President Trump secures a massive trade deal with the E.U. and brokers a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia. A possible motive emerges for the New York City mass shooting that left four dead. A decline in the U.S. birthrate spells trouble for the country and the economy. 
It’s Wednesday, July 30, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
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<h2>Trump Touts Trade and Peace Deal Triumphs</h2>
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Topline: President Trump returned to the White House on Tuesday night following a successful trip to the United Kingdom, where he finalized a massive trade deal with the European Union and brokered a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia. 
The White House is calling the trip a “winning streak” for the president. Under the terms of the trade agreement, the European Union will remove significant tariffs on American goods and purchase $750 billion of United States energy exports during the president’s term in office. The E.U. will also invest $600 billion in the U.S. over the same period. The deal is expected to provide American farmers, ranchers, and manufacturers with unprecedented market access to Europe. 
President Trump also announced on Monday that Thailand and Cambodia had reached a ceasefire after he warned them that continued conflict would jeopardize any potential trade deals with the U.S. The president has now brokered approximately one peace deal or ceasefire per month since taking office. 
Meanwhile, a third round of trade negotiations between the U.S. and China concluded in Sweden without a specific agreement. However, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the talks as &#8220;constructive,&#8221; suggesting that Trump’s recent deals with Japan and the E.U. have given the U.S. leverage, putting China in &#8220;more of a mood for a wide ranging discussion.&#8221; 
<h2>Motive Emerges In Midtown Manhattan Mass Shooting</h2>
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Topline: Four people are dead, including an NYPD officer, after a gunman opened fire in a midtown Manhattan office building on Monday in New York&#8217;s deadliest mass shooting in 25 years.
The 27-year-old shooter stormed the lobby of the skyscraper at 345 Park Avenue, killing four people before taking his own life. According to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a suicide note found on the gunman suggests he was targeting the NFL headquarters located in the building. The shooter, who had a history of mental health problems, claimed in the note that he was suffering from CTE, a brain disease linked to head trauma, from playing football. However, he only played in high school.
The shooter was armed with an M-4 rifle, a style of weapon that is banned under New York’s strict gun laws. Following the attack, New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) called for a nationwide ban on semi-automatic rifles.
The shooting came as officials in Cincinnati gave an update on a separate, brutal street brawl that went viral over the weekend. Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge blamed social media and journalists for misrepresenting the incident and making the investigation more difficult. The city&#8217;s Democratic mayor, Aftab Pureval, accused the Trump administration&#8217;s Department of Justice of politicizing the attack by investigating it for potential hate crime charges. 
<h2>U.S. Faces a ‘Birth Dearth’</h2>
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Topline: The U.S. birthrate fell to an all-time low in 2024, according to a new CDC report, prompting concerns about the future of the nation&#8217;s culture and economy. 
The CDC’s annual report revealed that the U.S. fertility rate dropped to 1.59 children per woman last year, a 19% decline in the last 20 years. This is significantly below the 2.1 rate needed for a generation to replace itself, and it means fewer babies were born in America in 2024 than in 1964, when the population was nearly half its current size. 
The decline is attributed to several factors. Socially, women are waiting longer to have children, with the average age of a first-time mother now at 27.5, up from 22 in 1980. Biologically, fertility rates have also fallen. The average man&#8217;s sperm count has dropped 62% since 1970, a decline linked to rising obesity rates and exposure to &#8220;forever chemicals&#8221; like PFAs. 
The Trump administration views the trend as a crisis. Vice President JD Vance has called the low birthrate an &#8220;existential threat to America.&#8221; The administration has responded with executive actions to reduce the cost of in-vitro fertilization, expand the Child Tax Credit, and has proposed a &#8220;Baby Bonus&#8221; that would provide a $5,000 cash payment to parents for each new child.

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Morning Brief: Trade Tour De Force, Midtown Tower Attack, U.S. Birth Rates Hit Record Low

