Luigi Mangione watched stoically in court Monday as prosecutors played surveillance videos showing the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a New York City sidewalk last year and Mangiones arrest five days later at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania.

The videos, including footage from the restaurant previously unseen by the press or the public, kicked off a hearing on Mangiones fight to bar evidence from his state murder trial, including the gun prosecutors say matches the one used in the Dec. 4, 2024, attack. Thompson was killed as he walked to a Manhattan hotel for his companys annual investor conference.

Mangione, 27, pressed a finger to his lips and a thumb to his chin as he watched footage of two police officers approaching him as he ate breakfast at the McDonalds in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles west of Manhattan.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | State terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione dropped in health care CEO murder case

He gripped a pen in his right hand, making a fist at times, as prosecutors played a 911 call from a McDonald's manager relaying concerns from customers that Mangione looked like the suspect in Thompsons killing. The manager said she searched online for photos of the suspect and that as Mangione sat in the restaurant, she could only see his eyebrows because he was wearing a beanie and a medical face mask.

Before he was flown to New York City to face murder charges, Mangione was held under constant watch in an otherwise empty special housing unit at a Pennsylvania state prison.

A correctional officer testified that the prison wanted to keep Mangione away from other inmates and staff who might leak information about him to the media. The officer testified that the facilitys superintendent told him that the prison "did not want an Epstein-style situation, referring to Jeffrey Epsteins suicide at a Manhattan federal jail in 2019.

WATCH | Luigi Mangione reportedly suffered from back pain. What was the condition, and how is it treated?

Among the evidence Mangione's defense team wants excluded are the 9 mm handgun and a notebook in which prosecutors say he described his intent to wack a health insurance executive. Both were found in a backpack Mangione had with him when arrested.

Mangione, the Ivy League-educated scion of a wealthy Maryland family, has pleaded not guilty to state and federal murder charges. The state charges carry the possibility of life in prison, while federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Neither trial has been scheduled. The next hearing in the federal case is scheduled for Jan. 9.

Defense wants to bar the gun and notebook from his trial

After getting state terrorism charges thrown out in September, Mangiones lawyers are zeroing in on what they say was unconstitutional police conduct that threatens his right to a fair trial.

They contend that the Manhattan district attorney's office should be prevented from showing the gun, notebook and other items to jurors because police didn't have a search warrant.

They also want to suppress some of Mangione's statements to police, such as when he allegedly said his name was Mark Rosario, because officers started asking questions before telling him he had a right to remain silent. Prosecutors say Mangione gave the same name while checking into a Manhattan hostel days before the killing.

The defense is also seeking to preclude statements Mangione made to law enforcement from the day of his arrest until he was moved to New York on Dec. 19. The correctional officer, Tomas Rivers, testified that Mangione talked to him about his travels to Asia, including witnessing a gang fight in Thailand, and discussed differences between private and nationalized health care.

At one point, Rivers said, Mangione asked him whether the news media was focused on him as a person or the crime that was committed. He also said Mangione told him he wanted to make a public statement.

Another correctional officer, Matthew Henry, said Mangione blurted out to him that at the time of his arrest, he had a backpack with foreign currency and a 3D-printed pistol. Mangione's lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, was incredulous at Henry's testimony that Mangione might have shared that information, unprompted.

Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting Thompson from behind.

Prosecutors say delay, deny and depose were written on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.

WATCH | How Luigi Mangione went from Ivy League engineer to alleged UnitedHealthcare CEO assassin

Eliminating the gun and notebook would be critical wins for Mangiones defense and major setbacks for prosecutors, depriving them a possible murder weapon and evidence they say points to motive. Prosecutors have quoted extensively from Mangiones writings in court filings, including his alleged praise for the late Unabomber" Theodore Kaczynski.

Among other things, prosecutors say, Mangione mused about rebelling against the deadly, greed fueled health insurance cartel and wrote that killing an industry executive conveys a greedy bastard that had it coming.

An officer searching the backpack found with Mangione was heard in body camera footage saying she was checking to make sure there wasnt a bomb in the bag. His lawyers argue that was an excuse designed to cover up an illegal warrantless search of the backpack.

Laws concerning how police interact with potential suspects before reading them their rights or obtaining search warrants are complex and often disputed in criminal cases.

Federal prosecutors, fighting a similar defense effort in that case, have said in court filings that police were justified in searching the backpack to make sure there were no dangerous items, and that his statements to officers were voluntary and were made before he was under arrest.

Pivotal pretrial hearing could last more than a week

Court officials say the hearing could last more than a week, meaning it would extend through Thursdays anniversary of the killing. Defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo told a judge in an unrelated matter last week that Manhattan prosecutors had indicated they could call more than two dozen witnesses.

Mangione was allowed to wear normal clothing to court instead of a jail uniform. He entered the courtroom Monday in a gray suit and a button-down shirt with a checkered or tattersall pattern. Court officers removed his handcuffs to allow him to take notes.

NYPD Sgt. Chris McLaughlin testified about efforts to disseminate surveillance images of the suspect to news outlets and on social media in the hours and days after the shooting.

To illustrate the breadth of news coverage during the five-day search for the shooter, prosecutors played a surveillance video of the shooting, footage of police divers searching a pond in Central Park and Fox News clips that included images of the suspected shooter distributed by police.

A few dozen Mangione supporters watched the hearing from the back of the courtroom. One wore a green T-shirt that said: Without a warrant, its not a search, its a violation. Another woman held a doll of the Luigi video game character and had a smaller figurine of him clipped to her purse.

Court continued Monday for the four people charged in the death of a 5-year-old boy who was killed in a hyperbaric chamber explosion in Troy earlier this year.

The preliminary hearing picked back up from September.

Watch Carli Petrus' video report below: Tense say in court during hearing in hyperbaric chamber explosion hearing

Prosecutors say the death of 5-year-old Thomas Cooper at The Oxford Center was preventable.

All four people being charged were present as the preliminary hearing continued after a two-month break. Tamela Peterson, the CEO of The Oxford Center; Gary Marken, the manager; Aleta Moffitt, the operator of the machine; and Jeffrey Mosteller, the safety director have all been charged in connection with Thomas death.

