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

Episode Date: February 20, 2026

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

Right now, live coverage from your local newsleader, breaking stories from overnight and this morning, and your first alert forecast. Here's what's happening where you live. This is ABC 11 eyewitness news. 5 a.m. on your friday. Good morning, Carolina. It's Friday, February the 20th. I'm Joel Brown. And I'm Anna Rivera. New details this morning on a shootout involving a murder suspect in Raleigh. A neighborhood turned into a crime scene. Raleigh officer hurt and a suspect now behind bars. we're bringing you up to the minute. I'm tired kids dying when they don't have to. Durham Mayor Leo Williams delivering that emotional response on Monday

to the city's recent spike in youth gun violence, what we could learn today about the mayor's plan to fix the crisis. And the letters some voters are getting in the mail and why it's causing some concern ahead of next month's primaries. Five o'clock in time for a first check of weather and traffic together. Quaylens off. Meteorologist Steve Stewart is here. We might not just be warm today.

We might just break the record for warm. I love to break the record in this to record. I know you do. And all we need is just a little bit of sun this afternoon. I think we're going to do it. So definitely warm today. We look upstream. There's a band of showers just out here.

We're going to watch that getting closer to us around the midday hour, give or take. And there's a stall front over us now with cooler and foggier conditions north and much clearer and milder air farther off to the south. Right now we're looking at highs today getting up around 77. The record high is 75. There's not going to be a lot of thunderstorm activity. We'll get a few showers and thunderstorms, though, midday. And yesterday, by the way, we hit 74, way above the average of 57.

And there's the record back in 1939. We'll at least tie that, I think, but I'm going for 77, so should get a break in that. Now, as far as winter, we've been behind average. We've been behind all the way back to September. And it really adds up. Last week's drought monitor to the new one. Notice it got actually worse. We're seeing extreme drought, despite the rain that we had.

last Sunday. Fog out there this morning for many, especially triangle and points northward. As we get closer to the midday hour, we're going to increase that chance of a shower or a thunder shower. Take a look at predictor. There's about 11 a.m. We get some showers and thunder showers rolling on by. By early afternoon, it's pretty much done. That's how fast it's going to be. Breaks in the clouds and those temperatures should skyrocket as we go throughout the day today. There's the stalled front now, is that lifts northward that allow these 60s to push to the north as well. and we're really going to warm things up. Evening out, no matter what you have planned, boy, it's going to be nice.

And the 60s through the even late evening hours going to feel fantastic. We're not done, though. Winter wants to make a comeback at least for a few days. More on that coming up in a few minutes, Anna. So far so good for your Friday morning commute. Our crash count sitting at zero. But the bad news is you may have to deal with some of that fog that Steve was just talking about. Let's take a live look outside at the DOT cameras.

This is the 4540 interchange. You can see it is a little bit foggy there as traffic slowly starts to fill in. We are in the breaking news center this morning gathering brand new details about that police shootout last night at a North Raleigh apartment complex, a murder suspect and a Raleigh police officer injured. Eyewitness news was on the scene last night on Woodbend Drive off of Six Forks Road. And Sean Coffey is back at the scene this morning with the new details from overnight. Sean. Good morning, Joel. Raleigh Police just clearing this crime scene in the last half hour or so.

But people who live at this apartment complex on Woodbend Drive, no doubt. out still processing what transpired here just a few hours ago. Again, to catch our viewers up to speed, Raleigh police said that they were here last night around 7 p.m. to serve an arrest warrant in relation to a shooting, fatal shooting that took place over in Garner earlier this month. Raleigh police say they were trying to arrest

26-year-old Solomon Owens last night in connection with that fatal shooting on February 9th of Joey Adams. When they tried to enter the apartment that Owens was inside, they say he opened fire on officers, hitting at least one, while at least one RPD officer returned Last night, Chief Boyce provided an update on what took place while sharing his gratitude that no one was seriously injured. I want to take this moment again to thank the men and women of the Raleigh Police Department. Also thank the Garner Police Department and our other law enforcement partners that have helped in this investigation to locate and take custody of a very violent offender here in our jurisdiction.

