The man accused of brutally murdering a young Ukrainian refugee won&#8217;t face trial anytime soon, after a federal judge ruled that he&#8217;s <a href="https://www.wral.com/news/local/decarlos-brown-mental-competency-trial-june-2026/">too mentally unfit</a> to stand in a courtroom.
DeCarlos Brown Jr., 34, was found incompetent to stand trial Tuesday for the August 22, 2025, murder of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old who fled Russian bombs only to be stabbed from behind while listening to music on Charlotte&#8217;s Blue Line light rail.
She never saw it coming.
Zarutska — a college-educated artist, aspiring veterinary assistant, and devoted daughter — had <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/09/us/decarlos-brown-jr-charlotte-train-stabbing">survived</a> two years of war and built a quiet, hopeful life in North Carolina. She walked neighbors&#8217; dogs, studied English, and worked at a pizzeria. She was thriving. Then Brown allegedly plunged a pocketknife into her neck and walked away, blood dripping from the blade.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell ruled Brown cannot understand the charges against him and is unable to assist his own defense. Brown&#8217;s behavior in court on Tuesday did little to dispute the claim — he repeatedly interrupted proceedings with unhinged outbursts. His team filed a motion saying he “experiences delusions that center around his belief that he was exposed to a material that controls his every movement.&#8221;
Brown will be hospitalized for up to four months. If doctors restore his competency, he&#8217;ll finally face trial — and potentially the death penalty.
This is exactly the kind of case that makes ordinary Americans furious with the insanity defense.
Brown has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fatal-charlotte-stabbing-highlights-the-failure-of-racial-equity-policies">14 prior arrests</a>. He did five years for armed robbery. Law enforcement knew he was unwell — he called 911 claiming a government implant was controlling his body, and officers sent him home with a misdemeanor. His family begged for help. The system shrugged.
Now, after an innocent woman is murdered in cold blood — on camera, in front of passengers — the legal machinery grinds to a halt over whether the accused killer truly understood what he was doing. Experts will battle over his mental state ten months after the fact. A jury may never hear the case.
Critics of the insanity defense have long warned of exactly this: dangerous individuals cycling through a system that prioritizes their diagnosis over their victims&#8217; deaths. Four states have abolished the defense entirely for this reason.
Zarutska&#8217;s family is holding firm: &#8220;We have confidence his capacity will be restored so he can stand trial for what he did to Iryna.&#8221;
So does prosecutor Russ Ferguson. &#8220;Our number one goal is justice for Iryna Zarutska,&#8221; he said. &#8220;That&#8217;s what&#8217;s on our minds and our hearts every day.&#8221;
She deserves nothing less.

Memorial of the 23 years old Ukrainian Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte

Iryna Zarutska’s Accused Killer Won’t Be Going To Trial Anytime Soon

Courts

Criminal Justice

Insanity

Iryna Zarutska

Murder

North Carolina

U.S.

Clayton High School administration in North Carolina intervened as the school&#8217;s valedictorian went off-script during the graduation ceremony’s welcome speech on May 28.
High schooler Leen Hijaz, a Muslim student from Johnston County, North Carolina, abandoned her pre-approved speech and instead ranted about ICE and voiced her support for Palestine. 
“Before I leave the stage, I have one last thing to say. Every single person here has a voice, and we are privileged to have the freedom to use it when so many people around the world are struggling and suffering to be heard,” Hijaz said. 
“Whether it’s the millions suffering in Palestine, Sudan, Congo, Afghanistan and so many other countries around the world, or the families being torn apart by ICE. These are not distant issues,” Hijaz said. “They are happening right now as I speak.”
A video of the graduation ceremony spread on social media.
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“My point is, we’re not given a voice to stay silent,” Hijaz said to cheers from some people in the crowd. The video also shows other graduates behind her look at each other in confusion as they realized Hijaz was going off-script. The school’s principal, Melissa Hubbard, then rushed onto the stage and stopped her from continuing her impromptu political speech. 
A day after the graduation, Hijaz took to <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@leenhijaz_/video/7645327665137798414?_r=1&amp;_t=ZT-96lijkzSKQ1">TikTok</a> complaining about her diploma being withheld and her experience as a Muslim-Arab in Johnston County, North Carolina. 
“If I submitted [the speech] to the school they would have disapproved it immediately because of how racist they are,” Hijaz said. “I really think if you think I did something wrong then there’s something wrong with you.” 
Johnston County Public Schools confirmed that Hijaz has been awarded her diploma. 
&#8220;School administrators intervened in order to maintain the integrity and focus of the program in real time,” school leadership <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/06/02/valedictorian-graduation-speech-interrupted-clayton-north-carolina/90370678007/">said</a> in a statement to USA TODAY. “This action was not about limiting a student’s voice, but about ensuring that a school-sponsored event remained consistent with its intended purpose.&#8221;

Graduation Ceremony

Valedictorian Uses Graduation To Attack ICE And Israel. It Doesn’t End Well.

