On Wednesday night, a series of tornadoes swept through central and western Mississippi, causing significant destruction. The violent storms tore roofs off buildings and left residents stranded, with many roads rendered impassable due to flooding.

Mattie Powell, the director of Wilkinson County’s Emergency Management Agency, reported to WLBT that numerous individuals were trapped in the Garden City and Perrytown areas. The situation was particularly dire as emergency responders struggled to reach those in need.

Among those affected were two people attempting to escape the storm when a fallen tree blocked their path. Additionally, a family became trapped near Oak Grove Church, unable to leave their home.

“Residents have reported that trees surround their home, leaving them without power and with no means of escape,” Powell explained.

In neighboring Franklin County, another family found themselves trapped inside their residence. Efforts to reach them were hampered by the numerous downed trees in the vicinity, as reported by The Natchez Democrat. First responders faced significant challenges in navigating the debris-laden area.

‘As soon as we can get there, we will be there to help in any way we can,’ Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten said as a tornado watch remains in effect in his county until 11pm.

Across Franklin and Lincoln counties, 815 homes were affected by the severe weather, according to Mississippi Emergency Response Management.

In total, more than 20,000 people were without power in Mississippi on Wednesday night, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages across the nation. 

‘The state of Mississippi is in contact with local emergency managers and first responders,’ Governor Tate Reeves posted on social media, asking the public to ‘pray for Mississippi.’  

Downed trees were hindering emergency response after a series of tornadoes struck down in central and western Mississippi on Wednesday

The Carthage Police Department also shared photos of flooding and fallen trees in Leake County following the tornado on Wednesday

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves asked the public to pray for his state

The Wash Mobile Home Park in Bogue Chitto was also reporting heavy damage, with some of the homes completely flattened.

‘I was just watching TikTok on my bed and thought it was thunder,’ resident Max Mahaffey told WAPT. ‘I went to my living room. I went back to my room – and the room’s gone.’

Mahaffey said he was not injured in the storm, but his grandmother hurt her ankle.

He also said some of his neighbors suffered cuts and bruises, while others may have broken bones.

Meanwhile, the sheriff’s office in Lamar County said it was receiving initial reports of roofs damaged to Industrial Park, while the Carthage Police Department shared photos of flooding and fallen trees in Leake County, according to WAPT. 

Volunteer firefighters are now reportedly en route from other counties to help with the storm response.

But schools in Franklin County have already been canceled for Thursday, as much of the area remains without lights and water. 

Residents across the state were trapped inside their homes due to the downed trees and flooded roads 

First responders are pictured trying to clear a road in Natchez, Mississippi Wednesday night

 The National Weather Service in Jackson had originally issued a tornado emergency for Bude, Meadville, McCall Creek, Brookhaven and Bogue Chitto after a confirmed tornado was spotted near Meadville at around 7.09pm, moving east at 50mph.

‘This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW!’ the weather service warned.

It later issued another warning for northeastern Lincoln County, Lawrence County and western Jefferson Davis County, after a confirmed large tornado was reported near Brookhaven just before 8pm, moving east at 35mph.

Forecasters urged anyone in the path of the storm to move to a basement or interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows.

Those in mobile homes, vehicles or outside were also told to move to the nearest substantial shelter. 

The National Weather Service has also warned that strong to severe storms were expected to continue overnight across the Southeast, with the strongest storms capable of producing tornadoes, damaging wind gusts, large hail and flash flooding.

As the warning remains in effect, residents were asked to stay off the roads and continue sheltering in place. 

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. 

A seasoned criminal, who authorities claim possesses one of the most extensive criminal records they’ve encountered, is once again in custody following a high-speed chase in Aurora late Monday night. During the pursuit, officers reported that a blind passenger in the stolen vehicle was desperately asking to be released.

“This criminal history might just be the longest I’ve come across,” remarked the Aurora police in a statement shared on social media after the arrest.

The situation began around 3 a.m., when the city was largely quiet, as Flock camera technology notified officers of a stolen car in the vicinity of Scranton Street, just below Smith Road.

Patrol teams swiftly tracked down the vehicle and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. However, the driver ignored orders to halt and accelerated away, leading to a chase through the city.

Larry Barnes, aged 55, was apprehended following this pursuit involving a stolen car. He is now facing a series of charges related to the incident.

Police video captures the urgency as an officer said, “The car is taking off — stolen vehicle pursuit, pursuit, pursuit. … We’re going to be going westbound … speeds are 61.”

“Sigh. Another runner. No worries, we got you,” the department said in the post.