Again, that Raleigh Police officer that was injured in all this was released from the hospital. per standard protocol for officer involved shootings. The FBI is conducting an independent investigation. Chief Boyce says that a five-day report will be released and that Owens has been treated and has been released and is in police custody this morning. Well, I've been Raleigh, Sean Coffey, ABC 11, eyewitness news. And of course, all of this, Sean goes back to the murder of Joey Adams,

a father of five, now his accused killer in custody. Sean, thank you. Garner police meantime, sending this note of thanks to Raleigh P.D. After last night shooting, GPD Captain David, cast line writing, we are grateful that the Raleigh police officers who were injured during the arrest were not seriously injured and are recovering. Your dedication to this profession and to your community does not go unnoticed. We at the Garner Police Department are extremely grateful for your service. Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams is reaffirming his commitment to make the city

safer and today he will outline those plans. Cindy Bay is live in Durham. Cindy, this follows the mayor's emotional speech to the city council on Monday. Good morning. Good morning. Yeah, well, it has been a violent week in Durham after six deadly shootings. But according to recent crime data presented to the city council yesterday from Durham police, overall crime is trending down. However, the city is navigating this issue with some leaders saying that they're working hard to prevent more violence from happening in the community. One of the ways the city is addressing crime is a three-phased violence reduction plan. This includes a series of community learning sessions. in which national experts and advocates are invited to share how some strategies have been successful in their areas in reducing violence. For example, states such as in Tennessee and Missouri, the city has been navigating challenges with crime and violence, but surveillance and technologies such as shot spotter and the real-time crime center have been shut down here in Durham. And Mayor Leonardo Williams is calling for better community engagement on finding solutions to gun violence. But there are a lot of resources.

shot spotter was voted down. Booth City United was discontinued. We have a long-term strategy to where we're going to be focusing on bringing all the possible resources we can together to bring down crime, violent crime in this community. So as mentioned earlier,

we are expecting to hear more from the community and we'll bring that to you ahead on eyewitness news in Durham. Cindy Babe, ABC11 eyewitness news. Okay, Cindy, thank you. Your voice, your vote, and some North Carolina voters are raising concerns about letters they're getting in the mail. These letters encourage voters to update their voter records by providing their driver's license or social security numbers to help make the voter roles more accurate. But the timing of this letter ahead of the March primary is causing confusion and questions for voters. According to the state board of elections, about 241,000 voters across the state received this letter.

It's important to note completing the form is voluntary, not required. the escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, the Trump administration continuing a military buildup in the Middle East. President Trump pressuring Iran to agree to a nuclear deal or face the consequences. The president ordering the world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, and four destroyers to the region. They will join the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group that's already there. President Trump warning Iran, it has 15 days to make a deal on its nuclear program. 507 is the time and former Prince Andrew released from police custody this morning. That's following his arrest for suspicion of misconduct in public office. What we're learning

about the charges he's facing and the connection to Jeffrey Epstein. And more help for Western North Carolina still reeling from the impacts of Hurricane Helene the role you can play in their recovery. Good morning, Steve. Hey good morning there, Ann, it's Joel. Good morning, everybody. Things quiet now. We have showers way away from us in Tennessee. That'll come our way. We'll get some rain as we get into the midday hour today, but temperatures are going to be up there. Right now you see the fog out at North Hills. Temperatures are in the 40s and 50s, and look at Fayetteville 65. How warm does it get?

Details after the break. Our crash count sitting at zero, but Steve said it. That's going to be our biggest concern this morning is that fog, which is covering a lot of our viewing area. Now let's take a look at those traffic hotspots brought by the First Alert weather team. The ABC 11 First Alert forecast team is working to keep you safe. One is across the region. Some cloud cover starting to build. That rain is going to push on through.

Cold air coming in. The first alert forecast team. Only on ABC 11. I witness news. This is first alert weather from ABC 11. I witness news. Welcome back everybody. Happy Friday to you. Today it's going to be a warm one in the 70s,

maybe getting around 80 in Fayetteville. The farther north, a better chance at a shower. Maybe isolated thunder. Not a big deal. It's going to be a little window of about two hours. Maybe starting as early as 10 a.m. depending on where you are. But once it moves on by, clouds should break this afternoon and temperatures are really going to go up.

