CBS Evening News, 05/22/25
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From CBS News headquarters in New York, this is the CBS Evening News. Good evening. I'm John Dickerson. Maurice Dubois is off tonight. We begin with the murder in the heart of Washington, D.C., of a young couple who worked for the Israeli embassy. U.S. Attorney for D.C., Jeanine Pirro, says the murders are being investigated as both a hate crime and an act of terror.

The 31-year-old suspect from Chicago surrendered to police and was charged today with five felonies, including murder of foreign officials. Israel's ambassador to the United States says the couple, 30-year-old Yaron Lashinsky and 26-year-old Sarah Milgram of Kansas, were to be engaged next week.

They were shot at close range while leaving a reception for young diplomats at the Capitol Jewish Museum about a mile from the U.S. Capitol building. Scott McFarland is near the murder scene with the new developments. Scott? John, good evening. Elias Rodriguez of Illinois allegedly traveled here two days ago, apparently on business. Federal agents say he packed a gun in his checked baggage for the flight.

Two nights later, he's locked up, accused of a major crime here in the nation's capital that has captured the attention of the world. Yelling "Free Palestine" as he was taken into custody. Investigators say this is the gunman who shot and killed two Israeli embassy aides as they walked out of Washington's Capitol Jewish Museum Wednesday night. Make no mistake, this attack was targeted anti-Semitic violence.

and it won't be tolerated. Police say Elias Rodriguez was seen pacing outside the building before pulling out a handgun and firing at a group of four people, including 30-year-old Israeli citizen Yaron Lashinsky and 26-year-old Sarah Milgram, killing them both. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke about the murders. The terrorists who cruelly gunned them down did so for one reason and one reason alone. He wanted to kill Jews.

As they cleaned the blood off the street today, the FBI searched the Chicago apartment where the suspect lived. John Fry is a neighbor. I wish that I had an opportunity to talk with him because if I had, I would have talked him out of it.

Lashinsky and Milgram were a couple. The Israeli ambassador said Lashinsky had bought an engagement ring with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem. Lashinsky recently posted of expanding the circle of peace with our Arab neighbors, while Milgram, a Kansas University graduate, wrote that she had a passion for peace building and fostering understanding between different peoples. It seems she made it her mission to try to stop

violence like this? Yes, that's why it's extra devastating. Sheila Katz was a friend of Milgram's. She had her whole life ahead of her and in the time she was here she of course made such a tremendous impact more than most people and we can celebrate that but it's devastating to think that just because she was at a Jewish event at a Jewish space that everything about that got cut short.

Scott, this is being charged as both a hate crime and an act of terrorism. Can you explain the distinction between the two?

It's being investigated as a potential hate crime and an act of terrorism. For now, it's the charges murder of foreign officials, a rarely used charge. But the U.S. attorney said, John, they could be adding new charges later on in this case. The museum behind me, it is closed. They hope to reopen in the coming days. John, it is right across the street from the FBI's Washington field office. Scott McFarland in Washington. Thank you, Scott. Earlier, we spoke with Israel's ambassador to the United States, Yahiel Leiter.

I lost my son a year and a half ago. He was a commander in the IDF. And I remember the knock on the door when the officers came to inform me that he had fallen. Last night, the role was reversed. I spoke to their parents, and it was a very difficult conversation, obviously. They loved their children. Sarah was the only daughter. She was a beautiful young lady.

She radiated. She has red hair and would come into the office in the morning and just light up the building, light up the entire embassy like sunshine. Do you consider your staffers to have been casualties in the war? Absolutely. We have an international effort on the part of many different parties, including some countries, to delegitimize us and to demonize us into nonexistence.

Now to San Diego, where federal investigators are sifting through the wreckage of a private jet that crashed during foggy weather. The FAA says six people were aboard the plane. At least three people were killed. Carter Evans is at the scene.

The small plane left a trail of fire through one of the largest U.S. military housing neighborhoods in the country. Firefighters scrambled to douse cars. Families rushed to safety.

