engaged at the time of Monday's crash.

"We don't believe it was an intentional act, but until we can determine what the cause was, whether it was mechanical failure or there was impairment by the driver, it's still to be determined," Morton said.

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(TAMPA, Fla.) -- The Detroit Lions announced Monday that they have released cornerback Terrion Arnold from the team, hours after a hearing to address his arrest last week on charges alleging he orchestrated a kidnapping in which three men were robbed and beaten at gunpoint.

The 23-year-old NFL player is one of seven people arrested in connection with the "targeted armed robbery" last February in Tampa, police said. 

The Lions announced in a brief statement on social media Monday that they have released him. ABC News has reached out to Arnold's sports management team for comment.

Arnold is accused of "coordinating and directing" the codefendants in an alleged conspiracy to "lure" the three men to an apartment, where prosecutors say they were beaten in retaliation for the alleged theft of more than $200,000 worth of Arnold's personal property from an Airbnb in which he had stayed with friends days earlier in Largo, Florida, according to the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office.

Arnold surrendered to authorities on Wednesday and was initially denied bond following his arrest on multiple armed robbery and kidnapping charges. He faces a potential sentence of up to life in prison if convicted on the charges, prosecutors said.

During a pretrial detention hearing in Tampa on Monday held prior to the Lions' announcement, a judge set his bond at $1 million, denying the prosecutors' request that he remain held without bond.

He posted bond on Tuesday and is no longer in custody.

A county prosecutor alleged during Monday's hearing that Arnold was "the reason why this gets set in motion."

"There's three individuals that had guns pointed in their faces because of this defendant," Kevin Riley, an attorney with the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office, said.

Defense attorney Harvey Steinberg asked the judge not to find probable cause. He argued that the evidence presented so far only shows that Arnold was "suspicious" that his phone was taken and wanted to confront someone, but that there is "zero evidence" that he was aware that there was going to be a beating or guns involved.

"Did my client direct them? Nope," Steinberg said.

Judge Christopher Sabella found there was probable cause, calling the case "serious," but denied the state's motion to detain Arnold ahead of trial. He set bond at $1 million, saying the amount was "consistent with the serious nature of the charges."

Among the bond conditions, Arnold must surrender his passport and is only allowed to leave his residence for work or legal purposes. 

The state had asked that Arnold be required to wear an ankle monitor, which the judge denied after Arnold's defense argued that the monitor would make him unable to work due to strict NFL requirements regarding attire.

"I don't want to interfere with his ability to make a living," Sabella said, adding that he suspects Arnold will have a "paparazzi monitor" that will make his whereabouts known.

"If he shows up on a beach in Tahiti, he'll be on social media," Sabella said. "If he violates the conditions of his bond, he will be found."

Arnold, who was in handcuffs during the court appearance, could be seen smiling with his attorneys following the hearing.

The incident occurred on Feb. 4, three days after multiple items belonging to Arnold and others were stolen from an Airbnb he had rented, according to police. On Feb. 3, Arnold and others reported a loss totaling more than $250,000 to the Largo Police Department, police said. 

The men, all in their late teens, were allegedly beaten and pistol-whipped by two of the co-defendants, while a third streamed the assault to Arnold and other suspects who were traveling to the apartment, police said. Investigators uncovered a group chat in which Arnold and another suspect allegedly gave directions during the assault, police said.

After arriving at the apartment, Arnold allegedly directed the other suspects to go inside, at which point the victims were robbed during the ongoing assault, police said. Their wallets, phones, jackets, cash and jewelry totaling more than $6,200 were stolen, according to the criminal report.

Nearly two hours after arriving at the apartment, the victims were escorted out by armed suspects and left in their vehicle, police said. Arnold never entered the apartment or interacted with the victims, based on the police statement.

The victims reported the incident to Tampa police and "positively identified the suspects," police said. The three victims had "visible injuries from being battered," police said.

Arnold allegedly suspected that two of the three victims were responsible for the theft, though investigators ultimately determined that none of them were involved, Tampa police said.

Cell phone evidence and "corroborating testimony" from the co-defendants also "helped establish Arnold's role in planning and directing the crimes," the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office said.

Among the six codefendants arrested in connection with the case, four men are being held without bond, while two women pleaded guilty on Wednesday to robbery and kidnapping charges, according to the state attorney's office. As part of their plea agreements, they are required to testify truthfully in proceedings related to the case, the office said. 

Arnold's sports management team said he "categorically denies any involvement in the matters underlying the allegations made against him and maintains his innocence."

"There is no credible evidence linking Mr. Arnold to these allegations," Denise White, CEO of EAG Sports and Entertainment Agency, said in a statement to ABC News. "Instead, the government appears to be relying on testimony from multiple convicted felons who have admitted their own involvement and may have substantial incentives to shift blame in an effort to lessen their sentences."

Following Monday's detention hearing, White said the the judge's ruling "confirms that there is very little evidence to even suggest any criminal involvement by Mr. Arnold."

Arnold, a native of Tallahassee, Florida, played at the University of Alabama and was a first-round pick in the 2024 draft.

