Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson blasted the Democratic Party just weeks after jumping ship for being weak on violent crime and attempting to “defund the police.&#8221; 
Johnson, who made headlines last month for switching to the Republican Party, was asked about crime policies being one of the reasons for his switch during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” with host Shannon Bream. He said that he decided to “do things differently” than other Democrats who were calling for reallocating financial support away from the police despite persistent and <a href="https://crim.sas.upenn.edu/fact-check/violent-crime-increasing#:~:text=Violent%20crime%20recently%20has%20been,increases%20have%20continued%20into%202022." target="_blank" rel="noopener">rising</a> violent crime throughout the country. 
“What I’ve seen across the country, too often I think that Democrats primarily is what I’m talking about because that’s who controls most of the major cities in this country – 75 of the top 100 cities in the country are run by Democrats – the problem has become that Democrats were not willing, I think, to say that violent crime is a problem in their city and that it’s a problem that they could actually do something about,” Johnson said. 
“In Dallas, I dug in pretty firmly against this whole idea of defunding the police and I said, ‘We’re gonna do things differently here,’ and we’ve had different results,” Johnson told Bream. 
The Republican mayor said Democrats tend to blame violent crime on society, the education system, and the economy, which he says “have always been present.&#8221; Current levels of homicide and other violent crimes, the mayor argues, have not always been as high. 
Johnson also brushed off criticism from a Democrat city council member who claimed that Dallas has become one of the safest large cities in the country because of the Democrat-controlled city council. The mayor said the council “eventually” came to agree with him on crime-reduction policies. 
“We were all Democrats at the time,” the mayor said, noting he only switched political parties recently. “It was always a challenge and there were reasons why we had a lot of disagreements, there was a lot of coverage for a long time about a lot of the arguments and a lot of the debates that happened around Dallas City Hall around how we need to respond to requests to defund our police.”
The mayor said that the city council did propose amendments to defund its police department, but he said those were proposed “largely symbolically” and had no legitimate policy reason. According to Johnson, the proposals had the money allocated for things like solar panels and environmental issues – things that “have nothing to do” with the safety of a city during a “crime spike.” 
In September, Johnson, a longtime Democrat, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/longtime-democrat-dallas-mayor-switching-to-gop-american-cities-need-republicans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">switched</a> to the Republican Party, though his office is technically nonpartisan. In an <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/americas-cities-need-republicans-and-im-becoming-one-dallas-texas-mayor-965dbaa4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">op-ed</a> for The Wall Street Journal, he said Dallas has “thrived” under his leadership while Democrat policies in other big cities have worsened homelessness and crime. 
“The future of America’s great urban centers depends on the willingness of the nation’s mayors to champion law and order and practice fiscal conservatism,” Johnson wrote. “Our cities desperately need the genuine commitment to these principles (as opposed to the inconsistent, poll-driven commitment of many Democrats) that has long been a defining characteristic of the GOP.” 
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He told Bream that the Democratic Party &#8220;doesn&#8217;t represent&#8221; his values regarding &#8220;law and order&#8221; because the Left has policies that &#8220;embolden the criminal element&#8221; in cities, including calls to &#8220;defund the police&#8221; and not prosecuting certain crimes. These policies, Johnson argues, &#8220;demoralize the police department.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
WATCH: Mayor <a href="https://twitter.com/Johnson4Dallas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Johnson4Dallas</a> on his decision to switch political parties and his city&#39;s crackdown on crime. <a href="https://t.co/NwL4kraTZo">pic.twitter.com/NwL4kraTZo</a>
&mdash; Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNewsSunday/status/1718637145739411800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson

Mayor Explains Party Switch To GOP, Says Dems Won’t Admit Violent Crime Is An Issue

