A 19-year-old man was arrested on arson charges for the massive fire that burned thousands of acres in New Jersey earlier this week, law enforcement announced Thursday.
The Ocean County Prosecutor&#8217;s Office charged Joseph Kling on Wednesday with aggravated arson with the purpose of destroying the forest and arson over the blaze that has burned around 15,000 acres in Ocean County. The fire prompted thousands of evacuations and led to a state of emergency being declared.
Kling was determined by law enforcement to be the &#8220;individual responsible for setting wooden pallets on fire &#8211; and then leaving the area without the fire being fully extinguished,&#8221; Ocean County prosecutors said. Kling, from Watertown, is currently behind bars at the Ocean County Jail. The county has <a href="https://coroms.co.ocean.nj.us:8087/IML" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> no information about when Kling will appear in court. 
Investigators determined that the fire was incendiary, likely from an improperly extinguished bonfire, and used GPS to determine its origin. 
The fire prompted around 5,000 people to evacuate from the area, though the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said Thursday that the evacuation orders for Lacey and Ocean Townships had been lifted. The forest service also announced that the blaze had been 50% contained. 
On Wednesday, Lacey Township Mayor Peter Curatolo <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/nj-wildfire-ocean-county-barnegat-lacey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that the fire may &#8220;very well end up being the largest wildfire in New Jersey in 20 years.&#8221;
There have been no reported deaths or loss of homes from the fire, though at least one commercial building was destroyed alongside multiple vehicles and outbuildings.
The investigation involved Ocean County&#8217;s Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, the Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, and the New Jersey State Fire Marshal’s Office.
&#8220;Thanks to the incredible, heroic work of the good men and women of our New Jersey Forest Fire Service, folks&#8217; homes and lives have been saved, and we&#8217;ve truly averted a major disaster,&#8221; New Jersey Forest Fire Service Commissioner Shawn LaTourette<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/nj-wildfire-ocean-county-barnegat-lacey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> </a>said Wednesday. &#8220;This wildfire is not under full and complete control, we still have a lot of work to do to achieve complete containment of the wildfire. But there were 1,300 homes that were threatened during the course of fighting this fire.&#8221;

MixCollage-24-Apr-2025-12-11-PM-7379

Police Arrest 19-Year-Old Over Massive New Jersey Fire, Reveal Cause Of Blaze

Arson

Crime

Fire

New Jersey

U.S.

wildfire

Wildfires

A 40-year-old New Mexico man has been charged over arson attacks that targeted the headquarters of the Republican Party and a Tesla showroom in Albuquerque, the Justice Department announced.
The DOJ <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/albuquerque-man-charged-connection-arson-attacks-tesla-dealership-and-republican-party-new">said</a> Monday that 40-year-old Jamison Wagner had been arrested by the FBI over the attacks, which burned out two Teslas and left significant damage to the GOP headquarters in Albuquerque. Attorney General Pam Bondi said that the DOJ would be seeking 40 years in prison for Wagner if he is convicted.
Wagner was charged with two counts of malicious damage or destruction of property by fire or explosive.
“Let this be the final lesson to those taking part in this ongoing wave of political violence,” Bondi said. “We will arrest you, we will prosecute you, and we will not negotiate. Crimes have consequences.”
The DOJ said that it had identified Wagner through evidence left at the scene of the attacks and surveillance footage.
The first attack took place on February 9 when two Tesla vehicles outside the Tesla Albuquerque Showroom were targeted with a homemade incendiary device. Inside one of the vehicles was found a glass container with napalm material. Other vehicles and the outside of the showroom were spray-painted with swastikas and the words “Die Elon,” “Tesla Nazi Inc,” and “Die Tesla Nazi.”
<div id="attachment_907537" style="width: 1400px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-907537" class="size-full wp-image-907537" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.38-PM.png" alt="" width="1390" height="751" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.38-PM.png 1390w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.38-PM-300x162.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.38-PM-1024x553.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.38-PM-768x415.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1390px) 100vw, 1390px" />Credit: DOJ.</div>
The next attack took place on March 30, when the headquarters for the New Mexico GOP were firebombed, leaving significant damage. The phrase “ICE = KKK” was spray-painted on the building as well.
<div id="attachment_907539" style="width: 1409px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-907539" class="size-full wp-image-907539" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.16-PM.png" alt="" width="1399" height="965" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.16-PM.png 1399w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.16-PM-300x207.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.16-PM-835x576.png 835w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.16-PM-768x530.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1399px) 100vw, 1399px" />GOP headquarters: DOJ.</div>
Investigators said they linked Wagner to the attacks by matching his Hyundai Accent to one leaving the scene of the GOP headquarters after the bombing and matching his physical appearance to surveillance footage of the suspect.
The FBI also said it found materials for making incendiary devices at his home, spray paint matching the vandalism at both crime scenes, an “ICE=KKK” stencil matching what was spray-painted at the GOP headquarters, and at least eight suspected incendiary devices.
“This arrest is part of the FBI’s aggressive efforts to investigate and hold accountable those who have targeted Tesla facilities in various states across the country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Under Attorney General Bondi’s leadership, we will continue to locate and arrest those responsible for these acts of domestic terrorism, and the FBI will work with partners at the Department of Justice to ensure such lawbreakers face justice.”

