8PM ET 08/28/2025 Newscast

Summary

Fox News Hourly Update — 8PM ET, August 28, 2025

Main Theme

This episode covers the day's major national news events, focusing primarily on a tragic shooting at a Catholic church in Minneapolis, judicial developments in the Tyre Nichols case, updates on gun laws in Tennessee, a significant campaign law ruling in Georgia, and revelations about a near-miss aviation incident over North Dakota.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Minneapolis Church Shooting and Parent’s Grief

• [00:02–00:46] The top story is the aftermath of a devastating shooting at a Catholic church in Minneapolis, centering on the public statement from Jesse Merkel, father of 8-year-old victim Fletcher.
  • Jesse Merkel made an emotional plea to remember his son for who he was, not the circumstances of his death.
  • Quote:

    "Remember Fletcher for the person he was and not the act that ended his life."
    — Jesse Merkel [00:17]

  • Fletcher loved family, friends, fishing, cooking, and all sports.
  • Merkel encouraged parents:

    "Give your kids an extra hug and kiss today. We love you, Fletcher. You always be with us."
    — Jesse Merkel [00:32]

  • He expressed hope that his own family and others affected would find healing in time.
• Details on the suspect:
  • Police report the shooter was obsessed with killing children and with the infamy of other mass shooters.
  • Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson noted the suspect’s extreme hatred toward “almost every group imaginable.”

2. Tyre Nichols Beating Death — New Federal Trial Granted

• [00:46–01:49] Judicial update in the case of three ex-Memphis police officers convicted in the Tyre Nichols beating death.
  • Officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith have been granted a new federal trial.
  • Change in presiding judge: Judge Cheryl Lippman replaced Judge Mark Norris, who recused himself. No public reason for recusal.
  • Notable context: One of Judge Norris’s clerks was shot before the original sentencing; believed to be gang-related.
  • Allegations surfaced from Norris that the Memphis Police Department might be infiltrated with gang members, and he suspected a defendant of such connections.
  • Defense attorneys argued Norris’s possible bias warranted a new trial.

3. Tennessee Gun Laws Ruled Unconstitutional

• [02:30–03:16] Legal update on Tennessee state gun regulations.
  • A judicial panel declared two laws unconstitutional:
    • One bans guns in playgrounds, parks, and civic centers (with some exceptions for handgun permit holders).
    • Another, the “intent to go armed” law, was criticized for criminalizing the basic right to bear arms.
  • Distinction recognized between public recreation areas and truly sensitive areas (such as schools, courthouses, polling places).
  • State argued the laws have exceptions and legal defense possibilities; gun rights groups countered they created an undue burden.

4. Campaign Fundraising Law Ruling in Georgia

• [03:16–03:35] A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against Georgia Lt. Governor Burt Jones regarding campaign fundraising practices.
  • The suit, from Attorney General Chris Carr, alleged Jones had an unfair advantage by using a special leadership committee to raise unlimited funds.
  • Both are Republicans running for governor.
  • The ruling clears Jones to continue utilizing the committee for fundraising.

5. B52 Bomber Near-Miss Over North Dakota More Serious Than Reported

• [03:45–04:22] National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) findings on a near-miss involving a B52 bomber in North Dakota.
  • Incident occurred July 19, after a flyover at the North Dakota State Fair (Minot).
  • Delta Flight 2788 narrowly avoided the bomber; new findings reveal a separate near-collision with a small Piper plane, previously unreported.
  • The B52 reportedly came within a third of a mile of the Piper.
  • Full investigation report expected next year.

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Jesse Merkel (Father of Fletcher Merkel), on his son:

  "Remember Fletcher for the person he was and not the act that ended his life." [00:17]
  "Give your kids an extra hug and kiss today. We love you, Fletcher. You always be with us." [00:32]

• Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson, on the shooter’s motivation:

  "He expressed hatred toward almost every group imaginable." [00:46]

• On the Memphis Police Department (Judge Norris’s reported comments):

  "The Memphis Police Department is infiltrated with gang members." [01:27]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Shooting in Minneapolis / Parent’s Statement: 00:02–00:46
• Tyre Nichols case, federal retrial: 00:46–01:49
• (Ad break — skipped)
• Tennessee gun laws struck down: 02:30–03:16
• Georgia campaign law ruling: 03:16–03:35
• B52 bomber near-miss revelation: 03:45–04:22

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Tone and Style

Consistent with Fox News reporting: urgent, succinct, focusing on developing stories and legal proceedings. Direct quotes from sources provide an emotional and factual anchor.

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Summary

This newscast focuses on a moving response from a grieving parent in Minneapolis, highlights significant judicial updates in cases with national impact, and delivers breaking insights on gun legislation and aviation safety. The coverage is concise but thorough, with memorable remarks anchoring the stories, making this update valuable for listeners seeking both detail and immediacy in daily news.

Transcript

[Lisa Lacera]

A parent's grief. I'm Lisa Lacera, Fox News. The parent of the eight year old killed in yesterday's shooting at a Catholic church in Minneapolis with a public plea.

[Jesse Merkel]

Jesse Merkel lost his son in Wednesday's shooting. He was shaking when he said, please.

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

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

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

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.

[Lisa Lacera]

Fox's Jill Nado Minneapolis Police say the suspect was obsessed with the idea of killing children and with other mass shooters. Acting U.S. attorney Joe Thompson says videos and writings the shooter left behind show he expressed hatred toward almost every group imaginable. Three ex Memphis cops convicted on charges connected to the beating death of Tyre Nichols have been granted a new federal.

[Fox News Reporter]

Trial to Darius Bean. Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith were granted the new trial by U.S. district Judge Cheryl Lippman. She took over the case after the original presiding judge, Mark Norris, recused himself. Judge Norris never gave a reason for stepping away, but Judge Littman noted one of Norris clerks was shot before the originally scheduled sentencing. Norris told investigators he believed the shooting was gang related and that one of the officers on trial belonged to that gang. Norris also told a federal prosecutor that the Memphis Police Department is infiltrated with gang members. Lawyers for the ex cops cited Norris's bias in their call for a new trial.

[Lisa Lacera]

Fox's Granal Scott America is listening to Fox News.

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[Lisa Lacera]

Tennessee officials are still assessing the impact of a recent ruling against state gun laws.

[Legal Analyst]

A panel of Tennessee judges finds two laws are unconstitutional. One bans guns in playgrounds, parks and other public recreation areas, including civic centers, with certain exceptions, including handgun owners who have permits. But the judges make a distinction between those kinds of areas and and sensitive locations like schools, courthouses and polling places. They also ruled against the intent to go armed law, writing that it criminalizes the entire right to bear arms portion of the Second Amendment. The state has said that law's misdemeanor offense only applies when certain conditions are not met and a variety of legal defenses can be raised. Gun rights groups argued it creates an improper burden for people after they're already charged.

[Lisa Lacera]

Lisa Brady, Fox News A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit by Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr against Lt. Governor Burt Jones, claiming Jones had an unfair advantage in campaign fundraising the two Republicans both running for governor. The ruling allows Jones to continue raising unlimited campaign funds using a special leadership committee created in 2021. An NTSB report shows a near miss involving a B52 bomber over North Dakota was even more dangerous than originally 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 Dakot, 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.

[Lisa Lacera]

Fox's Tonya J. Powers I'm Lisa Lucera. This is Fox News.

[Will Kane]

It's the Will Kane Show. Watch it live at noon Eastern Monday through Thursday on foxnews.com or on the Fox News YouTube channel. And don't miss a show. Get the podcast five days a week at foxnewspodcasts.com or wherever you download your favorite podcasts.