Watch our previous coverage of the second day of the hearing when a hyperbaric chamber expert testified: Expert calls out The Oxford Center, alleges facility bucked industry standards

He was killed when the hyperbaric chamber he was receiving treatment in exploded on Jan. 31, 2025.

Prosecutors called on their third witness, Andrew Melnyczenko, the technical and safety director of hyperbaric medicine for the Mayo Clinic.

"About 40 minutes passed from the time the chamber was pressurized to the moment where a flame was seen," said Melnyczenko, who said he reviewed video of the tragic incident.

"What I observed was that Thomas was moving about in the chamber from left to right and then up and down the gurney and in doing so, he exposed a portion of the mattress his left knee moved toward the mattress and that's where the flame was seen."

Melnyczenko testified that industry standard safety protocols were not followed by The Oxford Center in this case.

Watch the first day of the hearing when a former employee testified below: Ex-employee reveals safety concerns in preliminary hearing

The prosecution asked Melnyczenko if he saw that Thomas was not wearing a grounding strap before the explosion.

"That's correct," Melnyczenko responded.

The preliminary hearing continues Tuesday.

By Max Bryan, mbruan@detroitnews.com

Birmingham has filed a lawsuit in Oakland Circuit Court to block the sale of The Community House after its nonprofit operator announced plans to cease in-house operations in 2026.

The Community House Association announced Nov. 3 that operations in its 1930 building at 380 Bates St. will not be required as the association transitions into the Birmingham Area Community Foundation, which will provide scholarships for students and support for smaller area nonprofits. The association said in the announcement that the new owners of the building are “yet to be determined” but that current operations would cease July 1, 2026.

In response, the city filed a lawsuit on Nov. 25 “to enforce deed restrictions” that it alleges require the building “to be held exclusively as a community center for use by the residents.”

“(A sale) would permanently deprive the residents of the City of Birmingham of a unique civic and charitable asset intended for their benefit,” including 33 full-time and 16 part-time employees, the facility’s childcare program, event rentals and programs, the lawsuit reads.

The association executed a trust in 1930 to be held for the building and its operations. The trust prohibited a sale or transfer to a private interest if the association were to be dissolved, the lawsuit states.

In response to a 1989 petition to modernize the trust, the state required the association to hold The Community House in accordance with the 1930 trust. It required them to convey the land and any construction on the property to the city if The Community House were to be dissolved, the lawsuit states.

The city claims in its lawsuit that The Community House must be transitioned into either “a Birmingham charitable, benevolent, or educational organization” chosen by nearly all of the trustees or given back to the city to be used as a nonprofit community center.

Alison Gaudreau, president of The Community House, said that the organization communicated to the city could submit an offer for the building but “responded by filing a lawsuit.”

In a statement to The Detroit News, Gaudreau acknowledged there are “strong emotions” about The Community House’s future.

“There are many assumptions being made about what is happening with the sale of the building,” said Gaudreau in a statement. “We agree with the city that the building should be used for charitable purposes and those are the only conversations we are having with potential buyers. We are only speaking with non-profit organizations who would continue to use this space to benefit the community.”

The city asks in the lawsuit for Oakland County Circuit Court to issue an injunction between The Community House and its potential sale on grounds that it would violate deed restrictions and court orders.

“A private sale would permanently terminate the property’s nearly 100-year role as a public, nonprofit community center and would irreversibly extinguish the public’s beneficial interest, which is harm that cannot be remedied by monetary damages or subsequent litigation,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit was filed eight days after Birmingham Mayor Clinton Baller announced at a city commissioners’ meeting that the commission “will use each and every available means” to keep the building “a community asset.” The commission was scheduled to discuss the city’s lawsuit in closed session during its Monday meeting.

For more than a century, The Community House has hosted debates, served as a gathering place and has provided programs, events and partnerships with other nonprofits. a lawsuit on Nov. 25 “to enforce deed restrictions” that it alleges require the building “to be held exclusively as a community center for use by the residents.”

It’s not a bold statement to say Kayla Nwabueze is a special talent.

The Bloomfield Hills senior showed that time and again during the 2025 season.

But, just how special a talent was she?

The more people you ask, the more that say Nwabueze is one of the all-time elite players the state has ever seen.

Farmington Hills Mercy coach Loretta Vogel has been on the sidelines for nearly 50 years and she said she’d put Nwabueze up there with anyone.

“She’s a fabulous young lady, and as an attack, I would put her up there in the top,” Vogel said when asked where Nwabueze ranks among the state’s all-time greats. “She got that team (Bloomfield Hills to the finals). I mean, they kept giving her the ball, and if I were the setter, I’d be doing the same thing. I don’t mean to belittle her other players, but sometimes if you really want to win big, you have to go to a go-to player and make them stop you. I think for me, after all these years of coaching, she is right up there, one of those top 10s for me. That’s a lot of years, a lot of girls I’ve seen, like the Carli Snyders, the Jess (Mruzik)s, a lot of people like that. She’s right there.”

The praise for Nwabueze, a Harvard commit, is understandable considering the senior year she put together, leading the Black Hawks to their first state finals appearance before losing to Mercy in four sets.

Nwabueze finished with 751 kills in 2025 while hitting .372 as an outside hitter. She also had 358 digs, making a commitment to being one of the top defenders for her team as well.

For her four-year career at Bloomfield Hills, Nwabueze put up numbers that will be hard for anyone to ever match. She had 2,217 kills, 1,127 digs, 396 blocks, and 179 aces.

Beyond the stats, Nwabueze’s teammates and coaches praised her leadership skills for helping change the program’s mentality.

“The leadership that Kayla has shown, from what I’ve only seen a year, the first day stepping in the gym, you can see the culture and the energy of all the players that were there,” first-year Bloomfield Hills coach Brian Kim said. “That was something that, even from day one for us, it was all about volleyball, and everybody was there to work hard. Everybody was there to have fun. It just made it extremely fun to come in and coach these athletes, every one of these athletes, every single day.”

Sophomore outside Allison Stakoe, who was second on the team in kills this past season, said Nwabueze has been a real mentor for her these last two years.

“Kayla has taught me so much about volleyball, mentally and emotionally and physically, about just staying in the game,” Stakoe said. “She’s really taught me so much these last few seasons. It’s terrible to see her leave, but I’m so excited to watch her at Harvard. I’m going to be rooting for her all the time. She’s just such an amazing player all around. She’s always there to empower you, and be in your corner, and always there to pump you up whenever you’re down.”