Birth Rates

Communist China

Donald Trump

Economy

European Union

Free Trade

Manhattan

Mass Shooting

World

As news broke that a mass shooter with a high-powered rifle had opened fire on people in a skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, CNN anchor Erin Burnett and CNN Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst John Miller both speculated that the gunman was “possibly white,” catalyzing anger on social media.
Surveillance images quickly surfaced after the mass shooting, showing the dark-complexioned, mustachioed gunman walking into the building at 345 Park Avenue with a rifle, wearing sunglasses and dark clothes. The Daily Wire is not publishing the gunman’s name due to a company policy against contributing to the unintentional glorification of mass shooters.
“People don&#8217;t walk around with guns like that. But was his face visible? I mean, do they — they have any idea at this point who he is?” Burnett asked Miller.
“They do not know who he is,” Miller stated. “They know he is a male, possibly white. He&#8217;s wearing sunglasses. He appears to have a mustache. And that picture has been distributed to every police officer in New York City particularly, has been sent to the phones of the search teams inside that building because whenever they encounter a group of people, the first thing they have to figure out is, is that individual among these people hiding among victims or pretending to be an office worker, because one thing you don&#8217;t want to have happen is to have this kind of cordon where you&#8217;re trying to evacuate people in groups as you can get them to a safe corridor and have this person slip out with them.&#8221;
“Male, possibly white, mustache, sunglasses in that building,” Burnett repeated. Later. She repeated, “There were a few things that really stood out there among them that they did get. They do know what he looks like. Sunglasses, mustache, male, possibly white &#8230;”
Ironically, later in the broadcast Miller stated, “One of the cautions here, as you know, from having done so many of these, Erin, unfortunately, is that we always have to be mindful of the idea that between people who are watching, listening information that&#8217;s being sent over social media, that we have to be a little bit guarded on specifics.”
“You share what you can from your sources. Some of it obviously, you must protect,” Burnett stated.
Social media slammed Burnett. One post stated, “CNN anchor Erin Burnett stated live on the air that the obviously not white man, quote, was ‘possibly white.’ Embarrassing attempt to politicize this tragedy.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
A devastating shooting occurred in New York City, leaving 4 dead, including a police officer.
CNN anchor Erin Burnett stated live on the air that the obviously not white man, quote, was “possibly white.” Embarrassing attempt to politicize this tragedy. <a href="https://t.co/3T2dGA08ud">pic.twitter.com/3T2dGA08ud</a>
&mdash; Armstrong Williams 🇺🇸 (@Arightside) <a href="https://twitter.com/Arightside/status/1950138865412411758?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Another post stated, “@ErinBurnett  knows exactly what she’s doing here. Incredible misinformation and irresponsible, purposeful race-baiting. If you don’t know for sure, you don’t say it. Unless, of course your job is to mislead, stir-up confusion, obfuscation and to bury facts.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/ErinBurnett?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ErinBurnett</a> knows exactly what she’s doing here. Incredible misinformation and irresponsible, purposeful race-baiting. If you don’t know for sure, you don’t say it. Unless, of course your job is to mislead, stir-up confusion, obfuscation and to bury facts. <a href="https://t.co/JMRDxTg7qJ">pic.twitter.com/JMRDxTg7qJ</a>
&mdash; Ross Dyer (@RossDyerTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/RossDyerTV/status/1949984927706931566?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
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One month before the 2024 election, Burnett remained silent when her guest Democratic strategist guest, Aisha Mills, bridled, “As a black lesbian who Donald Trump doesn’t believe has genes as good as his, is he going to attempt to exterminate me?” and railed to CNN senior political commentator David Urban, “I’m not going to be lectured by some white man who doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” Urban responded, “Shame on you, Aisha,” prompting Burnett to state, “Let me just say I appreciate — OK, I appreciate both of you, I know it&#8217;s obviously getting heated. I think — I think what people appreciate about both of you is you mean what you say and you say what you mean. You&#8217;re both very genuine people.”
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CNN guest: “I’m not going to be lectured by some white man…”
The blatant racism isn’t the most noteworthy part, it’s Erin Burnett refusing to condemn it on her own show. 
 <a href="https://t.co/lQmsYxdB2P">pic.twitter.com/lQmsYxdB2P</a>
&mdash; Cabot Phillips (@cabot_phillips) <a href="https://twitter.com/cabot_phillips/status/1844188406181777895?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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2014 Concordia Summit – Day 1

‘Purposeful Race-Baiting’: CNN’s Burnett Slammed For Saying NYC Mass Shooter Was ‘Possibly White’

