TOP STORIES: Update on officer-involved shootings, new decision on environmental program, House Ethics Committee holds up Gaetz’s report

1. Virginia Beach officer shoots and kills Norfolk man. A Virginia Beach police officer shot and killed a man Tuesday night not far from downtown. Police have identified the man killed in the incident as Brandon Closson, 43, of Norfolk.

   Investigators tell News 3 that when officers arrived, a 7-Eleven employee told police that Closson tried to rob the store with what they said was a knife.

   Police say the officer at the scene saw Closson with what appeared to be a cutting tool and that after asking him to stop several times, he continued to approach the officer. That’s when investigators say the officer shot Closson, who died before he could be rushed to a hospital.

   Several in the community say it’s tragic that someone died. The officer involved is on leave during this investigation. Our News 3 team has requested any body camera footage during the incident.

   A Virginia Beach police officer shoots and kills a man near downtown

2. Over the years, there has been debate over Virginia’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. A Floyd County Circuit Court judge has ruled that Virginia cannot be removed from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, also known as RGGI, in a victory for environmental groups, but the governor plans an appeal.

   Minutes after taking office in January 2022, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order directing his administration to take steps to remove Virginia from RGGI. His team did that by removing Virginia from the RGGI through a regulation from the state’s air pollution board.

   RGGI requires power plants to buy credits to emit carbon into the atmosphere in an effort to tackle pollution. The money from the credits is then given to states, which can use the money to address flooding and sea level rise. However, Youngkin argued that the costs outweigh the benefits.

   Virginia originally joined the RGGI because of a law passed in the general assembly in 2020, so environmental groups sued, saying the governor and his administration do not have the power to override a law. A judge has now ruled in their favor, stating that only the general assembly could remove Virginia from RGGI.

   Democrats called the ruling a “decisive victory,” saying Virginia benefited from participating in the program. The fight didn’t end with a road call.

   Judge rules Virginia cannot be removed from Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

3. House Ethics Committee Holds Report on Former Rep. Matt Gaetz. A House Ethics Committee report on President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general pick, Matt Gaetz, will remain classified for now. Gaetz, who has denied any wrongdoing, met with Republicans in Washington yesterday as he tried to drum up support for his nomination.

   Trump said this week that he would not reconsider Gaetz’s nomination. CBS News also learned that Venmo records obtained by home investigators show Gaetz paid two women more than $10,000 in 27 payments.

   Gaetz denied any wrongdoing. Senators from both parties say they want to see the report before confirmation.

   House Ethics Committee report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz under wraps for now

Weather this morning: Cool, windy day

Meteorologist Derrah Getter says we’re in for a cool and breezy start to the day, with highs only in the mid-50s this afternoon. We have a small chance for a few spotty showers with building clouds later in the day.

Cool and breezy conditions will continue as we head into the weekend. The weekend will be mainly dry. A few sprinkles will be possible Saturday morning, but we’ll see a lot more sun on Sunday.

Thursday morning forecast

For the latest weather updates, watch Derrah live on News 3 This Morning Here.

Traffic this morning:

So far this morning, there have been no major traffic incidents in our area.

For the latest traffic updates, watch Conor live on News 3 This Morning Here.

Watch: Man accused in 2022 UVA mass shooting pleads guilty

• The man accused of fatally shooting three members of the University of Virginia football team in 2022 has pleaded guilty. In 2022, UVA football team members Devin Chandler, D’Sean Perry and Lavel Davis Jr. were killed in a bus shooting on their way back from a class trip to DC.

  A fourth team member, Mike Hollins, and another UVA student were injured in the incident, both of whom recovered.

  Yesterday, the person accused of the shooting, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., took a new plea deal. He pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, among other charges.

  Under the plea deal, Jones could be sentenced to five life terms. He was originally due to go on trial in January. Jones was also a UVA student and had previously been a member of the football team.

Watch the full story on News 3 This Morning Here.