Crime

Dallas

Mayor

Politics

Republican

Texas

Democratic Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson announced in a Wall Street Journal op-ed Friday that he will switch his party affiliation to Republican. 
Johnson, who served nine years as a Democrat in the Texas Legislature before being elected mayor in 2019, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/americas-cities-need-republicans-and-im-becoming-one-dallas-texas-mayor-965dbaa4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> that “American cities need Republicans — and Republicans need American cities.” 
“I have no intention of changing my approach to my job. But today I am changing my party affiliation,” Johnson added. “Next spring, I will be voting in the Republican primary. When my career in elected office ends in 2027 on the inauguration of my successor as mayor, I will leave office as a Republican.” 
Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott celebrated Johnson’s decision to leave the Democratic Party and join the GOP. While Johnson’s position is technically nonpartisan, his party switch makes Dallas the second major Texas city to be led by a mayor affiliated with the Republican Party along with Fort Worth, The Texas Tribune <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/22/dallas-mayor-eric-johnson-republican/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. 
“Texas is getting more Red every day. Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson switches to Republican Party,” Abbott said. “He’s pro law enforcement &amp; won’t tolerate leftist agendas. Two of the 10 largest cities in America now have Republican Mayors &amp; they are both in Texas.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Texas is getting more Red every day. 
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson switches to Republican Party. 
He’s pro law enforcement &amp; won’t tolerate leftist agendas. 
Two of the 10 largest cities in America now have Republican Mayors &amp; they are both in Texas. <a href="https://t.co/Qn9SM7UZ1G">https://t.co/Qn9SM7UZ1G</a>
&mdash; Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) <a href="https://twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1705251728432521468?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Johnson pointed to “law and order” and “fiscal conservatism” as major factors that convinced him the platform of the Republican Party was better suited to lead Dallas and other U.S. cities forward. The city has seen a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dallas-police-will-force-residents-to-report-some-offenses-online-instead-of-calling-911" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent rise</a> in violent crime after two years of violent crime rates going down while the Dallas Police Department has faced staffing shortages following the anti-police sentiment that gained traction following the death of George Floyd in 2020. 
“I don’t believe I can stay on the sidelines any longer,” Johnson wrote. “I have always tried to be honest and say what I think is right for my city. The future of America’s great urban centers depends on the willingness of the nation’s mayors to champion law and order and practice fiscal conservatism. Our cities desperately need the genuine commitment to these principles (as opposed to the inconsistent, poll-driven commitment of many Democrats) that has long been a defining characteristic of the GOP.”
The Dallas mayor said Democratic policies have led to the “disarray” of many cities across the country as places like New York City, Chicago, and Philadelphia face spikes in violent crime. 
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“Mayors and other local elected officials have failed to make public safety a priority or to exercise fiscal restraint. Most of these local leaders are proud Democrats who view cities as laboratories for liberalism rather than as havens for opportunity and free enterprise,” Johnson wrote. 
“Too often, local tax dollars are spent on policies that exacerbate homelessness, coddle criminals and make it harder for ordinary people to make a living,” the mayor added. “And too many local Democrats insist on virtue signaling — proposing half-baked government programs that aim to solve every single societal ill — and on finding new ways to thumb their noses at Republicans at the state or federal level. Enough. This makes for good headlines, but not for safer, stronger, more vibrant cities.”

Eric Johnson/Greg Abbott

Longtime Democrat Dallas Mayor Switching To GOP: ‘American Cities Need Republicans’

Democratic Party

Greg Abbott

Republican Party

Violent Crime

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/dallas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dallas</a> Police Department will require residents to fill out some police reports online instead of calling 911 to free officers to respond to more serious crimes.
The new reporting requirements will go into effect on July 3 as the police department has faced an increase in high-priority calls and staffing shortages. Chief Eddi García said Tuesday that the new system will help lessen officers’ workloads and reduce their response time for emergencies, the Dallas Morning News <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/dallas-residents-must-soon-report-some-offenses-online-to-free-up-officers-for-more-serious-crimes/ar-AA1cOtKu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
“We have to think about our men and women and the stress that they’re under and the constant calls,” García said during a news conference. “We have to make the working conditions of our men and women better and, at the same time, not sacrifice the service for our community — and I think this achieves that.”
Officers will no longer respond to calls for crimes such as motor vehicle burglaries, credit or debit card abuse, harassment through texts or phone calls unrelated to family violence, identity theft, reckless damage, graffiti, burglary of a coin machine, lost property, and theft and shoplifting under $2,500. Dallas police officers will also no longer respond to minor accidents when no one is injured and the vehicles are operable.
The city saw a rise in violent crime at the beginning of 2023 after two years of violent crime rates going down, Fox 4 <a href="https://www.fox4news.com/news/dallas-murder-aggravated-assaults-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Homicides were up nearly 10%, and aggravated assault was up 15% in January 2023 compared to January 2022.
“We know firsthand in an emergency every second counts,” García remarked. “We want our officers to be available to respond quickly and efficiently to any high priority call.”
The department directed those who don’t own a computer or smartphone to use a kiosk at a police substation or a computer at a local library to file a report. According to Dallas Police 911 Administrator Robert Uribe, a voluntary process to get people to report non-emergency crimes online failed because people prefer an officer physically responding to their calls. After July 3, those who dial 911 for a call required to be reported online will be instructed on how to fill out an online report at <a href="https://dallaspolice.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dallaspolice.net</a>.
Garcia said the department is short about 500 officers after hundreds left during a pension crisis in 2016-2017. There are currently 3,023 sworn officers on the force, according to Dallas Police spokeswoman Kristin Lowman, the Dallas News reported.
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“We need to grow and we’re trying to grow as quickly as possible,” García said. “Our recruiting unit is working as hard as it can. But certainly, when we look at the staffing numbers where the city is today as opposed [to] when it was a smaller city years ago, those are obvious.”

Dallas Police

Dallas Police Will Force Residents To Report Some Offenses Online Instead Of Calling 911

Dallas Residents Will Be Forced To Report Some Offenses Online Instead Of Calling 911

Police

U.S.