Officers detained the suspect after he attempted to run after a police pursuit in Aurora. (X/@AuroraPD)

Officers tracked the vehicle using city traffic cameras as the pursuit moved toward Quebec Street and Exposition Avenue, where they executed a PIT maneuver to bring the chase to an end.

Aurora police stopped a stolen vehicle during an overnight pursuit Monday after the driver fled a traffic stop. (X/@AuroraPD)

The suspect then attempted to run, but officers quickly closed the distance. Video shows the tense takedown as an officer commands, “Get on the ground. Let me see your hands. Put your hands behind your back,” before the suspect is taken into custody.

Inside the vehicle, officers made a troubling discovery. A blind female passenger told police she had repeatedly begged the driver to pull over during the chase, raising serious concerns that she was being held against her will. Investigators say that account led to a kidnapping charge.

The driver was identified as 55-year-old Aurora resident Larry Barnes, whom police describe as a prolific car thief with a lengthy and troubling history of arrests, including numerous drug distribution cases, assault on a peace officer, burglary and other offenses.

A search of the stolen vehicle uncovered more than 30 grams of methamphetamine and crack cocaine, further compounding the charges.

Barnes was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping, motor vehicle theft, possession with intent to distribute, driving under the influence and felony eluding. Police also confirmed he had an outstanding warrant at the time of his arrest.

Aurora police credited proactive patrol work and real-time technology with getting Barnes off the streets before the situation could escalate further.

“Safer Aurora streets, no matter the hour. That’s how we do,” the department said.

A brewing controversy over canned goods has unfolded.

Two residents from California have initiated legal action against Cento Fine Foods, accusing them of engaging in “tomato fraud.” The lawsuit claims the tomatoes in Cento’s cans are not the prestigious variety the company advertises, often likened to the “Ferrari” of tomatoes, as per the spicy allegations laid out in the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs have named Cento, a company based in New Jersey, as the main offender in this alleged tomato deception within the United States. The lawsuit, acquired by The Post, highlights the use of “Certified San Marzano” labels by Cento.

The legal document contends that the tomatoes fall short of the rich flavor profile associated with true San Marzano tomatoes, which are prized in Italian cuisine for their robust walls, minimal seeds, and mild acidity, according to court documents.

“San Marzano tomatoes are regarded as the luxury brand, akin to the Ferrari or Prada, among canned tomato varieties. Enthusiasts argue that their premium price is justified when compared to other Italian or domestic alternatives,” the lawsuit elaborates.

“Defendant’s marketing and labeling of Cento San Marzanos as ‘Certified San Marzano’ tomatoes is false, misleading, and unfair,” the filing continued.

“They lack the taste, consistency, and other physical characteristics associated by consumers with certified San Marzano Tomatoes.”

Cento says on its website that its San Marzano tomatoes are certified by Agri-Cert, an independent third-party agency, using strict guidelines created to regulate the variety in Italy.

The luxe red fruits are given special protected status in the European Union, like other regional goods such as Champagne or Parmesan Cheese.

An independent consortium, Il Consorzio di Tutela del Pomodoro San Marzano DOP, verifies that fruits claiming to be San Marzano tomatoes are grown in the authentic region and meet proper criteria, the lawsuit explained.

Cento claimed they voluntarily stopped seeking certification from the consortium in the 2010s due to labeling requirements, ABC News reported.

The class action lawsuit, however, claims Cento was “ejected” as a member of the consortium “for committing fraud.”

Cento says that their luscious tomatoes are produced in the San Marzano region of Campania, Italy, approximately 22 miles southeast of Naples.

The Italian food company even allows customers to trace where their product was grown by using the code on their can, according to its website.

A lawyer for Cento Fine Foods told ABC that the claim is “entirely without merit” and that the company plans to “vigorously” defend the allegations.

“We believe this claim is entirely without merit. We have previously successfully defended a comparable lawsuit in New York federal court and will defend this claim vigorously as well, including seeking prompt dismissal,” the lawyer said.

The company was the subject of a lawsuit in New York in 2019, claiming that Cento failed to produce as many San Marzano tomatoes as they said.

An influencer known as Clavicular, who focuses on ‘looksmaxxing,’ is facing legal consequences after reportedly firing shots at an alligator in Florida’s Everglades during a live broadcast.

Braden Peters, the real name behind the Kick streamer and TikTok content creator, was discreetly charged on April 29, along with two associates.

Documents from the Miami-Dade State’s Attorney’s Office, reviewed by the Daily Mail, reveal that Peters is accused of “unlawfully and knowingly discharging a firearm in a public place” on March 26.

Footage shared online shows the 20-year-old wielding a handgun, aiming into the murky waters from an airboat at the Francis S. Taylor Everglades Wildlife Management Area, according to NBC Miami.

