Rob Reiner Stabbed to Death, Brown "Person of Interest" Released, Aussie Terrorism: AM Update 12/15

0:02Good morning, everyone. I'm Megan Kelly. It's Monday, December 15th, 2025. And this is your AM update. Famed director Rob Reiner and his wife found dead in the home, reportedly stabbed to death. Shortly, we will be releasing the person of interest who had been detained earlier today. Authorities in Rhode Island releasing a person of interest who had been detained throughout the day in connection with the Brown University mass shooting. This was an attack deliberately targeted at the Jewish community. A father and son opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Australia in a deadly targeted attack.

0:44Two U.S. soldiers killed in an ISIS ambush in Syria. And the University of Michigan's head football coach fired, then arrested, in a wild story involving accusations of an affair and breaking and entering. All that and more coming up in just a moment on your AM Update.

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1:47Breaking news out of Los Angeles. 78-year-old director Rob Reiner and his 68-year-old wife, Michelle Singer Reiner, reportedly stabbed to death at the couple's Brentwood mansion. People magazine reporting the couple was killed by their son, Nick, though deputy chief of the LAPD, Alan Hamilton, declining to confirm that reporting calling it, quote, a death investigation, but saying the report about the son, quote, did not come from us. Nick has previously been open about his struggles with drug abuse and mental illness. LAPD robbery homicide division detectives were assigned to the case, reports local outlet NBC4.

2:30ABC7 in LA reporting that their LAPD sources have told them this is, quote, a murder investigation. Outlets reporting a large police presence around the home on Sunday evening, LA paramedics called to the home around 3.30 p.m. yesterday. LAPD officers originally dispatched to the home for a report of a, quote, ambulance death investigation, which is LAPD terminology when officers are called by firefighters to the discovery of a death. ABC7 reporting actors Billy Crystal and Larry David spotted at the home yesterday afternoon, Crystal, quote, looked like he was about to cry, according to a neighbor.

3:10Another briefing set for this morning. Late last night, authorities in Rhode Island announcing the release of a person of interest taken into custody early Sunday morning in connection with the mass shooting at Brown University on Saturday that left two dead, nine injured. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley announcing the decision. Shortly, we will be releasing the person of interest who had been detained earlier today, but we want to inform the community that that individual will shortly be released from Providence Police. Our investigation into this horrific act remains ongoing. It has been ongoing.

3:54And I know there's been some frustration from members of the community and others about the language that we've been using about the person of interest and such, and that speaks to directly the fact that this investigation was and continues ongoing, and we will continue to endeavor to not confirm any information that is not yet confirmable. and that is how we can best be transparent with all the members of our community to share the best information that we have. Law enforcement sources telling the New York Post earlier in the day the person of interest was found in a hotel about half an hour away with a revolver and a small handgun featuring a, quote, unique laser light on the handgun, which sources say helped lead investigators to this person.

4:41Authorities not going into specifics about what evidence may or may not have been recovered from the hotel. Instead, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Nerona offering this. Certainly there was some degree of evidence that pointed to this individual, but that evidence needed to be corroborated and confirmed. And over the last 24 hours, leading into just very, very recently, that evidence now points in a different direction. So what that means is that this person of interest needs to be and should be released. I think what is really unfortunate, that this person's name was leaked to the public.

5:22It's hard to put that back in the bottle, okay? So we're going to proceed very carefully here. There is too much at stake for the victims of this horrific crime and their families to take chances with respect to this investigation. We have not yet solved this case, but I'm confident we're going to do that. And I'm confident we're going to do that in the very near future. Providence Chief of Police Oscar Perez saying the tip, pointing to the person of interest, was picked up by detectives and handed to the FBI, who ran it down. Yesterday afternoon, FBI Director Cash Patel posting an update on X, saying the FBI established a command post to intake, develop, and analyze leads and run them to ground.

6:09We activated the FBI's cellular analysis survey team to provide critical geolocation capabilities. As a result, early this morning, FBI Boston's Safe Streets Task Force, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals and the Coventry, Rhode Island Police Department, detained a person of interest in a hotel room in Coventry, Rhode Island. Turns out authorities now say that wasn't the guy. Mayor Smiley saying a new shelter-in-place alert will not be imposed, despite the AG saying a murderer is on the loose. The mayor saying there's no need for a new shelter-in-place order because no new shootings have taken place since the one on Saturday afternoon.

6:52Authorities saying all video evidence has been examined and more footage is required, asking residents to upload any video that might be helpful to fbi.gov forward slash Brown University shooting. AG Nerona saying the building where the shooting took place is old and lacks security cameras. The mass shooting occurring around 4 p.m. Saturday, when shots began ringing out inside the engineering and physics building of Brown University. Teaching assistant John Oduro yesterday on CNN, describing the moment the shooter, dressed in black, entered his classroom. I was giving my closing remarks and then as soon as everybody stood up and started exiting the room, we heard what sounded like gunshots outside the door and we heard screaming from various students.

