A California man has been charged with attempted murder after police say he brutally beat a 69-year-old man known for his support of President Donald Trump. 
The Escondido Police Department arrested 32-year-old Thomas Caleb Butler after accusing him of leaving Army veteran Kerry Sheron in critical condition after a savage beating on Wednesday. Butler, currently behind bars at the Vista Detention Facility, is set to appear in court Friday to face an attempted first-degree murder charge. 
The incident took place outside of Sheron’s Escondido home, which features numerous American flags and Trump memorabilia. The patriotic decor has earned the home the nickname the &#8220;Trump house.” 
A witness was also injured after attempting to defend Sheron after the beating started. Butler was detained by police a half-mile from the scene after he fled.
Sheron’s wife, Maria, <a href="https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/elderly-man-in-critical-condition-after-alleged-assault-in-escondido/4027264/?amp=1">told</a> NBC 7 that she believes that the beating may have been politically motivated and that they’ve received threats about their outspoken support for the president before. She said that doctors told her that the outlook for her husband is not positive. 
&#8220;He tried to kill my husband, you know,&#8221; she <a href="https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/wife-believes-husband-was-attacked-for-political-decorations-outside-escondido-home/509-feed08e3-1bf2-45ee-b0d6-3b009ce53878">told</a> CBS 8. &#8220;It&#8217;s terrible. I don&#8217;t know what kind of hate &#8230; what heart, the black heart.&#8221;
&#8220;They don&#8217;t like the flags. I don&#8217;t know why. I support America. My husband is [a] veteran,&#8221; she added. 
One neighbor described the couple as “very caring people” who mind their own business. 
“I&#8217;m calling for a full and immediate investigation,” <a href="https://x.com/repdarrellissa/status/2057524477026590922">said</a> Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA). “Details still developing, but the truth is that supporters of [Trump] are routinely the victims of leftist violence all across the country.”
A family friend of Butler <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/05/21/us-news/alleged-trump-house-suspect-was-navy-vet-with-severe-ptsd-family-friend/">told</a> The California Post that he was a veteran who suffered “severe PTSD.” The friend also said that Butler supported Trump and previously said he liked the “Trump house.” The friend said Butler “sits in his room and thinks everyone is coming to get him.”

Donald Trump For President Merchandise

Owner Of ‘Trump House’ In Critical Condition After Brutal Beating

California

Crime

Donald Trump

Trump Supporters

A missing Virginia teenager was last seen with a 39-year-old man who once avoided serious prison time thanks to a sweetheart plea deal despite admitting to sexually abusing an 11-year-old boy.
The Fredericksburg Police Department said Thursday that 17-year-old Autumn Van Zandt was last seen on May 19 traveling with career criminal Ronnie Reel and that they were potentially “attempting to travel out of state.” Reel faced previous criminal charges in July 2021 for child sex assault, but those charges were <a href="https://www.fox5dc.com/news/virginia-man-who-confessed-to-sexually-abusing-11-year-old-offered-plea-deal-in-fairfax-co">downgraded</a> after the judge said that leftist Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano’s office failed to turn in evidence on time. 
Instead of facing life in prison for sodomy and aggravated sexual battery, Reel took a plea deal in September 2022 that released him for time served on a misdemeanor assault and battery charge. That plea deal emerged after a judge said that Descano’s office missed a deadline to turn over evidence to Reel&#8217;s legal team and could not include two recorded confessions as part of their case, Fox5 <a href="https://www.fox5dc.com/news/virginia-man-who-confessed-to-sexually-abusing-11-year-old-offered-plea-deal-in-fairfax-co">reported</a> at the time. 
&#8220;He was confessing every little detail that he did, and it was making me sick to my stomach,&#8221; Amber, the victim&#8217;s mother, said of the recording of her phone call with Reel. &#8220;It was horrible. He literally confessed to me why he did it.&#8221;
Descano’s office disputed the judge’s ruling that they failed to properly provide evidence for the case in a timely manner, pinning the blame on the judge. His office told The Daily Wire that the judge &#8220;made a novel ruling that discovery was turned over too early yet denied the prosecutor&#8217;s motion to continue. We prosecuted the defendant based on the remaining evidence available.&#8221;
&#8220;We acted immediately in response to this novel ruling, and notified all prosecutors that discovery must now be submitted again in Circuit Court  — even if it was already conveyed in a lower court … according to the law, the remedy for such a dispute is a routine continuance — which was sought by our prosecutor and denied,&#8221; Descano&#8217;s office said at the time. 
 The victim’s family disagreed. 
“A man would be sitting in jail right now if they just didn’t assume. Because that’s what they did. They assumed it would be OK not to send in the paperwork again,” Amber said.  
Descano, whose campaigns have been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-county-d-a-handing-out-get-out-of-jail-free-cards">funded</a> by George Soros groups, has long faced scrutiny over his handling of criminal cases. In recent months, his office has released multiple suspects who went on to be charged with murder. 
His office released 32-year-old illegal immigrant <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/receipts-show-progressive-prosecutor-warned-about-illegal-alien-before-mom-was-murdered">Abdul Jalloh</a> before he went on to be later charged with murdering 41-year-old mother Stephanie Minter. In a similar case, alleged MS-13 gang member Marvin Morales-Ortez was arrested for murder one day after being released by Descano’s office.
Fredericksburg police are asking for anyone with information to send in tips. Van Zandt is described as standing 5 feet, 7 inches tall and weighing 135 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a black top and jean shorts with a red purse and has a heart-shaped tattoo on the side of her hip.