Anti-ICE

High School

Muslim

A North Carolina school district faces a Trump administration investigation after high school girls accused school officials of doing nothing after they complained about a transgender-identifying male invading their personal spaces. 
The Department of Education told Cabarrus County Schools on Monday that it had opened a Title IX investigation over complaints that biological male students had been allowed to access girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms. Students in the district for months have lambasted school officials for not keeping the spaces separated by sex. 
“The Complainants alleged that the District permits male students to access sex-segregated restrooms and locker rooms for female students and has failed to respond as required to reports of female students being sexually harassed by male students in school restrooms or locker rooms,” the Education Department wrote in a letter obtained by The Daily Wire. 
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Trista Ruck, a student at Cox Mill High School, said that school officials dismissed her concerns about feeling uncomfortable with a male using the women’s bathroom. She said the principal told students the issue was &#8220;too political to address.&#8221;
“Our school is supposed to make every student safe, but we get ostracized when we discuss this with adults who are supposed to ensure the safety and comfortability at school,” she said in April. “Personally, I try to avoid the restrooms at all costs, but I do use these facilities at times when I really have to.”
The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights will probe whether the district’s policies discriminate based on sex by denying female students access to private intimate spaces. 
To comply with the investigation, the department asked the district to provide documents on its policies related to “gender identity” and any complaints it received from girls about males in their spaces. 
School officials downplayed concerns from parents and students and previously <a href="https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/verify/viral-claim-that-boy-tried-to-watch-young-girl-in-school-restroom-is-false-cabarrus-county-school-district-says/275-e53d0323-7532-4438-901b-79ca4c0ceaec">said</a> it is constrained by laws, stating that “schools may not discriminate against students by denying them access to the bathroom corresponding to their gender identity.”
The Education Department investigation comes after Rep. Addison McDowell (R-NC) wrote a letter on May 7 <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/congressman-urges-trump-admin-to-intervene-after-high-school-girls-say-spaces-invaded-by-boy">urging action</a> against the district. 
“If my daughters were speaking up, I would want leaders in the community to act. It took a lot of courage for these girls to stand up and speak out,&#8221; McDowell told The Daily Wire. &#8220;There appears to have been confusion at the local level about how Title IX protections apply to girls in our schools. I look forward to the Department providing clarity and restoring common sense.&#8221;
The Trump administration said the investigation was part of its efforts to recognize June as “Title IX Month.” 
“Today’s investigation demonstrates that the Trump Administration will not stop pursuing Districts that reportedly subject our women and girls to egregious violations of their privacy and safety,” said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey. “Under the Trump Administration, no woman or girl will have to fight alone to secure her basic protections, and we will not relent until Title IX is restored to the fullest extent of the law.”

Public shower room with shower cabins. A large, empty public shower room with bright walls. Toilet and locker room of a swimming pool, sports club and fitness center, school, college, dorm or hostel. The concept of hygiene and healthy lifestyle.

Trump Admin Steps In After Female Students Raise Alarm Over School’s Trans Policy

Female Students Raised Alarm Over School's Trans Policy. Trump Admin Now Taking Action.

