A man sought for the "senseless" murder of a National Guard member in Chicago has been added to the FBI's "Top 10 Most Wanted" list, federal officials announced on Tuesday.

The fugitive, Joseph "Troubles" Matos, has several distinctive tattoos -- including the words "most wanted" tattooed on his stomach -- officials said, while also updating that the reward for his capture has increased from $50,000 to up to $1 million.

Matos is wanted in the fatal shooting of Chrys Carvajal, a 19-year-old National Guardsman who is believed to have been randomly gunned down over the Fourth of July weekend in 2021, the FBI said.

The fugitive is believed to be a high-ranking member of Milwaukee Kings street gang operating on Chicago's north side, according to the FBI. He and an associate are accused of shooting Carvajal in the city's Belmont Cragin neighborhood while the victim walked to his car following a party on July 3, 2021, the FBI said. Carvajal had no gang ties, and investigators believe the attack was committed to "enhance the shooters' standing within the gang," the FBI said.

Matos, 44, is wanted for murder in aid of racketeering and murder through the use of a firearm in connection with Carvajal's death, the FBI said. An arrest warrant was issued for him and his associate, Gary Roberson, in May 2024. Roberson was taken into custody days later, though Matos was not located and remains at large, according to the FBI.

"You cannot hide from the FBI," FBI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Ryan Whalen said at a news conference on Tuesday while directly addressing Matos. "Whether you are close to home or in the furthest corner of the world, the FBI's reach has no limits. Justice will find you."

In addition to "unironically" having "MOST WANTED" tattooed on his stomach, Matos' other prominent tattoos include "M-Town Kings" on the right side of his neck, "1300" on the left side of his neck, "Heavensent, Hellbound" on his forearms, "Move in Silence" on his right hand and "Trust no one" on his left hand, Whalen said.

Matos has ties to Texas and California, though he is believed to be hiding in the greater Chicago area, the FBI said.

"To anyone who may be aiding in his not getting captured, you are committing a serious federal offense, and you will be held accountable to the public, including those in his close circle who may have additional information on his whereabouts," Whalen said.

Carvajal had just graduated from basic training and was back home in Chicago when he was fatally shot, according to the FBI.

"Chrys had no criminal history and no ties to any gang activity. He was gunned down simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time," Whalen said. "That night, the life of a young man destined to serve and protect our country was extinguished. He was a son, a brother, and a friend. His loss has left a hole in our community ever since."

Carvajal's sister, Jennifer Ramirez, remembered him as a "loving son, a brother, a loyal friend and a brave young man with a beautiful heart and a purpose in this world."

"We want people to remember Chrys not only for how we lost him, but for how he lived," she said during Tuesday's news conference. "We want his legacy to inspire young people to serve their communities, strengthen their faith, become leaders and always aspire for success."

Ramirez urged anyone with information in the case to come forward.

"No family should have to live through this kind of pain. No other innocent life should be taken by gun violence," she said. "Nothing will ever bring my brother back, but justice would mean that his life matters, that his story is heard, and that our family's fight for the truth and accountability has not been in vain."

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Nearly $1 million in rare trading cards, including highly valued Pokémon cards, were stolen from a FedEx truck parked near a Southern California business that authenticates and grades the collectible items, according to police.

The theft is the latest in a string of heists involving Pokémon cards, which have exponentially increased in value in recent years.  

The Santa Ana Police Department in Orange County said in a statement to ABC News on Tuesday that the heist occurred on Oct. 13 outside the Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) office in Santa Ana.

The hundreds of stolen cards are estimated to be worth a total of $963,000, according to police.

"However, the exact value of the stolen items has not yet been determined," according to the Santa Ana police statement.

The cards belong to collectors from across the country who submitted them to the PSA to be authenticated and graded.

Two full pallets of collectible cards were stolen, and some cards on a third pallet were also swiped when thieves broke into a FedEx truck, according to police.

"The pallets contained various trading cards, including, but not limited to, sports cards and Pokémon cards," according to the police statement.

As of Tuesday, no arrests have been announced in the memorabilia rip-off. Police said the investigation is ongoing.

The theft was first reported by The Athletic, which cited police sources saying the the FedEx truck was broken into during the 60 to 90 minutes the driver was away from the parked vehicle.

"We are aware of a theft involving a third-party shipping vehicle carrying PSA-graded items. We are working closely with law enforcement and the carrier as the investigation continues," Collectors, the parent company of PSA, said in a statement to ABC News.

The company said it deactivated the certificates for the missing cards and has notified its "marketplace partners to be on the lookout for rare and serialized items."

"Our customer service team has contacted affected customers directly and is arranging compensation based on fair market value," the company said. "We understand the impact this has on collectors involved, many of whom see these cards as far more than a financial asset."

FedEx also released a statement to ABC News, saying, "The security of our customers' shipments is a top priority, and we are working with local law enforcement in their investigation. Further questions should be referred to local investigators."

One victimized collector, known by his online handle, Sky-B Cards, issued a YouTube video statement, saying the 104 cards he submitted to PSA for grading were among the stolen items. He said he paid more than $8,000 to have the cards graded by PSA and that his cards were insured for more than $150,000.

"These were 104 cards that I've accumulated over two years," Sky-B Cards said in the YouTube video. "There are many irreplaceable cards in here that I will never see again, and honestly that's what hurts the most, outside of being absolutely financially destroyed here."

The heist is the latest in a string of thefts in Southern California and elsewhere in the country of highly valued Pokémon cards, highlighting what appears to be an ever-growing demand for merchandise from the popular childhood card game.

In February, thieves broke into a collectibles shop in Anaheim, California, by cutting a hole through the wall from a neighboring shop they also broke into, stealing tens of thousands of dollars worth of Pokémon cards.

Captured on video surveillance cameras, the three thieves were seen grabbing hundreds of trading cards and bolting from the shop in less than 10 minutes.

In April, thieves staged a smash-and-grab heist at Elite Sports Cards in Chicago, stealing $100,000 in Pokémon cards, the store owner told ABC Chicago station WLS.

In an interview in April, Jared Mast, president of Mast Wealth Management Group, which deals in alternative investments including collectibles like Pokémon cards, told ABC News the value of Pokémon cards has risen sharply in the past year.

"I would say, collectively, over the last 12 months, things have gone up anywhere from 200 to 300%," Mast said.

