ABC11 Eyewitness News - Eyewitness News at 4pm - March 2, 2026

Episode Date: March 2, 2026

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Right now at four, the attacks in the Middle East intensifying today as Iran continues its retaliation against the U.S. and Israel's massive operation that killed several top Iranian leadership, including Iran's supreme leader. Four U.S. service members killed 18 injured. President Trump addressing the nation today, saying the U.S. will prevail. We have the strongest and most powerful by far, military in the world, and we will easily prevail. And we are diving into the local impact from heightened security at Fort Bragg to the economy as gas prices are expected to rise. In Raleigh, a man is found dead and a woman now facing charges. We're learning more about the man killed as he was previously charged with assaulting the suspect. And today, the Durham community honoring a Durham native and North Carolina State Highway Patrol Trooper killed in a crash over the weekend.

More on Trooper Perry's legacy and what we're learning about the wrongway driver also killed in the crash. 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 ABC 11I Witness News. Happening now, increased security at military installations all across the nation, including here in North Carolina. We are checking in on the security measures that are underway at Fort Bragg as strikes continue in the Middle East. Thanks for joining us this Monday for the news at four. I'm Amber Repenta. And I'm Barbara Gibbs. As tensions continue to rise in the Middle East, Trump administration officials face questions about the timing of the launch of the operation and how long it could last. The Pentagon has not given a timeline in its operation against the Iranian regime.

President Trump says the operation could last for weeks with more casualties expected. We know at least four U.S. service members have been killed and 18 others injured. Those killed have not been identified yet. Today, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein reacted to the conflict and the impact stretching to military installations here in our state. There is no conflict in this world where residents of North Carolina are not at the tip of the spear, whether it's Camp Lejeune or Marines or Fort Bragg or Army. As Governor Stein just mentioned there, the operation impacting Fort Bragg, and that's where we find Akila Davis live this afternoon. Akila, what can you tell us about the heightened security measures there? You know, we're hearing from veterans and people connected to Fort Bragg on the war in Iran.

I can tell you a lot of mixed reaction on what's unfolding over there as military installations like Fort Bragg are experiencing heightened security. This afternoon, a heightened level of readiness on Fort Bragg as the war in Iran unfolds. A source familiar with Fort Bragg tells me the stakes are high as President Trump announced the U.S. Israeli strikes could last several weeks. Here at Fort Bragg, car inspections continue, and visitors' passes are necessary in order to gain entry to the military installation. This comes as at least 555 people have been killed in Iran. The Pentagon confirming four American troops have also lost their lives. Right now, there are mixed feelings in Fayetteville on the death toll growing. They're in the Army, okay? They volunteered.

They knew what was going to happen sooner or later. so I think it's fine. You may not be in the military, but you still care. And that's my situation. I care about the soldier. I care about the military, all branches of the military. I served in the army. Brother served in the army.

Father in the Navy. My grandson is in the airport right now. So it's always concerned. And I've reached out to the Pentagon on if Fort Bragg soldiers are in fact deployed to the Middle East. I haven't heard back. Reporting live from Fort Bragg, Akela Davis, ABC 11, eyewitness news. We will closely be monitoring the situation at Fort Bragg as well. Akela, thank you. And President Donald Trump speaking on his rationale for striking Iran

by saying the U.S. was, quote, nearly under threat, suggesting Iran was working on missiles capable of hitting the country. Here's ABC's Christiane Cordero. In his first public appearance since the massive military operation in Iran, today President Trump shared the threat he saw in deciding to start. strike and kill much of the Iranian regime's leadership. The regime already had missiles capable of hitting Europe and our bases both local and overseas and would soon have had missiles capable of reaching our beautiful America. Earlier this year, the Defense Intelligence Agency determined Iran was working to develop

missiles capable of reaching the U.S. within nine years. Regarding an imminent threat, sources tell ABC News, Trump administration officials told congressional staff there was no known plan from Iran to launch a preemptive strike against the U.S. Still, the Pentagon says Trump gave the OK for the operation Friday afternoon. Our country itself would be under threat, and it was very nearly under threat. Democrats and some Republicans are now slamming the administration for going around Congress. There was simply no basis to go in with this massive military campaign with the goal of regime change. And the concern here is that we have unethical.

unleashed factors in the region now that we cannot control. Trump has not specified how long the operation will continue or what the administration's ultimate goal is. We projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that. The Iranian regime today said it's prepared for a long war with the U.S. An Iranian aid group says hundreds of people have so far been killed in the strikes. The Defense Department says four American service members have also been killed and 18 others seriously wounded in Iran's retaliation. And we will have continuing coverage on the U.S. and Israel's operation targeting Iran.

