A Frontier Airlines jet struck and killed a person who was walking on the runway at Denver International Airport late Friday night, according to a statement from the airport.

“Frontier Flight 4345 reported striking a pedestrian during takeoff at DEN at approximately 11:19 p.m. on Friday, May 8, 2026. There was a brief engine fire that was promptly extinguished by the Denver Fire Dept.,” the airport wrote in a post on X.

“Emergency crews responded to the scene and bussed passengers to the terminal. 231 souls were on board. Emergency response and investigation are ongoing. The NTSB has been notified. Runway 17L will remain closed while the investigation is conducted,” the statement concluded.

The airport confirmed to Fox News that the person is deceased.

AMERICAN, FRONTIER PLANES CLIP WINGS AT LOGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN BOSTON

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks during a news conference at Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia, Pa., on Oct. 24, 2025. (Ryan Collerd/Bloomberg)

The person struck breached airport security Friday night to scale a perimeter fence and dash out onto the runway, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a Saturday morning statement.

“The trespasser on the runway was then struck by Frontier Airlines Flight 4345 during takeoff at high speed. The pilot stopped takeoff procedures immediately,” Duffy wrote in a post on X.

“The Frontier plane was then quickly evacuated while law enforcement and firefighters responded. Preliminary reports are 12 people were hurt, with 5 taken to the hospital. Local law enforcement handles airport security and is investigating with support from the FAA and TSA. No one should EVER trespass on an airport,” Duffy concluded.

Denver International Airport later posted an update to X saying it “has examined the fenceline and found it to be intact.”

“We are extremely saddened by this incident and express our sympathies to those involved,” it added.

The person killed was struck and “at least partially consumed” by the one of the plane’s engines, ABC News reported.

Frontier Airlines is conducting an investigation, the company told media outlets.

A Frontier Airlines Airbus A319 approaches the runway for landing at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, Calif., on June 7, 2008. (iStock)

Audio from the incident captures the moment the plane and person collided.

“We just hit somebody, we have an engine fire,” the pilot told an air traffic controller, according to audio from the ATC app.

“There was an individual walking across the runway,” the pilot told the ATC.

A Frontier Airlines Airbus A320 neo plane, owned by the Bank of Utah Trustee, taxis to a gate at Denver International Airport (DEN) on March 23, 2026, in Denver, Colorado. (Al Drago/Getty Images)

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A witness described to CBS the moment the collision occurred.

“We were already taking off and we’re going pretty fast, and I felt like the plane started to tilt up when out of nowhere, it just — we felt like a thud and heard, like, an explosion,” Jose Cervantes told CBS News.

“I was right on the wing, so I looked to my right and I just see, like, the right wing just on fire and it, like — it’s exploding, and it sounds, like, horrible, you know and right away they shut the aircraft off,” Cervantes said. “Well, when that happened, the aircraft lands back down and starts to swivel from side to side, then they shut it down right away. And then the cabin starts to fill with smoke, and that’s when they started evacuating everyone.”

Fox News Digital contacted Frontier, the FAA, the DOT, the NTSB and Denver Airport for comment.

Fox News’ Madeleine Rivera contributed to this report.

Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman broke with fellow Democrats again Friday, criticizing what he called the party’s overreliance on anti-Trump messaging and urging a shift toward a more constructive approach.

“My colleagues, and people that are running, whether for the Senate or the House, they’re literally running on f— Trump,” Fetterman said on the latest episode of “Real Time with Bill Maher”

“They have campaign commercials [with that message]. It’s absurd…” he added.

“I refuse to engage in those extreme terms, and we have to find a better way forward, and now I’ve been punished [for] find[ing] value in certain views.”

FETTERMAN SAYS DEMOCRATS LACK LEADER, CLAIMS PARTY DRIVEN BY ‘TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME’

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., speaks to the media on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., during a briefing for senators on the situation in Venezuela on Jan. 7. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

Fetterman, who has increasingly positioned himself as an independent-minded voice within the party, framed his comments as a larger critique of partisan strategies as the country eyes the high-stakes midterm election cycle.

