Spotlight
The attack on Paul Pelosi, notable deaths this week, and more of the week's top news
From full coverage on the attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband Paul, to the deaths of Jerry Lee Lewis and Takeoff, here's the top news from the last week.
Assailant shouted 'Where is Nancy?' in attack at speaker's home, source says. Live updates
UpdatedWASHINGTON (AP) — The intruder who attacked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband in their San Francisco home was searching for the Democratic leader, shouting "Where is Nancy, where is Nancy?" before assaulting Paul Pelosi with a hammer.
Those shouts were a chilling echo of the chants during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol, when rioters trying to stop Joe Biden's election searched menacingly through the halls for the speaker.
Paul Pelosi was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant who broke into the Pelosi home early Friday, police said. The intruder confronted him shouting for the speaker's whereabouts, according to another person briefed on the situation.
Keep scrolling for a collection of photos from the scene outside the Pelosi home
"The motive for this attack is still being determined," said San Francisco Police Chief William Scott at a press briefing.
The suspect was identified as David Depape, Scott said. He was in custody.
Police tape blocks a street outside the home of Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Paul Pelosi, was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant with a hammer who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday, according to people familiar with the investigation. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
"Our officers observed Mr. Pelosi and the suspect both holding a hammer," Scott said. "The suspect pulled the hammer away from Mr. Pelosi and violently assaulted him with it. Our officers immediately tackled the suspect, disarmed him, took him into custody, requested emergency backup and rendered medical aid."
Scott said Depape was being charged with attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse aand other charges.
The 42-year-old man broke into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco home early Thursday, attacking the speaker's husband with a hammer just as police officials responded to the home.
Police responded to the 2:27 a.m. call. Both men were holding the hammer, he said.
The 82 year-old suffered blunt force injuries to his head and body, according to two people who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing probe. He was admitted to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital for his injuries, the hospital confirmed. His condition was not immediately available.
Paul Pelosi was being treated by doctors for bruising, severe swelling and other injuries.
While the circumstances of the attack were unclear, the attack raised questions about the safety of members of Congress and their families. Threats to lawmakers are at an all-time high almost two years after the Capitol insurrection. The attack also came just 11 days ahead of midterm elections in which crime and public safety have emerged as top concerns among Americans.
In 2021, Capitol Police investigated around 9,600 threats made against members of Congress, and members have been physically attacked in recent years. Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., was shot in the head at an event outside a Tucson grocery store in 2011, and Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., was severely injured when a gunman opened fire on a Republican congressional baseball team practice in 2017.
Members of Congress have received additional dollars for security at their homes, but some have pushed for yet more protection as people have shown up at their homes and as members have received an increasing number of threatening communications.
Capitol Police, tasked with protecting congressional leaders, said Nancy Pelosi was with her protective detail in Washington at the time her husband was attacked.
Speaker Pelosi, who is second in the line of succession to the president, had just returned this week from a security conference in Europe and is due to keynote an advocacy event Saturday evening in Washington with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Capitol Police said the FBI and San Francisco police were also investigating. The suspect was in the custody of the San Francisco police.
FILE - Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and her husband, Paul Pelosi, arrive at the State Department for the Kennedy Center Honors State Department Dinner, Dec. 7, 2019, in Washington.
Often at Nancy Pelosi's side during formal events in Washington, Paul Pelosi is a wealthy investor who largely remains on the West Coast. They have five adult children and many grandchildren. The two have been married 59 years.
Earlier this year, Paul Pelosi pleaded guilty to misdemeanor driving under the influence charges related to a May crash in California's wine country and was sentenced to five days in jail and three years of probation.
President Joe Biden and lawmakers from both parties reacted to the assault with shock and expressed their well wishes to the Pelosi family.
"What happened to Paul Pelosi was a dastardly act," said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. "I spoke with Speaker Pelosi earlier this morning and conveyed my deepest concern and heartfelt wishes to her husband and their family, and I wish him a speedy recovery."
"We have been to many events with the Pelosis over the last 2 decades and we've had lots of occasions to talk about both of our families and the challenges of being part of a political family. Thinking about the Pelosi family today," tweeted Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that President Joe Biden has also been in contact with Nancy Pelosi.
"The President is praying for Paul Pelosi and for Speaker Pelosi's whole family," Jean-Pierre said. "This morning he called Speaker Pelosi to express his support after this horrible attack. He is also very glad that a full recovery is expected. The president continues to condemn all violence, and asks that the family's desire for privacy be respected."
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said on twitter, "Horrified and disgusted by the reports that Paul Pelosi was assaulted in his and Speaker Pelosi's home last night. Grateful to hear that Paul is on track to make a full recovery and that law enforcement including our stellar Capitol Police are on the case."
At the Capitol Democratic Sen. Pat Leahy of Vermont, who is third in line of succession, said he had known Paul Pelosi "forever." He said, "It's just horrible."
The Pelosi home in the wealthy Pacific Heights neighborhood has been the scene of several protests in the past few years. After Nancy Pelosi was seen on video getting her hair done at a salon while many were shut down during the coronavirus pandemic, stylists protested outside with curling irons. Members of the Chinese community protested outside recently before Pelosi's trip to Taiwan. And during debates over the federal stimulus package protesters scrawled anarchy signs in black paint across the garage door, along with "cancel rent," and "we want everything." They left a pig's head on the driveway.
