Democrats can&#8217;t run fast enough from the fallout surrounding a former Westchester police bigwig&#8217;s arrest in connection with a gang-related shooting.
Former Mount Vernon Deputy Police Commissioner Jennifer Lackard has been charged with attempted murder after authorities say she and her ex-con husband James Lackard drove the getaway car for her son — known Slutty Gang member Chase Lackard — when he shot at a rival gang member in the Bronx last June.
As The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/09/07/us-news/scandal-over-ny-police-bigwig-linked-to-sons-gang-shooting-has-dems-running-for-the-hills/">reported</a>, local Democrats are not terribly interested in Lackard&#8217;s case — except in the most generic of terms — and the reason appears to be political. Westchester, after being known for decades as a Republican stronghold, has shifted dramatically leftward in recent years — and was even touted in 2022 as the &#8220;<a href="https://nypost.com/2022/11/26/in-a-political-shift-sixth-borough-westchester-trends-dem/">Sixth Borough</a>.&#8221;
The most recent election data shows that Mount Vernon has some 44,000 registered voters: 31,000 are Democrats compared to just 2,800 Republicans.
Lackard, who was hired as part of a police reform initiative in 2020, is seen as part of that shift. Democratic Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard tapped Lackard — who had no prior law enforcement experience — for the newly created position of deputy commissioner overseeing the department&#8217;s wellness initiatives.
Governor Kathy Hochul&#8217;s office, rather than address Lackard&#8217;s case specifically, gave The Post a vague statement condemning police misconduct in the most general of terms.
&#8220;Governor [Kathy] Hochul’s top priority is public safety,&#8221; a spokesperson for the governor said. &#8220;Those entrusted with keeping New Yorkers safe must be held to the highest ethical and professional standards, and anyone whose actions jeopardize the critical mission of law enforcement must be investigated and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.&#8221;
While State Sen. Jamaal Bailey did condemn Lackard&#8217;s actions in more specific terms, he gave the city some wiggle room by saying that they never could have predicted her behavior when they hired her for the six-figure job.
&#8220;While these allegations are unacceptable and incredibly serious, it’s important to note that it’s not possible to predict the future behavior of any employee,&#8221; Bailey said. &#8220;The purported conduct did not occur during the course of or related to her duties and should have no bearing on how the department is viewed.&#8221;
Lackard is accused of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/police-official-accused-of-helping-son-carry-out-gang-hit">driving the car</a> at least part of the time when she and her husband first delivered their gang-affiliated son to a court appearance and then drove him around the area near the courthouse so that he could open fire from the vehicle on a rival gang member. He did not hit his intended target, but drove away with his parents. All three were eventually arrested in connection with the attempted hit.
Republican National Committee spokeswoman Natalie Baldassarre told The Post that there was no excuse for the Democrats refusing to address the case head-on: &#8220;Democrats are the first to preach ‘no one is above the law’ until it screws them politically. This thug-hugging mom had no business being a police commissioner and any official who covered for her should be held to account.&#8221;
White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis added, “Yet again, extreme liberal Democrats are protecting criminals over law abiding American citizens.&#8221;

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul

Dems In Damage Control Mode Over ‘Thug-Hugging’ Police Bigwig Tied To Gang Shooting