Erin Burnett

Media

New York

New York City

Politics

Racism

Shooting

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday that law enforcement believed that the gunman who shot and killed four people and injured another on Monday at a New York City office building might have been targeting the National Football League. 
Adams <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/07/29/nyregion/nyc-shooting-manhattan">said</a> that investigators “have reason to believe” that the gunman who attacked the 345 Park Avenue office tower in Manhattan was “focused on the NFL.” The NFL is headquartered in the building, and one of its employees was wounded during the incident. 
Adams said that the shooter had attempted to go to the floor where the NFL was located, but instead went to the 33rd floor, where Rudin, a property management company, is based. 
A three-page note was found in the wallet of the gunman, who died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, claiming that he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy. CTE is a degenerative brain condition often associated with football players caused by frequent head trauma. 
The Daily Wire is not publishing the gunman&#8217;s name due to a company policy against contributing to the unintentional glorification of mass shooters.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a Monday press conference that the shooter, who played high school football, had a history of mental health issues. 
“Terry Long football gave me CTE and it caused me to drink a gallon of antifreeze,” the gunman wrote in a note, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/07/29/us-news/nyc-gunman-shane-tamura-reportedly-found-with-note-hinting-at-possible-motive-for-park-ave-skyscraper-shooting-sources/">according</a> to the New York Post. Long was a former player for the Pittsburgh Steelers <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2307003">who</a> committed suicide by drinking antifreeze after a history of brain injuries. 
“You can’t go against the NFL, they’ll squash you,” the gunman  reportedly wrote, adding, “Study my brain please I’m sorry Tell Rick I’m sorry for everything.”
Alluding to the note, Adams said that “it appears as though he was going after the employees of the NFL.”
“We’re still going through the suicide note to zero in on the exact reason but at this time it appears as if it’s something attached to his belief he experienced CTE from the NFL,” he added. 
The NFL employee who was injured during the attack is currently in the hospital, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/45848952/nfl-employee-seriously-injured-deadly-shooting-tower-housing-league-hq">said</a>. 
&#8220;As has been widely reported, a gunman committed an unspeakable act of violence in our building at 345 Park Avenue. One of our employees was seriously injured in this attack,&#8221; Goodell said. &#8220;He is currently in the hospital and in stable condition. NFL staff are at the hospital and we are supporting his family.
Two other victims killed in the attack have been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nypd-officer-among-two-victims-identified-in-deadly-nyc-mass-shooting">identified</a> as 36-year-old NYPD officer Didarul Islam and Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he had been briefed on the shooting and offered his condolences. 
“I have been briefed on the tragic shooting that took place in Manhattan, a place that I know and love,” he posted on Truth Social. “I trust our Law Enforcement Agencies to get to the bottom of why this crazed lunatic committed such a senseless act of violence. My heart is with the families of the four people who were killed, including the NYPD Officer, who made the ultimate sacrifice. God Bless the New York Police Department, and God Bless New York!”

US-NEWS-NYC-SHOOTING-19-NY

Investigators ‘Have Reason To Believe’ NYC Mass Shooter Intended To Target NFL, Mayor Says

Cop-Killer

Crime

Eric Adams

Roger Goodell

U.S.

The police officer killed on Monday night in a mass shooting at a New York City office building has been identified as a 36-year-old immigrant with two children and a pregnant wife. 
The officer, Didarul Islam, and three others were fatally shot when a gunman opened fire at 345 Park Avenue in Manhattan. Another man was seriously injured. Islam was an immigrant from Bangladesh and had been with the NYPD for more than three years. 
“He was doing what he does best, and all members of the police department carry out, he was saving lives, he was protecting New Yorkers. He’s an immigrant from Bangladesh and he loved this city,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said. “He embodies what this city is all about, he’s a true blue New Yorker not only in the uniform he wore but in the spirit and energy of loving this city.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Police Officer Didarul Islam represented the very best of our department.
He was protecting New Yorkers from danger when his life was tragically cut short today.
We join in prayer during this time of incomprehensible pain. We will forever honor his legacy.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FidelisAdMortem?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FidelisAdMortem</a> <a href="https://t.co/vkBZetsz2N">pic.twitter.com/vkBZetsz2N</a>
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYPDnews/status/1950029976520052804?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The shooter, identified as a 27-year-old man from Las Vegas, was found dead on the 33rd floor of the building from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Daily Wire is not publishing his name due to a company policy against contributing to the unintentional glorification of mass shooters.
Wesley LePatner, the CEO of Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, was also identified as one of the deceased, the company confirmed. Blackstone is an investment management company with several offices in the building. 
“Wesley was a beloved member of the Blackstone family and will be sorely missed,” the company said in a statement. “She was brilliant, passionate, warm, generous, and deeply respected within our firm and beyond. She embodied the best of Blackstone. Our prayers are with her husband, children and family. We are also saddened by the loss of the other innocent victims as well, including brave security personnel and NYPD.”
An employee of the NFL, which was also headquartered in the building, was seriously injured in the attack. 
&#8220;One of our employees was seriously injured in this attack. He is currently in the hospital and in stable condition,&#8221; NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/45848952/nfl-employee-seriously-injured-deadly-shooting-tower-housing-league-hq">wrote</a> in a memo obtained by ESPN. &#8220;NFL staff are at the hospital and we are supporting his family. We believe that all of our employees are otherwise safe and accounted for, and the building has nearly been cleared.&#8221;
Multiple <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/07/29/us-news/nyc-gunman-shane-tamura-reportedly-found-with-note-hinting-at-possible-motive-for-park-ave-skyscraper-shooting-sources/">reports</a> indicate that the gunman left a note expressing grievances against the NFL, citing Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease often associated with repeated head injuries. Adams <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/07/29/nyregion/nyc-shooting-manhattan">said</a> in an interview on Tuesday morning that the shooter, who played football in high school, had intended to target the NFL offices, but mistakenly went to the wrong floor, which Rudin Management occupied. 
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said that the shooter arrived in Manhattan on Monday after spending multiple days driving across the country from Nevada. He then entered the office building armed with a rifle and opened fire on Officer Islam before shooting a woman hiding behind a pillar in the lobby. He then went to the elevator bank and shot a security guard before spraying gunfire throughout the entire lobby. He went to the elevators and allowed one woman to go past him before he went up to the 33rd floor, where he shot one other person before killing himself. 
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said Monday that the FBI was aiding in the investigation.