Photos: The scene outside the Pelosi home after attack
Police tape blocks a street outside the home of Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Paul Pelosi, was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant with a hammer who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday, according to people familiar with the investigation. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Police tape blocks a street outside the home of Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Paul Pelosi, was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant with a hammer who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday, according to people familiar with the investigation. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Police investigators work outside the home of Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Paul Pelosi, was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant with a hammer who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday, according to people familiar with the investigation. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Police stand at the top of the closed street outside the home of Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Paul Pelosi, was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant with a hammer who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday, according to people familiar with the investigation. In the background is the Transamerica Pyramid.(AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
A police officer rolls out more yellow tape on the closed street below the home of Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Paul Pelosi, was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant with a hammer who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday, according to people familiar with the investigation. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
A police car blocks the street below the home of Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Paul Pelosi, was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant with a hammer who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday, according to people familiar with the investigation. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
A pair of FBI agents work outside the home of Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Paul Pelosi, was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant with a hammer who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday, according to people familiar with the investigation. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
A pair of FBI agents work outside the home of Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Paul Pelosi, was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant with a hammer who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday, according to people familiar with the investigation. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Investigators work outside the home of Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Paul Pelosi, was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant with a hammer who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday, according to people familiar with the investigation. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
A heart shaped sculpture and a light on are seen inside a window of the home of Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Paul Pelosi, was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant with a hammer who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday, according to people familiar with the investigation. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Investigators work outside the home of Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Paul Pelosi, was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant with a hammer who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday, according to people familiar with the investigation. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Police investigators work outside the home of Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Paul Pelosi, was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant with a hammer who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday, according to people familiar with the investigation. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Investigators work outside the home of Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Paul Pelosi, was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant with a hammer who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday, according to people familiar with the investigation. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
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Suspect who attacked Pelosi's husband specifically targeted speaker's home. Follow live updates
UpdatedWASHINGTON (AP) — Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant with a hammer who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday, according to people familiar with the investigation.
Pelosi, 82, suffered blunt force injuries to his head and body, according to two people who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing probe.
The attack was not random; the assailant specifically targeted the home, the people said. The assailant was in custody.
Pelosi was being treated by doctors for bruising, severe swelling and other injuries. Nancy Pelosi's spokesman Drew Hammill said he was expected to make a full recovery.
"The Speaker and her family are grateful to the first responders and medical professionals involved, and request privacy at this time," Hammill said in a statement.
While the circumstances of the attack are unclear, the attack raises questions about the safety of members of Congress and their families as threats to lawmakers are at an all-time high almost two years after the deadly Capitol insurrection. The attack also comes just 11 days ahead of midterm elections in which crime and public safety have emerged as top concerns among Americans.
In 2021, Capitol Police investigated around 9,600 threats made against members of Congress, and members have been violently attacked in recent years. Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., was shot in the head at an event outside a Tucson grocery store in 2011, and Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., was severely injured when a gunman opened fire on a Republican congressional baseball team practice in 2017.
FILE - Paul Pelosi, right, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, of California, follows his wife as she arrives for her weekly news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 17, 2022.
Members of Congress have received additional dollars for security at their homes, but some have pushed for more protection as people have showed up at their homes and as members have received an increasing number of threatening communications.
Capitol Police, tasked with protecting congressional leaders, said Nancy Pelosi was with her protective detail in Washington at the time her husband was attacked. She'd just returned this week from a security conference in Europe and is due to keynote an advocacy event Saturday evening with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Capitol Police said the FBI and San Francisco police were also investigating. The suspect is in the custody of the San Francisco police.
Often at Nancy Pelosi's side during formal events in Washington, Paul Pelosi is a wealthy investor who largely remains on the West Coast. They have five adult children and many grandchildren. The two have been married 59 years.
FILE - Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and her husband, Paul Pelosi, arrive at the State Department for the Kennedy Center Honors State Department Dinner, Dec. 7, 2019, in Washington.
Earlier this year, Paul Pelosi pleaded guilty to misdemeanor driving under the influence charges related to a May crash in California's wine country and was sentenced to five days in jail and three years of probation.
President Joe Biden and lawmakers from both parties reacted to the assault with shock and expressed their well wishes to the Pelosi family.
"What happened to Paul Pelosi was a dastardly act," said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. "I spoke with Speaker Pelosi earlier this morning and conveyed my deepest concern and heartfelt wishes to her husband and their family, and I wish him a speedy recovery."
"We have been to many events with the Pelosis over the last 2 decades and we've had lots of occasions to talk about both of our families and the challenges of being part of a political family. Thinking about the Pelosi family today," tweeted Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that President Joe Biden has also been in contact with Nancy Pelosi.
"The President is praying for Paul Pelosi and for Speaker Pelosi's whole family," Jean-Pierre said. "This morning he called Speaker Pelosi to express his support after this horrible attack. He is also very glad that a full recovery is expected. The president continues to condemn all violence, and asks that the family's desire for privacy be respected."
The Pelosi home in the wealthy Pacific Heights neighborhood has been the scene of several protests in the past few years. After Nancy Pelosi was seen on video getting her hair done at a salon while many were shut down during the coronavirus pandemic, stylists protested outside with curling irons. Members of the Chinese community protested outside recently before Pelosi's trip to Taiwan. And during during debates over the federal stimulus package protesters scrawled anarchy signs in black paint across the garage door, along with "cancel rent," and "we want everything."
A look at Nancy Pelosi's career, in photos
San Francisco Deputy Mayor Hadley Roth, left, and Nancy Pelosi, chairman of the host committee, react to the announcement that San Francisco has been chosen by the selection committee to host the 1984 Democratic Convention, in Washington, D.C., April 20, 1983. (AP Photo/Scott Stewart)
Congressional candidate Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., waves at the Headquarters in San Francisco Tuesday night April 7, 1987. Pelosi held a slight edge over San Francisco city Supervisor Harry Britt, for the seat of the late Rep.Sala Burton, according to early election results.(AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
Rep. Nita Lowey D-N.Y, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi D-Calif. and Ernie of the Sesame Street's "Bert and Ernie " fame stand in front of 35,000 letters from across the country in support of public television during a Capitol Hill news conference on Wednesday March 1, 1995.