crime

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gang violence

gangs

gun violence

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Violent Crime

A Gambian immigrant fatally shot two men in the parking lot of the Tucson gay bar Monday before killing himself, in what police have confirmed was a premeditated hate crime targeting the homosexual community.
Tucson police say Ousman Ceesay, 44, opened fire on Vincent Anthony Siqueiros, 42, and Cameron Davis Capara, 33, around 12:30 a.m. outside Venture-N, a longtime gay bar near the University of Arizona campus, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/deadly-shooting-tucson-gay-bar-investigated-possible-hate-crime-rcna595646">reported</a>. Both victims died at the scene. Ceesay turned a 9mm handgun on himself and later died at a hospital.
Investigators said Ceesay had no known connection to either victim and had only recently relocated to Tucson from Oklahoma City. He was carrying a written list of other LGBT-associated businesses in the area, though surveillance footage reviewed by detectives showed he never attempted to enter Venture-N itself during the attack.
A search of Ceesay&#8217;s home turned up a separate note that police say confirmed he acted alone and that the shooting was deliberately aimed at the gay community, the outlet reported. Tucson Police Chief Monica Prieto called the killings &#8220;especially heinous&#8221; and said bias-motivated violence has no place in the city. Officers have since mad contact with every business named on Ceesay&#8217;s list and increased patrols nearby, though authorities say there is no known ongoing threat.
Ceesay had no criminal record in Pima County and was legally permitted to own firearms, police said.
According to his cousin, <a href="https://tucson.com/news/local/crime-courts/article_fab18d08-416e-4682-8e5c-cd405cdfd053.html">interviewed</a> by the Arizona Daily Star, he had worked as an Uber driver and was a practicing Muslim who prayed five times daily. Ceesay and his wife filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2018 after accruing more than $76,000 in debt, and that the couple faced eviction over unpaid rent as recently as last year.
Capara, a photographer, had spent years documenting the gay scene, campus life, and pro-Palestinian demonstrations and anti-ICE rallies around Tucson. His father, Jeff Capara, separately <a href="https://tucson.com/news/local/article_b1f8a817-d1ba-4b99-a95a-bf218e50d0f0.html">told</a> the Star his son cared deeply about people he considered marginalized.
Siqueiros&#8217;s sister, Kate Marquez, told mourners at a vigil this week that her brother had wondered aloud just days before his death whether anyone would show up for him if something happened. She said the outpouring of support since the shooting had answered that question.
Community organizations, including Tucson Queerstory and the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation, held a candlelight vigil at a local park, and a memorial of flowers, candles and photographs has grown outside Venture-N in the days since the attack.
The investigation remains ongoing.

Venture-N shooting

‘Gays For Gaza’ Activist Killed By Muslim Migrant Outside Tucson Gay Bar

hate crime

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President Donald Trump pushed Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to seek federal help after over three dozen people were shot and three killed during another bloody weekend in Chicago.
“Chicago violence is unchecked and at record levels. It has never been worse! This weekend 41 people were shot, 3 DEAD. These numbers are becoming normalized. It is out of control! The city will die if the Federal Government, a fine tuned crime fighting machine, is not invited in, by the Mayor or Governor, to HELP,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117194670372847111">posted</a> on Truth Social on Monday. 
Trump&#8217;s comments came after Chicago police recorded 22 shootings in the city over the weekend. One incident occurred around midnight on Saturday when a person opened fire into a large crowd at Washington Park, Fox32 <a href="https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-weekend-violence-41-shot-3-dead">reported</a>. During that shooting, at least 15 people were shot, including one fatally. 
Pritzker, who has repeatedly fought efforts from Trump to surge law enforcement to Chicago, issued a statement on “gun violence” following the park shooting. No suspect has yet been arrested for the attack. 
“I am awaiting the call. Nobody should be forced to live under these conditions,” Trump said Monday. “Like D.C. and others, they will have almost no crime, FAST! The State and City can’t do what I do. Governor Pritzker, CALL!!!”
Trump&#8217;s deployment of federal law enforcement officers and the National Guard to Washington, D.C., has so far <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-what-trumps-d-c-crackdown-accomplished-one-year-later">yielded</a> over 16,000 arrests, the removal of hundreds of gang members off the streets, and the confiscation of 2,000 illegal firearms. 
At the end of 2025, Trump withdrew the National Guard from Chicago after the Supreme Court declined to weigh in on a lower court ruling siding with Illinois&#8217; challenge to the deployment. 
“We are removing the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, despite the fact that CRIME has been greatly reduced by having these great Patriots in those cities, and ONLY by that fact,” Trump said at the time. 
Pritzker has downplayed Chicago’s crime, saying it is just part of living in a big city. 
“Look, big cities have crime. There&#8217;s no doubt about it. But let&#8217;s just pay attention to what President Trump is doing targeting Chicago, overlooking red states that have much higher crime rates,” Pritzker told NBC 5 Chicago when asked in September 2025 if he would be comfortable telling his friends to ride the subway after midnight. 
Some states have taken an opposite approach to Pritzker’s and welcomed a federal law enforcement surge. Officials in Tennessee worked closely with federal law enforcement to crack down on crime in Memphis, a city long plagued with violent crime.

