ABC11 Eyewitness News - Eyewitness News at 4pm - December 29, 2025

Episode Date: December 29, 2025

Eyewitness News at 4pm - December 29, 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hi everyone, eyewitness news at 4 o'clock is on the way right now. We have some new information. We'll share it with you about a Duke University Hospital nurse who was charged with sexually assaulting at least three patients at the hospital what a judge decided today. And the Durham Fire Department announcing some new changes to reduce response times and emergencies and new details emerging in connection with the murder trial of Charlie Kirk. What a judge there in Utah is now ordering. And extreme weather causing travel delays and cancellations right here at the RDEU airport, live showing you how travelers are dealing with it all right now on eyewitness news at four o'clock right now

live coverage from your local news leader keeping you connected to your community and your first alert forecast here's what's happening where you live this is a vc 11 eyewitness news hi everyone good afternoon welcome to eyewitness news at four o'clock on this final monday of 2025 i'm steve daniels i hope you had a good holiday week amber and barbara have the day off It's been kind of a rainy, dreary, cloudy day around here. It's also a first alert day here on eyewitness news because a red flag warning is in effect. The gusty winds, though, not stopping people from enjoying around to golf in Raleigh. Here we stop by the Wildwood Green Golf Club off Strickland Road.

It's pretty mild out there right now, but it is going to get chilly. Some chilly airs on the way. Meteorologist Cruz Medina joins us now with the details on that and how this day has been unfolding. We've had a little bit of everything out there, Cruz. Oh, absolutely. And to your point of it becoming chilly, that northwest wind has now taken over. And boy, is it blustery outside. So you're probably feeling the chill in the air,

but also know that we could catch some winds above 30 miles per hour until about 7 p.m. And that's when this red flag warning is in effect for all of the counties that you see shaded here in pink. So it might seem counterintuitive. I know that we had some rain and parts of Central North Carolina earlier today. But keep in mind, dry air is pushing in on the backside of that front. So the dew point here, this is a good measure of how much moisture is in the atmosphere.

You can see there's still some moisture in the air along the I-95. corridor, but this is chapstick weather. You're applying that chapstick multiple times today as those due points drop and that combined with the gusty winds is leading to those dangerous potential fire conditions. So we have seen gusts over 30 miles per hour in some spots like Rocky Mountain Wilson at 34 miles per hour for that top gusts, 30 in Roanoke Rapids and 31 and Irwin. Keep in mind it'll stay gusty through this evening. But as far as weather related concerns outside of the wind, it's not really going to be too busy of an evening. So temperatures will stay in the

40s for another few hours, dropping into the 30s as we go into the late evening hours. So keep that in mind on your drive home. It is definitely not windows down kind of weather like we had at times throughout this weekend. And tonight, it's going to get even colder. So we go all the way into the 20s overnight, 26 that low in Raleigh, 29 in Fayetteville and 24 in Henderson. But that's only part of the story because it stays windy tonight. And so it's going to feel even colder tomorrow morning. We could have feels like temperatures in the teens and 20s tomorrow morning, and four of the afternoon, even though the high temperatures will be above freezing, most of the feels like tipters for the day will be in the 30s.

We'll talk a little bit more about when we can expect warmer conditions in your seven-day forecast. Steve. Okay, windows up and chapstick out. We got it, Cruz. Thanks very much. We have some breaking news right now at four. One of the two people injured in a fire in Fayetteville earlier today has now died. This happened this afternoon at the Kensington Court Apartments off Yadkin Road.

We now know an adult and a juvenile were taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center with serious injuries. Fire officials have not released any other information about the victims other than that detail that one of those people has now died. We're still working to learn more about how that fire at the apartment complex started. New at four in Durham, a court hearing was held today for a Duke University hospital nurse who's now facing some new criminal charges. 39-year-old Jamil Tagato is accused of sexually assaulting a third patient. Court documents show two of the incidents took place in May. The third happened earlier this month. Tagata was facing a long list of charges, including sexual battery.

His nursing license has now been suspended. And today he admitted in court that he's not a U.S. citizen. Taguado was ordered to be held without bond until his next court appearance coming up in January. New here for a court hearing held for two men charged after shots were fired inside a Walmart and Wilson. Police say Ashton Pittman got into a fight with someone inside the store on Christmas Eve and shots were fired. A third customer, Jordan Battle, then fought Pittman before another. Another shot was fired, according to police. Other customers intervened and disarmed Pittman.

