ABC11 Eyewitness News - Eyewitness News at 11pm - September 23, 2026

Episode Date: September 24, 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. First at 11, we're getting you ready for tomorrow's weather tonight. More light rain is on the way in the morning and then a cool afternoon with cloudy skies. Thanks for joining us here for the news at 11. I'm Steve Daniel. And I'm Lauren Johnson. We had a major drop in temperatures today as spotty storms rolled through parts of Central North Carolina. Here's a live look at the Raleigh and Durham skyline. You can't tell just how chilly it is out there. Let's get you over to Chief Muterologist,

Don Schweniker for your first alert weather forecast on. We know that the temperatures have dropped a bit tonight. Yeah, they have. Let's check your weather headlines as we head into this 11 o'clock hour. Cool Thursday on tap tomorrow. Expect morning drizzle and then those clouds will break in the afternoon. Temperatures in the 60s all day long. We're seeing a real fall like weekend.

Finally not seeing the heat. clouds on Saturday and a brighter day on Sunday as we get into next week. That's when we will see some warmer temperatures moving in and we do stay dry. Now live look at first alert Doppler net tonight. One or two little patches of light rain still left out there. Some of that drizzle too light to be detected by the radar. But if we zoomed down into Johnston County and Harnet County barbecue over to oh, Andrew up to Clayton, a little bit of light rain working through apex and carry as well. This will continue to dissipate as we head through the overnight hours. So, Today we saw the clouds. We saw temperatures in the 60s. It was drizzly all day long. If we fast forward from tonight into tomorrow, tomorrow starts off with the drizzle. We'll see the clouds throughout today.

And temperatures, a degree or two warmer in the 60s. But we do have a nice warm up on the way. Just in time for the weekend. We'll cover that in your first alert forecast coming up. Stephen Lawrence. All right, Don, thank you. Take a moment. Download that free eyewitness news app.

It'll help you track those changing weather conditions on the go to get started. Search for ABC 11 in your app store. Happening tomorrow. Police will present their second quarter crime report to City Council. And one of the most significant findings of the report shows violent crime is up about 5%. Yeah, we've been going through all the numbers here. We know homicides and robberies are down, but rape and aggravated assaults are up by more than 10%. Tomorrow's presentation comes as the community continues wondering what can be done to make sure young people not only stay engaged, but also get off the streets for good.

Akela Davis live now. Akela, the violence continues as Durham is welcoming. A brand new police chief, you actually have been one-on-one with her. Tell us more. Yes, Steve, three gun incidents in just two days in Durham, two of which involved teenagers. Tonight, community members and leaders say unsecured guns and teens are a deadly combination. How did they get the weapon? That's the question Pastor Cornelius Battle is asking. He isn't a Durham native, but says over the past 25 years, he's seen too many young people lose their lives to gun.

violence and negligence. He says adults must take responsibility for keeping guns out of kids' hands. If there's a weapon, you know, if it's in the house, it needs to be secure. Okay, so they can't get into it. And that's why over the past five years, he's distributed free gun locks here at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church. His message comes as three gun incidents unfolded in Durham a day apart. On Monday, police say a 15-year-old fired shots at them after he allegedly committed a robbery. Then Tuesday, police found a man who had multiple gunshot wounds in the 900 block of Eva Street. He died at the scene. A second shooting in the 700 block of North Duke Street, police say two teens were playing with the gun when it accidentally went off killing a teenage girl.

The incidents come less than a week after Durham's new police chief, Stephanie Martis, identified reducing violent crime as one of her top priorities. My main priorities will be to reduce violent crime, nurturing community trust internally and externally and building upon the amazing progress that we have made with recruiting and retention. Go the other way, find an adult as quickly as possible.

And now parents like Vanessa Van Pelt say the two gun incidents involving teenagers just one day apart are sparking urgent conversations with her daughter about what to do if she ever sees a gun. I wish there was no need, you know, to have guns. But unfortunately

with the way that the world is today. I understand why people feel the need. You know, you've got to have some way to protect yourself, but you have to be responsible in doing that. And tonight I asked the mayor where things stand with the city and county joint violence reduction plan. He told me right now officials are developing a plan to carry out recommendations

and to determine exactly how much it'll cost. meantime, as for Pastor Battle, he says this Saturday at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church between one and four, he says he's actually going to be distributing gun locks. Reporting live in Durham, Akela Davis, ABC 11, eyewitness news. Yeah, trying to do his small part to make a big difference. And tomorrow we'll hear from the chief as she addresses the council. Akela, thank you.

