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Sri Lanka bomb kills D.C. 5th-grader, Democrats & Buttigieg: The Morning Rundown

"He’s never gonna be a teenager," says dad of boy killed in Easter Sunday bombings.
Image: A coffin is carried during the mass burial of victims at a cemetery near St. Sebastian Church in Negombo
A coffin is carried during the mass burial of victims at a cemetery near St. Sebastian Church in Negombo, Sri Lanka on Tuesday. Athit Perawongmetha / Reuters

Good morning, NBC News readers.

As Sri Lanka holds a day of mourning for the 321 people killed in the Easter Sunday attacks, we're beginning to learn more about the victims of the bombings — including several Americans.

Here's what we're watching today.


'The terrorists had no idea who they were killing'

Kieran Shafritz de Zoysa, who would have turned 12 in August, was on a leave of absence from the prestigious Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C., to study and live in Sri Lanka, where his mother is originally from.

The fifth-grader was having breakfast at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo when a suicide bomber entered and detonated his backpack, his father Alexander Arrow told NBC News.

"Kieran was just a foot in the wrong direction," Arrow said.

"He's never gonna be a teenager," his father said. "The terrorists had no idea who they were killing ... Who they happened to hit was an incredible person who was going to do great things."

Sri Lanka held the first mass funeral services and burials today for some of the victims of the Easter Sunday bombings.

Image: Alex Arrow and Kieran Shafritz de Zoysa in a restaurant
Kieran Shafritz de Zoysa with his dad Alexander Arrow in April 2015Alex Arrow

House Democratic leaders push investigations of Trump, not impeachment

During a conference call with rank-and-file members of the caucus on Monday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., outlined how Democrats plan to pursue aggressive investigations into President Donald Trump in the wake of the public release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report.

But Pelosi made clear that doesn't necessarily mean the Democratic leadership will pursue impeachment.

"We don't have to go to articles of impeachment to obtain the facts," Pelosi added.

Demonstrating how they will proceed, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., issued a subpoena Monday to former White House counsel Don McGahn for testimony as part the panel's investigation into possible obstruction of justice by the president and others.

However, Trump showed he isn't going to give into further investigations without a fight.

Lawyers for the president and the Trump Organization sued Rep. Elijah Cummings, the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, on Monday to block a subpoena for years of financial records from several Trump entities.


Rivals are scrambling to dig up dirt on Pete Buttigieg

South Bend's mayor wasn't on anybody's radar as a serious presidential contender until a few weeks ago.

Democratic rivals and GOP groups have spent years doing opposition research on Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden.

Now they're rushing to compile "oppo" on the 37-year-old who is new to the national limelight.

Image: South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg Officially Announces Run For The Presidency
"He's getting a very significant free pass on a lot of stuff that other candidates aren't getting a free pass on," said one official from a rival Democratic presidential campaign. Scott Olson / Getty Images

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Plus


THINK about it

Elite gymnastics culture is cruel, writes Katelyn Ohashi, a UCLA gymnast. Walking away from it finally helped me reclaim my joy, writes the athlete.

She captured hearts earlier this year with her incredible floor routine that earned perfect 10.0 scores and received millions of views online.

Image: Katelyn Ohashi
Katelyn Ohashi during her famous routine in January. She scored a 9.950 for UCLA in her final collegiate floor routine on Saturday at the 2019 NCAA women's gymnastics championships. Ben Liebenberg / AP

Science + Tech = MACH

If you were president and there was an alien invasion, what would you do? No problem, says presidential candidate Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass. He'd "start with diplomacy" and offer the extraterrestrial beings "a beer and a burger."


Live BETTER

Mortgage rates are low. Should you jump into the housing market and buy a new home? Or refinance your existing one? Here's what you need to know.


One fun thing

Cedar, a dog found in Colorado, has been returned to his family nearly two years after he was stolen in Florida as a puppy. The pet was identified thanks to his microchip.


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If you have any comments — likes, dislikes — drop me an email at: petra@nbcuni.com

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Thanks, Petra