The man charged with stealing a pair of monkeys from the Dallas Zoo is also behind the other animal escapes, and he says he&#8217;ll do it again.
According to police affidavits obtained by the <a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2023/02/06/man-jailed-in-dallas-zoo-crimes-plans-to-steal-more-animals-if-released-affidavits-say/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dallas Morning News</a>, the suspect, 24-year-old Davion Irvin, said he was behind at least three of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dallas-zoo-monkeys-go-missing-recovered-by-police-latest-in-a-string-of-critter-capers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">four animal disappearances</a> that took place in January. The suspect also said flatly that if he is released, he will attempt to take more animals. Irvin is charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty for stealing the monkeys last week.
According to the police affidavits, Irvin was asking obscure questions about various animals on display at the zoo, and how they are moved around. “Where do y’all get the monkeys from and how do y’all shift them around?” he reportedly asked a zookeeper. The affidavits said that he asked the same questions about the zoo&#8217;s tigers.
Two days before he allegedly stole the emperor tamarins, he asked a zookeeper similar questions about them. “Where can [I] get one and how do y’all get them in at night?” Irvin reportedly asked a zookeeper on January 29, according to the affidavits. “How do you catch the birds and where do they go at night?” he said separately. The affidavits said that he wrote the zookeeper&#8217;s answers on a piece of tissue paper.
He posed the same line of questions to another employee near the clouded leopard and langur monkey exhibit. “How do you handle them and are they aggressive?” he asked. Irvin is currently accused of cutting open the langur monkey enclosure, though none were taken.
Later on, Irvin was seen entering a staff-only area. He was asked to leave, and a zoo employee followed him around the zoo until he went home.
His first attempt came on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/here-kitty-kitty-dallas-zoo-calls-escaped-non-dangerous-leopard-a-serious-situation-twitter-users-not-so-much" target="_blank" rel="noopener">January 13</a>. Irvin reportedly told police that he entered the zoo with the intent to take the big cat, named Nova, “but could only manage to pet it” because she leapt to the top of her enclosure and he was “unable to retrieve it.&#8221; Then on the night of January 29, he waited until nightfall, then jumped a fence and headed for the emperor tamarin exhibit.
He then “cut the metal mesh, went through the door, cut the enclosure where the monkeys were in and took them.” He then boarded a light rail train and took them to the vacant home where they were eventually recovered.
Irvin also told police that he &#8220;loved animals,&#8221; and that he plans to return to the zoo and steal animals again if he is released from jail; he reportedly outlined his plans to police.
Police announced on Friday that they had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/police-arrest-suspect-in-dallas-zoo-monkey-napping">arrested</a> Irvin in connection with the disappearance of the emperor tamarins. The pair of emperor tamarins named Bella and Finn, were stolen early last Tuesday, but were found and returned the same day.
Police reportedly received a tip on social media that the suspect had been spotted at an abandoned home in nearby Lancaster. That house had caught the attention of neighbors because it had been previously broken into and animals had been found inside, the <a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2023/02/03/arrest-made-in-connection-with-2-monkeys-taken-from-dallas-zoo-police-say/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dallas Morning News</a> reported. Police responded to the tip and found the house unlocked and unoccupied. Officers found the tamarins, as well as several cats and pigeons, inside.
He is <a href="https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-police-arrest-man-in-connection-with-monkeys-taken-from-dallas-zoo/3185833/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged</a> with six counts of animal cruelty, non-livestock. He is currently being held on several bonds totaling some $25,000.

Emperor Tamarin

Suspect In Dallas Zoo Monkey-Napping Was Behind Other Animal Disappearances, And Says He’ll Do It Again

Suspect In Dallas Zoo Monkey-Napping Was Behind Other Animal Disappearances, And Says He'll Do It Again If Released From Jail

affidavit

Animals

A man has been arrested and charged in connection with a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dallas-zoo-monkeys-go-missing-recovered-by-police-latest-in-a-string-of-critter-capers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pair of monkeys stolen</a> from the Dallas Zoo.
Dallas police made the announcement at a press conference Friday. The suspect, who was reportedly the same person police were looking for Tuesday, is charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty. The monkeys, a pair of emperor tamarins named Bella and Finn, were stolen early Tuesday, but were found and returned the same day.
&#8220;On Thursday night, Dallas police arrested Davion Irvin, 24, in connection with the emperor tamarin monkey case here at the Dallas Zoo,&#8221; DPD spokeswoman Kristin Lowman said at the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1HJCbxD-c8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press conference</a>. &#8220;Preliminary investigation and help from the public identified him as the man we were looking to speak to regarding this case.&#8221;
According to police, they received a tip shortly after posting the suspect&#8217;s photo on social media. That tip said that multiple people had seen the suspect at a vacant house in nearby Lancaster, where the monkeys were later found. That house had caught the attention of neighbors because it had been previously broken into and animals had been found inside, the <a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2023/02/03/arrest-made-in-connection-with-2-monkeys-taken-from-dallas-zoo-police-say/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dallas Morning News</a> reported. Police responded to the tip and found the house unlocked and unoccupied. Officers found the tamarins, as well as several cats and pigeons, inside.
The suspect appeared to have thoroughly planned out his primate pilfering. According to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by the Dallas Morning News, several days before he allegedly stole the monkeys, Irvin began asking strange questions of zoo staff, which included “obscure questions such as practices in housing and moving of animals”; and specific questions about the emperor tamarins, including how to care for them; as well as the “status and location” of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/here-kitty-kitty-dallas-zoo-calls-escaped-non-dangerous-leopard-a-serious-situation-twitter-users-not-so-much" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clouded leopard</a> that went missing in January. The suspect was also reportedly seen entering areas and looking through windows around the enclosure which are not open to the public.
A separate tip led police to arrest Irvin. He was spotted Thursday at the Dallas World Aquarium, wearing the same style and color of clothing as in the photo shared on social media by police. According to an Aquarium spokesman, Irvin stopped to ask an employee questions about one of the aquarium&#8217;s animals. The employee &#8220;immediately recognized&#8221; him from the police photo. “The employee swiftly notified local authorities, and Mr. Irvin was later apprehended outside of and away from our facility,” the spokesman said.
Police saw the suspect at a DART light rail station Thursday. They later spotted him on the street, where they apprehended him and took him to police headquarters for questioning. He is <a href="https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-police-arrest-man-in-connection-with-monkeys-taken-from-dallas-zoo/3185833/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged</a> with six counts of animal cruelty, non-livestock. He is currently being held on several bonds totaling some $25,000.
The monkeys were returned safely to the zoo on Wednesday. &#8220;Emperor tamarin monkeys, Bella and Finn, were so happy to snuggle into their nest sack here at the Zoo last night!&#8221; the zoo wrote in a <a href="https://twitter.com/DallasZoo/status/1620871919708024834" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a> thread. &#8220;Our vet and animal care teams have said, beyond losing a bit of weight, they show no signs of injury.&#8221; The animals will have to go through a quarantine period before being returned to their enclosure. The zoo thanked the Dallas PD for their efforts.