Tonight we have new information about a call for shots fired in Raleigh. Police are telling us a 19-year-old is now in custody for firing a gun along Capitol Boulevard. at Alpine Motors, a used car shop. You can see that large police presence, yellow police tape up around that business. Carlos Ernesto Kagle is charged with assault by pointing a gun, discharging a firearm within city limits, and resisting, delaying, or obstructing an officer. We're following a story involving a hoax by a local teenager that was so serious it caught the attention of the FBI. That 14-year-old is now facing charges for an alleged bomb threat.

Police in Smithfield say they were notified by federal agents after they learned about an Instagram post referencing Smithfield Selma High School. Officers quickly identified a student behind that post. Police say the student admitted to making the post but told officers it was intended as a joke. Investigators say there was no actual threat there to the school. We're taking a closer look at special education in the Wake County School District as the topic returns to the spotlight. Parents sharing their concerns about a proposed plan to improve the experience for special education students. That proposal looks to bridge the gap between the experience for special education and general education student. and it lays out some potential paths forward.

Parents tell eyewitness news absent from the proposal, our plans to bring more support staff into the classroom. That additional support is something they say needs to be a priority. A special education teacher and a general education teacher working together for the entire classroom. It might mean that there are a couple one-on-ones for those children who are struggling the most. District staff say the topic is expected to be back up for discussion. in the winter. Still to come at 11 with the midterms looming, we've learned a federal lawsuit has been filed challenging North Carolina's new mail-and-ballot rules. We'll show you the issues outlined in the lawsuit and why some people think they'll disenfranchise voters.

Plus, we're following a heartbreaking story involving a family's fight to help their eight-year-old survive a brain cancer diagnosis. We're speaking with that family as they work to raise awareness and hopes it'll improve their child's chances of living a little longer. And it feels like fall is in the air. Don, what are the temps looking like tonight? Yeah, we're in the 50s and 60s. We'll talk more about those temperatures and about some better weather just in time for the weekend. You're going to warm it up a little bit.

We'll tell you about that. Your first solar forecast, that's next. For 50 years, Canadians have wondered what the names of IKEA furniture mean. Like Natopa, the guardrail for children's beds. Natopa means giving your favorite person room to grow. It means their safety and your piece of... No.

In Swedish, Natopa means nightmar. monkey. He's back. Ikea, 50 years of Swedishness at home. Look, he's wearing little pajamas. So cute. Tonight, a federal lawsuit challenging new rules for mail-in ballots in North Carolina. Yeah, it argues last-minute changes made by the State Board of Elections will inevitably disenfranchise voters. Earlier this month, the Board approved the new rules and a party-line vote. The vote happened on the same day mail-in ballots were being sent out to voters. Election officials are now required to discard a mail-in ballot if the inner envelope containing that ballot is not properly sealed. According to the complaint, valid votes could be thrown out.

Election officials are also required to discard a ballot if the signature does not match the voter's name on the ballot application. The lawsuit claims the rule does not define clear standards for verifying those signatures. Voting is now well underway from the midterm election. So far more than 80,000 North Carolinians have requested a mail-in ballot and more than 8,000 have now been returned. And here are some important dates to remember for the November midterms. October 9th is the last day to register to vote in-person early voting runs from October the 15th through Halloween and you have until October 20th to request an absentee ballot.

Then election day is coming up Tuesday, November 3rd. Polls across the state will be open from 6.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. A Harne County family of sharing their story in hopes of helping other people. This is Jansen Herring. He is only eight years old. Doctors say he has less than a year to live after getting diagnosed with a very rare form of brain cancer between one. 150 and 300 children across the country are diagnosed with it every year. And now as Jansen begins treatment, his family's hoping to raise awareness and buy him some more time. Just days ago, Jansen was complaining of headaches. His family knew something was wrong when it became a little clumsy and started speaking like a much younger child. Doctor soon diagnosed him with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma.

It's a cancer that formed in the brain stem and has no known cure. Now his family's working to get him to a clinical trial at Seattle Children's hoping to extend his young life. We need to just get there as quick as possible to fight this because if not, it is a death sentence. We have some kids here who have been receiving this therapy for a while who are still doing well without their tumor growing back, but not all. And so we always want to be really clear. Like we don't know if this is going to work for any one patient who comes to us. We won't stop doing this kind of research until we have cures for everybody. Jansen is expected to start radiation soon.

