Officer fired amid probe into fatal shooting of Hartford man, mayor says

The Hartford, Connecticut, police officer who fatally shot Steven "Stevie" Jones, a 55-year-old Black man whose family said he was experiencing a mental health crisis, has been fired, Hartford's mayor said.

Mayor Arunan Arulampalam said that he was "disturbed" by the body camera footage showing Officer Joseph Magnano's fatal shooting of Jones on Feb. 27 and said that the investigation into the incident by the state inspector general's office is ongoing.

"Today, I made the determination to terminate Officer Magnano effective immediately," Arulampalam said during a press conference on Friday. "This is the last day of his probationary period, as an officer, and we made the determination that his performance as an officer is not befitting of the standards that we expect of our Hartford Police Department."

Ben Crump, an attorney for Jones' family, welcomed the mayor's decision to fire the officer, saying in a statement on Friday, "The firing of this officer is an important step toward accountability, but it cannot be the end of the process. Stevie Jones should be alive today. His family deserves full transparency and a thorough, independent investigation."

The statement went on to say: "We will continue pressing for answers, accountability, and meaningful changes so that any person experiencing a mental health crisis is met with care, compassion, and de-escalation -- not deadly force."

Hartford Police Union President James Rutkauski condemned the mayor's decision, telling ABC News in a statement on Friday that Magnano's actions were "justified" and "lawful."

"I urge Mayor Arunan Arulampalam to reverse this FIRING and publicly stand behind officers who act lawfully. Anything less will accelerate the [Hartford Police Department's] staffing crisis and push Hartford deeper into dangerous times," Rutkauski said, in part. "Dark times are coming unless we change course now."

Rutkauski previously told ABC News that Magnano cannot comment on the ongoing investigation and said that the union "fully supports" him in this case.

"The facts are clear and undisputed: a suicidal individual armed with a large knife ignored repeated commands to drop the weapon, failed to respond to less than lethal force, and deliberately advanced on the Officer in a manner that created an immediate threat of death or serious bodily injury," Rutkauski told ABC News on March 9.

A spokesperson for the Hartford Police Department confirmed to ABC News that the mayor terminated Magnano from his position.

The department previously told ABC News that Magnano was "placed on Administrative Leave with Pay, which is customary for Officer Involved Shootings," adding that the incident is "being investigated by the Office of the Inspector General, which is also customary for OIS."

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The officer's firing comes one day after civil rights leaders, family and friends gathered at a church in Bloomfield, Connecticut, on Thursday afternoon for a funeral service for Jones.

Rev. Al Sharpton, founder of the National Action Network, delivered a eulogy for Jones and called for "justice" ahead of the church service, along with Crump and Jones' sister, Audrey Jones, who called 911 asking for an ambulance after her brother injured himself with a knife. When police arrived, Jones was walking up and down the street carrying the knife and ignored orders from officers to drop it, body camera footage shows.

"We are going stand with Audrey because this case represents mental health victims of all races, all over this country," Sharpton said.

According to a preliminary report released by the Connecticut Office of Inspector General, police responded to the scene after "a family member of Jones called 911 to seek assistance because Jones was having an acute mental health crisis." The caller indicated that Jones had "cut himself and had a knife in his hand," the report states. The caller was later identified as Audrey Jones.

"If I would have known that they were going to kill my brother, I would not have ever called 911 for an ambulance, and I just ask that you pray for me and my family during these trying times," Audrey Jones said ahead of the funeral service on Thursday.

The inspector general's office released four body camera videos of the incident on March 6 from the four officers who responded to the scene, showing the minutes leading up to the fatal shooting and the moment Jones was fatally shot by the officer. The officer fired nine times at Jones, who was walking around with a knife in the street and repeatedly ignoring officers' orders to "drop a knife," according to the OIG.

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"Stevie had a mental health crisis. He needed a helping hand from the Hartford Police Department, but instead he got nine bullet holes in his body," Crump said during the funeral service on Thursday. "That is a shame before God. The status of your mental health and the color of your skin should not equal the death sentence."

At the moment he was shot, Jones appeared to be walking slowly towards one of the officers, still holding the knife, while the other three officers surrounded him, the video reviewed by ABC News shows. In the footage, Jones appeared to be walking at a steady, slow pace, holding the knife in his hand with the blade pointed down towards the ground when he was shot nine times by the officer. Jones, a father of two, died of his injuries on March 3.

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The inspector general's office released a preliminary report on March 6 as the investigation into Jones' death continues. The report included a copy of the Medical Examiner's notice to police that Jones' cause of death was ruled a homicide.

Asked by ABC News about the status of the investigation on Thursday, the inspector general's office did not provide additional comment.