4 Dead In Midtown Manhattan Shooting

NYPD Officer Among Two Victims Identified In Deadly NYC Mass Shooting

NYPD

A gunman shot multiple people in a New York City office building on Monday before turning the gun on himself.
The gunman killed at least one police officer and injured another. Four people inside the office building, a skyscraper in midtown Manhattan, were killed, according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/active-shooter-report-prompts-massive-police-response-midtown-manhattan-business-district">Fox News</a>. The gunman reportedly died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed that the gunman is dead, <a href="https://x.com/NYPDPC/status/1949981438842941663">posting</a> on X that &#8220;the scene has been contained and the lone shooter has been neutralized.&#8221;
Officials have tentatively identified the shooter as a 27-year-old from Las Vegas, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/new-york-city-midtown-manhattan-shooting-07-28-25#cmdnsyogl001o3b6nhh3p0qqa">CNN</a>.
Security camera footage from the office building appears to have caught images of the shooter as he was walking inside. The gunman appeared to be carrying a rifle.
He began shooting in the lobby of the building before traveling to another floor and shooting again. He eventually made his way to the 33rd floor of the building where he fatally shot himself, sources told Fox News.
Former FBI agent Stuart Kaplan theorized that the gunman had some connection to one of the businesses operating inside the skyscraper. &#8220;He knew exactly where he wanted to be and where he wanted to go,&#8221; Kaplan <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1949985849522721153">said</a>.
The office building the gunman entered houses Blackstone and the NFL headquarters. New York City police and FBI agents swarmed the area on Monday afternoon amid reports of an active shooter.
Local and federal officials began posting updates as videos from the response rocketed across social media.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams posted a <a href="https://x.com/nycmayor/status/1949971560330059818">warning</a> to social media: “New Yorkers: there is an active shooter investigation taking place in Midtown right now. Please take proper safety precautions if you are in vicinity (sic) and do not go outside if you are near Park Avenue and East 51st Street.”
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino posted to X that the FBI joined the law enforcement response.
“FBI New York Field Office management personnel and agents are responding to provide support at the active crime scene in Manhattan,” Bongino <a href="https://x.com/FBIDDBongino/status/1949970080294449243">said</a>.