Just elected House Minority Whip Nancy Pelosi D-Calif.,talks about taking the House back from the Republicans next election, Oct. 10, 2001 in Washington. Pelosi defeated Rep. Stenny Hoyer, D-Md. for the whip post in the House of Representatives. (AP Photo/Joe Marquette)
The Dalai Lama, left, is greeted by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., before his lecture at the MCI Center on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2005 in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)
Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., left, looks on as President Bush speaks at the House Democratic Issues Conference on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2007, in Williamsburg, Va. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., talks to President Bush at the Radio and Television Correspondents? Association annual dinner, Wednesday, March 28, 2007 in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
President Bush, surrounded by members of Congress and Cabinet members, signs the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. Standing, front row, from left are, Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev., House Minority Whip Roy Blunt of Mo., Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Md., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., and House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
House Speaker-designate John Boehner of Ohio wipes away tears as he waits to receive the gavel from outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif. during the first session of the 112th Congress, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and her husband Paul Pelosi arrive for a State Dinner hosted by President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama in honor of German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, June 7, 2011. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif. gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, March 7, 2013. Republicans pushed legislation through the House on Wednesday to prevent a government shutdown this month while easing the short-term impact of $85 billion in spending cuts — at the same time previewing a longer-term plan to erase federal deficits without raising taxes. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks with reporters before going to the White House to meet with President Barack Obama, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013, as Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Assistant Minority Leader James Clyburn, D-S.C., right, listen. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., takes questions from reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, July 25, 2014. (AP Photo)
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, left, kisses House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., right, in the Rose Garden of the White House before President Barack Obama's remarks to members of Congress, Tuesday, April 21, 2015 in Washington. Obama thanked those who supported H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 to improve the affordability and quality of health care for the youngest and oldest in the nation. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
FILE - In this June 4, 2015 file photo, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif. speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. Congress’ upheaval over trade has exposed turmoil within a House Democratic caucus that’s grown smaller and more liberal in recent years as moderates have been ousted in successive election bloodlettings. Those who remain must answer to ideologically driven voters and labor unions fighting their own battles for survival, even if it means sidelining their own leaders and humbling their president in the process. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
Nancy Pelosi arrives at the 2016 Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by John Salangsang/Invision/AP)
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton walks with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif. as they arrive for a meeting with the House Democratic Caucus, Wednesday, June 22, 2016, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., left, the ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speak to reporters to criticize the GOP tax bill as debate enters a final day, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., speaks about the Republican tax bill, Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., left, standing with Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of N.Y., right, speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, on the passage of legislation that overhauls U.S. tax law. The massive $1.5 trillion tax package affects everyone's taxes but is dominated by breaks for business and higher earners. Democrats call the legislation a boon to the rich that leaves middle-class and working Americans behind. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., center, Rep. Susan Davis, D-Calif, background center right, and Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., right, participate in the Women's March walk to the White House in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018. On the anniversary of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, people participating in rallies and marches in the U.S. and around the world Saturday denounced his views on immigration, abortion, LGBT rights, women's rights and more. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., is shown on television as she speaks from the House floor on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, as a news conference that she was supposed to attend goes on in the background. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Nancy Pelosi of California takes the gavel from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., after being elected House speaker at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., meets with reporters following escalation of tensions this week between the U.S. and Iran, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of Calif., speaks during a news conference, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., tears her copy of President Donald Trump's State of the Union address after he delivered it to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of Calif., waves the gavel on the opening day of the 117th Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021. (Bill Clark/Pool via AP)
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Vice President Mike Pence talk before a joint session of the House and Senate convenes to count the Electoral College votes cast in November's election, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., arrives to speak about the House coronavirus bill on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, March, 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Scott Applewhite)
FILE - Vice President Kamala Harris, left, greets House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., ahead of President Joe Biden addressing a joint session of Congress, April 28, 2021, in the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP, File)
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., surrounded by House Democrats, stands up after signing the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 during a bill enrollment ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Aug.12, 2022. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
2 men plead not guilty in Lake Erie fishing tournament scandal
UpdatedCLEVELAND (AP) — Two men accused of stuffing five walleye with lead weights and fish fillets during a lucrative fishing tournament on Lake Erie pleaded not guilty to cheating and other charges on Wednesday.
Jacob Runyan, 42, of Broadview Heights, Ohio, and Chase Cominsky, 35, of Hermitage, Pennsylvania, made no comments during their brief court appearances in Cleveland. Their attorneys declined to comment about the case after the hearing.
Jacob Runyan, left, and Chase Cominsky sit in court as they are arraigned Wednesday in Cleveland.
Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor James Gutierrez also declined to comment, referring questions to a spokesperson.
The cheating allegations surfaced Sept. 30 when Lake Erie Walleye Trail tournament director Jason Fischer became suspicious because Runyan and Cominsky's fish were significantly heavier than walleye of that length typically are. An angry crowd at Gordon Park in Cleveland watched Fischer cut the walleye open and announce there were weights and fish fillets stuffed inside them.
An officer from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources confiscated the fish as evidence.
Runyan and Cominsky were indicted earlier this month on felony charges of cheating, attempted grand theft, possessing criminal tools and misdemeanor charges of unlawfully owning wild animals.
Both were released Wednesday on personal bonds of $2,500.
The first place prize in the tournament totaled around $28,000.
Photos: Murky waters for global aquarium trade
A starfish crawls along coral reefs, damaged from years of dynamite fishing, in Les, Bali, Indonesia, on April 11, 2021. Cyanide fishing was also common in the area. There have been efforts to reduce some of the most destructive practices, but the trade is extraordinarily difficult to regulate and track as it stretches from small scale fisherman in tropical seaside villages through local middlemen, export warehouses, international trade hubs and finally to pet stores in the U.S., China, Europe and elsewhere. (AP Photo/Alex Lindbloom)