7:43And then about five seconds later, we see a gunman into the room and then we just screamed something and just started shooting. I was standing in the front of the auditorium and he came through the back so we pretty much directly made eye contact and then as soon as that happened i looked at my students and signaled them to come to the front and then i just ducked and was the gunman shooting when he entered the room no he came in pointed the gun and then screamed something you know i don't know what he said and a lot none of the other students know what he said, but yeah, then he just started shooting right after that.

8:26Authorities say the shooter carrying a handgun, firing more than 40 rounds during the attack. Brown University President Christina Paxson at a press conference Saturday night, frustrating reporters with a lack of information on the shooting, a theme that would be continued through late Sunday night. President, with all due respect, six hours after the shooting, and you said you don't know what What was going on in that classroom? How does that happen? Were they taking an exam? Were they leading for a club? I don't know. I don't know. Six hours later and you're the president and you don't know.

8:57I do not know. Well, that's kind of concerning. Of the injured, a hospital spokesman saying last night, six are in critical condition but stable, and another is in critical condition. Paxson confirming all of the victims are students. the identity of one of the two who lost their life released late last night, Ella Cook, vice president of the College Republicans. The president of the College Republicans of America, releasing a statement, quote, Ella was known for her bold, brave, and kind heart as she served her chapter and her fellow classmates. Brown University has canceled all classes, exams, and remaining schoolwork for the rest of the semester, which was set to end this Friday.

9:43Islamic terrorism in Australia as two gunmen opening fire on hundreds of Jewish revelers gathering on Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach in celebration of the first night of Hanukkah in a targeted attack. The death toll rising to 15 as of Monday morning in Australia, with dozens more injured, including five in critical condition. The victims range in age from 10 to 87. New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon on Sunday evening declining to release the names of the suspects, but providing additional information on their background. We are satisfied that there were two offenders involved in yesterday's incident.

10:23One is deceased. The second is in critical but stable condition in hospital at the moment. The offenders are a 50 year old and 24 year old male who are father and son. The 50 year old is deceased. The 24 year old is currently in hospital at the moment. As part of the investigation we conducted two search warrants last night, one at Bonnie Rigg and a second at Campsy. The 50 year old male is a licensed firearms holder. He has six firearms licensed to him. We are satisfied that we have six firearms from the scene yesterday, but also as a result of the search run at the Camp C address. Ballistics and forensic investigation will determine this morning that those six firearms are the six that were licensed to that man, but also that they were used in the offense yesterday at Bondi.

11:13We will continue to investigate this matter thoroughly. Commissioner Lanyon saying the elder suspect who was killed by police was previously known to authorities, but declining to elaborate, citing the ongoing investigation. The Sydney Morning Herald among the outlets identifying the suspects as 24-year-old Navid Akram and 50-year-old Sajid Akram. Akram's mother telling the Herald her son was an unemployed bricklayer, last speaking to the family on Sunday morning. She describes him as not particularly social, though noting he did not appear to spend a lot of time online, quote, anyone would wish to have a son like my son.

11:50He's a good boy. Authorities also discovering a vehicle containing several improvised explosive devices near the scene of the shooting. At approximately 6.45 p.m. Sunday evening, the father and son pulling up to the beach in a silver hatchback vehicle. The Daily Mail, reporting a black ISIS-style flag, was draped over the hood of their car. The pair reportedly began opening fire upon exiting the vehicle, sending hundreds scattering across the beach. One witness describing the scene to a reporter.

12:47him all the time. I was two of my babies under me, and I look at that, and it's just rifle and a pistol, and just shoot, shoot. The shooter on the bridge is visible in a video that went viral on X. One can see a figure clad in black shooting over and over, pausing and shooting more for over 10 minutes before a return fire begins, eventually hitting the shooter, who falls to the ground. Authorities say police were on scene within 10 minutes of the first reports of violence. Among some of the victims, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41 years old and organizer of the event, and Alex Kleitman, a Holocaust survivor who hailed from Ukraine, killed while shielding his wife Larissa from the gunman.

13:31Viral social media showing one man, later identified as 43-year-old Ahmed Al-Akhmed, sneaking up behind one of the shooters, successfully wresting a rifle from his hands. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday morning addressing the attack. This was an attack deliberately targeted at the Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah, which of course should be a joyous celebration. And the Jewish community are hurting today. Today, all Australians wrap our arms around them and say, we stand with you. We will do whatever is necessary to stamp out anti-Semitism. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday accusing Prime Minister Albanese of not doing enough to stop the spread of anti-Semitism in Australia, which officially recognized a Palestinian state in September.

14:24The country rocked by a string of anti-Semitic incidents since the October 7th attacks, including two arson attacks on synagogues. coming up two u.s army soldiers in syria killed in an isis ambush and the university of michigan's head football coach arrested in a dramatic story following his firing

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15:25That's right, they do not charge a dime. They have a win rate of over 90 % on their cases, including a 9-0 record at the U.S. Supreme Court. This Religious Liberty in the States Index is an independent, peer-reviewed study that gives you the real picture of religious liberty across America. Want to see where your state ranks or others do? Get your free copy today at firstliberty.org slash megan. That's firstliberty.org slash megan. Two U.S. Army soldiers and a U.S. civilian interpreter killed Saturday in Palmyra, a city in central Syria, in an attack believed to be carried out by an ISIS infiltrator inside the Syrian security forces.