Officer Dead, Multiple Injured After Gunman Storms Manhattan Office Building

A New York man was indicted on Tuesday for allegedly constructing several improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that he intended to detonate in Manhattan. 
The Justice Department announced charges against Michael Gann, 55, of Inwood, New York, for allegedly placing at least five IEDs and shotgun shells on the rooftops of residential apartment buildings in the SoHo neighborhood and throwing one IED onto subway tracks on the Williamsburg Bridge, which connects Brooklyn to Manhattan. 
“The safety of New Yorkers is paramount,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “As alleged, Michael Gann built explosive devices, stored them on a rooftop in SoHo, and threw one onto the subway tracks—putting countless lives at risk.  Thanks to swift work by our law enforcement partners, no one was harmed.  That vigilance assuredly prevented a tragedy in New York.”
Gann has been charged with attempted destruction of property by explosive means, transportation of explosive devices, and unlawful possession of explosive devices. He could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted on all counts. 
According to investigators, Gann constructed the IEDs with chemicals, wires, and other materials he ordered on the internet beginning in May 2025. He was planning to combine shotgun shells with the explosive devices, the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/media/1408701/dl?inline">indictment</a> said. One of the devices contained 600 times the legal limit for explosive powder in fireworks.  
Sometime in May or June, Gann searched on the internet: “will i pass a background check,” &#8220;clorine bomb,” “black powder nearby,” “½ stick dynamite,” and other similar queries. 
On March 26, 2025, an X account identified as belonging to Gann posted: “Dear @POTUS, I’m thinking just now here in NYC that it’s too bad that the wall wasn’t built before the National Guard would have to come here for Protests and Riotation or would you just drop a bomb on this place while because they seem to be coming and coming?”
<div id="attachment_950791" style="width: 983px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-950791" class="size-full wp-image-950791" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-23-at-7.06.45%E2%80%AFAM.png" alt="" width="973" height="662" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-23-at-7.06.45%E2%80%AFAM.png 973w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-23-at-7.06.45%E2%80%AFAM-300x204.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-23-at-7.06.45%E2%80%AFAM-847x576.png 847w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-23-at-7.06.45%E2%80%AFAM-768x523.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 973px) 100vw, 973px" />IED on subway track/DOJ.</div>
Gann was arrested on June 5, and he allegedly lied about the location of one of the devices, according to the indictment. That was the same day investigators say he posted on Instagram: “Who wants me to go out to play like no tomorrow?
The investigation was led by the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force of the FBI, which included members of the New York Police Department, the ATF, and the Nassau County Police Department. 
“Michael Gann allegedly produced multiple improvised explosive devices intended for use in Manhattan,” said FBI agent Christopher Raia.  “Due to the successful partnership of law enforcement agencies in New York, Gann was swiftly brought to justice before he could harm innocent civilians shortly after his dangerous actions became known.”

Lower Manhattan skyline during the blue hour with Hudson River in the foreground

Feds Indict New York Man For Plot To Detonate Homemade Bombs In Manhattan

domestic terrorism

New York Police Department (NYPD)

An illegal alien who was released by the Biden administration was involved in the shooting of a Customs and Border Protection officer in New York City on Saturday, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). 
The department announced on Sunday that two suspects, including one illegal alien, shot the federal immigration officer during an apparent attempted robbery. The officer is hospitalized in stable condition, DHS said in a social media post. 
“On the evening of July 19, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer was shot in what looks like an attempted robbery,” DHS posted on X. “The officer, who was off duty at the time, is currently in the hospital in stable condition. One of the alleged perpetrators was an illegal alien with prior arrests for felony 2nd and 3rd degree assault and an order of deportation.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
On the evening of July 19, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection <a href="https://twitter.com/CBP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CBP</a> officer was shot in what looks like an attempted robbery.
The officer, who was off duty at the time, is currently in the hospital in stable condition. One of the alleged perpetrators was an illegal alien with…
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/1946978793832481089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The incident is currently being investigated by the New York City Police Department. 
Local news outlets <a href="https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/off-duty-border-patrol-officer-shot-face-nyc-park/3793606/">reported</a> that the 42-year-old officer was shot in the face and arm at Fort Washington Park in Manhattan just before midnight. According to NBC New York, the officer exchanged gunfire with the suspects as the attempted robbery took place. One of the suspects was taken into custody, the outlet reported.
The department identified one of the suspects, Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, as a citizen of the Dominican Republic who was released into the country by the Biden administration after he was apprehended on April 4, 2023, crossing the border near San Luis, Arizona.
Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary for Homeland Security, <a href="https://x.com/TriciaOhio/status/1946988101127032918" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that the suspect had a warrant for kidnapping from Massachusetts and was first ordered deported in 2003. 
The department also released footage of the incident. In the footage, two people can be seen arriving near a body of water on a motorcycle. One gets off the motorcycle and walks towards another on an embankment before opening fire. The two individuals then drive off on the motorcycle. 
“UPDATE: footage shows two assailants, one an illegal alien with criminal charges, ambushing and shooting a<a href="https://x.com/CBP"> @CBP</a> officer yesterday in New York City,” the post from DHS said. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
UPDATE: footage shows two assailants, one an illegal alien with criminal charges, ambushing and shooting a <a href="https://twitter.com/CBP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CBP</a> officer yesterday in New York City. <a href="https://t.co/m4BHRjhXpD">pic.twitter.com/m4BHRjhXpD</a>
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/1946992590496100624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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US-SECURITY-CUSTOMS-ANIMAL