FETTERMAN UNDER FIRE AS GOV SHAPIRO PUSHES WILD CARD SENATOR TO ‘GET BACK’ TO BEING A DEMOCRAT

President Donald Trump holds a rendering of the planned $400 million White House Ballroom extension during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 22, 2025. (Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg)

Fetterman did not defend Trump directly, but suggested that defining campaigns primarily in opposition to him risks dismissing valid ideas simply because they belong to Trump’s side.

“Like the ballroom… I don’t care about the ballroom,” he said, referring to the proposed White House space that the left has vehemently resisted.

FETTERMAN BREAKS WITH DEMOCRATS AFTER SHOOTING SCARE, BACKS TRUMP ON MAJOR WHITE HOUSE PROJECT

Bill Maher attends the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Mark Guiducci at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on Mar. 15, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Lionel Hahn/Getty Images)

“I don’t either… it’s so stupid,” Maher chimed in.

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Maher added, “We saw a couple of weeks ago with the assassination attempt [at the WHCA Dinner], America probably does need [a ballroom].”

Fetterman also rejected the idea of switching parties, framing his comments as a personal criticism rather than a political realignment.

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“If I ever decide to change, and I won’t, have me on, and I’ll announce that,” he said, laughing.

“But I’m a committed Democrat… I vote 93% of the time [with the Democrats]. I thought we were supposed to be a ‘big tent’ party, so I’m not sure how I became an issue for any of the Democrats, just by having some different views.”

A top pitching prospect reportedly self-deported to his native country of Mexico after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor related to human smuggling in Arizona.

San Diego Padres pitching prospect Humberto Cruz pleaded guilty to a charge of receiving money to transport noncitizens within the United States.

According to The Athletic, Cruz, in the country legally with a work visa, was driving a vehicle that carried two immigrants in the country illegally. Cruz, 19, was initially driving south on State Route 85 in Lukeville, Ariz., but was spotted driving north roughly an hour later with two other passengers. Agents were suspicious that Cruz would not have had enough time to reach the Lukeville Port of Entry to pick up passengers.

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Humberto Cruz of the San Diego Padres poses for a photo at the San Diego Padres Minor League Photo Day at Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona, on March 5, 2025. (Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images)

The San Diego Padres told the San Diego Tribune that Cruz would likely lose his work visa for 10 years, but can reapply after five years if he demonstrates good behavior.

“To my teammates, the organization, our fans, and my family, I want to express my sincere regret for a recent lapse in judgment that has caused disappointment to many people I deeply respect. I understand that my actions have fallen short of the standards expected of me as a professional and as a representative of this organization,” Cruz said in a statement, via The Athletic.

“I take responsibility for my conduct and recognize the impact it has had on my teammates, the club, and those who support us. To my teammates and coaches, I apologize for becoming a distraction and for not upholding the level of professionalism you deserve. To the fans, I am sorry for letting you down and for failing to meet the trust placed in me.

“I am committed to reflecting on this moment, learning from it, and taking the appropriate steps to move forward in a positive and responsible manner. I will cooperate fully with the organization and any steps required of me. … Thank you to everyone who has reached out with support and honesty. I understand that trust must be earned, and I am prepared to do that through my actions going forward.”

Fans arrive at the entrance gates of Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona, for the Los Angeles Dodgers spring training game against the San Diego Padres on Feb. 22, 2026. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

REDS ANNOUNCERS FUME AT ‘MIDDLE SCHOOL MISTAKE’ VS DIVISION RIVAL CUBS AS HORRID LOSING STREAK CONTINUES

The pitcher admitted to officials that he responded to an advertisement for drivers “to pick up people for easy money” and was offered $1,000 per person, knowing “they were illegal,” The Athletic said.

Cruz pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in November in exchange for prosecutors dismissing a felony charge of transportation of illegal aliens for profit. He was sentenced to 30 days in prison with credit for time served.

