News Wrap: Deadly shooting spree in Memphis, Steve Bannon charged with fraud

Judy Woodruff:

In the day's other news: The legal fight over the search of the Trump home in Florida took another new turn. The U.S. Justice Department appealed a federal judge's order this week that an independent arbiter review classified records found at the estate. The judge had also blocked federal investigators from using any of the documents. Today's filing seeks to put all that on hold pending the appeal.

Mr. Trump's longtime adviser Steve Bannon surrendered to authorities in New York today for alleged fraud in funding a Southern border wall. He arrived at state court offices in Manhattan this morning. Later he pleaded not guilty to money laundering, conspiracy and fraud.

Prosecutors say Bannon illegally diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars from the wall-building campaign.

Police in Memphis, Tennessee, are still searching for a motive after a gunman killed four people and wounded three in shootings around the city on Wednesday.

Stephanie Sy has more.

Stephanie Sy:

Police first warned Memphis residents Wednesday evening to lock their doors. They were looking for a man on a rampage.

Across eight different crime scenes, a gunman had carjacked, shot and killed his way across the city. A suspect was taken into custody late Wednesday after a chase and standoff.

Jim Strickland, Mayor of Memphis, Tennessee: I am angry.

Stephanie Sy:

Early, the city's mayor called the killings senseless.

Jim Strickland:

This is no way for us to live. And it is not acceptable.

Stephanie Sy:

Police say the first killing happened Wednesday before 1:00 a.m., when the perpetrator shot a 24-year-old man in a driveway. In the afternoon going, around 4:00, two more shootings at different locations, the first one fatal.

At 6:

00, police received a tip that the suspect was filming his crimes live on Facebook. They identified him and started alerting residents. They described their terror.

Arturo Colunga, Memphis Resident:

At first, we thought it was like he was trying to rob them or something. But then we found out that this guy was just shooting randomly.

Stephanie Sy:

Nineteen-year-old Ezekiel Kelly was arrested. He had a record of criminal violence. Charged with attempted first-degree murder at 17, he pleaded to a lesser charge of aggravated assault in adult court, served 11 months and was released early in March.

Mayor Strickland blamed his early release for the deaths of four Memphis citizens.

Jim Strickland:

These evil actions show why truth in sentencing is a must. And we should do all we can to make our city safe.

Stephanie Sy:

Police haven't revealed a motive.

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Stephanie Sy.

Judy Woodruff:

In Canada, tensions eased across Saskatchewan today after the end of a manhunt in mass stabbings that killed 10 people.

But questions lingered today around the way the search ended on Wednesday. One official said that Myles Sanderson died from self-inflicted injuries after police forced his stolen car off a highway. Others said the cause of death was unclear.

Hard-hit consumers in Britain will receive a break from skyrocketing energy bills brought on by the war in Ukraine. The new conservative Prime Minister Liz Truss announced plans today to cap prices for two years. She also called for increased oil drilling in the North Sea and for lifting a ban on fracking to boost domestic supplies.

Liz Truss, British Prime Minister:

I recognize that people are struggling with their energy bills. And that is why I have brought forward this debate as soon as possible to give people reassurance ahead of this winter that energy bills are going to be affordable.

Judy Woodruff:

Truss rejected calls for a windfall tax on oil company profits to pay for the energy price cap.

Back in this country, California — or, rather, the Michigan Supreme Court has agreed to let voters decide on enshrining abortion rights in the state Supreme Court. Today's ruling sets up a referendum in the November elections. Abortion rights advocates had petitioned to put the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot.

California's power grid operators urged customers again today to conserve energy as extreme heat continued. So far, the state has avoided blackouts, despite record demands for electricity. Officials say that people have responded to so-called flex alerts by turning down their air conditioners.

And on Wall Street, stocks managed another day of moderate gains. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 193 points to close 31774. The Nasdaq rose 70 points. The S&P 500 added 26.