MixCollage-22-May-2026-09-11-AM-3985

Vanished Teen Last Seen With Sexual Predator Released After Leftist DA Screw-Up

Teen Girl Last Seen With Career Criminal Who Dodged Child Sex Charge

George Soros

Virginia

The latest Netflix documentary that has viewers glued to their TVs is &#8220;The Crash,&#8221; which tells the story of convicted murderer Mackenzie Shirilla and the deadly 2022 car crash that put her behind bars for 15 years to life.
The 90-minute documentary features in-depth interviews with Shirilla’s parents, Natalie and Steve, and the families of the two young men killed in the crash: Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan.
Prosecutors successfully argued that Shirilla, who was 17 at the time, intentionally crashed the vehicle at roughly 100 mph into a commercial building in Strongsville, Ohio, a suburb outside Cleveland, in the early morning hours of July 31, 2022.
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&nbsp;
According to family and friends interviewed in the documentary, Russo had been involved in a &#8220;toxic&#8221; relationship with Shirilla, while Flanagan was a friend who joined the two in the car that fateful morning.
While the Netflix show focuses heavily on the emotional fallout surrounding the case, key details found in reports from Strongsville Police show a more complete picture of Shirilla&#8217;s behavior and state of mind leading up to the crash.
A central question in both the trial and documentary was whether the teenager really meant to crash a car at a high rate of speed into a brick building. While her parents said no, local authorities suggested the parents were aware their daughter was capable of doing harm.
A detective said he was told by a police sergeant that Shirilla’s father, Steve, said she &#8220;intentionally&#8221; drove her vehicle into the building in an attempt to take her own life. Steve also told the sergeant his daughter was suicidal and asked that she remain in the hospital, according to the detective.
At this time, Shirilla had just turned 18 while recovering in the hospital, meaning she was now an adult and could legally check herself out despite her father’s wishes.
Another bombshell in the detective&#8217;s report claims Shirilla voluntarily engaged in sexual acts with other people &#8220;likely in exchange for monetary value.&#8221; Dozens of Snapchat messages and text messages indicate Shirilla requested money in exchange for pictures or meetups.
The documentary includes interviews with several of Shirilla&#8217;s friends who defended her character and insisted she would never hurt anyone. But other witnesses interviewed by police described her driving as reckless and dangerous. One person said she &#8220;sucked at driving.&#8221;
Police records also cite Snapchat videos allegedly recorded by Shirilla in April 2022 showing a vehicle speedometer reaching 93 mph in traffic.
Rosie Graham, one of Shirilla&#8217;s strongest defenders in the documentary, was also cited in police records as telling friends not to get in the car with her.
Shirilla&#8217;s efforts to overturn her conviction on appeal have so far failed. She is up for parole in 2037.

Credit: Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

The Disturbing Details Netflix Didn’t Include In ‘The Crash’

Netflix

News

Ohio

FBI Deputy Director Christopher Raia shared video of a suspect fleeing on foot during a Thursday news conference and asked the public for help in identifying the man.
Raia explained that the Justice Department was looking for the man shown in the video in connection with the ongoing fraud investigation in Minnesota, and said that he had evaded law enforcement by jumping from a fourth-floor balcony before escaping on foot.
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="MUST WATCH: FBI Drops Stunning Surveillance Video Of Fraudster Who Jumped 4 Stories To Flee Arrest" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mvviFLM9ZC4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&#8220;On the screen, you will see a subject — you will see a subject on the screen of an individual who&#8217;s a target of the investigation this morning,&#8221; Raia said, flanked by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. &#8220;That individual is currently on the run after having jumped out of a fourth-story balcony.&#8221;
&#8220;Once again, a good look at him, you&#8217;ll see him — you&#8217;ll see him running here, he is currently on the run,&#8221; Raia continued.
The suspect on the screen appears to be hopping as he tries to run, possibly injured during his escape. He falls in the street before getting up and hopping again.
&#8220;We need your help,&#8221; Raia said. &#8220;If you recognize this individual, if you know this individual, if you can provide any information related to this individual, I would encourage you to call 1-800-CALL-FBI — or go to the internet at www.tips.fbi.gov or call your local law enforcement.&#8221;
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche <a href="https://x.com/DAGToddBlanche/status/2057522949629084038">announced</a> on Thursday that the Justice Department was indicting 15 defendants as part of the ongoing fraud investigation, saying they were tied to some $90 million in losses, including &#8220;the largest Medicaid fraud cases in the history of the district.&#8221;
&#8220;These criminals allegedly stole from our country&#8217;s most vulnerable: children with autism, the disabled, and the homeless. In one case, services were allegedly billed but never provided, leading to the death of the supposed recipient. This will not be tolerated,&#8221; Blanche added.

