ABC11 Eyewitness News - Eyewitness News at 5am - September 23, 2026

Episode Date: September 23, 2026

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Right now, live coverage from your local news leader, 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 the first full day of fall. Good morning to you, Carolina. Welcome on this Wednesday. It is September 23rd. I'm Joel Brown.

And I'm the alcoholic and for Anna Rivera this morning. Thanks for waking up with us. Well, deadly gun violence in Durham, police investigating two separate shootings from last night. we've got a live report straight ahead. And it is going to be a big day at the UN General Assembly. Several world leaders sent to speak, plus a national security briefing from AI CEOs. We'll fill you in coming up. All right.

It is the first full day of fall, and it surely does feel like it with clouds, cooler temperatures, and some spotty rain. Spotting rain, too. Time for a first check of weather and traffic together. There is meteorologist, Quailin Murphy. Look, it's been said, I like drama. You know what I mean? I appreciate some drama. So I appreciate what Mother Nature did.

yesterday. She flipped the switch. Yeah, flipped the switch in a big time way. It was hot. It was humid and far comes in, elbows out. I'm here. Yeah. What's so? What y'all doing? We're tracking temperatures in the 60s for today. It's quite breezy out there too.

And those were the literal winds of change blowing in late last night. Still this morning, too. Breezy and damp today. Still some spotty showers tomorrow in the 60s. We'll see clearing skies back to some sunshine Friday. Just in time as we get that work in school week over with 73 degrees. on Friday. Here's the front to the south now, but we have a low pressure offshore and that's going to help keep pulling in that moisture for us today. Those breezy conditions too and the cloud stick around as well. We don't have much rain right now, but it's quite damp out there. Some light drizzle and spotty showers and spots. There's more coverage of rain. We'll see a chance for showers to early afternoon. Rain chance falls off a bit more by Lake Day today, so you'll see less of that coverage. Here's a live look into downtown. And right now we're not seeing any fall in the downtown area. Low visibility at the airport down the five. And it's much cooler than yesterday.

We're at 61 degrees right now. 50s to the north, 6th East triangle and point south and east. And there's that cooler air working in this morning. In terms of fog out there, we're seeing more of that east of 95. Some of that in Franklin County, up towards 85, so Vance, Granville, into Warren County, and also towards South Hill, Mecklenburg, Virginia. It's going to be a breezy day for us, too, 20 plus miles per hour, so that may add to the bit of a chill you feel at times through late day.

Bus stop temperatures in the 60s. 60s on the way home too, so not really a big budgear on temperatures. I would say have the rain gear ready for the kids for the afternoon and morning hours. 60s still through this evening. So that's what the clouds do. Help to hold us steady with those temperatures overnight. We're in some for some falling temperatures in chillier mornings. Average low 61 by Friday we're at 52 down the 51 Saturday, which means these mornings.

Some of you to the north could have some 40s around. We'll talk more about that in your 7-A forecast. When I come back right now, weather and traffic together. Bianca, back to you. All right. Well, taking a look at our traffic map. We're looking pretty good. We are watching a crash at I-440 Eastbound and Jones Franklin Road.

And then also in Nash County, there seems to be a crash that's blocking this 9-95 southbound lanes in Nash County. So just use caution if you are in that area. And right now, here goes a live look at the Rose. This is I-40 in Airport Boulevard. Still pretty early. We'll continue to monitor things outside for you. 503, developing in Durham, two deadly shootings. just minutes apart shaking the bull city last night two people are dead one of them is a teenage

girl tamara scots live at durham police headquarters this morning tamara what's the latest hey good morning yeah two deadly shootings last night here in durham just five minutes apart one of those victims a man the other a young girl who police say was shot on accident so the first shooting happened just before 650 last night in the 900 block of eva street when officers arrived they found a man suffering with multiple gunshot wound Police and EMS tried to save his life, but he died at the scene. Then just five minutes later, police received another call, this time in the 700th block of North Duke Street. Investigators say two kids were playing with a firearm when it accidentally went off, fatally shooting a young girl.