Mast explained that Pokémon card value has risen in three different waves over the last decade. First, in 2016, with the arrival of Pokémon Go, the popular mobile game based on the playing cards, and then again in 2019 and 2020, as a generation of celebrities like Logan Paul invested in the collectibles.

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California officials are calling for an investigation after they say a man was injured while being detained by federal immigration agents, who were captured on video pinning him down against a curb as he yelled for help during the encounter in Long Beach over the weekend.

California Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia, whose district includes Long Beach, called the incident "incredibly disturbing" and said the man is a U.S. citizen.

In a formal complaint to the Department of Homeland Security, Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson said the man "reportedly was subjected to repeated Taser use, forcibly restrained, and sustained significant injuries" during Saturday's encounter.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in a statement that ICE officers "followed their training and used the minimum amount of force" while conducting operations in Long Beach.

Long Beach police officers who responded to the scene Saturday saw a "large group disturbance" involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and located the man handcuffed and bleeding while being detained by ICE, the Long Beach Police Department said in a statement.

The mayor identified the man in a statement on Monday as Ricardo Gonzalez, referring to him as a "Long Beach resident, father, and former City employee."

In a video posted on social media by StopICE.net, Gonzalez can be heard yelling, "Help me!" while being pinned on the street against a curb. He repeatedly said his arm was broken and could be heard moaning in pain while being detained.

Officers brought him to a local fire station, where they removed his handcuffs, and then firefighters transported him to a local hospital for medical treatment, according to the police department.

It is unclear what specific injuries Gonzalez sustained. A family member told ABC News on Monday that they do not have any comment at this time.

In an online fundraiser, the family member said an unmarked vehicle carrying federal agents struck Gonzalez while he was riding his bicycle. In response to a news report on Gonzalez's injuries that cited the family's account, DHS denied that ICE hit an individual on a bike.

"An individual was arrested after he smashed the mirror of a government vehicle," DHS said in the statement Tuesday, adding that they are "investigating potential charges for the damage to a government vehicle." 

According to Richardson's complaint to DHS, Gonzalez contacted the Long Beach Police Department "seeking assistance during a confrontation with federal immigration agents."

Long Beach police said their officers responded after ICE personnel requested emergency assistance from local authorities "due to vehicle vandalism taking place and a subject in need of medical aid."

"LBPD officers were not involved in any immigration enforcement and LBPD personnel did not make any arrests," the police department said.

Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, called for an investigation into the incident.

"There is no reporting that he was doing anything wrong, no public reporting," he said during a press conference on Monday. "Certainly, I have not received any information from our own police department that he was somehow causing some sort of criminal activity."

The Long Beach mayor said he submitted a formal complaint to DHS on Monday "demanding accountability for the actions of federal immigration agents in Long Beach."

"What happened to Ricardo is outrageous and unacceptable," Richardson said in a statement while calling for an independent investigation into the incident. "Long Beach will not stay silent when our neighbors are harmed. A federal badge is not a license to brutalize people or disregard their constitutional rights. If you are entrusted with enforcing the law, you must answer to it."

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A former president of the Cornell University fraternity where a then-undergraduate student alleged she was gang raped in 2024 was dropped Tuesday from her civil lawsuit Tuesday after he was mistakenly identified as the chapter president at the time of the alleged attack.

"It is hereby stipulated by and between counsel for all parties that this matter is discontinued with prejudice as to Orazio Petito," a court filing said.  "Furthermore, the plaintiff holds Mr. Petito, his counsel, harmless from any liens that are known and/or unknown at this time."

Petito was never accused of taking part in the alleged assault but was named in the lawsuit as the president of Cornell's Chi Phi fraternity chapter.  He was not the fraternity president at the time the woman, known as Jane Doe, said she was assaulted in October 2024.

The then-undergraduate student made a complaint to campus police in November 2024, three weeks after the incident occurred, that she had been raped by a group of men at the Chi Phi fraternity house. She filed the civil suit against the men and the university alleging that she had been drugged and raped.

New York Attorney General Letitia James is conducting an investigation into the incident, and Cornell is also conducting an internal probe of its response to the allegations.

All seven fraternity brothers named in the civil lawsuit have denied wrongdoing and no criminal charges have been filed in the case.

"My client deserved to be released from this case," Petito's attorney, Eric Bernstein, told ABC News. "They had the wrong the guy and justice was served as far as Mr. Petito was concerned. We are all pleased with the outcome, and it was the right outcome."

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Washington State Democratic Congressman Adam Smith received a "suspicious letter containing a powdery substance" on Monday, according to a statement from the congressman's office, making the lawmaker the latest in a growing list of politicians who have received similar letters.

"Earlier today, my district office received a suspicious letter containing a powdery substance, like others sent to Congressional offices across the country," Smith said in a statement to ABC News. "My staff has been safely evacuated, and I thank the Kent Police Department and the Renton Fire Department for their quick action."

At Smith's office in Kent, Washington, hazmat units from both Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority and Renton Regional Fire Authority, along with Puget Sound Fire's battalion chief, were dispatched at 2:45 p.m. local time, according to Puget Sound Fire Division Chief Pat Pawlak.

In recent days, several other lawmakers across the country have received suspicious letters, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic senators Chris Murphy, Kirsten Gillibrand and Lisa Blunt Rochester, according to previous ABC reporting.

ABC previously reported that preliminary information suggests there are over 100 letters circulating in the US mail system that apparently contain white powder, according to law enforcement sources.

It's unclear if this incident is connected to the other letters, but in a statement, the FBI told ABC News: "The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to various addresses nationwide, including Secretary of State offices and their related election offices."

"Some of the letters contained an unknown substance, and we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident," the FBI said.

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Five police officers under investigation for allegedly sharing racist text messages have resigned from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) in North Carolina, a police spokesperson confirmed to ABC News on Monday.

A sixth officer allegedly involved in this matter resigned in August amid a separate probe, while a seventh officer remains suspended without pay pending a Civil Service Board review, the spokesperson said.

The resignation of the first three officers was announced on Thursday by CMPD Police Chief Estella Patterson during a press conference. Since then, two additional officers have resigned.

"The allegations against them are serious," Patterson said at Thursday's news conference. "They're deeply troubling. And frankly, I'm disappointed that we're even having to talk about this today."

The messages, which contained racial slurs, were found during an investigation into alleged Flock camera misuse by former CMPD officer Seth Elliot, according to ABC affiliate in Charlotte, WSCO. It is unclear if Elliot has entered a plea in the Flock camera case.