A judge setting Pittman's bond for $1 million. He's now banned from going into that Walmart store. Bond for battle was set at $500,000. Battle is also banned from going into Walmart property. New here for the Durham Fire Department is making some key changes in how it operates. And they say the goal is to improve response times when you need help in an emergency.

The DFD tells us the first change will focus on what's called the effective response force, which is their ability to place an adequate number of firefighters on a scene for an emergency incident. The DFD also says it'll equalize the workload across the various fire stations. It's going to be better response times. It's going to mean that the entire response package for a house fire or structure fire are going to get there a little bit faster. It's going to be that we have better coverage all the way around the city for ladder trucks. Those changes at the Durham Fire Department take effect later this week on January the 2nd.

And in Wake County, we're just a few days away from a new noise ordinance in the city of Raleigh. The new rules only apply to amplified sound coming from commercial businesses like bars and restaurants and nightclubs. Under these new rules, decibel levels will vary based on the time of day, the day of the week, and the location as well. In the Glenwood South area there, that's been designated as a hospitality district, so that'll allow for higher decibel limits than other parts of the city. Those rules take effect this week on January 1st. New here at four, we're taking you to Utah, where a judge has now ordered the release of a transcript from a closed-door hearing focused on the man charged with killing Charlie Kirk and whether he needs to be shackled during court proceedings. The transcript needs to be released by the end of the day. It comes after defense attorneys for the suspect, whose name is Tyler Robinson, asked if he could appear in civilian clothing and without restraints to prevent any bias among potential members of the jury.

We're also waiting to see whether the judge will allow media inside the courtroom for that trial when it gets underway. Also, new at 4, we have an update on a mid-air helicopter crash that happened outside Philadelphia in southern New Jersey. A second pilot involved in that crash has now died. Those helicopters crashed in mid-air at about 1125 yesterday morning, and one of the pilots, 71-year-old Michael Greenberg, died yesterday right there at the scene of the crash. The other pilot, 65-year-old Kenneth Kirsch, was airlifted to a hospital where he later died from his injuries. Officials say only the pilots were on board those helicopters when they collided. the cause of that crash is still under investigation there north of Philadelphia. The Virginia man charged with planting a couple of pipe bombs in Washington, D.C.

The night before the January 6th, 2021 Capitol Riot has now confessed to the crime. That's according to newly released court papers. Brian J. Cole Jr. allegedly told authorities he believed conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, but said he did not like either political party. Those bombs were planted outside the Republican and Democratic Party headquarters. Cole reportedly said he was relieved when they failed to death. All right. I know a lot of you are coming and going this week. The holiday travel rush is continuing. And if you're driving today, you can expect a lot of company out on the roadways as we take a live look now at I-40 here in the triangle. AAA predicting traffic expected to be the busiest until about 8 o'clock tonight. The same goes for tomorrow. Very busy tomorrow as well. And then they say minimal traffic is expected on both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day as a lot of people gather for their celebrations. And people flying in and out of the RDU airport are dealing with flight delays and cancellations today.

because of bad weather and other parts of the country. So far today at RDU, 90 flights have been delayed, seven flights have been canceled. Penelope Lopez, live now at the airport. Penelope, tell us about the people there all around you. How are they handling it all? Yeah, they're trying their best just to get home that winter storm causing a major headaches

across multiple different airports, including here. And as you mentioned, more than 90 flights have been delayed and so far seven have been canceled. Major travel disruptions across the U.S. as new winter storm moves east. A blizzard warning is an effect across parts of Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan. According to data from Flight Aware, more than 80 flights coming in and out of RDU Airport are delayed and five have been canceled.

Many of those delays includes flights to Atlanta and three New York area airports, with Newark airport seen more than 200 flight delays and Atlanta close to 300. Yeah, that storm making post-Christmas travels a bit challenging. Coming up in the next hour, what to do if your flight has been impacted? Live in RDU, Penelope Lopez, ABC 11, eyewitness news. Okay, Penelope, thank you. And if you're driving, we have a reminder for you. The annual Booze It and Lose It campaign is now underway.

