Crime
Trans Member National Guard Pilot Jo Ellis Falsely Accused of Flying Black Hawk Helicopter
A transgender National Guard pilot has spoken out after being falsely accused on social media of piloting the Black Hawk helicopter involved in the fatal midair collision with a passenger jet near Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, which claimed 67 lives.
Jo Ellis, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot for the Virginia Army National Guard, addressed the misinformation in a Facebook post on Friday, denouncing the baseless claims that had gained traction online.
The false allegations echoed unsubstantiated rhetoric from former President Donald Trump, who suggested diversity initiatives were to blame for the tragedy.
“Some craziness has happened on the internet, and Iโm being named as one of the pilots of the D.C. crash,” Ellis wrote. “Itโs insulting to the victims and families of those lost, and they deserve better than this BS from the bots and trolls of the internet.”
Ellis included screenshots of posts on X (formerly Twitter) that attempted to link her gender identity to the catastrophic crash.
One post speculated, โWouldnโt be surprised if the pilot was trans,โ while another falsely claimed Ellis had made โradicalized anti-Trump statementsโ on social media. The latter post was later deleted, and the account issued an apology.
Despite these corrections, Ellisโ name trended on X, accumulating over 19,400 mentions.
Even after she publicly refuted the claimsโincluding in a follow-up video titled “Proof of Life”โfar-right accounts continued to circulate misinformation and hate speech targeting her.
The National Guard has not commented on the allegations, and official investigations into the crash remain ongoing.
Crime
5 dead including 3 children in Silver Rail Elementary shooting in Bend, teenage shooter killed by a Good Samaritan
BEND, Ore. โ Five people were reportedly killed in a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in southeast Bend, Oregon, on Thursday, October 15, 2026, including three children, one adult victim, and the teenage suspect, according to preliminary information attributed to federal law enforcement.
The reported shooting prompted a major emergency response involving police, fire crews, and emergency medical services.
Authorities issued an alert at approximately 1:17 p.m., warning of a large police presence at the elementary school and urging the public to avoid the area.
According to the information provided, four victims were killed at the school. Three of those victims were children, while the fourth was an adult. The suspected gunman, described in preliminary reports as a teenager, was also reported dead, bringing the reported total to five fatalities.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting, including the identities of the victims and the suspect, had not been fully established in the information available.
Preliminary reports indicated that the suspected gunman was a teenager and was killed after being confronted by a Good Samaritan.
Earlier scanner traffic reportedly indicated that the suspect had been neutralized. Unconfirmed reports suggested that the individual who intervened may have been a father of a student at the school.
However, authorities had not publicly confirmed all the circumstances surrounding the confrontation or independently verified the reported identity and role of the person who intervened.
Investigators are expected to examine the sequence of events leading up to the shooting, how the suspect was stopped, and whether the suspect acted alone.
The first police alert was issued at approximately 1:17 p.m. Thursday. It described a large police presence at Silver Rail Elementary School and instructed the public to stay away from the area.
Fire and emergency medical services personnel were seen responding near the school as authorities worked to address the reported threat and assist those affected.
The shooting prompted urgent concern among families and the surrounding community, particularly after reports indicated that children were among the victims.
Approximately 10 minutes after the initial alert, police announced a reunification site for students and their families at Journey Church, located at 61303 S. Highway 97 in Bend, near Goodwill and Dairy Queen.
Parents and guardians were instructed to go to the designated location to reunite with students and receive further information.
Authorities urged families to follow official instructions and avoid approaching the school while emergency operations continued.
The reported shooting also prompted precautionary security measures at nearby schools. Parents received alerts indicating that Caldera High School and Jewell Elementary School had been placed on lockdown Thursday afternoon.
The lockdowns were reported as law enforcement responded to Silver Rail Elementary and worked to secure the surrounding area.
Further information was needed to establish how long the lockdowns remained in effect and when normal school operations resumed.
Although preliminary information indicated five deaths, including three children, one adult victim, and the teenage suspect, additional official confirmation is needed regarding the victims’ identities, the suspect’s identity, and the circumstances of the shooting.
The reported involvement of a Good Samaritan also requires confirmation from investigators.
This remains a developing story. Further details should be added as law enforcement and school officials release verified information about the shooting and the investigation.