ABC11 Eyewitness News - Eyewitness News at 5am - September 25, 2026

Episode Date: September 25, 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. AM on your friday. Good morning to you, Carolina. Welcome on this Friday, September 25th. I'm Joel Brown. And I'm Tamara Scott in for Anna Rivera this morning. Thank you for joining us. Breaking right now on eyewitness news, Durham Police are on the scene of an overnight shooting. It comes just one day after the city's new police chief released new crime stats. Plus, Mr. Murphy, come out with your hands up. Newly released body cam video of the police takedown of NC State's former director of sports medicine,

the ex-university official charged with sexually abusing student athletes. And searching for school teachers, a look at how many vacancies need to be filled statewide. It is time now at 5 o'clock for weather and traffic together. meteorologist Quaidlin Murphy is here the Tam fam is here. Let's do some news. Yeah we got some great weather out there. Tam's rocking the sweater. You're rocking the fallish colors. It's officially falling out. I know you don't play by those traditional rules but we thought it was okay. Yeah it feels good out there. We're a little cool this morning but dry at least to get the day started.

Back to sunshine today low 70s will be warmer too. Closer to 80 for Saturday and Sunday low 80. So your weekend just beautiful. You'll just have to plan for some chillier mornings ahead. That big low pressure still offshore here. This will be the big story up and down the eastern seaboard through the weekend. It's about 250 miles offshore. So producing gusty winds and keeping some clouds around here at home, but there's a lot of clearing that has occurred overnight. Here's a live look downtown. We're at 54 degrees now that's six degrees lower than yesterday. And those dew points down into the 40s that refreshing fall air is here. Temperatures in the 50s in Oxford. I think you'll see some upper 40s by daybreak. 53 in Chapel Hill 57 right now in Clinton and Fayetteville. A little bit of breezy out there. We'll have some gusts at times through the day. As we get bus stop ready, no umbrellas today will be in the 50s through 9 o'clock. Temperatures chopping out around 72 in Raleigh, 73 Fayetteville, up to 70 degrees in Roxburgh. Beautiful weather for high school football tonight. It's going to feel like fall, maybe the hot cocoa at the stands. Is that too soon? 67 at 7, 62 degrees at 9 tonight. Big beach impacts with that coast low. How long these will linger

that's coming up in my full forecast. Right now our first check up weather and traffic together. Back to you. Thank you, Quaylan. We're taking a look here at the triangle. Roads looking clear this morning on this Friday morning, so that's good news. We also have a live look here at the roads on 40 and Aviation Parkway. And it looks good so far. A lot of traffic moving out. So maybe folks are trying to get out for the weekend. Hopefully. 502 is the time. We are tracking breaking news overnight in the heart of downtown Durham. I witness news on the scene along Rigsby Avenue and that crowded stretch of bars and restaurants.

Cindy Bay is there with the latest this morning. and what has been a violent week in the Bull City. Cindy, what are you learning this morning? Yeah, that's right, Tamara. Durham police are still investigating a shooting call. It's unclear exactly how many people were injured or if this was a deadly shooting. But police have been here for several hours overnight, just investigating this shooting. This is a part on Rigsby Avenue where two bars are located.

One of them is Pickleback, too. And the building that you're seeing is a parking lot where people park to go to that pickleback two bar. And that's where we can see a lot of the things concentrated here. Orange markers, for example, we see at least four on the ground. We can also see some clothes on the ground of that parking lot there. But that's where it's been taped off and where officers have been specifically investigating. We did speak with an employee who got off work. He tells us that he saw at least two people being treated.

But again, it's unclear. We just have very limited details right now from Durham Police. A mobile command unit is here. ABC 11 has reached out to Durham Police. And as soon as we get more new information, we'll keep you updated in Durham. Cindy Bay, ABC 11 eyewitness news. Yeah, people don't just party along that stretch of Rigsby.

A lot of people live along the along that stretch of Rigsby, a scary night there. Cindy, thank you. New this morning, eyewitness news getting its first look at the body camera video of the arrest of NC State's former director of sports medicine now charged with sexually abusing dozens of student athletes. Robert Murphy was arrested in Florida where he now lives. He waived extradition back to North Carolina. The video shows the moment officers confronted Murphy before taking him into custody. Take a look. Mr. Murphy, come out with your hands up. Come out with your hands up.

Leave the dog inside. Who are you talking about? Come on, step out. Hands up. Face the car. Hands behind your back. Hands behind your back. Murphy worked at NC State from 2012 to 2022,

eventually becoming Director of Sports Medicine. Since then, 32 male athletes have joined a civil lawsuit saying they were abused under the guise of medical treatment or subjected to overly intrusive drug tests. A judge dismissed that lawsuit in June on procedural grounds, Now that decision's under appeal. In a statement, an NC state spokesperson wrote, sexual misconduct of any kind is unacceptable. The health and safety of students and student athletes is paramount to NC State Athletics and the university.