Authorities in all 100 counties across North Carolina are increasing patrols and also sobriety checkpoints right now trying to catch impaired drivers. That campaign runs through January the 4th. And we are just two days away, of course, from New Year's. Eve, and now we're getting a new behind-the-scenes look at the big tradition in New York City. People watch all around the world. Here's ABC's Mary Bruce in the Big Apple. Three, two, one, happy new year!

The countdown to New Year's Eve in Times Square has begun. That all-important number, 26, checked out carefully before the big night. We watch it every year on TV at home in Boca Raton, Florida, so to be able to see it in person's been pretty incredible. Each number seven feet tall, together containing 589 bulbs. Stay like there, stay right there. The main star of the event, this year's Constellation Ball, the largest New Year's Eve ball yet, adorned with 5,280 Waterford crystals, weighing in at 12,350 pounds. It's the ninth iteration of the Times Square New Year's Eve ball since it first dropped in 1907. Five, four.

But this year, the country's celebrating not just... any new year, the nation commemorating its 250th, marked with another crystal ball, adorned with America 250, in red, white and blue, of course. That ball won't drop until this summer's semi-quincennial. Each one of the desks, there are three different designs represent three different ideas, life, liberty, and happiness to celebrate our nation's 250th anniversary. So we're looking forward to a 2026 of hope, happiness, love, and Good cheer. Mary Bruce, with that report from New York City, don't forget.

We hope you'll join us on Wednesday night as we ring in the new year here on ABC 11. We hope you'll tune in for Dick Clark's New Year's Rock and Eve with Ryan Seacrest. That fun begins at 8 o'clock on New Year's Eve right here on ABC 11. Beyonce is just the fifth musician ever to become a billionaire. The details on that coming up in our next half hour here on eyewitness news. And media mogul Tyler Perry is now facing a second sexual assault lawsuit coming up in two minutes. what we know about that latest case. And could your favorite Starbucks be on the chopping block?

We'll show you how many stores will be closing in the new year in various parts of the country. And Cruise is with us. Are we the only guys at work today? It seems like no one's out on the road. Yeah, I was just about to say that. I-40 at Airport Boulevard is looking rather slim today. So this is normally a really busy spot heading into the evening commute. So good to see things moving along smoothly as we go into the evening hours.

Now, as we head to break, here are your traffic hotspots brought to you by the first solar weather team. Your first alert that we could have some low visibility. Warmer air working in. More clouds around tomorrow. The next chance of rain that we're watching. Always tracking, always alerting. Wingust will be up around 30 miles an hour. Your first alert forecast team.

ABC 11, I Witness News. We are back now with some news about filmmaker and media mogul Tyler Perry, who's now facing a second accusation of sexual assault. According to a complaint filed in a Los Angeles court, actor Mario Rodriguez says he was subjected to a number of instances of sexual advances and alleged assault at Perry's home. He wants $77 million in damages. Rodriguez has also sued Lionsgate accusing them of turning a blind eye in his words. A similar lawsuit by another actor was brought against Perry earlier this year. Perry's lawyer called the lawsuits a

quote money grab. More American military planes are arriving in Puerto Rico as tensions between the United States and Venezuela are increasing. The U.S. military has assembled a massive force right now in the Caribbean. It's been undergoing this buildup in recent weeks. There's now an aircraft carrier there. There are other warships, fighter jets as well. President Trump has accused Venezuela of flooding our country with drugs, and he's been bombing boat. It says we're carrying drugs headed for our country. Trump has also frequently threatened to start bombing campaigns of drug infrastructure on land there in South America. All right, it's time now for some news you can use. First, China is banning those retractable door handles found on Tesla's

and other electric vehicles. Critics claim the handles are a safety hazard when those cars get into a crash. They're also under investigation here in our country by regulators in Washington. You might start seeing fewer Starbucks stores around after decades of a lot of growth. The chain is now shrinking its presence

in a lot of big American cities. Starbucks plans to close about 400 locations, mostly in large metro areas. That's because of rising competition in those saturated areas. A lot more people working remotely and high cost of running those stores as well. The company says it'll now focus on fewer, stronger locations and some new designs for their locations beginning in 2026. All right, you're ready

to ring in the new year in style around here. Fayetteville's annual Cool Springs District. New York's East Spectacular is back with another year of great entertainment, lots of activities in downtown Fayetteville. For the fifth year, festival park will be the place to ring in 2026. They'll have food trucks and children's activities, lots of music, including Bubba Sparks, Young Jock and R&B Group 702. Once again this year, ABC 11 is really proud to be sponsoring that New Year's Eve event in Fayetteville. And that is the news you can use here at 4 o'clock. Let's take you to the town of Kerry, where they held a Kwanza celebration today.