Made Partiana uses a net to catch aquarium fish on north coast of Bali, Indonesia, on April 10, 2021. Millions of saltwater fish are caught in Indonesia and other countries every year to fill ever more elaborate aquariums in living rooms, waiting rooms and restaurants around the world with vivid, otherworldly life. (AP Photo/Alex Lindbloom)
Made Partiana looks at sea urchins in a tank in the LINI center in Les, Bali, Indonesia, on April 12, 2021. “I hope that [healthier] coral reefs will make it possible for the next generation of children and grandchildren under me,” Partiana says. He wants them to be able to “see what coral looks like and that there can be ornamental fish in the sea.” (AP Photo/Alex Lindbloom)
Workers sort fish at a middle man house in Les, Bali, Indonesia, on April 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Alex Lindbloom)
Villagers hang out near boats along the coast in Les, Bali, Indonesia, on April 9, 2021. The area is commonly used for aquarium fishing. (AP Photo/Alex Lindbloom)
Dead fish lie in a container at a sorting station in Les, Bali, Indonesia, on April 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Alex Lindbloom)
A worker checks a sort and order list at middle man area in Les, Bali, Indonesia, on April 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Alex Lindbloom)
Workers sort fish in Les, Bali, Indonesia, on April 11, 2021, for shipment to Denpasar for export. Nearly 3 million homes in the U.S. keep saltwater fish as pets, according to a 2021-2022 American Pet Products Association survey. (AP Photo/Alex Lindbloom)
Pak Ketut, who has been selling fish for over a decade sits in aquarium middle man house in Les, Bali, Indonesia, on April 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Alex Lindbloom)
Workers sort aquarium fish caught and delivered to an export warehouse in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, on April 12, 2021. Fish from around Indonesia are brought to this facility. (AP Photo/Alex Lindbloom)
Made Partiana inspects a tank at the LINI center in Les, Bali, Indonesia, on April 12, 2021. The Bali-based nonprofit works for the conservation and management of coastal marine resources. (AP Photo/Alex Lindbloom)
Local villager and fisherman Made Partiana and a local villager search for fish off the coast of Les, Bali, Indonesia, on April 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Alex Lindbloom)
Made Partiana and another villager sort fish caught during the day on April 11, 2021. “I hope that [healthier] coral reefs will make it possible for the next generation of children and grandchildren under me,” Partiana says. He wants them to be able to “see what coral looks like and that there can be ornamental fish in the sea.” (AP Photo/Alex Lindbloom)
Made Partiana walks along beach area at Les, Bali, Indonesia, on April 11, 2021, as he prepares to catch aquarium fish. Over the years Partiana began to notice the reef was changing. “I saw the reef dying, turning black,” he says. “You could see there were less fish.” (AP Photo/Alex Lindbloom)
Boats line the coast of Les, Bali, Indonesia, on April 11, 2021. This site is commonly used for aquarium fishing. In the vast archipelago of Indonesia, there are about 34,000 miles (54,720 kilometers) of coastline across some 17,500 islands. That makes monitoring the first step of the tropical fish supply chain a task so gargantuan it is all but ignored. (AP Photo/Alex Lindbloom)
The center of Les, Bali, Indonesia is seen on April 11, 2021. The saltwater aquarium fishing town is tucked between the mountains and ocean in northern Bali. (AP Photo/Alex Lindbloom)
More than 130 die when India walking bridge collapses, worst accident in a decade
UpdatedMore than 130 people have died after a century-old pedestrian bridge collapsed into a river in the western Indian state of Gujarat on Sunday evening.
Local media reports said over a hundred people plunged into the Machchu river when the pedestrian bridge in the state’s Morbi district collapsed. The colonial-era suspension bridge had reopened four days ago after renovation.
Officials said the 19th-century, colonial-era pedestrian bridge over the Machchu river in the state’s Morbi district collapsed because it could not handle the weight of the large crowd, as the Hindu festival season drew hundreds of people to the recently opened tourist attraction. The bridge had been closed for renovation for almost six months and was reopened just four days ago.
Elon Musk finally owns Twitter. What next? Get the latest
UpdatedElon Musk has taken control of Twitter and ousted the CEO, chief financial officer and the company’s general counsel, two people familiar with the deal said Thursday night.
The people wouldn’t say if all the paperwork for the deal, originally valued at $44 billion, had been signed or if the deal has closed. But they said Musk is in charge of the social media platform and has fired CEO Parag Agrawal, CFO Ned Segal and General Counsel Vijaya Gadde. Neither person wanted to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the personnel moves.
The departures come just hours before a deadline set by a Delaware judge to finalize the deal on Friday. She threatened to schedule a trial if no agreement was reached.
Earlier in the day, Musk tried to soothe leery Twitter advertisers saying that he is buying the platform to help humanity and doesn’t want it to become a “free-for-all hellscape.”
The message appeared to be aimed at addressing concerns among advertisers — Twitter’s chief source of revenue — that Musk’s plans to promote free speech by cutting back on moderating content will open the floodgates to more online toxicity and drive away users.
Musk has previously expressed distaste for advertising and Twitter’s dependence on it, suggesting more emphasis on other business models such as paid subscriptions that won’t allow big corporations to dictate policy on how social media operates. But on Thursday, he assured advertisers he wants Twitter to be “the most respected advertising platform in the world.”
The note is a shift from Musk's position that Twitter is unfairly infringing on free speech rights by blocking misinformation or graphic content, said Pinar Yildirim, associate professor of marketing at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.
This story is developing. Check later for more updates.
Photos: Elon Musk through the years
FILE - In this Oct. 20, 2000 file photo, PayPal Chief Executive Officer Peter Thiel, left, and founder Elon Musk, right, pose with the PayPal logo at corporate headquarters in Palo Alto, Calif. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)
FILE - In this Dec. 9, 2008 file photo, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk stands in front a Tesla sports car at a Tesla showroom in Menlo Park, Calif. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, file)
FILE - In this March 26, 2009 file photo, Tesla Motors CEO, Chairman and Product Architect Elon Musk speaks at the unveiling of the Tesla Model S all-electric 5-door sedan, in Hawthorne, Calif., Thursday, March 26, 2009. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File)
In this July 21, 2009 photo, shows Tesla CEO Elon Musk talking about the lawsuit at Tesla headquarters in San Carlos, Calif., Tuesday, July 21, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
In this Tuesday, July 21, 2009 photo, Tesla CEO Elon Musk poses at Tesla headquarters in San Carlos, Calif. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
President Barack Obama walks to look at the Flacon 9 launch vehicle with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk at Kennedy Space Center Thursday, April 15, 2010.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Calif. Gov., Arnold Schwarzenegger, right, Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda, left, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, center, at Tesla headquarters in Palo Alto, Calif., Thursday, May 20, 2010. Tesla and Toyota officials announce partnership. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors, poses with a Tesla car in front of Nasdaq following the electric automaker’s initial public offering, Tuesday, June, 29, 2010, in New York. The company plans to trade on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker "TSLA." (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Elon Musk, center, CEO of Tesla Motors, raises his hand at the Nasdaq opening bell to celebrate the electric automaker’s initial public offering, Tuesday, June, 29, 2010 in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Elon Musk, co-founder, chief executive and product architect of Tesla Motors, poses at the premiere of the documentary film "Revenge of the Electric Car," Friday, Oct. 21, 2011, at Tesla Motors in Los Angeles. The film is director Chris Paine's follow-up to his 2006 documentary, "Who Killed the Electric Car?" (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer Elon Musk walks in a procession after delivering the commencement speech for Caltech graduates in Pasadena, Calif. Friday, June 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk gives the opening keynote at the SXSW Interactive Festival on Saturday, March 9, 2013 in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Jack Plunkett)
