Washington, D.C
Victims of plane crash in DC: Ryan O'Hara, Kiah Duggins, Ian Epstein, among victims of American airlines crash – BBC News Pidgin
Wia dis foto come from, Howard University
Recovery operations still dey go on for Washington DC. Dis na afta one American Airlines plane from Kansas wey get 64 pipo onboard collide wit one military helicopter on Wednesday night.
Di victims include top figure skaters from US and Russia, one young pilot, flight attendants, and one lawyer wey dey travel go house on her birthday.
Here na some of di pipo believed to dey on board di helicopter and di plane.
Passengers
26-year-old Indiana woman, Asra Hussain Raza, just move go Washington DC area afta she receive her master’s degree in hospital management.
“She bin dey return from one work trip wia she dey help improve one hospital wey really need help,” her husband Hamaad Raza, wey show di last text message e receive from im wife to news crews outside di airport, tok.
“And, you know, she bin dey do wetin she love. She bin even dey work on di flight.”
E add say: “She give a lot, but she get so much more to give. If anybody dey wey take advantage of dia 26 years of life, na her.”
Di president of Howard University don confam say Professor Kiah Duggins die for di collision.
Di civil rights lawyer dey set to begin lecture for di university School of Law for autumn.
“She dedicate her career to fighting against unconstitutional policing and unjust money bail practices for Tennessee, Texas and Washington DC,” di university tok for one statement wey US media report.
Two DC lawyers also dey on board di flight, dia loved ones confam.
Sarah Lee Best, 33, dey kind and hardworking, her husband Daniel Solomon tell di Washington Post.
Mrs Best and Mr Solomon bin plan to travel go Hawaii, wia dem born her for dia 10th wedding anniversary for May.
33-year-old Lawyer Elizabeth Keys, “always, always manage to have fun… no mata wetin she dey do,” her partner David Seidman tell di paper.
She die on her birthday, Oga Seidman tok.
Di firm wia two of dem dey work, Wilkinson Stekloff, pay tribute to di “cherished members” of dia team.
Dem be “wonderful attorneys, colleagues, and friends,” firm founder Beth Wilkinson tok for statement.
Dem don pay to “dedicated papa” Casey Crafton of Salem, Connecticut.
“Salem just lost a dedicated father, husband, and community member,” Govnor Ned Lamont bin write on social media.
Salem Little League, wia Oga Crafton be coach, tok say di town dey “heartbroken” by di loss of di “beloved” club member.
“Di Crafton family, dey deeply involved in all things Salem, di community don suffer an unimaginable loss,” di statement read.
Michael Stovall mama tok say her son na “di happiest pesin” wey dey see good in evri body.
Oga Stovall, wey pipo sabi well-well as Mikey, bin dey travel go house from one annual hunting trip wit friends, Christina Stovall tell Wink News.
“Mikey no get one enemy. If you see fotos of am… e be di life of di party. E love evri body.”
Oga Stovall cousin tell di New York Times say e bin dey fly wit at least six of im friends from di trip, some of dem don sabi each oda since childhood.
Jesse Pitcher bin dey travel wit Oga Stovall, im papa confam.
Di 30-year-old from Maryland just marry last year and e recently just start im own business, Jameson Pitcher tell di New York Times.
“E just dey start life,” e tok.
“E say im go see me wen e come back.”
Philippine National Police confam say di director of dia Supply Management Division, Colonel Pergentino N. Malabed, bin dey on board di flight.
One police tok-tok pesin say dem recover one body wey carry Col Malabed passport from di Potomac.
E travel go US wit two oda officers to test personnel vests wey di police dey plan to buy, and e bin dey on im way to di Philippine embassy for Washington.
Passenger plane crew
Di plane captain Jonathan J. Campos dream since wen e be 3-year-old na to be pilot, im aunt tell di New York Times.
“I think e wan dey free, and dey able to fly and soar like a bird,” Beverly Lane tok.
34-year-old Oga Campos, 34, bin grow up for Brooklyn, New York, and e work for PSA Airlines (part of di American Airlines group) for eight years, she add.
Di papa of 28-year-old pilot Sam Lilley tok say e don dey engaged to be married and e “just dey for di prime of im life”.
Tim Lilley tell NewsNation say im son get im piloting license in only a few years becos e “pursue am wit vigour”.
“Sam dey right wit Jesus, and I know where e dey go,” e tok.
Im sister Tiffany Gibson dey call am “an amazing person”.
“E love pipo. E love adventure. E love to travel,” she tell ABC News.
“E dey so young, and e dey excited about life and im future and getting a dog and a house and kids. And it’s just, dis just dey tragic.”
Wia dis foto come from, Facebook/Debi Epstein
Virginia resident Ian Epstein na flight attendant on di plane, im family tok.