As you know, there are seven principles of Kwanza. And today the fourth day celebrates Ujama, which focuses on the building and supporting to black-owned businesses. This event was held at the Carey Arts Center that featured traditional Kwanza performers and also some presenters who embrace African culture through dance and drive. drumming, storytelling, and the visual arts as well. It also highlighted how scholarship and performance really intertwine many of the cultural traditions. All right now.

We have a lot to talk about in the weather. A lot is changing around here. Mostly this cool air on the way. It's really dry air. So you say chapstick, lotion, all the precautions are necessary. You're a great listener, Steve. Yeah, I think all of those things will help you out as we get this Arctic air because it's been relatively warm recently. we've even had some 70 degree days

when you think back to the Christmas day itself. So we're definitely not trending in that direction. It's trending colder than average, but also today we've got those gusty winds causing some fire danger, so no outdoor burning advice for today. That first alert day will be in effect until

7 p.m. Then if you watch us again at 11, it'll have expired by then, and that's because the wind is going to come down significantly overnight. Now, as we go into the middle of the week, it's expected to be on the chilly side. So, That means any of your New Year's Eve, plans are going to be chilly if you're doing those outdoors. Ringing in the new year, though, tipters should be seasonable with highs in the 50s.

Now for today, we had that front move through. That's this thin band of some showers that you saw, and we were impacted by some of those throughout the afternoon hours. Those have since cleared and they're actually pressing out into the Atlantic. So it's not a problem for us anymore, but the wind remains as that front pulls away. So top gusts should peak within the next two to three hours by seven. I expect those winds to come down a little bit, but even into tomorrow is still going to be a bit gusty at times. We could catch some gust up to 25 miles per hour tomorrow, and that's going to play a factor in our feels-like temperatures throughout the day tomorrow. For this evening, though, it's also going to feel a bit cooler than what you're seeing here.

So these are the actual air temperatures. Most of the evening is going to have feels like tipter's in the 30s. So those are the tipters I dress for if you're stepping out to walk the dog here pretty soon. Now overnight, first alert predictor shows any clouds that we have pushing on out of here as that front completely pulls away. And with a northwest wind and a clear sky overnight, tipters are going all the way down into the 20s. So it is going to be a frigid night here. And as we go into tomorrow, those tipters recovered just a bit, but it's definitely not going to be as mild as it has been recently. So high temperatures will range from the upper 30s up north to lower 40s down to the south and in areas like the triangle as well. for the evening. It'll also stay chilly. So if you have evening plans tomorrow, just be prepared to

stay bundled up and dressed in your warmest gear. So the coldest part of the day is definitely the morning. Those feels like temperatures could be in the teens in some spots, lower 20s in the triangle, and then for the afternoon, only feeling like the 30s. So these temperatures, even though the actual air temperature will make it into the 40, these are the temperatures you dress for tomorrow because that's what you're going to be feeling if you're outside, especially with exposed skin. Now, the actual highs will go into the low and mid-40s for the triangle and the sandhills, 30s, up in areas like Henderson and Roxborough. So what lies ahead after that? Well, the front departs.

We see high pressure move in. Our Wednesdays of the northwest, so Tuesday is pretty cold. Once again, those highs only making it into the 40s. By the time we get into Wednesday, it's at least seasonable. So highs in the low 50s. That's what we expect this time of the year. And then after that, we will see temperatures rise just a little bit more before our next rain chance. which comes throughout next weekend.

So you can see it all here in your first solar ACUweather 7-day forecast. Obviously, it's going to be cold for those plans. Wednesday night as we ring in the new year and then staying in the 50s until this weekend, as will drop into the 40s by Sunday. Steve. Okay, don't pay attention to the thermometer.