This is what Ruth Lutz saw when she went outside. It feels like I was in a movie, but live, and I was just like, wow, this is real life. You ran out with your pajamas on your back, that's it? That's it. Just before four in the morning, a Cessna 550 jet crashed into the neighborhood during foggy weather. NTSB investigators say it first clipped a power line, then crashed into a home and multiple vehicles. You can see that its trajectory came through this direction, took out the front of that house,

and it ended up here to the right behind me.

At least three people were killed, all of them believed to be on the plane. Among those feared dead, Daniel Williams, the former drummer for a popular hardcore Christian metal band, The Devil Wears Prada. He filmed himself boarding the aircraft and shared a photo of himself at the controls. His father confirmed to CBS News he was on the plane. Minutes before the crash, the pilot expressed concerns about the weather to air traffic controllers. Miramar automated weather.

for zero nine five five zulu with uh wind calm there's only one half and indefinite ceiling 200. all right uh that sounds great but uh we'll give it a go ntsb investigator elliot simpson we plan on spending today tonight and all of tomorrow on scene documenting the the accident site

Now, after this crash that caused all this damage, you can still smell the jet fuel in the air. About 100 people were evacuated and many who fled the flames won't be able to go back home until the NTSB completes its initial investigation.

Carter Evans in San Diego. Thank you, Carter. Now more of the top stories from around the world in tonight's Evening News Roundup. In an escalation of its moves against Harvard, the Trump administration is revoking the university's certification, which allows it to enroll international students. The Department of Homeland Security accuses Harvard of fostering violence, anti-Semitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party. Harvard calls the government's action unlawful.

The session went past sunrise, but House Republicans approved President Trump's multi-trillion dollar package of tax and spending cuts by a margin of just one vote. One member fell asleep, or the margin would likely have been two votes. It now goes to the Senate, where significant changes are expected.

And the president is hosting 220 investors in his personal meme coin tonight at his Virginia golf club. Purchases of the digital asset have generated hundreds of millions for the Trump family and other backers. Nancy Cordes will have more on tonight's Evening News Plus.

And the US Treasury has put its final order in to make pennies. It's begun officially phasing out the coin, but if you need to save a few cents, don't go to the butcher. Beef prices are setting records just in time for grilling season. Jason Allen reports on what's at stake.

The dinner shopping list for Darlo Torkelson and his wife was short. How about that second one? One sirloin steak, one potato, and at today's prices, just one. Is there a limit? Is there an upper limit for you of what you're willing to pay? Well, I'm sure there probably is, but we haven't found it yet. But you haven't found it yet? Haven't found it, but I'd like to see it back down. The cost of a pound of ground beef is closing in on $6, a record high up nearly 50% from five years ago.

We are very, very conscious of how high the prices are in the meat case. Stephen Kirkland has been trying to absorb some of the price increases at his two stores near Fort Worth, Texas.

But a year ago, he could buy cattle for about $1,500 each. Those 800-pound steers this week cost almost $2,400 apiece. For one? For one steer. $2,400 for one steer. Raising those steers also comes at a higher cost now, with prices up for feed, land, and financing. That's contributed to U.S. cattle herds falling to their lowest numbers in more than 70 years.

We've had a lot of drought the past couple of years, and so it's been harder and harder to keep enough grass to feed the cows. Kim Radiker-Bays raises Herefords and Longhorns at Twin Canyons Ranch south of Fort Worth. She has to weigh the cost to keep the herd fed and healthy against the price they'll command at market right now. So the big thing, especially with these current prices, is if any of these are open, they're going to sale. What do you mean open? If they're not pregnant. If they're not pregnant, they're going. They're going.

Because it just costs too much to feed them if you don't get a calf every year. With supplies tightening, the USDA forecast beef prices to rise throughout 2025. When will beef cost too much for buyers? That's a great question and I don't know. I don't know where it's at. But as cattle prices increase, we're left with no other choice. If we want to stay profitable, if we want to stay in business at all, you've got to go up on your price.

Ranchers told us some of their counterparts are really seeing a windfall right now when they take their cattle to market, which is welcome, they said, because many of them have spent their entire lives just trying to keep their family farms from folding. Jason Allen, thank you. Scientists are predicting a busy summer for hurricanes and tropical storms in the Atlantic. Lonnie Quinn joins us with the details, and we'll have these stories.