MixCollage-14-Apr-2025-02-54-PM-4419

‘Domestic Terrorism’: FBI Arrests Man For Firebombing New Mexico Tesla Showroom, GOP Headquarters

Albuquerque

Department of Justice

domestic terrorism

Elon Musk

kash patel

New Mexico

Pam Bondi

Republican Party

Tesla

The man suspected of setting the Pennsylvania governor&#8217;s mansion on fire over the weekend planned on attacking Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro, according to police.
Police <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25896483-balmer-criminal-complaint-and-affidavit-mdj-klein/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">documents</a> reveal that 38-year-old Cody Balmer admitted that he harbored &#8220;hatred towards&#8221; Shapiro and planned on beating him with a hammer if he encountered the governor as he allegedly threw two Molotov cocktails into Shapiro&#8217;s residence. Balmer has been charged with attempted homicide, aggravated arson, burglary, reckless endangerment, terrorism, and multiple counts of aggravated assault.
Shapiro and his family were inside the home during the attack, which did significant damage. They were awoken by Pennsylvania State Police around 2:00 a.m. on Sunday and were escorted out of the residence.
Balmer turned himself in to the police shortly after he called an &#8220;ex-paramour&#8221; to confess to her and ask her to alert law enforcement, according to a police affidavit. The same affidavit says that Balmer admitted to the attack and told police that he knew people could be harmed because of his actions.
“He advised on the date in question he removed gasoline from a lawn mower and poured it into Heineken Bottles he found at his residence,&#8221; the police affidavit says. &#8220;Balmer advised he walked for approximately one hour from his residence to the Governor’s Residence with the intention of throwing his homemade Molotov cocktails into the residence.” 
He reportedly told police that he climbed the perimeter fence of the governor&#8217;s mansion, broke two windows with a hammer, and then threw the Molotov cocktails into the home. 
&#8220;Balmer was asked specifically what he would have done if Governor Shapiro found him inside of his residence, to which he advised he would have beaten him with his hammer,&#8221; the affidavit says.
When police searched Balmer&#8217;s residence, they found clothing that matched the outfit worn by the individual seen on surveillance video and a small sledgehammer.
Balmer&#8217;s mother <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/josh-shapiro-governors-residence-harrisburg-fire/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> CBS News that he was &#8220;mentally ill and he went off his medication&#8221; when the attack occurred.
Speaking on Sunday, Shapiro said that police knew that the attack was targeted but didn&#8217;t specifically know why.
&#8220;We don’t know the person’s specific motive yet, but we do know a few truths,&#8221; he said. &#8220;First, this type of violence is not okay. This kind of violence is becoming far too common in our society, and I don’t give a damn if it’s coming from one particular side or the other, directed at one particular party or another, or one particular person or another, it is not okay, and it has to stop.”

