ABC11 Eyewitness News - Eyewitness News at 11pm - April 1, 2026

Episode Date: April 2, 2026

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Right now, live coverage from your local news leader, preparing you for tomorrow starting tonight and your first alert forecast. Here's what's happening where you live. This is ABC 11 eyewitness news. We have breaking news first at 11 here tonight. A threat to Iran. Tonight President Trump addressed the nation, providing some mixed messaging about the ongoing war in the Middle East. He says his objective is nearly complete while promising the military is prepared to hit Iran extremely hard. over the next two weeks. In these past four weeks, our armed forces have delivered swift, decisive, overwhelming victories on the battlefield. Victories like few people have ever seen before.

Tonight, Iran's... It comes as the president is calling on American allies to protect the Strait of Hormuz. And today's address comes, as we learn, thousands of soldiers from Fort Bragg's 82nd Airborne Division have started arriving in the Middle East. Thanks so much for joining us here for the news at 11. I'm Lauren Johnson. I'm Steve Daniels. Tonight's presidential address lasted about 20 minutes to speech, leaving many people with more questions about the path forward in Iran. Here's what we know at this hour. President Trump is warning of intensified military action against Iran, even as he says the end of the war could be near. President Trump also said talks with Iran are still ongoing, and he predicted the Strait of Hormuz would reopen when the conflict ends. And in any event, when this conflict is over, the strait will open up naturally. It'll just open up naturally. They're going to want to be able to sell.

oil because that's all they have to try and rebuild. It will resume the flowing and the gas prices will rapidly come back down. And the president continued urging other countries to do more to protect the key shipping route there in the Persian Gulf. Meanwhile, as the war continues, we know thousands of soldiers from Fort Bragg's 82nd Airborne Division have started arriving in the Middle East. U.S. officials say the deployment is part of a broader military buildup in that region, putting North Carolina-based troops on the front lines in that conflict. And Tom George joins us live now from our downtown Raleigh studio and newsroom. Tom, the presidential address comes, of course, as rising prices remain top of mind for so many people.

Yeah, that's right. I think heading into that address tonight, as most Americans were looking for a little bit more clarity on the objectives in Iran. Instead, we didn't get an exact time frame. And for a community like Fayetteville with an active military presence, it's creating more questions than answers. In the home of Fort Bragg protests on the streets of Fayetteville, Michael McPherson, served in the Persian Gulf War and says as a veteran, he doesn't want to see history repeat itself. I'm tired of these young people, me being one of them, then my son, now another generation, continuing these wars. And there has to be an end to it. And if we want to solve problems,

clearly war is not the answer because it's been going on for 35 years. So that's what concerns me the most. People dying, civilians and service members for no reason. Tonight, no new information from the president instead touting the efforts in Iran so far, but no end plan, and that has some veterans worried. I believe the circumstances this time around are, you know, maybe there's a little bit more anxiety, you know, because it doesn't seem like we planned this very well. It all comes as gas prices continue to rise, but in the home of the 82nd airborne, there are deeper worries.

Of course, it's going to affect us all, right? I mean, the Strait of Homoos, I guess that's the goal now is to open up the straight of Well, it was open before we went in over there. So, yeah, it's affecting gas prices. I'm more concerned with the people being affected. And if soldiers are sent overseas, it creates a void at home. Dr. Mark Pizzano has worked for decades in schools with military families. The unknowing is always a challenge.

When we were in the Middle East, we knew service members would leave for three months, come back for a month, and then go again. It was a cycle because we had so many boots on the ground during that. conflict. This, we just don't know. Yeah, no matter the situation, of course, it is always tough on those military families. And of course, North Carolina, again, at the front lines, we do know that some troops from the 82nd airborne are among those making their way to the Middle East. Reporting live time, Georgia, ABC 11, Iwoodness News. Yeah, the Pentagon are releasing absolutely no details about that, where they are in the Middle East or how long they'll be gone,

the time of uncertainty for our military families at Fort Bragg. Tom, thank you. And moments after After tonight's presidential address stock futures immediately dropped after being up following the closing bell this afternoon. The Dow, the S&P, and the NASDAQ futures are all down going into the trading day tomorrow. Three, two, one, booster ignition and lift off. Let's turn our attention now to history in the high sky. NASA's Artemis 2 mission taking off earlier this evening. The launch being celebrated as a huge success as the four-person crew starts their 10-day journey around the moon. One member on board is NC state alum, Christina Cook.