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 28, 2026

Officer fired amid probe into fatal shooting of Hartford man, mayor says

The Hartford, Connecticut, police officer who fatally shot Steven "Stevie" Jones, a 55-year-old Black man wh...

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One month into Iran war, some Trump objectives are unfulfilled as he looks to wind down the conflict

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has listed five objectives that the U.S. wants to achieve before ending its war with Iran. Now, one month into the conflict, he hassuggested the U.S. may soon be "winding down"the operation, even though some of his key aims remain undefined or unfulfilled.

Trump

Trump last weekoutlined five goalsfor the massive air campaign. That's up from four laid out by his staff since the war's start on Feb. 28 (and up from the three generally enumerated by the Pentagon and Secretary of State Marco Rubio). Though the Trump administration has said its objectives are clear and unchanging, the list of priorities has expanded and shifted as the war has taken a toll on the global economy, tested alliances and raised unanswered questions about the planning for the conflict, its justification and its aftermath.

By most accounts, the strikes by the U.S. and Israel have significantly degraded Iran's military capabilities and killed scores of senior leaders. But those tactical successes don't necessarily translate to achieving all the president's strategic aims.

Some of his objectives are difficult to achieve and if the U.S. walks away with unfinished aims and Iran's paramilitaryIslamic Revolutionary Guardin power, Trump could face political fallout at home and global repercussions about what was accomplished in his decision to launch a war of choice that upended the Middle East and roiled the global economy.

Trump and the White House have insisted the operation is going well and on track to meet its goals. "We are very close to meeting the core objectives of Operation Epic Fury, and this military mission continues unabated," press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters this week, saying the operation was "ahead of schedule and performing exceptionally."

Here's a look at the objectives as laid out by Trump and where they stand:

1. 'Completely degrading Iranian Missile Capability'

One of the prime objectives laid out by the president with Iran was to "destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground."

The administration says that the ability has been significantly degraded. But Iran is still launching missiles and drones, including aseries of barragesat Israel as Trump claimed that negotiations with Iran were underway.

Trump said Thursday at the White House that about 90% of Iran's missiles and launchers have been knocked out, and that drones and the factories where drones and missiles are manufactured "are way down."

2. 'Destroying Iran's Defense Industrial Base'

Before last week, the president and his administration sometimes listed this as a standalone objective, describing it as a goal to "raze their missile industry to the ground." Other times, this has fallen off the list. The Pentagon has generally lumped it into the first objective of destroying Iran's missile capability.

U.S. Central Command has said its targets for strikes in Iran have included weapons production and missile and drone manufacturing facilities. But Iranian attacks against its Gulf neighbors and Israel continue.

3. 'Eliminating their Navy and Air Force'

The U.S. and Israel quickly established air superiority in the skies above Iran, where they have flown largely unchallenged. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that the U.S. has damaged or destroyed more than 150 Iranian vessels.

After a U.S. submarine torpedoed and sank an Iranian warship in early March, two other Iranian vessels — the IRIS Bushehr and IRIS Lavan —docked in Sri Lankaand India and sought assistance from the two countries. There has been no indication from the U.S. that they have since been sunk or captured.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard has its own navy that also relies on smaller vessels to do swarm attacks and drop mines. It is unclear how much of that force remains or whether it has planted any mines. But Iranian missiles continue to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

4. 'Never allowing Iran to get even close to Nuclear Capability'

Trump made a marked shift over the last year after declaring that the U.S. has "obliterated" Iran's nuclear programin June, only for his aides to warn that Iran was just weeks away from a bomb to justify the current operations.

Iranian state media said itsnuclear facilities were attacked Friday. A heavy water plant and a yellowcake production plant were struck and Israel later confirmed it was behind the strikes.

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Israel had previously announced strikes on other nuclear-related targets, including the killing of a top Iranian nuclear scientist.

One of the most pressing questions in the war is whether Trump will seek toseize or destroyabout970 pounds of enriched uraniumthat Tehran has that could potentially be used for a weapon.

Trump, for the first time on Monday, said the U.S. would retrieve the uranium, which is believed to be buried deep under a mountain facility. But he indicated that would occur if the U.S. struck some kind of deal with Iran to the U.S. to retrieve it. Without permission from Iran, seizing it would be a dangerous mission, experts say, and would require a sizable deployment of U.S. troops into the country.

5. 'Protecting, at the highest level, our Middle Eastern Allies'

Trump, in a recent social media post, added a fifth objective for the U.S: "Protecting, at the highest level, our Middle Eastern Allies, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and others. The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it — The United States does not!"

The U.S. already maintains thousands of troops on bases and other installations in the region. It's not clear how much further Trump is willing to go to protect Middle East allies from threats, and Iran is still able to attack those countries. It's also not clear how far the U.S. is willing to go to keep open the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has vacillated on whether the U.S. needs to take a role in policing it. He has again extended a deadline for Iran to reopen theStrait of Hormuzor face attacks on its power plants,now giving them until April 6.