MixCollage-14-Apr-2025-08-47-AM-4730

Arson Suspect Planned On Beating Josh Shapiro With Hammer: Police

Josh Shapiro

Molotov cocktail

Pennsylvania

Political Violence

Politics

An arrest has been made in the arson attack on the home of Governor Josh Shapiro (D-PA), less than 24 hours after the suspect allegedly jumped a fence and then set fire to the residence late Saturday night.
Pennsylvania State Police stated on Sunday that they had arrested Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg — and plan to charge him with multiple crimes including &#8220;attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson, and aggravated assault against an enumerated person,&#8221; The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/13/us-news/pennsylvania-gov-josh-shapiro-arson-suspect-arrested/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Photos from inside the residence showed the some of the damages:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Photos from inside Pennsylvania Governor&#39;s mansion after police say an arsonist set fire to the house while Governor Shapiro and his family slept inside around 2am. Cody Balmer of Harrisburg was arrested &#8212; planned charges include attempted murder and terrorism. <a href="https://t.co/GWEfC3B8qH">pic.twitter.com/GWEfC3B8qH</a>
&mdash; Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianEntin/status/1911566329410212129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Shapiro, standing in front of the damaged portion of his residence, gave an update on the situation on Sunday afternoon. He specifically thanked the Pennsylvania State Police, the FBI, and the Harrisburg Fire Department for their efforts in making sure that the scene was secured and his family was safe.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I’m about to speak to Pennsylvanians about the arson attack on the Governor’s Residence.
Watch: <a href="https://t.co/mGz79YWu8x">https://t.co/mGz79YWu8x</a>
&mdash; Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovernorShapiro/status/1911527153612607930?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Gloria and I are overwhelmed by the prayers and the messages of support that we&#8217;ve received from all across Pennsylvania and all across the United States,&#8221; Shapiro said, choking up a bit as he spoke. &#8220;We&#8217;ve heard from our fellow governors and first spouses. We&#8217;ve heard from several of the former governors of Pennsylvania. We&#8217;ve heard from so many friends and loved ones, and we&#8217;ve heard from so many caring citizens of this great commonwealth.&#8221;
&#8220;I want you all to know that your prayers lift us up,&#8221; Shapiro continued. &#8220;And in this moment of darkness, we are choosing to see light. We appreciate the light that you have shined upon us.&#8221;
Shapiro said that he would leave it up to law enforcement to give the details of what had taken place, saying only, &#8220;We do know that this attack was targeted. We don&#8217;t know the person&#8217;s specific motive yet, but we do know a few truths. First, this type of violence is not okay. This kind of violence is becoming far too common in our society, and I don&#8217;t give a damn if it&#8217;s coming from one particular side or the other, directed at one particular party or another, or one particular person or another, it is not okay, and it has to stop.&#8221;
&#8220;If he was trying to terrorize our family, our friends, the Jewish community, who joined us for a Passover Seder in that room last night, hear me on this: we celebrated our faith last night, proudly and in a few hours, we will celebrate our second Seder of Passover,&#8221; Shapiro added.

Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro’s Residence Set On Fire In Suspected Arson Attack

Suspect In Custody, To Be Charged With Terrorism After Arson Attack On Josh Shapiro’s Home

Suspect Detained In Arson Attack On Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's Home