Junior setter Brynn Wilcox has had the pleasure of being the one to set Nwabueze these last three years. Wilcox knows that she got an opportunity to work with an elite talent.

“She’s, honestly, one of a kind. There’s nobody else in the country like Kayla,” Wilcox said. “She has the ability to lead each player in such a different way, and she knows exactly what each of her teammates needs. There’s nobody like that, and Harvard’s getting the best player. It’s going to be tough next year without her, but I know that her impact and her leadership, from her being a freshman all the way to now, has helped shape this program, and it’ll continue to live on even when she’s across the country.”

Nwabueze had her pick of the litter when it came to playing at the next level, but put an emphasis on her academics when choosing to play for Harvard.

Vogel believes the Ivy League is getting a player unlike anything it has ever seen.

“She will do really well in college. I know she’s going to Harvard. The academic portion is really big for her, but she could put that whole conference into the NCAA playoffs every year. I’m not kidding. I’ll put money on that,” Vogel said emphatically. “She will dominate, she will. She’s going to dominate there.”

By Jennifer Pignolet, jpignolet@detroitnews.com

The three newest additions to the Detroit Zoo are working on their roars.

The zoo on Monday announced the birth of three healthy African lion cubs to 9-year-old lioness mom Amirah and dad Kalu.

“As a first-time mom, she has been wonderfully calm, attentive and nurturing, spending her days bonding closely with her little ones in a cozy, quiet den,” the Detroti Zoo said in an announcement.

A fourth cub was stillborn, the statement said, a “natural part of life for many wild species.”

The healthy cubs were born Nov. 23 and 24.

“African lions are vulnerable to extinction and endangered in some regions due to habitat loss, declining prey, disease and human-wildlife conflict,” the zoo said. “Welcoming these cubs is not only heartwarming — it’s a meaningful milestone in the Detroit Zoo’s commitment to conservation and the future of this iconic species.”

Amirah and her cubs will remain in their den away from the public for the time being, the zoo said. The other members of the pride, Kalu and Asha, will be free to roam in and out of their outdoor habitat during this period. The zoo said it anticipates it will be a few months before guests are able to view the cubs, when they are more mobile and able to roam larger spaces.

“We can’t wait to share more updates, photos and milestones as this joyful new chapter unfolds!” the zoo said.

The announcement comes less than a week after the zoo announced the birth of a baby giraffe.

U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) said Monday he will not be silenced or intimidated by the Trump administrations investigation into him over a video urging military members to ignore what Democratic lawmakers describe as unlawful orders.

Donald Trump has had one political play: bullying his opponents into silence, Kelly said at a press conference. He did it as a failed casino owner who bankrupted his properties and screwed over his contractors. He did it as a reality TV host known for firing people. And hes done it as president, who tries every day to intimidate people with no regard for the rights or well-being of the American people.

"I'll say this for the guy, while he's never seemed to do much right, for most of Donald Trump's career, bullying has worked out for him," Kelly added. "But not now, because I won't let it happen."

WATCH | Sen. Kelly accuses Trump of 'bullying' him into silence

Sen. Kelly accuses Trump of 'bullying' him into silence

Kelly's comments come a week after the Pentagon announced it had opened an investigation into him for serious allegations of misconduct. Officials did not say what the allegations involve.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Pentagon opens investigation into Sen. Mark Kelly over misconduct allegations

The announcement followed the release of a video featuring Kelly and other Democrats, who urged service members to refuse unlawful orders after expressing concerns over U.S. military strikes on boats suspected of smuggling drugs in the Caribbean. The message did not cite specific examples or say where such orders might originate.

Republicans, including President Donald Trump, sharply criticized the video, accusing the lawmakers of encouraging the military to defy the commander in chief.

This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP??? Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Kelly, a former Navy pilot and NASA astronaut elected to the Senate in 2020, said the investigation would not deter him from fulfilling his duties. Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Kelly could be recalled to active duty for a possible court-martial or face administrative action.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING | White House says Trump wasn't calling for executions after condemning Democrats' military video

Thousands of visitors flocked to The Henry Ford museum in Dearborn on Monday to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Rosa Parks' historic act of defiance that sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

The museum offered free admission to honor the civil rights icon, drawing nearly 2,000 people who came to see the actual bus where Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on Dec. 1, 1955.

Watch Evan Sery's video report below: Commemorating 70 years since Rose Parks' defiant act, Henry Ford Museum offers free admission

"It made me want to cry a little bit, cause this is Black history," said Alijah Cheatham, a first-time visitor to the museum.

Cheatham was most excited to touch and be inside the Rosa Parks bus during his visit.

"Most people don't get to see this is the actual bus where she sat and got arrested in 1955, most people don't know... we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her," Cheatham said.

The free admission day was unusual for the museum, which typically charges visitors and sees about 2,500 people on average weekend days during this time of year.

"It is very rare for us to actually have a free admission day," said Cynthia Jones, director of museum experiences, engagements and exhibitions at The Henry Ford.

Jones said the decision to waive admission fees for this milestone anniversary was obvious.

"We know the people who lived this history, that lived the Civil Rights Movement and we don't want that history to be lost, their stories to be lost," Jones said.

Dr. Brenda McGadney, a frequent visitor to The Henry Ford, praised the museum's decision to prioritize education over revenue.

"So proud of this museum that's made a decision that on this day, rather than bringing in money to the museum, they're bringing in people to the museum," McGadney said.

McGadney said seeing the bus never gets old and revealed she once saw Parks in person but chose to respect her privacy rather than approach her.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," McGadney said when asked what she would've said to Parks.

On this special day, visitors were not allowed to sit in Parks' seat. Instead, the seat was occupied by a portrait of the late civil rights icon and a bouquet of roses.

For Cheatham, the visit held special significance as a new father to a 2-month-old son.

"I want to teach him history, who sat here before us, the presidents, more specifically Rosa Parks, the lady that did not get off the bus," Cheatham said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Efforts are underway to save a beloved community center in Birmingham that has served residents for decades with various activities and programs.

Watch Jolie Sherman's video report: New efforts to save The Community House in Birmingham

The Community House, which went up for sale last month and announced operations would conclude on June 30, 2026, now faces a legal challenge from the city of Birmingham.