Civil Rights

Department of Education

Title IX

Transgender

A Republican congressman is pushing the Trump administration to investigate a North Carolina high school after female students complained that a biological male has been using the women&#8217;s locker room, according to a letter first obtained by The Daily Wire. 
Rep. Addison McDowell wrote a <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/1036268220/Title-IX-Letter-to-OCR">letter</a> on Thursday calling on the Education Department to investigate Cox Mill High School in Cabarrus County for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/principal-tells-girls-to-go-somewhere-else-if-theyre-uncomfortable-with-boys-in-their-bathrooms">reportedly allowing</a> a boy to access intimate female spaces. He urged Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey to review a parental complaint filed on April 17 claiming the school violated a female student&#8217;s Title IX privacy rights. 
“I was profoundly concerned to learn of reports that the school is allowing biologically male students to enter women’s restrooms and locker room facilities on school property,” McDowell wrote. “As a father of three girls and one on the way, and the Representative for the Sixth Congressional District of North Carolina, I remain committed to working to protect women and girls and preserving their civil rights for generations to come.”
The Trump administration has interpreted Title IX as protecting the right of girls to access private, single-sex spaces such as bathrooms and locker rooms. 
In recent months, students and parents have asked the Cabarrus County School Board to adopt policies ensuring female-only spaces at the high school. School officials have downplayed concerns from parents, saying some claims about incidents involving the transgender student are false. 
The district previously <a href="https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/verify/viral-claim-that-boy-tried-to-watch-young-girl-in-school-restroom-is-false-cabarrus-county-school-district-says">said</a> it was constrained by a law that mandates “schools may not discriminate against students by denying them access to the bathroom corresponding to their gender identity.”
McDowell said the district must step up to ensure students&#8217; privacy. 
“It is the bare minimum for schools to ensure a safe learning environment, and schools owe students’ parents a guarantee that the school is taking every available measure to protect the health and safety of kids,” he said. “The policy that the school district has adopted is in direct opposition to these principles.”
On Tuesday, the organization NC Values <a href="https://x.com/NCValues/status/2051752454035824984" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released</a> a video featuring Trista Ruck, a junior at Cox Mill High School, who said she had seen a male in the girls&#8217; bathroom. 
&#8220;I encountered a male in the female restroom. I walked straight to the restroom, did my business, and then whenever I went to go wash my hands, he walked in,&#8221; she said. &#8220;He then just looked at me, and then went about his business, but honestly, I felt uncomfortable. Why would I want someone who has different parts than me in the same bathroom as me?&#8221;

Rep.-elect Addison McDowell

Congressman Urges Trump Admin To Intervene After High School Girls Say Spaces Invaded By Boy

Trump Administration

A North Carolina school board is refusing to protect female students in bathrooms and locker rooms, despite months of concerns from students and parents.
Trista Ruck, a junior at Cox Mill High School in Cabarrus County, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzjg93kJAVc&amp;list=PLC9l3bAWkCyitTzhInQ1jR99Dz1eiIJLi&amp;index=10">addressed</a> the Cabarrus County School Board in December of 2025 and asked them to create a policy defending female-only spaces at the school. At Ruck’s school, a male student identifying as a woman is on the football and basketball cheer team and uses women’s locker rooms and restrooms.
“Many of my peers and I feel uncomfortable using facilities designed for women and women alone, as he has different reproductive parts than we do,” Ruck said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
MASSIVE SCANDAL UNFOLDING IN <a href="https://twitter.com/CabCoSchools?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CabCoSchools</a>
The school is allowing MALES to invade the girls’ restrooms. Girls are reportedly terrified to go to the bathroom and are holding themselves in to avoid males in their private space.
Students are begging the administration for help,… <a href="https://t.co/BAwkHNFvCv">pic.twitter.com/BAwkHNFvCv</a>
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2047788322693517520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Ruck said both parents and students had discussed the problem with Cox Mill administration and the athletic director, only to be “blatantly ignored.” The school’s only response was to make special accommodations for the female students instead of for the trans-identifying student, Ruck said.
One of Ruck’s friends, who is on one of the school’s sports teams, said she noticed the male student watching her and other female students changing while in the locker room, according to Ruck.
“She stated that this made her feel extremely uncomfortable and that she did not feel safe or respected in that environment,” Ruck told the board.
The student was told to take the problems to the principal, who said it was “too political to address, and that any action might be interpreted the wrong way,” according to Ruck.
“Our school is supposed to make every student safe, but we get ostracized when we discuss this with adults who are supposed to ensure the safety and comfortability at school,” Ruck said. “Personally, I try to avoid the restrooms at all costs, but I do use these facilities at times when I really have to. I, as well as others, do not feel comfortable when an individual of the opposite gender is allowed and authorized to use our facilities.”
In addition to safety concerns over males in female spaces, avoiding using the restroom can cause health problems, including chronic pain and urinary tract infections, <a href="https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/your-urinary-health-what-you-should-know">according</a> to Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Holding in urine repeatedly for long periods of time can also make it difficult to fully empty one’s bladder and can cause pelvic floor dysfunction.
Cabarrus County voted for President Donald Trump in 2024, <a href="https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/05/2024&amp;county_id=13&amp;office=ALL&amp;contest=0">according</a> to election data, but despite repeated concerns, the board has refused to institute any countywide policies protecting women’s bathrooms and locker rooms.
Alexis Hughes, the founder of You Heard Her, an advocacy for female students in Cabarrus County, slammed the board for ignoring Ruck and other students at its most recent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BO17lgPdAQ">meeting</a> on April 13, 2026.
“This is not about hate or judging any any child, and this is not about asking the board to take a position on personal beliefs or ideology,” Hughes said. “What you are responsible for is ensuring students are safe, that their privacy is protected, and that policies are clear and consistently applied.”
Hughes referenced Ruck’s comments and criticized the board for not addressing the problem.
“She came to you all for help. You heard her. You did nothing. Shame,” Hughes said. “There is nothing political about a child that feels unsafe when they are changing clothes. That is a basic expectation of privacy, and it is all of your responsibility.”
Multiple speakers at the April meeting slammed the board for not taking action to protect female students. At the end of public comment, the board carried on with usual business without addressing any of the speakers’ concerns.
“This comes down to three things: safety, privacy, and respect for every student,” Hughes told the board. “Transgender students deserve protection, but policy has to protect all students. And right now, the absence of policy is failing every single student in our district.”