FILE - In this May 29, 2014 file photo, Elon Musk, CEO and CTO of SpaceX, introduces the SpaceX Dragon V2 spaceship at the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors Inc., introduces the Model X car at the company's headquarters Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015, in Fremont, Calif. Musk said the Model X sets a new bar for automotive engineering, with unique features like rear falcon-wing doors, which open upward, and a driver's door that opens on approach and closes itself when the driver is inside. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Elon Musk, CEO & Chief Product Architect of Tesla Moters, attends the premiere of "Racing Extinction" during the 2015 Sundance Film Festival on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP)
SpaceX founder Elon Musk speaks during the 67th International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016. In a receptive audience full of space buffs, Musk said he envisions 1,000 passenger ships flying en masse to Mars, 'Battlestar Galactica' style. He calls it the Mars Colonial fleet, and he says it could become reality within a century. Musk's goal is to establish a full-fledged city on Mars and thereby make humans a multi-planetary species. (AP Photo/Refugio Ruiz)
President Donald Trump talks with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, center, and White House chief strategist Steve Bannon during a meeting with business leaders in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Feb. 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Grimes, left, and Elon Musk attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination exhibition on Monday, May 7, 2018, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
SpaceX founder and chief executive Elon Musk speaks after announcing Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa as the first private passenger on a trip around the moon, Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, in Hawthorne, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Elon Musk, co-founder and chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., speaks during an unveiling event for the Boring Co. Hawthorne test tunnel in Hawthorne, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018. Musk has unveiled his underground transportation tunnel, allowing invited guests to take some of the first rides ever on the tech entrepreneur's solution to "soul-destroying traffic." (Robyn Beck/Pool Photo via AP)
Tesla CEO Elon Musk jokingly motions to kick before introducing the Model Y at Tesla's design studio Thursday, March 14, 2019, in Hawthorne, Calif. The Model Y may be Tesla's most important product yet as it attempts to expand into the mainstream and generate enough cash to repay massive debts that threaten to topple the Palo Alto, Calif., company. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, left, talks with SpaceX chief engineer Elon Musk, second from left, and NASA astronauts crew Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, right, in front of the Crew Dragon spacecraft, about the progress to fly astronauts to and from the International Space Station, from American soil, as part of the agency's commercial crew program at SpaceX headquarters, in Hawthorne, Calif., Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Tesla CEO Elon Musk introduces the Cybertruck at Tesla's design studio Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019, in Hawthorne, Calif. Musk is taking on the workhorse heavy pickup truck market with his latest electric vehicle. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)
Elon Musk, founder, CEO, and chief engineer/designer of SpaceX speaks during a news conference after a Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket test flight to demonstrate the capsule's emergency escape system at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tesla and SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk speaks during a round table discussion with President Donald Trump at Kennedy Space Center, Wednesday, May 27, 2020, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Tesla and SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk jumps in the air as people applaud during an event at the Vehicle Assembly Building on Saturday, May 23, 2020, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The event occurred after a rocket ship designed and built by SpaceX lifted off on Saturday with two Americans on a history-making flight to the International Space Station. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine looks on at left. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
SpaceX owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk arrives on the red carpet for the Axel Springer media award, in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020. (Hannibal Hanschke/Pool via AP)
Elon Musk walks from the justice center in Wilmington, Del., Monday, July 12, 2021. Musk took to a witness stand Monday to defend his company's 2016 acquisition of a troubled company called SolarCity against a shareholder lawsuit that claims he's to blame for a deal that was rife with conflicts of interest and never delivered the profits he had promised. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Elon Musk, Tesla CEO, attends the opening of the Tesla factory Berlin Brandenburg in Gruenheide, Germany, Tuesday, March 22, 2022. The first European factory in Gruenheide, designed for 500,000 vehicles per year, is an important pillar of Tesla's future strategy. (Patrick Pleul/Pool via AP)
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, speaks during the Global Citizen Awards dinner, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Michelle Farsi)
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, right, and Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, attend a campaign event with Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at the Butler Farm Show, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Elon Musk jumps on the stage as Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
FILE - Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump listens as Elon Musk speaks during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)
FILE - Elon Musk jumps on the stage as Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
Elon Musk talks with a child as he speaks as part of a campaign town hall in support of Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump in Folsom, Pa., Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Elon Musk speaks as part of a campaign town hall in support of Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump in Folsom, Pa., Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Elon Musk and Twitter: A timeline
January 31: Musk begins building up his Twitter stake
Updated
Musk starts quietly buying up Twitter shares, building his stake in the company. But it would be months before he disclosed this fact to the public.
March 14: Musk's Twitter stake tops 5%
Updated
Musk's stake in Twitter tops 5%, but that fact is not disclosed until the following month. Musk was obligated to disclose his stake within 10 days of crossing the 5% threshold, but waited 21 days to do so. During that time, he continued building up his stake.
March 24: Asking whether Twitter should change
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The billionaire begins to make pointed statements about the platform from his account. "Twitter algorithm should be open source," he wrote, with a poll for users to vote "yes" or "no."
The following day, Musk tweets out another poll to his followers: "Free speech is essential to a functioning democracy. Do you believe Twitter rigorously adheres to this principle?"
March 26: Musk reaches out to Jack Dorsey
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Musk reaches out to Twitter cofounder and former CEO Jack Dorsey to "discuss the future direction of social media," according to a company filing later put out by the company. The two tech founders are known to have a bit of a billionaire bromance on and off Twitter.
April 3: Twitter leadership meets to discuss Musk
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Twitter's board and some of its leadership team meet with representatives from Wilson Sonsini, a law firm, and J.P. Morgan to discuss the possibility of Musk joining the company's board, according a later securities filing. Dorsey is said to have told the board that "he and Mr. Musk were friends," according to the filing.
In the meeting, the Twitter board discussed wanting Musk to agree to "'standstill' provisions"," according to the filing. This would effectively "limit his public statements regarding Twitter, including the making of unsolicited public proposals to acquire Twitter (but not private proposals) without the prior consent of the Twitter Board."
April 4: Surprise! Musk becomes Twitter's largest shareholder
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Musk is revealed to be Twitter's largest individual shareholder, with a more than 9% stake in the company.
News of the purchase sends shares of the social media company soaring more than 20% in early trading and kicks off a wave of speculation about how Musk might push for changes on the platform.