The city filed a lawsuit on Friday, November 25, claiming that the sale of The Community House violates its deed restrictions, which require the building to operate as a community center.

"It was just this hub of activity, and even if you didn't do anything there, it was there," said Mary Ryan Taras, a Birmingham resident.

Taras is a longtime Birmingham resident who has lived in the city for more than 50 years and has fond memories of The Community House.

"It just was a central piece of downtown Birmingham," Taras said.

Next year, The Community House will become the Birmingham Area Community Foundation, focused on grant-making and supporting local nonprofits.

PREVIOUS STORY: Historic Birmingham Community House to close, leaving events and childcare in limbo The Community House closing in Birmingham

"Our commitment is to our founding purpose of a nonprofit organization, which is to get back to those in need, and it's not sustainable for us to maintain this building any longer," said Alison Gaudreau, president of The Community House Association. "We've encouraged the city to follow the same process that we've asked of any of the other interested parties to let us know if they're interested in making an offer, with their intended use for the building, would be, and frankly, they responded by filing a lawsuit."

Birmingham Mayor Clinton Baller declined a request for an interview but confirmed the city is seeking "declaratory and injunctive relief" to enforce the property's 1930 deed of trust, along with a 1989 order by Oakland County Probate Court, which requires the property to be held exclusively as a community center.

The city also filed a temporary restraining order (TRO) to prohibit The Community House from making a sale.

"I think there's some assumptions that have been made about what will happen to the building. I hear people say things like it'll be torn down, and condos will be built, and nothing could be further from the truth," Gaudreau said.

She says their attorneys are looking through the city's complaint.

"We will not sell it to somebody that has that intent, so we are only talking to charitable organizations, nonprofit organizations whose intent is to maintain the building for community use," Gaudreau said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

It’s official: Pat Fitzgerald is Michigan State’s new football coach.

Michigan State made the hiring official Monday. The Detroit News reported Sunday that the university intended to hire Fitzgerald, formerly of Big Ten peer Northwestern, to take over the Spartan football program after Jonathan Smith’s ouster after two seasons in East Lansing.

Terms were not disclosed. The hiring requires formal approval from the MSU Board of Trustees. The next scheduled meeting is Dec. 12.

“I am honored to be named the head football coach at Michigan State University,” Fitzgerald said in a statement released by Michigan State. “I’d like to thank President (Kevin) Guskiewicz and Athletics Director (J) Batt for this opportunity. This is a program with a deep and storied tradition, a passionate fan base, and a commitment to excellence that extends far beyond the football field. What excited me most about this opportunity was the vision for what Michigan State can be for years to come. We will restore tradition, and I’m eager to earn the trust of our players, alumni, and fans while competing at the highest level.”

Fitzgerald, who turns 51 on Tuesday, will helm the Spartans after a three-year hiatus following 17 years at Northwestern. He was dismissed before the 2023 season for a graphic hazing scandal. A later investigation by Northwestern did not find sufficient evidence that he knew of the hazing, but that he also had opportunities to find out about it.

Fitzgerald settled a $130 million wrongful termination lawsuit out of court in August, and said later that he felt “vindicated” by the result.

Fitzgerald got his first head coaching job at the age of 31, when he became head coach at Northwestern after the death of predecessor Randy Walker in 2006. In 17 seasons at Northwestern, Fitzgerald’s teams went 110-101 overall, 65-76 in the Big Ten. Fitzgerald’s teams won 10 games three times, and 10 times he took the program to a bowl, where he had a 5-5 record. Twice, Northwestern won the Big Ten West during his time with the program.

Fitzgerald also had some lean years near the end of his run in Evanston. Following a 2020 season in which his team ended 10th in the final AP poll, he posted a combined 4-20 record, 2-16 in Big Ten play.

Pat Fitzgerald is a proven leader who understands the full mission of intercollegiate athletics —competitive excellence, academic achievement, and the holistic development of student-athletes,” Guskiewicz said in a statement released by MSU. “His track record of building disciplined, resilient teams and his commitment to coaching with integrity make him an exceptional fit for Michigan State University. I’m confident that under his leadership, Spartan Football will thrive on and off the field.”

Both records are worse than what Smith just posted in a two-year stint with Michigan State (5-19, 4-14). Smith is owed $33.5 million in an 85% buyout of his seven-year contract signed in Dec. 2023, which can be offset by the salary of his next position.

The hire is the first by athletic director J Batt, who Michigan State poached from Georgia Tech in June to replace Haller.

“Today marks the beginning of a new era for Michigan State Football,” Batt said in a statement released by Michigan State. “Pat Fitzgerald is widely recognized as an exceptional football coach, whose teams play with extreme toughness and grit, demonstrate continual improvement and maximize potential. Pat is an excellent fit for Michigan State Football, as he understands the Big Ten, has great relationships throughout the Midwest and embodies the values on which our program was built. His incredible passion will resonate throughout the program, connecting with all members of our Spartan community, including student-athletes, coaches, staff, alumni and donors.

“As an institution, we are committed to providing the resources and infrastructure required to realize our shared vision of competing for championships, and with Pat leading the way, Spartan Football is positioned for sustained success at the Big Ten and national level. We are excited to welcome Pat, his wife, Stacy, and sons, Jack, Ryan and Brendan, to our Spartan family.”

Fitzgerald is the oldest football coach hired by Michigan State since its November 2006 hiring of Mark Dantonio, who was also about to turn 51 at the time.

The challenge ahead

Michigan State is on its third coach since 2020, and its seventh since 2000. The rigors of college football’s professionalization since the time Fitzgerald last patrolled a sideline make for challenges to which he will have to adapt.

Fitzgerald said on a recent ESPN College Gameday podcast that he “got an opportunity to sit here and get a Ph.D. in what’s going on in college football” while out of college coaching, picking up strategies to handle changes like the transfer portal, NIL and revenue sharing.

The Michigan State program Fitzgerald takes over faces a number of challenges in both recruiting and retention. His official hiring opens a 15-day transfer portal window in addition to the main window Jan. 2 to Jan. 16. That means he will have to make heads or tails of his current roster early.

So far, only two Spartans — running back Makhi Frazier and receiver Nick Marsh — have announced their intention to enter the portal. Others have followed Fitzgerald’s social media accounts since Sunday.

