Washington Metropolitan Police officer dies from injuries suffered while helping stranded motorist

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer struck by a car last month while helping a stranded motorist has died from his injuries, the department announced Thursday.

Terry Bennett, 32, had been hospitalized since December 23 when he was struck by a passing vehicle as he helped a motorist who ran out of gas. The driver who hit him remained at the scene. No charges have been filed but the incident remains under investigation, an MPD spokesman said.

Bennett’s death comes at a challenging time for the district’s police department, which President Donald Trump took over for a month last year as part of what the administration has called a crime fighting mission. The police force has come under scrutiny for cooperating with federal agents, including immigration enforcement officers, and its police chief recently stepped down.

“The men and women of the Metropolitan Police Department stand shoulder to shoulder with Officer Bennett’s family and friends as they process this unimaginable loss,” Interim Police Chief Jeffery Carroll said in a statement. “Officer Bennett was a model officer, a born and raised Washingtonian who wanted to make a positive impact on his community, dedicating himself to bettering the lives of young people. This loss is devastating for both our department and our city. I ask that all Washingtonians reflect on Officer Bennett’s sacrifice and keep his family in their thoughts and prayers.”

Bennett, who is survived by his wife and son, was the son of a former MPD officer. He joined the department in February 2018.

Mayor Muriel Bowser praised Bennett and said he lost his life doing “what he was known to do — helping and caring for the people around him.” She said the officer was deeply committed to the community. Before joining the department, he served at his alma mater, Ballou Senior High School, first as an associate dean and more recently as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for the Ballou football team. “Through his coaching, mentorship, and public service, he impacted the lives of countless students and Washingtonians and he leaves behind a legacy of love and courage,” she said.

Bowser offered her prayers to the officer, his family and fellow officers.

Hundreds of MPD officers, U.S. Park Police, U.S. Capitol Police and members of the National Guard lined the route as a procession including scores of police and emergency vehicles brought his body the four miles from the MedStar Washington Hospital Center to the D.C. Medical Examiner.

Bennett is the 127th line of duty death in the department’s 164-year history and the first since 2024.

U.S. Park Police mounted officers salute as a van carrying the body of Metropolitan Police Department officer Terry Bennett is driven past the Capitol, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

National Guard members stand before the body of Metropolitan Police Department officer Terry Bennett is driven past the Capitol, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

U.S. Capitol Police officers salute as a van carrying the body of Metropolitan Police Department officer Terry Bennett is driven past the Capitol, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Metropolitan Police Department officers salute as a van carrying the body of MPD officer Terry Bennett, who died on Wednesday, weeks after being struck by a motorist, is driven past the Capitol, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

LONDON (AP) — Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok is preventing most users from generating or editing any images after a global backlash that erupted after it started spewing sexualized deepfakes of people.

The chatbot, which is accessed through Musk's social media platform X, has in the past few weeks been granting a wave of what researchers say are malicious user requests to modify images, including putting women in bikinis or in sexually explicit positions.

Researchers have warned that in a few cases, some images appeared to depict children. Governments around the world have condemned the platform and opened investigations into the platform.

On Friday, Grok was responding to image altering requests with the message: “Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers. You can subscribe to unlock these features.”

While subscriber numbers for Grok aren't publicly available, there was a noticeable decline in the number of explicit deepfakes that Grok is now generating compared with days earlier.

The European Union has slammed Grok for “illegal” and “appalling” behavior, while officials in France, India, Malaysia and a Brazilian lawmaker have called for investigations.

On Thursday, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer threatened unspecified action against X.

“This is disgraceful. It’s disgusting. And it’s not to be tolerated,” Starmer said on Greatest Hits radio. “X has got to get a grip of this.”

He said media regulator Ofcom “has our full support to take action" and that "all options" are on the table.

“It’s disgusting. X need to get their act together and get this material down. We will take action on this because it’s simply not tolerable.”

Ofcom and Britain's privacy regulator both said this week they've contacted X and Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI for information on measures they've taken to comply with British regulations.

Grok is free to use for X users, who can ask it questions on the social media platform. They can either tag it in posts they've directly created or in replies to posts from other users.

Grok launched in 2023. Last summer the company added an image generator feature, Grok Imagine, that included a so-called “spicy mode” that can generate adult content.

The problem is amplified both because Musk pitches his chatbot as an edgier alternative to rivals with more safeguards, and because Grok’s images are publicly visible, and can therefore be easily spread.

FILE - Workers install lighting on an "X" sign atop the company headquarters, formerly known as Twitter, in downtown San Francisco, July 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)