At least eight killed, others injured, in Indianapolis mass shooting
The investigation into a mass shooting at a FedEx facility near Indianapolis International Airport late Thursday night that left at least eight people dead and multiple others injured is expected to continue Friday. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to a reported shooting Thursday, according to a department spokesperson. When they arrived, they found an “active shooter incident,” the spokesperson said during a news conference early Friday. Police believe the shooter has died by suicide and officials do not believe there is an active threat to the community. Indianapolis police confirmed the site was home to the FedEx facility. The FedEx Indianapolis hub, which employs more than 4,500 team members, is the second-largest hub in the company’s global network, a representative told the IndyStar, part of the USA TODAY Network, in March.
Prefer to listen? Check out the 5 Things podcast:
More Chicago protests expected after video released of police officer shooting Adam Toledo
More people are expected to take to the streets Friday after the release of bodycam video showing a Chicago police officer fatally shooting 13-year-old Adam Toledo while the boy’s hands were up in the air last month. “He’s not here to defend himself,” activist Ja’Mal Green said Thursday. “He’s not here to say how afraid he was of police and why he ran. All we know is, in that video, his hands were up, and he was shot in the chest.” Small groups of protesters gathered at a police station and marched downtown Thursday night, but there were few signs of widespread demonstrations in the city. Before the video’s release, some businesses in the city’s “Magnificent Mile” shopping district boarded up their windows. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the city had activated a “neighborhood protection plan” ahead of Thursday’s release.
Biden to meet Japanese PM to discuss China threat, Olympics
President Joe Biden will host Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Friday. This will be his first face-to-face meeting with a foreign leader since taking office. Topics on the agenda are likely to include the coronavirus pandemic, climate change, and even this summer’s Olympics in Tokyo. The U.S. and Japan are both looking to strengthen their alliance as America tries to counter economic and military challenges posed by Beijing. “The United States can only be effective in Asia when the U.S.-Japan relationship is strong and Japan is steady and stable,” a senior administration official told reporters. Biden and Suga are also expected to discuss the human rights situations in Hong Kong and China’s northwestern Xinjiang region.
New Hampshire to lift statewide mask mandate
New Hampshire will lift its mask mandate Friday, Gov. Chris Sununu said. But individual towns, cities and schools can impose their own requirements for face coverings, as can individual state agencies, departments and other organizations, he said. New Hampshire will be the first state in New England to lift a statewide mask mandate after becoming the last state in the area to implement one, in November. While coronavirus infections have risen this spring, Sununu credited the state’s success in vaccinations for keeping deaths low and hospitalizations at a manageable level. Almost 6,000 “breakthrough cases” of Americans becoming infected despite vaccination have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – far less than 1% of the 76 million Americans who are fully vaccinated. But the CDC still recommends people who are fully vaccinated take precautions in public places, like wearing a mask, social distancing and washing their hands often.
MLS kicks off its 26th season with two interesting matchups
Buckle up, soccer fans – the Major League Soccer season will kick off Friday night with two games. Houston will visit San Jose and Seattle will host Minnesota (9:30 p.m. ET, FS1) in a rematch of last season’s thrilling Western Conference final. The league was two games into the season last March when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down sports in the United States. Play resumed in the summer with the MLS is Back tournament in a bubble in Florida before an abbreviated season was held and the Columbus Crew emerged as the MLS Cup champions. MLS estimated losses at nearly $1 billion last season, mostly the result of playing in empty stadiums and charter flights for teams.
Contributing: The Associated Press