Illinois Gov. Discusses President Trump’s Plans To Deploy National Guard Troops In Chicago

Trump Makes Dire Prediction For Blue City After Weekend Of Violence

chicago

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politics

A 19-year-old man was arrested Saturday in connection with a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/multiple-people-shot-at-virginia-state-university">shooting that wounded five people</a> at Virginia State University after authorities found him hiding inside a campus dormitory closet, police said.
Camron Harris of Henrico, Virginia, was found hiding in a closet inside Seward Hall at approximately 4 p.m., more than 14 hours after the shooting erupted near university residence halls early Saturday morning, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-state-university-shooting-campus-lockdown-783d5190d7fe0818fc27a98123311dc3">according</a> to the Associated Press. Harris is not a student at Virginia State University.
<div id="attachment_1158875" style="width: 763px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1158875" class="size-large wp-image-1158875" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/ap26228049335431-753x576.jpg" alt="" width="753" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/ap26228049335431-753x576.jpg 753w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/ap26228049335431-300x230.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/ap26228049335431-768x588.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/ap26228049335431.avif 860w" sizes=" (max-width: 753px) 100vw, 753px" />Camron Harris (Chesterfield County Police via AP)</div>
Police obtained eight felony warrants for Harris: four counts of malicious wounding and four counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. He was taken to the Chesterfield County Jail and is being held without bond. Authorities said additional charges may be filed, <a href="https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/chesterfield-county/henrico-teen-camron-harris-arrested-vsu-shooting-aug-15-2026">according</a> to WTVR.
The shooting occurred at approximately 1:28 a.m. Saturday near the university&#8217;s residence halls. Officers responding to the scene found five people suffering from gunshot wounds. One victim, a 21-year-old man who is not a VSU student, remains in critical condition. The other four victims, ranging in age from 17 to 23, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Only one — a 20-year-old who has since been released from the hospital — is a VSU student.
The university initially warned that the shooting involved &#8220;multiple suspects,&#8221; and the campus was placed on lockdown as police searched for those responsible. The lockdown was later lifted after authorities determined there was no immediate threat to the university community. Police said Sunday that they were still seeking additional people who fired weapons and were working to determine whether they had acted in self-defense or were among the aggressors, the AP <a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-state-university-shooting-investigation-b764bc5499e57be36d798002ab3544ff">reported</a>.
Chesterfield County Police are leading the investigation with assistance from other law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Police have not announced a motive for the shooting. Virginia State University, a historically black public university located in Ettrick, Virginia, has approximately 5,700 students. The shooting occurred two days before fall classes were scheduled to begin Monday. Continuing students were returning to campus Friday as incoming students concluded orientation activities.
The university&#8217;s &#8220;New Trojans Experience&#8221; for incoming students concluded Friday and included remarks from former NFL quarterback Cam Newton. The shooting also follows several previous incidents of gun violence on or near the Virginia State campus. The university experienced multiple lockdowns related to gunfire in 2024. In 2025, one person was shot near a campus basketball court, while another man was killed in a parking lot near the university, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2026/08/15/five-people-shot-virginia-state-university/">according</a> to The Washington Post.
The investigation into Saturday&#8217;s shooting remains ongoing.

Virginia State shooting

Virginia State Shooting Suspect Found Hiding On Campus

campus shooting

virginia

virginia state university

Five people were wounded when at least one gunman opened fire at Virginia State University early Saturday morning, just two days before the start of the semester.
Gunfire erupted near some of the university’s dormitories in Chesterfield County around 1:30 a.m. ET, WTVR CBS 6 <a href="https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/chesterfield-county/virginia-state-university-shooting-prompts-lockdown-aug-15-2026">reported</a>. When police arrived, they found five people suffering from gunshot wounds. One victim was initially treated for life-threatening wounds and was later upgraded to critical condition. The other four victims appear to have suffered minor graze wounds.
In a post on social media, university officials said that the shooting involves &#8220;multiple suspects.&#8221;
&#8220;VSU Police and the Chesterfield County Police Department are actively investigating,&#8221; Virginia State University said at 5:56 a.m.
In an update at 8:22 a.m., the university said that the lockdown had been lifted, but &#8220;a significant law enforcement presence remains on campus as the investigation into this morning&#8217;s shooting continues.&#8221; It appears that no suspects have been taken into custody as of time of publication, and the university urged anyone with information on the shooting to contact law enforcement.
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<a href="https://t.co/f0NBAWU38r">pic.twitter.com/f0NBAWU38r</a>
— Virginia State University (@VSU_1882) <a href="https://x.com/VSU_1882/status/2088602135357239647?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Virginia State University is a historically black land-grant university in Ettrick, Virginia, just south of Richmond. It&#8217;s current on-campus <a href="https://www.vsu.edu/about/">enrollment</a> is around 5,000 students. The university&#8217;s fall semester is set to begin on Monday.
This is a developing story. Stay with The Daily Wire for updates.