Police Arrest Suspect In Dallas Zoo Monkey-Napping

Arrested

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/dallas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dallas</a> Police are investigating the disappearance of a pair of monkeys, the latest in a string of mysterious animal absences.
The Monkeys went missing Monday afternoon. Police said Tuesday that they were looking for a person of interest who may have information on the monkeys, a pair of emperor tamarins from South America. The missing monkeys are the latest in a series of critter capers that have plagued the zoo this month.
The DPD tweeted a photo of the person of interest and asked for the public&#8217;s help in identifying and locating the man. &#8220;Dallas Police are looking for the public’s help in identifying the pictured individual,&#8221; the department <a href="https://twitter.com/DallasPD/status/1620464705985970177?s=20&amp;t=Ow9osKHCx3760AKenBor1w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a> Tuesday. &#8220;Detectives are looking to speak with the man in regard to the two tamarin monkeys missing from the Dallas Zoo.&#8221;
The man in the photo is black, wearing a blue hoodie, black pants, and a dark-colored beanie; he is eating a bag of Doritos.
The monkeys went missing on Monday. &#8220;On Monday morning (January 30), Dallas Zoo alerted the Dallas Police Department after the animal care team discovered two of our emperor tamarin monkeys were missing,&#8221; the zoo tweeted. &#8220;It was clear the habitat had been intentionally compromised.&#8221;
&#8220;Emperor tamarin monkeys would likely stay close to home &#8211; the Zoo searched near their habitat and across Zoo grounds, and did not locate them,&#8221; the zoo added. &#8220;Based on the Dallas Police Department’s initial assessment, they have reason to believe the tamarins were taken.&#8221; The zoo was unable to add any information because the investigation was ongoing.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Emperor tamarin monkeys would likely stay close to home &#8211; the Zoo searched near their habitat and across Zoo grounds, and did not locate them. Based on the Dallas Police Department’s initial assessment, they have reason to believe the tamarins were taken.
— Dallas Zoo (@DallasZoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/DallasZoo/status/1620195351893516290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
Fortunately, the monkeys were recovered late Tuesday afternoon. <a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2023/01/31/police-seek-help-identifying-man-suspected-in-disappearance-of-2-dallas-zoo-monkeys/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Local news outlets</a> reported that the tamarins were found in a home in the nearby city of Lancaster. &#8220;We are thrilled beyond belief to share that our two emperor tamarin monkeys have been found,&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/DallasZoo/status/1620576932591960064?s=20&amp;t=MPi5sa6Gb7GWf-NlwYSVzA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the zoo</a> tweeted. &#8220;DPD located the animals early this evening, and called our team to come secure and transport the tamarins back to the Zoo. They will be evaluated by our veterinarians this evening.&#8221;
The zoo promised updates about the monkeys Wednesday; Dallas Police would discuss the recovery efforts as well.
This is the fourth incident that has taken place at the Dallas zoo this month. First, the zoo closed on January 13 when Nova, a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/here-kitty-kitty-dallas-zoo-calls-escaped-non-dangerous-leopard-a-serious-situation-twitter-users-not-so-much" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clouded leopard</a>, escaped its habitat. Dallas Police assisted in the search and found evidence that the animal may have intentionally been let loose. In a press conference later that afternoon, Dallas Police said that they opened a criminal investigation; Dallas Police Sgt. Warren Mitchell said that the mesh habitat appeared to have been intentionally cut. The leopard was found at the end of the day on Tuesday near her habitat.
But the next day, another gash was found in a habitat of langur monkeys; fortunately, the monkeys were all accounted for.
Then on January 21, an endangered <a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2023/01/21/dallas-zoo-alerts-police-after-unusual-death-of-endangered-vulture/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lappet-faced vulture</a> was found dead. The zoo said that the death of the 35-year-old bird, named Pin, was “unusual” and did “not appear to be from natural causes.”
“It appears that somebody really has an issue with the Dallas Zoo,” Ed Hansen, chief executive of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, reacted to the incidents to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ospreys-dallas-animals-monkeys-vultures-a00a99761438ae6193e6d6b2f0fa63a8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press</a>.