Coming up later here at 4 o'clock, the impact the conflict's happening on gas prices. We're also hearing from a Raleigh native living in Israel. And for now, though, you can find the very latest on the conflict by going to our website, ABC11.com. Now to a homicide investigation in Raleigh, a 66-year-old woman is now charged with murder after a man is found dead on Saturday near New Bern Avenue. The victim now identified as 72-year-old Arthur Upchurch. Elena Athens is joining us live now. So Elena, what can you tell us about the relationship between the victim and the suspect? Well, several of the 66-year-old's family members were in court today. They didn't want to speak with us after the arraignment. But Sandra Hunter did have a message. for her family as she was being let out of the courtroom. May I need to refrain from talking.

A judge reprimanded Sandra Hunter after arraining her on a first-degree murder charge. The Raleigh woman allegedly killed the man who was ordered just a few months ago not to have any contact with her. I read through all of the court documents in that case. In 2024, Arthur Uppchurch was indicted by a Wake County grand jury for striking Sandra Hunter allegedly causing swelling to the left side of her face. Just this past December of 2025, he pled guilty to assault on a female. He was sentenced to 150 days in jail and also ordered by the court to have no contact with Hunter. Raleigh police received a call Saturday morning

about a dead person on Bassett Trail. That's where Hunter lived. Officers discovered Upchurch's body. We don't know how the 72-year-old died. I reach out to police to see about the circumstances, but have not heard back. Hunter is being held in jail right now without bond coming up ahead at 5 o'clock. What we are finding out about Upturch's criminal record. We'll have that coming up here on eyewitness news. For now, we're live in downtown Raleigh, Elena, Athens, ABC 11 eyewitness news. All right, Elena, thank you.

Turning now, the first alert weather. You saw Elena had a big jacket on and Cruz in downtown Raleigh working in those cold conditions today, but we do have your first alert to a big swing in Temps. It's got a meteorologist Cruz Medina with a warm-up happening, please. Yes, it is going to turn warmer after. after we get past today. So today, tipters were below average. We were only seeing highs in the 40s today as we go into tomorrow. That's the start of the warm up. So it's not going to necessarily be a hot day by any stretch. But low 60s expected for areas like the triangle and the sandhills. It'll still be mostly cloudy. But by Wednesday, look at that. Mid 70s and then upper 70s for Thursday. And I can promise you, that's not the warmest day that we're going to see over the next seven days. But for today, the cloud cover and winds out of the northeast have kept us cooler than average. First alert, Doppler. not showing some light showers moving through areas like the triangle into the north. So parts of Wake and Durham counties getting in on some light showers, including downtown Durham.

If you work your way to the north person County, northern Granville, Warren and Vance counties up into Mecklenburg County, Virginia, also getting those showers. Here's a live look at downtown Rale. You could just see how overcast it is. 47 there, 50 in Fayetteville and 42 in Roxborough. For your evening commute, aside from one of those showers should be pretty quiet. Temperatures will stay in the 40s throughout the duration of this evening. So once again, other than a shower, there's not much to slow you down for your evening commute. Overnight, we could still see a passing shower.

Tiptors drop into the upper half of the 30s. It stays mostly cloudy and then throughout tomorrow. Another mostly cloudy day, there's an opportunity for late day sunshine, though. Most of the day will be spent in those middle to upper 50s. And then the afternoon is where we could see those highs briefly reaching the low 60s. Now, if you're in the sand hills, you could hit the mid-60s tomorrow. Those will be one of the first areas to see clearing and 50s across the northern tier. We'll talk about the first 80s of the year in the seven-day forecast coming up in just minutes.

Amber. Big swing. All right, Cruz, thank you. And new here at 4, honoring a fallen trooper. Today there was a processional for North Carolina State Highway Patrol trooper Stephen Perry. He was killed in a head-on crash in Durham over the weekend. The processional passed by Perry's alma mater, NC Central. He was a 2018 graduate.