Police say the two shootings are unrelated and both are isolated incidents with no ongoing danger to the public. So this morning, investigators have not released the identities of either victims or the ages of those juveniles, but police are still investigating both shootings and asking if anyone has any information. to come forward. Back to you. All right, Tamara Scott, live for us in Durham. And in Wake County, two parents are facing charges after authorities say a teenager accidentally shot himself. It happened at a home on Hartfield Drive near Wake Forest last week. And so officials charging the teen's mom, Vanessa McCoy and stepfather Darius McLean with misdemeanor child abuse and failing to properly store their gun. That team is expected to be okay. Happening now, the search intensifying this

morning for a missing Clayton teenager. Police, a 17-year-old Robert Book, was last seen on surveillance video at a Clayton gas station on September 12th. Investigators later found his wrecked car in Greensboro and believe he was involved in a crash there, but there's still no sign of book more than a week later. Happening today, a major effort to help those in need across the area, feeding America coordinating relief efforts in the triangle alongside food pantries, and it's all part of Hunger Action Month. Our Sean Coffee is following all of this in Raleigh and Sean you spoke with one of those groups. What are they telling you? Yeah, that's right, Bianca. Good morning. We have heard it time and again these last couple of years.

The need has never been greater to support local food pantries and to support events like the ones we're going to see this month as part of Hunger Action Month. Food Lion Feeds is part of those broader efforts to support food pantries, including in areas like the triangle, investing in makeovers that will expand or improve capabilities at 33 pantries while also donating food items. One of those makeovers is taking places afternoon at the Durham Center for Senior Life. It's all a concerted push to get relief to families forced to make some tough decisions right now. And we don't want anybody's having to make those difficult choices. Do I pay rent or do I buy groceries? So it's really part of our purpose and mission to be able to help in that way.

We're also hearing from our food bank partners that the need continues to rise. meantime the countdown is on to the ABC 11 together Food Drive that's obviously a big event that we do every year we'll be partnering with organizations including Food Lion but for the month of September at least the focus for hunger action month making sure that this food gets the families who need it most you can look for coverage on that at ABC11.com live in raw Sean Cohn coffee ABC 11 eyewitness news food line answering the call Sean thank you the newly approved wake med atrium deal now heads to review wake med says atrium health plans to make significant investment. investments over the next decade. In a joint statement, the health system said in part, we look forward to fulfilling our commitments. We recognize that trust is earned, and our focus now is to follow that through on what we've outlined. The Federal Trade Commission still has to sign off on the mega merger, a process that could take several months. 507 now on your Wednesday morning, and we're following breaking news in Southern Way County right

now. Crews responding to a house fire down in Holly Springs. New video showing the scene overnight. We'll get an update coming up later this hour. Los North Carolina flying into the future, everything we know about electric air taxis and the pilot program underway. That's coming up. Quailan, hey, good morning, some damp conditions out there. Little drizzle, light showers around right now. It's going to be a cool day, feeling like fall. Temps in the 60s, a little warm up for the weekend. More on that my forecast. And here are your traffic hotspots brought to you by the Fred Anderson family of dealerships on Glenwood Avenue. Fred Anderson Toyota, Fred Anderson Kia, Fred Anderson Nissan.

all home of the Fred Anderson family plan, including lifetime oil changes, lifetime car washes on all new Toyota's Kia's Nissan's and hundreds of used cars. The Fred Anderson family plan saves your family thousands while giving you lasting value with every mile you drive. Thinking of selling or trading your current vehicle, Fred Anderson wants to pay you more even if you don't buy from us. Get the family plan at Fred Anderson, Toyota, Fred Anderson Kia, and Fred Anderson, Nissan, all on Glenwood Avenue. Hey, good morning, 511. We're tracking some light drizzle, light showers around right now.

You can see the coverage is spotty, but it's damp out there just from the rain in general from yesterday and last night. We do have lots of clouds that will linger through the day. And it's going to be a chilly day for us, not just here, but statewide. Some cold, cooler conditions. Risk your flooding is down today. It's quite breezy out there. That's the view from RDU right now. Low clouds as well.

Visibility at RDU down to five miles. 50s and 60s on temperatures through 8 a.m. By noon, we're in the 60s by 4 this afternoon. upper 50s north, 60s for the triangle and south. So pretty steady overall on the temperatures throughout the day today. I would say jackets and rain gear through the afternoon. Evening hours will see less rain coverage holding on to those 60s all the way through midnight tonight. At the coast, things really rubbed up today with that low pressure offshore. Expect more of the same all the way through Friday as that low tracks gradually north and east. Looking at a low to moderate

threat of rip currents today, it's a bit higher for areas around the outer banks. But dangerous surf conditions along the coast. Coastal flooding concerns around the sounds, one to two feet of inundation. And then we have a gale warning because of the winds today that could crank as high as 40 plus miles per hour on some of those gusts through the afternoon. This will persist through the end of the week. And it's the winds that lead to some flooding concerns along the coast, that persistent flow. Seventies along the coast today with a few showers and storms, 50s and 60s in the mountains this afternoon with rain lingering. Looking at more rainfall for areas around the northeast. Wins will start to pick up there gradually through Thursday and Friday.