Dallas Zoo Monkeys Go Missing, Recovered By Police, Latest In A String Of Critter Capers

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hes-made-national-championship-plays-georgia-offensive-coordinator-backs-stetson-bennett-says-quarterback-gives-bulldogs-best-chance-to-win" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Star Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett</a> was arrested and charged with public intoxication in Dallas on Sunday, according to authorities.
The Dallas Police Department said officers responded to reports of a man banging on doors sometime around 6 or 7 a.m., <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/with-a-sparkling-stadium-and-surging-program-san-diego-state-makes-an-easy-case-for-pac-12-expansion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per multiple news reports</a>.
&#8220;The preliminary investigation found when officers arrived, they located the man, Stetson Bennett, 25, and determined he was intoxicated,&#8221; police said in a statement. &#8220;Bennett was taken into custody, transported to the City Detention Center and charged with public intoxication.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/georgia-bulldogs-quarterback-stetson-bennett-arrested-on-public-intoxication-charge-in-dallas-police-say/287-4f0caf3c-6d7d-4c46-a1fc-535aac7638a8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Local news outlet WFAA</a>, an ABC affiliate, reported Bennett was released from custody before 11 a.m. Video from the television station showed Bennett being released. He did not respond when asked what he was doing in Dallas.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Stetson Bennett arrested: Georgia QB released from custody in Dallas" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nPIB2sGzXHI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stetson-bennett-and-the-advent-of-the-perpetual-adolescent" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bennett led</a> the Georgia Bulldogs to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-217-georgia-wins-back-to-back-national-championship" target="_blank" rel="noopener">two straight national championship victories</a>, most recently with a triumph over the TCU Horned Frogs. He was named offensive MVP in both championship wins and was a <a href="https://www.11alive.com/article/sports/college/georgia-bulldogs/stetson-bennett-finishes-fourth-heisman-voting/85-f0521a45-62ae-499a-975b-fd8eed4eb2a4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 Heisman Trophy finalist</a>.
A sixth-year student, Bennett was <a href="https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-football/news/stetson-bennett-age-georgia-qb-college-eligibility/bz2ftloec5xf3u8apchwdhs5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">allowed to complete last season</a> thanks to the <a href="https://www.ncsasports.org/coronavirus-sports/ncaa-eligibility-coronavirus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NCAA granting players an additional year</a> — six total — to complete four full seasons in a sport because of the COVID pandemic.
Bennett is expected to graduate with an economics degree in May, <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/stetson-bennett-playing-with-house-money-as-georgia-enters-key-two-game-stretch-with-eyes-on-repeating/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to CBS Sports</a>.
<a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/35551758/georgia-qb-stetson-bennett-arrested-public-intoxication" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN reports</a> Bennett is considered a potential pick in the NFL draft in April.

Stetson Bennett

Georgia QB Stetson Bennett Arrested

Celebrities

College Football

Georgia

NCAA

Sports

Many cities that cracked down on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/homelessness" target="_blank" rel="noopener">homelessness</a> have been hit with legal challenges over their new restrictions.
New York City, Dallas, and other cities that tried to aggressively address their homeless problem — and the drug, crime, and public nuisance issues that accompany it — are now <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-cities-get-tough-on-homelessness-legal-battles-follow-11673960273?mod=us_lead_story" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defending</a> their policies in court.
In New York City, civil rights groups are attempting to block Mayor Eric Adams&#8217; initiative to hospitalize homeless people who are severely mentally ill and appear to be a danger to themselves.
“If severe mental illness is causing someone to be unsheltered and a danger to themselves, we have a moral obligation to help them get the treatment and care they need,” Adams <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/11/29/nyc-to-involuntarily-commit-more-mentally-unstable-people/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> when he announced the plan.
In December, several civil rights groups <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-city-plan-to-involuntarily-hospitalize-some-mentally-ill-homeless-faces-legal-challenge-11670540243?mod=article_inline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked</a> a federal judge to block the policy, claiming it is unconstitutional and violates the Americans with Disabilities Act.
New York&#8217;s policy sometimes involves confiscating homeless people&#8217;s belongings as they are removed from public property and taken to a hospital. The city&#8217;s move comes amid concerns that the city&#8217;s homeless crisis is becoming more visible and spiraling out of control.
Also last month, Dallas was <a href="https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/dallas-sued-for-banning-panhandlers-from-standing-on-medians-15486363" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sued</a> over its October policy restricting people hanging around road medians, where homeless people often panhandle. City officials said the policy is for public safety because people can get hit by passing cars. However, the homeless people and their advocates who sued the city argued the policy violates their First Amendment rights.
Albuquerque was <a href="https://www.kxan.com/news/national-news/ap-new-mexico-city-sued-for-hounding-harassing-the-homeless/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sued</a> last month by homeless people and the ACLU of New Mexico for removing homeless encampments and arresting and fining people living on the street, allegedly violating their civil rights.
Similarly, Phoenix was <a href="https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/aclu-sues-city-of-phoenix-stop-sweeps-homeless-camp/75-232de857-bdf8-411d-9e13-e8250fe89d70" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sued</a> last month by the ACLU of Arizona over sweeps of a huge homeless encampment downtown.
“Rather than confront its housing crisis head-on and invest in sustainable solutions to homelessness, the City is terrorizing the very people it should be helping,” the complaint reads.
In San Francisco, which has one of the nation&#8217;s worst homeless and drug crises, homeless people and their advocates sued the city for fining and arresting homeless people as a way to get them out of public spaces. They also complained that the city throws out homeless people&#8217;s tents and other belongings without enough warning.
Recently, the Ninth Circuit federal appeals court has limited what some West Coast cities with severe homeless crises can do to address the problem if they can&#8217;t offer appropriate shelter.
“It is a serious, serious, problem, probably the biggest crisis we’re facing right now, and I think these decisions are at the heart of what has gone wrong here,” attorney Theane Evangelis, who <a href="https://www.gibsondunn.com/lawyer/evangelis-theane/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defended</a> an Oregon city&#8217;s homeless policy in the 9th Circuit, told <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-cities-get-tough-on-homelessness-legal-battles-follow-11673960273" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Wall Street Journal</a>.
“They’ve caused paralysis at a time when we need action,” Evangelis said.
A federal judge has temporarily banned San Francisco from taking those actions to combat the homeless issue, citing Ninth Circuit rulings.
Back in 2021, Austin was sued for not doing enough to address the city&#8217;s homeless problem. A group of Austin business owners and others <a href="https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/save-austin-now-business-owners-say-austin-is-failing-to-enforce-camping-ban-in-new-lawsuit/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sued</a> the city for not enforcing its public property camping ban.