Multiple People Shot At Virginia State University

chesterfield county

A Los Angeles judge showed surprising leniency to an ex-con who shot and hit an LAPD helicopter with an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle, explaining that while the dangerous stunt demanded prison time, the crime stemmed from drug abuse and the shooter was very polite while defending himself in court.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mildred Escobedo sentenced Douglass Byers to 12 years and eight months behind bars, rejecting prosecutors&#8217; demands for a 41-year sentence. The judge exercised her authority to throw out severe firearm enhancements, according to <a href="https://mynewsla.com/crime/2026/08/11/man-convicted-of-shooting-at-lapd-helicopter-sentenced-to-prison">MyNewsLA.com</a>.
The wild August 2025 incident <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-03-12/lapd-helicopter-shooting-trial">unfolded</a> when South L.A. residents dialed 911 over a barrage of gunfire behind a home Byers shared with his mother. Arriving officers discovered an AR-15 assault rifle, mock firearms, and 18 shell casings scattered around the property.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
An ex con convicted of using an AR-15 to shoot and hit a LAPD helicopter w/ two officers in it last year has been sentenced to just under 13 years in prison instead of 41 years asked for by the prosecution after the judge said the defendant had acted friendly during the trial,…
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2087671585377550431?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Though police initially handcuffed Byers for negligent discharge, a post-flight inspection of an LAPD helicopter circling above revealed something far more terrifying: a high-powered bullet had punched straight through the aircraft&#8217;s tail section.
Authorities realized the round slammed within inches of vital control gear. Had the shot landed mere moments before, the chopper could have plunged into the crowded neighborhood below, putting the pilot, tactical officer, and residents in deadly peril.
Forensic teams linked the recovered casings directly to the rifle stashed in Byers’ shed. The trigger-happy felon later admitted he bought the weapon out of state and smuggled it back to California on a train, insisting he only fired it during holiday celebrations. His mother told investigators he was suffering from illness and deep paranoia leading up to the shooting, while Byers himself admitted to knocking back tequila, smoking marijuana, and using methamphetamine around the time of the chaos.
Despite facing overwhelming evidence, Byers maintained his innocence at trial, claiming he was simply too drunk to make such a shot and insisting he held no grudge against law enforcement. A jury saw right through the story, convicting him in less than an hour on charges of assault on a peace officer and firearm possession by a felon.
Prosecutor Eric Siddall vented his frustration after the sentencing, arguing that a convict who committed perjury and nearly slaughtered two officers deserved a far harsher reckoning.
But Judge Escobedo’s soft spot for the polite, self-representing gunman ensured Byers will serve only part of the maximum punishment.

Missouri State v USC

Judge Cuts Sentence by Decades For ‘Respectful’ Felon Who Shot LAPD Helicopter

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sentencing

A 14-year-old boy killed five people and injured more than <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/two-dead-gunman-school-shooting-thailand-officials-say-rcna591309">30</a> others when he opened fire at his school in Thailand on Friday. 
The attack marks one of Thailand’s deadliest school shootings in recent years. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/two-dead-gunman-school-shooting-thailand-officials-say-rcna591309">confirmed</a> that five individuals were killed at Debsirin Nonthaburi School before the gunman took his own life. 
Police identified the suspect as a student at the school and said he fired at least 26 rounds and still had more than 30 rounds of ammunition remaining. The handgun is believed to have belonged to the boy’s grandfather.
Police said the teen shot and killed his grandparents at their home earlier that day before going to the school, bringing the number of victims killed in the attacks to seven. 
One student <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c980j3j578do">told</a> the BBC that she “had to climb over the school fence to escape.” 
Another student said he thought he heard firecrackers. 
“Then it started getting more frequent, like ‘bang, bang, bang’ and then it went quiet at one point,” he said. “And the shooting started again.”
The attack is the latest in a string of deadly mass shootings in Thailand. 
In 2025, a man opened fire at a Bangkok market, killing five people before taking his own life. In 2023, a 14-year-old opened fire at a luxury mall in Bangkok, killing two people and injuring five others.
In 2022, a former police officer killed 36 people, including 24 children, in a gun-and-knife attack centered on a day care center.