Suspect In Shooting Of Border Patrol Officer Released Under Biden, DHS Says

Customs and Border Protection (CPB)

Department of Homeland Security

Illegal Immigation

A black juror in Sean &#8220;Diddy&#8221; Combs&#8217; federal trial in Manhattan was dismissed on Monday due to “lack of candor.”
U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian questioned the 41-year-old man’s ability to follow instructions, especially considering how he had given different answers about where he lived. The man had indicated that he lived in both the Bronx and New Jersey, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/arts/music/sean-combs-diddy-trial-juror-dismissed.html">The New York Times</a>. 
Prosecutors called out the fact that Juror #6 said in conversation that he was cohabiting with his girlfriend in New Jersey. This didn’t match up with what the man said during jury selection, which was that he lived in the Bronx with his fiancée.
Judge Subramanian said he had &#8220;concerns about his candor and whether he shaded answers to get on and stay on the panel,” <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/diddy-trial-juror-6-dismissed-1236291789/">per</a> The Hollywood Reporter.  
“There’s nothing that the juror could say at this point that would put the genie back in the bottle,” the judge said on Monday.
Subramanian decided that the juror would be dismissed and replaced with an alternate, who is a 57-year-old white male accountant from Westchester County, New York, the outlet noted.
Combs’s defense team argued that the dismissal is unfair because the juror being dismissed is black, calling it a “thinly veiled effort to dismiss a black juror.” The judge rejected that claim.
“To be perfectly clear, from the outset of this proceeding to the current date, there has been no evidence and no showing of any kind of any biased conduct or biased manner of proceeding from the government,” he said.
Combs, 55, is on trial on charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force and coercion, and transportation for prostitution. The trial began on May 12 and is expected to last eight weeks.
Over the past six weeks, prosecutors have presented more than 18 witnesses, including the rapper’s ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, and former assistant Jonathan Perez. They have all described violent, drug-fueled group sex events called “freak‑offs” and coerced participation during these parties.
Comb’s defense team is focused on proving that all sexual encounters were consensual. If convicted, the Bad Boy Records founder could spend the rest of his life in prison.
&nbsp;

US Federal Courthouse i

Juror Dismissed In ‘Diddy’ Trial For ‘Lack Of Candor’

Juror Dismissed In 'Diddy Trial' For 'Lack Of Candor' Over Where He Lives

Courts

Sean 'Diddy' Combs

trial

A New York jury on Wednesday delivered a mixed verdict in Harvey Weinstein&#8217;s sexual assault retrial, finding the former Hollywood mogul guilty of one count while acquitting him of another.
The jury found Weinstein guilty of forcibly performing oral sex on former &#8220;Project Runway&#8221; production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006, but acquitted him of criminal sexual assault against former model Kaja Sokola.
They remain deadlocked on third-degree rape charges related to actress Jessica Mann, who testified that Weinstein had raped her in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013.
Since the trial began last week, the jurors have been contentious with one another. The judge even <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06/11/nyregion/harvey-weinstein-verdict">ordered</a> them to pause deliberations and “cool down” earlier on Wednesday, per The New York Times.
Justice Curtis Farber was informed in the courtroom that jurors were indeed “yelling and screaming” at each other throughout the day, and that one juror threatened the jury’s foreman, “I’ll see you outside one day.”
<div id="attachment_933075" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-933075" class="wp-image-933075 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2219041463-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2219041463-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2219041463-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2219041463-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2219041463-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2219041463-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2219041463-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2219041463-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Photo by Curtis Means-Pool via Getty Images.</div>
Weinstein attempted to capitalize on the situation, arguing to Justice Farber that the jury conflict was grounds for a mistrial.
“This is not right for me, for me the person on trial here,” Weinstein told the judge. “This is my life on the line, and you know what, it’s not fair. It’s simple. It’s not fair.”
“It’s time, it&#8217;s time, it&#8217;s time to say this trial is over,” the former Hollywood mogul <a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvey-weinstein-sexual-assault-trial-31d7a64b75148d1e482f3c020ffea527">said</a>.
Farber denied Weinstein&#8217;s request: “Jurors fight. They act childish at times. They get heated. I’m not going to allow any injustice to happen to you.”
This <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/harvey-weinsteins-lawyers-argue-hes-the-one-whos-being-abused-during-retrial">retrial</a> followed the New York State Court of Appeals overturning Weinstein&#8217;s 2020 conviction, which had become a defining case of the #MeToo movement.
&#8220;If this person wasn&#8217;t Harvey Weinstein, would we even be here?&#8221; Weinstein&#8217;s attorney, Arthur Aidala, asked during closing arguments, maintaining the encounters were &#8220;transactional&#8221; and &#8220;consensual.&#8221; On June 5, Weinstein told FOX 5 New York that he acted &#8220;immorally&#8221; but insisted, &#8220;never illegal, never criminal, never anything.&#8221;
Over the past six weeks, three accusers testified: former &#8220;Project Runway&#8221; production assistant Miriam Haley, actress Jessica Mann, and former model Kaja Sokola from Poland. Weinstein, 73, pleaded not guilty to all charges.
<div id="attachment_933069" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-933069" class="wp-image-933069 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2219678380-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2219678380-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2219678380-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2219678380-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2219678380-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2219678380-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2219678380-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2219678380-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images.</div>
The partial verdict came as a shock, as Farber had only assembled the jury to formally send them home for the day when the foreman suddenly announced decisions on two of the three charges.
Jurors were unable to reach a verdict on the third charge and will continue deliberating on Thursday.
Regardless of the outcome, the 73-year-old former producer, who has been diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, will likely return to California, where he&#8217;s serving a 16-year sentence for a separate 2022 rape conviction.
Weinstein’s lawyers <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/jury-harvey-weinstein-sex-assault-retrial-reached-partial-verdict-rcna210599">filed</a> an appeal for his 2022 conviction last year, which is still in process, per NBC.
Judge Farber instructed the jury to continue deliberations on Thursday regarding the remaining charge related to Sokola&#8217;s allegations.