CMPD released the names of a total of seven officers being investigated in a press release on Monday and confirmed that Elliot, who resigned from CMPD in August, is the seventh officer allegedly involved in this matter.

Elliot's defense attorney, George V. Laughrun II, didn't immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment.

The five other officers, who were all suspected without pay on Oct. 9 before resigning, were identified as Mateo Juarez, Joseph Kelly, Alexander Larsen, Tredan Maronic and Matthew Osborn. The sixth, Jeremiah Todman, remains suspended without pay pending further investigation, police said.

It's unclear if the other five former officers have retained attorneys in this case. None of them immediately responded to ABC News' requests for comment, nor did Todman.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #9, the union that represents CMPD officers, didn't immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment.

In a statement releasing the officer's names, CMPD highlighted "the importance of transparency and public access to information in maintaining public trust."

"The department remains committed to accountability and providing access to public records in accordance with the law, while respecting the integrity of any ongoing investigations and potential legal proceedings," it wrote.

Patterson said on Thursday that, after discovering the text messages, the department launched an investigation into the officers actions and has requested assistance from federal agencies to examine the "possibility of civil rights violations."

"We immediately conducted audits of their body worn footage, we reviewed their traffic stops, their traffic stop datas, we looked at their arrest records, and we looked to see if any of those officers had external complaints," she said. "As of this point, we have not found any evidence of this, but I have asked our federal partners to look at the possibility of civil rights violations."

Patterson also said that, if the investigation determines wrongdoing by the officers, her department will seek to revoke the North Carolina law enforcement certificates of the officers involved in this case so that they cannot be an officer anywhere in our state.

"And I hope that they will not be an officer anywhere in this country," she added.

ABC News' Sabina Ghebremedhin and Tesfaye Negussie contributed to this report.

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A slow-moving October nor'easter aimed at the Mid-Atlantic seaboard is expected to produce days of high winds, life-threatening rip currents, beach erosion and coastal flooding from North Carolina up to New Jersey.

Coastal flood alerts are in effect from Monday through Tuesday in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina and Delaware.

The long-duration storm is expected to stretch into the middle of this week. The storm is expected to mainly be a wind and wave event, with the bulk of the rain remaining offshore.

Minor to moderate coastal flooding is likely, especially at high tides, in multiple cities including Atlantic City and Virginia Beach.

Wind advisories have also been issued for portions of coastal Virginia and North Carolina, including Virginia Beach and North Carolina's Northern Outer Banks, Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island. Sustained northeast winds in these areas are expected to be 25-35 mph, with gusts of up to 50 mph.

Large breaking waves of 9 to 12 feet are possible for parts of the Outer Banks and along the Delmarva Peninsula from Virginia to Delaware through late early Thursday.

Weather conditions are already deteriorating in the Outer Banks and other barrier islands off the North Carolina coast.

Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for Hatteras Island in North Carolina, creating heavy traffic on Highway 12, according to Dare County, North Carolina, Emergency Management.

"Visitors are not permitted to enter Hatteras Island at this time and will not be allowed to return until the storm system has passed and conditions along N.C. Highway 12 have improved to the point that the roadway is no longer threatened by ocean overwash," the Dare County Emergency Management said in a statement issued on Sunday.

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We've learned a lot about Mars since Mariner 4 took the first close-up photos of the red planet in 1965. Since that mission, orbiters, landers and rovers have explored the Martian surface, expanding our understanding of the planet.

But we know very little about Mars' moons, Phobos and Deimos, including how they formed.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission could unlock some of the moons' mysteries and help scientists better understand Mars' history and our own planet. 

"MMX will be the first spacecraft ever to return to Earth from the Mars system," said Tom Statler, NASA's MMX program executive and scientist, during a pre-launch press conference. "The Phobos samples will be historic. The first samples from a moon other than Earth's moon," he added.

Scheduled to lift off as early as Monday, Oct. 19, at 3:41 p.m. EDT from the JAXA Tanegashima Space Center, MMX is a first-of-its-kind mission that will not only study the moons of Mars but bring samples back to Earth.

Led by JAXA in partnership with NASA, the European Space Agency, and the French and German space agencies, the orbiter will arrive at Mars in August 2027, then turn its attention to Phobos a month later. NASA says MMX won’t technically orbit the moon; instead, it will use a "quasi-satellite orbit," circling Mars in a path that keeps it near Phobos.

MMX is equipped with 13 scientific instruments, including NASA’s MEGANE instrument, which, the agency says, “will let MMX ‘see’ the elemental composition of the moon’s surface and help peg the likely origin of the moon.”

After studying Phobos from space, MMX will then attempt one or two landings on the Martian moon's surface. The spacecraft is expected to spend two to two and a half hours on the ground during each stop. While there, it will use a device called a Pneumatic Sampler to collect at least 10 grams of soil from Phobos. MMX will then deliver that material back to Earth in 2031, depositing it in Australia by using a capsule designed to survive re-entry into our planet's atmosphere.  

"It will help us better understand Phobos and the evolution of the Mars system. The mission's science and return samples will complement decades of Mars exploration and help inform future discoveries, and perhaps even in the further future, crewed missions to the red planet," said Lindsay Hays, NASA's acting director of the Planetary Science Division.

Scientists have long speculated on the origins of Mars' moons. They may have started as asteroids that Mars pulled into its orbit. Or they could be debris remnants flung into orbit after a giant object struck the Martian surface. The challenge is that there's compelling evidence for both possibilities. By studying the samples collected on Phobos, scientists believe they can finally solve that question.

"By going to the Martian moons, studying them up close and bringing samples back to Earth we'll be able to determine whether Phobos material is more consistent with an asteroid composition or with debris created by a collision involving Mars. That's the kind of question that we need to have instruments right there at the object and have the detailed laboratory analysis of the actual material to answer," explained Statler.

Why does it matter how Mars' moons came to be? Statler said that knowing where the moons came from can reveal how the solar system, and our own planet, took shape.

"For years, we've been asking questions like, 'Well, how did water get delivered to the Earth? Did the same processes deliver water to Mars, to Venus, to Mercury? Where did organic materials come from, and so on,'" said Statler. "Understanding where Phobos and Deimos came from goes to understanding what was going on at that time and where that stuff was coming from."

The spacecraft won't land on Mars because, unlike Phobos, the red planet has an atmosphere and significantly more gravity. This makes landings and liftoffs much more challenging and would require a different kind of vehicle. But that doesn't mean the mission won't return Martian samples to Earth because of Phobos's proximity to Mars.