Jewish

Terrorism

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a rising star in the Democratic Party, and his family were evacuated from the Governor&#8217;s Residence early Sunday morning due to a fire suspected to be arson, according to officials.
At roughly 2:00 a.m., members of the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire responded to the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg following reports of a fire, the Pennsylvania State Police said in a <a href="https://www.pa.gov/agencies/psp/newsroom/state-police-investigating-fire-at-governor-s-residence.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. Firefighters successfully extinguished the blaze, but not before it caused significant damage to a portion of the residence, police said. Shapiro and his family were in a different part of the building at the time and were evacuated safely.
&#8220;My family and I woke up to bangs on the door from the Pennsylvania State Police after an arsonist set fire to the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg,&#8221; Shapiro said in a <a href="https://x.com/GovernorShapiro/status/1911426722257314092" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> on X.
&#8220;The Harrisburg Bureau of Fire was on the scene and while they worked to put out the fire, we were evacuated from the Residence safely by Pennsylvania State Police and assisted by Capitol Police,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Thank God no one was injured and the fire was extinguished.&#8221;
A multi-agency investigation is underway, but the Pennsylvania State Police said on Sunday that it was already prepared to attribute the fire to arson.
Shapiro is a former attorney general of Pennsylvania who was first elected governor in 2022. He is widely seen as a potential contender for the White House race in 2028. Vice President Kamala Harris even <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/josh-shapiro-and-other-vp-contenders-react-to-harris-walz-ticket" target="_blank" rel="noopener">considered</a> Shapiro to be her running mate in her failed 2024 presidential run before she settled on Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
According to a biography on the governor&#8217;s <a href="https://www.pa.gov/governor/meet-governor-josh-shapiro.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>, Shapiro and his wife, Lori, have four children, ranging in age from their early 20s to early teens. The fire occurred several hours after Shapiro, who is Jewish, <a href="https://x.com/GovernorShapiro/status/1911179332258607449" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared</a> on X a photo of his family&#8217;s Seder table for the first night of Passover.
&#8220;Every day, we stand with the law enforcement and first responders who run towards danger to protect our communities,&#8221; Shapiro said. &#8220;Last night, they did so for our family – and Lori and I are eternally grateful to them for keeping us safe.&#8221;
Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Austin Davis was among those who expressed relief upon learning that Shapiro and his family made it out unscathed.
&#8220;Blayre and I are relieved to know the Shapiro family is safe and unharmed, and I&#8217;m confident the State Police will get to the bottom of who perpetrated this crime. I won&#8217;t speculate on motivations, but I will say that targeting elected officials and their family members with violence is never acceptable,&#8221; Davis <a href="https://x.com/LGAustinDavis/status/1911429699722531178" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X. &#8220;These sorts of acts deter good people from pursuing public service at a time when we desperately need more Americans to participate in our democracy.&#8221;
Authorities are offering a reward of up to $10,000 through PSP Tips for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Anyone with information was urged to contact 1-800-4PA-TIPS (1-800-472-8477).

Governor of Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro

Pennsylvania Governor Evacuates Home With Family After Suspected Arson

Federal law enforcement officials arrested 36-year-old Paul Hyon Kim, a resident of Las Vegas, this week on charges stemming from an attack on a Tesla shop.
Kim, who was arraigned in federal court on Thursday, was charged with one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm and one count of arson, the DOJ said in a statement. He remains in federal custody.
“The Department of Justice has been clear: anyone who participates in the wave of domestic terrorism targeting Tesla properties will suffer severe legal consequences,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “We will continue to find, arrest, and prosecute these attackers until the lesson is learned.”
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department patrol officers responded to a call last Tuesday about gunshots and a person setting vehicles on fire.
Investigators discovered that &#8220;Molotov cocktails and a .30 caliber AR-style firearm were used to damage and destroy five Tesla vehicles,&#8221; the DOJ said.
Spray paint was also used to vandalize the building with graffiti that said &#8220;Resist&#8221; — a common rally cry for the far-Left.
Police executed a search warrant on Wednesday at Kim&#8217;s home where they discovered a firearm consistent with the one used in the attack, &#8220;a black gun belt with a pouch and a small drop of pink paint residue, a black hoodie, face masks, and a handwritten note with what appeared to be an escape plan.&#8221;
If convicted, Kim faces up to 10 years in prison for the firearm charge and 20 years in prison for the arson charge.
“As promised, acts of violence and vandalism will not be tolerated, and today law enforcement personnel acted quickly to arrest an individual on charges including arson,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Under Attorney General Bondi&#8217;s leadership, we will continue to pursue these investigations with the full force of law and will bring to justice anyone responsible for these attacks.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING: Suspected Las Vegas Tesla fire bomber Paul Kim has been charged by the Feds and is now in federal custody following his arrest by <a href="https://twitter.com/LVMPD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LVMPD</a>. He is now charged federally w/ arson &amp; unregistered firearm. He faces 5-20 years in prison on the arson charge &amp; up to 10 years on… <a href="https://t.co/qE4Ofb8BRZ">pic.twitter.com/qE4Ofb8BRZ</a>
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillMelugin_/status/1905390254615658783?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2025</a></blockquote>

US-NEWS-LASVEGAS-TESLA-ATTACK-2-LV

Feds Arrest Las Vegas Man For Allegedly Attacking Tesla Store With Molotov Cocktails, Rifle

