Fox News Hourly Update

Episode: 2AM ET 08/29/2025 Newscast
Date: August 29, 2025
Host: Carmen Roberts

Overview

This Fox News Radio hourly update for August 29, 2025 (2AM ET) delivers breaking national and international news, spotlighting recent tragedies, law enforcement actions, political shakeups, global conflict, aviation safety, and economic milestones. The tone is factual and urgent, reflecting the serious subject matter and the station’s brisk tempo.

Key News Stories and Discussion Points

1. Minneapolis Church Mass Shooting Aftermath

• [00:02] - [00:47]
• Coverage begins with the emotional aftermath of Wednesday’s mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, where two children—Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moishe, 10—were killed and 18 others injured.
• Jesse Merkel, father of Fletcher, gives a moving statement about his son, urging people to remember the victims for their lives, not their deaths.
• Reporters Jill Naito and Carmen Roberts elaborate on both children’s personalities and the ongoing impact on affected families.

Notable Quotes

• Jesse Merkel ([00:16]): “Please remember Fletcher for the person he was and not the act that ended his life.”
• Jesse Merkel ([00:32]): “Your kids an extra hug and kiss today. We love you, Fletcher. You'll always be with us.”
• Jill Naito ([00:37]): “He said he's hoping that in time his family can find healing and he's praying the families of other victims will do the same.”

2. Details on the Shooter

• [00:47] - [01:22]
• The shooter targeted the church, firing through windows, resulting in multiple casualties and ultimately died by suicide.
• Police uncovered the shooter’s writings and videos showing hatred toward many ethnic groups and unsettling admiration for other mass shooters.

3. Walton, Kentucky Shooting and Standoff

• [01:22] - [01:37]
• Boone County deputies in Kentucky report a man with a military background shot and critically injured two officers during an attempted arrest concerning a child support warrant, then died by suicide during a SWAT team standoff.
• Details remain scant, with names unreleased. Injured officers are in stable condition.

Notable Quotes

• Jesse Merkel (for Fox 19 Cincinnati, [01:22]): “An individual who we know has military background was approached by police because of a warrant situation due to child support that led to him shooting two officers who are in stable condition, but they were critical at one point. One was in surgery.”

4. CDC Leadership Change, Vaccine Policy Rift

• [01:37] - [01:59]
• The White House appointed Jim O’Neill as acting CDC director after firing Dr. Susan Menara due to a “clash over vaccine policy.”
• O’Neill previously served as a deputy to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

5. Arrest in Long-Unsolved Ohio Toddler Murder

• [03:10] - [03:51]
• Federal marshals capture Dioblis Williams in Massachusetts, wanted for the murder of a child five years prior in Ohio.
• Williams was spotted by a Framingham officer (in a wig, heavy makeup), attempted to flee, fell, and surrendered without further incident.
• He’ll be extradited to Ohio after arraignment.

Notable Quotes

• Jesse Merkel ([03:32]): “He noticed a man wearing a wig with a lot of makeup on.”
• Ryan Porter ([03:16]): “Federal marshals in Framingham, Massachusetts, arrested Dioblis Williams on a charge of homicide of a child.”

6. Israeli Airstrikes in Yemen

• [03:51] - [04:15]
• A leading Yemeni newspaper reports an Israeli strike killed the Houthi prime minister in the country’s capital.
• The strike was separate from another Israeli Defense Force attack reportedly targeting 10 senior Houthi ministers. Results of those attacks are still unconfirmed.

7. NTSB Report: Near-Catastrophe Involving B-52, Commercial, and Private Planes

• [04:15] - [04:54]
• An NTSB preliminary report reveals a near collision last month in North Dakota: after Delta Flight 2788 swerved to avoid a B-52 bomber, the military plane nearly hit a small private Piper airplane in an unreported incident.
• The event took place during the July 19 airshow flyover in Minot. The NTSB’s investigation continues.

Notable Quotes

• NTSB Investigator ([04:15]): “The B52 came within a third of a mile of a small Piper airplane.”

8. Stock Market Milestone

• [04:54] - [05:07]
• The S&P 500 closes above 6500 for the first time, signaling ongoing confidence in the U.S. economy.
• Segment ends factual and brief.

Memorable Moments & Tone

• The raw emotion in Jesse Merkel’s plea regarding his son ([00:16], [00:32]) stands out as the episode's most poignant moment.
• Swift coverage of major developments—shooter motivations, police actions, political changes—keeps the tone urgent and informative.
• Global and local stories are interspersed seamlessly, giving a comprehensive “snapshot” of late-night news.

Important Timestamps

• [00:02] — Opening and shooting remembrance
• [00:16] — Jesse Merkel’s statement about his son Fletcher
• [01:22] — Kentucky police shooting and standoff
• [01:37] — CDC director change, vaccine policy clash
• [03:10] — Ohio toddler murder suspect arrested in Massachusetts
• [03:51] — Israeli airstrikes in Yemen
• [04:15] — NTSB report on North Dakota near-miss
• [04:54] — S&P 500 sets new record

Summary

This episode delivers a concise, urgent roundup of major late August news stories. From the tragic aftermath of the Minneapolis church shooting to significant global and domestic developments—the change in CDC leadership, a dramatic fugitive arrest, shifting Middle East conflict, aviation safety alarms, and bullish economic news—the broadcast covers a sweeping range of subjects with brevity and emotional impact. Notable moments, especially the bereaved father’s statements, lend a personal gravity to an otherwise brisk newscast.