Fitzgerald succeeded with limited resources at Northwestern, a private school that prioritized academic rigor that affected recruiting capabilities for the football program. Fitzgerald made his mark developing more raw prospects into better college players — he sent 16 players to the NFL Draft in 17 seasons.

Michigan State doesn’t have those problems, but it does have a limited pool of funds to wield in the NIL space. Part of the problem stems from four losing seasons in football, as well as the sexual misconduct scandal of former coach Mel Tucker and the ho-hum tenure of Smith. Some fans are out on the program, and it will take a winner to draw some back in.

Tucker’s legacy also left one more stain on the program in November, when the NCAA announced a negotiated resolution for recruiting violations that led to 14 vacated wins, three years of probation and a number of recruiting limitations on visits and contact. Those are challenges Fitzgerald will inherit.

Batt makes his mark

Michigan State spent a lot of money to hire Batt as athletic director in June — arguably money it didn’t have. It spent more than $12 million on his six-year contract, plus $1.3 million to buy out Haller and more than $2 million to pay Batt’s buyout at Georgia Tech. Then his new department got more than $12 million in an internal loan to furnish revenue share payments with athletes, an expense deemed necessary to keep up with other Big Ten schools.

Batt came to East Lansing known as a revenue generator, someone who can find money for programs in need. That made him a favorite of Nick Saban as a deputy athletic director at Alabama and a success helming his own operation at Georgia Tech.

If there’s one tool Batt can use to generate more revenue, it’s football.

“Do not be confused: every athletics department competing at the highest level must be successful in football,” Batt said at his introductory press conference in June.

Success — at least, hope for it — comes with a cost. Smith’s buyout is more than $33.5 million, to be paid in equal monthly installments through Jan. 31, 2031. Batt did save money by hiring a coach who did not have a buyout at another institution. That would’ve been another expense.

Fitzgerald will have to build his staff, which also will cost money. Many position coaches are on expiring deals, but some aren’t, including offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren, who has another 14 months worth $1.5 million in base salary on his contract and defensive coordinator Joe Rossi, who is owed more than $1.9 million base salary for the same term. Because Smith was fired, in the event of a dismissal Michigan State would owe them the full remainder of their base salary and any bonuses from the past season.

Batt probably didn’t expect to hire a football coach this early, but the product on the field may have necessitated it. Michigan State lost eight straight games to open Big Ten play this season, which caused Smith to be booed at Spartan Stadium and other athletics events. Fans even chanted for him to be fired at Ford Field on Saturday, when he ended his tenure with a win.

In college athletics, the hiring of a football coach is often crucial to an athletic director’s own job security. Whether Batt made the right hire or not will affect his own legacy that is building less than six months into his tenure.

By REBECCA SANTANA, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Since last week’s shooting of two National Guard members in the nation’s capital by a suspect who is an Afghan national, the Trump administration announced a flurry of policies aimed at making it harder for some foreigners to enter or stay in the country.

The administration said it was pausing asylum decisions, reexamining green card applications for people from countries “of concern” and halting visas for Afghans who assisted the U.S. war effort.

Days before the shooting, a memo obtained by The Associated Press said the administration would review the cases of all refugees who entered the U.S. during the Biden administration.

The stepped up effort to restrict immigration has been harshly criticized by refugee advocates and those who work with Afghans, saying it amounts to collective punishment. Critics are also saying it is a waste of government resources to reopen cases that have already been processed.

The Trump administration says the new policies are necessary to ensure that those entering the country — or are already here — do not pose a security threat.

Here’s a look at the major changes announced over roughly a week:

All asylum decisions suspended

The director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Joseph Edlow, said on the social platform X last week that asylum decisions will be paused “until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.”

Besides the post, no formal guidance has been put forward, so details remain scarce about the planned pause.

People seeking asylum must show to U.S. officials a threat of persecution if they were sent back to their home country, whether because of race, nationality or other grounds. If they’re granted asylum, they’re allowed to stay in the U.S. and eventually apply for a green card and then citizenship.

The Afghan suspect in the National Guard shooting was granted asylum earlier this year, according to advocate group #AfghanEvac.

The right to apply for asylum was already restricted by the Trump administration. In January, Trump issued an executive order essentially halting asylum for people who have come into the country through the southern border. Those cases generally go through immigration courts which are overseen by the Department of Justice.

USCIS oversees the asylum process for foreigners the government isn’t trying to remove via immigration courts. While Trump’s January order didn’t affect those cases, Edlow’s social media post suggests they will now come under additional scrutiny. Edlow did not say how long the agency’s pause on asylum decisions would last or what happens to people while those decisions are paused.

Caseloads have been rising for all types of asylum applications. The number of asylum cases at USCIS rose from 241,280 in 2022 to a record 456,750 in 2023, according to the Office of Homeland Security Statistics.

A focus on countries ‘of concern’

On Nov. 27, Edlow said his agency was conducting a “full scale, rigorous reexamination” of every green card for people he said come from “every country of concern.”

“American safety is non negotiable,” Edlow said.

The agency said in a press release that same day that it was issuing new guidance that could make it tougher for people from 19 countries the administration considers “high-risk,” including Afghanistan, when they apply for immigration benefits such as applying for green cards or to stay in the U.S. longer.

The administration had already banned travel to the U.S. for citizens from 12 of those countries and restricted access for people from seven others.

No visas for Afghans

Other stricter stricter measures are also directed at Afghans.

On Nov. 26, USCIS said it would be suspending all “immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals.” That would affect Afghans already living in the U.S. who are applying for green cards or work permits or permission to bring family members to the U.S.

Separately, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced late Friday on X that the State Department has temporarily stopped issuing visas for all people traveling on Afghan passports.

The Trump administration had already severely limited travel and immigration from Afghanistan. The one avenue that had remained open was the Special Immigrant Visa program. Created by Congress, it allowed Afghans who closely supported the U.S. war effort in Afghanistan and faced retribution because of their work to emigrate to America.

But the State Department’s announcement means even that avenue is now closed.

According to #AfghanEvac, a group that advocates for Afghans coming to the U.S., about 180,000 Afghans were in the process of applying for the SIV program.

A review of refugees admitted under the Biden administration

Even before the shooting of two National Guard members, the Trump administration was planning a sweeping review of tens of thousands of immigrants who entered the U.S. during the Biden administration as part of the U.S. Refugee Assistance Program.