There you see the clouds now. There's a band of showers just out to the west. It'll take some time, but it'll get here late morning hours. Taking the pop out, watch out for fog this morning. We'll get up to around 68 at midday. And notice as we get closer to the midday hour. That's when we could see some of those showers. And maybe thunder showers coming in from the west. 51 into north hills right now, visibility about a half a mile with that fog. You can see where that stalled frontal boundary is, mid-60s in Fayetteville to mid-40s up in Oxford. But that front's going to be lifting northward, allowing the warmth to really spill in. It's to go throughout the day today. Health's Kitchen, that's a musical from Alicia Keys, 68 before heading to the D-Pack tonight.

About 61 when you head home, likely don't need to have really no jacket at all, really a pleasant night no matter what you have planned. Northeast is going to have snow today. New York gets rain. Atlanta gets some showers. Denver with snow. Same thing in Chicago. could have some delays today. So far this morning, the major hubs, though, looking good.

Got you 70 in a few minutes, Anna. Okay, Steve, thanks. And we are about a month away from the start of the spring and tourism officials in Western Carolina are hoping for a rebound following Hurricane Helene. Yeah, rebuilding and recovery continues from the devastating storm that hit in September of 2024. But optimism is starting to kick in as more businesses

begin to reopen their doors. North Carolina allocated $5 million for a new tourism campaign. to lure visitors back to the region. McDow County tourism officials talking about the importance of getting people to return to the mountains. It is a significant contributor to the economy here,

especially in towns like Old Fort, which has over the years saw its manufacturing base disappear, and now we're relying heavily on that outdoor economy because we have so many trails, we have Pisgah National Forest ride in our backyard.

The tourism authority says closures along the Blue Ridge Parkway, continue to be a challenge, but short-term rental data shows a significant rebound from a year ago. It is 513 and a warning from police ahead of tax season. What officers want you to know is those tax refunds start to arrive? And General Hospital fans, a special show for you today honoring one of the fan favorites. We are local news. ABC 11 eyewitness news continues now. 516 and a live look at downtown Raleigh.

take a look at the fog that has settled in over Fayetteville Street. There is patchy fog from the triangle north and east and west. That could be a problem as you get out the door, but warm temperatures coming up later. Meantime in London, the man formerly known as Prince Andrew is now out of jail after being arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Andrew's accused of leaking sensitive emails to Jeffrey Epstein while serving as a UK trade envoy. Police arrested the former prince on his 66th birthday at the Royal Estate in Sangram. where he was living. Andrew was questioned and released as the case remains under investigation. King Charles released his statement saying he wholeheartedly supports the investigation of his brother,

adding the law must take its course. And now to a warning this tax season, the Chapel Hill Police Department says it's received 24 reports of checks being stolen since January. The department officials say it happened after they were dropped in a mailbox outside of the USPS office on South Estes Drive. The police chief says the safest thing you can do, this tax season is to take your payment to your local tax office instead of putting it in the mail. But if you have to write and mail a paper check, here's how to make sure it's more secure. Write for deposit only on the check in the endorsement area. Use a security pen with non-washable ink.

Use extra tape to seal the envelope. Don't write anything on the envelope showing it contains a payment. Consider sending the check as either certified or priority mail, especially large amounts of money. These methods have tracking features and may require signatures. General Hospital is airing a special standalone episode today to honor one of its former superstars. Yeah, this show will pay tribute to the character Luke Spencer while also honoring the late Anthony Geary who played Luke for so many years. It's an episode with characters sharing memories and reflecting on what Geary meant to them all, including another fan favorite, Laura. You never left me.

Never once. I feel your presence when life gets too heavy. And I feel like I can't go one more step. It's your voice that I hear calling me angel. We are told the episode closes on a quiet, hopeful note. It airs today at 3 right here on ABC 11. Okay, 519 now. Time for weather and traffic together.

So Steve, when we were driving in, that fog. you know, it was pretty patchy this morning. Yeah, it's getting a little bit more widespread. Now we have a dense fog advisory, for example, until 10 this morning. Yeah, so be cautious out there. Not everyone's seeing the sandhills visibility is still very good, but a quarter to a half mile elsewhere from the triangle northward. So the dense fog advisory in these northern counties until around 10 o'clock this morning

might clear out a little bit sooner than that. And then we'll get some showers to come in. Maybe a record high at RDU looks to be likely if we get breaks in the clouds. Unsettled weekend, I think the best chance of rain is. It's going to be Sunday, not a washout, but Saturday, probably the better of the two days. It'll be a little bit milder, too. Sunday's going to be cold, and that chill stays with us early in the week. Couple days are going to be in the 40s for highs, and then we'll moderate again and get back up to the mid-60s by the time we get to Thursday.