Guns

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/los-angeles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Los Angeles</a> Police Department (LAPD) said on Thursday night that a new blaze that has erupted in the city is being treated as a suspected arson case.
The Kenneth Fire in West Hills quickly grew in just a couple of hours to 1,000 acres and is 0% contained as fire officials work to put out several other fires in the city.
LAPD Senior Lead Officer Charles Dinsel told reporters: &#8220;What we know right now is that the incident occurred, started here [Victory Trailhead], and about 20-30 minutes later, a suspect was detained over Woodland Hills area by citizens.&#8221;
When asked if someone &#8220;purposely set&#8221; the fire, he responded: &#8220;At this time, that&#8217;s what we believe, yes.&#8221;
The official said that they did not have a motive yet, but that the area was being treated as a crime scene.
Local radio station KFIAM640 posted a photo of the alleged suspect that also showed what appears to be a blow torch on top of the police car next to him.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING: ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/KFIAM640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KFIAM640</a>⁩ ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/DebraMark1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DebraMark1</a>⁩ says this man was arrested for apparently starting fires in Woodland Hills area. We are awaiting confirmation. Note the possible torch on hood of car. LISTEN LIVE we are talking w her now. <a href="https://t.co/Nsahmq2ZZJ">pic.twitter.com/Nsahmq2ZZJ</a>
— Tim Conway Jr Show (@ConwayShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/ConwayShow/status/1877542501458006483?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
The development comes as thousands of firefighters have been deployed to battle several other fires in Los Angeles over the last couple of days.
The Palisades Fire has destroyed more than 19,000 acres while the Eaton Fire, in Altadena, has destroyed more than 13,000 acres.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/">JOIN THE MOVEMENT IN ’25 WITH 25% OFF DAILYWIRE+ ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS WITH CODE DW25</a>
Nearly 200,000 people have been ordered to evacuate their homes because the fires spread quickly due to the notorious Santa Ana winds in the area.
The wildfires are on track to be <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-fires-cause-an-estimated-50-billion-in-damages-on-track-to-be-most-expensive-in-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener">by far the most expensive</a> wildfire in U.S. history, according to new estimates.
The Wall Street Journal obtained estimates from JPMorgan Chase that put the economic damages from the fire at $50 billion, a number that is likely to continue growing.
The New York Times reported that the two largest fires — the Eaton and Palisades fires — have destroyed as many as 10,000 structures.
The report said that the 2018 Camp Fire in Northern California’s Butte County was previously considered to be the most destructive fire in U.S. history, causing $12.5 billion in insured losses.
AccuWeather’s Global Weather Center put the total estimated damage between $52 billion and $57 billion.
The figures account for “both direct and indirect impacts of the storm and includes both insured and uninsured losses,” The Hill reported.
Tens of thousands of acres of land have already been destroyed among several fires that have broken out throughout the city as new fires continued to flare up as recently as Thursday evening.
The report noted that hurricanes cause the largest insured losses, with Hurricane Katrina causing the most damage in history at more than a $100 billion in 2005. Hurricane Ian in 2022 was the second most destructive storm in history in terms of insured losses with more than $55 billion lost.