Principal Tells Girls To ‘Go Somewhere Else’ If They’re Uncomfortable With Boys In Their Bathrooms

LGBTQ

Social Issues

Two teenagers, including an 18-year-old girl, were arrested earlier this week and charged with plotting a major attack on one of the largest Jewish synagogues in Houston.
Authorities arrested 18-year-old Angelina Han Hicks of Lexington, North Carolina, on Wednesday and accused her of planning to &#8220;kill as many Jews as possible&#8221; in an attack on Congregation Beth Israel in Houston, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-texas-synagogue-attack-plot-387b32d268fb0cd71c9415c418856a96">reported</a>. Hicks is accused of plotting the attack alongside two &#8220;male subjects.&#8221; The conspirators planned to murder Jewish worshipers by driving a vehicle through the synagogue on April 21, 2028, according to court documents.
It appears that one of the other alleged co-conspirators was also arrested earlier this week. The Houston Police Department announced on Thursday that a 16-year-old was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit capital murder in relation to &#8220;a threat directed towards certain Jewish institutions in our area.&#8221;
The Houston Police did not say the 16-year-old was arrested for a planned attack on Congregation Beth Israel specifically, but authorities in Texas&#8217; largest city said they learned about the threat on the same day Hicks was taken into custody in North Carolina. Court documents identified Hicks&#8217; alleged co-conspirators as &#8220;Teegan&#8221; and &#8220;Angel,&#8221; the Houston Chronicle <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/religion/article/houston-beth-israel-arrest-22221195.php">reported</a>.
Congregation Beth Israel, which also runs a school for pre-K through 5th graders, closed on Wednesday &#8220;out of an abundance of caution&#8221; after Houston police alerted the synagogue&#8217;s leadership to the threat. The synagogue reopened on Thursday.
The FBI <a href="https://x.com/FBICharlotte/status/2047385012278829223">said</a> that its Charlotte Joint Terrorism Task Force began investigating the alleged plot on Tuesday evening &#8220;after a tip to a North Carolina law enforcement agency.&#8221;
&#8220;This is an exceptional example of when you see something concerning, you say something to law enforcement,&#8221; the FBI added.
Hicks faces two felony charges of conspiracy to commit murder and felony conspiracy to commit assault with a deadly weapon. Her bond was set to $10 million, with District Court Judge Carlton Terry saying on Wednesday that Hicks&#8217; detention is necessary to prevent her from getting &#8220;a chance to communicate with either of those [co-conspirators] or those who could relay a message puts lives at risk.&#8221; Hicks&#8217; lawyer said his client&#8217;s young age could be a major factor in her legal defense.
North Carolina prosecutors warned that while the alleged plot highlighted a date two years from now, there was &#8220;some concern that there could be an imminent event&#8221; targeting Congregation Beth Israel.
The arrests come as Jewish Americans face increased threats and just a month after a Muslim man in Michigan rammed his vehicle into the largest Jewish Reform synagogue in the United States in an attack that the Justice Department said was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michigan-synagogue-terrorist-attack-was-directed-by-hezbollah-fbi-says">directed by Hezbollah</a>. Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a 41-year-old Lebanese national, was killed after exchanging gunfire with security guards at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan. One of the security guards was injured after he was struck by Ghazali’s vehicle, but no one else was harmed in the attack, which occurred near a daycare with dozens of children inside.