Regime change is not officially on the list

Trump has spoken about regime change since the start of the war, encouraging the Iranian people to "take over your government" after Israel, assisted by the U.S., launched strikes that killed Iran's supreme leader and much of its upper echelon of leaders.

Trump and his administration, however, have never explicitly stated regime change as an objective in Iran, despite making it clear they want to end the repressive theocracy's 47-year reign.

Trump said Thursday at the White House that the regime is "largely decimated."

"You could really say we have regime change because they have been killed," he said in a Fox News Channel interview.

Now the U.S. claims to be holding talks with elements of the same Iranian government as it looks to bring a swift end to the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic. Iran, however, continues to publicly insist it is not negotiating with the White House.

And Trump's initial hopes for the Iranian people appear set to continue unfulfilled.

Also falling off the list: Cutting off support for Iranian proxy groups

Trump administration officials have offered few updates about this objective, which the president has described as ensuring that "the region's terrorist proxies can no longer destabilize the region or the world and attack our forces" and "ensuring that the Iranian regime cannot continue to arm, fund, and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders."

While the U.S. has struck Iranian-aligned militia groups in Iraq, and Israel appears to be expanding its operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, the administration has not offered details about how it's going to permanently halt Tehran's support for the militant groups.

The White House said in a statement that ensuring that Iranian proxy groups cannot further destabilize the region remains a key goal and that "proxies are hardly putting up a fight because our United States Military is so strong and lethal."

Associated Press writer Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report.

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 28, 2026

One month into Iran war, some Trump objectives are unfulfilled as he looks to wind down the conflict

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has listed five objectives that the U.S. wants to achieve before ending its war ...

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Another busy travel weekend begins as uncertainty looms over TSA workers’ pay

A particularly busy spring break travel weekend has begun, and travelers are bracing for more long lines at airports nationwide even as the Department of Homeland Security has said Transportation Security Administration workers should begin receiving paychecks on Monday after weeks of a partial government shutdown.

President Donald Trump issued a promised memo Fridaycalling for TSA workers to be paidimmediately, but union officials say there is confusion about how the move will roll out. "I think one of the questions from the workforce is, 'Well, is this temporary, or is TSA fully funded now?'" said Johnny Jones, secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees' TSA Council 100.

The DHS shutdown has led to nearly 500 TSA employees quitting and thousandsmore calling out of workas many struggle to afford gas, child care, food and housing, the agency said. TSA agents have been making dire sacrifices to offset the financial impacts of not being paid over the last several weeks.

TSA staffing shortages have triggered hourslong waits and lines snaking in and out of airports. People waited in line for hours Friday at major airport hubs in cities nationwide, such as Baltimore, Houston, New York and Atlanta.

Here are the latest developments:

• Shutdown likely to continue: House Republicans pushed through their own Department of Homeland Security funding bill Friday night after rejecting a deal passed by the Senate with bipartisan support. The House version is a short-term measure that will extend funding for the entire department for eight weeks. Senate Democrats have already said the House GOP plan will be dead on arrival in their chamber.

• ICE deployed to airports: Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have fanned out this week in 14 airports nationwide to assist with TSA staffing shortages and record-long lines and waits. But they are limited in the duties they can perform, officials said. ICE agents have been verifying travelers' IDs at some airports, guarding entrances and exits, and helping with logistics and crowd control, DHS said. It's unclear, however, if ICE agents deployed at Trump's request have made a significant dent as wait times accumulate.

• Funding TSA won't fix long lines overnight: Even if the shutdown ends, it could take days or weeks for airport security checkpoints to return to full staffing levels and for the long lines to disappear, union leaders said.

• Busy travel weekend approaches: As airports brace for a busy spring break travel weekend, passengers were met by lines stretching outside the building. "What we are dealing with is 100% of spring break traffic trying to squeeze through 50% or less of our TSA checkpoints, so the math does not work," Jim Szczesniak, director of aviation for the Houston Airport System, said in an online video.

• TSA workers more optimistic: A TSA union leader is cautiously optimistic recent airport security woes might taper off soon as congressional leaders work toward a solution, he told CNN. TSA officers came into work Friday "in a better mood," said Atlanta's TSA union steward George Borek. "I think we're pointing in the right direction, and I hope we can bring it to the finish line."

TSA officers make dire sacrifices

TSA workers have told CNN they're becoming increasingly desperate for financial relief as roughly 61,000 of them anxiously await their paychecks during the six-week congressional stalemate.

Many TSA employees live paycheck to paycheck, making an average of $35,000 a year, according to AFGE.