his family hopes the treatment will allow him to return home while they continue pursuing other options. You can look for this story and more resources about this very rare cancer on our website. From first in flight to the future of flight. Today, Governor Josh Stein headlined an aviation showcase at the airport in Sanford, and he talked about the recent advances in both electric and self-flying airplanes. That event at the Raleigh Executive Jetport included remarks from the FAA and the North Carolina DOT, as well as two of the companies spearheading that new technology here in North Carolina. technologies and Joby Aviation. After the ceremony, Governor Stein became the first governor in the country to fly in one of those futuristic planes. And with today's exciting announcement, we're

building on the state's legacy of aviation excellence. I've seen already Betta's aircraft demonstration last summer, and I have been excited about its potential ever since. And there's hope that one day these airplanes displayed today will be used for everything from the rapid delivery of critical supplies and medicine. to natural disaster relief efforts. Fayetteville's own Jay Cole back home tonight, performing in front of a sold-out crowd at the Crown Coliseum, and tonight marks the final stop on the U.S. leg of his fall-off tour.

Fans from all across the country lined up for hours for a chance to see him, but for the city that raised him, there is no bigger fan base than right there in Fayetteville. James Price, live now at the Crown, where she talked with a lot of those fans who say Jay Cole has never forgotten the city that helped make him the superstar he is today. What's the energy like tonight, James? Steve and Lauren, it has been a beautiful night despite this rain that is falling right now. This has been an amazing moment for Fayetteville and Jay Coles fans.

And just look how close we are to the action. You can see the lights inside the crown. You can still hear some of the music, the bass going. Fans told me that Jay Cole took the stage about 9.30 tonight. And so he is well into his set about to wrap it up here. They also told me that Pidi Pablo came out to perform as well. Tonight really felt like a love letter, a hometown love letter to Jay Cole, that Fayetteville footprint is throughout his career. And that is what had kept these fans out here for hours.

That connection to Jay Cole and this community as they waited to take part in this concert, a big moment for the community. The stage was set, anticipation building. The music going and fans ready to go bar for bar with Jay Cole tonight. This is my sign. I went bar for bar with Jaycoe and Philly night too, so hopefully he remembers me. Fans came from all over the East Coast and down south too. I'm from South Carolina Charleston. I'm from Delaware. But for the Fayetteville fans, this moment goes beyond the music.

Once I saw the list of the tours that he was, the place he was going, it was like, oh, I know where I'm going. I'm going home. So it meant a lot. Jeremy Love says J. Cole carries the spirit of this community. community and he couldn't miss this concert. Him coming back home, possibly his retirement year, like this means a lot. He started here, finished here. It also means a lot for Rashina Brown.

His story, the way that he grew up, the stories that he tells about growing up here, it feels central to experiences that I know and understand. It's been a loving year since Jay Cole's last performance in Fayetteville. It was in 2015 for the Forest Hill Drive tour and these fans missed out. We're like, you know what? It won't be that big of a show. It won't matter that much. And then, of course, Drake comes, Jay-Z comes. I've heard about it for 11 years. Finally getting able to see him at home. Fans grabbed merch to mark the moment and some parents even let their kids stay out on a school night for the concert. This eighth grader said it was certainly worth it. It's just hometown, Fayville. Had to come here.

All right, you see some of the fans who are coming here. coming out here tonight. So tell me about the performance. What did it mean for you today? Amazing. We are the alumni from Fable Terry Sanford. We graduated from his high school. Go Bulldogs.

We love him. He showed out. He's turned up for everybody. Show love to the city. Let's go to six. And okay? I just got to say we survived a let out. Yeah.

All right. These fans had a ball in six. What I have on the J-Cold Merrill? I'm always prepared, okay? So I was ready. But seriously, the next bag being asked. Priest told us that this will be lost in the next two. All right.

I know we're having a tough time here in Jimenez, all those cell phones there at the Crown Coliseum, but it looks like everybody had a good night, and that show is about to be over. All right, let's talk about a powerful coastal storm that could bring some flooding and some dangerous surf to parts of North Carolina through the weekend.

While the biggest impacts are expected along the coast, forecasters are keeping a close eye on a developing nor'easter off the east coast. Coastal flood alerts now stretch along parts of the eastern seaboard, and here in North Carolina, strong winds, rough surf, beach erosion, and coastal flooding are all possible along the outer banks. The storm's exact track remains uncertain, but Saturday's full moon could push tides higher than normal and make flooding worse in some coastal communities. Yeah, it's been brewing off the North Carolina coast today, causing some of our coastal communities. Yeah, and it's hard for us to think about that, since we're going to think about that, we keep here in the weekend will be so beautiful.

That's right. But it's not far away. It isn't. But some of the models tonight have drifted that to Nor'Easter, a little closer to shore, and that could mean a few more clouds first on Saturday. Nothing's going to ruin your weekend. Just not that full sunshine we were expecting. We'll talk more about that in a moment.