The wind chills the real deal, huh? That's right. Okay, Cruz, thanks. Coming up here on eyewitness news, we'll tell you about the seafood heist that involved $400,000 worth of lobster that vanished. We'll tell you about the big national store chain it was supposed to be delivered to.

and the urgent search to find a 19-year-old woman in Texas who vanished on Christmas Eve. That's the worry coming up in two minutes. And tonight we'll be cheering on a local contestant on the Wheel of Fortune here on ABC 11. That's Edette Fair. She's getting her chance to win big. You can see how she does tonight at 7.30 right here on ABC 11. We are back now with the latest on an urgent search underway for a 19-year-old woman. She's a college student, and she was last seen on Christmas Eve outside her.

home in San Antonio. Here's Faith Aboube with the latest details. The FBI joining the hunt to find missing Texas college student Camilla Mendoza almost, the 19-year-old last seen in the surveillance camera footage near her car outside her house near San Antonio. That video taken around 7 a.m. Christmas Eve morning. Police say she was rummaging through her car wearing pajama shorts, a hoodie, and running shoes. Moments later, the footage ends. We do believe that she's still in imminent danger. Two hours later, her mother realized she was missing after she spotted her iPhone on her bed with the battery missing and called police.

Knowing that like she was gone and her phone was still there, it was just very unusual. And that's why we just, we genuinely have no clue what to think. Bear County Sheriff Javier Salazar saying she recently had a breakup, but it's believed to have been mutual. We're certainly not taking anything for granted. boots on the ground coupled with the the technology searches that we're doing we believe we're covering all bases the people of bear county joining police sending out teams of 20 with search and rescue experience we've been searching on foot like within a three-mile radius we don't have a single food overnight in san antonio friends and family of camilla mendoza almost praying for

answers meanwhile her family isn't giving up hope all devastating if ain't a real heart Please come home. There is a message. That's Faitha Bubay reporting with the latest from San Antonio there. Coming up here on eyewitness news, British boxing star Anthony Joshua was injured in a deadly crash in Africa today. We'll have the details from Nigeria coming up. And this year's flu season is setting records just ahead. You'll see how it's affecting kids differently this year than in years past. And in Wake County, the Liberation Station, a Black-owned children's bookstore reopened today in Raleigh to that crowd.

We'll explain what it means for the community when we come. back here on eyewitness news at 4 o'clock. We are back now with some breaking news unfolding in Wake County. Three people are without a home following a fire at this home in Raleigh. We had our breaking news crew there on the scene. This is a neighborhood on Summit Avenue. This is just off South Saunders Street and north of I-40, just south of downtown Raleigh. You can see the front of the house was destroyed there.

Fortunately, no one was hurt there in that home. The cause of that fire is under investigation. Now the latest on the flu season, it's getting worse by the day. Infections are rapidly spreading. Cases are on the rise as we get together with our friends and loved ones for the holidays. And New York is among the states bearing the brunt of it right now. Here's ABC's Alison Kosick with more. Cases of the flu surging nationwide.

The latest CDC data shows nearly 5 million cases across the country. Flu cases are rising in many parts of the country with 50,000 hospitalizations, 2,000 debts, all the tribute to the flu. New York State is now seeing its worst flu outbreak on record. More than 71,000 cases in one recent week alone, the most ever in a single week. At least 14 other states are reporting a high or very high number of cases from Louisiana to Colorado and up to New England. And this week, as people return home and go back to work after the holidays, days, expect cases to rise. We all gathered together for the holiday season. We share our love, our joy.

We also share our germs. While this year's flu seems similar to previous years, including high fever, body aches, and fatigue, doctors say with this year's strain, they're seeing more vomiting in children, and symptoms are coming on faster and more intensely. I couldn't even walk. I could barely talk.

I did help with everything I did. I was not able to eat or drink. The bulk of this year's cases are being linked to a new variant known as subclade K. Doctors say the flu shot will still help reduce your risk of severe illness, but fewer Americans have been vaccinated this year.

One survey found only 34% of adults got their shot. If you do get sick, there are treatments. It's a good idea to go and swab and get tested because you might be able to take an antiviral, such as Tamiflu for influenza, as long as you start that quickly, usually within 48 hours of symptoms. The CDC recommends everyone over the age of six months get their flu shot, and doctors say it's not too late.

Allison Kosick, ABC News, New York. And we're also tracking the measles outbreak in South Carolina, where more cases have now been reported. There say three more cases emerged on Friday, stemming from that previously reported. exposure at a school. 156 cases of the measles have been confirmed during that outbreak. 252 people are in quarantine. Three people are in isolation because of exposure to the measles. A plan by the struggling postal service to raise some extra money could cost the agency its biggest customer, Amazon. USPS has a partnership with Amazon to deliver orders to Amazon customers.

