Tuesday morning news: September 3, 2019

Dorian departs Bahamas, heads toward Florida coast » AUDIO: [Sound of Hurricane Dorian]

Dorian is still spinning over the Atlantic this morning. 

It’s finally pulling away from the Bahamas after mercilessly hammering the islands for more than a full day—with winds around 200 miles per hour. Storm surge pushed ocean water into second story windows and completely washed away some buildings. 

At least five people are confirmed dead, but it could be days before officials know the extent of the damage and loss of life. 

Bahamas Foreign Minister Darren Henfield said those who are safe in their homes should stay there. 

HENFIELD: It is not safe to go outdoors. Power lines are down. Lamp poles are down. Trees are across the street. 

Meantime, Florida residents could be the next to feel Dorian’s wrath. The storm weakened slightly to a category 4 hurricane on Monday. That means sustained winds of 155 miles per hour, but it is still a monster. 

Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday urged residents to obey any and all evacuation orders—as officials gauge where the storm is going.  

DESANTIS: Once we see the definitive movement north on which path that’s on, that’s going to kind of even more concisely and concretely identify the places along Florida’s coast that are most at risk. 

The edge of Dorian’s cone of uncertainty still blankets the Atlantic coast of Florida and Georgia, as well as coastal areas of the Carolinas. If the hurricane does make landfall in Florida, that could happen just hours from now—very early Wednesday morning.    

Dozens missing, at least 4confirmed dead after boat fire in CA » Dozens are missing and feared dead off the coast of Santa Cruz Island. That after a fire engulfed a dive-boat in Southern California. 

Officials have recovered at least eight bodies, but searchers on Monday continued to look for more than two dozen others. 

The Coast Guard said the vessel was believed to have carried 38 people, including five crew members. 

Coast Guard Captain Monica Rochester told reporters the passengers were sleeping below deck when the fire broke out. 

ROCHESTER: The crew was actually already awake and on the bridge and they jumped off. 

A nearby boat rescued them. Asked if the crew tried to help others aboard, Rochester said she did not have any information on that. 

The National Transportation Safety Board said it’s sending a team to investigate the fire. 

West Texas shooter was just fired from job, was on “long spiral” » Investigators on Monday released more information about the man who went on a deadly shooting rampage in West Texas on Saturday. 

Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke said the 36-year-old gunman had just been fired from his job.

GERKE: Saturday morning our suspect went to work at Journey Oilfield Service. He was there for a short time and was terminated. 

But FBI special agent Christopher Combs clarified that—quoting here—”This did not happen because he was fired,” adding that “he showed up to work enraged.”

COMBS: He was on a long spiral of going down. He didn’t wake up Saturday morning and walk into his company and then it happened. He went to that company in trouble. He’s probably been in trouble for a while. 

After fleeing a traffic stop and exchanging gunfire with police, the shooter drove around the Midland and Odessa area, firing at people randomly. He killed at least seven people and wounded more than 20 others. 

Texas Governor Greg Abbott tweeted Monday that “we must keep guns out of criminals’ hands.”  Online court records show the shooter was arrested in 2001 for a misdemeanor offense, but that would not have prevented him from legally buying a gun.

But Abbott also said the shooter failed a previous gun background check and didn’t go through one for the weapon he used on Saturday. The governor did not elaborate on that. 

Hong Kong students skip class in protest » In Hong Kong, thousands of students sat not in their classrooms but in the streets on Monday. WORLD Radio’s Kristen Flavin has more.  

KRISTEN FLAVIN, REPORTER: Thousands of students boycotted the first day of classes in Hong Kong amid ongoing pro-democracy protests.

High school students added fabric masks, goggles and hard hats to their school uniforms, while university students crowded into a square at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Jacky So, president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s student union, said 30,000 students attended a rally on campus. 

Many students will also skip class today, taking part in the planned two-day strike.

The protesters’ demands include dropping charges against more than a thousand people who have been arrested and formally withdrawing a controversial extradition bill.

Reporting for WORLD Radio, I’m Kristen Flavin. 

Angel Has Fallen tops Labor Day weekend box office » It was a slow holiday weekend at the box office. Angel Has Fallen took the top spot. 

AUDIO: [Sound from Angel Has Fallen]

The R-rated action flick took in another $12 million for the weekend. And the also R-rated Good Boys earned another $10 million. 

Meantime Overcomer enjoyed another solid showing. 

AUDIO: [Sound from Overcomer]

The Kendricks brothers’ latest Christian film took in another $6 million over Labor Day weekend. 

You can find WORLD’s reviews of current films—along with ratings and content information—at WNG.org/movies.

(AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu) A pair of fins and flowers are placed at outside of the Sea Landing at Santa Barbara Harbor in Santa Barbara, Calif. Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. 

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