Screenshot/Justice Department

WATCH: Suspected Fraudster On The Run After Fourth-Floor Balcony Escape

Fraud

Law Enforcement

Media

Authorities in a New Jersey town took aggressive action this week after fights broke out when a mob of teens and young adults caused chaos on its popular beachfront. 
The city of Long Branch imposed an emergency 8:00 p.m. curfew after it said there was an &#8220;unauthorized pop-up gathering” of hundreds of people at Pier Village on Tuesday evening. This pop-up “quickly deteriorated into fights, individuals jumping on parked vehicles, and disorder along the boardwalk and surrounding streets,” the city <a href="https://www.longbranch.org/m/newsflash/home/detail/198">said</a>. 
The city deployed 139 law enforcement officers to respond to the incident, including 69 Long Branch officers and personnel from the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office and New Jersey Transit Police. The officers cleared the pop-up by 9:15 p.m. 
Videos posted to social media show large crowds of people sprinting through the area as police officers clear the streets. 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Unruly teen crowd takes over Pier Village in Long Branch, police respond" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jJOoiYovu3o?start=60&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&#8220;It really was a ton of people screaming, running,&#8221; Anthony Pizzi, who witnessed the chaos, told CBS. &#8220;Somebody pulled up the car right there and they just started jumping on the car.”
Six people were arrested as a result of the chaos, and police are investigating multiple aggravated assault cases and reports of a stolen car. Those arrested included a 19-year-old woman and a 20-year-old woman for disorderly conduct, three juvenile females for disorderly conduct, and a juvenile male for an eluding incident. 
The females arrested were all from Newark, about 45 miles away from Long Branch. The male was from New Brunswick, about 38 miles away. 
The city said that many of the people who arrived for the pop-up traveled by train to arrive in Long Branch. 
“The City of Long Branch takes these events seriously and will not tolerate conduct that endangers residents, visitors, business owners, or our public safety personnel,”said Long Branch Director of Public Safety Charles Shirley. “Pop-up gatherings of this nature have repeatedly disrupted Jersey Shore communities, and Long Branch is prepared to act decisively whenever public safety is threatened.”
Ahead of the Memorial Day weekend, the city said that anyone visiting the area “intending to engage in violence or disorder should expect to be arrested and prosecuted.”
Major cities throughout the country have faced so-called “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/teen-takeovers-turn-blue-cities-into-scenes-from-the-purge">teen-takeovers</a>,” where massive groups of teenagers shut down public spaces, and engage in assaults, robberies, vandalism, and shootings. Earlier this week, multiple stabbings <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/05/20/us-news/rhode-island-beach-chaos-leads-to-three-stabbed-11-arrested/">took place</a> at beaches throughout Rhode Island during similar events.

