Oregon School Shooting, Livestream Plan Scrapped & Tesla's Flying Car - Friday, October 16, 2026

Erica Mandy (0:00)

Today is Friday, October 16th. We'll tell you what's known so far about tragedy in Oregon as a community deals with the horrific aftermath of a school shooting. Also the government's decision to cancel the livestream of an execution, and the new questions about safety restraints at amusement parks. Plus how this winter could look very different depending on where you live. How Tesla plans to take its new car off the road and into the air, and how a random discovery in a sewer sparked a remarkable search for its owner. Those stories and even more news to know coming up.

Welcome to The NewsWorthy, all the day's news in less than 15 minutes. I'm Erica Mandy. Thanks so much for being here. Let's do this.

Unfortunately, we start today with news of a deadly mass shooting at an elementary school. Authorities say a 16-year-old boy shot his way through locked doors to get inside the school in Bend, Oregon, where he opened fire on children and their teachers. A 5-year-old, 8-year-old and an 11-year-old were killed, along with a teacher. Another teacher and a 7-year-old were rushed to the hospital with critical injuries. Police say the whole thing was stopped by someone who followed the shooter inside. They say that person shot and killed the teen gunman, likely saving many lives. As of this morning, investigators have not said whether the suspect had any connection to the school or any of its students. They do say he was using a shotgun bought by his mother. Obviously, it was an emotionally heavy day for everyone involved. At a vigil last night, Ben's mayor called on the community to lean on one another. School is closed today across the whole district, and crisis counselors are available.

The White House has decided not to live stream an execution after all, reversing the decision that drew backlash from both Republicans and Democrats. Former Army Major Nidal Hasan is still scheduled to die by firing squad for attacking soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas in 2009 But now his killing won't be widely broadcast. President Trump still says live streaming the execution could have worked to deter terrorism, but he also acknowledged that many Americans don't want to watch. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle had raised concerns that the images could be used to fuel radicalization. The head of the US. Conference of Catholic Bishops also condemned the live stream plan, calling it barbaric. Now that it's been reversed, there are new questions about whether President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were ever on the same page about it. Reuters cited a White House official who said Trump and his advisors did not actually know about the live stream plan before Hegseth announced it. But a Pentagon spokesperson says the President and Defense Secretary are still completely aligned.

Hundreds of US. Army soldiers are now headed to Latin America as the Trump administration expands its military campaign against drug trafficking. The first troops from a battalion of about 600 soldiers are deploying to Panama where they'll train at a new jungle facility. Then they're expected to eventually train with local forces in Colombia and Honduras. The troops could also support US. Special Operations troops who are already advising local militaries on raids against suspected drug traffickers. Of course, the deployment is part of a broader military push across Latin America and the Caribbean. As we've told you, the Pentagon has already carried out dozens of strikes against the suspected drug traffickers at sea, with more than 235 people killed since the campaign began. And now the US is expanding its military presence on the ground as the administration considers more direct action against drug trafficking networks.

Six Flags Over Georgia is set to reopen today, just days after a man fell to his death from one of its roller coasters. But the ride involved in the deadly accident will stay closed, as investigators tried to figure out what went wrong. At this point, one of the biggest questions is about the ride's restraints. One woman told the AP that her son rode the same ride about an hour before the man who died, but had to switch seats before it started because his restraint kept coming unlocked. And some safety experts are now advocating for backup restraints. Though there's some debate in the industry, since it's possible adding them could increase wait times. Meanwhile, even more amusement parks have decided to shut down their own roller coasters. SeaWorld Orlando and La Ronne theme park in Montreal, both said they have temporarily closed rides for safety reviews, bringing the total number of shutdowns to 11

Most have restraint systems similar to Goliath's. The rides manufacturer says it's also investigating.