Missing firefighter, alleged threats made against ICE, sedition accusations: Sunrise Brief

TOP STORIES: Missing firefighter, alleged threats made against ICE, sedition accusations

1. Authorities are searching for 23-year-old Pedro Aparicio, who was last seen on Nov. 17 around 9 p.m., the Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office said Thursday.

   

   Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office

   Aparicio is a Hispanic male — he is 5'4" tall and 150 pounds. Aparicio was last seen on Horseshoe Road in Elizabeth City. The Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office said he is employed in the Hampton Roads area and was expected to show up at work on Tuesday, but he never arrived.

   The sheriff's office added that Aparicio's phone has not been activated, and that he has not been in contact with his family. Anyone with information is asked to call the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office at 252-338-2191.
   

2. A Kempsville High School assistant principal and his brother are facing charges stemming from an alleged conversation they had about threatening to hurt ICE agents, according to a criminal complaint.

   Kempsville High asst. principal, brother overheard discussing violent threats against ICE agents: Docs

   Mark Bennett, 59, and John Bennett, 54, were arrested at Norfolk International Airport on Wednesday around 9:40 a.m. and 10:50 a.m., respectively, with the help of airport police. Police confirmed they are brothers. Both men are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit malicious wounding, police say.

   On Saturday, Nov. 15, an off-duty Norfolk police officer was having lunch at a Virginia Beach restaurant at the same time as the Bennetts, the complaint says. The officer claims he overheard the brothers talking about “how ICE agents are kidnapping individuals and that they needed to do something about it.”

   Mark Bennett allegedly told his brother he planned to fly to Las Vegas to meet with likeminded people and return with “enforcement ideas and plans” — he also allegedly said he recently bought an assault rifle because “it utilizes the explosive rounds that are needed to penetrate the vests.” John Bennett expressed interest in “go hunting” and joining his brother in Las Vegas. Mark Bennett bought a plane ticket for Wednesday, Nov. 19, the day both were arrested at Norfolk International Airport.
   

3. On social media, President Donald Trump suggested that Democratic lawmakers could be punished by death for their public message urging members of the military to refuse unlawful orders.

   On Tuesday, a number of Democratic lawmakers posted a message on social media, collectively warning that threats to the U.S. Constitution "aren't just coming from abroad, but from right here at home," adding that "Our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders," the message continues. "You must refuse illegal orders." The message did not give specific examples of unlawful orders.

   President Trump on Thursday morning reacted to a video message from a group of Democratic lawmakers, who asked members of the military to refuse illegal orders.

   During a press briefing Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that the president does not want to execute members of Congress.

   "Let's be clear about what the President is responding to, because many in this room want to talk about the President's response, but not what brought the president to responding in this way," Leavitt said. "You have sitting members of the United States Congress who conspired together to orchestrate a video message to members of the United States military, to active duty service members, to members of the national security apparatus, encouraging them to defy the President's lawful orders."
   

This morning's weather: Clouds and showers to end the week and start the weekend

Meteorologist Myles Henderson says we will see mostly cloudy skies today with areas of patchy fog, drizzle, and scattered showers. Highs will climb to around 60, near normal for this time of year.

Highs will warm to the upper 60s tomorrow, before a cold front moves through. Temperatures will drop through the afternoon. Expect mostly cloudy skies with scattered showers.

Clouds should clear out early Sunday morning, so most of the day will be sunny with highs in the upper 50s.

For the latest weather updates, watch Myles live on News 3 This Morning here.

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