The Jury Deliberates In The Harvey Weinstein Sexual Assault Retrial

Deadlocked Jury Throws Harvey Weinstein Retrial Into Chaos After Partial Verdict

Entertainment

Harvey Weinstein

MeToo

News

Rape

Sexual Assault

Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer argued during closing statements at his retrial that his client was actually the victim.
The disgraced Hollywood executive, now a convicted sex predator, has been undergoing a new trial in Manhattan since late April. His attorney’s closing statements have been making headlines as he attempts to flip the script.
“They’re using their youth, their beauty, their charm, their charisma to get stuff from him,” defense attorney Arthur Aidala said of the three women who testified against him, per <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/06/03/us-news/closing-arguments-begin-in-harvey-weinsteins-manhattan-rape-trial/">the New York Post</a>.
“I know it’s going to sound crazy, but he’s the one who’s being abused. He’s the one who’s getting used,” he added.
Aidala went into detail about the Miramax co-founder’s romantic relationships with his accusers, saying the sex was both consensual and “transactional” because they all “wanted to cut the line” to getting famous.
He said the women were upset that their method didn’t work and they never achieved notability. “They’re mad. They’re mad to this day,” Aidala <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/harvey-weinstein-abused-defense-retrial-closing-argument-1236416728/">said</a>.
The attorney next referenced the prosecutor deciding on a retrial. “They needed to get the poster boy, the original sinner for the MeToo movement,” Aidala said. “They tried to do it five years ago, and there was a redo, and they’re trying to do it again.”
The defense attorney said the women’s claims were not proven beyond a reasonable doubt. He described his client as a “fat dude” incapable of participating in some of the sexual acts described by their testimonies.
“Some of these descriptions from these women sound like ‘Cirque du Soleil’!” Aidala said.
Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Nicole Blumberg denied these assertions, saying “it wasn’t about fooling around — it was rape.”
Weinstein is charged with two counts of committing a “criminal sexual act” and one count of third-degree rape by former production assistant Miriam Haley, former model Kaja Sokola, and former aspiring actor Jessica Mann. Weinstein pleaded “not guilty” to all charges.
Once a powerful figure in Hollywood, Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison in New York following his 2020 conviction on charges of rape and sexual assault. But in April 2024, the New York Court of Appeals overturned that conviction. The court ruled that testimony from three women should not have been included as their accounts were deemed unfairly prejudicial and most likely helped sway the jury.
Weinstein was also found guilty of rape in a Los Angeles court and sentenced to 16 years in prison for the crime.