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(ORLANDO, Fla.) -- A 31-year-old woman was killed by an alligator while swimming in a river in Florida, officials said.

The victim, her boyfriend and her best friend were hiking on Sunday when they stopped to swim in the Econlockhatchee River in Seminole County, just north of Orlando, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

They were in about 3 feet of water when an alligator bit the victim on both arms, FWC spokesperson Chad Weber said.

"The boyfriend was the one that made the [911] phone call. He was trying to get her from the alligator's mouth," Weber said at a news conference Monday.

The woman died on the way to the hospital, Weber said.

Two alligators in the area -- one 12 feet long and the other 13 feet long -- have been captured, according to officials. The FWC noted that 13 feet is considered a very large alligator.

Maj. Jay Russell with the FWC called the incident "incredibly tragic."

This attack comes two days after a 28-year-old man was killed by a crocodile on a popular beach in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

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(NEW YORK) -- A JetBlue Airways pilot reported hitting a drone as the flight was on approach for landing at JFK Airport on Monday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The plane, which was coming from Las Vegas, landed safely, and the airline and FAA said no damage or evidence of collision was found during the post-flight inspections. The agency will investigate the incident, it noted in its statement.

"Safety is JetBlue's first priority, and we will assist with any relevant investigations," the airline said in its statement.

The drone hit the JetBlue plane right above the cockpit and at about 3,000 feet, the pilot told an air traffic controller. The audio was recorded and obtained from ATC.com.

"We collided with a drone back there in the turn as we were coming to ASALT, just wanted to pass to you," the pilot tells an air traffic controller, referencing the waypoint for flights arriving in the New York City area.

The pilot noted that they did not need any assistance and were good to continue with the landing.

Though the FAA says it receives more than 100 reports of drone sightings near airports each month, unauthorized drone operations near flights and airports are illegal under FAA regulation. The drone operators could be subject to fines, criminal charges and even possible jail time, according to the law.

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(NEW YORK) -- Former NBA players Malik Beasley and Edward Davis, current sports agent Paolo Zamorano and three others were indicted Monday for their alleged roles in a sports gambling scheme in which authorities said Beasley was bribed to manipulate his performance in NBA games.

With their inside knowledge, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn said Beasley’s co-defendants placed sports bets worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

In a Jan. 26, 2024 game between the Bucks and Cavaliers, Beasley allegedly told his then-Milwaukee teammate Davis he intended to underperform his usual rebounding prowess.  

In exchange, Beasley expected a bribe payment and Davis disseminated the information to co-defendants so they could place fraudulent wagers, the indictment said.

Many of the fraudulent wagers were successful, authorities said.

The following month, when the Bucks were playing the Hornets, Beasley allegedly told Davis he would underperform his usual scoring and overperform his rebounding.  

Davis allegedly passed the information to co-defendants and they placed successful fraudulent wagers, the indictment said.

In a third example from the indictment, Beasley allegedly told Davis he would overperform his rebounding in a March 2024 game against the Clippers.

"An indictment is nothing but a probable cause one sided charging document," Beasley's attorney, Steve Haney said in a statement. "It is not evidence and Malik maintains his presumption of innocence throughout this two year investigation.  We ask that people reserve judgment until all the facts are known."

In total, the defendants and their co-conspirators placed fraudulent wagers totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars conditioned on Beasley’s fixed performance in the influenced games at issue via multiple betting operators, the indictment said.

“As alleged, the defendants turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation, bribing then-NBA player Malik Beasley to fix his performance in multiple games in order to place fraudulent wagers, enrich themselves and cheat legitimate sportsbooks,” said United States Attorney Joseph Nocella.

“Bribery and insider betting schemes like this one involving former NBA players and a current NBA player agent who exploited inside NBA information for profit erode the integrity of American sports and victimize the sports-watching public.”

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(NEW YORK) -- Accused killer Luigi Mangione will stand trial in Manhattan federal court beginning Jan. 5 with jury selection, followed by opening statements on Jan. 25, Judge Margaret Garnett said Monday.

Garnett said she hoped to hold the trial this fall but Mangione's state trial, scheduled to begin Sept. 8, makes that "impossible."

“In my view it's simply impossible for us to be moving through the jury selection process in this case while the defendant and his counsel are fully engaged in the state trial,” Garnett said.

Mangione, wearing beige jail clothing, did not speak during Monday's hearing. His appearance was delayed about 20 minutes after he got stuck in an elevator with U.S. marshals.

Defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo said New York State Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro will hold firm to the Sept. 8 start.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he stalked UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson before shooting and killing him in December 2024 in Midtown Manhattan. Mangione has also pleaded not guilty to state charges.

For the federal trial, hundreds of prospective jurors from Manhattan, the Bronx and New York City's northern suburbs will fill out questionnaires in December. Garnett said she would not post the questionnaire on the public docket until all prospective jurors finish filling it out, saying that the need for a fair and impartial jury overrides the customary expectation of public access to the document.

The defense said it might ask the judge to include additional questions depending on the outcome of Mangione's state trial.

The jury will be comprised of 12 jurors and six alternates.