We are aware of the charges filed by Wake County against Robert Murphy. We will cooperate with law enforcement in this matter. As long as this is an ongoing legal matter, we cannot comment further at this time. Eyewitness News also reached out to the attorneys who previously represented Murphy, but we have not heard back. Well, new numbers this morning shows school districts across North Carolina began the school year with thousands of unfilled jobs, more than 6,200 vacancies. When we zoom in and look at the number of unfilled teaching positions, that number is about 2,000 and an improvement over the previous year. The numbers from the North Carolina School Superintendents Association, one big problem across the state, unfilled teaching jobs for kids in special education, school districts are trying to hire about 570 people for those jobs.

506 now and making major changes to divorce court in North Carolina. Just ahead, see how a newly proposed law is gaining some support. And water main breaks in the triangle, the eye team taking a closer look at the rise in recent reports. Good morning, Quayling. Hey, good morning. skies have cleared out pretty nicely overnight. Temperatures following suit falling a bit more. 50s right now. We're into the 70s this afternoon.

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Get the family plan at Fred Anderson Toyota, Fred Anderson Kia, and Fred Anderson, Nissan, all on Glenwood Avenue. 509. Welcome back on this Friday. We've seen a good deal of clearing overnight. That low pressure is still offshore, but we're going to see brighter skies today. We picked up some decent rain in pockets yesterday, mainly south and west of the triangle, around the triangle as a whole, a tenth of an inch or less. At the airport, actually, zero, a goose egg there. Two inches. That's where we are on the deficit for the month so far. And that's how we'll finish off the month to Fayetteville under one inch. Latest drought monitor shows worsening conditions for the area back to severe drought for more of the triangle as of yesterday. Here's a look from RDU right now. So quite breezy out there. You'll notice the breeze throughout the day, but also we get back to sunshine today.

Temperatures at 8 o'clock will be in the 50s still. 60s at noon. So maybe lunch outside. Load in mid 80s for high temperatures this afternoon. And generally 70s statewide with more sunshine, especially in the mountains. Tomorrow is going to be warmer here at home. triangle to the sand hills right around 80 degrees in the afternoon. Coastal impacts ongoing with that area of low pressure offshore through the weekend.

Gell warnings continue with those gusts of 40 plus. Coastal flood advisories because of the push of the winds, one to three feet of inundation possible, especially around high tide and danger of surf conditions too. Latest buoy showing 45 miles per hour on gusts offshore, Hatter's up to 40 miles per hour right now too. This is later tonight. Some of those gusts still 30 to 40 miles per hour at the coast as the low pools

away, so too will the winds be reduced at this point for the weekend. I'll have your full 70 forecast, including a warm up next week that's coming up. Joel and Tamp back to you. See you soon. Quaylin, thank you. Now to an eye team investigation into a growing problem under our streets. We're looking at how often water mains are breaking here in the triangle. Last week, a big break and Kerry created a mess for tens of thousands of customers. And an ABC News data team analysis found hundreds of water main breaks have already hit neighborhoods across the triangle this year. Through September 16th, Durham had 141 breaks and Raleigh had 107. Most involved smaller lines, not major pipe failures.

The findings come just days after the carry break left more than 50,000 customers without water. I could see, you know, there's so much building going on around here, I can see something like that happening again. But like I said, me, we just keep moving forward. We're prepared. Now that growth is real. Raleigh Water has added more than 60,000 customers in five years from 6,000. 10,000 in 2021 to 670,000 in 2025. But the utility says the problem isn't new people, it's old pipes. And a statement, Raleigh Water said in part, quote, we do not expect any increase in

main breaks due to an increased demand. What really drives water main breaks is age condition of the pipes and temperature. Durham water management did not tell us what it believes is causing its breaks, but in Kerry, last week's break was blamed on aging infrastructure. 512. African American Museum in Washington, D.C. celebrating a new milestone. That story just ahead. And security will be extra tight for an SEC game tomorrow. Find out which game President Trump plans to attend. And take warning, the Carolina hurricanes picking up right where they left off in their quest to win another Stanley Cup.

Your cardiac cane showing no quit, finding a way to win with your seconds left on the clock. And a reminder, you can find eyewitness news live on ABC 11, Disney Plus and everywhere you stream. ABC 11 First Alert Weather on eyewitness news every day. Spectrum is here to say hi. Hi, Zypher. What up? Say hi to the most reliable high-speed Wi-Fi. Love that.

Get more with Spectrum. How's it going? It's war on the roads. Bumps, scrapes, and out, wrecks. We know how to get the insurance company to pay for your injury. What do you think, gang? Yeah. All the heavy hitters.