One big thing tonight to remember, we've got a fine fall weekend ahead, even with a few more clouds than we're expecting. Live, look first alert, Doppler. A couple of showers down here, Johnston and Harneck Countings. But that's just very light rain. There's drizzle out there, too light. to be detected on the radar. Versa Lur predictor forecast model.

Notice by 6 o'clock tomorrow morning. There still could be a few pockets around. So make sure and tune in with Quaylon Murphy. She'll be tracking any showers we do see tomorrow morning. I think the light rain and drizzle could linger through lunchtime. And then by the afternoon, it finally starts to pull out of here. We'll still see the clouds hanging around. Low cloud deck looking live into downtown Fayetteville, 65 right now on a northeast wind at 13 miles per hour.

Temperatures from across the region. to Murphy tonight, 70 at the coast 67 down in Greenville at this hour, 57 out in the triad, just 53 in Boone. Tonight we'll see our temperatures down into the 50s across the area under mainly clear sky or mainly cloudy skies. It will be breezy, cool and a little bit of light drizzle at times. Tomorrow morning, your fitness forecast headed for a walk or run. Notice just that chance of drizzle about 20 percent. So not everybody's even going to see any, but those temperatures will be hovering in the 60s. satellite radar shows this light rain really dissipating, that low still waiting to form off the coast that will work its way up and become the nor'easter.

By Friday, look at Friday. Friday we start off with clouds, temperatures in the 70s, looking great for Friday night football. Here's what I was talking about on Saturday. Saturday starts clear, and then we could see the system pushing a few clouds in, but really not a bad day shaping up. Forecast looks like this for tomorrow. Temperatures in the 60s across the region, and that seven-day four-calculpture. powered by Accu, the 70s Friday, Sunday 80 degrees. We'll climb into the mid-80s by the middle part of next week.

So one more 60s kind of thing. All right, Don, thank you. ABC 11 together is highlighting ovarian cancer awareness month. And there is a big event this weekend in Rale, raising awareness of the silent killer. The Gail Parkins Memorial Ovarian Cancer Walk and 5K helps raise money for research. And it also provides support to women battling the disease. The event is on Saturday at Sanderson High School in Raleigh. Still time to join either online or the day of the event.

The run begins at 8.30. The walk begins at 10.30. ABC 11 is a proud sponsor of the event. Still ahead, a special new edition of Monopoly coming out, and it has landmarks that North Carolinians may recognize. We're bringing you a special first look at a Raleigh-themed edition of the classic board game. The ABC. Tonight we're giving you a special first look at a classic game that's getting a North Carolina twist.

There's a new special edition of the board game Monopoly, and it has some landmarks. I know you'll recognize. Mr. Monopoly jumped off that board, hopped right to Raleigh today alongside Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell. To reveal the customized version of that classic game, the board features the acorns, Sir Walter Raleigh, Umsted State Park, the Dr. M.M.T. Pope House Museum, Marbles Kids Museum, the Governor's Mansion, Out Raleigh Pride, Chavis Memorial Park, the Lenovo Center and many other well-known local landmarks. We know Raleigh is super special. Now everybody who plays Raleigh Monopoly is going to understand all of those special things. about the city of Raleys. You will soon be able to find Monopoly.

Raleigh Edition in stores and online. All right, fresh off a big win against the Atlanta Falcons, the Carolina Panthers taking some time off of their busy schedules to support local students right here in the triangle. Yeah, today team leaders held an event at the Durham Charter School on Kemp Road.

It's a partnership with vision to learn that brings free eyeglasses to elementary and middle school kids. And today the kids were able to try on their glasses for the first time. It's not about being able to see the screen. In the classroom, You got to see the board. You got to see your paper. You got to be able to sit in different

locations in the classroom to participate. And we're just incredibly excited because we believe that this is not only going to improve their life but also improve their learning. The event included appearances by Panthers Legends and a special visit from Sir Perp. The panthers mascot over 400 pairs of glasses were given out today at no cost to the kids and their families. The David and Nicole Tepper Foundation has given away $5.2 million. to that organization, vision. In Toronto, every arrival is a statement, and nothing says it better than this.

Cadillac Optic was the number one selling luxury EV in Canada for 2025. Find your rhythm across a seamless 33-inch display and an immersive 19-speaker AKG surround audio system. This city demands agility, and Optic delivers with precision to make every drive extraordinary. Let's take the Cadillac. Find out more at Cadillac Canada.ca.ca. Luxury sales claim based on S&P Global Mobility,

Canadian new vehicle total registrations for calendar year 2025 for the Cadillac definition of luxury. Thanks for watching. We'll see you tomorrow.