"That proximity to Mars means that it is conceivable that meteor impacts on Mars, large ones, can blast material up off the surface of Mars and some of that can find its way to Phobos," said Statler. "The general consensus is there is a very good chance that there is a tiny fraction of Mars material mixed in with the regolith, the soil, on the surface of Phobos."

If even a trace of Mars is mixed into the Phobos soil, it would be an unexpected bonus: a mission aimed at Mars’ moons could end up delivering a piece of Mars itself. NASA will receive at least 15% of the returned samples for the scientific community to analyze. What they'll find remains to be seen, but it could raise new questions about Mars' history and the formation of our solar system.

"It's a piece of the puzzle that will enable us to ask smarter questions about how to explore and where to explore," Statler said.

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The Metropolitan Police Department in Washington said early on Monday it was investigating a late-night shooting that involved members of the National Guard, one of whom was injured.

Guard members had intervened in breaking up a fight at about 11 p.m. on Sunday night, the MPD said, adding that a person involved in that fight then allegedly began firing a weapon.

A Guard member was shot in the leg by the individual, according to D.C. police.

"National Guard immediately gave commands to that individual to put down the gun.," D.C. Interim Police Chief Jeffery W. Carroll told reporters at the scene. "That individual then pointed the weapon towards National Guard members, who returned fire to the individual."

Three Guard members returned fire, with at least one of them hitting the individual in the abdomen, Carroll said.

Both the Guard member and a the person who allegedly fired at the members are being treated in local D.C. hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. The suspect was placed under arrest, Carroll said.

The shooting occurred near the the 400 block of 8th Street SE, the force said in a statement.

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An Air Force member has died from injuries he suffered on Saturday while rappelling from the ceiling of the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, as part of a college football pre-game ceremony honoring the Armed Forces and military veterans, authorities said.

The incident occurred just before kickoff between Navy and the University of Texas at San Antonio.

"Once the band started playing, there was a guy that fell down," witness Adrian Corey, one of more than 23,000 people who attended the game, told ABC San Antonio affiliate station KSAT.

The airman was identified as Sgt. Ian Patterson, assigned to the 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment 2, a spokesperson for the Nellis Air Force Base, where the airman was stationed, said in a statement. Nellis Air Force Base is located in Nevada.

He was pronounced dead at the hospital after the fall.

Witnesses said the airman was one of three service members conducting a rappelling demonstration from the Alamodome's ceiling, a drop of about 170 feet.

Corey, who recorded the incident on his cellphone, said he and other spectators noticed something was wrong when the airman, whose name has not been released, "started coming down fast."

San Antonio Fire Department spokesman Joe Arrington told ABC News that firefighters responded to the Alamodome around 7 p.m. local time after getting a call about someone falling during a pre-game event. Arrington said the individual was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.

A spokesperson for the University of Texas at San Antonio said in a statement to ESPN that students who witnessed the incident are encouraged to contact the university's crisis hotline.

"Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the soldier who was affected, his family and his military colleagues," the UTSA spokesperson said. "We recognize that members of our campus community may be emotionally affected by this incident and are activating wellbeing services to support our faculty, staff and students."

ABC News' Chris Barry and Matthew Acosta contributed to this report.

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Two people, including a 6-year-old boy, were killed and 11 others injured after a truck drove through a youth soccer game in Wichita, Kansas, on Saturday afternoon, police said, in what officials called a "heartbreaking" incident that authorities are still investigating.

Among those injured were five children, ages 5 to 9, and five adults, ranging from a 28-year-old woman to a 68-year-old man, the Wichita Police Department said on Sunday. The injuries ranged from bruises to "extremely severe injuries."

A 61-year-old woman also experienced medical complications unrelated to traumatic injuries caused by the truck, bringing the total number of people sent to local hospitals to 11, police said.

First responders rushed to Stryker Soccer Complex after receiving multiple 911 calls around 3:25 p.m. CT, Capt. Aaron Moses of the Wichita Police Department told reporters at a press conference Saturday evening.

Police said the driver, who they identified only as a 34-year-old woman of Garden City, Kansas, stayed with the truck after the incident.

As of Sunday afternoon, no charges had been filed in the incident, according to police. The driver of the Chevrolet pickup truck involved in the incident was released from custody pending the results of toxicology testing and a mechanical examination of the vehicle.

"She has been cooperative to this point in the investigation," Moses said.

The two people killed in the incident were pronounced dead at the scene, police said. They were identified on Sunday by police as 6-year-old Cole Adrian and 35-year-old Nicholas Schafer, both of McPherson, Kansas.

These families "face an unimaginable loss ... what should have been a day of children playing soccer and families spending time together ended in tragedy," Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan said in a statement.

Investigators interviewed more than 30 witnesses, including the two juveniles who were inside the pickup at the time of the crash, police said on Sunday.

Moses told reporters on Saturday that one of the driver's children was playing soccer at the complex on Saturday but was not on that field at the time the incident occurred.

When police arrived at the scene, the truck was located on the west end of the field, and bystanders were helping to render aid to the injured people on the field, Moses said.

Police stressed they are still investigating and asked the public for patience.

"We know what happened, but now we're working very hard to find out why it happened, and we're not there yet," Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan told reporters.

Police said they have interviewed over 30 witnesses at the scene and are asking anyone with pictures or video of the incident to share them with investigators.

Police also credited bystanders who the police chief said "sprang into action so quickly and gave life-saving assistance until the arrival of first responders." Sullivan added, "It was truly amazing, but I think it's indicative of the of the Wichita community."

Wichita Mayor Lily Wu said "Tonight, Wichita grieves together."

"Today is a heartbreaking day for Wichita," Mayor Lily Wu told reporters. "Families came to Stryker Sports Complex to enjoy a Saturday afternoon watching their children play soccer. No one could have imagined the tragedy that would unfold."

The city of Wichita said in a Facebook post Saturday afternoon that all events at the sports complex have been canceled until further notice.

"We ask that you keep all individuals and families affected in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time," the city said in a statement.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said in a statement she was monitoring the situation and in touch with the mayor.

"My condolences go out to the families of the victims, the survivors, and all those impacted by this event," Kelly said in a statement.

In a statement, the Stryker Soccer Complex said it was praying for those affected.