She's making history of her own tonight, becoming the first woman to travel around the moon. And the triangle is really loving it. Our cameras at both NC State and the Moorhead Planetarium at UNC's, as hundreds of people gathered to cheer on, Christina. Tonight, NASA provided an update saying the crew is safe and they're in good spirits following tonight's launch. Now, NASA did confirm this. About 51 minutes into that flight, there was a temporary loss of communication during a planned handover between satellites.

However, communication was restored, and the mission is continued. as planned. Jemise Freiss is live at NC State. James Wolfpack Nation showing a lot of pride for one of their own. Lauren, the students cheered as if we were at a basketball game so a lot of excitement in the student union today. This moment though is just a big inspiration

for a lot of students showing them exactly where their dreams and goals can take them. I've been sort of obsessed with space for as long as I can remember. From space camp as a kid, kid to studying aerospace engineering at NC State. August Spitz has been reaching for the stars since he was a toddler. I found out that Christina Cook went to NC State and after I learned that I fell in love with the school and I committed. It's what brought him to the tally student union

tonight to witness history unfold. Three, two, one. NASA successfully launched Artemis II, a 10-day mission around the moon and back to Earth. Among the four-member crew is NC State alum, Christina Cook. I've been waiting for Artemis II for years now ever since the crew was announced, and I feel really special that I got to be on NC State's campus where Christina Cook graduated while it launched. A milestone moment witnessed by NC State students who gathered in the same spot Cook once studied. I would love to build rockets, but I really want to be an astronaut. The three-time NC State alum is inspiring students on campus, showing them just how far you can go.

She broke open a lot of doors that I'm going to have an easier time getting through. Kate Shear watched the launch with pride alongside her classmates. Her heart has always been in the sky, but now she'll shoot for the stars. So just one foot in front of the other until they land on the moon. So as students celebrated this milestone, they said Cook's journey really shows them not only, only how to reach for the stars, but how to stand among them. At NC State, Jimyce Price, ABC 11, eyewitness news. All right, good stuff.

Jamice, thank you. And NC State wasn't the only campus that was watching tonight's launch our cameras inside Moorhead Planetarium and Science Center on the campus of UNC, where over 100 people gathered to witness that historic moment. Eyewitness News has been covering Christina Cook's journey from the very beginning. We had an opportunity to interview her college advisor who spoke very highly of her what he says about her work ethic is online in an article posted on ABC11.com. And we continue on campus from one wolfpack legend to another today.

NC State formally introduced former point guard Justin Ganey as the school's new men's head basketball coach. The move completes a homecoming for a program veteran with very deep roots and ties to North Carolina. Yeah, that's right. Ganey is from high point over the triad. He played at NC State for four years from 1996 to 2000. He appeared in 128 games at NC State, ranking 12th all-year. time and the number of games played. And during his career, he had the fifth most steals in Wolfpack history, 190 of them. Michael Perchick joins us now from Raleigh and shows how fans are reacting. I understand what being on Tobacco Road is all about. It's a knowledge that doesn't

require an empty slogan, a promise that provides immediate assurance in the value of having one of their own at the helm. How do we get back to that point where you're all on the same page and all kind of pulling in the same way? And I think, Justin, this is his first job. There's going to be some things he's going to have to learn how to do, but he's going to have a great support staff here and that starts with some of his former teammates and the people who've played here and they're more than happy to help him along the way many of those players in the crowd today a notable presence in a sea of red and white well i had no doubt that the support would be there i'm just excited to serve ultimately like all coaches gainy will be judged by the wins and losses but for a

program that has had to navigate so many ups and down to the past few years a simple sense of stability certainly welcome on this day loyalty is honestly one of the biggest things that things. This guy's loyal. He's got a good background. I think he can really turn the program around and build it up even more. In Raleigh on Michael Perchick, ABC 11 eyewitness news. Michael, thank you. New at 11, police are searching for multiple people after shots were fired near New Hope Village in Wake Forest. Police say an officer approached a subject just after 715 tonight. That's when two people ran and officers heard gunshots a short time later. A perimeter was set up with canine units on scene, police say a gun has been recovered.