April 5: Musk agrees to join the board
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Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal announces Musk will join Twitter's board of directors. "Through conversations with Elon in recent weeks, it became clear to us that he would bring great value to our Board," Agrawal says in a post on Twitter.
As part of the appointment, Musk agrees not to acquire more than 14.9% of the company's shares while he remains on the board. His term on the board is set to go through 2024, according to a regulatory filing.
April 10: Just kidding. Musk ditches the board
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Agrawal announces that Musk has decided not to join the board after all. "I believe this is for the best," Agrawal writes in a letter to the Twitter team.
The reversal opens the door for Musk to pursue a greater stake in the company -- and frees him to tweet his many thoughts about the company.
April 14: Musk offers to buy Twitter and 'unlock' its potential
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Musk stuns the industry by making an offer to acquire all the shares in Twitter he does not own at a valuation of $41.4 billion. The cash offer represents a 38% premium over the company's closing price on April 1, the last trading day before Musk disclosed that he had become the company's biggest shareholder.
"I invested in Twitter as I believe in its potential to be the platform for free speech around the globe, and I believe free speech is a societal imperative for a functioning democracy. However, since making my investment I now realize the company will neither thrive nor serve this societal imperative in its current form. Twitter needs to be transformed as a private company," Musk writes in his offer letter. "Twitter has extraordinary potential. I will unlock it."
April 15: The poison pill
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Twitter's board of directors adopts a "poison pill" provision, a limited-term shareholder rights plan that potentially makes it harder for Musk to acquire the company.
April 21: Musk lines up $46.5 billion in financing
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Musk lines up $46.5 billion in financing for the deal, including two debt commitment letters from Morgan Stanley and other unnamed financial institutions and one equity commitment letter from himself, according to a regulatory filing.
The billionaire also reveals that he has not received a formal response from Twitter a week after his acquisition offer. He said he is "seeking to negotiate" a definite acquisition agreement and "is prepared to begin such negotiations immediately" — an apparent reversal from his statement in his acquisition offer letter that it would be his "best and final" offer.
Although he is the richest person in the world, much of Musk's wealth is tied up in Tesla stock, and some followers of the company speculate that it could be challenging for Musk to raise debt against the historically volatile stock.
April 25: Twitter agrees to sell itself to Elon Musk
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Twitter announces that it has agreed to sell itself to Musk in a deal valued at around $44 billion. At a conference later in the day, Musk describes his offer to buy Twitter in characteristically sweeping terms as being about "the future of civilization," not just making money.
At an all-hands meeting that afternoon, Twitter employees raise questions about everything from what the deal would mean for their compensation to whether former US President Donald Trump would be let back on the platform.
April 29: Musk cashes out billions in Tesla stock
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Filings reveal Musk sold $8.5 billion of his Tesla stock in the three days after Twitter board agreed to the sale for an average of $883.09 per share. The filings did not disclose the reason for the sale, but Musk appeared to be raising funds to buy Twitter.
May 4: With a little help from his billionaire friends
Updated
Musk raises another $7 billion in financing for the deal. The new investors include Oracle founder Larry Ellison, cryptocurrency platform Binance and venture capital firm Sequoia Capital, according to a filing.
May 10: Musk says he would reinstate Trump's account
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Musk confirms what many have assumed for weeks: he would reverse Twitter's Trump ban if his deal to buy the company is completed.
"I do think it was not correct to ban Donald Trump, I think that was a mistake," Musk said. "I would reverse the perma-ban. ... Banning Trump from Twitter didn't end Trump's voice, it will amplify it among the right and this is why it's morally wrong and flat out stupid."
May 6: Musk's lofty goals for Twitter, revealed
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Musk aims to increase Twitter's annual revenue to $26.4 billion by 2028, up from $5 billion last year, according to a New York Times report, citing Musk's pitch deck presented to investors. To achieve that lofty goal, Musk intends to bolster Twitter's subscription revenue and build up a payments business while decreasing the company's reliance on advertising sales, according to the report.
May 12: A partial hiring freeze and executive departures
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Twitter confirms to CNN Business that the platform is pausing most hiring and backfills, except for "business critical" roles, and pulling back on other non-labor costs ahead of the acquisition. In addition, Twitter says general manager of consumer, Kayvon Beykpour, and revenue product lead, Bruce Falck, are leaving the company.
May 13: Twitter deal 'temporarily on hold'
Updated
Musk tweets that the deal is on hold, linking to a Reuters report from nearly two weeks earlier, about Twitter's most recent disclosure about its amount of spam and fake accounts. The figure cited in the report, however, is in line with prior quarterly disclosures.
"Twitter deal temporarily on hold pending details supporting calculation that spam/fake accounts do indeed represent less than 5% of users," Musk tweeted.
Shares of the social media site plummet after Musk's announcement, dropping more than 10% at market open. Two hours after announcing the hold, Musk says he remains set on purchasing Twitter. "Still committed to acquisition," he wrote.
Later in the day, Musk says his team is testing Twitter's numbers and "picked 100 as the sample size number, because that is what Twitter uses to calculate <5% fake/spam/duplicate."
May 14: Oops. NDA problems?
Updated
Musk tweets out that Twitter's legal team accused him of breaking a nondisclosure agreement when the billionaire revealed the platform's sample size for automated user checks is allegedly just 100 users.
"Twitter legal just called to complain that I violated their NDA by revealing the bot check sample size is 100! This actually happened," wrote Musk.
May 16: Poop emoji
Updated
The standoff over bot accounts continues as Musk exchanges a series of tweets with Agrawal over the issue. After Agrawal carefully explains how Twitter attempts to combat and measure spam accounts, Musk responds with a poop emoji.
Musk follows up with a somewhat more thoughtful question. "So how do advertisers know what they're getting for their money?" Musk asked. "This is fundamental to the financial health of Twitter," he added.
May 17: Musk says Twitter deal 'cannot move forward.' Twitter disagrees
Updated
Musk announces that his acquisition of Twitter "cannot move forward" until he sees more information about the prevalence of spam accounts, claiming that the social media platform falsified numbers in filings. Without citing a source, he claims in a tweet that Twitter is "20% fake/spam accounts" and suggests Twitter's previous filings with the SEC were misleading.