And get back on the road. One and under law, oh, eight, or four. Lori Buckeout thinks she can pull a fast one in North Carolina. Where do we begin? She supports tax breaks to billionaires, paid for by closing rural hospitals and cutting our health care. She put Washington elites and big corporations ahead of our communities, hurting her small towns, our farms, and our coast.

Shoot, she moved here and bought a mansion in Chowan County. Then she said she'd let big oil drill, threatening our coastline. Lori Buckeout, stay out of eastern North Carolina. HMP is responsible for the content of this advertising. Chevy SUVs are made with everything you need to bring out your best. Value you can count on. And tech that has your best. Hey, Google, text the block party crew. We're almost there.

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Precision door service a name you can trust. Michael Watley won't stop lying about Roy Cooper. Like these two ads, one was a criminal released from a South Carolina prison. The other had never been in prison before committing the crime. Two very real tragedies, but neither one was caused by Roy Cooper letting prisoners out early. Now, Michael Watley's lying again because Roy Cooper didn't release these criminals either. Michael Watley can't stop lying to you, and that tells you everything about him. I'm Roy Cooper, and I approve this message.

Hi, work from home mom making multitasking look easy. We're Spectrum. Hi. Say hi to Spectrum Internet with Wi-Fi included for $50 a month. Works for me. today and get spectrum fiber-powered internet for $50 a month. We are local news. ABC 11 eyewitness news continues now. The push to change North Carolina's divorce laws is picking up steam.

A state lawmaker wants to shorten the separation period required before divorce and in some cases eliminate it entirely. Since we first brought you this story on Monday, it's been our most red story online, sparking conversations across the country. Last night, that conversation moved to a packed room and carry. filled with people backing the change. State Senator Woodson Bradley wrote Senate Bill 626, but it was social media influencer and author Jen Hamilton who got people talking.

Eyewitness News was there as women shared their stories, including the events organizer who's been through a divorce herself. We need to change divorce policy in North Carolina. Too many women especially are suffering under a law that just doesn't need to exist. I went through the year-long required separation period that only North Carolina and South Carolina require for anybody that's getting divorced in their state. And I know how awful that felt. The bill would cut the required separation period from one year to six months. And for uncontested divorces with no minor children, there'd be no waiting period at all.

Well, new this morning, a man who was wounded in the 2024 assassination attempt on President Donald Trump has died. James Copenhaver was in the bleachers and seriously injured when a gunman opened fired at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The allegecani medical examiner said Copenhageny died at a hospital Wednesday. He was 76. Cause of death was not disclosed. Copenhagenauer was one of two men seriously wounded in the attack. A third rally attendee was killed. New this morning, the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington is celebrating a milestone.

Yesterday, marked 10 years since the museum opened its doors, nicknamed the Bulletin, the Bulletin, Blacksonian, its collection ranges from artifacts of the slave trade to the casket of Emmett Till, the black 14-year-old kidnapped and murdered in Mississippi in 1955. The anniversary comes weeks after Smithsonian's secretary Lonnie Bunch, the museum's founding director, announced he is stepping down after seven years leading the world's largest museum. Education and research complex. His departure comes amid growing pressure on the Smithsonian from the Trump White House, including threats to withhold funding.

And in case you missed it, the defending Stanley Cup's, champions in Greensboro for the first time in 27 years took on the Predators and came home with another win. Nashville got off to a quick start. They scored less than two minutes in, but that didn't stop our defending champs. They tied the game in the final minutes and then get the puck with the under 10 seconds to go. With the time running out, Felix Undersorms slams one into the back of the net with 2.6 seconds to go. That final score is 6 to 5. A presidential visit is adding even more electricity to one of college football's big. biggest games this weekend. President Trump will be in Knoxville tomorrow as Tennessee host Texas.

More than 100,000 fans are expected to pack the stadium. The police are already telling them to get there early and expect tighter security. The atmosphere was already set to be electric with ESPN's College Game Day broadcasting live from Rocky Top starting at 9 a.m. And SEC football takes over ABC 11 tomorrow with three ranked matchups. First at Newt, Texas at Tennessee, followed by Ole Miss and Florida at 3.30. Then at 9.30. night, Texas A&M heading into Death Valley to face LSU, which is still shaking off last week's big loss to Ole Miss. Take a live look outside at 519. If you were downtown rally from our Pendo Sky Cam perched high atop 301 Hillsborough Street walked out my door this morning.