Sunset fire on Vista street

Police Arrest Arson Suspect Behind Massive New California Fire

California

Los Angeles

The illegal immigrant accused of setting a woman on fire on the New York City subway has been charged with murder and arson.
Sebastian Zapeta, 33, was arrested on Sunday and charged Monday with first- and second-degree murder and arson, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/nyc-subway-woman-set-on-fire-suspect-arrested/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Zapeta was identified by three teenagers who recognized him from photos released by the New York Police Department.
Zapeta can be seen on footage watching the woman, who has not been identified, stand in the subway car while burning to death. The footage also shows other passengers and even a police officer walking by without stopping to help.
Investigators reportedly said Zapeta and the woman didn’t know each other and had no interaction before Zapeta lit a lighter and tossed it on her.
&#8220;The suspect used what we believe to be a lighter to ignite the victim&#8217;s clothing, which became fully engulfed in a matter of seconds,&#8221; NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/video/nypd-holds-news-conference-on-the-lighting-of-a-woman-on-fire-on-a-subway-car/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a press conference</a> on Sunday.
Officers and a transit worker grabbed a fire extinguisher and attempted to save the woman, but she died on the scene, CBS reported.
&#8220;Unbeknownst to the officers who responded, the suspect had stayed on the scene and was seated on a bench on the platform just outside the train car, and the body worn cameras on the responding officers produced a very clear, detailed look at the killer,&#8221; Tisch said on Sunday. &#8220;Three high school age New Yorkers called 911 to say that they recognize the suspect. They saw something and they said something, and they did something.”
The suspect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-arrested-for-setting-woman-on-fire-on-nyc-subway-was-already-deported-by-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first entered</a> the U.S. illegally in 2018 during the first Trump administration, but was deported within days, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/12/23/us-news/nyc-subway-burn-suspect-is-illegal-migrant-from-guatemala-who-sneaked-into-us-after-being-deported/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The man then re-entered the U.S. under the Biden administration’s lax border laws, according to reporter Nick Sortor.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: The Trump administration previously DEPORTED the Guatemalan migrant who set a woman on fire, per NYP
But when he re-entered the country illegally under Biden, he was RELEASED into the interior
INFURIATING.
The kller was even living in an NYC migrant shelter, and… <a href="https://t.co/lJgIPmbw4c">pic.twitter.com/lJgIPmbw4c</a>
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/1871214057216250361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Post reported that it is unknown how long the suspect has been in New York, but law enforcement sources told the outlet that the man stayed at multiple taxpayer-funded migrant shelters around New York City. Those same sources <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/12/22/us-news/suspect-accused-of-setting-nyc-subway-rider-on-fire-arrested/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the Post that the suspect’s previous criminal history is “largely clean” except for entering the country illegally.
On the same day the woman was set on fire, two people were stabbed in a separate attack on the subway, with a man stabbed in the chest who later died and another man stabbed in the face.
After these attacks, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul put out a tweet claiming crime was down on the subways, which was immediately mocked on social media, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kathy-hochul-brags-about-subway-safety-after-a-woman-was-burned-alive-in-nyc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
“In March, I took action to make our subways safer for the millions of people who take the trains each day. Since deploying the @NationalGuardNY to support @NYPDnews and @MTA safety efforts and adding cameras to all subway cars, crime is going down, and ridership is going up,” Hochul <a href="https://x.com/GovKathyHochul/status/1870932469266190412">wrote</a> on X.
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) criticized Hochul’s tweet after news of the stabbings and burning broke.
“Two hours ago, Kathy Hochul took a victory lap for making subways ‘safer.’ She congratulates herself on the same day two subway riders were stabbed in Queens (one in the face and one in the chest) and another was barbarically burned alive. Has there ever been a more tone-deaf Governor in the history of New York?” Torres posted.

NYC Subway

Illegal Charged With Murder And Arson After Allegedly Setting Woman On Fire On NYC Subway

Murder

New York City

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/venezuela" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Venezuelan</a> migrant was charged and arrested after he allegedly lit his house on fire while his three children were trapped inside the building.
Pedro Luis Parra Pulgar, a 46-year-old Venezuelan national, is alleged to have purposefully lit his home on fire while his three children, ages 15, 15, and three were trapped inside the Fulshear, Texas, residence, located just outside of Houston.
The two 15-year-old children escaped the inferno before authorities arrived, with police officers rescuing the three-year-old child. The child had to be airlifted to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation and has since been released from the hospital. Pulgar sustained minor injuries in the fire.
Pulgar was <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/crime/2024/12/16/venezuelan-migrant-charged-attempted-murder-after-allegedly-setting-texas-house-fire-three-children-trapped-inside/">arrested</a> and charged with three counts of attempted murder and one count of arson and is now being held in Fort Bend County Jail with a bond of $2.25 million. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed a detainer on Pulgar, indicating that he could be illegally present in the United States.
The horrific incident provoked a response from Texas Governor Greg Abbott. &#8220;A Venezuelan immigrant – legal status unknown – is accused of setting a Texas house on fire with three children inside,&#8221; Abbott said in a post on X. &#8220;He better spend the rest of his life behind bars.&#8221;
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The alleged attempt by Pulgar to murder his three children comes amid a wave of alleged migrant crimes. Just last week another migrant was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/guatemalan-human-smuggler-arrested-for-mass-casualty-event-hid-out-in-colony-ridge">also arrested</a> outside of Houston, with this individual, a Guatemalan national named Jorge Agapito Ventura, being apprehended by federal agents over his alleged involvement in a human smuggling operation.
Ventura is believed to be one of the illegal alien smugglers involved with a smuggling operation that led to the death of more than 50 migrants when a trailer truck crashed three years ago in Chiapas, Mexico.
He was apprehended in a joint operation by the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, and the local sheriff at his residence in Colony Ridge, a massive land development that The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-colony-ridge-the-fastest-growing-development-in-the-u-s-is-a-magnet-for-illegal-immigrants">warned</a> is a magnet for illegal aliens.