And more rainfall out to the west as well, west of the Rockies. 75 in Atlanta today, not a bad day overall for travel today. New York 70, 96 in Dallas, Chicago, 65. For the sunshine, you have to head far west to Los Angeles looking at high temperatures around 90 degrees. We have some sunshine in our future too by the end of the week. I'll have more on that coming up right now. Back to you. All right, quickly. Let's see you in a moment. We're dragging a monster hurricane threatening Mexico. Mexico's Pacific coast. Hurricane Polo strengthening into a category five. Officials calling it extremely dangerous, saying it's one of the strongest storms ever.

It will likely not make landfall, but coastal areas are still preparing for heavy rain, possible flash flooding and mudslides. World leaders take the stage at the UN General Assembly today, and top AI CEOs will brief the National Security Council, but that's not all. Venezuela's acting president will address the world. While the man she replaced, Nicholas Maduro sits in a Brooklyn, jail just miles away. Leaders from Ukraine and Iran are also on the schedule. And President Trump says U.S. and Iranian officials met on the sidelines yesterday after he warned he could annihilate

Iran if a peace deal doesn't come soon. 513 and President Trump facing another busy day. This time back in Washington where he's hosting Chinese leader Xi Jinping. What to expect coming up. Well, it's back in our area, a big break in a decade's old cold case. We've got an update from Wilson. You can find eyewitness news live on ABC 11. Disney Plus and wherever you stream. We are local news. ABC 11 eyewitness news continues now. Developing in Johnson County, the driver accused of hitting and killing a 76-year-old woman now in custody. Smithville police say that 20-year-old Selvin Adelso Vasquez Perez is charged with a misdemeanor death by motor vehicle after crashing into Virginia Tucker Lion. It happened over the weekend near the downtown area near Cross Rock.

50 year old mystery in Wilson County finally has a name. Investigators have identified remains found in the woods near Highway 301 in December, 1977 is 15-year-old Cindy Blizzard of Maryland. Her family says she ran away and was reported missing that same year, but who was with her and when she died remains a mystery. They don't know who did what to her. So that's my goal is to continue pursuing that and in the hopes that I need, I need help. I need someone to tell me something that may give me a lead to pursue. If you know anything, call the Wilson County Sheriff's Office. Happening today, a high stakes meeting involving UNC Chapel Hill and the board of trustees will discuss a list of hot topics this morning, including an investment fund boost from space X,

enrollment growth, and a new design for the pit, an iconic courtyard near the student union. The athletic department also wants to spend $9 million on operational demands. Durham Pride Week begins this Sunday. This year's theme is always forward, never straight, preserving history coming home. The official events are listed on your screen. A pride vendor and food truck rodeo kicks off the week long celebration over at Durham Central Park. The week culminates with a pride community protest and parade at Duke's East Campus. And rapper Jay Cole is coming to Fayetteville today. He's wrapping up the North American leg of the fall off concert tour in its own town. Thousands of fans are expected at the Crown Coliseum

tonight. And city leaders are urging fans to plan ahead, y'all. Officials warning of traffic and recommend arriving no later than 6 p.m. parking opens at four, doors open at seven, and the show starts at eight. Get them times right, but the fun does not stop there. After months of teasing his own footwear line, Jay Cole is dropping his new sneaker today right in his hometown of Fayetteville. The release starts at 9 a.m. at 100 Ivan Drive. It's just off Gillespie Street. These shoes will run you $200 a pair. New Coles coming out the day. First, Our resident sneaker head, Quailan Murphy, you need to brush down the fan door. I know. You know, I love some sneakers. We got to sell it out. We got to sell it out. I think they'll sell it out. Sure. Yeah, whether Quailan makes it or not.

So proud, so happy for him. I love how he gives back to the community and just care so much about this area. So it's going to be a fun time tonight. Temperatures will be in the 60s. A little cool, but I think most of the rainfall will have wrapped up. It'll still be damp this evening. So plan for that. I'm sure we'll see a lot of hoodies around this evening. We do have a low. pressure offshore. This is part of the weather maker for us. We're looking at clouds and showers still in the forecast and of course that front to the south so much cooler air has arrived. We have some light drizzle and spots around areas in Chatham County, Lee up towards a triangle and Durham and Orange County, some light rainfall around I-85, Granville and DeVance in-person County seeing some lighter showers and off to the east, so far pretty dry. Western areas around Greensboro seeing more rainfall. We're going to have cloudy, damp, breezy conditions today and tomorrow. As we get into the morning hours and the days ahead,