In Harnet County, an investigation's underway after a two-story home was destroyed by fire. Our crews capturing this video on Botanical Court in Lillington. We know at least six people are hurt, but their conditions are unclear. At this time, it's not clear what caused the fire. And in Durham, a home was destroyed by this massive fire this evening. This is the video from Chopper 11 overhead. Durham firefighters responded just after 5 p.m. on Sprunt Avenue. It's a block east of the Hillendale Golf Club, south of I-85.

You can see the flames coming from the roof there from the back of the home as well. About 50 firefighters responded. The fire was under control in about 30 minutes. One person does have minor burns, and the cause of that fire in Durham is under investigation. Iwood-D-Sews is digging deeper in the case of a Wake County man, charged with kidnapping a woman and sexually assaulting her while he was driving for Lyft. Court documents show he has a 2015 DWI conviction and a pending DWI from 2022. 30-year-old Ryan Davy appeared before a Wake County judge this afternoon.

According to police, Davy picked up a woman who was a passenger last night and refused to let her out of his car. The victim says Davy grabbed her and kissed her and the warrants also accused Davey of exposing himself to the victim and they say he had a cup of alcohol in the car. The judge denied bond for Davy citing Irina's law, which was passed in November. The victim telling eyewitness what happened when she got inside Davy's car. It was never know, hey, how you doing? Yanking and he started kissing me. He kissing my neck and I got mad. So I started pushing him.

That made him mad. And in a statement to eyewitness news, Lyft saying in part the behavior described is appalling and will not be tolerated. As soon as we learned of these allegations, we contacted the rider to offer support and permanently remove the driver from the lift platform. We stand ready to assist law enforcement

with their investigation. Davey is due back in Wake County Court on April 22nd. Still to come here on eyewitness news at 11 Durham leaders are sounding the alarm about the lack of affordable housing. Why a third of residents are feeling the strain and what's being proposed next. And Don's with us checking on the temperatures outside tonight. It is so warm out there tonight. Temperatures in the 70s. Yeah, feeling more like June instead of April, but we are going to cool it down and we do see some rain showing up in your seven-day forecast.

Coming up next. This episode is brought to you by FedEx. These days, the power move isn't having a big metallic, credit card to drop on the check at a corporate launch. The real power move is leveling up your business with FedEx intelligence and accessing one of the biggest data networks powered by one of the biggest delivery networks. Level up your business with FedEx, the new power move. We are local news.

ABC 11 eyewitness news continues now. We have new details now about a violent crash involving police officers in Raleigh. it all started as an attempted traffic stop. Police say officers first tried stopping a silver infinity near Newburn Avenue and North Raleigh Boulevard, but the driver took off and as officers searched for that car, an RPD cruiser, ran a stop sign at Kennedy Street and Hawkins Street and collided with the infinity, which investigators say was speeding with its headlights off. The driver and the passenger in the infinity were both hurt. The passenger is okay, but the 17-year-old driver is still being treated and also facing multiple charges. The two officers involved

were not wearing seatbelts. Both have now been charged with seatbelt violation. and one officer was also cited for a stop sign violation. Tonight crews are continuing to repair damage to the Raleigh Convention Center. It comes four months after a fire started out in an HVAC unit there on the roof that fire forced the cancellation of several events in December. Staff found a way to host several events over the last few months. John Dowding has more on the repair work. This is usually our busiest time and we're thrilled by that, but it's been double effort to make it happen. Tonight, the work to repair the Raleigh Convention Center continues exactly four months.

after a fire broke out in an HVAC unit on the roof. The site still hosted several events over the last few months after cancellations in December. We have been so determined and so resilient because we can't not do it. It's just important. With new chillers being installed on the roof and solar panel work on the way, the convention center is one step closer to being fully recovered. And then we're down to the roof. And the roof covering is lead certified, so it's not meant to be walked on.