Demonstration Held At NYC’s City Hall Against Mayor Adams’ Plan For Mentally Ill Homeless

Cities That Cracked Down On Homelessness Get Hit With Legal Challenges

Albuquerque

Arizona

Homeless

Mental Health

Mental Illness

New Mexico

New York

New York City

An 11-year-old boy was shot and killed by a 14-year-old girl at a Dallas apartment complex on Sunday, according to authorities.
Police responded to a shooting call at the Oak Cliff apartment complex. A preliminary investigation found the girl pulled out a handgun while in a fight with another female juvenile, Dallas police spokesperson Sgt. Warren Mitchell <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/dfw/news/police-investigating-reports-of-shooting-involving-girl-boy-in-oak-cliff/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said in a news conference</a>.
Though the girl fired the gun in the direction of the other girl, the shot ended up striking the young boy who was a bystander, Mitchell said.
The boy was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, Mitchell said.
The suspect ran into a nearby apartment complex and was later taken into custody by police.
Police did not suspect the &#8220;horrible incident&#8221; to be gang-related, Mitchell said.
&#8220;It appears to be a beef between two juveniles that led to a deadly outcome,&#8221; Mitchell added.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Teenager arrested in connection to fatal shooting of young boy in Dallas" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NoDnMDCNg2w?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The suspect is being held in the Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center.
The weapon was recovered over the course of an ongoing investigation, police said.
&#8220;I find it hard and disheartening. This senseless violence, especially with the young people,&#8221; Cassie Sheffield, a resident with the organization &#8220;No More Violence,&#8221; <a href="https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/young-boy-shot-killed-dallas-texas-apartment-complex/287-996afef0-1348-408c-839d-f92fd85b380f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told WFAA</a>. She added: &#8220;How are these young people getting a hold of so many weapons? &#8230; I pray for more help in the community.&#8221;