Perry was also a member of the NCCU football team. Dwan Hogarth is live in Durham, Forest One. He spoke to an attorney and friend of Trooper Perry. who says the accident could have been prevented. Yeah, and that's one of the main questions that people have this afternoon, Barbara, is they're asking themselves questions on how or even if this all could have been prevented. I actually had a chance to speak with an attorney today who actually knew Trooper Perry, and we had a chance to talk specifically about yesterday's accident and what all can be done.

Today, the memory of State Highway Patrol Trooper Stephen Perry remains. I drove on the exact same road as Trooper Perry drove. and I passed the exact scene of the accident and all I could do was think about uh trooper Perry. Attorney Navi Sain-Du was a friend to Trooper Perry and believes his friend's death was avoidable. What it really means is that we need to take a better look at what happens when people have had multiple uh in this case I believe three DWI convictions and how we as a society treat people like that. Perry was hidden killed by 39-year-old Nelson Moore who highway patrol suspects was impaired and is citing that as a factor in the crash.

According to court records, Moore had at least three prior DWI convictions dating back to 2010. Based on North Carolina law, some DWI convictions allow for drivers to get behind the wheel of a car, however, only with limited driving privileges, such as to allow for people to drive to places like their work, places of worship, school, or even the grocery store. There's nothing to stop that person from getting behind the wheel of the car. and operating it if they've had an impairing substance in their body. And according to court records, there were another, a number of other traffic-related offenses committed by Mel Sean Moore.

Those were all in Onslow and Lenore counties. A lot of those charges were dismissed by the DA in those respective counties. This afternoon, we're also still working to learn of any funeral arrangements for trooper Stephen Perry. We're live in Durham this afternoon. Duane Hoggard, Ebis 11, IWNIS News. Duane, thank you. Well, now to funeral plans for North Carolina. State Highway Patrol trooper who died in the line of duty last Sunday. Master trooper

Stein Davis Jr. died in a single car crash in Robeson County. Celebration of life service for Stein is scheduled for this Wednesday, March the 4th at 2 p.m. in the auditorium of Robeson County College in Lumberton. In your voice, your vote, we are just one day away from the primary election now and we're following several key races. Former North Carolina governor, Democrat Roy Cooper, competing against Republican Michael Watley in the state's critical and very. very expensive Senate race. That race is among the most closely watched elections of the 2026 midterms. And another key seat up for grabs, Congresswoman Valerie Fushi, running against Durham County Commissioner Nita Alam for the fourth congressional district that Fushi has represented

since 2023. So here's what you need to know if you're planning to cast your ballot on election day tomorrow. The polls open tomorrow morning at 6.30. You have until 7.30 in the evening to vote. You must vote at your assigned polling place and all absentee ballots must be returned by 730. And you can look for up to the minute results from the election on ABC11.com. We'll also have special streaming coverage throughout the evening on Tuesday. Still ahead on IWitnesses, the late Reverend Jesse Jackson returns to the Carolinas to Lyon State ahead of celebrations for his life planned in Chicago this week. And the governor of Texas addressing a deadly mass shooting that happened along a popular downtown area. why authorities are investigating it as a possible terror attack.

Cruz? Time for a check of First Alert traffic. This is I-40 at Avent Ferry Road, and good to see things moving along smoothly in both directions. But as we head to break, let's get you your traffic hotspots brought to you by the First Alert Weather Team. The ABC 11 First Alert forecast team is working to keep you safe. Wani's across the region.

Some cloud cover starting to build. That rain is going to push on through. A cold air coming in. The First Alert Forecast Team. Only on ABC 11. News. Where are my gloves? Come on, heat.

Winter is hard, but your groceries don't have to be. This winter, stay warm. Tap the banner to order your groceries online at voila.ca. Enjoy in-store prices without leaving your home. You'll find the same regular prices online as in-store. Many promotions are available both in-store and online, though some may vary. I witness news. We are local news weeknights four to six 30 and 11. Services for the late Reverend Jesse Jackson continue this week.

The body of the civil rights leader is now in his home state of South Carolina, lying in repose at the state capital rotunda today. The public can pay their respects throughout the day. More services are set for later this week in Chicago. The service in Washington, D.C., scheduled for Wednesday, is now postponed. New details from Texas as investigators work to deter. Herman, if the suspect in a deadly mass shooting was motivated by the attack on Iran. 53-year-old in Jaga Jani is now identified as the possible gunman.