It puncture's easy. So it's the very last step that goes up, and then we will be recovered fully. Local leaders say the convention center is vital to the economy in the city of Oaks and Wake County. We did dodge a major catastrophe. In fiscal year 2025, the convention center had a more than $89 million economic impact in Wake County. The site also generates roughly $3.5 million in Wake County tax revenue each year. The tax revenue helps fund other major projects, including some of the improvements underway near the convention Center working to change the face of downtown Raleigh. If you make it a great place to visit,

it becomes a great place to live, and a great place to live becomes a great place to work. Great place to work becomes a great place to invest. These are a part of those investments. John Dowding, ABC 11, eyewitness news. Tonight, leaders in Durham are shining a spotlight on the need for more affordable housing. Plans are in the pipeline, including a $160 million investment to address the need for housing. But data from the North Carolina Housing Coalition shows rising prices are leaving 31 percent of Durham County residents financially strained. Building a structure is not the only solution to affordable housing.

You also have to ensure that people are upskilling and they're taking advantage of the resources that we've collectively, city and county and schools have collectively bought to be available to the public. And new construction does continue hitting the Durham community in some key areas, the former Northgate Mall area and South Point as well where hundreds of new units are proposed along Massey Chapel Road. Don Swineker. Let's talk weather. It is April and we saw what 80s today.

I think earlier I asked on 82. Yeah. We're still in the 70s. Right now. Like the normal high for this time of years in the 60s and we're in the 70s tonight. Now it was a very warm day near record highs. Tomorrow's not going to be quite as warm, but still well above average, 84 degrees. A few more clouds will hold the temperature down.

Good Friday. We're in the low 80s. We'll stay in the 80s through Saturday. Sunday, Sunday 79 for Easter. There is a chance of showers, but not until later in the day. I think all your Easter plans will be just fine. And then cooler as we go into next week. Live look on first alert Doppler net, a lot of radar trash around the metro tonight.

But if we go up to the north and west, we did have some showers out toward the triad. They've really fallen apart. This system is working east, but without the heating of the day, those showers are going away. Temperature right now looking live into downtown Durham, mutual tower, sky camp, 74, mostly clouding out of south. wind at 11 miles per hour. Let's check temperatures from Mandeota Murphy tonight, 66 down at the coast. We are one of the warm spots. Seventy-four here, 74 in the triad, 74 in Charlotte, 56 up in Boone, 66 in Asheville. We're just three to, or we're actually warmer than Atlanta tonight. They're just 71 degrees. Overnight, we'll see our temperatures falling into the 60s. We should be in the 40s this time of year.

62, Raleigh, 61 in Durham, 59 in Sanford, 60 in Clinton, and 60 in Roanoke Rapids. Satellite radar composite shows this boundary out to the west of us, really falling apart now as the sun has gone down. The shower is staying mainly to the north of us. Strong storms out in parts of Oklahoma and Texas tonight, but around here we stay dry. That high pressure continues to dominate our weather and force all that moisture up to the north. First alert predictor forecast model by 2 o'clock in the morning. sprinkles have gone away as you wake up tomorrow morning, you will see temperatures in the 60s, lots of sunshine, maybe a little bit of patchy fog. Then as we go into the afternoon, four o'clock,

temperatures back into the 80s, a few more clouds than we saw today. That will hold the temperature down just a little bit, so not quite as warm as those mid to upper 80s we saw today. Friday morning, good Friday, you're waking up to temperatures in the 60s. There is a chance of a spotty shower on Friday, but it's not widespread and most of you will stay dry. Forecasts looks. like this for tomorrow. Temperatures across the region in the 80s, 84 in Durham, 84 in Raleigh, 83 in Fayetteville. Let's look at numbers across the region tomorrow. 84 down at Fort Bragg, 82 in Lumberton. Normal is 68, so well above average. 84, Lillington, 83 in Sanford, Pittsburgh, Holly Springs, 84 in Bahama, 83 Wendell, 84 in Smithfield. We go north. You'll even be in the 80s from Henderson out over to Rone Oak Rapids.