E dey known for im ability to make pipo smile and e dey “full of life”.
“He love being a flight attendant becos e truly enjoy to dey travel and meet new pipo. But im true love na im family,” di statement continue.
Epstein, 53, na father, stepfather, husband, and brother, di family tok, and as say dem go “truly miss am”.
Danasia Elder also dey work as a flight attendant, her family tell US media for Charlotte, North Carolina.
Her brother-in-law Brandon Payne wey pay tribute to her, tok say she dey “full of life”.
“She be great wife, great parent, great friend,” Payne tok. “She dey very bright, very smart… Dis flight attendant thing na kind of like one of her dreams, something wey she wan do.”
E say im dey proud of im sister-in-law for pursuing her dreams, and she “go want make all of una do di same thing she do”.
“Chase your dreams, no mata what. No let anytin fear you, push you away. Just believe in yourself, believe in God, and follow di path.”
Helicopter crew
29-year-old Ryan O’Hara, na di crew chief of di Black Hawk helicopter wey jam di passenger plane, according to CBS News.
E leave behind a wife and one-year-old son, im local Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program tok for one social media post wey confam im death.
O’Hara dey “fondly remembered as dat guy wey go fix things around di ROTC gym, e also be ogbonge member of di rifle team,” di post tok.
Wia dis foto come from, Facebook/Carrie Eaves
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves confam say Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves also die for di collision.
Paying tribute to her husband, Carrie Eaves confam say e be one of di pilots of di Blackhawk helicopter.
“We ask say make you pray for our family and friends and for all di oda families wey dey suffer today. We ask for peace while we grieve,” she write on social media.
Ice skaters
Spencer Lane and Christine Lane
16-year-old Ice skater Spencer Lane, die alongside her mother Christine Lane, 49. Dem dey among di at least 14 athletes and coaches wey die as dem dey return from one skate camp for Wichita.
Im father tell local media say im son na “a force of nature” wey show “drive and tenacity” to di sport.
“E train for di Skating Club of Boston five days a week and attend high school online and just commit himself to it,” Douglas Lane tokj.
E add say im wife na “creative powerhouse” wey go do anything for her children.
Jinna Han, 13, bin also travel go di skate camp wit her mother, Jin.
For one 2022 interview, Jinna bin tell one news network for her Massachusetts hometown say she dey excited to watch di Olympics.
“E dey just so exciting,” Jinna Han tok. “E dey like, who go win, wetin go happun, becos anything fit happun for di Olympics.”
Doug Zeghibe of di Skating Club of Boston call Jin “wonderful, pleasant, polite” pesin.
“Never a discouraging word,” e tok. “Always appreciative, always supportive of not just Jinna, her daughter, but every athlete. Just role model parents in your sport, and you no dey always get dat.”
Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov
Di Kremlin confam di deaths of beloved ice skating coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, wey be Russian.
Famous skating coach and friend Rafael Arutyunyan tell CNN say e bin make im athletes train in silence afta di crash as mark of respect.
“I know all these coaches,” e tok. “All of our community dey respectful to dem and like dem, so I feel dem go stay wit us forever.”
Twelve-year-old Olivia Ter from Maryland dey among di US figure skaters aboard di flight, local officials confam.
“Olivia no only excelled in figure skating programs but inspire odas through her talent, determination and sportsmanship,” Prince George County Parks and Recreation tok for one statement wey CBS News report.
“Di impact of Olivia life go continue to resonate for our youth sports community, and we go miss her well-well,” Bill Tyler, di director of di Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, tok.
Wia dis foto come from, Facebook/Matthew Alan LaRaviere
Cory Haynos, Roger Haynos and Stephanie Branton Haynos
Cory Haynos bin dey travel go house from di US Ice Skating Championships wit im parents, Roger Haynos and Stephanie Branton Haynos, one family member write on social media.
“Roger don always inspire me by im absolute love for im family and dedication to providing only di best for im wife and kids,” Matthew Alan LaRavier, Roger cousin, write.
“Cory na amazing skater wit a very bright future,” e tok.
“All of us bin dey expect Cory to represent our kontri for US Olympics for di future.”
Former coach Sasha Kirsanov bin dey on board di plane, di University of Delaware tok.
Im wife tell ABC News say she don “lost everything” for di crash.
Washington, D.C
What’s that noise? What you need to know about D.C. flyovers Friday and Saturday – WTOP News
Reagan National Airport will close for America 250 flyover rehearsals Friday and celebrations Saturday featuring the Thunderbirds, Blue Angels and more.
Reagan National Airport will close from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday for rehearsals ahead of this weekend’s America 250 celebrations, meaning people around D.C., Arlington and Alexandria may hear and see low-flying military aircraft.