People enjoy warm weather at New Jersey beach

WATCH: Police Crack Down After Teens Cause Chaos In Popular Beach Town

New Jersey

Police

Teen-Takeover

Teenagers

Senate Democrats are inviting an anti-gambling activist who was disbarred after stealing nearly $2 million from clients to finance his own gambling habit, still owes nearly all that money, and appears to falsely represent himself as a therapist, to testify on integrity in sports. 
Harry Levant, a self-styled gambling addiction expert who has become the go-to expert for the campaign against legalized betting, is a Democrat witness for a congressional hearing to weigh the social costs of legalized sports betting. Levant’s own history, however, raises serious questions about whether he belongs in front of Congress as a neutral authority at all.
Levant, now director of gambling policy at the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI), has become a favored media source for outlets eager to highlight the dangers of online wagering. He has appeared in major national publications and alongside lawmakers pushing federal restrictions on sports betting, often presenting himself as a reformed addict turned counselor and public health advocate.
But Levant’s public rehabilitation story omits a key fact: he is a disbarred former attorney who pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $2 million from his own legal clients to finance his gambling addiction. His victims reportedly included a family member and a double amputee. 
&#8220;My world crumbled in May of 2014 when I was informed that all my money no longer existed,” a victim of Levant <a href="https://whyy.org/segments/after-dodging-jail-in-theft-of-2m-lawyer-back-in-court-for-lagging-on-restitution/">told</a> a judge. “I will never forgive Mr. Levant for what he has done to me. He needs to be punished and pay for what he has done.”
Though he avoided prison after facing dozens of criminal charges, court records <a href="https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/Report/CpDocketSheet?docketNumber=CP-51-CR-0012640-2014&amp;dnh=oz%2FCyF06OFNZ596KkWz7wA%3D%3D">reviewed</a> by The Daily Wire show he still owes roughly $1.9 million in restitution more than a decade later. Public records indicate he has maintained access to high-end housing while making only minimal monthly payments to the victims he defrauded. At the current payment rate ordered by the court, full repayment would take 316 years.
Levant now publicly markets himself as a “therapist” and “gambling counselor,” offering in-person services in Philadelphia and telehealth sessions online. Yet available state licensing databases in both Pennsylvania and Massachusetts do not appear to show an active professional counseling license under his name. 
In a phone interview, Levant said he doesn’t run a therapy practice.
“I host a coaching program, not a therapy practice. I host group coaching,” Levant said. “If someone in the group needs therapy, I refer them to a licensed therapist.”
Despite this, Levant’s website still <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260518235643/https://www.harrylevant.com/about">describes</a> him as a “mental health therapist” and contains a page titled <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260518235537/https://www.harrylevant.com/gambling-counseling">“Therapy,”</a> where he says, “I offer a comprehensive approach to therapy,” invites visitors to “become a patient,” and advertises “in-person services in the Philadelphia area and virtual telehealth services for all ages.”
Levant added that he is “very upfront” that his use of the title “Dr.” refers to his doctorate in law and public policy from Northeastern University, which is consistent with his public biography.
Levant also said he continues his “restitution payment each month,” but did not comment on the amount. He remains under court-ordered restitution stemming from the theft case and said he is “in full compliance with those obligations,” according to an email from PHAI Executive Director Mark Gottlieb, who described himself as Levant’s supervisor. 
Gottlieb wrote to The Daily Wire to “memorialize” Levant’s answers in his phone interview with The Daily Wire, emphasizing the organization’s awareness of the questions surrounding his criminal history’s pertinence on his current work.
Regarding the “therapy” claims, Gottlieb said he stopped treating patients after moving to Massachusetts because he would need new state licensure to continue practicing there. Gottlieb said PHAI had kept Levant “very very busy” and that he had not yet completed that licensing process, adding, “I’m quite sure he will be treating individual patients again soon.” 
He said Levant had been treating patients in Pennsylvania through mid-2025 at Ethos Treatment, but 
That history matters because Levant is not merely a recovering addict sharing a personal testimony. He is now positioned as an expert witness before the United States Senate while simultaneously helping build a legal and political campaign against the sports betting industry that could generate significant financial benefit for his organization and its allies.
Levant and colleagues at PHAI recently incorporated a nonprofit called <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-family-and-friends-of-gamblers-ffog-is-launched-to-advocate-for-comprehensive-public-health-regulation-of-the-online-gambling-industry-the-ffog-movement-will-officially-begin-with-lifting-the-fog-day-on-november-6th-in-wa-302599936.html?tc=eml_cleartime">Families and Friends of Gamblers</a>, which seems to be laying the groundwork for mass litigation against gambling companies. The model resembles the public-health litigation strategy used against “Big Tobacco” in the 1990s — not coincidentally, one of Levant’s close collaborators, Richard Daynard, helped architect that litigation. 
If successful, the effort could create an enormous legal payday for the advocacy ecosystem Levant now inhabits.
That creates an obvious conflict: the same man testifying before lawmakers about the alleged public harms of sports betting is also involved in efforts that may directly profit from expanded legal action against the industry.
None of this means Congress should ignore the issue of gambling addiction, but it does raise a straightforward question: why is the Senate relying on a witness whose professional brand, political advocacy, and personal financial interests all depend on portraying sports betting as a national crisis — and one whose own past includes defrauding vulnerable people to sustain the very addiction he now monetizes as an expert?

Sports Betting Apps As Online Gambling Expands In US

Anti-Gambling ‘Expert’ Set To Brief Senate On ‘Integrity’ Owes Millions To Victims He Defrauded