"Our hearts are heavy as we process the tragic events at Stryker today," the statement said. "We are holding everyone impacted, the injured, their families, and all those who witnessed this heartbreaking event close in our thoughts and prayers."

ABC News' Chris Barry, Brianna Sanchez and Michael Pappano contributed to this report.

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The suspected gunman in an elementary school shooting in Bend, Oregon, was shot by a parent of two students who saw the teen entering the school, his family said on Friday.

Three children and a teacher were killed after a gunman opened fire in Silver Rail Elementary School on Thursday, authorities said. Another student and teacher were injured critically, according to officials.

Police have not yet released any information about the bystander who stopped the suspect, but the hero was identified by family as Kaylub Giamanco.

Giamanco, who has two daughters who attend the school, was driving nearby when he heard the commotion and ran into the school, his family said. The family confirmed that Giamanco has a concealed carry permit.

His family said he is overwhelmed by this and regrets not being able to save more lives.

"Lifelong Bend resident Kaylub Giamanco has come forward as the man who shot and killed the suspect who entered the school. He is not seeking recognition, but instead wishes to express his gratitude to the first responders, school personnel, and community for the outpouring of love and support," the family said in a statement to ABC News.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek thanked the community member who she said "heroically intervened to stop further loss of life."

President Donald Trump on Friday praised him as "a great hero" while addressing reporters outside the White House.

"He took care of business, and thank God we had him. Otherwise it would have been much worse," the president said.

Giamanco's family described him as thoughtful and empathetic.

"Kaylub's family, including his two daughters who attend the school, respectfully asks for privacy during this difficult time and will not be participating in interviews," the family said.

ABC News' Nicholas Kerr contributed to this report.

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The Immigrations Customs and Enforcement officer who allegedly struck a man with a vehicle during a pursuit outside Houston last weekend has been placed on administrative leave, the agency said.

The move is standard for all use-of-force incidents, according to an ICE spokesperson.

"This incident is under active internal investigation," the spokesperson said in a statement Friday.

On Saturday, Miguel Parra-Hernandez was hit by a car operated by an ICE agent during an arrest as the unidentified officer attempted to arrest him and another suspect, the agency said. Parra-Hernandez, who ICE alleged is undocumented, is currently in the hospital recovering from injuries to his legs, according to the Harris County District Attorney's office.

Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare said Parra-Hernandez broke his leg in three places and has undergone two surgeries.

Parra-Hernandez has not been charged by any law enforcement agency as of Thursday, according to the DA's office.

ICE said in a statement that that one of its officers was pursuing Jose Mendoza-Cervantes, a Mexican national who they allege had a criminal record and a final order of removal by a judge, and observed him get in a vehicle with Parra-Hernandez Saturday morning.

The ICE officer attempted a car stop, and Mendoza-Cervantes and Parra-Hernandez fled their vehicle on foot, according to ICE and the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

Surveillance video of the incident reviewed by ABC News appears to show the ICE vehicle moving in the direction of a man running and then striking him.

An ICE spokesperson alleged in a statement that Parra-Hernandez "ran in front of an ICE vehicle" when he was hit.

"Allegations that ICE struck Miguel Parra-Hernandez intentionally are RECKLESS and FALSE. The men and women of ICE are entrusted with upholding the rule of law and are held to the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and ethical conduct," the spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday.

Mendoza-Cervantes remains at large as of Friday, according to ICE.

Teare, the DA, is currently probing the situation and told ABC News Wednesday that his office could possibly pursue criminal charges against the ICE officer.

The DA's office said two people were allegedly detained by the ICE agent prior to the incident and in the back seat of the ICE officer's vehicle when Parra-Hernandez was hit.

Teare told ABC News Thursday that his office was able to interview one of those witnesses before they were deported and that he believes the ICE officer intentionally struck Parra-Hernandez. 

"Thankfully, we were able to meet with him in custody yesterday, but we were the only individuals to even speak to him," the DA told ABC News.

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Immigrant advocacy groups representing migrant children have sued the Trump administration to stop what they call a "cruel and unlawful scheme" to fast-track migrant children's asylum cases.

In a complaint filed Thursday night, the groups allege that new government policies have transformed the asylum process for migrant children into a "deportation assembly line depriving them of their rights."

The lawsuit comes as immigration attorneys and advocates say unaccompanied migrant children are being rushed through the immigration system and that their deportations have been accelerated as part of the Trump administration's aggressive immigration crackdown.

"A system that moves faster and that is by design made so that children are unable to access lawyers and are railroaded into deportation orders is not justice. It's assembly line deportation of the most vulnerable among us," said Lindsay Toczylowski, co-founder of the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, during a press call.

The groups said unaccompanied children are facing rushed hearings, difficulty finding lawyers, and accelerated removal orders, including in cases involving alleged human trafficking and threats of violence.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ABC News.

In the suit, the groups said that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has changed practices through a series of recent policy shifts that include reducing notice times for asylum interviews -- in some cases proving less than 24 hours' notice.

In the complaint, the groups also said that the Department of Justice has instructed immigration judges to complete all removal proceedings for detained unaccompanied children by Jan. 31, 2027. To meet the deadline, the groups allege that immigration judges are refusing to grant continuances of longer than three weeks.

"This push isn't coming from just one agency. It's a coordinated whole-of-government operation that abandons due process and child safety in service of faster removals," said Jason Boyd, vice president for federal policy at the advocacy group Kids in Need of Defense.

The suit comes two days after the Department of Homeland Security announced it was offering unaccompanied migrant children $3,000 to self-deport, a $500 increase over last year's incentive.

Earlier this month, the federal government quietly assembled a team of government attorneys to represent migrant children in court after the administration cut ties with a number of immigration advocacy groups that had previously provided those services.

Immigration advocacy groups have raised concerns about the initiative, arguing that the same government seeking to deport the minors should not be representing them in court.

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When human remains were found in suitcases abandoned by the side of a rural Wisconsin road, a community was left shocked and searching for answers.

The first responding officer opened one of the suitcases and discovered a woman's decomposing body -- naked, bound with rope and in a fetal position.

"Nothing can prepare you for what you can see upon opening a suitcase and finding a corpse inside of it," former Town of Geneva Patrol Officer Eric Anderson recalled.

A new "20/20" episode follows the investigation that spanned from Oregon to Minnesota and even involved the FBI. ABC News' John Quiñones reports for "The Suitcase Murders," airing Friday, Oct. 16 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC and streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.