According to Freedom 250 event organizers, Friday’s “Wings of Freedom” demonstrations over the National Mall will feature parachute teams, helicopters and military aircraft, including the U.S. Marine Corps’ MV-22 Osprey and F-35B, the Navy’s F-18F and F-35C, the Air Force’s F-22 Raptor, the Thunderbirds and a tri-bomber formation.
On Saturday, the FAA will close the airport from noon to midnight for the full celebration. All arrivals and departures at Reagan National are scheduled to end before noon.
Flyovers and demonstrations are scheduled throughout the afternoon and evening along the National Mall and Washington Monument grounds, including appearances by Air Force One, the Thunderbirds, Blue Angels, military aircraft fleet reviews, parachute demonstrations and B-2 stealth bombers.
Highlights include an Air Force One flyover scheduled for 7:03 p.m., a Thunderbirds demonstration beginning at 6:25 p.m., a tri-bomber formation at 6:02 p.m. and a stealth aircraft flyover at 7:38 p.m.
Friday’s schedule of flyovers and demonstration rehearsals along the National Mall and Washington Monument
- 10 a.m.: Golden Knights, Leap Frogs
- 10:15 a.m.: Army Helo Flyover
- 10:20 a.m.: USMC V-22 Osprey Demo
- 10:35 a.m.: USMC F-35B STOVL Demo
- 10:50 a.m.: USN F-18F Demo
- 11:10 a.m.: USN F-35C Demo Team
- 11:30 a.m.: USAF F-22 Raptor Demo
- 11:50 a.m.: NASA F-5s
- 12 p.m.: HUGE (1) Formation
- 12:05 p.m.: USAF Thunderbirds
- 12:55 p.m.: USAF Tri-Bomber
Saturday’s schedule of flyovers and demonstration along the National Mall and Washington Monument
- 1:14 p.m.: – NASA F-5 Flyover
- 1:24 p.m.: -NASA Fleet Review
- 1:44 p.m.: USCG Helo Flyover
- 1:54 p.m.: USCG Fixed Wing Flyover
- 2:09 p.m.: Golden Knights, Leap Frogs
- 2:29 p.m.: Army Helo Flyover
- 2:44 p.m.: USAF Fleet Review – Wave 1 – Heavies
- 2:54 p.m.: USAF Fleet Review – Wave 2 – AFSOC
- 3:04 p.m.: USAF Fleet Review – Wave 3 – Fighters
- 3:29 p.m.: Executive Rotary Wing Airlift
- 3:39 p.m.: USMC Fleet Review – Wave 1 – Rotary
- 3:49 p.m.: USMC Fleet Review – Wave 2 – Fixed Wing
- 3:59 p.m.: USN Fleet Review – Wave 1 – Rotary
- 4:09 p.m.: USN Fleet Review – Wave 2 – Fixed Wing
- 4:19 p.m.: USN Fleet Review – Wave 3 – Fighters
- 4:21 p.m.: USN F-18F Demonstration
- 4:59 p.m.: USN Blue Angels
- 5:26 p.m.: USMC MV-22 Osprey Demonstration
- 5:44 p.m.: USAF Fleet Review – Fighters
- 6:02 p.m.: USAF Tri-Bomber Formation
- 6:05 p.m.: USN F-35C Demonstration
- 6:25 p.m.: USAF Thunderbirds Demonstration
- 7:03 p.m.: Air Force One Flyover
- 7:07 p.m.: USAF Thunderbirds Delta Break
- 7:17 p.m.: HUGE 1 Flyover Led by the Newly Renovated Air Force One
- 7:38 p.m.: U.S. Stealth Airpower Flyover
- 7:39 p.m.: F-22 Raptor Demo
- 7:53 p.m.: F-22 Raptor in Afterburner
- 7:59 p.m.: B-1 Flyover
- 8:07 p.m.: B-1’s in Afterburner
- 8:11 p.m.: HUGE ONE Fly Over Review
- 8:22 p.m.: Golden Knights Twilight Jump
- 10:36 p.m.: B-1 Afterburner Night Pass
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
Washington, D.C
Air Force officer arrested at Capitol after calling for Trump’s impeachment
An Air Force major was arrested in uniform on the steps of the Capitol after he called for the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
U.S. Capitol Police arrested Jason Watson, an active-duty service member, on Wednesday afternoon following remarks at a news conference where he said Trump and Vice President JD Vance should be removed from office.
The event was organized by the Removal Coalition, a group that lobbies members of Congress to impeach Trump, and attended by Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, who has repeatedly introduced articles of impeachment against Trump.