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TSA worker Tatiana Finlay is just one of theworkers making sacrificesto make ends meet. She has been forced to borrow gas money from her 15-year-old daughter's birthday gift fund and ration her own food so her three children can eat.

"I've been skipping meals just hoping to stretch that dollar, because I want to make sure that they have the food," Finlay said.

Rachel, a TSA agent and mother who requested her last name not be shared publicly, described having to leave work to pick up her child and head directly to WIC to get assistance for her family. "I have to go get government assistance from the same government that I work for. And I shouldn't have to do that," she said.

TSA officer Jackson Oliver has considered leaving his job, but he stressed he isn't doing the work just for a paycheck and won't give up without a fight. He has taken a second job to support his family, as well as managing full-time schooling and flight training while not being paid.

Public and union support during the shutdown has been vital to easing some of the financial and emotional burden for TSA workers, as airports coordinate gift card drives for gas and groceries, food pantries and other donations.

"Donations of gas cards and gift cards — these things are really helping folks get through the day-to-day operations," Oliver said.

CNN's Ryan Young, Chris Youd, Rebekah Riess, Elizabeth Wolfe, Taylor Galgano and Maria Aguilar Prieto contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 28, 2026

Another busy travel weekend begins as uncertainty looms over TSA workers’ pay

A particularly busy spring break travel weekend has begun, and travelers are bracing for more long lines at airports nati...

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Ashlon Jackson's buzzer-beating trey lifts Duke past LSU

Ashlon Jackson's rim-circling 3-pointer as time expired gave third-seeded Duke an 87-85 win over second-seeded LSU in a roller-coaster Sweet 16 matchup on Friday in the Sacramento Region 2 nightcap.

The win sends Duke to the regional final on Sunday, when the Blue Devils will face top-seeded UCLA. The Bruins cruised past fourth-seeded Minnesota in the first Sweet 16 contest on Friday, 80-56.

Duke (27-8) led most of the night and by as many as 11 points, including a 78-67 edge in the fourth quarter after an 11-0 run.

LSU (29-6) rallied multiple times in the game. The teams exchanged the lead six times in the third quarter with their big spurt, punctuated with three consecutive converted and-one opportunities.

Facing another double-digit deficit in the final period, the Tigers chipped away again, however, holding Duke without a field goal for more than five minutes. LSU had an opportunity to take the lead with 37 seconds remaining after MiLaysia Fulwiley intercepted a pass near midcourt.

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However, with the Blue Devils' Taina Mair bearing down on her on the fastbreak, Fulwiley attempted a reverse layup going left-to-right that rimmed off. Duke regained possession, and LSU sent Jackson to the foul line -- where she missed both attempts with 19 seconds left.

After a disputed ball knocked out of bounds, LSU pulled ahead on a pair of Mikaylah Williams free throws with nine seconds to go.

Mair had an open look at a corner 3-pointer on the ensuing Duke possession and missed, but in the scrum for the loose ball, it went out off LSU to set up the game-winning inbounds play.

Jackson sank a 3-pointer from the right wing to cap a 19-point night.

Fulwiley led all scorers, finishing with 28 points for LSU. She added four assists and four rebounds. Williams scored 22 points in the loss, and Flau'jae Johnson had 13.

--Field Level Media

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 28, 2026

Ashlon Jackson's buzzer-beating trey lifts Duke past LSU

Ashlon Jackson's rim-circling 3-pointer as time expired gave third-seeded Duke an 87-85 win over second-seeded LSU...

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5 killed after a train and a van collide in a train crossing in rural Mississippi

WIGGINS, Miss. (AP) — Five people were killed when a train and van collided in rural Mississippi, authorities said Friday.

All five killed were in the van, Stone County Coroner Wayne Flurry said. The lone surviving van passenger, a 23-year-old woman, was flown to a hospital, Flurry said. No one aboard the train was reported injured.

The crash occurred when a Canadian Pacific Kansas City freight train collided with a vehicle in a crossing, the railroad said in a statement. The location was near the town of Wiggins about 45 miles (72 kilometers) northwest of Biloxi.

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The Stone County Sheriff's Office was investigating the crash, the company said.

"Our most sincere condolences go out to the families of the victims of this tragedy," the railroad company said.

The driver of the van, Ryan C. Peterson, 26, and the front seat passenger, Kristina Carver, 45, were among those killed, Flurry said. Two of Carver's daughters also died, 22-year-old Emley Chamblee and 20-year-old Sarabeth Chamblee, as did 23-year-old Demarcus Perkins.

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 28, 2026

5 killed after a train and a van collide in a train crossing in rural Mississippi

WIGGINS, Miss. (AP) — Five people were killed when a train and van collided in rural Mississippi, authorities said Friday...

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