Jewish Synagogue/Angelina Han Hicks

Teens Arrested Over Plot To ‘Kill As Many Jews As Possible’ In Major Synagogue Attack

Anti-Semitism

Crime

Houston

Jewish

Texas

Nine years ago today, then-North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper signed a bill that repealed a law meant to keep gender-confused men out of women’s bathrooms, a policy he called “mean spirited” and “a stain” on the state’s reputation. 
While Cooper, currently running for U.S. Senate, now <a href="https://x.com/townhallcom/status/1949831222382715262?s=20">dodges</a> questions about his positions on transgender ideology, a new ad from the National Republican Senatorial Committee wants to make sure voters don’t forget how passionately he fought to allow transgender-identifying men in women’s bathrooms back in 2017. The ad, first shared with The Daily Wire, compiles Cooper’s numerous comments attacking North Carolina House Bill 2, a GOP-backed measure that required people to use the bathroom corresponding with their birth certificate at government buildings and public schools.  
“It&#8217;s important that we remove this horrible requirement that transgender people had to go to the restroom of their birth certificate,” Cooper previously said, as highlighted in the ad. “It is a stain on our great state&#8217;s reputation, and it&#8217;s got to be wiped out.” 
Cooper also called the provision “one of the most discriminatory laws in the country, and it is wrong, period” and that it “created a misguided, unworkable, and unnecessary requirement that individuals use the bathroom that matched the gender on their birth certificate.”
The Senate hopeful campaigned on repealing the measure, saying that he could “not tolerate it” being the law of the land in North Carolina. 
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&#8220;For nearly 40 years, Roy Cooper has fought to transition North Carolina to Democrats&#8217; woke agenda,&#8221; NRSC Regional Press Secretary Nick Puglia told The Daily Wire. &#8220;Cooper promised the radical left he would ensure men could use women&#8217;s bathrooms, and he delivered for they/them.&#8221;  
The North Carolina bathroom bill, which was signed by GOP Governor Pat McCrory in 2016, ignited a firestorm after major corporations like Salesforce started <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/salesforces-marc-benioff-has-kicked-off-new-era-of-corporate-social-activism-1462201172">pressuring</a> the state over the law. Cooper’s gubernatorial deputy campaign manager told The Wall Street Journal that he “looked to Salesforce because he wanted them to know that this is not who North Carolina is, and that we are fighting against this discriminatory law.”
In response to the law, the NBA yanked the 2017 All-Star game out of Charlotte, because of “the climate created” by the legislation. 
After he was elected governor, Cooper signed a bill to repeal the bathroom bill, <a href="https://governor.nc.gov/documents/files/house-bill-2-repeal-fact-sheet/download">saying</a> that it “immediately removes mean-spirited restrictions on public facilities that mandate North Carolinians use the public facility matching the gender on their birth certificate.”
During his second term in office, Cooper would <a href="https://www.acluofnorthcarolina.org/press-releases/governor-cooper-vetoes-anti-transgender-legislation/">veto bills</a> to shield kids from transgender procedures on minors and keep boys of girls sports teams. 
Cooper is looking to succeed outgoing GOP Senator Thom Tillis. The GOP candidate is former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley. 
While he campaigned on the bathroom issue heavily while running for Congress, Cooper has rarely touched on transgender issues while on the Senate campaign trail. In August, he <a href="https://www.nrsc.org/uncategorized/wapo-he-became-governor-supporting-trans-rights-now-its-seen-as-a-liability-2025-08-18/">declined</a> an interview with the Washington Post on transgender issues.