“I’m here with him because Rep. Green is the only member of Congress that has demonstrated the courage and conviction to … force a vote on articles of impeachment,” Watson said at the event. “If Congress followed his example, we could remove the entire Trump administration, but Congress remains unconvinced of the urgency and necessity for them to honor their oaths, so we must persuade them with our unrelenting, uncompromising civil resistance.”
Watson said he is not a Democrat and does not share policy positions with Green, who lost his re-election bid this year. Green’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Watson’s arrest.
Capitol Police said in a statement that it “is generally against the law for the public to demonstrate on the House Steps unless they are with a Member of Congress.”
“Yesterday afternoon, a man was escorted to the House Steps by a Member of Congress,” the statement said. “When the Member of Congress left the area, our officers gave the man lawful orders to stop the illegal demonstration or he would be arrested. The man refused our lawful orders.”
Capitol Police identified the man as Watson, adding that he was arrested on charges of “Crowding, Obstructing, and Incommoding” and that it is legal to protest in other spots on the Capitol grounds.
Service members are subject to stricter laws than the average citizen when it comes to protesting. The Uniform Code of Military Justice prohibits officers from “using contemptuous language towards the President, Vice president, the Secretaries of War and of a military department, Congress, and certain other officials,” according to an Air Force memo last year.
An Air Force spokesperson said in a statement Thursday: “Service members must comply with all laws, regulations and policies governing conduct and the wear of the uniform. All Department of the Air Force personnel are expected to uphold the highest standards of discipline and professionalism, both on and off duty.”
All service members, not just members of the Air Force, are prohibited from participating in “political activities” in uniform.
Watson’s criticism of Trump and Vance focused on the administration’s actions in Venezuela and Iran, calling them “an unconstitutional usurpation of Congress’ authority and a violation of the War Powers Clause.”
“These violations resulted in the deaths of 13 service members and injuries of hundreds more,” he said, referring to the number of U.S. military deaths tied to the Iran war. “For this, the president and vice president must be impeached, convicted and removed.”
Watson also called the administration’s immigration policies and tactics unconstitutional.
The Removal Coalition did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Watson could not be reached.
President Donald Trump responded to criticism of a financial disclosure that listed $1.4 billion in crypto earnings largely driven by meme coins.
Washington, D.C
Hegseth faces protests at ‘Safe and Beautiful’ Washington, DC ceremony
Berk Kutay Gökmen
02 July 2026•Update: 02 July 2026
US Defense Secretary Hegseth on Thursday faced protesters while hosting the Trump administration’s DC Safe and Beautiful Task Force ceremony in Washington DC.
During the ceremony at Meridian Hill Park, which saw the gathering of National Guardsmen, dozens of demonstrators gathered near the park to protest Hegseth.
Footage shows the demonstrators chanting a short distance away from where Hegseth and roughly 200 members of the National Guard had gathered in the park
In social media posts, one protester was seen holding a Palestinian flag, while another person was holding a sign that reads “arrest Hegseth.” The protesters want a “Free DC,” according to social media posts.
In his address to the National Guard, Hegseth said that “this background noise is perfect,” referring to the protests.
“It’s the sound of ingrates, of ingratitude—of people who are so blinded by ideology they can’t see law and order and common sense in front of them,” he said.
Meridian Hill Park was repaired by the National Park Service and the Interior Department as part of a larger initiative to restore and enhance federal parks and public spaces throughout the nation’s capital in preparation for America’s 250th anniversary, which falls on this Saturday, July 4.
Though such beautification projects are typically popular with the public, the current initiative has been controversial both for its choice of projects and the use of no-bid contracts to hire firms to do the work, sometimes with disappointing results.
The work aligns with President Donald Trump’s DC Safe and Beautiful Task Force, established by a March 2025 executive order that directs federal agencies to coordinate public safety and beautification efforts across Washington.
-
Minnesota4 minutes agoHope lost: Minnesota AG closes unit that freed wrongfully convicted prisoners
-
Mississippi7 minutes agoMississippi Lottery rolls out 4 new scratch-off games for July – SuperTalk Mississippi
-
Missouri12 minutes agoMissouri Highway Patrol investigates death of staffer at youth ranch in Reynolds County; 1 juvenile arrested
-
Montana19 minutes agoMontana DEQ warns of algal blooms ahead of holiday weekend
-
Nebraska22 minutes agoSome Nebraska communities ban fireworks in year marked by drought, wildfires
-
Nevada27 minutes agoHow Chinese-Americans contributed to mining in Nevada
-
New Hampshire34 minutes agoMan From Concord Arrested On Drug Sale, Subsequent Possession Charges: Concord Police Log
-
New Jersey37 minutes agoMikie Sherrill welcomes July 4 tall ships to NJ at Sandy Hook