You can get more behind the scenes of each week's episode by listening to "20/20: The After Show" weekly series right on your 20/20 podcast feed on Mondays, hosted by "20/20" co-anchor Deborah Roberts.

When Walworth County Sheriff's Office Detective Jeff Recknagel, now retired, arrived at the scene and opened the second suitcase, he found a black plastic bag with a woman's hand protruding out. Her fingernails were painted pink, and her body was bound with rope and appeared to be in a state of mummification.

Investigators found no identification at the scene, and extreme decomposition prevented them from obtaining DNA from the bodies.

"We had a tremendous amount of work in front of us to try to figure out -- first off, who the victims were, then to try to figure out how they had lost their lives, and then to try to figure out who was the person responsible for that," Recknagel told "20/20."

Police expanded their search beyond Wisconsin. They learned about another case in neighboring Minnesota, where a woman disappeared under suspicious circumstances.

Months before the suitcases were discovered in June 2014, Farmington Police Department Detective Sergeant Lee Hollatz was investigating the disappearance of 37-year-old Laura Simonson.

In November 2013, Simonson, who struggled with mental health issues following the death of her 13-year-old daughter Alyssa earlier that year, abandoned her van in her mother's driveway. Inside were her cell phone, purse, medication, and a note instructing her mother what to do with the vehicle and all her belongings.

Kristin Scouton, Simonson's childhood friend, said she grew concerned because Simonson, who had six other children, would never abandon her family.

"Her kids were her life," Scouton told "20/20." "She would've never just voluntarily left her children."

Detective Hollatz issued a statewide crime alert about Simonson's disappearance. In a stroke of luck, a front desk agent at a hotel about an hour's drive away, reported she recognized Simonson. She remembered that Simonson had stayed at the property several weeks prior with a man that she said made her feel uneasy.

"There's certain people you meet where the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. He was one of those," Kristi Bodunov told "20/20" correspondent John Quiñones.

Although surveillance video of Simonson and this man checking in was unavailable, a registration card with her signature confirmed that she had stayed at the hotel. Police were, however, able to obtain the checkout video that showed the man leaving alone.

As police worked to identify the unknown man, a friend informed detectives that Simonson was involved in an online BDSM dating community and had been communicating with someone with the username, "Mrhandcuffs."

Doing some digging of his own, the friend eventually made a critical discovery that he shared with police. He uncovered Mrhandcuffs' real identity: Steven Zelich.

When Hollatz looked into Zelich's background, he learned something unexpected: Zelich was a former police officer in the Milwaukee area. Hollatz recalled running over to another detective to share the news.

"I go, 'You will not believe this,'" he said. "I'm going, 'Now what am I getting myself into?'"

Zelich resigned in 2001 from the West Allis Police Department following multiple allegations that he had abused his authority to intimidate and harass women. He denied any wrongdoing.

Hollatz asked West Allis police to visit Zelich at his home. But when officers arrived, there were no signs of Simonson.

With promising leads hitting dead ends, the FBI and Wisconsin State Police joined the investigation. In March 2014, the two agencies interviewed Zelich -- he voluntarily provided a DNA sample, but denied ever meeting Simonson.

With no evidence of a crime or foul play, authorities could not move against Zelich, and the case stalled.

Several months later, the discovery of the two suitcases in Wisconsin would crack the case wide open.

Aware of the Simonson case in Minnesota, Wisconsin investigators identified one of the victims as Simonson, in part through a distinctive tattoo on her ankle featuring a heart and her daughter Alyssa's name.

DNA recovered from the rope wrapped around the second victim matched Zelich.

Zelich was brought in for questioning and ultimately arrested. He confessed to killing both women found in the suitcases, identifying the second victim as Jenny Gamez, a 19-year-old from Cottage Grove, Oregon.

He told investigators he met Gamez on the same online dating website where he later met Simonson. He claimed he accidentally strangled Gamez while engaging in "breath play," a sexual activity involving the restriction of breathing.

Zelich said he stored Gamez's body in his refrigerator for over a year before killing Simonson in Rochester, Minnesota, in a similar manner. Maintaining that Simonson's death was also accidental, he described placing her body in the trunk of his car and later moving Gamez there as well.

As the weather warmed, a co-worker mentioned smelling a strong odor coming from near Zelich's car. Zelich said he panicked and decided to dispose of the suitcases.

Ultimately, Zelich was charged with multiple counts of murder and hiding a corpse. He initially pleaded not guilty to all counts.

In 2016, Zelich pled guilty to first-degree reckless homicide in the death of Gamez and one count of hiding a corpse. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison and 10 years of extended supervision.

The following year, he pled guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Simonson and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He also received an additional 10 years on two counts of hiding a corpse in Walworth County, Wisconsin.

While Zelich's convictions brought the case to a close, Simonson and Gamez's families continued to grapple with their loss.

"Anytime you lose somebody that's so close to you, like your sister, your life's never going to be the same," Gamez's foster sister Amanda Duron told "20/20." "There's always going to be that puzzle where there's always that one missing piece."

Simonson's sister, Niki Carlson, said she keeps her sister's memory close.

"Not a day goes by that I don't think about her. I love her, and I miss her every day." Carlson told Quiñones. "I know they're all looking down on us trying to make sure we're safe."

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Three children and one teacher are dead after a shooter forced his way into an elementary school in Oregon on Thursday afternoon and opened fire, authorities said.

The suspected shooter, a 16-year-old, was fatally shot by a community member who saw the teen going into the Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz told reporters at a news conference Thursday evening.

The three children who were killed were 5, 8 and 11 years old.

In addition, a 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were taken to the hospital with critical injuries, police said.

Police have not publicly identified the suspected shooter saying only that he is a Bend resident. They have not said whether he attended the school or knew anyone at the school.

How the shooting unfolded

The incident began unfolding shortly before 1 p.m. PT Thursday.

At 12:59 p.m., police received a call from a driver who reported being shot at multiple times by a person with a long gun, the police chief said.

Shortly afterward, the Deschutes County dispatch center began receiving multiple 911 calls that a shooter had entered Silver Rail Elementary School.

Krantz said the initial investigation indicates the shooter "forced" his way inside the school by shooting at locked doors.

At 1:01 p.m., the school was directed to go into lockdown, Krantz said.

A minute later, officers arrived on the scene. An officer reported that the suspected shooter had been shot by a community member who had seen the teen entering the school, pursued him and engaged him, Krantz said.