The contract reportedly brings in about $6 billion a year for the postal service, which they can't afford to lose. But now the postal service plans to accept bids from other. shippers for access to Amazon distribution centers. And an Amazon spokesperson now says that uncertainty might push Amazon to stop using the Postal Service as much as it does. And Amazon is now evaluating all of its options because of that postal service action. All right, check this out. Thieves made off with a shipment of lobster worth $400,000. That lobster was supposed to be going to Costco locations in several states from Massachusetts. But the freight company that was hired to transport all the lobster says thieves got their hands on the cargo by using some fake IDs to pose as truckers.

The FBI is now investigating trying to figure out what happened to nearly a half million dollars with a lobster that's out there somewhere tonight. The rough winter weather is causing really hectic holiday travel all across the country right now. Thousands of flights delayed, hundreds of flights canceled as a major winter storm moves from the Midwest to the northeast. As we showed you this hour, it's also impacting travelers in and out of the RDEU airport right now. Rina Roy has the latest now from Newark Airport outside New York City. Wintery weather wreaking havoc across the country during the peak of holiday travel. Just a bit like heavily crowded. Just come here early, you know, be prepared for any delays. Hundreds of flights canceled in the U.S. today alone and thousands delayed.

Major hubs like Atlanta, Chicago, and Detroit the most impacted. The runway at Gerald Ford International Airport in Michigan completely coated in snow. And on the roads, drivers facing near whiteout conditions in places like Iowa. Zero disability. A massive 14 car pile up on I-35. Dozens of cars involved in this pile-up in Detroit, shutting down I-75 for a while. Very slippery, and someone hit me. In Illinois, winter tornadoes touching down.

In the city of Pontiac, you can see trees snapped in half, cars damaged. This backyard trampoline mangled, a tree falling onto the roof of this home. All of a sudden, it's just really loud, like a big gust is coming through. I look out the window as I'm sitting on the couch and it's just a wall of gray and I run back to the bathroom and I'm like, I should probably be taken cover. And on the Indiana toll road, these two trucks jackknifing, bringing traffic to a standstill for some time this morning. That major storm now moving into the northeast, you can see giant waves and snow blowing in from Lake Erie over the town of Westfield, New York, southwest of Buffalo. Unfortunately, travel issues could continue through the week with yet another round of snow expected here in the Northeast on New Year's Eve. At Newark Airport in New Jersey, Rina Roy, ABC News.

We are keeping an eye on a tragedy unfolding in Africa where British boxing star Anthony Joshua was injured in a car crash that killed two people today. Joshua, who defeated Jake Paul in a Netflix bout on December 20th was a passenger and a car that crashed in Nigeria. Police say a total of four people were in that Lexus SUV when a tire blew out on the vehicle. The 36-year-old was in the back seat, but unfortunately the driver and another passenger died. His security detail was traveling in the vehicle behind them before the crash. The boxing champ has minor injuries, but they say otherwise he is doing just fine. All right, here in our part of the world, the Carolina Panthers are still on the verge of clinching their division. They could have gotten the job done with a win yesterday, but they were not able to beat the

the Seattle Seahawks, falling 27 to 10 in Charlotte. The Panthers have another chance coming up this weekend when they face their division rivals. The Bucks down in Tampa, that came, could determine who makes the playoffs. And this weekend, part of that, NFL football, returning to ABC 11. It'll be a double header. Panthers taken on the Bucks at 3 p.m. And Seattle and the 49ers are then coming your way at 7.30. That's happening Saturday, January 3rd, right here on ABC 11.

And we hope you'll stick around for eyewitness news following the games. And Duke football on the road right now. Getting ready for the bowl game this week. Manny Diaz and the Blue Devils are in El Paso right now. They'll be facing Arizona State and the Sun Bowl. Kickoff is 2 p.m. coming up on Wednesday on New Year's Eve. This year was full of one-of-a-kind stories that had a lot of people talking all across the country. We're talking about everything from political upheaval and gun violence to the first American-born Pope.