Relieved yet deeply shaken parents burst into tears as they

High School Shooting Takes Even Darker Turn As Gunman’s Path Is Revealed

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world

Video shared on Tuesday shows the moment an Oklahoma high school principal rushed and tackled an armed former student, preventing what authorities say could have been a school shooting.
The security footage, obtained by NBC affiliate KFOR, captures Principal Kirk Moore of Pauls Valley High School confronting the suspect roughly one week before the video was made public.
The video appears to show someone else opening the door, allowing the former student into the building. The suspect then walks into the lobby, briefly hiding behind a vending machine before stepping into view. Just as he approached an office door, the door opened, and Moore barreled toward him.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
***JUST IN: VIDEO SHOWS MOMENTS HERO PRINCIPAL TACKLES GUNMAN***
We have obtained security video from last week’s shooting at Pauls Valley High School, showing the moments principal Kirk Moore jumped on top of a gunman as he attempted to shoot multiple students. <a href="https://twitter.com/kfor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kfor</a> <a href="https://t.co/MXZzsAeJJL">pic.twitter.com/MXZzsAeJJL</a>
— Spencer Humphrey (@SHumphreyTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/SHumphreyTV/status/2044128752708333770?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Moore ducked his head and shoulders as he ran, hitting the suspect in the chest with his full weight and tackling him onto a nearby bench, pinning him there. Moore was shot in the leg at some point during the scuffle.
Another man, identified later as Moore&#8217;s assistant principal, ran out of the same office seconds later. Assessing the situation, he quickly knocked the handgun away from the suspect, then picked it up and secured it inside the office.
The two men restrain the suspect — identified as former student Victor Lee Hawkins, 20, until law enforcement arrives and takes him into custody.
Moore released a lengthy statement after the shooting, thanking local law enforcement and first responders for their support and the community for their prayers and well-wishes.
&#8220;Pauls Valley schools are safe communities unaccustomed to the type of threat we witnessed on Tuesday. Nevertheless, like so many educators around the country, we prepare for these events through training and careful assessments of threats,&#8221; Moore said. &#8220;I am grateful that my instincts and training, as well as God’s hand, were available to come to me on Tuesday.&#8221;
&nbsp;

Security video/Pauls Valley High School

SEE IT: The Moment Hero Principal Charges Armed Former Student

At least one person is dead and a number of others are injured after a mass shooting at a Chick-fil-A in Union Township, New Jersey, late Saturday night, according to preliminary reports.
Authorities say gunfire erupted around 8:40 p.m. inside or near the crowded fast-food restaurant along Route 22, sending patrons scrambling for safety. Early accounts indicate that at least six people were shot, with one victim pronounced dead at the scene. The conditions of the injured victims have not been fully disclosed, though several were transported to nearby hospitals.
Witnesses described a chaotic and fast-moving scene. A father waiting outside the restaurant told <a href="https://abc7ny.com/post/reports-multiple-people-shot-inside-chick-fil-union-new-jersey-investigation-ongoing/18873199/">ABC7 New York</a> his son, an employee, reported that multiple masked individuals entered the establishment and opened fire, wounding several workers. “It was a war zone,” he said.
&#8220;I got an unconscious witness. I&#8217;ve got one shot in the face &#8230; and I have at least two in the leg,&#8221; a 911 dispatcher says in audio obtained by <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/union-township-nj-chick-fil-a-shooting/">CBS News New York</a>. Another witness, a ride-share driver, said he heard at least seven gunshots while completing a trip nearby. “I heard the shots very close,” he said, describing a heavy police presence arriving within minutes.
<a href="https://nypost.com/2026/04/12/us-news/dramatic-video-shows-masked-gunman-fleeing-nj-chick-fil-a-after-mass-shooting/">The New York Post</a> reported the suspects forced their way behind the counter before firing, suggesting employees may have been specifically targeted, though authorities have not confirmed that detail. Video circulating from the scene appears to show at least one masked individual fleeing the area shortly after the shooting. Law enforcement has not confirmed the number of suspects involved, and no arrests have been made as of Sunday.
Employees were locked inside the restaurant for hours following the shooting as police secured the scene and searched for suspects. Family members gathered outside the building late into the night, waiting for updates as officers moved in and out of the restaurant.
Authorities from multiple jurisdictions responded to the scene, shutting down the surrounding parking lot and portions of Route 22 as emergency crews worked to treat victims and clear the area. The scale of the response underscored the uncertainty investigators are still facing as they work to determine how many shooters were involved and whether the attack was targeted or random.
The Union County Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed that an “active and ongoing investigation” is underway, but officials have not released information regarding a motive.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill <a href="https://x.com/GovSherrillNJ/status/2043316847408267644">said</a> she had been briefed on the shooting and that her administration is in contact with law enforcement officials on the ground. “My thoughts are with those who were injured in the shooting, and with their families,” Sherrill said in a statement.
Union Township, a suburban community of roughly 60,000 residents located about 15 miles west of New York City, remained on edge as the investigation stretched into Sunday. The Chick-fil-A remained an active crime scene late into the night as multiple law enforcement agencies worked to piece together what led to the attack.
Authorities say more information, including potential suspect descriptions and a clearer timeline of events, will be released as the investigation develops.