11-Year-Old Boy Shot And Killed By 14-Year-Old Girl In Dallas: Police

Shooting

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/dallas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dallas</a> Zoo closed Friday due to a &#8220;serious situation” — though Twitter users didn&#8217;t think it was that serious.
The zoo closed Friday morning when Nova, a clouded leopard, escaped its habitat. Dallas Police assisted in the search and found evidence that the animal may have intentionally been let loose. Twitter users, however, were less serious about the whole thing, and made jokes about the effort to rescue the rare leopard.
&#8220;Just push the lever on an electric can opener,&#8221; one Twitter user suggested. &#8220;It will come running.”
&#8220;I&#8217;m sure you are the experts, but have you tried saying &#8216;Here kitty kitty kitty&#8217; then clicking your tongue a few times?&#8221; a user inquired. &#8220;It works about half time with my cat.&#8221;
&#8220;Has anyone tried pspspsps,&#8221; asked another.
One user had a few suggestions. &#8220;Have you tried: Cat nip[,] Opening a can of wet food[,] Or shaking kitty’s favorite treats?&#8221; the user said. &#8220;Also try putting out an empty Amazon box, smaller the better or use a laser pointer! Use any of these, you’ll find kitty!&#8221;
&#8220;The Zoo is closed today due to a serious situation,&#8221; the zoo wrote in a Twitter thread Friday morning. &#8220;We have an ongoing situation at the Zoo right now with a Code Blue – that is a non-dangerous animal that is out of its habitat. One of our clouded leopards was not in its habitat when the team arrived this morning and is unaccounted for at this time.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We have an ongoing situation at the Zoo right now with a Code Blue – that is a non-dangerous animal that is out of its habitat. One of our clouded leopards was not in its habitat when the team arrived this morning and is unaccounted for at this time.
— Dallas Zoo (@DallasZoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/DallasZoo/status/1613934252969660435?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">January 13, 2023</a></blockquote>
&#8220;Dallas PD is onsite assisting with the search efforts,&#8221; the zoo added. &#8220;The Zoo is closed today as our teams work to find and recover the animal. Given the nature of these animals, we believe the animal is still on grounds and hiding. We will share updates and more information as soon as we can. Our focus right now is on locating the animal.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Our focus right now is on locating the animal.
— Dallas Zoo (@DallasZoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/DallasZoo/status/1613934427641450502?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">January 13, 2023</a></blockquote>
Clouded leopards are native to South Asia; their territory extends from southern China to the Himalayas, and into Southeast Asia. Adult clouded leopards grow to between 27 and 43 inches long from head to back legs, with a tail between two and three feet long. They weigh between 25 and 50 pounds. The name &#8220;clouded leopard&#8221; comes from the cats&#8217; fur, brown with large spots along its flanks that look like clouds. The cats are uniquely superb climbers, able to descend vertical trees head-down, walk across horizontal branches upside-down, and hang from branches using their tails and back paws.
Clouded leopards are solitary and nocturnal. They eat small forest mammals like primates, deer, rodents, and pangolins. The species is considered vulnerable, according to the international Red List of Endangered Species. Much of their habitat has been deforested and the remaining habitat is too small to ensure long-term population. The cats are also hunted by poachers for their fur, bones, claws, and meat.
As of the publication of this piece, the zoo and police are still searching for the animal. In a press conference Friday afternoon, Dallas Police said that they have opened a <a href="https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/clouded-leopard-escapes-habitat-at-dallas-zoo/3169783/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criminal investigation</a>; Dallas Police Sgt. Warren Mitchell said that the mesh habitat appears to have been intentionally cut.

Clouded Leopard

‘Here, Kitty Kitty’: Dallas Zoo Calls Escaped ‘Non-Dangerous’ Leopard ‘A Serious Situation.’ Twitter Users, Not So Much.

'Here, Kitty Kitty’: Dallas Zoo Calls Escaped ‘Non-Dangerous’ Leopard 'A Serious Situation.' Twitter Users, Not So Much.

Twitter

A 21-year-old woman in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/texas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Texas</a> was reportedly shot and killed by a friend after she beat him in a basketball game.
The family of 21-year-old Asia Womack told local news outlets that she was shot and killed by a friend at a local park. Womack, a former high school basketball star, was shot and killed by the suspect after she beat him in a pickup basketball game, they said. Dallas police issued an arrest warrant for the suspect earlier this week.
&#8220;On October 3, 2022, at approximately 7:40 p.m., Dallas Police were called to a shooting in the 4100 block of Hamilton Avenue,&#8221; <a href="https://dpdbeat.com/2022/10/04/information-wanted-in-aggravated-assault-at-hamilton-ave/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DPD</a> wrote in a statement on their website. &#8220;The preliminary investigation shows when officers arrived they found Asia Womack, 21, on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds. Dallas Fire-Rescue responded and took Womack to an area hospital where she died. The investigation is ongoing.&#8221;
DPD Crime Stoppers told local news outlets that they are offering a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest of the suspect.
According to <a href="https://www.fox4news.com/news/dallas-woman-21-shot-to-death-overbasketball-game" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox 4 Dallas</a>, Womack was playing a game of pickup basketball with the shooter at T.G. Terry Park, near her home in South Dallas. The two had been trash talking during the game, and she reportedly teased him afterward. After the game was over, the shooter took his children and brother home, then drove back to the park, where he shot her five times, the family said. Security cameras at a store near the basketball court reportedly captured the suspect&#8217;s vehicle driving away from the scene. The family knows the suspect, but did not make his name public.
&#8220;This was supposed to be a friend of Asia&#8217;s. She&#8217;s eaten with the man,&#8221; Womack&#8217;s mother, Andrea Womack, told Fox 4. &#8220;She&#8217;s fed him, and he turned on her and killed her in a vicious way.&#8221;
&#8220;This is so senseless,&#8221; Pastor John Delley of the Faith Tabernacle Church of God In Christ told the outlet. &#8220;You become embarrassed basically because a female beat you in basketball.&#8221;
&#8220;My prayer is that justice be served,&#8221; Delley added. &#8220;That he is found or that he will give up or turn himself in.&#8221;
Womack was a high school basketball star at James Madison High School in Dallas. According to her NCSA recruiting profile, she averaged 15 points per game during her career. She dreamed of one day playing in the WNBA. According to her profile, she graduated in 2020. &#8220;Asia loved basketball,&#8221; Andrea Womack told CBS Dallas-Fort Worth. &#8220;She loved basketball to the point where she died doing what she loved.&#8221;
Womack&#8217;s family expressed their grief and their desire for justice to news outlets as well. “We’re taking it kind of hard because it was senseless,” Womack’s aunt, Juanita Smith, told <a href="https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-police-investigating-shooting-death-of-21-year-old-woman/3088811/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC Dallas-Fort Worth</a>. “I just don&#8217;t understand why you kill somebody over a basketball game.&#8221;
&#8220;I believe in forgiveness, but justice needs to be served,” she added.
“[It’s] hard because it’s my only sister,” Alia Womack said.
Dallas police issued a warrant for the suspect&#8217;s arrest, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM_rEcBG4KQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS DFW</a> reported Wednesday.
&#8220;If you know where he is, where his whereabouts are, please turn him in,&#8221; Womack&#8217;s mother told Fox 4. &#8220;Help the family out. We&#8217;re hurting.&#8221;

