NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-13-2025 1AM EDT

Episode Date: September 13, 2025

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This week on Consider This, the shooting death of Charlie Kirk. He was seen as the future of the conservative movement. We will look at what he leaves behind. Plus, the story of 9-11 victims whose families are still waiting 24 years later for justice, why they say the government is keeping them in the dark. Listen this week to consider this on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. 22-year-old Tyler Robinson has been charged with murder in the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Kirk was shot Wednesday while speaking on a university campus in Utah. NPR's Bobby Allen has more on the suspects. He doesn't have a criminal history, public records show that he doesn't seem to be affiliated with any political party. He was a really bright student in high school. He even earned a scholarship to attend Utah State University. That's just north of here in Logan. But he dropped out after one semester. The university says that was back in 2021.

More recently, Robinson's family noted that he's become more politically active, which is a really crucial point since authorities are calling Charlie Kirk's killing a political assassination. That's NPR's Bobby Allen reporting from Orem, Utah. Utah's governor says Robinson's family helped with his arrests. The assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk this week at Utah Valley University has raised questions about the vulnerability of public figures to violence. As NPR's Meg Anderson reports, officials said there were only six police officers working the event where Kirk was murdered. The shooter fired from a rooftop about 150 yards away, so more police on the ground might not have made a difference.

But security experts told NPR the amount of officers was not enough for the event, which drew around 3,000 people. There are ways to defend against the sniper attack, ballistic glass, drones, counter-snipers. But Jason Russell, a former Secret Service agent, says they're expensive and they don't fix the deeper problem. You know, obviously, if you pay any attention to social media, it's extremely divisive and now it's become almost a us versus them mentality. Ultimately, to stop violence, Russell says you have to make fewer people feel like it's the only way forward. Meg Anderson, NPR News. A federal immigration agent fatally shot a man in the suburb. outside of Chicago after the man allegedly attempt to flee a traffic stop and struck an officer

with his car. Adriana Cardona McGigad of member station WBEZ reports. The H.S. officials say Silverio Villegas Gonzalez refused to follow commands and try to flee allegedly hitting and dragging one immigration officer with his car. The officer fired his weapon, fearing for his life. The statement says, Erendira Rendon is with a the Resurrection Project, a local immigrant rights organization. These are outcomes that serve no public safety purpose and leave entire communities traumatized. According to federal law, ICE agents must have reasonable suspicion that an individual has violated an immigration law to initiate a traffic stop.

For NPR News, I'm Adriana Cardona McGigad in Chicago. And you're listening to NPR News. Internationalist calling for a public trial for South Sudanese opposition leader Rieck Machar. Machar and several others face charges that include murder, conspiracy, and crimes against humanity. Machar has been kept under house arrest since March, and observers have expressed concern for his safety. They also say the charges could further destabilize that African nation. New research is showing the public health effects of one of the largest methane gas leaks in U.S. history.

They include increased preterm births, low birth, and even miscarriages. Aaron Stone, a member station, L.A.ist reports. A Southern California gas company storage facility leaked methane for almost four months in 2015. It spewed years' worth of planet heating pollution as well as dangerous chemicals into nearby communities. A new study from UCLA finds that the pollution made pregnant women living in the area at the time 50% more likely to have babies with low birth weights. These large natural gas storage facilities close to major urban populations can translate into substantial health effects.

That's UCLA professor Michael Jarrett, who oversaw the research. Low birth weight has been linked to increased risk of developing autism, ADHD, and chronic diseases such as diabetes. For NPR News, I'm Aaron Stone in Los Angeles. Ben Griffin had another bogey free round on Friday at the PGA tournament that's underway in Napa, California. this weekend. He shot at 66, giving him a three-shot lead over Russell Henley. I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News. This message comes from Wise, the app for using money around the globe. When you manage your money with Wise, you'll always get the mid-market exchange rate with no hidden fees. Join millions of customers and visit Wise.com. T's and Cs apply.