inside-chick-fil-a-restaurant-125497677.jpg

One Dead, Others Injured After Multiple Gunmen Open Fire In Chick-Fil-A

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani sparked a wave of backlash when he responded to the shooting death of seven-month-old Kaori Patterson-Moore, blaming her death on gun violence rather than the criminal who opened fire in his city in broad daylight.
&#8220;Earlier today a seven-month-old baby was shot and killed,&#8221; he said. &#8220;A life that had barely begun was taken in an instant.&#8221;
WATCH:
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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the fatal shooting of a baby in Brooklyn by a stray bullet a &#8220;devastating reminder&#8221; of the work that remains to be done to combat gun violence. <a href="https://t.co/fCUKHY42Hj">https://t.co/fCUKHY42Hj</a> <a href="https://t.co/S6aePIpg6K">pic.twitter.com/S6aePIpg6K</a>
— ABC News (@ABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC/status/2039784745018507525?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;This is not our first family to know this pain,&#8221; Mamdani said. &#8220;Too many children have never grown up into becoming adults. Too many parents have had to bury those they love most. We cannot accept this as normal in our city. We cannot grow numb to this pain, and today is a devastating reminder of just how much more work there is to be done to combat gun violence across the city.&#8221;
New York City Councilwoman Vicki Paladino criticized Mamdani for laying the blame on guns rather than the criminals who fired them, saying in an <a href="https://x.com/VickieforNYC/status/2039875425598361670">X post</a>, &#8220;Literally anything but blaming the criminals who our system releases onto our streets repeatedly, over and over again, with no consequences. Absolute disgrace.&#8221;
Media Research Center Managing Editor <a href="https://x.com/RealBrittHughes/status/2039796165193932878">Brittany Hughes</a> pointed out the hypocrisy of Mamdani&#8217;s position, noting that he&#8217;d said nothing when an 83-year-old military veteran had been pushed onto the subway tracks. He later died from his injuries and an illegal alien was charged in his death.
&#8220;An 83-year old veteran was killed in New York City last month after being randomly pushed onto the subway tracks by an illegal alien. Mamdani didn’t say a word because trains aren’t a good political prop, and he won’t condemn criminal aliens,&#8221; she said.

