ABC11 Eyewitness News - Eyewitness News at 5am - April 20, 2026

Episode Date: April 20, 2026

Eyewitness News at 5am - April 20, 2026 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

See what's happening this instant. ABC 11 eyewitness news starts right now. Good morning, Carolina, and welcome on this Monday, April 20th. I'm Anna Rivera. And I'm Bianco Holman and for Joel Brown this morning. Thanks for waking up with us. This morning on eyewitness news, water restrictions begin in Raleigh, we have live team coverage of the drought's impact.

Yeah, not much rainfall help yesterday. We do have another shot at some showers into the weekend. We'll talk more about that in my full forecast. The war with Iran, the U.S. Navy, seizing an Iranian ship trying to break the block air. how both sides are reacting. And we're following that tragedy in Louisiana. A family devastated after a deadly shooting left eight children dead. What police are saying about the incident.

All right. On this Monday morning, it's time to get a first check of weather and traffic together. Quaila, we had a lot of wind yesterday. The little bit of rain that we did get was nothing. Not a whole lot of rainfall. It was pitiful yesterday. Most spots got zero. There were some locations that got a tenth of an inch at the airport. Just a trace of rainfall.

We're done with that threat of rainfall. rain for today. Temperatures in the 30s and 40s this morning on the way to school with bright skies. As the kids are heading home from school, it's going to be cloudy, but no rain. Still kind of breezy out there. Temperatures will be in the upper 60s, close to 70 degrees. So much cooler today than yesterday and also looking at some breezy conditions and a much colder night in store, too. Fire danger threat continues. We have low humidity, more of that wind again today. But let's get you out the door this morning. We have a big cool down from yesterday, 25 to 35 degrees. colder with temperatures right now at 41 degrees at RADU. That's a 30 degree drop from yesterday behind that cold front.

Some 30s though East Wake County is Nightdale, Rollsville, 35 in Zebulin. In Durham, it's 40 degrees, 38 in Chapel Hill. He'll carry 40, Fuguev Arena 37. It's 39 degrees in Rocky Mountain Wilson. We're right at freezing in Roxborough, 32 in Siler City, 40 for Clinton and Fayetteville. A little shallow fog showing up. It's not going to be much of an issue, but along I-95, don't be surprise if your visibilities drop down at times, much better towards 9 o'clock. So here's high pressure overhead, but this is the front we're tracking for later today. It doesn't bring us any rain, just that increase in clouds this afternoon and you'll get breezy conditions in the early evening. Speaking of evening, we have the canes back in action. 730, the puck drops at Lenovo, 60s before the game, 50s afterwards with clear skies. Your first alert to a frost advisory.

Tonight, it's going to turn colder, mainly the triangle and north into tomorrow morning. Temperatures dropping back down into the 30s. Again, rainfall, we need that. We're going to see our next chance this weekend. We'll talk more about totals, which aren't much. That's coming up in a few. Weather and traffic together, Anna, back over to you. Whalen, crash count sitting at zero to start your Monday morning the right way. Also not seeing any congestion need to worry about and take a live look at the DOT cameras now. We've got a live look at 40 and US 1. You can see traffic has started to fill in just a little bit. It's not completely quiet, so we'll keep an eye on that. All right, for the first time in nearly 20 years, water restrictions.

are now in effect for the city of Raleigh. The city taking those drastic steps as part of the triangle are experiencing extreme drought. John Gawfee, live in Raleigh, bringing down what you need to know. Good morning, Bianca. Well, these restrictions will impact

both indoor and outdoor water usage. And while Raleigh city officials say they are taking this current situation seriously, they did say that the city's water supply does remain stable at this point. So that's a good thing. But here are the changes that Raleigh residents can expect today.

Automatic and manual sprinklers may only be used between midnight and 10 a.m. with odd-numbered addresses on Tuesdays and even-numbered addresses impacted Wednesdays. Hose-end spraylars may be used between 6 and 10 a.m. or 6 and 10 p.m. on the same address-based schedule, and handheld hoses and drip irrigation systems may be used at any time. Meantime, restaurants will only serve tap water on request and at hotels. Guests staying more than one night will be asked to reuse towels and bed sheets to conserve water. A lot of it is just being more conscious and aware of what we do with water every day and trying to focus on the things that we really just need the water for,

which is for sanitation and drinking. But there's ways you can cut inside your home through just turning the sinks off if they're running and being cognizant of, you know, again, how long you're in the shower and that sort of thing. These steps are on top of the burn ban restrictions, which remain in place across North Carolina at this point. on restrictions and the latest drought conditions. You can always head to ABC11.com. And obviously stay tuned with our first alert by the team. Send it back to you.