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(WASHINGTON) -- The Supreme Court has denied President Donald Trump's appeal of the $5 million jury finding in the 2022 defamation case brought against him by the writer E. Jean Carroll. 

The decision means the judgment against Trump stands and that he will have to pay it.

A New York jury in 2023 awarded Carroll $5 million in damages after it found Trump liable for sexually abusing her in the dressing room of a Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan in the mid-1990s, and for defaming her in 2022 when he denied the allegations by calling them "a Hoax and a lie" and saying, "This woman is not my type!"

Responding to Monday's decision, Carroll's attorney, Roberta Kaplan, said in a statement, "Today's Supreme Court decision affirms once and for all the jury's unanimous verdict that President Donald J. Trump sexually assaulted and defamed E. Jean Carroll. His multiple efforts to appeal that verdict have all failed and today's ruling ends his quest to avoid accountability for his actions."

Trump had argued that the judge in the case should not have allowed the jury to view an excerpt from the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape, in which Trump is heard describing lewd behavior that he downplayed as "locker room talk." 

Trump also faulted the trial judge for allowing testimony from two women -- Jessica Leeds and Natasha Stoynoff -- who claimed that Trump had sexually assaulted them, which Trump denies.

A federal appeals court said the evidence was properly admitted and, even if it wasn't, there was no major harm to Trump. 

"The petition does not challenge -- indeed, does not mention -- the Second Circuit's holding that were there any error here, it did not prejudice petitioner," Kaplan argued.

Trump is also appealing a separate but related defamation judgment involving Carroll that ordered him to pay $83 million.

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(NEW YORK) -- Alex Murdaugh is back in court on Monday for the first time since the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned his double murder conviction over “shocking jury interference.”

Newly assigned Judge Debra McCaslin is set to hold a status conference to determine a schedule for a new trial as well as resolve some evidentiary issues.  

The status conference comes more than three years after a South Carolina jury found Murdaugh guilty of murdering his son and wife in a gruesome crime that captured global headlines.

The South Carolina Supreme Court threw out that conviction last month after concluding that a court clerk tainted the jury’s verdict by making comments to the jurors that “egregiously attacked Murdaugh's credibility and his defense.”

“Both the State and Murdaugh's defense skillfully presented their cases to the jury as the trial court deftly presided over this complicated and high-profile matter. However, their efforts were in vain because Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill placed her fingers on the scales of justice, thereby denying Murdaugh his right to a fair trial by an impartial jury,” the ruling said.

Murdaugh has remained in prison since the ruling, as he is also serving out concurrent sentences for state and federal financial crimes, to which he pleaded guilty. While Murdaugh has acknowledged he lied and stole from his former clients, he has consistently maintained his innocence related to the 2021 double murder.

“Alex has said from day one that he did not kill his wife and son. We look forward to a new trial conducted consistent with the Constitution and the guidance this Court has provided,” Murdaugh’s lawyers said after the May ruling. His lawyers recently filed a civil lawsuit against Hill for allegedly violating his right to a fair trial.

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson -- who recently won the Republican primary for governor -- has vowed to “aggressively” retry the murder case “as soon as possible.” Monday’s conference is likely to provide the first indications of how quickly the case might be retried.

Ahead of the conference, Murdaugh’s lawyers filed a series of motions to change the venue of the trial and access evidence in the case. They have argued that Murdaugh cannot have a fair trial in the countries where his family name has been “synonymous with the local legal system for nearly a century.”

“The basis for this motion is that this is among the most heavily publicized criminal prosecutions in the history of this State. For years Defendant, his family, and the law firm with which his family was associated for generations have been the subject of saturating, sensational, and continuous media coverage,” the motion said.

Murdaugh’s lawyers also filed motions to request access to DNA evidence in the case for independent lab testing, as well as enable Murdaugh to access a computer to review evidence from prison.

Prosecutors have not yet filed their response to those motions. 

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(JACKSON, Miss) -- Police in Mississippi are searching for a suspect after two woman and a toddler were shot and killed on Saturday.

The women, aged 26 and 20, were found dead alongside a 2-year-old, Jackson Police Department Chief RaShall Brackney told reporters early on Sunday.

Police had responded to a call for an aggravated assault on the 300 block of Queen Alexandria Lane at about 10:10 p.m. on Saturday, Brackney said, adding, "And what they found was something horrifying."

All three victims had "multiple" gunshot wounds, she said.

Police early on Sunday said they were searching for a Red Mitsubishi Mirage that "was taken." Brackney did not say whether police had identified a suspect, but said that the person who had taken the vehicle was thought to be "armed and dangerous and is related to this triple homicide that we have here."

In an update later on Sunday, police said they had found the vehicle in North Jackson, but it was "unoccupied at the time it was located."

Jackson Mayor John Horhn said in a statement that the city would begin deploying additional resources to combat gun violence.

"Our city is hurting. In recent days, we have seen a troubling rise in gun-related violence, shootings, and senseless loss of life," he said. "No family should have to face the pain of losing a loved one to violence. Violence against the innocent is intolerable, and as your Mayor, I will not accept this as the norm for our community."

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