Two years after the mission was put on hold, these horses are returning to funeral duty at Arlington National Cemetery. That's tonight's Eye on America. I'm Dave Malkoff in Tylertown, Mississippi. Just one community around the country that has asked for federal disaster assistance, but they're still waiting. That's next on the CBS Evening News.

This has been a ferocious year for tornadoes. Here are the numbers. More than 900 have been reported. That's nearly 300 above average. The Trump administration's overhaul of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is raising concerns about how communities will be able to recover from destructive storms. Dave Malkoff reports tonight from Mississippi, one of 19 states waiting for federal help. My

Double wide mobile home was located right here. 68 days ago, a deadly tornado in Tylertown, Mississippi leveled Dorothy Yarborough's home. Riding out a tornado in a double wide seems like a very scary experience. It was. It was. It happened so fast.

But the response from the Federal Disaster Agency, FEMA, has been slow. Typically, when a tornado destroys a town, someone like Yarborough applies for federal assistance, the president signs the declaration, and FEMA spends money to recover and rebuild. Yarborough has applied, but after 10 weeks, she's got nothing but a huge pile of debris and this camper.

So this was donated by a church. This wasn't FEMA, right? Right. No, no, no, not FEMA. Across the country, governors have 21 requests into the White House for emergency or disaster declarations. Two have been denied. The other 19, including Mississippi, are waiting for a decision. President Trump says he wants to get rid of FEMA altogether. Somebody's going to have to help.

Patsy Pittman's family has owned this property for generations. She and her husband repaired their damaged home and farm buildings with their own personal insurance money and most of their life savings, 40 grand. We've applied, and that's the last we've heard. But they say the president hasn't signed it, so... How does that make you feel? A little disappointed. If we can send missiles overseas, why can't we send money to help

us, Arkansas, now Kentucky got hit this past weekend. My opinion is your priority is your home.

We asked the White House, what is the deal with this federal assistance? They got back to us late today and they told us that the president takes a look at each and every one of these requests, but he is leaning heavily on the states to take care of their own people. It is worth mentioning, John, that hurricane season is just 10 days away now. Dave Malkoff, thank you.

The Atlantic hurricane season begins in just over a week. Government scientists at NOAA predict it will be above average with as many as five major hurricanes. And Lonnie Quinn is here with the details. Lonnie?

All right. I want to talk about those numbers that you're referring to, because when you look at an average hurricane season, we have 14 named storms, seven of which would be hurricanes and three would be major hurricanes. This year, they're going to go with numbers that are, believe it or not, John, either a little bit, a little bit below or actually above average. The numbers that are being projected for this year, 13 to 19 named storms. Like I said, the average you're looking at 14. So a little bit below average or above.

above average. Why is that kind of range out there? They're looking at sea surface temperatures. They're also looking at wind shear. They're looking at monsoonal activity off of the coast of Africa. But the sea surface temperatures really gets your attention because there are portions of the area, like the Gulf of Mexico, where the sea surface temperature is right now above average, a little bit above average. If you look at the coast of Africa, which is so important for hurricane season because so often hurricanes are born, right where you see those little dots right there, the Cape Verde Islands, well, that pale yellow color is

average temperature water and the little flashes of blue below average. So it is possible that if a hurricane forms there, it churns the water like an eggbeater pulls up colder water. It ends up being more like an average season. But they do say, hey, it could go a little bit above average. Do you want to quickly show you Boston, Massachusetts? I can't show you much because there is a nor'easter out there. Thankfully, it is weaker as you go into your day tomorrow and should dissipate. It's all yours, John. Lonnie Quinn. Thank you, Lonnie. A military tradition rolls on. Ion America is next.

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The first season of CBS's new hit, NCIS Origins... Federal agent! ...is now streaming. NIS. The hell's that? Naval investigative service. We go where the evidence takes us. We got this. 88% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. You don't see folks trying to affect change, but here you are. Got a body waiting for us. Yes. Welcome to the team. NCIS Origins Season 1, now streaming on Paramount+.

- We have an update on a solemn tradition at Arlington National Cemetery that was suspended two years ago. In tonight's Eye on America, Charlie Daggett reports on how that tradition is now rolling on again at America's largest military cemetery.