Congress

gambling

Politics

Theft

A Washington D.C. father who had to physically shield his children from a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/late-night-troublemakers-tear-up-d-c-chipotle-as-trump-admin-vows-to-crack-down-on-teen-takeovers">violent teen brawl</a> inside a Chipotle says the incident left his family shaken, with his son telling him afterward, “I can’t unsee that.”
Rafael Jauregui, an Air Force veteran and father of seven, was taking five of his children out for dinner after a Washington Nationals vs. Baltimore Orioles game on Saturday when a large fight erupted inside the restaurant, according to local reporting. Video of the chaos showed teens throwing punches and smashing chairs as customers scrambled for safety.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
A chaotic teen takeover turns violent inside a Washington, D.C. Chipotle.
The group of teens can be seen throwing punches and hurling restaurant chairs and stools at one another as innocent bystanders huddle for safety in a corner of the restaurant.
The incident comes just days… <a href="https://t.co/HcHeOftGcf">pic.twitter.com/HcHeOftGcf</a>
— Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/2056415804493627661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
“At that point, I tell the children, ‘get with me, get up, let’s start backing up,’” Jauregui told <a href="https://wjla.com/news/local/navy-yard-brawl-comes-after-us-attorney-pirros-promised-crackdown-on-teen-takeovers">ABC7 News</a>. “And then it was like an ambush.”
Jauregui said the group “looked like ninjas, dressed in black, with ski masks,” as they flooded into the restaurant and began swinging chairs at one another. He said he and his children were forced into a corner while he scanned the crowd for weapons, relying on his military training to assess whether any of the teens were armed. He watched as the fight escalated into what U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro described Monday as a “takeover of a restaurant.”
“It was not just violence occurring between individuals. It was simply destruction of property,” Pirro said during a press conference. “It was a takeover of a restaurant by individuals who felt like they could get away with it. Well, they’re not going to get away with it.” Pirro said the Federal Bureau of Investigation is now involved in identifying those responsible for the weekend melee, which broke out in the city’s Navy Yard neighborhood one day after she announced a new crackdown on juvenile crime.
She vowed to prosecute not only the teens involved but, in some cases, their parents. “If you know where your teen is and what they are doing and allow them to continue their conduct and continue to allow them to flourish, we’re going to prosecute you,” Pirro said. Jauregui said he supports that approach, arguing the violence went far beyond teenagers “messing around.”
“[I’m] in line with what the U.S. Attorney is trying to do,” he said. “This is next level. Where a dad can’t bring their kids to a Nats game and grab a bite after.” The father said his two sons helped shield their younger sisters during the chaos, but the emotional impact lingered after the family left. “My son said on the way home, ‘Papa, I can’t unsee that,’” Jauregui said. “Those individuals have now directly impacted my security, my life.”
The incident is the latest in a string of so-called “teen takeovers” that have disrupted public spaces in Washington, as city officials face growing pressure to rein in youth violence ahead of major national celebrations planned in the capital this summer.

Teen-Takeover-4.jpg

‘I Can’t Unsee That’: Man Who Shielded Kids From Urban Teen Brawl Speaks Out

Violent Crime

A New York judge on Monday tossed out key evidence found in the backpack of Luigi Mangione, the man accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in the heart of Manhattan.
Judge Gregory Carro ruled that evidence obtained from Mangione’s backpack when he was arrested at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s must be suppressed, including a magazine, cellphone, passport, computer chip, and wallet. 
A gun and notebook that prosecutors say connect Mangione to Thompson’s murder will still be allowed as evidence at the trial, which is set to begin on <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/luigi-mangione-due-court-ruling-backpack-evidence-ceo-killing-case-2026-05-18/">September 8 and last about six weeks</a>. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
NEW VIDEO: Cameras inside the courtroom capture the moment New York State Supreme Court Judge Gregory Carro announces that some key pieces of evidence seized from Luigi Mangione’s backpack during his arrest at a Pennsylvania McDonald&#8217;s are inadmissible at trial, while some of it… <a href="https://t.co/dTbrR8dcYw">pic.twitter.com/dTbrR8dcYw</a>
— Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/2056385258858197203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
The ruling is a partial win for Mangione’s defense team, who argued that the search of the backpack without a warrant violated his constitutional rights.
&#8220;At the hearing, Altoona law enforcement officers repeatedly attempted to justify their warrantless search of Mr. Mangione&#8217;s backpack &#8230; instead, all these officers demonstrated was an utter disregard for a defendant&#8217;s constitutional rights and a shocking ignorance of basic search and seizure caselaw,&#8221; Mangione&#8217;s attorneys wrote in a state court filing, <a href="https://abcnews.com/US/judge-decide-throw-key-evidence-luigi-mangione/story?id=133018432">according to ABC News</a>. 
The prosecution argued the officers acted &#8220;in deliberate and painstaking fashion&#8221; while searching the backpack. 
&#8220;At every step, the Altoona officers responded to this unexpected and alarming situation reasonably,&#8221; Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann wrote in a court filing. 
Thompson was gunned down from behind in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, 2024, as he was walking to a hotel during his company’s annual investor conference. 
Shell casings retrieved from the scene had the words “deny,” &#8220;defend,&#8221; and “depose” written on them, according to the New York Police Department. The words found on the shell casings have been connected to a 2010 book that was critical of the health insurance industry. Mangione’s fingerprints allegedly matched those found on a water bottle and a protein bar wrapper recovered near the murder scene, and the gun recovered from his backpack was matched to shell casings found at the scene.
The killing sparked a massive, nationwide five-day manhunt, which ended with Mangione&#8217;s arrest at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, which is more than 200 miles from Manhattan. At the fast-food chain, police found a loaded gun magazine in his backpack. A subsequent inventory search of the bag at the Altoona police station turned up a firearm, suppressor, and what appeared to be a manifesto, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-drops-fight-for-death-penalty-in-luigi-mangione-assassination-case">The Daily Wire previously reported</a>. 
Mangione pleaded not guilty to the federal and state murder charges. In January, U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett dismissed two of the four charges, including use of a firearm to commit murder, which made him eligible for the death penalty.
Garnett said she dismissed the charges “solely to preclude the death penalty as an available punishment when the jury determines if the Defendant caused Brian Thompson’s death,” The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-judge-says-prosecutors-cant-pursue-death-penalty-against-luigi-mangione" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> at the time.
Behind bars, Mangione has amassed a following of mostly Left-wing advocates angry with the American healthcare system. A legal fund supporting his <a href="https://abcnews.com/US/judge-decide-throw-key-evidence-luigi-mangione/story?id=133018432">defense has surpassed $1.5 million</a>.
Mangione, if convicted of all charges, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Supporters line up ahead of Luigi Mangione ruling <a href="https://t.co/uGw13E4Y1d">https://t.co/uGw13E4Y1d</a> <a href="https://t.co/SaYxZuazon">pic.twitter.com/SaYxZuazon</a>
— New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/2056381879767417182?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2026</a></blockquote>