expect chilly conditions with light jackets or maybe light coats out there. And I would say make some plans for the weekend. If you don't have a tea time set, maybe do that because the weekend's going to be fantastic with sunshine. I have rain chances at 40% through lunchtime and then slowly falling off early afternoon. We will have damp conditions around in general and some lingering drizzle so possible at times too. Here's a live look into downtown. And what you'll notice on most of the commutes this morning is low clouds and low visibility out there. We can still see pretty decently in the city right now, but that will be changing in the hours ahead and especially if we see more rainfall. 61 right now in Dorman-Raleigh, low 60s in Sanford, Roxborough in the

upper 50s now, 65 and Goldsboro, Fayetteville 66. Here's the fog right now. It's east of 95, even for areas like Roanoke Rapids, Lewisburg and Franklin County, up around where we're seeing bit more rainfall now, Vance, Granville, and Warren and Mecklenburg County in South Hill. You have to some fog out there too. 63 at 6 a.m. We're still loaded at 60s through noon and early afternoon with rain chances. So hanging on with that slight chance. Cloudy skies overnight, 50s and 60s tomorrow morning.

So here's the big picture. Again, we have that low offshore, but high pressure to the north, setting up a classic cold air damming event where we're seeing that cooler air being pulled down into the mountains. It sort of bounces off the mountains. That spine acts as a damming or wedge area. So that's keeping the chilly air around for us and pretty much up and down the East Coast around them Appalachian Mountains.

Today we'll see 60s for highs with clouds, a few spotty showers late. Tomorrow morning, I think we see more scatter, light to moderate rainfall. And then by the afternoon, some drying out Friday. That's what we start to see the sunshine. It's going to be chilly Friday morning, upper 40s and low 50s out the door. By the afternoon, upper 60s and low 70s. Here's your first alert, 70 forecast, power by ACUweather. So the fall feel continues through Thursday and still below average Friday.

Our average high is 81. We'll be at 73 Friday with sun though. Upper 70s on Saturday and Sunday by Monday and Tuesday, we're back to those 80s. And we'll stand those low to mid 80s through most of next week. Back to you. Quailin, thank you. So far so good on the real time traffic. Matt, most of the interstates in green right now.

We do have a crash pop up within the last 15 minutes or so on I-40 at North Harrison Avenue. I think we have the DOT camera right there was crashed with damage that came up. Traffic's still moving smoothly in that area. but roads are wet. We had rain overnight. We'll have more spotty rain through the day. So take it easy out there. Eyewitness news continues. Back at 525. A new report suggests Apple may be preparing to enter the fitness tracker business. Here's ABC's Hannah-Bottel with this morning's TechBites. In today's TechBytes, a new fitness tracker from Apple?

Bloomberg reports Apple is working on a screenless tracker in that prototypes have been developed. Reported target date 2028. Such a device would put Apple in competition with Whoop, maker of fitness bands, that track various metrics. Next, all the debate about slowing down AI development isn't stopping Anthropic and Open AI from releasing new models. Both companies say their newest models offer similar levels of performance compared to older ones, but at lower costs.

And finally, Discord is launching its revised age verification policy. The platform is automatically sorting users as either adults or teens. They'll be grouped based on markers like how long the account has existed. users placed in the wrong category will have options to show proof of age. Those are your Techbytes. I'm Hannah Bataa. Have a great day. Turning down to Dancing with the Stars, spoilers are heads. Celebrity Chef Giazza Delarentis and her partner Alan Bernstein, K, they were they become they were eliminated after a low-scoring salsa that earned them

triple fours. Oh goodness, well they were trying of course for the top spot. all dancing their way to triple sevens. And viewers voted once again to help Jimmy Kimmel lives, Guillermo Rodriguez, stay in the game to dance another week. Learning how to do this and do it as best as we possibly can. So I do feel like there's a lot of room to grow, and that makes me excited. The feedback was so sweet, so kind. I can't wait to get on to the next dance.

I felt great about tonight, and I'm just excited going forward. I love the risk. I love stepping into it, going 100%. And listen, I might fall. Maybe I do, maybe I don't, but there's beauty and just trying. I think that is the hardest part of dancing with the star, no drinking. Yeah, I put the hammer down week one. It's like, no alcohol.

All right, we can tell a difference. A little sparkle in his eye now. Next week, 13 couples will dance to a genre of music called Yacht Rock. I'm going to tune in for that. I love Yacht Rock. You can watch Dancing with the Stars on Tuesdays at 8. Right here on ABC 11. We'll be right back.

No drinking gear, Mom. No drinking.