The details as we look back at 2025, just ahead here on eyewitness News. and Beyonce's net worth has officially crossed the billion dollar mark, thanks in part to her massive Cowboy Carter tour. Love the details on that. Come on up here on eyewitness news. Coming up on Wednesday, we'll be saying goodbye to 2025. It was a year filled with a lot of big news stories from the ICE immigration rage to the deadly flooding at Camp Mystic in Texas

to the first American Pope getting elected. Here's ABC's Reno Roy with a look back. was a year defined by a political comeback, destructive weather events and turmoil across the globe. I Donald John Trump, who solemnly swear. President Trump sworn in for a second term. In March, the president unveiled sweeping tariffs on Mexico, Canada, China, the EU, and other countries. Every day you go to the store, things are more expensive. Driving up the prices for consumers on some goods.

The president fulfilling a campaign promise, ordering ICE to conduct raids to deport undocumented immigrants. It's sending a strong signal to the world. Our board is close. Everyone I know is scared. People are nervous to walk their kids to school. The move sparking protests across the country. The Trump administration also sent the National Guard to major U.S. cities over local leaders' objections as part of an effort to crack down on crime.

It's a sense of intimidation and fear that is just so unnecessary. The longest government shutdown in U.S. history lasted 43 days and caused air traffic controller staffing issues, flight delays and pause snap benefits for millions of Americans. The year also marred by political violence. The nation, shocked by the assassination of conservative activists and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, shot while speaking at a college event in Utah. His death deepening the political divide in the nation, supporters hailing him as a hero, while many critics denounced his past rhetoric. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Tyler Robinson, who's accused of pulling the trigger and killing Kirk. This is

a political assassination. In Minnesota, a mass gunman disguised as a police officer shot and killed a state representative in her husband and wounded a state senator and his wife, according to authorities. A suspect arrested after a two-day manhunt, he pled not guilty in federal court. The Pennsylvania governor's mansion firebombed on the night of their Passover celebration. This kind of violence is becoming far too common in our society. The year started with terror in New Orleans. 14 people were killed in a vehicle attack the early morning hours of New Year's Day after officials say a pickup truck plowed into a crowd on Bourbon Street. We watched the people actually flip in the air. And for another year, gun violence taking American lives. Four killed and one injured at the NFL's

Midtown Manhattan offices in July, sending the city into a frenzy. Two children killed, 17 others wounded at a church during mass at a Catholic school in Minneapolis. My friend got hit in the back. I think I got like gunpowder on my. And two people killed and nine others wounded and is shooting on the campus of Brown University. Nature also taking its toll this year. Unprecedented hurricane force winds fueled the palisades and eaten fires, the most destructive in California's history. It looks like a war zone. More than 100 people were killed in central Texas, including dozens of children from Camp Mystic.

We had one choice and we had to swim out of our cabins. After heavy rain overflowed the banks of the Guadalupe River and the Texas, Texas Hill Country July 4th. The year also saw trouble in the skies. 67 people died after an American Airlines flight and military helicopter collided near Reagan National Airport outside of Washington, D.C. And overseas, the United States took military action

against Iran, striking three nuclear sites in an effort to cripple their nuclear program. Iran responding, attacking a U.S. base in Qatar. In early October, Hamas released the remaining living Israeli hostages, as well as the bodies of most of the deceased. After two years of war and reaching a tenuous ceasefire agreement with Israel, Palestinians streaming back into parts of the demolished Gaza Strip

that were controlled by the IDF during the war. Over 70,000 have been killed during the conflict, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. Fifteen people killed in what officials called an act of terror at Australia's famous Bondi Beach during a celebration for the first day of Hanukkah. And a brazen theft at one of the world's most famous museums... This is the heist of the decade. Authorities say four masked men stole eight pieces of jewelry from the Louvre in Paris.

The jewels valued it more than $100 million. For the first time in the 2000-year history of the Catholic Church, an American elected Pope. It's groundbreaking historically. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost who became Pope Leo the 14th, succeeding Pope Francis, who died in April. I'm really hopeful that this is something really good for us for some unity, some hope, love, and peace. Rina Roy, ABC News, New York. And as we wind down the year, ABC News is looking back at the biggest breakout stars and heroes and newsmakers who had everyone talking in 2025. You can join Robin Roberts for the year 2025 special.