Off you go. Soldiers of the U.S. Army's Old Guard are taking on intensive drills. Let's go walk on, stay together, knee to knee. In precision horsemanship. OK, come around. As they prepare to resume their sacred and solemn duty for service members being laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.

Horse-drawn funerals were suspended by the Army two years ago after two horses died. And as CBS News reported, others were suffering painful muscle and tendon injuries. They were performing up to eight funerals a day in all weather, pulling wagons that weighed more than a ton. Most of those horses are retired now, replaced by dozens of new ones.

But Army commanders knew they needed professional help to bring the caissons back and called in David O'Connor, an Olympic gold medalist with the U.S. Equestrian Federation. The commanding general gets up there and he goes, OK, I would like for all of you guys to realize that we do not know what we're talking about. I thought it was the greatest opening line I've ever heard. That humility.

was surprising to me. We're in serious trouble. We need to really look at this whole thing. So I think a lot of it was an education piece. Lieutenant Colonel Jason Crawford is a veterinarian and the unit's new commander. Once we brought the right experts in, I think everyone then starts having the "aha" moment. Like, I didn't know the horses were, you know, kind of working too much. Now the horses will be limited to two funerals a day. Prepared about. But cutting their workload was just the beginning.

It wasn't just the welfare of the animals that they focused on, but the equipment. The old caisson weighed 2,600 pounds. This one is more than 1,000 pounds lighter. Attention to orders. Staff Sergeant Isaac Melton is a squad leader. Did you grow up riding? No. So 15 months I've been here, 15 months ago I touched my first horse, sir.

A whole lot of training. A lot of hours? A lot of hours, sir. I'd say we average around eight to ten hours a day. Sergeant Damian Copeland was part of the program before it was suspended. What does it mean for you to return to this service? Something inside your chest that you just, you feel, and you're proud, you're nervous, you're excited.

You're honored to be able to be the one that's saying, I'm helping bring this back to the cemetery and the service members and their families. Have you imagined what might be going through your mind on day one? I can tell you exactly what would be going through my mind. It would be perfection. Perfection in a ritual the Army calls a powerful symbol of sacrifice. For Eye on America, I'm Charlie Daggett in Arlington National Cemetery. Get ready to laugh until it hurts. You're going to love this.

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Now playing, you will never see a movie like this again. Mission Impossible is a symphony of action, scale, and spectacle. Tom Cruise has outdone himself. Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning. Now playing, rated PG-13. What's up, Hoop fans? I'm Ashley Nicole Moss, and I'm bringing you Triple Threat, your weekly courtside pass to the most interesting moments and conversations in the NBA.

From clutch performances to the stories shaping the game on and off the court, Triple Threat has you covered with it all. Culture, drama, and social media buzz. We're locked in just like you're locked in. Watch weekly on CBS Sports Network at 1 p.m. Eastern or on the CBS Sports YouTube channel as we break it all down fast and fresh. This is Triple Threat, where basketball meets culture.

We end tonight with a rite of passage that's disappearing. One that shaped generations, stained fingers with ink, and taught kids to show up, rain or shine.

Before Dennis the Menace was launching papers into shrubs, the morning route belonged to boys and girls who biked through the dark, braved the cold and barking dogs and delivered the news. Joe Biden, Martin Luther King Jr., Warren Buffett and Tom Cruise are among the legions of Americans who earned their first pocket money that way. For decades in New York, kids as young as 11 could have a paper route.

But this month, the state ended that exemption, meaning, at least here, the job that once belonged to preteens now belongs to history. Newspaper delivery in general is going the way of the switchboard operators and video store clerks. Headlines are delivered by swipe, not spokes. And as the paper route fades into history, so will a certain kind of first job, one paid in dollars, lessons, and the dignity of showing up.

That's the CBS Evening News. I'll see you soon on CBS Evening News Plus, streaming on CBS News 24-7. Have a great night. 911, say it's an emergency. Yes.

You're dead. You're dead! A Paramount Plus original. She wants to find more young women for him to kill. The untold stories of the real cases. Each one he gets away with, he's emboldened. The FBI can't shake. It's very satisfying to be able to look at a bad guy and go, we never forgot you. An all-new season of FBI True, streaming now on Paramount Plus.

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