2AM ET 08/29/2025 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

Transcript

[Carmen Roberts]

Remembering the two children killed. I'm Carmen Roberts, Fox News. The parents of the children killed in Wednesday's church mass shooting speak about their kids and their loss. Jesse Merkel was shaking when he talked to reporters about his son.

[Jesse Merkel]

Please remember Fletcher for the person he was and not the act that ended his life.

[Jill Naito]

Merkel said his 8 year old son loved his family, friends, fishing, cooking and any sport he was allowed to play. And Merkel urged other parents to give.

[Jesse Merkel]

Your kids an extra hug and kiss today. We love you, Fletcher. You'll always be with us.

[Jill Naito]

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. Jill Naito, Fox News.

[Carmen Roberts]

The shooter who fired through the windows of the Annunciation Catholic Church In Minneapolis injured 18 people and also killed 10 year old Harper Moishe, known for her laughter and her kindness. Police say the shooter left behind writings, videos and other clues that show he hated just about every ethnic group but admired mass shooters. The Minneapolis shooter died by suicide. That's also the case in Walton, Kentucky, tonight. Boone county deputies say a man who shot and injured two deputies took his own life after a standoff with a SWAT team. Brady Williams with Fox 19 Cincinnati reports from the scene.

[Jesse Merkel]

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.

[Carmen Roberts]

No names released. The White House names Jim o' Neill as acting director of the CDC after firing Director Susan Menara's Thursday in a clash over vaccine policy. O' Neill is a deputy to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. America's listening to FOX News.

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[Jill Naito]

A man.

[Carmen Roberts]

Who fled Ohio after being sought for the murder of a toddler five years ago is caught in Massachusetts.

[Ryan Porter]

Federal marshals in Framingham, Massachusetts, arrested Dioblis Williams on a charge of homicide of a child. Police Serge Ryan Porter said a Framingham cop was on his way to a meeting about Williams, whom marshals believed was in the area. That officer was near City hall when.

[Jesse Merkel]

He noticed a man wearing a wig with a lot of makeup on.

[Ryan Porter]

The officer called in backup and forced Williams to run. As he did, Williams tripped and fell. Then he surrendered. After being arraigned in Massachusetts, Williams is expected to be extradited to Ohio to face a murder charge.

[Carmen Roberts]

Gernall Scott, FOX News, a leading newspaper in Yemen. An Israeli strike on the capital city Thursday killed the Houthi prime minister. That strike appeared to be separate from an IDF attack targeting 10 senior Houthi ministers. No word on the results of that strike. An NTSB report says a near miss involving a B52 bomber over north Dakota was more dangerous than first thought.

[NTSB Investigator]

NTSB investigators say shortly after Delta Flight 2788 made an aggressive maneuver to keep from hitting a B52 bomber last month in the skies over North Dakota, the military plane almost collided with a different aircraft, which had not been previously reported. The incident happened on July 19 after the bomber had completed a flyover at the North Dakota State Fair in Minot. In addition to the Delta flight, the NTSB's preliminary report says the B52 came within a third of a mile of a small Piper airplane. The NTSB is not expected to release its final report on the cause of the incident until sometime next year.

[Carmen Roberts]

Fox's Tanya J. Powers and stocks closed at back to back records on signs of a resilient economy. S&P 500 ending above 6500 for the first time. I'm Carmen Roberts. This is FOX News.

[NetSuite Oracle Advertiser]

What does the future hold for business? Ask nine experts and you'll get 10 answers. Bull market, bear market, inflation's up or down. Can someone please invent a crystal ball? Until then, over 42,000 businesses have future proofed their business with Netsuite by Oracle, the number one cloud erp bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR into one fluid platform with one unified business management suite. There's one source of truth giving you the visibility and control you need to make quick decisions with real time insights and forecasting, you're peering into the future with actionable data. When you're closing the books in days, not weeks, you're spending less time looking backwards and more time on what's next. Whether your company is earning millions or even hundreds of millions, NetSuite helps you respond to immediate challenges and seize your biggest opportunities. Speaking of opportunity, download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning at netsuite.com fox the guide is free to you at netsuite.com fox netsuite.com fox.