That's on at 8 o'clock tonight right here on ABC 11. And then tomorrow you can find it streaming on Disney Plus and Hulu. Now to a big milestone for music icon Beyonce. Forbes determined she has officially joined the Billionaires Club. She's the fifth musician to ever reach that milestone alongside alongside her husband Jay-Z, Taylor Swift. Bruce Springsteen and Rihanna. Beyonce's recent successes include her 2023 Renaissance World Tour, which grossed

nearly $600 million. The following year, she reinvented herself with the country album Cowboy Carter. The tour of that album was the world's highest grossing concert tour of 2025. Coming up here on eyewitness news, a police officer saves a choking baby and was all caught on video. We'll show it to you coming up here.

And a 104-year-old World War II veteran says music is his fountain of youth just ahead. just ahead he was asked to perform the national anthem before a hockey game and we'll give you a listen coming right up watch watch joll brown we're back all right now with a segment we love to bring you we call it real news today's top trending stories and first we're taking you to new york for a really wild sight. This coyote right here spotted on this frozen pond in Central Park. You can see the video. Coyote out there taking a stroll in the big city. That's the frozen turtle pond there at Central Park. And it turns out Central Park is home to a small population of coyotes. And they have a couple of coyotes there.

They've named in a very New York way, Romeo and Juliet. All right, also in New York City, an off-duty police officer is getting the credit for saving the life of a one-year-old little girl. And we actually have the surveillance video right here capturing the moment that the child's mother ran over to the neighbor's house trying to get help from this off-duty New York City police officer as her daughter was struggling to breathe. The officer's name is Freddie Serpa. He began slapping the little girl's back to clear the obstruction out of her throat. The officer says he's really grateful he was actually to be there and help during that frightening situation for the mom and daughter. Also this. Okay, the story behind this performance is what makes this really remarkable in New York. That is 104-year-old World War II veteran Dominic Critelli right there on the ice playing the national anthem.

He grabbed a saxophone performing there in front of a full arena on Saturday night before the Islanders game against the Rangers at 104 years. This talent is very much alive and well, sounding really good there ahead of the big hockey game. And that's real news here on eyewitness news at 4 o'clock. Let's talk about the weather right now because this chilly air is here. It is kind of blustery out there and this Arctic air is on the way. It's arriving right now, Cruz. Absolutely. You're going to notice it when you step out this evening or early tomorrow morning as you're waking up, getting ready to start your day.

Temperatures will be in the 20s tomorrow morning. Highs will only reach the 40s. And as we go into Wednesday and Thursday, it turns a bit more seasonable. So tomorrow definitely is the coldest day in your seven-day forecast, but the cold is starting to spill in as we speak. So let's take a live look outside. It's still about 20 minutes from sunset, but this is the cocabooth amphitheater, the Chinese Lantern Festival. You can see folks already out there getting ready for that. And I hope that they are bundled up for this evening because when that wind is whipping, these 40s are actually going to feel like 30s through this evening.

The Wednesday gusty through about 7 p.m. After that, you might catch an occasional gust, but it'll just stay pretty breezy through the overnight hours. Tipters will drop it to the 30s later this evening, and for tomorrow we start the morning in the 20s. So dress for 20s because we're going to spend most of the morning feeling like the teens and 20s. And then for the afternoon,

even though we're reaching those low 40s for highs with sunshine, it's going to feel like the 30s most of the day. Now, as we go into New Year's Eve, many of you might have plans outside. You might want some of those outdoor heaters because tipters will be in the 40s as we go into the evening hours and 30s as we approach midnight. After that, it does start to warm up just a bit. Highs in the 50s as we end out the week. Also tracking a rain chance on Saturday and then dropping back into the 40s briefly on Sunday.

Steve. Okay, Cruz, thanks a lot. We are getting ready right now for eyewitness news at 5 o'clock. And coming up here, we are live at the RDEU airport as holiday travel is in full swing. A lot of people are coming and going from their. Christmas getaways, others preparing to travel to their New Year's Eve destinations. And we're talking with travelers as rough weather is impacting flights all across the country and right here at RDU as well. And eyewitness news is sitting down with the mayor of the town of

Kerry following that recent controversy leading to the resignation of the town manager. That conversation coming up new at five. Also new at five, we are reflecting on 2025 and the big local news stories and I team investigations. We brought you here on eyewitness news. That's coming up at five. And North Carolina's first black-owned children's bookstore making a comeback in Raleigh just ahead. We'll take you inside the new location and explain what makes this store so special in why all those people are there celebrating today.