Venezuelan National

Police Say Venezuelan National Lit Home On Fire While Three Children Were Inside

Law Enforcement

Texas

Venezuela

Travel in France was disrupted hours before the Paris Games opening ceremony on Friday when arsonists set fire to three high-speed rail lines.
Numerous trains were canceled on Friday morning, and the railway company S.N.C.F. urged travelers to delay their plans, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/world/olympics-paris-attack-opening-ceremony" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The fires started in towns nearly 100 miles outside of Paris and were set in pipes that hold cables used for signaling, according to S.N.C.F. Chief Executive Jean-Pierre Farandou. No one has claimed responsibility.
&#8220;The investigation is starting, I call on everyone to be cautious,&#8221; said French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal. &#8220;What we know, what we see, is that this operation was prepared, coordinated, that nerve centers were targeted, which shows a certain knowledge of the network to know where to strike.&#8221;
The arson attacks happened as French authorities have been ramping up security around Paris in anticipation of the Olympic Games, with around 55,000 police and soldiers monitoring the capital city, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/vandals-target-frances-high-speed-rail-network-olympics-get-underway-2024-07-26/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Authorities expect to see more than 300,000 spectators gather near the River Seine for the opening ceremony.
Along with thousands of spectators having to change their plans, some Olympic athletes were also caught up in the commuting nightmare following the arson attacks. Two German athletes were forced to turn back after the rail line closures, and will likely miss the opening ceremony, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/france-trains-olympics-74c9727d33ac86bfc126f98e45cb874f?taid=66a34dff4f417c0001c3c3df&amp;utm_campaign=TrueAnthem&amp;utm_medium=AP&amp;utm_source=Twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press</a>, which cited a German news agency.
Police have also taken proactive security measures before the Games, targeting 155 people deemed potential threats and essentially placing them under house arrest, according to the Times. French authorities arrested a man in May for allegedly planning on carrying out an attack outside of an Olympic soccer match in the southern town of Saint-Étienne. A Russian man was also arrested on suspicion of attempting to “destabilize the Olympic Games.”
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said that 5,000 people who had applied to work numerous different jobs during the competitions, such as security and stadium workers, were rejected when criminal records flagged them for &#8220;radicalization.&#8221; France has also requested the help of U.S. security. Officers from New York and Los Angeles, along with bomb-sniffing dogs, will be joining the security forces at this year&#8217;s Olympic Games in Paris, The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/paris-olympics-security-plan-65821fb0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Bruno Le Ray, a retired general who is in charge of Olympics security, said, “The security measures and the resources deployed for the Games’ opening ceremony are unprecedented.&#8221;

Paris Trains Hit By Sabotage Just Hours Before Olympics Kick Off

Arsonists Target France’s High-Speed Rail Lines Hours Before Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Arsonists Target France's High-Speed Rail Lines Hours Before Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