84 in Lewisburg, 84 in Butner. Seven day forecast shows those temperatures in the low 80s on Friday, Saturday, warm breeze. 84 degrees. If you've got Easter egg hunts or any outdoor plan Saturday, looks great. Sunday, get your outdoor stuff done earlier in the day. Late afternoon into the evening, showers arrive. Monday will be breezy clearing a cooler, 67, back into the 40s at night. And we will stay in the 60s all the way into the middle part of next week.

but still in the 80s tomorrow and it sticks around for a couple more days. A little more normal, a little more like early April next week. Absolutely. All right, Don, thank you. Still ahead. A sweet heist and a chocolate mystery, why Kit Kat is asking the public to help track down some stolen candy. That's the stories next.

I witness news. We are local news weeknights four to six 30 and 11. We. Well, Steve, we're going to be on camera together, but I'll talk about this. Now to a sweet and strange mystery that's unfolding in Europe tonight. Earlier this week, thieves stole an entire truck carrying about 12 tons of Kit Kat bars. Now the candy maker has launched a stolen Kit Kat tracker, asking consumers to check batch codes on the bars to see if they're from the missing shipment.

The chocolate was stolen from a shipment leaving an Italian production site. The company says while a lot of chocolate was taken, the theft is not impacting overall supply of the sweet treat. As for the tracker, Nestle confirmed it's real. It's not an April Fool's joke. The stolen bars could turn up in unofficial sales channels all across Europe. Yeah, so if you're over in Europe, check out your Kit Katz, maybe part of the big heist. Some funny business. That's right, yeah.

All right, Trays with us right now. You had a great day at the Lenovo Center, Justin Ganey's introduction, and it was really cool to see so many Wolfpack legends there, players through the years there, to welcome him. We got to see a lot of Wolfpack smiles, a lot of people happy, some specials. stuff, one of their own, is coming back to Raleigh. We've got more of that when we come back for sports. Now, ABC 11, I Witness News, Sports, sponsored by Crossroads Infinity of Raleigh, where all roads lead to luxury. Justin Ganey is a Wolfpacker through and through. At today's presser, he didn't make any loud promises or have any catchy sayings that the fan base didn't recognize. He instead used vocabulary that Wolfpack Nation knows all about.

work, toughness and family. Coaching hires are never a guarantee, but you could tell today that the folks behind this hire are very excited that one of their own has come home. The 49-year-old Ganey has been in some sort of collegiate athletics role now for 20 years. After four years playing for state, a short career overseas, he got his first job as an administrative coordinator with the Wolfpack in 2006. Now after six stops as an assistant, he's home. Ganey was the Top assistant at Tennessee when he got the call of interest last week. Turns out juggling tournament prep and the potential to land your dream job isn't easy. It's been a whirlwind.

It feels like you're drinking out of a fire hydrant, you know, and, you know, because you're right. You go from preparing for an elite eight game to, you know, the meetings and the conversations and everything that goes with it. We're going to defend. We're going to rebound. And we're going to take care of basketball. It's that simple. And when you watch us play on TV,

I want you to be able to say that's the hardest playing team in the country. More coaching news. John Anderchuk officially stepped down as Campbell Men's basketball head coach this afternoon. What makes it even wilder is Anderchuck was hired not even a full year ago to lead the camels.

He put out a scathing statement via social media earlier. The post said a lot of things, but here's the quote that stands out the most. Over the last six months, it has become clear that Campbell has made the decision to shift their commitment from basketball. He went on to say the institution now has different priorities and they are not compatible with putting the kind of team on the floor that you deserve. So Stephen Lawrence, some biting words there going away with this new NIO and rev sharing era. A lot of teams and a lot of schools are making decisions. And obviously, Andrew Chutt didn't like the decision being made at Campbell.

frustration. They're in Bowies Creek at Campbell University. Yeah, well, that's a head coach shuffling going on right now. For sure. All right, Trey, thank you, and thank you at home for watching. That's going to do it for us here tonight. Remember, the news is always on at ABC11.com, and we hope to see you back here tomorrow night at 11. Good night. ABC 11 eyewitness news is sponsored by Capital Chevrolet. Together, let's drive. Shop capitalchevrolet.com.