He was born in Senegal, but was a naturalized U.S. citizen. Investigators say, John A opened fire Saturday night at a bar in Austin's Entertainment District. Two people were killed, 14 others injured before police shot and killed him. Authorities say he was wearing a hoodie with the words, quote, property of Allah and an undershirt with the Iranian flag on it. We will not rest until every last trail of piece of information is pursued to determine if there's anybody else involved in this whatsoever. And if so, obviously, we will track them down, find them, and bring them to justice.

Investigators are cautioning it is too early to draw any conclusions. In Cincinnati, Ohio, at least nine people are hospitalized after a mass shooting at a music venue. Police responded to the shooting around 1 a.m. Sunday. Officers say nine people suffered non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. There's no information about the suspect or what led to the shooting. Cincinnati's mayor issued a statement thanking police and first responders and offering prayers for the victims. Well, March is here and this week is severe weather preparedness week in North Carolina. The National Weather Service and the State Department of Public Safety are teaming up to make sure that you stay safe during severe weather situations. State officials will highlight a different topic each day of the week.

focusing on the difference between watches and warnings. Ready and C released this explainer to help break down the difference. Think of watch as basically having all the ingredients needed for a picnic, but no picnic yet. You just have the ingredients for it. A warning means the picnic is happening right now, so all of the weather ingredients have combined to create a potential hazard such as a tornado or severe thunderstorm. In weather terms, a watch means having all the elements needed to create severe storms or tornadoes and a warning means It is happening right now. And it is very important to stay weather aware.

I mean, we see such extreme weather here. Absolutely. And we're getting closer to spring. We can feel it, right? We had a very warm spring-like weekend. And so that is a great reminder, a great illustration of what to prepare for as we go into the spring season. All right.

Well, we're going to see a preview of spring throughout this week. It's just obviously not coming quick enough. So today was a very chilly day. It felt more like January, what tipter's in the 40s. By the time we get into tomorrow, we're at least in the low. those 60s. Most of the day is still going to be pretty cloudy, but there's an opportunity for late day sunshine and for the rest of the week, the middle, the end of the week and into the weekend. We're expecting even warmer temperatures and more of that sunshine. So great opportunities to get

outside. You can go ahead and start planning some things. But with those 80s, if we hit 80 at all throughout this upcoming week, we could actually hit that for the first time this year so far. So definitely a sign of what's to come this spring. For tonight, though, it won't be in the or 80s. It's actually going to be in the 40s if you're heading out to the Lenovo Center as NC State and Duke tip off at 7 p.m. tonight. So if you're going to that, make sure you bring a jacket. There could even be a stray shower out there. The better chance is going to be near the Virginia border. So if you're watching from Vance, Granville, Warren, Halifax, North Hampton counties, those are the areas that have the highest probability of seeing rain through this evening. And as we go into the overnight, that chance could spread a little farther south. So really anyone in Central North Carolina could see a stray shower tonight. in the morning there could still be a few sprinkles around in spots. Definitely the cloud cover hanging on. Tipgers will be in the 40s early in the day, but our winds turn out of the south and we'll see an opportunity for late day sunshine. That'll push us into the 60s in some locations.

So the chances of seeing 60s tomorrow is going to be highest in the sand hills. That'll be one of the first areas to see clearing sometime mid afternoon. The triangle, it might take until the late afternoon for you to finally get in on that sunshine. And then our northern counties pretty much cloudy day for you. The tipters will be in the 50s there as a result. Going forward, we have a front getting closer to us, but it's going to stay just to our north. So because this is a warm front, a warmer air mass is going to surge in from our south, off of those south winds. That pushes us well into the 70s, not only for Wednesday, but into Thursday as well.

And then from there, it's going to keep getting hotter. We could even see some 80s by the time we get into Friday and Saturday. Now, if we can achieve those 80s, it's possible we tie or even break a record, especially on Friday. So we've forecasted 82. The old record is 82 set back in 1967. So stay tuned and see if we hit that. I'm hoping that we do, but I'm a fan of warm weather. So I can't wait for it to finally get here and hopefully stay. All right, live look at our Pindo Sky Kim in downtown Raleigh. It's 47 degrees there right now, 43 and Roxborough. Again, tonight dropping into the 30s for most of us, unless you're watching from the sand hills, low 40s there, mostly cloudy with a stray shower. For tomorrow, reaching highs in the 60s except in our northern. counties. Still going to be a mostly cloudy day, but an opportunity for late day sunshine. Your first alert seven day forecast. We're nearing 80 by Thursday. We should be in the low 80s by Friday, especially for the triangle and sand hills low 80s into this weekend as well. So start making plans. And just a reminder of the spring time change is this weekend as daylight saving