attack

France

Paris

Paris Olympics

Police

Train

World

A Minnesota woman has been charged with murdering two children, neglecting a third, and setting a house on fire before fleeing the scene.
Jennifer Marie Stately, 35, allegedly stabbed two children, believed to be hers, multiple times before setting fire to the residence where she was staying on March 15, the Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office said in <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/red-lake-woman-charged-murder-arson-and-child-neglect" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a press release</a>. One child died as a result of the stab wounds, while the other died of smoke inhalation from the fire allegedly started by Stately.
Stately is accused of then fleeing the scene with a third child. Around 9:00 p.m. on the night of the murders, an Amber Alert was issued for the child, with Stately’s license plate listed on the alert. Another driver saw her vehicle and called police, who stopped Stately’s vehicle and was able to rescue the abducted child, who was “suffering from visible signs of child neglect” and “covered in wounds,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Stately has been charged with one count of premeditated murder, one count of murder in the course of committing child abuse, one count of murder in the course of committing arson, one count of arson, and one count of felony child neglect.
“This case is another example of how AMBER Alerts save lives. They get critical information out quickly to millions of Minnesotans willing to step up to help rescue a child in mortal danger,” Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said. “We are grateful to the Minnesotan who acted quickly and bravely in this case, and to all Minnesotans who join in the search when a child needs them most.”
The two children who died were identified in an indictment <a href="https://www.startribune.com/red-lake-mom-who-set-off-recent-amber-alert-charged-with-double-murder-in-sons-killings/600364076/?refresh=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">obtained</a> by the Star Tribune as 5 and 6 years old. The third child is believed to be Stately’s 3-year-old. The Daily Wire is not naming the children.
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Attorney Paul Engh, who is representing Stately, said there was a “firm basis” for his client to plead not guilty but did not provide a reason, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/children-killed-minnesota-reservation-woman-charged-d22ee712a3426aa83d47a6504c35705b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Stately appeared in court on Monday and was ordered to remain in jail until further court proceedings.
“The loss of innocent lives demands swift and decisive action,” Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis said in the U.S. Attorney’s press release. “Through seamless collaboration with our state and local counterparts along with the invaluable support of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we are steadfast in our resolve to pursue justice for the victims. We stand united in seeking closure and healing for the affected family and their community.”

Jennifer Stately Mugshot

Minnesota Woman Charged With Killing 2 Children, Setting House On Fire

Children

Minnesota

A 35-year-old man has been arrested in connection to the arson attack on Friday that damaged an office in Burlington, Vermont, belonging to Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bernie-sanders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bernie Sanders</a> (I-VT), according to authorities.
Shant Soghomonian, who is also known as Michael Soghomonian and is previously of Northridge, California, was arrested on Sunday pursuant to a federal criminal complaint, the U.S. Attorney&#8217;s Office for the District of Vermont <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-vt/pr/suspect-arrested-arson-burlington-office-senator-sanders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a press release.
The complaint charged Soghomonian with using fire to damage the building at One Church Street in Burlington – a building used in interstate commerce and as a place of activity affecting interstate commerce, the release added.
On Friday morning, Soghomonian entered the building, proceeded to the third floor, where Sanders&#8217;s office is located, and was &#8220;recorded on a security video spraying a liquid near the outer door of the office and then lighting the area with a handheld lighter,&#8221; the release said, citing court documents.
&#8220;A blaze quickly began while Soghomonian departed via a staircase&#8221; and it &#8220;damaged the outside of the office door and surrounding areas, and the building sprinklers discharged on multiple floors,&#8221; the release continued.
&#8220;The Senator’s office was occupied by multiple employees who were not physically injured during the incident,&#8221; the release said. &#8220;It is not known how many other occupants were in the building, but no injuries were reported.&#8221;
The U.S. Attorney&#8217;s Office for the District of Vermont said that Soghomonian faces a maximum penalty of not less than five years and not more than 20 years in prison, as well as a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted.
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An initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge had not yet been scheduled, and a counsel for the suspect had not yet been identified, the release noted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Seen this man around Burlington, Vermont? Police are asking for assistance in identifying this suspect in connection to a fire at Sen. Bernie Sanders&#39; office. A motive is unclear. <a href="https://t.co/RALcX8TpjQ">pic.twitter.com/RALcX8TpjQ</a>
&mdash; Madeleine Hubbard (@MadeleineHubb) <a href="https://twitter.com/MadeleineHubb/status/1776976283764961710?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Police had previously <a href="https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/Press/arsonseeking-suspect#:~:text=Attached%20Press%20Release%3A-,Download%20arson.pdf,-(997.07%20KB)" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released</a> a photo of the suspect that showed him wearing a hat, dark jacket, and long pants to track down the man.
Sanders <a href="https://www.dailynews.com/2024/04/05/senator-bernie-sanders-joins-striking-workers-at-hotel-figueroa-in-downtown-l-a/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">had been</a> in Los Angeles on Friday to join a picket line where hotel workers were on strike to demand improved pay and working conditions.
&nbsp;

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