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CNN Headlines: Federal Agents Search D.C.-Area Home Of Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar; Fatal Fall At Georgia Six Flags Sparks Nationwide Roller Coaster Shutdowns; Trump Launches Campaign Blitz Three Weeks Before Midterms. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired October 13, 2026 - 05:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[05:00:24]

BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: Federal agents raided the D.C. home of Representative Ilhan Omar. How she's responding, and the reaction in Washington ahead.

And deadly coaster. Six Flags temporarily closes some roller coasters nationwide after a man fell and died from a ride in Georgia. The latest developments this morning.

And midterm countdown. We are just three weeks away to Election Day. President Trump blitzes across battleground states this week. We're tracking every move on the campaign trail.

Good morning everyone. I'm Brad Smith. This is CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. Glad that you're with us today.

Let's get this started.

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is calling the search of her home the latest escalation in Donald Trump's, quote, "campaign of political intimidation". The Minnesota Democrats response comes after federal officers executed a search warrant early yesterday at her home in the Washington, D.C. area. It's an unusual move so close to the midterm elections.

CNN's Sherrell Hubbard has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SHERRELL HUBBARD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Washington, D.C., area home of Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar raided.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thought they we're banging on my door because I'm a light sleeper. It was about 4:00, 4:30 in the morning, and they told me to go back inside, and I did.

HUBBARD (voice-over): Neighbor Sharon Jackson was awakened when federal agents executed a search warrant Monday morning at Ilhan Omar's residence. The Department of Justice confirmed investigators with homeland security investigations we're involved. That's the branch of homeland security that oversees criminal investigations. But authorities have not said what prompted the search.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I saw them with blue gloves on. I said, I hope everybody is okay.

HUBBARD (voice-over): The Minnesota Democrat posted on social media she was okay, but said she believes the action against her was, quote, "an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement."

In the post, Omar called the search part of a political intimidation campaign by President Trump and said that she will not be silenced.

Since joining Congress, Omar has been a frequent target of Trump. He doubled down on the rhetoric Monday, but said he was not involved in the search.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, I understand they're looking at it very carefully. I've always found her to be totally crooked personally, but that has nothing to do with me.

HUBBARD (voice-over): Constituents of Omar rallied around her Monday evening in Minnesota.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When immigrants are under attack. What do we do?

CROWD: Stand up, fight back!

HUBBARD (voice-over): Omar is running for reelection with early voting in Minnesota well underway.

I'm Sherrell Hubbard, reporting

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SMITH: All right. Thank you, Sherrell.

We turn now to this.

Six Flags temporarily shutting down nine rides across the country after a man fell to his death from a roller coaster. Police say the man was on the goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia when witnesses saw him fall from the ride. It's still not clear how it happened. One witness told CNN affiliate WXIA that he hit the car several times before landing on the roof of a haunted house attraction.

Several other people we're also hurt.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERRY SUTTON, SIX FLAGS OVER GEORGIA VISITOR: Two of my children had just been on that ride maybe 20 minutes before. Whenever you go to amusement parks, whenever you get in a car, whenever you live your life, it's always subject to risk. So you just never know when something's going to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SMITH: Six Flags says it's cooperating with police as they investigate. We're going to have much more on this story in the next half hour.

All right. Now to the midterm elections, which are exactly three weeks away. President Trump began a week of campaigning in red states with a rally in Youngstown, Ohio. His goal is to pump up the base. But some Republicans are concerned he may be doing more harm than good due to his unpopularity. Polls show the GOP is on track to lose the house and are at risk of losing their majority in the Senate as well.

But on Monday, Trump told the crowd to pretend that he is on the ballot, something that we've heard from him before during this campaigning.

He also attacked Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, calling him a jihadist.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: These people are crazy. What they want to do to our country. You look at the guy running in Michigan, he's a jihadist. He's a jihadist.

And you know what bothers me? The -- even the mainstream, but the media gives him so much publicity. They give him so much publicity. It's, you know, really terrible.

Running against a very good candidate, very, very strong, very good, Mike Rogers, very good candidate. But this -- this guy is a jihadist.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[05:05:04]

SMITH: Trump there speaking about Michigan candidates in Ohio.

Next up on Trump's campaign schedule, Alaska and Montana. We'll have more on his campaign blitz later on in the show.