Cloud's now in fog there. You see the out ahead of the frontal boundary that's coming our way. There's actually a stationary front over us as well. I'll show you that coming up. But if you take the next 72 hours, basically right on through the weekend, no real real. soaking rains coming our way. On average, a quarter to a half inch of rainfall, with our model being one of the less amounts. And we need rain. We still have severe drought across most of our area. And of course, now we see extreme drought in parts of our viewing area in Nash, Edgecombe,

Halifax County. So we definitely need to get some soaking rains. And that's just not in the cards, but we'll get some showers. Fog out there this morning. And then once we get closer to the midday hour, that's when we have a risk of a shower, a thunder shower that'll come into play. And predictor showing just that. Note the time 10, 11 o'clock. We'll see a band of showers. You might hear a little thunder as that rolls on by. Not expected to be severe, but it's about a two hour window, any one location. That moves on by. We get breaks in the clouds. And those temperatures are going to be up there in the mid to upper 70s. 51 right now at North Hills, a light breeze. I see the reduced visibility out there. There's that stationary front right over us with mid-60s in Fayetteville to mid-40s in Oxford. in that fog as well. That warmer air is going to be infecting northward later on. Heading out tonight no matter what you have planned but maybe you're going to go see Andrea Beccelli, 69 degrees before. About 62 when you head home, don't even need a jacket out for tonight. It's going to be fantastic. So we'll see some spotty showers around tomorrow. This little wave of low pressure gets stronger.

We'll get some showers with it, maybe some wraparound moisture on the back side. So we'll call for light showers around on Sunday. But the chilly air moves in during the day Sunday, but for most of the day Sunday. Monday and Tuesday we'll have highs in the 40, so it's going to be rather cold. Numbers today in the lower to middle 70s on our northern counties, maybe a record high at RDU when flirting with 80 in the sand hills. Watch for some mid-morning to mid-afternoon time window across the area for some showers or thunder showers, and then partly cloudy and mild again tonight would be in the 50s. First alert, 7-day then, some spotty showers around tomorrow, mainly south and east of the triangle,

63. Cold air comes in Sunday with some showers, a brisk breeze. Monday clouds could be a bit stubborn. I've got us at 46. Then we'll get a little milder as we get in the middle part of the week with a shower chance late Thursday. Anna? Steve, right now the roads look really good as far as crashes go because we're not seeing any of that that you need to worry about. Also no congestion. But that fog is definitely going to be an issue for this Friday morning commute because as you were saying, it's covering a lot of our viewing area. Let's take a live look outside of the DOT cameras. This is 885 at T. W. Alexander. You can see that fog going to be an issue in that area as well. All right, 522 and some big retail news overnight. Amazon overtakes Walmart.

Yeah, Amazon now the largest retailer that's ahead in your morning tech bikes. And stay tuned for Good Morning America at 7. All the latest from the winter games in Italy. The incredible come from behind victory for the U.S. women's hockey team. America's first gold in women's figure skating in 20 years plus alpine skier, Michaela Schifrin on her gold medal win. In today's TechBites, Amazon overtakes Walmart. Amazon is now the world's largest company in terms of sales, ending Walmart's 13-year streak at the top.

Amazon posted nearly $717 billion in revenue last year, about $4 billion more than Walmart. West Virginia is suing Apple, claiming the tech giant allows the sharing of child sexual abuse material. The suit claims Apple's ICloud service knowingly allowed the saving of files with such content. Apple has previously denied similar allegations and says its goal is to be the most trusted outlet for kids. And doctors are seeing higher levels of near-sightedness blamed on too much screen time. One estimate claims half the world will be nearsighted by 2050. Researchers also blame dim indoor lighting for contributing to the problem combined with too much staring at your phone.

Those are tech bites. I'm Sophie Fleigh. Have a great day. A police officer recovering after a shootout with a murder suspect in Raleigh. It's a story we've been following since late last night. Ahead at 530. What we're learning about the officer and the suspect this morning. Plus, a new way to do business. All new at 6 a.m. We're looking into the grand opening of the market on market street in Durham

and how it's helping small business owners get started. We're coming right back.