time begins. So just another sign that spring is just around the corner. Back to you. It is indeed. Thank you, Cruz. Next and all new this hour, Governor Josh Stein honoring honoring trailblazing women across North Carolina as March Women's History Month. Plus, the Wake County Animal Center now welcoming back future pet owners. After a recent closure, we're hearing from officials at the center on the new upgrades. Time now for some news you can use. The U.S. surpasses 1,100 measles cases in just the first two months of the year. That is according to the CDC, and that's six times higher than what's typical for an entire year. The CDC says

more than 80% of cases are among children and teens. About 96,6,000. are in people who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated. Doctors stress the measles vaccine is safe, effective, and the best protection against the disease. The Way County Animal Center is back open today after a six-week shutdown to make repairs. To celebrate, the center says it's launching a new adoption campaign from today through March 22nd. During the three-week event, dog and cat adoption fees are only five bucks. So yeah, we were closed for roughly the past six weeks for some much needed repairs to the building. A lot of that had to do with disease control and, you know, disease prevention. We had some cracks in the flooring. Here of some really great

dogs and cats in our building that are looking for their forever home. A lot of them have been waiting a really long time since they've been in our care before the closure and they've been waiting patiently throughout that closure. Right now, the Animal Center says it has more than 100 dogs and two cats available for adoption. New at four, Governor Stein proclaims March as Women's History Month honoring those who paved the way to a sustainable future. Stein says women throughout North Carolina's history have led movements to strengthen families, expand educational opportunities, increase civic participation, protect the environment, and build safer communities. This year's national theme is leading the change,

women shaping a sustainable future. That's news you can use. Amber back to you. All right, Barbara, thank you. New here for the Tar Heels earning bragging rights. Once again, the UNC Women defeated Duke over the weekend. The Tar Heels getting their first win over an AP ranked team and it was against their big rival. It was a big moment on the Chapel Hill campus and happening this weekend it is round two of the Tobacco Road showdown. Duke versus UNC Saturday March the 7th and this time they'll play in Durham. Tip off is at 630. All right the college game day crew is rolling back into the triangle scheduled to make a record 15th trip to Cameron Indoor in Durham. This Saturday the show will be live from Cameron Indoor for a two-hour show that starts at 10 a.m.

The SPN admission to the Game Day show is free. The show will mark Duke's 33rd appearance on game day. That's the most by any school. Up next, our coverage continues of the attacks in Iran as we are just getting word that the death toll has now risen. Six U.S. service members have now died in this conflict. We're taking a look as well at the widespread impact as oil prices have increased. And we're also hearing from a local woman who is now living in Iran sharing her experiences from the Middle East. We are local news.

ABC 11 eyewitness news continues now. And we are back now with breaking news on the operation in Iran. The death toll has risen. We're now learning six American service members have been killed. The U.S. Central Command released a statement saying, quote, U.S. forces recently recovered the remains of two previously unaccounted for service members from a facility that was struck during Iran's initial attacks on the region. The names of the fallen troops will be withheld until 24 hours after next of time.

Ken is notified. Well, the conflict in Iran comes at a time when most Americans are already concerned about inflation. The attacks already sending gasoline prices higher and even steeper increases are expected soon. Bianca Holman explains how the higher oil prices will also impact what you pay at the grocery store. The deadly and unpredictable conflict in the Middle East is having an impact on the global economy. We're feeling the rising cost of oil. How high these prices will go really depends on the impact of the supply route. Oil futures surged in the first trade since the attacks began over the weekend. U.S. crude rose about $8 a barrel or 12%.