Meanwhile, we are learning just how much the worlds richest man is actually spending on the upcoming midterm elections. Elon Musk's main political group, America PAC, confirmed it has poured at least $276 million into the midterms in recent months, and a lot of that money is being funneled into Texas, where the Republican senate nominee is locked in a tight race. Texas is hugely important to Musk's business empire and has not elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994.

A Justice Department lawyer is apologizing after those Trump political ads paid for by American taxpayers, aired hundreds of times despite a restraining order issued by a judge. The DOJ says it was not aware of the order that came down on Sunday until the next day. We're told $19 million in taxpayer money has already been spent on the ads.

Now, meanwhile, in Georgia, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms will be appearing with Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock this morning. Now they're going to be kicking off the first day of early voting in the Peach State.

All right. Tomorrow's Cornell University faculty senate meeting will lay the foundation for a vote of no confidence in the school's administration. University leaders are expected to address the faculty senate, according to an agenda reviewed by CNN. Cornell has been in the spotlight over how it handled sexual assault allegations two years ago, some faculty and students worry their concerns won't be taken seriously until they see a real threat to the school's bottom line.

Meanwhile, one of the men named in the civil case, Jane Doe, filed last month, is asking a judge to issue a gag order. The filing obtained by CNN affiliate WSTM details specific statements made by Jane Doe's attorney that the defendant says could harm the outcome of the case, saying in part, "The plaintiff's attorney media blast was not merely an organic result of inquiry, but has been an orchestrated campaign from the outset." A gag order would direct all parties involved to stop making statements about the case.

We'll continue to track any developments and bring them to your attention. We've got lots more to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.

Actress Selma Blair facing assault charges after a violent altercation on a plane with flight attendants. The latest on the bizarre incident straight ahead.

And another alleged sexual assault at a frat house under investigation. This one near the University of Chicago. Details on this latest case coming up.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:12:11]

SMITH: As colleges face scrutiny over how they handle sexual assault allegations, another top university is in the spotlight. At the University of Chicago, a 21-year-old woman reports being sexually assaulted at an Alpha Epsilon Pi frat party, according to officials. The school says someone intervened and the suspect ran off. The U.C. chapter of the fraternity says no members we're involved and that it's cooperating with investigators. Chicago police are leading the case with help from campus police.

Actress Selma Blair is in custody after an alleged incident on board a Delta Airlines flight that also ended with two flight attendants needing medical attention. It happened Sunday night. The New York Port Authority says police we're called to JFK Airport about a physically abusive passenger on a flight from L.A.

Here is the audio that captured those moments.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One flight attendant and one passenger that sustained some minor injuries. A bloody nose as well as some bite marks as well. So I don't think we need an ambulance or anything like that, but we just want to get some medical personnel at the gate to look at their injuries.

And then one additional add-on. It sounds like the disruptive passenger also bashed her head on the bulkhead or something like that.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

SMITH: That passenger, identified as Selma Blair, was taken into custody and later hospitalized. One of the two injured flight attendants was also taken to the hospital. It's unclear what actually happened on the flight. Blair's representative says the actress, who was living with multiple sclerosis, experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct.

According to a law enforcement source, Blair is being held at Queens Criminal Court and the FBI is investigating this incident.

The family of the man, who suffered two broken legs after he was struck by an ICE vehicle, is speaking out. His brother tells CNN he's heartbroken and that the man is not a criminal. A warning now that what you're about to see may be disturbing. ICE claiming agents we're conducting a traffic stop when Miguel Parra-Hernandez and another man fled their truck. Surveillance footage appears to show an unmarked black SUV speed up to pursue them. Parra-Hernandez is later seen on the ground with the SUV in front of him. ICE says that they we're targeting the man with Parra-Hernandez, but his brother tells CNN the person ICE was looking for was not the one in the truck. That second man remains on the run.

New York City's mayor has ordered a department wide review of the NYPD's use of force policies. The review is the first of its kind in about a decade, and comes as Zohran Mamdani faces growing pressure from his base, who say he hasn't done enough to improve public safety and the criminal justice system.

Those we're two of the pledges that he made when he ran for mayor last year. Mamdani also announced several reforms Monday aimed at increasing accountability on police officers accused of misconduct.

[05:15:04]

It stems from a 2024 incident when a 19-year-old queens man was shot and killed while experiencing a mental health crisis in his home. No charges we're brought against those officers.