Later in the day, Musk posts a poll to his Twitter followers: "Twitter claims that >95% of daily active users are real, unique humans. Does anyone have that experience?" before calling on the SEC to evaluate the platform's numbers. "Hello @SECGov, anyone home?" Musk tweets, in an apparent attempt to get the regulator to look into the matter.
In a statement, Twitter says it remains "committed to completing the transaction on the agreed price and terms as promptly as practicable." Later, the company says it intends to "enforce the merger agreement."
Migos rapper Takeoff dead after Houston shooting, rep confirms
UpdatedRapper Takeoff, a member of the popular Atlanta group Migos, is dead in a shooting at a Houston bowling alley.
HOUSTON (AP) — Migos rapper Takeoff is dead after a shooting early Tuesday outside a bowling alley in Houston, a representative confirmed.
Takeoff — who was part of Migos along with Quavo and Offset — was 28.
Police responded shortly after 2:30 a.m. to reports of a shooting at 810 Billiards & Bowling, where dozens of people had gathered on a balcony outside of the bowling alley, which is on the third floor, police said. Officers discovered one man dead when they arrived.
Security guards who were in the area heard the shooting but did not see who did it, a police spokesperson said.
Two other people were injured and taken to hospitals in private vehicles, police said.
This is a breaking news update. AP’s earlier story follows below:
Photos: Takeoff through the years
Quavo, from left, Takeoff and Offset, of Migos, present the award for best record-breaking performance at the ESPY Awards on Wednesday, July 10, 2019, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Takeoff arrives at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Takeoff, from left, Quavo and Offset, of Migos, perform at the BET Awards on Sunday, June 27, 2021, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Takeoff, Quavo and Offset of Migos attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between exhibition on Monday, May 1, 2017, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Takeoff of Migos performs during the Festival d'ete de Quebec on Tuesday, July 11, 2017, in Quebec City, Canada. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Takeoff with Migos performs during the V-103 Live Pop Up Concert at Philips Arena on Saturday, March 31, 2018, in Atlanta. (Photo by Robb Cohen/Invision/AP)
Quavo, from left, Offset and Takeoff, of Migos, attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination exhibition on Monday, May 7, 2018, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Takeoff, from left, Quavo and Offset, of Migos, perform at the BET Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Sunday, June 24, 2018, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Takeoff with Migos perform during the Aubrey & the Three Migos Tour at State Farm Arena on Friday, November 16, 2018, in Atlanta. (Photo by Robb Cohen/Invision/AP)
Takeoff with Migos performs during the Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest at State Farm Arena on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, in Atlanta. (Photo by Robb Cohen/Invision/AP)
Takeoff, from left, Quavo and Offset, of Migos, arrive at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday, March 23, 2019, at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Takeoff with Migos performs during the Hot 107.9 Birthday Bash 2019 at State Farm Arena on Saturday, June 15, 2019, in Atlanta. (Photo by Robb Cohen/Invision/AP)
Takeoff of the hip hop group "Migos" performs during the 2019 BET Experience at the Staples Center on Saturday, June 22, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
From left, Takeoff, Quavo and Offset of the band Migos perform during the 2021 Global Citizen Live event, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. The 24-hour live event took place on six continents and featured recording artists and celebrities raising awareness around poverty, climate change and the need for more access to COVID-19 vaccine doses worldwide. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
First details revealed for world’s newest, largest cruise ship: Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas
MIAMI — Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas will get the title of world’s largest cruise ship when it debuts sailing out of Miami in 2024, but that’s beside the point.
“It’s purposeful. It’s not like we start with each ship and we say, ‘OK, this one’s going to be the biggest in the world.’ That actually isn’t the purpose,” said Jay Schneider, chief product innovation officer for Royal Caribbean. “It really comes down to going through the creative process and the customer insight process to say what are we really seeking out to achieve?”
So while the 20-deck ship’s 250,800 gross tons and 1,198 feet in length bests the most recent Oasis-class ship and current world’s largest ship Wonder of the Seas’ 235,600 gross tons and 1,188-foot-length, Icon of the Seas will actually have less passenger capacity based on double occupancy — 5,610 compared to Wonder’s 5,734.
“We are providing more space for people than we’ve ever done before, so even though we take great pride that the Oasis class was the most space, this ship is designed to give more space to everybody both in public spaces as well as in staterooms,” Schneider said.
The size of the rooms among 28 categories, and the expected growth of family traveling, though, means Icon of the Seas’ maximum capacity of 7,600 exceeds Wonder’s 7,084.
“Every stateroom except interiors is bigger than any other stateroom that we’ve had before,” he said. “They are bigger but are laid out in a unique and creative way that we’ve never done before.”
He said the line didn’t want to compromise on venue space, though.
“So you’ll find facades that are open for the first time in a grand way,” he said. “You’ll find connectivity between decks that we’ve never done before, and a lot of that design and ingenuity came from this notion of giving people more space. As you kind of put the pieces and parts together, you suddenly find yourself with a fairly large footprint.”
That footprint, while similar to the Oasis class, allowed designers more room to play with familiar spaces such as the Royal Promenade, the open-air Central Park and what will be the largest exclusive area for suite guests to date for the line covering three decks.
But it’s the new spaces that have ship designers excited, and company officials detailed some, but not all, of the ship’s new features in a media preview at its headquarters in Miami this week, including a virtual 3-D tour of the spaces at its Innovation Lab.
What is that dome?
The most iconic feature of Icon of the Seas is the massive geodesic dome that lords over the bow of the ship’s top decks. This is the AquaDome, and the centerpiece of what’s inside is familiar to Royal fans as it’s home to the new version of the AquaTheater where diving and aerialist performances will take place in the evening, but now in a controlled atmosphere that allows for more digital lighting and other special effects including the addition of four robotic arms to the production stage.
Throughout the day, a 55-foot-tall waterfall will flow as cruisers can enjoy dining and get wraparound views through the glass enclosure. The space’s bars and restaurants will allow for even more people to view the shows at night.
Where’s the Boardwalk?
The migration of the AquaTheater to the top deck means it’s no longer at the aft of the ship at the end of The Boardwalk neighborhood like on Oasis-class vessels. The Jersey shore-inspired space makes way to a more whimsical neighborhood called Surfside that targets families. Don’t worry, though, the Zoltar fortune telling machine will find a home somewhere, officials promised.