All right, Sean, we are hoping Mother Nature can deliver some rain to us soon. All right, Sean Coffey, Life Rest, thank you. And it's not just Raleigh residents impacted by drought conditions. The water restrictions also impacting towns that get their water from the city, and that includes Garner, Wake Forest, Roseville, Zebulin, Nightdale, and Windale.

The last time Raleigh implemented water restrictions was back in 2007. Eyewitness News went back in our archives, finding this video of what Falls Lake looked like then compared to lake levels now. While Falls Lake is down right now, it's not as low as it was some 16 years ago when parts of the lake were nearly bone dry. And with this ongoing drought now is a good time to download the ABC 11 mobile app. You can track the chances for rain on the seven day and your first alert Doppler net. We'll also send you head weather headlines directly to your devices.

In Durham, a 17-year-old boy is dead after being hit and killed over the weekend. Police say it happened on Saturday at the intersection of Coal Mill Road and West Wytham Lane. Investigators say the teen was riding a buck when he was hit by a car on Coal Mill Road. Police have not released any details about the teen or the driver involved. We're also working to learn if any charges will be filed. And a man charged in Chapel Hill in a shooting from earlier this month is expected to face a judge today. 22-year-old Jose Flores was arrested in Chatham County over the weekend. He's facing over 20 charges, including attempted murder, in connection with a shooting at a department complex on Westminster.

drive on April 5th. The victim in that case is still recovering. And this morning, tensions in the Middle East escalating. Now, that's after the U.S. Navy seized an Iranian ship reportedly attempting to break the blockade. ABC's Olivia Rubin has more on how this could impact the fragile ceasefire. Overnight amid the standoff with Iran, the U.S. military releasing this dramatic video showing the moment it took over an Iranian-flagged cargo ship. They say tried to violate the U.S. blockade. Motor vessel, Toska, motor vessel tovassetoska.

Vacate your engine room. Vacate your engine room. We're prepared to subject you to disabling fire. President Trump writing on social media, the Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ships stopped them right in their tracks

by blowing a hole in the engine room. Right now, U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel. Iranian state media reporting Iran is vowing to retaliate and the escalation coming amid a ticking clock. The two-week ceasefire with Iran set to expire on Wednesday. And questions still remain about peace talks set to take place in Pakistan today. The White House saying a delegation

will head there, but Iran so far not agreeing to participate because of the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. But Trump insisting there will be a deal, telling ABC's John Carl, it will happen, quote, one way or another. The nice way or the hard way, it's going to happen. You can quote me. And now renewing his threats to target Iranian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges, writing no more Mr. Niskeye. And that whiplash, sending oil rising overnight, crude oil up about $10 a barrel just since Friday, and the Energy Secretary now saying gas prices might not fall back down to pre-war levels until next year. Olivia Rubin, ABC News, New York. 507 now, two U.S. soldiers attacked by a bear during a training exercise. we're learning about the soldiers conditions and the national recognition for raleigh's destination

park and this morning we are tracking clear skies it is much colder right now temperatures will climb into the upper 60s and low to mid 70s today but we have some frost concerns tonight more on that coming up after the break 510 on this monday welcome back we have a cold front north of us it'll move through later today no rain with it clear skies for us right now and much colder this morning temperatures are down into the 30s today we'll finally see temperatures falling below average this afternoon after a nice stretch of temperatures well above average by around 10 days between last week and the week prior. Here's a live look from North Hills. We have clear skies, quiet weather. There are the 30s. Roxborough Oxford Chapel Hill even. Erwin 38, Fittville, 40 degrees, 40 degrees in Clinton. It's chilly around Wilmington at 45, boon 41 degrees. So warmer in the mountains than it is for some locations in central North Carolina this morning.