Well, Pope Leo is moments away from being admitted to this hospital in Rome for a planned surgery. We're taking a look at live photos from Rome. The procedure aims to remove a small mass of dense tissue in his lung that was discovered during recent health checks. Now, most are non-cancerous, but risks can rise with age. The 71-year-old pontiff is expected to stay in the hospital for at least a week as part of his recovery. The Vatican says all of the pope's audiences are canceled until October 20th.

All right. In today's weather express, strong storms are possible today across the Midwest and an October heat wave is building and records could fall.

CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: We do have the potential for some strong to severe thunderstorms stretching from northern Illinois all the way back down through Texas. Out ahead of that, we're going to be looking at record temperatures. But first, we still have some lingering showers across areas of the west that includes both rain and snow showers for several states. But as we push through the rest of the day today and even into Wednesday, you'll start to see more of that new development really start to take shape.

Now, the most of the severe thunderstorms really begin tonight, stretching into early Wednesday morning. But then you'll also see some redevelopment there Wednesday afternoon. Now, we already mentioned all of that heat that's out ahead of it, but it's going to be the last of the heat waves for a lot of areas.

Once that cold front slides through, look at all of those much colder temperatures really starting to dip back into areas of the Midwest. And we're not just talking maybe five or a few degrees above average. We're looking at record breaking temperatures. Every single one of these dots you see here on the map has the potential to break a record temperature at some point over the next several days. Some cities could even break records multiple days in row.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SMITH: All right. Thank you, Allison.

Be sure to download the CNN weather app so you can check out conditions and the forecast in your neighborhood. Just head to CNN.com/CNNWeather.

All right. We've got much more still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. Growing backlash over the pentagons decision to live stream the firing squad, execution of the convicted Fort Hood, Texas mass shooter. What one of the survivors of the attack is saying about the move. That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:22:06]

SMITH: Now to the growing backlash over the Pentagon's plan to publicly livestream an execution by firing squad, including some of that backlash by Republicans in Congress. Some of them.

You may recall, Nidal Hasan is the former Army psychiatrist behind the 2009 massacre at Fort Hood. He killed 13 people and wounded 32 more.

House Speaker Mike Johnson now says he plans to tell the White House that there's, quote, concern among Capitol Hill Republicans. He explained why on CBS Monday. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): The concern would be that you would create a video, that they wouldn't be -- a recruiting tool for future terrorists.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: Retired Army Staff Sergeant Alonzo Lunsford survived the Fort Hood attack.

And CNN's own Kate Bolduan spoke with him last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN HOST: You we're shot seven times by Nidal Hasan. You witnessed him killing your colleagues and friends, knowing he is now set to be executed in December, first and foremost, what does this moment mark for you?

ALONZO LUNSFORD, FORT HOOD SURVIVOR: I mean, it brings some joy and closure, but not to the magnitude where I want to go outside, in front of my house and dance a jig or anything. No, because again, what Hasan did on the 5th of November was horrendous, and it was cowardice. In my opinion, it\s unforgivable.

But I'm not god. So I think he should be held accountable for his crimes and for his sins. Death by firing squad is warranted considering what he did that day. But I don't -- still, the moral -- my moral compass and just the way I was raised in the church, for him to be put to death and it be made a public spectacle? No, I disagree with that.

It's not something where it's like a pay per view event or we're going to have a tailgate because this man is being put to death for what he did that day.

It's not like that because one, as a nation and as a people, we're better than that. We have fought against nations who do this on a regular or is this not the American way?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: Survivors of that attack.

We are learning new details about last month's failed execution of Christa Pike, 911 calls obtained by "The Associated Press" show emergency help was delayed due to confusion among first responders and prison officials. The initial call came just over an hour after the attempted legal and lethal injection.

However, the caller was unable to provide a code that would help verify the requests legitimacy. About 20 minutes later, a dispatcher says they have been informed it was a false call.

[05:25:02] But 10 minutes after that, prison officials say the call was real and responders we're allowed through the gate. So Pike was taken to the hospital and was discharged over the weekend.

Happening today, new White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia will have her first press briefing. It's scheduled for 9:30 a.m. in the White House briefing room.

Now, Zacharia previously worked as a conservative commentator and senior advisor at the Trump media and technology group. She replaces Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down earlier this year.

Straight ahead on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, we're following a tragic incident that happened on a ride at Six Flags in Georgia. What went wrong over the popular Goliath roller coaster? The latest on the investigation, next.

Plus what Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is saying about the raid on her Washington, D.C., house by federal agents. That and much more coming up in the next half hour of CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)