The plea deal, The Athletic said, stated Cruz understood his deportation would be “practically inevitable and a virtual certainty.”

The Padres placed Cruz, who they signed out of Monterrey, Mexico, for $750,000 in February 2024, on the restricted list in March.

Cruz underwent Tommy John surgery last August and had been rehabbing at the team’s spring training facility in Arizona in late October at the time of his arrest.

In 14 starts in both rookie and A-ball, Cruz pitched to a 7.58 ERA. MLB.com lists Cruz as the team’s fifth-best prospect — three of the four ahead of him are pitchers.

The San Diego Padres logo is displayed on the field at PETCO Park before a game against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 3, 2024, in San Diego, California. (Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)

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The Padres did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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I shared some thoughts on futures for the WNBA season yesterday, and we had three games last night that tipped off. However, the reality is that for most people, today will mark the official start of women’s basketball because Catilin Clark will be playing. That’s right, the Indiana Fever and everyone’s favorite female hooper takes center stage today as they host another beloved player in Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings.

The Dallas Wings went through a bit of a makeover during the offseason. Sure, they still are led by Bueckers, and they have a strong playmaker, Arike Ogunbowale, but now they also have last year’s co-Defensive Player of the Year, Alanna Smith, and they have the No. 1 overall pick, Azzi Fudd. If you are unaware, this is the second straight season that the Wings have had the top pick in the draft. That should give you some indication of how successful or good this franchise has been.

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers defends Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark during an inbounds play in a WNBA game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images)

I’m not trying to knock them. They were able to get two of the best players coming out of college, both from UConn, in two years, and added players to hopefully turn the team around. There are some questions about how good the team can be outside of the four women I’ve mentioned, but the Wings will certainly be better than last year’s 10-win team. What should be interesting to me is how Fudd operates in this offense. Bueckers creates her own shots, but I don’t see Fudd doing much of that. If defenses have to focus on Bueckers and Ogunbowale, maybe she is left open to do her damage.

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On the other side is the Indiana Fever. I’d be shocked if most of the casual WNBA fans could name anyone outside of the “Tres Leches” that play on the Fever, but they actually have two other great players outside of Clark. Aliyah Boston, a former No. 1 overall pick, signed a huge deal in the offseason to stay in Indiana and arguably had her best season last year. It was a great sign because now that Clark is back, the offense has another person that teams have to worry about. Another hooper that fans should familiarize themselves with is Kelsey Mitchell.

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham works the floor against Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers during the first half of a WNBA game in Dallas on June 27, 2025. (Julio Cortez/AP)

Mitchell carried the Fever to the WNBA Semifinals last season before they lost to the Aces. She averaged a career high of 20.2 points last year and established herself as a true threat. Again, the floor could open up for her with Clark leading the way. That’s not to discount Lexi Hull or Sophie Cunningham, both very skilled role players for the team. Cunningham will give the team toughness, outside shooting and strong defense even as she returns from injury. Hull was almost out of the league until she became a deep threat.

In today’s game, we should expect to see a few things — Clark will likely get fewer than 30 minutes as they try to ease her back in after just 13 games last season. I’ve also heard rumors that she will play off the ball this year, which should be a nice change from the full-court press she has dealt with for two years. I also expect the Fever to try to figure out some things on offense.

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers plays against the Golden State Valkyries during the second half at College Park Center in Dallas, Texas. (Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)

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The Wings will be in a similar situation. This is the first game of meaning they will play with a new coach, new teammates and a highly touted rookie. None of these things add up to a high-scoring game. I know why the total is so high — the Wings were awful on defense last year, and the Fever can score in bunches. However, this game is too high at 175.5. You’re asking the teams to score 85ish and 90ish points. That’s not happening in Game 1 of the season. Give me the under. For the record, when the Wings’ defense was worse last year, the teams combined to score 175, 185, 166 and 161 points in their four games. This will be a multiunit play for me.

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