Harvey Weinstein’s Lawyers Argue ‘He’s The One Who’s Being Abused’ During Retrial

Harvey Weinstein's Lawyers Argue 'He's The One Who’s Being Abused' During Retrial

The trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs on Tuesday included testimony from a former hotel security guard claiming he was paid $100,000 to destroy footage of the rapper assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, in 2016.
The footage went viral after being released by CNN in May 2024, a full year before Combs’ trial began. Eddie Garcia told the jury that he was approached by the rapper’s chief of staff, Kristina Khorrum, with an offer to exchange cash for destroying the video and all copies of it.
Garcia described an alleged phone call he had with Combs during which the rapper said he had “a little too much” to drink preceding the assault, saying “it could ruin him” if the video got out. “You know how it is with women,” Combs reportedly said.
The former security guard said it was promised that he would be taken care of, per <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/03/arts/music/sean-combs-diddy-trial-cassie-hotel.html">The New York Times</a>.
The witness said he turned down the rapper’s request at first, but eventually agreed. “He was excited, said ‘Eddy, my angel, I knew you could help. I knew you could do it,’” Garcia said of Combs.
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Garcia said he and his supervisor handed over the USB drive during a meeting at a high rise apartment building. &#8220;I was very nervous and my voice kept cracking,&#8221; the security guard said of the meeting. Garcia testified that he signed a non-disclosure agreement asserting that there were &#8220;no duplicates, backups, stored drives&#8221; containing the video and then was given $100,000 in cash in a paper bag.
The security guard said he was told “not to make any big purchases” because “it would draw attention.”
It’s not clear how the security footage wound up on CNN, as the outlet noted.
Ventura testified earlier during the trial, providing the jury with graphic details of alleged physical, sexual, and psychological abuse during her decade-long relationship with the Bad Boy Records founder. The defense claims that Combs had an unconventional sex life, but is not guilty of the criminal activities he’s been charged with.
Combs pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.

Combs and Cassie

Diddy Trial: Security Guard Claims He Was Paid $100K To Destroy Hotel Assault Footage

Bribery

Sex Crimes

Cassie Ventura, the prosecution’s key witness in the trial against rap artist Sean “Diddy” Combs, took the stand beginning on Tuesday and became emotional as she detailed years of alleged sexual, physical, and mental abuse.
“He controlled a lot of my life,” she said.
Combs, 55, has been charged with sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He was arrested in September 2024 and has been awaiting trial behind bars after multiple attempts to be released on bail.
Ventura, 38, described what went on during her decade-long relationship with the disgraced rap mogul, highlighting several specific instances of abuse during her lengthy testimony. 
She described the highly publicized “freak-offs,” during which she said, “sometimes Sean — he, himself, or an escort would urinate on me.”
She recalled often choking because there was “too much urine in my mouth.&#8221;
“I don’t want anyone to urinate on me,&#8221; Ventura said from the stand. &#8220;Sean would urinate in my mouth — not super often but often enough.”
The rapper’s ex-girlfriend described the “freak-offs” as lengthy, elaborate, and exhausting sex parties. “The longest was 4 days or even more with breaks,” Ventura told the court. “Then I was recovering from the drugs, dehydration — just trying to stay awake all the time.”
&#8220;The freak-offs became a job,&#8221; she added, saying that participating made her feel “disgusting” and “humiliated.”
She said Combs was in charge of everything about the “freak-offs,” insisting on Ventura wearing her nails a particular way. She said she was forced to apply baby oil every five minutes to appear “glistening,” per <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/13/arts/music/cassie-sean-combs-diddy-trial-takeaways.html">The New York Times</a>. 
Ventura also described times Combs would &#8220;punish&#8221; her by having members of his security team block access to her cell phone and computer. She claimed that these punishments were dictated by his mood. 
Combs’ ex said she was “naive” when they met and was impressed by the rapper and all his success. She also said she felt coerced because she had signed a 10-album deal with Bad Boy Records and saw Combs as having power over her career.
“When you’re in love with someone you don’t want to disappoint them,” Ventura said.
“I wanted to be around Sean for the same reasons as everyone else at the time,&#8221; she said, becoming emotional. &#8220;This exciting, entertaining, fun guy who also happened to have my career in his hands.”
During cross-examination, Combs’ lawyer attempted to prove that all sexual encounters between her client and Ventura were consensual. 
The judge denied a request from the defense to downplay Ventura’s current pregnancy by having her seated before the jury entered the courtroom. Ventura is currently in her third trimester, and the defense said &#8220;the visibility of her pregnancy&#8221; could unfairly prejudice the jury against Combs.
Ventura’s testimony continued on Wednesday. The entire trial is expected to last eight weeks.
Combs pleaded not guilty to the charges. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.

Cassie Ventura

Diddy Trial: Combs’ Ex-Girlfriend Cassie Ventura Shares Graphic Details Of ‘Freak-Offs’

Diddy Trial: Combs' Ex-Girlfriend Cassie Ventura Becomes Emotional During Testimony

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