Around lunchtime today, we're into the 60s. It's going to be warmest in the sandhills today. around the mid-70s, up 60s, around 70 in the triangle. Mid-60s, for those of you north, we're going to have breezy conditions through the afternoon with that front. Some of the gusts in the 20s plus range by early afternoon. Winds start backing off later today from the north behind that cold front. So the evening will gradually turn cooler, 60s through 8, upper 50s at 9. We're still around the mid-50s at 10 o'clock tonight. If you're heading to the coast today, there's a moderate threat of recurrence for the outer banks,

caters to kill Devil Hills. Bright skies, but cooler at the beaches today in the 60s for highs, 50s and 60s in the mountains this afternoon. Rain chances climb this weekend, not so much during the day, Saturday, but into Saturday evening at night. Here's the front that we track through later today. Aside from that, pretty quiet across the country, but we do have freeze and frost concerns from the Midwest to the northeast down to the mid-Atlantic. Fire danger concerns out west, also around parts of the southeast as well. Atlanta 77 today with Sun, 53 in New York City, Salt Lake City, up to 80. degrees. We're tracking serene potential again, as I mentioned for the weekend, but through the week,

dry conditions persist. Not a bad week for a car wash. We'll talk more about that when I come back. Anna, back to you. Okay, Kwaylon, thank you. Celebrating Earth Day, a festival was held in downtown Durham on Sunday, put on by the Parks and Rec Department. It was held at Durham Central Park, and there was live music, family activities, vendors, and an Earth Day parade. Our own crews, Medina served as MC. Earth Day is officially this Wednesday. Raleigh's Dick's Park is once again getting some national recognition. The park was voted the fifth best city park in USA's today's best city park ranking. And so that's up from the 10th spot last year. The Gibson Play Plaza in Dick's Park was also voted the third best public playground in the U.S. a today's

10 best. Well, eight children killed in a mass shooting in Louisiana. What we're learning about the gunmen and police and protesters clash outside of a Wisconsin research facility. What's inside that demonstrators were trying to reach. And the power of faith, power rally congregation responded when the lights went out. We are local news. ABC 11, I, which news continues now. And now to a disturbing story out of Shreveport, Louisiana. Eight children found shot and killed in what authorities are calling a domestic disturbance. ABC News, Alison Kassi, has more on this tragic incident. A community shocked and a family devastated after a deadly shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana. Police say eight children were shot and killed. The suspect in this case, this is entirely a

domestic incident. So the suspect shot the mother of the child for the children first. They responded to this location and shot eight children, seven of which being his own. Investigators say the shooting unfolded around 6 a.m. local time across multiple locations. One scene described by police as gruesome. The victims, children, three boys and five girls, ranging in age from three to 11. addition to deceased child that looks like to state residents out the back on the roof. Authorities say the children's mother and another woman are fighting for their lives tonight. The alleged gunman identified as 31-year-old Shamar Elkins killed following a police chase. Neighbors distraught hearing the news.

We don't know what has happened, but we know it's still a guard above and we need prayer. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who represents the district where the shooting took place, offered prayers for the victims and their families. This is totally an unprovoked circumstance involving eight children. It lets you know that evil still exists in the world. Allison Kosick ABC News, New York. Two U.S. Army soldiers are recovering after being seriously injured by a brown bear during a training mission in Alaska. The soldiers were participating in a land navigation training exercise when they encountered the bear in a remote area.

Both soldiers carried and deployed bear spray. The Alaska Department of Fish and Gaming say that it's a lot of the air air. It appears to be a defense attacked by a bear recently emerged from hibernation. Around 25 protesters were arrested as around 1,000 animal welfare activists tried to get an injury to a beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin. The weekend protest was the second attempt to, in so many months by demonstrators who rescue the beagles. They were turned back by officers firing pepper spray and rubber bullets. And now to Pope Leo's historic trip to Africa. The first American pontiff prayed Sunday at a sanctuary in Angola that was once the center of the African slave trade. The visit took on added significance because of the Pope's creole ancestors include both the enslaved and enslavers. Pope Leo is expected to meet with the elderly and Catholic leaders here in Angola before he heads to Equatorial Guinea on Tuesday for the final stop in his papal trip through Africa. Africa is the fastest. growing region of the Catholic Church worldwide.

A local congregation turned to the power of faith when electricity turned off Sunday. Halfway through early first service, they were in the dark. This was a service at victorious praise fellowship church of God and Christ. The lights went out. Pastor Will Nichols tells eyewitness news that congregation had to get creative. Members of the congregation used their phones to help the light room. And of course, they opened up the windows and the service went on uninterrupted. No power, but we do have the power of God.

And we really did feel his presence, even though we didn't have our electrical power, but we still felt God's presence during the service. All right. And about 3,000 customers lost power during the outage in that area that caused the power, while still under investigation. That was in the Briar Creek area. Yeah, about to catch the Holy Ghost here. Indeed, for sure.