According to Gas Buddy, the state average today is $2.76 per gallon. Last year, the average was $2.74 cents per gallon. We've seen a variety of prices along South Saunders Street. We saw gas prices ranging from $2.48 cents to almost $3 a gallon. Experts say overall consumers may see a $2 to $5.5. difference when filling up the tank in the coming days and weeks. And so that is probably going to be more impactful. If you do have a diesel powered vehicle, you may see diesel prices rise by 15 to 40 cents over the next week or two. And again, a lot of that has to do with diesel inventories that are very

low. In addition, a major Saudi oil refinery shutting down is having a larger impact on the price of diesel. So here are a few tips. Shop around using apps like Google or Gas Buddy. Try to drive more fuel efficiently, use cruise control, and don't forget about loyalty programs. On our website, we have a price tracker. You can compare what you're paying at the pump to averages around the country. And Raleigh, Bianca Holman, ABC 11, eyewitness news. Bianca, thank you. Tonight, eyewitness news is speaking with Triangle natives caught in the middle of the growing unrest in the Middle East. Robin is from Raleigh and graduated from Enloe High School, then UNC Chapel Hill. She moved to Israel in 2008 and lives in a town called Bettschurch.

Shemesh. It's about halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. This weekend, her town was struck by a retaliatory missile from Iran. During that attack, Robin took shelter with her three children in their apartment's safe room. The fear, the terror, the emotional toll it takes on kids not seeing their friends, parents being home with kids, trying to work, running to the safe room, knowing there's hits in other cities or even in your city. The emotional toll is the same. ABC News reports at least nine people were killed and 49 others injured in that retaliatory attack. There are still a number of unaccounted for people. And turning now to some other headlines this Monday in your speed feed.

First, the Helping Hand Mission in Raleigh is now calling on the community to help the organization rebuild after a fire damaged their facility over the weekend. The fire broke out Sunday impacting the office and the storage facility on Rock Quarry Road. Fire crews were able to clear the fire quickly. There were no injuries, but their operations have taken a major hit. The group has supported the community for more than 50 years. No word on what started that fire. And Wake County Public Schools now accepting transfer applications for next year. From now through March to 13th, parents can apply to transfer their children to a new school.

Families who submit a request during this period will be eligible for an appeal if the request is denied. Results will be available via email or text within 7 to 10 business. days. Happening today, applications are open for Durham's pre-K program. We'll get to that in just a minute. Let's talk about the Deepak, just releasing its schedule for the 2026-27 season, and it's going to be a big one with eight incredible shows. Buena Vista Social Club runs from September 22nd to the 27th, and then it's maybe happy ending from October 13th to 18th. Death Becomes Her hits the stage in November, and the bodyguard comes to the Deepak in December. And some big shows are also. also returning to Deepak in 2027, including Wicked in March. Operation Mincemeat in May, the Phantom of the Opera, runs May 26th through June 6th of 2027, and just in time. That's in July of next year. And that's your speed feed. Barbara, back to you.

All right, Amber, thank you. Well, happening tonight, the Blue Devils take a short road trip to Raleigh. Duke will face off against the NC State Wolfpack. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. at the Lenovo Center. Coming up on eyewitness news at 6, Kate Rogerson will be joining us live ahead of the big. matchup. Next year at 4 o'clock, the High Court, considering whether marijuana and other drug users may possess firearms. Plus, honoring America's 250th anniversary, the Freedom Tour now underway, bringing historical archives to museums all across the country. And as we had the break, let's take a live look into downtown Raleigh. What a difference a day makes. It was cold if you stepped outside. I think some raindrops are falling too, Cruz. Yeah, we've got a few showers out there. Overall, feeling more like a winter day than a March day. As we go forward, though, ready for a long warm stretch. Start making plans for the weekend outside. We'll recap that coming

up in your seven-day forecast after a quick break. Now to an investing. At Desjardin, our business is helping yours. We're here to support your business through every stage of growth, from your first pitch to your first acquisition. Whether it's improving cash flow or exploring investment banking solutions, with Desjardin business, it's all under one roof. So join the more than 400,000 Canadian entrepreneurs who already count on us and contact Desjardin today. We'd love to talk. Business. ...into a deadly road rage incident in northern Virginia. A man is dead after allegedly stabbing four people and a dog after a crash on a major highway in Fairfax County outside of DC. Investigators say the crash happened in the southbound lanes of I-495. When troopers arrived,

they confronted the man who was holding a knife. State police say the troopers shot and killed the in self-defense. One of the victims stabbed, a 39-year-old woman died of her injuries, and a dog in the car who was stabbed also died. Police are still investigating what led to the incident. Developing now a case before the Supreme Court is bringing together an unlikely pair of groups. Marijuana and gun rights advocates opposing the Trump administration's defense of a 1968 ban. That ban prohibits what it calls unlawful drug users from owning a gun, and that includes marijuana users, even in states where marijuana. is legal. The case centers on a defendant found with pot and a pistol. This, of course, as an order

from President Trump is expediting the loosening of federal marijuana restrictions, but does not fully legalize the drug. So the big issue, the court is weighing, can the federal government ban gun ownership for marijuana users, even as marijuana laws are loosening in many states? Most states allow medical use of marijuana and about half permitted for recreational purposes. New this hour, some national treasures could be heading to an airport near you. The so-called Freedom Plain is on its way. After taking off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Monday, the 737 is carrying at least 10 lesser-known founding era documents from the National Archives.