Police have not yet released any information about the bystander who stopped the suspect, but said they would likely share additional information on Friday.

Bystander 'heroically intervened,' governor says

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek thanked teachers, staff and first responders who rushed to the scene and thanked the community member who she said "heroically intervened to stop further loss of life."

Following the shooting, police said they evacuated the school room by room. A reunification site for families was set up at a nearby church.

Classes, activities and athletic events at all Bend-La Pine Schools are canceled for Friday, school officials said.

Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook called the shooting an "unthinkable tragedy" and said, "We are heartbroken. We are horrified."

The shooting sparked a large police presence as law enforcement and first responders raced to the gym.

"Everything they were doing seemed highly trained and highly prepared for this," Caleb Weis, who was riding his motorcycle near the school at the time, told ABC News.

"I didn't see as many phones out recording as you see on many other occasions, just a kind of a shock factor and an immense amount of respect for the law enforcement, first responders," he said.

FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency was on the scene assisting in the investigation.

Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also en route to the school, according to a source. 

Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook said they are "stunned and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy."

Classes, activities and athletic events at all Bend-La Pine Schools are canceled for Friday.

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Three police officers have resigned amid an investigation into alleged racist texts shared among a group of six officers at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) in North Carolina, the police chief announced during a press conference on Thursday.

“The allegations against them are serious,” CMPD Police Chief Estella Patterson said during a press conference on Thursday afternoon. “They're deeply troubling. And frankly, I'm disappointed that we're even having to talk about this today.”

Three additional officers are also embroiled in this controversy, and their actions are also being investigated, according to police. Patterson said on Thursday that she supports terminating the remaining three officers who remain on the force.

According to Patterson, the city of Charlotte’s Civil Service Board is reviewing evidence in this case and has the sole authority to determine whether sworn members of the department should be terminated.

The identity of the six officers involved in this case has not been released. Asked about the officers’ identities and the content of the text messages, the CMPD spokesperson did not provide further comment.

According to ABC affiliate in Charlotte, WSOC, the messages included the use of the n-word and were found during an investigation into Flock camera misuse by a former CMPD officer.

Patterson said that since launching the investigation, her department has worked to determine whether there were “external complaints” against the officers being investigated and has partnered with federal agencies to determine whether civil rights violations have occurred.

“We immediately conducted audits of their body-worn footage, we reviewed their traffic stops, their traffic stop data, we looked at their arrest records, and we looked to see if any of those officers had external complaints,” Patterson said on Thursday. “As of this point, we have not found any evidence of this, but I have asked our federal partners to look at the possibility of civil rights violations.”

Patterson said that her department will pursue revoking the North Carolina law enforcement certificates of the officers who resigned so that they cannot serve as law enforcement officers in the state of North Carolina.

“And I hope that they will not be an officer anywhere in this country,” she added.

Patterson said that she is “concerned whether this type of behavior is systemic” and said that her department is taking steps to ensure “proper conduct.” She also said that the state of North Carolina requires officers to participate in “ethics training.”

“My message to the community is that I have said from day one and coming in this position that we will hold employees accountable that are not doing their jobs properly, that operate outside the law, procedures, policies, or anything that's ethical or unethical within the organization,” Patterson said.

“While I have focused on the negative actions of a few, and we will hold any other employee to proper conduct, I want to underscore the point that the overwhelming majority of our employees do exceptional work every single day,” she added. “They come to work to serve this community, and they demonstrate that in their actions. They do their work with respect, with compassion, and professionalism.”

A spokesperson for CMPD told ABC News in a statement on Tuesday that the department “will not tolerate any behavior that contradicts our core values or jeopardizes the trust we have built with the community we serve.”

Rev. Corine Mack, who leads the Charlotte-Mecklenburg chapter of the NAACP, told ABC News on Tuesday that she was “not surprised” but was "disturbed" by the alleged conduct that is being investigated in this case. “I'm hoping that every one of the officers involved gets decertified, so they cannot go into another department and do further harm to people of color, specifically Black people,” she said.

ABC News' Sabina Ghebremedhin contributed to this report.

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Michelle Parker vanished in 2011 after appearing in a pre-taped episode of the reality show "The People's Court" with her former fiance over a dispute about her engagement ring, according to police.

Nearly 15 years after the 33-year-old Florida mother of three was reported missing, Parker's ex-fiance has been arrested for her murder, police announced this week.

Dale Smith Jr., 55, was taken into custody at his business Wednesday on a charge of second-degree murder, Orlando police said.

"While Michelle has not yet been located, all evidence leads to Dale Smith Jr. as the person responsible for Michelle's murder," Orlando police said.

Smith, who had previously been named a suspect in the case, was the last known person to see or hear from Parker after she dropped off their two children at his house in November 2011, according to police.

Over the past year, investigators "reexamined testimony and conflicting statements made by the suspect and used advanced digital forensics to uncover and analyze additional evidence," Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith said during a press briefing Wednesday.

The police chief did not go into specific details on the investigation, saying he did not want to compromise the prosecution, though he credited advances in technology with helping lead to an arrest.

"The things we couldn't do 15 years ago that we can do now allowed us to close this case," the chief said.

Orlando Police Detective Phillip McMican told reporters that new evidence was found using advancements in digital forensics, including vehicles, electronic devices, phones and computers.

Regarding Smith's statements, the detective said that "very specific questions were asked of him numerous times over the years, where he gave different answers to those same questions."

Smith has entered a not guilty plea to the charge, according to a court filing.

He remains held without bond following his initial court appearance on Thursday.

During the hearing, his attorney, Rajan Joshi, had asked for bond, arguing that the allegations in the 46-page affidavit failed to meet the high standard to deny pretrial bond, while the state asked that he remain in custody.

The arrest warrant and affidavit in the case have been sealed.

Smith has maintained his innocence since Parker's disappearance, his attorney told ABC News.

"When he was originally questioned, when this initially happened, he was very cooperative with law enforcement. He let them search his house. He talked to them. He came in voluntarily without a lawyer, gave an interview," Joshi said. "It was clear that law enforcement was only looking at him as the sole suspect. That's when his friends urged him to get an attorney, and that's when he contacted me. This is 15 years ago."

Joshi said they are focused on filing a bond motion and working to get Smith released.

State Attorney Monique Worrell said during Wednesday's press briefing that the second-degree murder charge could be upgraded if supported by the evidence.