I said this, this is fall. Yes. This right here. We have arrived. Yeah, we have arrived. We're looking at some cool mornings in the weekend as well. So we'll keep this energy going. Warming up during the afternoon hours, though. Our average high today is 80. We're going to be around 72 today. So still missing the mark, but definitely warmer than the last few days where we had 60s for highs. This weekend will be around 80 degrees. And then next week, the warming trend continues right through Wednesday. By Wednesday, mid to upper 80s on those highs. College football this weekend. Duke kickoff 3 30 tomorrow at Wallace Wade. Upper 70s, beautiful football weather tomorrow, 74 afterwards. NC state's games a little later 730, but still around 70 degrees at kickoff 63 degrees afterwards with Cleave. sky so maybe a jacket or hoodie for post game. Low pressure is offshore. This is going to be a big talker through the weekend. Pretty much up and down the eastern seaboard.

We still have some clouds here at home, but the bigger impacts remain along the coast. Gusts in the 20s and 30s, the highest so far today. And I think we'll be in that general range through the weekend as well. Flooding and overwash concerns will continue right through Saturday and Sunday with the persistent winds. Some of the gusts could climb as high as 50 miles per hour

as the low gradually strengthens as it starts to work to the north. and the coastal flooding concerns ongoing too with the inundation, especially around high tide times through the weekend. Keep in mind this weekend, we also have a full moon so that will also increase that tide potential. Here's a live look into downtown Raleigh again.

We have temperatures in the 50s right now in the triangle, 54 Sanford, 50 in Roxborough. You could see some up 40s closer to sunrise this morning. 57 Fayetteville, Goldsboro, 56. We have a light wind for now, but still a breeze. And we'll have some gusty conditions at times throughout the day. But in general, through the afternoon hours. We have some clouds still lingering, pretty much triangle and points east. We're clearer to the west and the south. You'll have lots of sun today, 50s at 9, mid-60s for lunchtime today, low 70s at 3. And then tonight, skies remain clear. We're back to the 50s and even some 40s, too. Tomorrow morning could be some upper 40s north. We'll have 50s for the triangle in south tomorrow afternoon, plenty of sun. More of those skies clearing out to the east as well. By Sunday morning, another round of up for 40s possible north. 50s for the

triangle and south again. Some late day cloud cover, but not enough to put a damper on the sky conditions overall for Sunday. Rain chances at zero all the way through Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Spotty activity right now. I think our next front comes in later next week. In the tropics, we have two name systems out there, Gonzalo around Cape Verde Islands and then the tropical storm phase out to sea as well. Cabo Verde could see some impacts with tropical storm force winds through the weekend. 72 the high today, partly cloudy and breezy tonight, clear in Chile, upper 40. to the north, low 50 south. Here's that first alert 70 forecast. I'll see you tomorrow at the Gail Parkins Memorial

Walk for ovarian cancer in the morning. Upper 70s to around 80 this weekend. 84 Tuesday when the Cains returned Thursday, October 1st, 87. Weather and traffic together, back to you. Looking at the real-time traffic map at this hour, Quaylan, it is all clear. No major tie-ups on the major interstates at this hour.

Here's a live look from the DOT camera. This is I-87 and Bethlehem Road in Nightdale. problem spot, but not right now. Morning commute just getting underway. Five-22 is the time. A new study reveals artificial intelligences pushing medical costs higher. We'll explain next in today, Tech Bites. And after a decade after Colin Kaepernick took a need during the National Anthem to protest police brutality, the former quarterback can now add another title. In Toronto, every arrival is a statement, and nothing says it better than this. Cadillac Optic was the number one selling luxury EV in Canada for 2025.

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for the Cadillac definition of luxury. First, first alert weather on ABC 11. Well, new this morning, former San Francisco 49ers, quarterback Colin Kaepernick is now in New York Times best-selling author. His new Wim War, the perilous fight, hitting the milestone just over a week after the book was released. The book looks at his upbringing, being raised by white parents, his rise in football, and his decision to protest police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem in 2016. A new insurer study says AI is adding nearly a billion dollars to health care costs.

Here's ABC's Hannah Baton with this morning's TechBites. In today's Techbytes, Blue Cross Insurers are blamed. artificial intelligence for driving up their costs by nearly a billion dollars. They say AI used by providers is picking up secondary conditions coded as more complex. But there is apparently no evidence the patients had received different treatment. Google is taking a step toward putting AI data centers in space. It's sending a satellite into orbit next week with four specialized computer chips that will offer the capacity of a single server on Earth. Google says the idea is to test everything against the harsh conditions

of space. MapQuest is adding public transit directions for the first time in its 30-year existence. It includes details on buses, trains, and trams, and 2,000 cities across 70 countries. The new feature follows a surge in users after MapQuest refused to relabel Lake Ontario as Lake America. Those are your tech bites. While a powerful Northeaster is wreaking havoc along the east coast from the outer banks to Cape Cod, how long will the threat last? And which is 39 days left into the midterms, the U.S. Senate failing to pass a bill, to end the war with Iran. Find out how the vote broke down along party lines. And we are finally hearing

a response from UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts after that investigation into the school's football program revealed some troubling patterns. More on that. Bottom of the five o'clock hour coming up.