It could have been because of the winds yesterday. It was so bad that morning. Yeah, you got to consider those winds that were gusting to near 40 miles per hour in spots with the cold front that brought us little rainfall yesterday. Unfortunately, we're still parched. 37 miles per hour at Roneck Rapids yesterday. Some of those higher gusts that we did see. A little bit of rainfall.

Most of us came in at a tenth of an inch or less. There were a lot of spots that say completely dry, including at RDU. So if you got a little sprinkle, you were one of the lucky ones. Our average high today is 74. We're actually coming in below average today and tomorrow in the upper 60s. But we get back to the 80s starting Wednesday, So that'll take temperatures well above average near 90 degrees by Friday and Saturday.

That's when we introduce some rainfall potential. We're looking at Saturday into the evening and also into Sunday that the rain chances will climb a bit higher. Problem is the totals. We're looking at one half of an inch or less for the weekend. So that's not going to help us much at all with the drought. Here's a live look into downtown Brolly where the skies are clear. But hey, it's much colder this morning compared to yesterday by 25 to 35 degrees. So we're out the door with some spots at freezing right now.

including Sanford, Siler City, Lewisburg, Roxborough. You're all at 32, 33 in Oxford, Durham 41, Chapel Hill 38, 40, and Clinton, Fable, Goldsboro, 38 degrees. We have high pressure behind the front that moved through yesterday, but we are tracking the next front, which will roll through later today. No rain with that, just a few clouds by the afternoon. Temperatures in the low to mid-70s south today, Raleigh 70, Carborough 69, mid-60s for areas north of the triangle. Cains, if you're tailgating today ahead of that game, which, starts at 7.30. Temperatures will be in the upper 60s at 3, mid-60s at 7, but chillier tonight. Fire danger concerns persist through today. Tonight temperatures will drop back into the 30s. We do have a frost advisory for tomorrow morning from the triangle and points north. So if you have any sensitive vegetation, and make sure that's protected along with your plants. They should be in warm shelter as well. So that's the front we're tracking late today. Hone rules are stay high for the end of the week with no help with the rainfall. 70 degrees of high temperature today. We're down the 39 tonight in the triangle.

I think we could see some low to mid 30s north of the triangle late tonight. So it's going to be colder tomorrow morning. Upper 60s Tuesday afternoon, 40s Tuesday night. So the frost concerns will be eliminated. 84 degrees Wednesday, 86 Thursday with sunshine. Friday we're near 90 degrees. Still some low humidity around increasing clouds on Saturday.

And then Sunday's a bit cooler. We'll be awaiting some late day shower potential with the front high temperatures on Sunday in the upper 70s. Weather and traffic together, Anna, back to you. A quiet start to your Monday morning commute. Our crash count still sitting at zero. You don't see any red on this map either, which is always good news. Let's take a live look outside at the DOT cameras.

This is 40 and page road traffic. Definitely not empty at this point, but we are seeing it fill in. And it's still moving nicely, though. All right, your morning tech headlines are coming up, including a new athletic record set by a robot. Yeah, you'll want to stick around for Good Morning America at 7 o'clock because Merrill Streep is live talking about the devil wears Prada too. And returning to that role.

20 years. In today. There's more to life than finding the perfect car. But finding the perfect car can help you get the most out of life. Like the SUV that handles everything from drop off to off road, and the car that hulls groceries and hockey teams,

or the van that's gone from just practical to practically family. Whatever you want, wherever you're going, start your search at atotrater.ca. Canada's car marketplace. Tech fights, the national security agency is reportedly using Anthropics' powerful new AI model.

The NSA reportedly received the company's mythos model along with a group of tech companies and banks. It comes after last month the Pentagon designated Anthropic as a supply chain risk. Some good and bad news for Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin Rocket Company. It successfully launched its third satellite and for the first time ever using recycled parts. Unfortunately, that satellite missed its mark and launched into the wrong orbit. A humanoid robot set a new record this weekend in Beijing, running a half marathon in 50 minutes, 26 seconds. That's more than six minutes faster than the current human record.

But one robot face planted during a training session, splintering, and only leaving its disembodied legs behind. Those are your tech bites. I'm Hannah Bataum. Have a great day. 526 now, Raleigh water customers bracing for new restrictions as the drought continues. New rules in place and what could mean for you and your family. And the Carolina Hurricanes back in action were previewing game two of their first round playoff series. And Oklahoma high school principal named Prom King after his incredible act of bravery. We'll be right back.