MixCollage-28-Mar-2026-08-55-AM-2082

Brutal Ad Hits Dem Senate Hopeful Over Defense Of Men In Women’s Bathrooms

2026 Midterms

Michael Whatley

Roy Cooper

Senate

A North Carolina woman is accused of hitting a police officer with her car — but she was released on a $3,000 bail just hours after her arrest.
Tanaezah Michelle Austin, 25, is facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon against a government official in connection with a street takeover early Sunday morning in northwest Charlotte, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/driver-accused-attempting-mow-down-cop-during-street-takeover-strolls-free-hours-later-3k-bond">reported</a>.
Officers responded to reports of cars doing donuts in a commercial parking lot at 3:25 a.m. on March 1, according to the outlet. One officer approached a black Kia Optima that was trying to leave. The driver stopped at first, but “began to accelerate rapidly” and struck the officer, who rolled over the hood.
The officer was in full uniform, giving verbal commands to stop and standing where the driver could clearly see him, Fox News said. He was taken to a hospital and treated for minor injuries.
Video of the incident posted to X shows the officer in front of the car before it accelerates toward him and drives away. The X post incorrectly identifies the driver as a man.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: Horrifying video footage has emerged from Charlotte NC of a man attempting to RUN OVER A POLICE OFFICER WITH HIS GUN DRAWN, trying to avoid arrest.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN CHARLOTTE?!!!!!!!! <a href="https://t.co/MQFt9gKKJQ">pic.twitter.com/MQFt9gKKJQ</a>
— Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) <a href="https://twitter.com/mattvanswol/status/2028602510425075753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Austin was arrested March 2 and released early on March 3, with a probable cause hearing scheduled for March 24.
“These are among the worst of the worst incidents that we have to deal with in Charlotte,” Dan Redford, president of the <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/charlotte-raleigh-piedmont">Charlotte Fraternal Order of Police</a>, told Fox News. “To see a $3,000 bond for an offender, regardless of whether she has a criminal history or not, when the intent to flee was clearly there, is pathetic.”
The $3,000 bond means Austin may have needed to pay just $300 to be released, Randy Sutton, a retired police lieutenant, told the outlet. Sutton founded The Wounded Blue, a nonprofit that supports injured and disabled law enforcement officers.
“When I hear about someone being released on a $3,000 bond for running over a police officer on video, it boggles my mind,” Sutton said. “She ran over a cop, and she walked out.”
Sutton said the incident wasn’t an accident.
“She saw him, he was communicating with her, and then she just gunned the car toward him,” Sutton said. “This could have been a fatal encounter.”
Austin faced misdemeanor marijuana and paraphernalia charges in 2025, but they were later dropped, Fox News reported.
U.S. Rep. Mark Harris criticized the bond decision.
“Running over a police officer is of the highest level of evil,” Harris said in a statement, according to Fox News. “It’s also a complete slap in the face for our brave law enforcement to see these kinds of criminals allowed right back on the streets. When is Charlotte going to end the crime cycle? When are magistrates going to keep bad guys behind bars? Enough is enough!”
The case comes as cities across the U.S. are seeing a rise in violent criminals being released with low or no bond.
Charlotte made headlines last year with the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, whose alleged killer had been arrested and released 14 times, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/where-is-the-outrage-trump-rails-against-media-dem-crime-policies-after-brutal-train-murder?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98Where+Is+The+Outrage%3F%E2%80%99%3A+Trump+Rails+Against+Media%2C+Dem+Crime+Policies+After+Brutal+Train+Murder">reported</a> at the time.
In Chicago, Illinois, a 50-year-old man, who had been arrested 72 times since he was 18, allegedly set a woman on fire in the subway in November. He had most recently been arrested three months earlier, when he was charged with aggravated battery, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/woman-set-ablaze-chicago-transit-train-identified-rcna245669">reported</a>.
In a more recent incident in Brooklyn, a man was arrested after allegedly stalking and attacking an Orthodox Jewish family. He was freed on supervised release, despite being charged with assault and multiple counts of harassment as a hate crime and the district attorney’s request for a $50,000 cash bail, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-frees-accused-antisemitic-assailant-who-threatened-to-kill-brooklyn-family">reported</a> at the time.

Tanaezah Michelle Austin

‘Enough Is Enough’: Suspect Accused Of Hitting Cop With Car Walks Free On $3K Bond