Mayor Mamdani And NYC Police Commissioner Tisch Discuss Crimes Statistics

Mamdani Sparks Backlash With Response To 7-Month-Old Baby Shot In NYC

zohran mamdani

POLITICO remained silent after reporter Josh Gerstein suggested that daycare owners who did not take kindly to independent journalists exposing fraud could simply shoot them.
&#8220;At some point, the amateur effort to knock on doors of home daycares intersects with robust stand-your-ground laws,&#8221; Gerstein <a href="https://x.com/joshgerstein/status/2005863545360068709">posted on X</a> on December 29, and he drew backlash for it almost immediately.
Fox News late-night host Greg Gutfeld <a href="https://x.com/greggutfeld/status/2006393003716280704">replied</a>, &#8220;The media&#8217;s best argument for not doing real reporting — it&#8217;s safer working from home on your laptop, hitting &#8216;send&#8217; after each piece you pasted together from other sources on the Trump (ballroom, hands, insult).&#8221;
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) also responded to Gerstein&#8217;s post, noting that daycare owners might use the same logic to justify shooting at federal agents who came to the door to investigate.
&#8220;You would think a &#8216;Senior Legal Affairs Reporter&#8217; for POLITICO would know better than to tweet something inciting violence against federal agents,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/ICEgov/status/2006062171134849220">the post read</a>.
&#8220;1) Stand Your Ground does not permit the murder of door knockers 2) MN is not a SYG state 3) in no world should Somali fraudsters be encouraged to murder taxpaying US citizens for doing the journalism well-funded reporters refuse to do,&#8221; The Federalist&#8217;s Mollie Hemingway <a href="https://x.com/MZHemingway/status/2006031707724546400">replied</a>.
&#8220;I’m sorry? Wut? Are you advising Somalis to shoot amateur reporters for knocking on their door?&#8221; David Marcus <a href="https://x.com/BlueBoxDave/status/2006005416044724498">asked</a>.
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&#8220;Reminder that journalists have absolutely no idea what Stand your Ground laws actually do, in what circumstances they apply, and why they were passed,&#8221; Charles C.W. Cooke <a href="https://x.com/charlescwcooke/status/2006091805952012417">added</a>.
The Daily Signal&#8217;s Tony Kennett <a href="https://x.com/TheTonus/status/2006052764376236274">observed</a>, &#8220;The senior legal affairs reporter for Politico suggesting &#8216;stand your ground&#8217; laws means shooting people who knock on the doors of a daycare. My God.&#8221;
Gerstein attempted to do <a href="https://x.com/joshgerstein/status/2006063832016552100">damage control</a> a day later, commenting, &#8220;To observe that something is likely to happen or there&#8217;s a serious risk of it happening is not to advocate for it happening.&#8221;
But critics were not buying that either, as Matt Whitlock <a href="https://x.com/MattWhitlock/status/2006065516050587809">pointed out</a>, &#8220;Have you considered that there wouldn&#8217;t be &#8216;amateur efforts to knock on doors of home daycares&#8217; if there was a *professional effort to knock on doors of [fake] home daycares?* They used to call it &#8216;shoe leather journalism.&#8217; Would those people also be likely to be shot?&#8221;
&#8220;Nice shoe leather journalism you&#8217;re doing there. Shame if someone stopped you from doing it by murdering you,&#8221; Stephen L. Miller posted.
&#8220;Hey @politico, come get your guy who is advocating the murder of American journalists,&#8221; Christopher Rufo <a href="https://x.com/christopherrufo/status/2006062046966620547">challenged</a>.
The Daily Wire pressed the outlet for a response to Gerstein&#8217;s statement and the ensuing backlash — and after asking when the deadline for a response might be, a publicist for POLITICO allowed that deadline to lapse (and then some) with no further communications.

US-TAX REFORM-NORQUIST

POLITICO Silent As Reporter Suggests Journalists Investigating Minneapolis Fraud Can Be Legally Shot

Politico Silent As Reporter Suggests Reporters Looking Into Minneapolis Fraud Can Be Legally Shot