Parker was last seen on Nov. 17, 2011, when she dropped off their 3-year-old twins at Smith's house, police said. Her car was found the following day with the decal for her tanning business scraped off the window, and her cellphone was recovered from a lake south of Orlando, according to police.

She disappeared after an episode of "The People's Court" featuring her and Smith had aired, police said. Smith was seeking $5,000 over a lost engagement ring, saying in the episode that Parker had thrown the ring at him during an argument at an Atlanta hotel and it went over a balcony.

During the episode, the exes discussed their on-again, off-again relationship and contentious co-parenting situation for their twins. Parker, who had an older child from a prior relationship, described Smith as "pretty malicious and vindictive," saying, "He's a mean person, especially when he's been drinking."

The show's judge, Marilyn Milian, found both were at fault and that Parker owed Smith $2,500 for her half of the ring.

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Nine former FBI agents who investigated President Donald Trump and his alleged mishandling of classified documents after he left office following his first term filed suit against the FBI and Justice Department on Thursday alleging they were unlawfully terminated solely for their role in the probe.

The nine agents, who in the suit say they collectively count "over a century" of experience in the bureau on cases spanning from the Boston Marathon bombing to the first assassination attempt targeting President Trump, say they were all fired over the course of two days in February this year by FBI Director Kash Patel. 

"Plaintiffs were unlawfully terminated not for any cause or any legitimate reason, but only to satisfy the President's personal vendetta," said attorney Abbe Lowell in the lawsuit filed Thursday in D.C. District court. "The firings did not follow any internal investigation or disciplinary process within the FBI, and Plaintiffs were not given any notice, a hearing, or an opportunity to appeal."

The lawsuit, which seeks to have the agents' employment reinstated, points to public statements from Patel and Attorney General Todd Blanche, who the agents claim smeared their character by defending the firings.

"For example, a month after Plaintiffs' unlawful firings, Blanche stated that the Administration had 'cleaned house' at the FBI by firing anyone associated with investigations relating to Trump, and that there 'isn't a single man or woman with a gun, federal agent, still in that organization that had anything to do with the prosecution of President Trump,'" the suit claims.

The agents also argue that the firings may have endangered active counterintelligence and terrorism cases that some of the agents were involved in when they were terminated. 

"As a result of their unlawful and hasty firings, Plaintiffs' investigations were not properly transferred to other FBI Special Agents or Analysts," the lawsuit says. "The impact of these heedless actions on America's national security is immeasurable." 

Each of the agents contend in the lawsuit that none volunteered for their assignment on the classified documents case against President Trump that resulted in his indictment on 42 counts of unlawfully retaining classified records after leaving the White House in 2021. Prosecutors said he repeatedly refused to return hundreds of documents containing classified information and took steps to thwart the government's efforts to retrieve them.

Trump, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, has long denied any wrongdoing, and the federal judge who oversaw the case ultimately dismissed it on the grounds that special counsel Jack Smith, who led the probe, was not lawfully appointed to his position. 

In a statement responding to ABC News' inquiry about the lawsuit, a DOJ spokesperson said the department "is committed to treating employees fairly and complying with the law, and will continue to defend the President's authority to support and defend the nation."

"Central to his Constitutional authority, the President is not required to delineate cause for federal employees who are removed," the spokesperson said. "To establish a standard of review would subject Presidential power to the whims of an outside agency or another branch of government, which is inappropriate."

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A meeting of Cornell University's faculty senate grew heated Wednesday as school president Michael Kotlikoff faced harsh questions about the Ivy League school's response to the alleged 2024 gang rape of a student at a fraternity house, according to an audio recording of the meeting.

Kotlikoff defended the school's recent measures -- including suspending fraternity parties and involving state police in the investigation of sexual assaults on campus -- but was repeatedly grilled by faculty members about the university's response. 

The meeting was the first of two at which the faculty senate will consider a no-confidence resolution to condemn the school's response to sexual violence on campus. A vote on the resolution is expected at the end of the month.

"This is a systemic problem that deserves systemic attention, and thus far, President Kotlikoff, it appears that you have simply reacted to pressure," Professor Risa Lieberwitz said at Wednesday's meeting, according to the recording. "It feels that the administration is considering more about how do we respond to pressure rather than the kind of leadership which should have been doing systemic work and prioritizing these issues all along."

"I understand that people feel like this is reactive," Kotlikoff responded. "I felt hearing about this, having much of this information come through for the first time, we ought to take some time." 

A then-undergraduate student identified only as Jane Doe made a complaint to campus police in November 2024, three weeks after the incident occurred, that she had been raped by a group of men at the Chi Phi fraternity house. She has filed a civil suit against the men and the university alleging that she had been drugged and raped.

New York Attorney General Letitia James is conducting an investigation into the incident, and Cornell is also conducting an internal probe of its response to the allegations.

All seven fraternity brothers named in the civil lawsuit have denied wrongdoing and no criminal charges have been filed in the case.

At Wednesday's meeting, faculty member Noah Tamarkin questioned Kotlikoff about why two of the students allegedly involved in the incident were still allowed to continue their education on campus.

"We've heard repeatedly from our students, both undergraduate and graduate, as well as our colleagues and other staff, that they don't feel safe with these men on campus," said Tamarkin. "Can you explain what is going on with this and speak directly to this problem of what a temporary suspension is meant to do if a student is found liable for rape?"

Kotlikoff defended the Title IX investigation that was launched following the alleged assault, and noted that Cornell, by law, could not release many of the details about the process. He also noted that those men were not found responsible for rape, according to the Title IX investigation. 

"That is due process in the way our process works," he said. "You may disagree with the outcome, I may disagree with the outcomes, but that is our process." 

Andrew Moisey, an associate professor, also raised concerns about the reputational harm that Cornell suffered because of the incident. 

"It feels like to me ... that Cornell's been in an abusive relationship with fraternities," he said.

"I really appreciate the sentiment of a lot of faculty and a lot of leadership of the university that has said to me, 'It's time for Greek life to go,'" Kotlikoff said. "I just think we have to all take a step and carefully study this issue. If, at the end of the day, fraternities cannot exist in a safe environment and we can't be convinced that they can be safe, then we should make that decision." 

Kotlikoff began his remarks by addressing the recent decision to suspend fraternity parties, arguing it was a necessary step to counter what he described as the Greek system's "monopoly of social activity for students."

"Much of the social activity occurs in private houses," Kotlikoff said. "We don't have full ability to be confident that what goes on in those houses is safe."

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