Every American is an heir to what the founding fathers envisioned and what they wrote into history on these documents. So to be able to take those right up to people's cities and towns and communities is a once-in-a-jointed-a-jointed-jointed. generation opportunity. The Freedom Plan will bring the archives to museums in various cities to mark the nation's 250th anniversary. And we're counting down to Hollywood's biggest night right here on ABC 11, the Academy Awards, now less than two weeks away. Coming up next, we take a look at how the push for diversity and inclusion has impacted

the Oscars over the past 10 years. ABC 11 First Alert Weather. You might be tempted to let Taco Bell's new Lux Value menu go to your head. Because 10 indulgences for $5 or less makes you feel fast. fancy. Like you might think you need cloth napkins. Well, you don't. Just use the ones that come in the bag. Don't let the luxe go to your head. On eyewitness news every day. Well, you may remember this one, the hashtag that changed the Oscars. It has been over a decade, believe it or not, since Oscars So White began trending in response to the 2015 Academy Award nominations. It was a hashtag that sparked

a movement as pressure mounted for recognition and inclusion of more diverse nominees. It led the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to dramatically overhaul its membership, nearly doubling the voting body, in the last decade. We've seen an uptick in diverse winners, including Raleigh-Native Ariana DeBose. Many advocates say that the changes don't go deep enough, and the real problem, they say, starts long before we get into award season. The studios themselves are still led by a very homogenous group of people who aren't always as open-minded to stories.

that reflect the diversity of this country. The two very most important questions are whose story is being told and who is telling the story. Among the increase of diverse nominees and winners, the Academy has also increased Best Picture nominations allowing for more international films to get golden tickets. And Iwoodish News is counting down to the Oscars. The 98th Academy Awards airing right here on ABC 11 and 13 days.

Join us March 15th at 7 in the evening for Hollywood's biggest night. Will it be a historic night for sinners and it's 16 Oscar nominations or will one battle after another continue its impressive run-through award season? It's all part of a big night of Oscars programming here on ABC 11. It begins at 3.30 with the On the Red Carpet pre-show followed by IWitness News at 5 and ABC's World News Sunday. And then it is back to the Oscars at 6 p.m. with more on the red carpet coverage.

And the big show, the Oscars, begins at 7 o'clock, followed by, um, and. an hour-long eyewitness news at 11. And then be sure to stick around for the on the red carpets after awards show. Well, now today's top trending stories in real news. First, a case of Bieber fever for store owners in L.A. Check this out. Justin Bieber spotted at a Los Angeles design and furniture store jamming on a piano and other instruments inside the shop.

Staff say the pop star was improvising on the piano in a part of the store where musical instruments are showcased. described his visit as a dream come true. Well, the Take Your Pup to the zoo day in Texas, dozens of dogs visited the Dallas Zoo for its first ever dog day. The four-legged guests explored all areas of the zoo seeing penguins, lions, and elephants, many pups pausing to watch, sniff, and take in the sights. Staff of the Dallas Zoo say it was a tail wagging success. And speaking of furry friends, we're introducing you to a very chatty French bulldog who has gone viral, all over social media.

That is Little Archie's from North Carolina and he is not afraid to make it loudly known when he wants some snacks. I'm hangary. He's also vocal that even has his owner and other TikTok users convinced his bark sound like he is forming words in one video where Archie is begging for Cheetos

it sounds like that he was saying I want one. I wouldn't be surprised. Look at that. And he gets it. That's what he's doing. It works. And that is real snack news. That is funny. Archie is a cutie.

It does sound like he's forming some words there. It really does. Super cute. All right, Cruz. 80s. Some people think that's cute. Yeah, I think I'm some people because I can't wait to be outside in shorts and, you know, put away the jacket like we needed today. It's just the back and forth.