Charlotte

Law Enforcement

With 99% of the vote reporting, North Carolina’s Republican primary for State Senate District 26 has come down to just two votes, setting up what is almost certain to be a recount.
According to <a href="https://x.com/DecisionDeskHQ/status/2029053123436654838">Decision Desk HQ</a>, the latest tally stands at:
Sam Page 13,077 
Phil Berger 13,075
The two-vote margin, out of more than 26,000 ballots cast, falls well within North Carolina’s 1% recount threshold.
The race pits Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page against longtime Senate leader Phil Berger, who has served as President Pro Tempore of the North Carolina Senate since 2011 and has been one of the most influential Republicans in state politics for over a decade.
<a href="https://www.sampagenc.com/">Page</a>, who has served as sheriff since 1998 and spent more than four decades in law enforcement, ran as an outsider taking on what he repeatedly called the “Raleigh establishment.” A vocal supporter of Donald Trump, Page led “Sheriffs for Trump” in 2016 and served as the president’s North Carolina campaign chair in 2020.
On the campaign trail, Page focused heavily on law-and-order themes, calling for stronger penalties for violent offenders and pushing to restart North Carolina’s death penalty. He also proposed raising starting teacher pay to $50,000, expanding school choice with what he described as “commonsense guardrails,” and eliminating state taxes on overtime pay and tipped wages in line with Trump’s proposals at the federal level. Page further called for repealing a legislative public records exemption backed by Berger and supported term limits for legislative leadership.
<a href="https://philberger.org/about-phil/">Berger</a>, first elected to the Senate in 2000, rose to Minority Leader in 2004 and helped engineer Republicans’ return to majority control in 2010, the first time the GOP had controlled the chamber in more than a century. Since becoming Senate President Pro Tempore, he has led efforts to cut income taxes, reduce regulations, expand school choice, enact voter ID, and pass a range of conservative social policies, including legislation affecting transgender participation in sports and restrictions on gender transition procedures for minors.
Berger has closely aligned himself with Trump’s national agenda, highlighting cooperation on immigration enforcement, tax cuts, energy production, and cultural issues. He also points to North Carolina’s economic growth, manufacturing recruitment, and tax reductions during his tenure as evidence of conservative governance delivering results.
Despite securing Trump’s endorsement, Berger found himself locked in a dead heat with Page. In a February <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116083538418810885">Truth Social post</a>, Trump praised Berger as a “Highly Respected Leader” while also describing Page as “GREAT,” underscoring the delicate balancing act in a race where both candidates emphasized their loyalty to the former president.
The winner of the primary will face Democratic nominee Steve Luking, a physician. Berger previously defeated Luking in 2024 by nearly 15 percentage points. The 26th district has been a safe Republican seat since 1981 and will likely go to the winner of the GOP primary.
The outcome now hinges on a recount and any outstanding provisional ballots. If the margin holds, it would mark a stunning upset of one of the state’s most powerful lawmakers by a local sheriff running on an anti-establishment message by a margin so slim it would be difficult to believe. For now, the contest stands as a reminder of just how narrow the margins can be, even for entrenched political leadership.

Latino voters in the swing state of North Carolina

26,000 Ballots Cast — And A GOP Senate Race Is Separated By A Razor-Thin Margin

Decision Desk

Phil Berger

Republican Primary

Sam Page

Charlotte hearing

Dumbest Democrat Ever Delivers Cringe Worthy Performance In Front Of State Assembly

Matt Walsh

Opinion

Sheriff

Stabbing

He snuck across the border illegally and went undetected. Then, he went on to allegedly rape three young children in Asheville, North Carolina, authorities said.
Now, federal immigration authorities are begging sanctuary officials to hand Mexican illegal immigrant Juan Ramon Juarez-Talamantes, 29, over to ICE before he has the opportunity to continue on with his violent rampage, The Daily Wire has learned.
“This depraved sicko is charged with raping three children. This criminal illegal alien has no place in American communities,” Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told The Daily Wire on Tuesday.
“We are calling on Asheville sanctuary politicians to commit to not releasing this pedophile back into our communities to prey on more innocent children. If politicians allow state and local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE, we can get criminals like this out of our country,&#8221; McLaughlin said.
Juarez-Talamantes was charged in November with two counts of statutory rape involving a child at least 13, 14, or 15 years of age, the Buncombe County Sheriff&#8217;s Office <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile/100064864381225/search/?q=Talamantes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a recent press release. He was charged again last month for an incident involving a third victim.
Detectives first learned of Juarez-Talamantes&#8217; alleged crimes in July 2024 after receiving a report of a rape involving a child lured by a man named &#8220;Juan&#8221; on Snapchat, <a href="https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/crime/2026/01/27/asheville-man-arrested-child-rape-charges-ice-detainer/88359420007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Asheville Citizen Times.
The child and their friend met up with the man in his car before going to his house, according to the local report.
The child told detectives that the man kissed the child. When he attempted to &#8220;take it further,&#8221; the child told him &#8220;no.&#8221;
&#8220;He slapped (the child) on the face and proceeded to rape (the child),&#8221; according to the report.
The Asheville Police Department also received a similar report in September 2025.
The two agencies collaborated to confirm that Juarez-Talamantes was allegedly tied to both cases. Authorities later connected him to the third incident.
“We are very thankful for the partnership with the Asheville Police Department during this case and the tedious work and collaboration of the investigators to reach this result. These cases demonstrate the power community partnerships play in resolving problems for citizens of Buncombe County,&#8221; Buncombe County Sheriff&#8217;s Office District 2 Captain Chris Stockton said in a recent statement.
&#8220;Our hearts go out to those whose lives have been forever changed by these events and hope that the effort of these passionate investigators opens a door to healing,&#8221; Stockton said.
In May, the Department of Justice <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/pr/sanctuary-policies-mecklenburg-and-buncombe-county-sheriffs-are-reckless-and-pose" target="_blank" rel="noopener">classified</a> Buncombe County as a sanctuary jurisdiction for refusing to honor ICE detainers. The county was later taken off the list after Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller called the label &#8220;inaccurate,&#8221; according to ABC13.
Miller asserted that his office adheres to a state law that forces police to honor ICE detainers, known as House Bill 10. However, the law only mandates sheriffs to honor detainers in instances where they have a judicial warrant, which isn&#8217;t the standard in federal immigration cases, <a href="https://www.wunc.org/race-class-communities/2024-11-25/immigration-enforcement-house-bill-10-north-carolina" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to WUNC.
Before the legislation passed, Miller refused to honor ICE detainers and previously ended his office&#8217;s participation in the federal 287(g) program, where local officers help with immigration enforcement.
&#8220;Since the passage of House Bill 10, we&#8217;ve had 15 detainees that we&#8217;ve contacted ICE about, one of which is still in our custody, and we&#8217;ve just released one to ICE,&#8221; Miller said in a June 4 video.
&#8220;Before House Bill 10 became law, I did not honor ICE detainers. The reason I didn&#8217;t honor detainers at that time was because they were not signed by a judge and therefore not a valid court document to hold a detainee who otherwise would be eligible for release,&#8221; he said.
Last year, Miller said: &#8220;I have repeatedly spoken out against cooperation with ICE, saying federal immigration law is not the responsibility of local officers and damages law enforcement’s trust within the immigrant community.&#8221;
A spokesperson for the sheriff&#8217;s office didn&#8217;t immediately respond to a request for comment on whether they would honor the ICE detainer.

