12-year-old among those killed in SW Michigan tornadoes

Southwest Michigan is under a state of emergency following a deadly tornado outbreak in Branch, Cass, and Saint Joseph counties, resulting in four deaths and numerous injuries. The victims include William Andrew Akers, Keri Ann Johnson, and Penni Jo Guthrie from Union City, and 12-year-old Silan Anderson from Edwardsburg. Governor Gretchen Whitmer has criticized the National Weather Service for not issuing a tornado watch and is calling for a federal investigation, suspecting that funding cuts under the Trump administration may have contributed to the lack of warning. Emergency resources have been mobilized for recovery efforts following the governor's declaration.