Yeah, we're in the in-between season, but I can tell you it gets better from here. Let's check out how much above average it's going to be through the middle of the week. So 16 degrees of the week. above average at RDU by Wednesday. From there, that number keeps climbing. We will be 20 degrees above average on Thursday and even more above average as we go into Friday and Saturday. So stay tuned for that. It's going to feel a lot better than these dreary 40s that we have outside right now. Some of you are not only cloudy, but you're seeing a few showers as well. Tipters are slightly warmer down in the sand hills. Most of those showers are across the northern tier. As you can see

on First Alert Doppler net, and they're very, very light showers. So just sprinkles that you can expect on your drive home tonight. But if you're heading out for a walk, be aware of that rain chance. And of course, we'll stay cloudy. Tipters will stay in the 40s throughout this evening. Overnight, we could see another spoty shower. And tomorrow, the only shower chances really for those early morning hours. Tipters start out in the upper 30s, but we should reach the middle to upper 50s by the afternoon. Few spots down in the sandhills could even reach the low 60s. So those will be the warmest spots tomorrow. Overall, it's an improvement from today, even though it's going to be mostly cloudy still. And then from there, the tipter,

just sore. So middle to upper 70s for Wednesday and Thursday, start making plans for this weekend with those low 80s. And once again, the spring time changed this weekend as daylight saving time begins. All right, Steve's joining us now. He's cooking up some stuff over there for us for the 5 o'clock newscast. Hi, Cruz. We have a lot coming up in the hour ahead. The war in Iran likely to cause higher prices for us. We've been talking, of course, about oil and gas prices. But new here at 5, we're talking to an economics professor at NC State about the many other things we could be paying more for very soon and some of them may surprise you. Also the war in Iran is now part of the back and forth in a race for Congress here in the triangle heading into election day tomorrow. Durham County

Commissioner Nita Alam running against Congresswoman Valerie Fushi to represent part of the triangle in Washington and Alam is now criticizing Fushi for money from specific donors. The price we pay for concert tickets is the focus of a trial getting underway today. Live Nation and Ticketmaster and their business practices are at the center of this big court battle. We'll dive into that. And an assistant coach for the Tarboro High School boys basketball team is getting a lot of national attention. That's six-year-old Chris. His dad, Reggie Best, is the head coach, but we'll show you how little Chris is having a big impact. Barbara, I'll see you for the news at five here in just a few minutes. All right, Steve,

thank you. And coming up new at four, it is the Maggie Gyllenhaal, the director and actor on The View today talking about her new film, The Bride. It is an American Gothic romance film and a classic Frankenstein tale. I was looking for something big and then I went to a party and I saw a guy with the bride of Frankenstein tattooed on his entire forearm. And I was like... What party? I'll tell you later, I'll go.

And I was like, wait, right, right, what is that? Who is that? And I went back and watched the movie. And the bride of Frankenstein is in the movie, The Bride of Frankenstein for two minutes. Yes. And she doesn't say one word. Yes, she says nothing.

She just hisses a lot. Well, she wakes up and she makes it very clear that she's not happy. Yes. Which must have been kind of a radical thing to do in 1935, still kind of a radical thing to do. But like, even backstage listening to all of you guys talking, I was like, here's a group of women talking, disagreeing with each other, having ideas about things. And I guess I relate to that. And when I just felt this sort of woman with no voice, I thought, like,

Like, all right, I want to know what she's thinking. I want to know what's happening in there. And that's where it started. And that's where the movie The Bride started. That sounds interesting. And you can watch The View Weekday Mornings here at 11 o'clock, followed by eyewitness news at noon. And eyewitness news here at 430 continues next.

Here's tonight's ABC primetime preview. At 8.7 Central on American Idol, only 30 out of the 127 contestants who made it to Hollywood Week will move forward. I'm ready to step out on that stage. Will your sister? Then at 10-9 Central on the rookie, Harper is training miles while both are feeling the weight of recent mistakes. Nolan sees a familiar face when he and Selena are sent to a robbery call. This season is probably our biggest season yet.

It's big, it's explosive, it's emotional, it's really, really showing arcs that really show each character's development. That's followed by your late local news, then Jimmy Kimmel Live with guests, Magic Johnson, Love Story, Stars, Sarah Pidgeon and musical guest Tyler Ballgame.