The video captures Peters apparently firing over a dozen rounds at a stationary alligator, motionless in the swamp.

‘I think that gator is…,’ said one of the bystanders in the video obtained by TMZ. 

‘Just got to make sure,’ said Peters before firing another round. ‘Yeah, I think it’s dead.’

Social media stars Andrew ‘Cuban Tarzan’ Morales and Yabdiel Anibal Torres Cotto allegedly joined Peters on the water and faced the same charges.

Braden Peters, better known online as Clavicular, was charged with unlawfully and knowingly discharging a firearm in a public place on April 29

Peters posted a video in which he allegedly shot at an alligator in the Florida Everglades

The footage prompted a criminal investigation from the Miami-Dade District Attorney’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). 

‘The FWC is aware of a video depicting individuals in the Everglades on an airboat who appear to be discharging firearms at an alligator,’ the FWC wrote on X at the time. 

‘FWC officers are looking into the incident and will provide additional information when available.’ 

Attorneys Steven Kramer and Jeffery Neiman, who are representing Peters, told the Daily Mail that ‘no animals’ were harmed in the controversial clip. 

‘Our client has been summoned to appear for a misdemeanor charge that stems from following the instructions of a licensed airboat guide,’ they said. 

‘He relied on that guidance. No animals or people were harmed. We are confident that once the full picture is understood, people will see this for what it is.’

In Florida, intentionally shooting an alligator or crocodile without authorization is a federal offense.

Peters, Morales and Torres are scheduled to be arraigned on May 20.

Peters’ (pictured) attorneys alleged that no animals were harmed in the video

Morales’s attorney Richard L Cooper told NBC that the men ‘relied on information and guidance provided by those in authority and had no criminal intent.’

‘We urge the public not to rush to judgment. Importantly, there is no allegation that any animal was injured, and the available evidence does not support the sensationalized narrative that has circulated online,’ he said.

This isn’t Peters’ first bout with legal trouble. 

Within days of his alleged alligator escapades, the influencer was arrested for a misdemeanor assault charge.

His arrest was allegedly in connection with a physical altercation involving his girlfriend, known as Violet, and influencer Jenny Popach, the Daily Mail previously reported.

The altercation unfolded during a Kick livestream earlier this year that racked up hundreds of thousands of views online, with the pair seen hitting and pulling each other’s hair inside a house before being separated.

In April, Peters was hospitalized for an alleged overdose, the Los Angeles Times reported.  

Peters was arrested in march on assault charges shortly after allegedly shooting at the alligator

Peters gained popularity in 2025 for his extreme methodology for weight loss and improving his visual appearance

He rose to popularity in 2025, accruing almost one million followers on TikTok and more than 300,000 subscribers on Kick.

He popularized ‘looksmaxxing,’ which promotes fitness, medications and grooming to improve physical appearance. 

According to ABC 11, Peters allegedly promoted the use of methamphetamines for weight loss and intentionally breaking bones to improve facial structure.

He has been heavily criticized by medical professionals for ‘dangerous’ methodology.

The Daily Mail contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office and representation for Morales for comment. 

Images captured by surveillance cameras depict the man who was shot by U.S. Secret Service agents on Monday near the White House. The footage reportedly shows him drawing a gun and firing at officers during a confrontation that occurred shortly after Vice President JD Vance’s motorcade had passed through the vicinity.

The individual, identified as 45-year-old Michael Marx from Texas, was seen on Monday afternoon close to 15th Street and Independence Avenue NW, approximately half a mile from the White House. Officers first noticed him due to what appeared to be a concealed firearm.

Upon being approached by agents, Marx took off running and, while attempting to escape, pulled a handgun from his waistband, as detailed in a federal affidavit reviewed by Fox News Digital.

While being pursued across a busy pedestrian crosswalk, Marx allegedly turned and fired in the direction of a Secret Service officer, according to the documents.

In the ensuing chaos, an innocent bystander was shot in the leg, reportedly by a bullet fired by Michael Marx. (Source: United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia)

READ THE AFFIDAVIT:

A male civilian, previously identified as a juvenile standing behind the officer, was shot in the leg and taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the affidavit said.

Images included in the court filing appear to show the suspect moving through the intersection as people scatter, then raising the weapon and firing.

Secret Service agents returned fire, striking Marx in the hand, left arm and upper abdomen before taking him into custody, the affidavit said.

Newly filed court documents show the suspect approaching the intersection before pulling out a handgun and firing at Secret Service officers. (U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia)

The shooting unfolded moments after Vance’s motorcade had passed through the area, though Secret Service Deputy Director Matt Quinn previously said there is no indication the motorcade was targeted.