Luigi Mangione

Luigi Mangione Scores Another Win As Judge Tosses Out Key Evidence

Court

Judge

New York

A group of rowdy young people flung chairs and threw punches in a Washington, D.C., Chipotle on Saturday night, just one day after U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro vowed to crack down on parents who allow their kids to run wild through the streets.
The chaos in D.C.&#8217;s Navy Yard was captured on camera by a news crew and posted to social media on Sunday. Footage shows at least eight people engaged in a full-blown brawl in the restaurant, with some of the culprits picking up chairs and slamming them into other fighters. Girls were heard screaming in the background, and Chipotle workers watched the fight from behind the counter.
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Massive brawl broke out Friday night at a Chipotle in the Navy Yard area. <a href="https://t.co/xqZTliXWvK">pic.twitter.com/xqZTliXWvK</a>
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/2056153477567438871?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The brawl took place just across the street from a large gathering of juveniles in a grassy area. Officers with the Metropolitan Police Department eventually arrived on the scene and arrested at least one person who was part of the teen gathering, ABC 7 News <a href="https://wjla.com/news/local/navy-yard-chipotle-fight-washington-dc-brawl-crime-teen-takeover-caught-on-camera-mpd-investigation-jeanine-pirro-juvenile-curfew-violence-breaking-news-se-violent-restaurant-public-safety-chairs-thrown-in-incident-metropolitan-police-department-zones">reported</a>.
A man who lives in Navy Yard told ABC 7 News that the violent teen gatherings have become &#8220;routine on Saturdays and Friday nights.&#8221;
“It’s not shocking anymore, since this has become routine on Saturdays and Friday nights, but it’s disappointing to know this is still happening,&#8221; Ken Ledet said on Sunday. “I actually come to this Chipotle at least three or four times a week, so thankfully I didn’t come here last night.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/teen-takeovers-turn-blue-cities-into-scenes-from-the-purge">Teen takeovers</a> are plaguing Democrat-run cities across the country, including the nation&#8217;s capital. On Friday, Pirro held a press conference to address the growing issue in Washington, D.C., and issued a warning to parents.
&#8220;Starting today, my office will prosecute parents under D.C.&#8217;s curfew law,&#8221; Pirro said.
“If the evidence shows the parent knew or should have known or permitted or failed to prevent participation, we are going to charge them,” she continued, adding, “If you drop your kid off and you fail to supervise them, or you let them skip school to join the chaos, you are going to face fines, court ordered classes, and possible jail time.”
The D.C. city council recently voted to extend the police chief&#8217;s power to impose an 8:00 p.m. curfew for kids under 18 in certain areas. Navy Yard has become a top spot for teens to meet on the weekends in gatherings that often turn violent. D.C. also has an 11:00 p.m. citywide curfew for juveniles on week nights and a midnight curfew on weekends.

U.S.-WASHINGTON, D.C.-TRUMP-SHOOTING-SUSPECT

Violent Teen Takeover Erupts Inside Chipotle As Officials Promise Parents Won’t Escape Blame

Trump Administration

Washington D.C.