fraud

media

politico

The world reeled on Sunday with news of one deadly shooting at Rhode Island&#8217;s Brown University and another at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia — and somehow, Democrats tied both to President Donald Trump and American firearm policies.
For those who don&#8217;t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week&#8217;s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.
The two attacks, based on multiple reports, could not be more different aside from the method used to carry them out.
At Brown University, a masked gunman barged into a classroom where students were reviewing for an economics exam and opened fire, killing two and wounding several others. Initial reports stated that the suspect &#8220;shouted something&#8221; but it was not clear what. The suspect fled the scene, but local authorities and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fbis-patel-promises-all-out-24-7-campaign-to-deliver-justice-after-brown-university-shooting">FBI Director Kash Patel</a> announced that a &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/officials-detain-person-of-interest-in-deadly-brown-university-shooting">person of interest</a>&#8221; was apprehended within a matter of hours.
On the other side of the world, in Australia, at least two suspects opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney&#8217;s Bondi Beach. They killed at least 15 and wounded others. One of the shooters was briefly interrupted when a civilian charged him, wrestled his firearm away, and then held him at gunpoint. He eventually was able to run to where he&#8217;d stashed another firearm, and immediately started shooting again.
In an interview with Ali Velshi that aired on MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) addressed both shootings.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Ilhan Omar asked about shoot*ngs at Brown and in Australia on MSNOW:
&#8220;It is a tragedy that this has become a normal occurrence not just in the United States&#8230;&#8221;
“…but now seeing it in Australia, who&#8217;s worked really hard to create gun prevention laws to prevent the kind of… <a href="https://t.co/oatZmnVUX5">pic.twitter.com/oatZmnVUX5</a>
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) <a href="https://twitter.com/WesternLensman/status/2000291864029839661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;This is yet another bad day for America,&#8221; Velshi prompted.
&#8220;Yeah, we are still recovering from the shooting at Annunciation church,&#8221; Omar began, referencing a school shooting that had taken place just weeks earlier in her home state. &#8220;It is a tragedy that this has become a normal occurrence, not just in the United States but now seeing it in Australia who&#8217;s worked really hard to create gun prevention laws to prevent the kind of tragedy that took place today.&#8221;
Omar made no mention of the fact that the shooting in Australia had taken place in spite of that nation enacting the kind of restrictive gun laws that she and others within the Democratic Party would be only too happy to foist on the American people. She also gave no attention to the obvious motive in the Bondi Beach shooting, in which Australian Jews were targeted while celebrating Hanukkah together.
On CNN&#8217;s &#8220;State of the Union,&#8221; Senator <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senate-dem-wastes-no-time-blames-brown-shooting-on-donald-trump">Chris Murphy</a> (D-CT) laid the blame for the Brown University shooting at President Trump&#8217;s feet, claiming that he&#8217;d been engaging in an active &#8220;campaign&#8221; to promote more and more violence.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
In the wake of the Brown University shooting, Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy tells Dana Bash that President Trump &#8220;has been engaged in a pretty deliberate campaign to try to make violence more likely in this country.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/FSSbCqWrRo">pic.twitter.com/FSSbCqWrRo</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/2000272611067019336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;It’s not shocking, because over the last year, President Trump has been engaged in a dizzying campaign to increase violence in this country,” Murphy began, clearly insinuating that the Trump administration was encouraging violence.
“He’s restoring gun rights to felons and to people who have lost their ability to buy guns, he eliminated the White House Office of Gun Violence Protection, and he has stopped funding mental health grants and community anti-gun violence grants that Republicans and Democrats supported in that 2022 bill,” Murphy continued.
“He has been engaged in a pretty deliberate campaign to try to make violence more likely, and I think you’re unfortunately going to see the results of that on the streets of America,&#8221; he said.
Murphy was referencing a rule proposed by Trump&#8217;s Justice Department in July – a rule that would allow certain people with criminal records to have their Second Amendment rights restored, but only after they were evaluated to ensure that they did not actually pose a risk to others.
CNN anchor Dana Bash pressed Murphy on that assertion, saying, “That’s a pretty big statement, he’s in a campaign to make violence more likely?”
&#8220;Of course! I mean, he’s knowingly restoring gun rights to dangerous people. He is cutting off grants that have bipartisan support to try to interrupt violence in our cities, or to try to get necessary mental health resources to families and children in need,” Murphy claimed. “The evidence tells you that when you stop funding mental health, when you stop funding community anti-gun violence programs, when you give gun rights back to dangerous people, you are going to have increase in violence. That is knowable and that is foreseeable.&#8221;
On NBC&#8217;s &#8220;Meet the Press,&#8221; Senator Raphael Warnock — who also supports restrictive gun laws — weighed in on the Brown University shooting and suggested that it had occurred because legislators had not done enough to limit access to firearms.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Any nation that tolerates violence like this year after year, decade after decade is broken and in need of moral repair. <a href="https://t.co/5q2d0rCZmG">pic.twitter.com/5q2d0rCZmG</a>
— Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (@SenatorWarnock) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorWarnock/status/2000288654241988745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;We have to pray not only with our lips but with our actions,&#8221; Warnock told anchor Kristen Welker. &#8220;Any nation that tolerates this kind of violence year after year, decade after decade, in random places, on our college and school campuses, without doing all that we can to stop it is broken and in need of moral repair.&#8221;
Just hours earlier, Warnock made a similar comment in a post on X, saying, &#8220;Saddened by the tragic news of the shooting at Brown University. May God give peace to the parents and families of the victims, strength and courage to our country to do all we can to stem the awful scourge of gun violence.&#8221;

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