Untitled design – 2026-02-10T142632.187

Feds Implore Sanctuary Authorities To Hand Over Illegal Charged With The Rape Of Three Kids

Illegal Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Sanctuary Cities

President Trump touted his record on the economy and unveiled a massive investment by John Deere in the United States during a speech in Iowa on Tuesday afternoon.
Trump traveled to the city of Clive outside of Des Moines and spoke in front of hundreds of supporters crowded into the Horizon Events Center. The president largely focused on the economy as he attempts to sell Republican success on the key issue to voters ahead of the midterm elections.
Early in his speech, Trump <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2016280565935231054">announced</a> that agriculture equipment manufacturer John Deere plans to build an excavator factory in North Carolina, relocating some of its production from Japan to the United States. The company said in a Tuesday announcement that it also plans to build a distribution center in Indiana to spur its manufacturing in the United States.
Trump also touted a number of agriculture-related actions his administration has taken in a speech aimed at appealing to Iowa’s farm-heavy industry. The president noted he had cut &#8220;ridiculous water restrictions” at the Environmental Protection Agency. He also brought up <a href="https://www.hoosieragtoday.com/2025/08/12/epa-zeldin-def/">reforms</a> that the agency made to Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) standards to prevent severe slowdowns to vehicles due to DEF system failures.
“I terminated the so-called Diesel Exhaust Fluid requirement, saving family farmers more than $1 billion a year,” <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2016281218023571808">said</a> Trump.
The president also pushed the administration’s move to cut the electric vehicle mandate, which would have forced automakers to make over half the vehicles they sell electric by 2032, and support ethanol subsidies.
In the middle of the speech, the president brought on stage two workers in the service industry to <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2016286390359646491">tout</a> his tax legislation, in particular Trump’s campaign promise to end taxes on tips.
&#8220;Thanks to our tax cuts, millions of Americans will soon receive record-setting tax refunds—an average of more than $1,000. Think of that. $1,000 compared to last year.&#8221;
Trump also touched on a number of other issues, including foreign policy and health care. He also mentioned his deportation efforts, which have been under the microscope after a Border Patrol agent fatally shot anti-ICE activist Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
“They have to show that they can love our country, not hate our country. They have to show that they’re not going to blow up our shopping centers,” said Trump, talking about immigration into the country while his deportation agenda suffers complications over the tensions in Minnesota.
The president also <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2016289770956062865">threw</a> a barb at Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota: “They have to show that they can love our country. They have to be proud — not like Ilhan Omar.&#8221;

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