That program, first launched in 1980, oversees the process by which people fleeing persecution can come to the U.S. Refugees are distinct from people seeking asylum, although they meet the same criteria. Refugees have to apply and wait outside the U.S. to be admitted while asylum-seekers do so once they reach the U.S.

Trump suspended the refugee program the day he took office and only a trickle of refugees have been admitted since then, either white South Africans or people admitted as part of a lawsuit seeking to restart the refugee program.

Then on Nov. 21, Edlow said in a memo obtained by The Associated Press that the administration was going to review all refugees admitted to the U.S. during the Biden administration. That’s nearly 200,000 refugees.

Advocates say refugees already undergo rigorous vetting.

For the past 13 years, Pentatonix has been as much a part of the holidays as egg nog, Santa Claus and sale-of-the-day emails.

The Texas-formed a cappella quintet, which landed a recording deal after winning “The Sing-Off” in 2011, has released seven Christmas albums so far. plus several holiday-themed EPs and compilations. This year’s “Christmas in the City,” meanwhile, finds the group working with a full orchestra on seasonal classics — including “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” with Frank Sinatra’s vocal grafted into the recording — as well as a fair number of originals and a pair of medleys.

That, of course, means Pentatonix is on the road for the holidays, too, focusing on the new album but still drawing from its litany of Christmas records over the course of each show…

• Co-founder Scott Hoying says from Zoom via Chicago that he and his Pentatonix mates “love making Christmas music, and we always have new ideas each year. For “Christmas in the City,” he explains. “One area of Christmas we hadn’t touched yet is that classic Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole kind of sound with the big, orchestral, sweeping tracks — but still very vocal forward. We were just inspired by that idea, and we wanted to capture the feeling of going into the city at Christmas time and seeing the decorates and the hustle and bustle of window shoppers and the skyline, so we based a whole album around that. It felt like we were writing musical.”

• Hoying, 34, adds that working with such a large ensemble “felt like a different art form. When you’re arranging completely a cappella, the background parts have to be long, sustained notes and you have to fill every ounce of the space. But when there’s an orchestra and a big band in the background you can focus on the background (vocal) parts being supplementary and just coming in at certain moments. They can be more tasteful. It feels like a whole different ball game when you’re doing that. It’s easier in some ways and harder in some ways. Because the frequency space is so covered, we had to find space for our vocals to make sure it sounds like us and felt very vocal forward, even though there’s all that sound.”

• The instrumentation for Pentatonix’s current show is pre-recorded rather than bringing an orchestra on stage. “We discussed doing that,” Hoying notes. “There were a lot of factors that came into play.” Much of the “Christmas in the City” album is part of the concerts, however, blended with the group’s other holiday material. “Over the years of doing so much Christmas touring we’ve really learned what moments the audience loves and things that really work. The trickiest part is we have a lot of ballads that have done well, but if we do them all a little close to each other the show gets a little, like draggy. So it’s spreading those out, and we’ve shortened a bunch of stuff to keep the show moving. It’s like a puzzle. It’s fun.”

• Hoying says he and his bandmates are working on non-holiday original songs as well as “a big project in TV/film that we’ve been working on for years that’s finally starting to come to fruition.” He’s also preparing a stage musical called “Grim” to premiere next October in La Hoya, Calif. And Hoying says there’s a loose idea for the direction of Pentatonix’s next holiday album. “We haven`t done a lot of the kid ones, like ‘All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth’ and the hippopotamus for Christmas song, the silly ones. We’re all having kids, so my first instinct is that our next one is, like a kids Christmas album.”

• Away from Pentatonix, Hoying was a contestant on the latest season of “Dancing With the Stars,” partnered with Rylee Arnold and finishing in 10th place. “Omigod, that was the best experience ever. It was so much fun. It was epic. It was really, really hard, but it was hard in a good way and very transformative for me. I felt like I was doing inner child therapy work out there on the dance floor in front of millions of people without a microphone in my hand. I have so much experience performing, and performing for sold-out arenas and winging it, and that’s totally fine. But out there, even totally prepared and ready, it’s so nerve-wracking. I felt like the seven-year-old-version of myself who was shy and scared was being seen by the world and had to dance and be messy and imperfect. But it was such beautiful experience. I came out on the other side and felt honestly changed by it, as dramatic as that sounds.”

Pentatonix brings “Christmas in the City” to town at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3, at Little Caesars Arena, 2645 Woodward Ave., Detroit. (313)471-7000 or 313Presents.com.

A federal immigration crackdown branded Operation Swamp Sweep is set to begin this week, with 250 Border Patrol agents expected to be deployed to New Orleans and Mississippi. The mission is part of President Donald Trumps broader immigration enforcement strategy.

Similar operations have already rolled out in cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles and Charlotte, North Carolina. Unlike those locations, Louisianas Republican governor is welcoming the federal involvement.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | DHS plans to deploy 250 border agents to Louisiana in major immigration sweep, AP sources say

Officials say the operation aims to arrest about 5,000 people in southeast Louisiana and Mississippi. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has confirmed at least four arrests so far in Gretna, Louisiana.

In an interview with Scripps News, Jordan Bridges, organizing director for the New Orleans Workers Center for Racial Justice, expressed concern about the impact on the citys immigrant community.

New Orleans is a beautiful city and that has a history of resistance, Bridges said. And so, I'm seeing exactly that.

I can tell you that groups are organizing, he added. I can tell you that individuals that are directly impacted are organizing.

Louisiana State Rep. Matthew Willard said Border Patrol has not been forthcoming with local officials about operational details.

"Our police chief here in the city of New Orleans has had conversations with Border Patrol. The information that has been provided is not reassuring and not really many details being provided, Willard said. So we're really in the dark.

RELATED STORY | Immigrant population in the US has started to decline for the first time in years

New Orleans Mayor-elect Helena Moreno shared legal resources on Instagram and urged residents to know their rights.

My first priority is keeping our community safe, Moreno wrote. The reports of due process violations and potential abuses in other cities are concerning. I want our community to be aware and informed of the protections available under law. We must demand accountability and that peoples rights are not violated.