There’s also still a carousel, but instead of classic amusement park horses, people will get to ride on a narwhal, an octopus, a giraffe or in a VW bus among other choices. Surfside is also still home to the Sugar Beach ice cream and candy venue — perfect for the target demographic of 6 and under — but it’s also designed to keep mom and dad happy so they can relax in a pool, lounge and bar while the kids run around Splashaway Bay. It’s also adjacent to an arcade, the kids Adventure Ocean club and teen spaces.
“Surfside is specifically designed for young families,” said Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley. “We think that once we get that message out to that demographic that we’ll see a lot more new-to-cruise coming to Icon.”
It includes the line’s largest, and most expensive suite on board, the three-story Ultimate Family Townhouse, that has its own slide, and private access to Surfside.
How many water slides does this thing have?
It used to be Royal Caribbean didn’t deal in water slides, but now they’re a signature fixture, especially on Oasis class, which all have three intense options. Icon of the Seas has doubled that, offering six slides on two towers for what will be the largest water park at sea called Category 6.
“We’ve called the classic Oasis-class The Perfect Storm,” Schneider said. “We’ve used storm metaphors. We kind of had this a-ha moment of you know we had six waterslides and so if you think of this storm experience and Royal creating experiences the world has never seen before, it’s kind of a Cat 6 experience.”
It’s the prime offering of a neighborhood called Thrill Island that includes the free-fall slides Pressure Drop and Frightening Bolt; Storm Surge and Hurricane Hunter, which is the first family raft slide for the line that can sport four riders per raft; and a pair of mat racer slides called Storm Chasers.
“We’ve given ourselves a generous space reservation,” Schneider said. “We didn’t want to make it feel like it was congested. So one of the things we studied very carefully as a company was the flow of guests throughout Thrill Island. ... We don’t want to wait a very long time so we’re very cautious of how many slides we needed, how long people would have to wait.”
As a full neighborhood, Thrill Island will allow for more space as well, so families can base their time there while people enjoy the water park and other features of the neighborhood including a feature not for the faint of heart.
What sort of zip line is that?
Another iconic feature of Royal Caribbean ships is the company logo, the crown and anchor, propped up for all to see on the side of the ship. For Icon of the Seas, the feature is the largest in the fleet with one on either side of the vessel. On one side, though, you might just hear some people screaming because they chose to go on an adventure trail of sorts called the Crown’s Edge.
“I’ll tell you what it’s not. It’s not a ropes course,” Schneider said. “It’s not a zip line. It’s really a never-been-done-before experience.”
Thrill seekers may enjoy the key part of the experience, or not.
“So you’ll harness up in kind of a unique harness, tethered. ... There’s a series of obstacle-esque sort of experiences you can kind of move around because you’re tethered in case you do fall, and then you walk out, and then as you get to the end, just to mess with you we will drop the floor out from underneath you and you will then — we’ll call it fly for a better way to say it.”
This all happens 154 feet over the open ocean.
“You choose to go on the experience. You can’t skip this. You can skip it by not doing it,” he said. “This is a one-way experience.”
Are there people drinking in the pool?
The ship features seven pools on board including four in a terraced neighborhood called Chill Island. One of those named the Swim & Tonic will be the line’s first ever swim-up bar at sea.
It’s adjacent to the largest pool on a cruise ship, the Royal Bay Pool, and a margarita glass hot tub, one of nine whirlpools on board, among the Caribbean-themed pool deck with a variety of lounging options that’s been rolled out to other ships in the fleet. It will also be home to some of the Lime & Coconut bars, of which there are four shipwide.
“We really talk about this mantra of water, water everywhere,” Schneider said. “We’ve really tried to redefine as many pools as possible facing outward — glass facades that give you vast, breathtaking views of the ocean — and really driving that connection to the water.”
One of the other unique pools on board is in a different neighborhood called The Hideaway, home to a suspended infinity pool 135 feet above the ocean along with a multi-level sun terrace, more whirlpools and bar.
What don’t we know yet?
Of the eight neighborhoods on board, five are new — Surfside, AquaDome, Chill Island, Thrill Island and The Hideaway while Central Park, The Royal Promenade and the Suite Neighborhood exist on other ships in the fleet. Just what features will be offered up in some of those spaces though, have yet to be revealed.
One item that’s been partially revealed is something the line calls The Pearl, which is a 36-by-95-foot window smack dab in the middle of the ship that acts as the first place people will see when they get on board, and is the centerpiece to the Royal Promenade.
“As we think of the arrival experience, all of our ships have what you would call a mic drop arrival moment. We set up to create that. We wanted to create a mic drop, jaw-dropping arrival experience,” Schneider said. “So that is both in the location and position of The Pearl. The experience and expanse you see as you walk onto the ship, as you come through the airlock, you see the beauty of The Pearl, and so it serves a lot of different purposes.”
Schneider, though, teased that the details of one of those purposes is under wraps for now.
“I keep telling people it will be the largest kinetic experience on the planet,” he said. “We’re not really talking about what that means but if you google the word ‘kinetic’ it will kind of give you a sense of where we’re heading. And there’s a Starbucks as you walk in. That’s important.”
What he did give is that the space will change for all seven days of the sailing in some manner and play into travelers’ emotions.
The ship is slated to begin seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages from PortMiami on Jan. 28, 2024, but will arrive to Florida in December 2023. Sailings are open for booking beginning Oct. 25 at royalcaribbean.com.
It’s the first of three announced ships in the Icon class with the next two set to be delivered in 2025 and 2026. It’s first in the line to be powered by liquefied natural gas, which is a cleaner burning fuel that’s part of an industry-wide effort to reduce carbon emissions.
“This is our first in class in 10 years,” Schneider said. “So when you take first in class, with 23 [food & beverage] venues, 15 new kinds of experiences that we’ve never done before, new neighborhoods ... the orchestration and choreography of that, we’re going to knock out of the park, so we’re taking our time to make this is the most amazing vacation experience.”
Details about those features, though, will be rolled out over the next year as construction continues at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland with the ship’s float out — aka its first taste of water — expected in December and sea trials not until next summer.
“You only saw about 20% of Icon,” said Bayley. “One of the challenges of Icon is there is a lot to talk about, and over the coming months, we’re going to reveal more and more of the elements and components and experiences of Icon ... There’s a few things that we have that are really top secret.”
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