16:07Three more U.S. soldiers and two more members of Syrian security forces also wounded in the attack. The soldiers providing security outside a building where Syrian interior ministry officials from the capital were meeting with local counterparts, according to the New York Times. The lone attacker opening fire with an automatic weapon from a nearby building. Syrian security forces returning fire, killing the gunmen. U.S. helicopters evacuating the wounded for treatment to a military base in southeastern Syria. President Trump reporting yesterday, two of the wounded service members have been released from the hospital, the third is expected to recover.

16:46Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds confirming the deceased soldiers were part of the Iowa National Guard. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in a social media statement saying, quote, let it be known if you target Americans anywhere in the world, you will spend the rest of your brief anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you. President Trump from the White House lawn on Saturday. We mourned the loss of three great patriots in Syria. You know how it happened. It was an ambush, terrible. We also have three wounded. They seem to be doing pretty well. But we mourned the loss.

17:25These are great, three great people. And it's just a terrible thing. Syria, by the way, was fighting along with us. The president, The new president of Syria is, as they told me, and I'm not surprised, he's devastated by what happened. This was an ISIS attack on us and Syria. And again, we mourn the lost and we pray for them and their parents and their loved ones. Very, very sad. Mr. President, will the U.S. retaliate against ISIS? Yeah, we will. We will retaliate. Thank you very much. U.S. and Syrian officials telling the Wall Street Journal the attacker was a member of the Syrian security forces who was about to be fired for holding extremist views.

18:11As mentioned, the attacker is believed to be a member of ISIS, who, CBS News reports, had infiltrated the local security force, though no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. This attack marking the first American casualties since dictator Bashar al-Assad's regime was toppled last year. U.S. officials have not yet indicated if the attack will prompt any policy changes in the region. What began as an internal personnel matter within the prestigious University of Michigan football program rapidly exploding into a wild scandal, leading to now-former star head coach Sharon Moore's arrest.

18:50Last Wednesday, the Michigan athletic director firing 39-year-old Moore, terminating his$27.5 million contract over five years for cause, thus voiding the deal and nullifying the payment obligations. This upon learning of a, quote, inappropriate relationship Moore'd been having with an employee. While the university has not publicly named that staffer, several outlets reporting it was his executive assistant, 32-year-old Paige Shiver. University policy stipulates that a supervisor may not initiate or attempt to initiate an intimate relationship with someone over whom they have supervisory authority.

19:30The Wall Street Journal reporting the saga began in mid-October when a tipster alerted school officials that Moore was having an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. The university opening an investigation at the time, but Moore, who is married with three kids, and the alleged mistress denied the relationship. The school then hiring an outside law firm to investigate further. Blue and Mays Review, a Michigan sports-focused outlet, reporting on Monday amid rumors of the affair, but without substantial proof, university officials advised Moore not to work directly with Shiver. Moore then reportedly moving to fire Shiver, rather than relocating her to another department.

20:12Not it. Not it, sir. A prosecutor saying Shiver ended the relationship last Monday. On Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reporting, Shiver contacted the law firm to confirm the relationship from about 2022 to 2024, saying she had emails, texts, and phone records to prove it. Later that same day, Moore was let go, reportedly going to Shiver's home, where he then allegedly broke in and threatened her and himself with a knife. Shiver calling 911, telling dispatchers Moore was attacking her and had been stalking her for months. A prosecutor, later saying Moore, armed with butter knives, told Shiver, quote, I'm going to kill myself.

20:55I'm going to make you watch. My blood is on your hands. You've ruined my life. Moore then fleeing the home, with authorities arresting him a short time later. He was booked into the county jail, spending Wednesday and Thursday night in custody before his Friday arraignment. Authorities charging Moore with felony third-degree home invasion and two misdemeanor charges, stalking and breaking and entering, the felony charge carrying up to five years in prison, Moore pleading not guilty to the charges. A magistrate setting bond at$25 ,000 and setting these conditions for Moore's release. So you are not to use alcohol, marijuana, or any other controlled substance that is not prescribed to you.

21:37You are not to possess or purchase a firearm or any other dangerous weapon. You are not to engage in criminal conduct of any kind whatsoever. You may not leave the state of Michigan without permission of the court. Prior to your release, you will be placed on a GPS tether. You will not be released before that GPS tether is placed upon you. You must continue all mental health treatment as a condition of your bond. The named victim in this case will not be placed on the record. You may not have contact with that individual. More posting bond on Friday and was shortly thereafter released. The next hearing is set for January 22nd.

22:21Biff Pogge will serve as interim coach at the Wolverines. Michigan is set to play in the Citrus Bowl against Texas on New Year's Eve. And that'll do it for your AM update. I'm Megan Kelly. Join me back here for the MK show live on Sirius XM's Megan Kelly channel. One 11 at noon East on youtube.com slash Megan Kelly and on all podcast platforms.