Basketball on basketball court, elevated view

21-Year-Old Woman Shot And Killed By Friend After Beating Him In Pickup Basketball Game: Report

Murder

The media trade association that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/unadulterated-bigotry-daily-wire-co-ceo-blasts-podcast-movement-after-apology-over-ben-shapiros-presence-at-conference">vilified Ben Shapiro</a> last month for simply appearing at a recent trade show apologized Thursday, saying its treatment of <a href="https://radioink.com/2022/09/08/podcast-movement-apologizes-to-ben-shapiro/#:~:text=Podcast%20Movement%20began%20in%202014%2C%20with%20four%20podcasters,recognize%20there’s%20work%20to%20do%20as%20we%20grow." target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> star &#8220;wasn&#8217;t right.&#8221;
Podcast Movement, the industry’s biggest trade group and host of annual  conferences that bring together top media companies, said in a statement it was wrong to claim Shapiro’s presence at its recent Dallas show caused “harm.” The mea culpa came after The Daily Wire and media giant Cumulus both vowed to end their support for the organization.
“As we stated, we’re continuing to evaluate our policies guiding social media &amp; events with inclusivity, diversity &amp; respect for all,” Podcast Movement said in its <a href="https://radioink.com/2022/09/08/podcast-movement-apologizes-to-ben-shapiro/#:~:text=Podcast%20Movement%20began%20in%202014%2C%20with%20four%20podcasters,recognize%20there’s%20work%20to%20do%20as%20we%20grow." target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “We have to start by sincerely apologizing to Mr. Shapiro for our reaction when he visited a booth we sold his company. That wasn’t right.
“Podcast Movement began in 2014, with four podcasters who had an idea to create a vibrant community that was for podcasters, by podcasters,” the statement continued. “We’re still those people with the same idea, and recognize there’s work to do as we grow.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/author/ben-shapiro" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shapiro</a>, the Harvard Law-educated radio host, podcaster, and best-selling author who engages regularly in civil debates with conservatives and liberals alike, was seen chatting amiably with attendees at the event. The Daily Wire had paid to sponsor a booth at the trade show, and Shapiro accompanied several company employees to it. But one person in attendance was apparently triggered by his mere presence and complained to Podcast Movement on Twitter.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
WARNING: Some viewers may find the following video of <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@benshapiro</a> at <a href="https://twitter.com/PodcastMovement?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PodcastMovement</a> disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised. <a href="https://t.co/hBL7kT8y7G">pic.twitter.com/hBL7kT8y7G</a>
&mdash; Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1562939189334867969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
That complaint prompted Podcast Movement to send out a series of tweets that painted Shapiro in a negative light, apparently for no reason other than his conservative beliefs. The organization said Shapiro’s presence caused “harm” to some in attendance and promised to be “more careful” when considering sponsors in the future.
Shapiro jokingly referred to himself as &#8220;Darth Vader&#8221; in the wake of the incident, but said he found it disturbing that an avowed conservatives mere presence could merit such a response.
Daily Wire co-founder Jeremy Boreing, who at the company’s recent “Backstage” event had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/unadulterated-bigotry-daily-wire-co-ceo-blasts-podcast-movement-after-apology-over-ben-shapiros-presence-at-conference">blasted Podcast Movement</a> for “unadulterated bigotry” in its treatment of Shapiro, said he accepted the apology.
“People rarely admit when they do wrong, particularly on the left where every cultural indicator reinforces your error,” said Boreing, who founded The Daily Wire in 2015 with Shapiro and Caleb Robinson. &#8220;Podcast Movement did the right thing with this apology. [Co-founder] Dan Franks also called me to make clear their treatment of Ben was unacceptable. Good on them.&#8221;
The apology came amid pressure from industry heavyweights. In addition to The Daily Wire+, which is the No. 6 podcast publisher in the nation, Cumulus, which syndicates Shapiro’s show through its Westwood One subsidiary, said it was &#8220;dismayed and disappointed&#8221; by Podcast Movement&#8217;s initial tweets. Earlier this week, the Atlanta-based owner of over 400 radio stations said it would cancel its 2023 sponsorship plans over Podcast&#8217;s Movement&#8217;s treatment of Shapiro.
It was not immediately clear if either The Daily Wire or Cumulus would rejoin the organization in light of its apology.

Screen Shot 2022-09-08 at 5.01.56 PM

Podcasting Trade Group Apologizes To Daily Wire For Its Treatment Of Ben Shapiro

Podcast Trade Group Apologizes To Daily Wire For Its Treatment Of Ben Shapiro

Ben Shapiro

Jeremy Boreing

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