Authorities said Marx was taken to a hospital. His condition has not been released.

The newly filed court documents show the suspect pulled a handgun from his waistband while fleeing from Secret Service officers. (U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia)

Investigators recovered a 9 mm SIG Sauer handgun, according to the filing, and seized electronic devices as part of the investigation.

Court records show Marx was not licensed to carry a gun in Washington, D.C., and had a prior felony drug conviction in Florida, making it illegal for him to possess a gun.

He has been federally charged with assaulting federal officers with a dangerous weapon, using and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The documents say the suspect fled on foot when officers approached, running across the intersection before pulling a handgun. (U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia)

After he was wounded, Marx allegedly spat at officers and shouted “F— the White House” and “Kill me, kill me, kill me” while being transported in an ambulance, according to the affidavit.

Quinn said the confrontation began when surveillance personnel spotted what appeared to be a weapon.

“My understanding is they observed a print,” Quinn said. “These are trained surveillance detection personnel out there looking every day to look for just that.

A crime scene technician removes a gun after an exchange of gunfire between the Secret Service and a gunman on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., Monday. Police said the gunman shot at a Secret Service agent and wounded a bystander before police shot the gunman. (Andrew Leyden/Getty Images)

“Upon making contact, that individual fled briefly on foot, withdrew a firearm and fired in the direction of our agents and officers,” he added. “They returned fire and engaged.”

Quinn was also asked whether the suspect was targeting President Donald Trump.

“I can’t say. I’m not going to guess on that,” he said. “But we will find out.”

<!–>

In a surprising turn of events in Arlington Heights, Illinois, two individuals have been charged following the disappearance of a firearm belonging to a school resource officer. The gun went missing earlier this week, sparking concerns across the community.

The incident unfolded at the Forest View Educational Center, where the officer, while on duty, momentarily removed the firearm during a restroom break. The alarm was raised when the officer realized the weapon was missing after the school day had ended, with students already having departed.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

As a precautionary measure, the school decided to cancel classes on Tuesday to ensure the safety and security of its students and staff.

The investigation by Arlington Heights police revealed that Juan Pablo Sanchez Jaramillo, an 18-year-old student from Mount Prospect attending the school, had taken the gun from the restroom. Following this, he handed the firearm to a 17-year-old in a nearby town. The swift police response and subsequent charges highlight the seriousness of the incident and the importance of maintaining security within educational environments.

He gave it to a 17-year-old in a nearby town, police said.

Police found a flashlight that had been mounted to the gun, but the gun remains missing, police said.

The 17-year-old was arrested and taken to the Arlington Heights Police Department.

The teen was charged with possession of a stolen firearm, unlawful possession of a weapon in a school and theft of a lost or mislaid property.

Sanchez Jaramillo has been charged with unlawful possession of a weapon in a school, police said.

He is also in custody and due in court Thursday.

“The Police Department strongly believes there are individuals with information as to the whereabouts of the stolen handgun. We encourage anyone with information to contact the Arlington Heights Police or your local police department,” police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call 847-368-5300 or email policemail@vah.com.

A grieving widow from New Jersey has expressed her outrage over an alleged mishap at a local cemetery, where her late husband was reportedly buried in the wrong plot, as detailed in a lawsuit recently filed.

Debra Poller has taken legal action against Stanhope Union Cemetery in Netcong, accusing them of mistakenly burying her 69-year-old husband, Alan, in an adjacent plot rather than the family gravesite she had arranged for following his passing on November 30, according to documents obtained by NJ.com.

Poller, who resides in Lake Hopatcong, discovered the cemetery’s distressing error on December 3, adding to her grief and frustration.

She criticized the cemetery for its lack of “reasonable care and skill” in the burial of her husband, a Hungarian immigrant who had moved to the United States at the age of 17 in 1973. This alleged mistake, she claims, has intensified her emotional distress, as reflected in the lawsuit and his obituary.

The lawsuit contends that the cemetery’s error has inflicted “severe emotional distress and mental anguish” upon Poller, depriving her of the opportunity to properly mourn her husband.

The widow accused the graveyard of negligence and said its actions were “intentional, extreme, reckless and outrageous.”

Alan, a father of two, was a master stone mason in Hungary before settling in Jersey City and then relocating to Colorado, where he met his wife and started two businesses, his obituary said.

The couple late relocated to Lake Hopatcong in 2003, where he enjoyed golfing with his son and friends, watching wildlife on the lake, attending car shows, and spending time with family.

“Al was very proud to be an American,” his obituary said.

Poller is demanding a jury trial and monetary damages.