The Department of Homeland Security told Scripps News that it enforces federal laws daily but declined to discuss specifics of future or ongoing operations. It remains unclear how long Operation Swamp Sweep will last.

Small businesses in downtown Howell are on high alert after a new wave of fake cash started hitting registers. Several shops have been impacted and say the counterfeit bills are affecting their bottom line as the holiday season ramps up.

Watch Peter Maxwell's video report: Small businesses in downtown Howell targeted by counterfeit cash scheme

I spoke with two small business owners who say they're keeping their guard up against the fraudulent currency.

M Street Bakery tells me they're a victim of counterfeit cash. The fake $100 bill wasn't noticed until they went to deposit it at the bank. They're hoping police catch the deceitful shoppers sooner rather than later.

Emily Mazaris, owner of M Street Bakery Co., described the impact on local businesses.

"It hurts small businesses. It hurts, really, any business when something like that happens," Mazaris said.

Several local shops in downtown Howell have been seeing a trend of counterfeit cash coming into their stores.

"Whether they bought a $3 item and got $97 real dollars back, or they bought $100 worth of real items. We still lose out in the end," Mazaris said.

Mazaris told me the situation is upsetting, and they are now taking precautions when accepting cash.

"We have chosen to just not accept anymore of the old-style $100 bills for right now," Mazaris said.

Just around the corner at the sandwich shop, The Crunchy Pickle, they've encountered the same problem.

Andrea Sydor, owner of Crunchy Pickle, said her staff was deeply affected by the incident.

"Our staff was devastated," Sydor said.

Sydor and her husband own the sandwich shop. Despite being approached three times, they only fell victim once.

"These bills do pass the marker test. We do use markers on $100 bills, but it does pass it, and we kind of noticed later that clearly the bill was a fake," Sydor said.

Sydor said the person only ordered something small off the menu.

"We're preparing it. They walk out with the change. They're ordering something small off the menu, and they never come back for their order," Sydor said.

There are three ways you can spot a fake bill: feel the bill, tilt the note, check with light, or take the bill to a local bank.

"We are aware of the counterfeiting activity, but cannot comment on an ongoing investigation. If you suspect counterfeit money, do not spend it, and report it to your local police, Livingston County sheriff's office, or the local U.S. Secret Service field office," said Howell Police Chief Michael Dunn.

Sydor has a message for the people using these counterfeit bills.

"I hope they do get caught and they learn the lesson of what that means to not only small businesses and this community as well, and all of our staff members," Sydor said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

By HANNAH FINGERHUT, Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Four Republican-led states agreed to settle lawsuits against the federal government over access to voters’ citizenship data, ending a dispute that began with the Biden administration in advance of the 2024 presidential election.

Officials in Florida, Indiana, Iowa and Ohio entered the settlement with the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Kristi Noem roughly a year after the states individually sued the agency under President Joe Biden. They had alleged the previous administration was withholding information about citizenship status that they needed to determine whether thousands of registered voters were actually eligible to cast a ballot.

Each of the states could soon run searches for thousands of voters using names, birthdays and Social Security numbers through the federal government’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program. It has been significantly upgraded under the Trump administration. In turn, the settlement reached Friday says the states may share driver’s license records with the Department of Homeland Security “to assist in improving and modernizing” its database.

The information sharing is likely to be a focal point of the 2026 midterm elections. Voting rights groups have already sued the administration over the expanded program, known as SAVE, arguing that the recent updates could result in eligible voters being unlawfully purged from voter lists. Separately, President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice has asked at least half the states for their complete voter rolls, a request that Democratic elections officials have questioned out of concern that the data would be provided to DHS.

Voting by noncitizens is illegal in federal elections and can lead to felony charges and deportation. State reviews show it is rare for noncitizen s to register to vote and even rarer that they actually cast a ballot.

Still, before the 2024 election, Trump pushed claims without evidence that noncitizens might vote in large enough numbers to sway the outcome. Many Republican candidates and lawmakers nationally emphasize that even one instance of a noncitizen voting illegally is too many.

The SAVE program, which has been around for decades, is operated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a branch of DHS. It has been widely used by local and state officials to check the citizenship status of people applying for public benefits by running them through a variety of federal databases.

DHS and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency updated the SAVE program earlier this year, according to public announcements. It is now free for election officials, allows searches for voters by the thousands instead of one at a time and no longer requires agencies to search using DHS-issued identification numbers. When a name, date of birth and government-issued number is entered, the database will return initial verification of citizenship status within 48 hours, according to the settlement.

As part of the settlement, Florida, Indiana, Iowa and Ohio will develop a memorandum of understanding with the federal government within 90 days on use of the SAVE program. The settlement also dictates that they will negotiate a new information-sharing agreement for “for the purpose of improving” the SAVE system. That may include providing DHS with 1,000 “randomly selected driver’s license records from their state” within 90 days.

The criminal case against a controversial Melvindale police lieutenant accused of multiple felonies was bound over for trial Monday.

Watch Ross Jones' video report: Criminal cases against controversial Melvindale lieutenant are bound over

The charges stem from three separate police incidents involving Lieutenant Matthew Furman that investigations by 7 News Detroit first revealed.

The first incident, occurring during the summer of 2024, involved Drakkar Williams, a man Furman stopped for driving around traffic barricades.

Williams license was suspended, and his vehicle was not insured. After Williams refused to provide his name, Furman moved to arrest him.

While his partner held Williams outside the car, Furman began to use his Taser on him repeatedly.

PREVIOUS REPORT: Former Melvindale Chief alleges Police Sgt. Matthew Furman 'engaged in repeated acts of police brutality' Former Melvindale Chief alleges Police Sgt. Matthew Furman 'engaged in repeated acts of police brutality'

Prosecutors say Furman kicked Williams in the leg and deployed his taser again, striking him in the back.

Williams took the stand on Monday.

What was going through your mind when you were initially tased? asked Asst. Wayne County Prosecutor Matthew Makepeace.

I dont want to die, Williams replied.

Furman said Williams was uncooperative and that he was fearful he could have been carrying a weapon. After he was handcuffed, Furman would be seen arguing with Williams again.

According to the prosecutor, medics were called to the scene to treat Williams for his injuries. While being treated, prosecutors say the two began to argue and that Officer Furman grabbed Williams by his shirt and by his hair and pulled him against the fire truck.