Edwin Díaz, the $69 million closer for the Los Angeles Dodgers, has been linked to an alleged illegal cockfighting operation in his native Puerto Rico, according to a report by <a href="https://ftw.usatoday.com/story/sports/horseracing/2026/05/14/jose-ortiz-irad-ortiz-jr-edwin-diaz-illegal-cockfighting/90046603007/">USA Today</a>.
The report, published Friday, tied Díaz to the federally banned blood sport through social media advertisements and promotional materials posted by cockfighting organizations on the island, including graphics showing the three-time All-Star in his Dodgers uniform promoting tournament events. One post reportedly advertised a “tribute” to Díaz, describing him as both a Puerto Rican sports hero and an active cockfighter.
The controversy deepened after a March interview with Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Día resurfaced in which Díaz openly discussed his family’s participation in cockfighting events. According to the outlet, Díaz said his family entered four roosters into a recent tournament and described cockfighting as a hobby he had followed since childhood. 
“It’s a pastime I’ve followed since I was a child,” Díaz reportedly said. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.”
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<a href="https://t.co/8yHIUOYXfE">https://t.co/8yHIUOYXfE</a> <a href="https://t.co/OOUCaIo3Lg">pic.twitter.com/OOUCaIo3Lg</a>
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/UnderdogMLB/status/2055319645972803714?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
Cockfighting has deep historical roots in Puerto Rico, where some residents continue to defend it as a cultural tradition dating back centuries. But that defense has not carried legal weight for years. The practice has been illegal in all U.S. states and territories since 2019, when a federal ban took effect. The Supreme Court later declined to hear a challenge that would have carved out an exception for Puerto Rico.
Federal law makes participation in a cockfight punishable by up to five years in prison and fines, while knowingly attending as a spectator can carry criminal penalties. No charges have been announced against Díaz, and neither the Dodgers nor his representatives responded publicly to the report as of Friday.
The report also mentioned several other prominent Puerto Rican athletes, including champion jockey brothers José Ortiz and Irad Ortiz Jr., who were allegedly photographed at cockfighting venues and appeared in videos tied to betting activity. Díaz’s younger brother, Alexis Díaz, was also named in social media posts promoting the same events.
For Major League Baseball, the allegations could present an off-field distraction involving a high-profile reliever. MLB’s personal conduct policy gives it broad discretion to investigate players for conduct deemed damaging to the sport, even absent criminal charges. 
The timing is also awkward for Díaz personally. The veteran reliever, who signed a lucrative offseason deal with Los Angeles, is currently sidelined with an elbow injury after a rough start to the season, adding another layer of scrutiny to what was expected to be a routine rehabilitation.

Roosters

Three-Time MLB All-Star Promoted Illegal Cockfighting Events

animal rights

Los Angeles Dodgers

World

A growing wave of juvenile crime and “teen takeovers” in major Democrat-run cities is prompting renewed scrutiny of leftist policing policies, with critics warning that years of anti-law enforcement rhetoric have created an atmosphere of escalating disorder.
The phenomenon has erupted in cities including Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere in recent months, with incidents often coordinated through TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and other social media platforms.
Col. Frank Carpenter, chief of police in Chesterfield County, Virginia, told <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/30/us-news/teen-takeovers-turn-city-centers-into-scenes-from-the-purge-cops/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Post</a> these scenes resemble “The Purge,” a dystopian horror film franchise depicting cities descending into lawlessness. Police sources say that massive groups of teenagers have increasingly overwhelmed officers, shut down public spaces, and engaged in assaults, robberies, vandalism, and shootings.
As with Virginia, these incidents are especially concentrated in Democrat-led cities. Chicago, in particular, has emerged as one of the most visible examples.
Last week, a silver sedan <a href="https://x.com/ChicagoContrar1/status/2053107479580479701?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rammed</a> a Chicago Police Department squad car during a downtown street takeover near Grant Park while crowds of teens surrounded the vehicle, cheering, filming officers on their phones, and pounding on the patrol car’s hood. Just two days later, on Friday, a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWl_IufDx1X/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second takeover erupted</a> on the city’s South Side. In another incident earlier this spring, teens allegedly set vehicles ablaze by igniting fireworks inside them.
Similar incidents have recently unfolded in Los Angeles beach communities and <a href="https://x.com/WellsJorda89710/status/2043154989682511888?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington, D.C</a>., where viral videos show large crowds overwhelming police presence and turning public areas into chaotic scenes. Though no one was killed, in one Los Angeles-area takeover, gunfire broke out and struck four victims ranging from 17 to 22 years old.
In New York City, police arrested a 17-year-old suspect in the fatal stabbing of 39-year-old Leonides Baez near Times Square. According to investigators, the teen allegedly said he was inspired by a TikTok trend known as “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/08/nyregion/teenager-stabbing-times-square-nyc-tiktok.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">messing with crackheads</a>,” in which vulnerable or homeless individuals are harassed for entertainment and online attention.
Authorities say several teens approached Baez before he was stabbed to death outside of a restaurant.
Critics say the social media component is central to understanding this crime trend. The Wall Street Journal recently characterized many of the incidents as “performative crime,” that is, criminal acts committed for viral attention and social status online.
But some analysts argue the deeper causes run far beyond TikTok.
Heather Mac Donald, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute and author of &#8220;The War on Cops,&#8221; said authorities are failing to confront the fact that these crimes are overwhelmingly being carried out by young African Americans and reflect long-term breakdowns in the black family structure.
“This is a long-standing problem, and nobody wants to talk about what the causes are,” Mac Donald said during an interview with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/hosts/morning-wire?elementPosition=7&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Browse+by+Hosts&amp;rowType=Hosts+Carousel">Morning Wire</a>. “The criminal justice system is terrified, really, to do anything about it.”
The extreme nature of the takeovers is prompting Republican leaders to act though. On Friday, U.S. Attorney <a href="https://x.com/foxnews/status/2055326776549605474?s=43" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeanine Pirro announced</a> a significant offensive against the parents of minors participating in these crimes. Pirro pledged to pursue criminal charges against parents who neglect their supervisory duties, warning that such failures could result in substantial financial penalties or incarceration.
“If the evidence shows the parent knew or should have known or permitted or failed to prevent participation, we are going to charge them,” Pirro stated, adding, “If you drop your kid off and you fail to supervise them, or you let them skip school to join the chaos, you are going to face fines, court ordered classes, and possible jail time.&#8221;
Another contributing factor Mac Donald pointed to is schools, which she said have historically been reluctant to discipline black students after years of pressure from leftist activists and federal officials who claimed disciplinary disparities were evidence of systemic racism.
“Teachers now have been told they can’t do that,” she said, referring to enforcing discipline and behavioral standards in classrooms. She also blamed the lingering effects of the anti-police movement that exploded after the 2014 Ferguson, Missouri, riots and intensified following the death of George Floyd in 2020.
“Policing obviously has been under one prolonged assault since the Ferguson riots,” Mac Donald said. “The pressure is on them not to intervene at all because they don’t want another George Floyd riot or Ferguson riot in their city.”
The debate has intensified as some blue-city leaders continue pushing policies that restrict law enforcement.
Last week, the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to curtail “pretextual” traffic stops by the LAPD. The stops are initiated for low-level violations such as broken taillights or expired tags that sometimes lead officers to uncover illegal weapons or narcotics. The city council&#8217;s vote is now set to be debated by the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners, which has the final say.
Meanwhile, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has previously described aggressive law enforcement approaches as a “sickness” in Chicago that he wanted to “eradicate.”
Mac Donald argued that years of political hostility toward proactive policing have worsened violent crime. “There’s nothing more important that the police can do to lower gun crime than these types of investigative stops,” she said.
Although officials in cities such as New York and Chicago often point to declining overall crime statistics, Mac Donald said those numbers can obscure broader public disorder. “Murders don’t lie. You can’t hide the bodies,” she said, noting homicide rates remain elevated compared to pre-2020 levels despite recent declines from their peak.
Police recruitment has also become increasingly difficult in major urban departments. Mac Donald said cities including Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago remain severely understaffed as officers retire early, leave for red states, or avoid entering the profession altogether.
“If current policies continue,” she warned, “people who can leave are going to leave.”