What we see is not a police officer acting under the color of law or acting in accordance with his duties, Makepeace said, but acting as someone who willingly thinks they can do whatever they want on any given traffic stop to whomever they want.

PREVIOUS REPORT: Controversial Melvindale lieutenant fends off claim of excessive force involving Taser Controversial Melvindale lieutenant fends off claim of excessive force involving Taser

Testifying for the prosecution today was Furmans fellow officer, Lieutenant Humayun Rahman, who responded to the scene the day Williams was stopped.

Asked why he didnt pull Williams hair, as Furman did, Rahman responded: I didnt find there was any need for it.

Also testifying Monday was Alica Cook, who was sitting in a parked car, waiting to drop off her 11-year-old last year at cheerleading practice when Furman noticed her vehicles insurance had lapsed.

Cook said she was frightened by Furmans combative attitude, refusing his commands to get out of the vehicle. When Cook did not step out of her vehicle, Furman would eventually use his Taser on her.

I didnt understand why he pulled the Taser, Cook testified. I didnt have any weapons in my hands, theres two children in the car. I informed him I just had surgery. I wasnt going to go anywhere.

Under cross-examination, Cook admitted she was not cooperative with Furmans orders.

You understood he told you to turn your car off, correct? asked defense attorney Dennis Whittie.

Right, Cook said.

And he did it three times? Whittie asked.

Yes, Cook replied.

Also taking the stand Monday was Furmans former deputy chief, Nick Martinez.

He admitted that the department didnt investigate all of the cases Furman is now charged over, but that he looked into the Williams case.

I found there was policy violations in that case, and I turned it over to the chief, he testified.

But Martinez, who has since left the department, said he didnt remember what the violations were.

Furmans attorney argued that was because Furmans conduct was justified.

You may sit there and say I dont like how Lieutenant Furman talks, Whittie said. Hell, you may say hes a real ass. You may say that, and I understand that. But that doesnt make it criminal. That doesnt get us probable cause in this case.

But Judge Sam Salamy disagreed, ultimately binding the cases over to Wayne Circuit Court.

The other charges against Furman stem from a 2021 police chase that 7 News reported on earlier this year. The suspect had stolen a vehicle, police said, after striking an officer. After his vehicle crashed, the man fled on foot before officers surrounded him.

As officers tried to subdue the man, a Dearborn officers body cam caught Furman repeatedly stomping on the mans leg. Another can be heard warning that cameras are rolling.

The Dearborn officer reported Furmans actions to his supervisor. Furman said the man was resisting, and he used the stomps as a form of pain compliance. He was not disciplined by his department but was charged by Worthy Thursday.

In that case, Furman has been charged with misconduct in office and assault and battery.

Contact 7 Investigator Ross Jones at ross.jones@wxyz.com or at (248) 827-9466.

A father was found shot and killed while working his job salting roads in Pontiac on Saturday evening, and police say the person accused of pulling the trigger is a relative.

Watch Randy Wimbley's full report: Father shot and killed by relative while salting roads in Pontiac, police say

Antonio Craig Sr. was gunned down while working outside an apartment complex on Karen Court and Hopkins Avenue in Pontiac Saturday evening, according to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office. The suspect was arrested just hours later in a restaurant parking lot in Waterford Township, only a few miles away.

Craig's children, Ashlee Craig and Antonio Craig Jr., are still processing the devastating loss of their father, who they describe as the rock of their family.

"It was the worst feeling ever. And it just keeps replaying back in my head," Ashlee Craig said.

Antonio Craig Jr. said he sensed something was wrong when his father didn't answer his phone.

"I was calling his phone for hours. My dad, like, never not answer his phone, and if he do, he, like, calls or texts you right back," he said.

Their fears were confirmed when Ashlee saw their father's work truck in a Facebook Live stream. She rushed to the scene and found her father's body on the ground outside his truck.

"It was like my heart caved in. I couldn't breathe. Like, my world was just spinning. I just kept on asking, 'Can I hold him? Can I just hold him?" she said.

WEB EXTRA: Ashlee Craig talks about her father WEB EXTRA: Ashlee Craig talks about her father

Carol Cooper, who has lived in the apartment complex for nearly 30 years, was shaken by the violence.

"We were all scared and shook up. Just didn't believe it. We couldn't believe it, that that happened," Cooper said. "And the guy, he was a really good guy too."

The Craig family says Antonio Sr. was devoted to his children and raised their two siblings, who weren't even his biological children.

"My dad did everything in his power to make sure we were good. We have two siblings that's not even his kids, and he raised them since they was a baby, you know?" Antonio Jr. said.

The children describe their father as someone who provided comfort and strength during difficult times.

"He was always there to comfort, letting you know it's going to be okay. This is not the end of it. God always got the last say so, so you get up and be stronger. You move. You move forward," Ashlee said.

Now facing life without their father, the family has a message for the person responsible.

"Why? Why? Why? When he didn't do nothing but love you," Ashlee said.

The suspect is being held at the Oakland County jail and is expected to be charged Tuesday. The name of the suspect has not been released because formal charges have not yet been filed.

The Craig family says they must now move forward together, staying strong for their father.

"We just gotta stay whole for my daddy. Because I know that's all he wants," Ashlee said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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The Detroit Zoo is celebrating new additions this holiday season: three healthy cubs.

Amirah, a 9-year-old African lioness, gave birth on Nov. 23 and Nov. 24, the zoo said. Zoo officials say Amirah is a first-time mom and has been calm, attentive and nurturing as shes been bonding closely with her babies in a cozy, quiet den.

Amirah had a fourth cub who did not survive after being born significantly later than the rest.

While this is a natural part of life for many wild species, we remain grateful that Amirah and her three cubs are doing well, the zoo said.

According to the zoo, African lions are endangered and at risk of extinction in some regions due to habitat loss, declining prey, disease and human-wildlife conflict.

Welcoming these cubs is not only heartwarming its a meaningful milestone in the Detroit Zoos commitment to conservation and the future of this iconic species, the zoo said.

Amirah and the cubs will stay in their den and out of public view as they continue to grow.

The rest of the pride dad Kalu and aunt Asha may or may not choose to spend time in their outdoor habitat during this period. We anticipate the cubs will be visible to guests in a few months, once theyre more mobile and ready to explore larger spaces, the zoo said.