US-NEWS-CHICAGO-SHOOTINGS-TB

Teen Takeovers Turn Blue Cities Into ‘Scenes From The Purge’

Chicago

New York City

A British university student collapsed and died after police initially handcuffed him instead of the man accused of stabbing him, according to reports and court testimony.
Finance student Henry Nowak, 18, was stabbed with an eight-inch ceremonial Sikh &#8220;shastar&#8221; blade in London after an encounter with Vikrum Digwa, 23, who is on trial for murder. Digwa told police that Nowak was a “drunken man” who “racially abused and attacked” him, <a href="https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15818111/Sikh-man-stabbed-18-year-old-university-student-death-eight-inch-ceremonial-knife-claiming-hed-racially-abused-court-hears.html?ns_mchannel=rss&amp;ns_campaign=1490&amp;ito=social-twitter_mailonline">according</a> to the Daily Mail.
Police initially handcuffed Nowak after the December 2023 incident. Shortly after, he collapsed, prompting officers to begin emergency first aid. Despite efforts to save him, including a doctor flown in by helicopter, Nowak succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 12:37 am. 
Digwa is now on trial alongside his mother, who is accused of assisting her son after Nowak’s stabbing. 
Prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg rejected Digwa&#8217;s self-defense claim, telling jurors that “Henry drowned in his own blood&#8221; after the knife pierced his lung. He added that Digwa claimed he could not “recall exactly how the fatal wound came to be inflicted.”
Much of the incident was captured on video by Nowak before he died and is now being used as evidence in court. 
Nowak, who had been completing his first term studying accountancy and finance at Southampton University, had been out with friends before he was attacked. On his way home, he recorded Snapchat videos shortly before crossing paths with Digwa.
In one video shown in court, Digwa can allegedly be heard saying, “I am a bad man.” The footage abruptly cuts off when Nowak responds, “Are you a b….” 
Nowak sustained four stab wounds, including the one that punctured his lung. 
Police said after the fatal stabbing, Digwa’s mother, brother, and father arrived on the scene. Officers placed Digwa and his brother inside a police vehicle, where they said they overheard Digwa admit to the stabbing. 
Luddenberg told jurors that Digwa “told his brother he stabbed Henry three times. He didn’t mention racism or self-defense.” 
Digwa’s defense argued that he carried the knife for religious reasons. The trial is still underway.

Crime Scene at Night: Crime Scene Investigation Team Working on a Murder. Female Police Officer Briefing Detective on the Victim’s Body. Forensics and Paramedics Working. Cinematic Shot

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