A 31-year-old California man has been identified as the suspected gunman who triggered chaos at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Saturday night, forcing the evacuation of President Donald Trump and hundreds of high-profile guests from the Washington Hilton.
Law enforcement has identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, a resident of Torrance, California, with a background in engineering and education. Federal prosecutors say Allen <a href="https://x.com/USAttyPirro/status/2048246351230599633">has already been charged</a> with using a firearm during a crime of violence and assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon, with U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro adding that “many more charges” will be leveled at the man as the investigation continues.
Authorities say Allen forced his way through a security checkpoint just outside the ballroom where the annual dinner was underway Saturday night. The event, attended by roughly 2,000–2,500 guests including cabinet officials, journalists, and the First Lady, quickly descended into panic as Secret Service agents engaged the suspect.
“A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons, and he was taken down by some very brave members of the Secret Service,” Trump said shortly after the incident, later describing the attacker as a “would-be assassin.”
According to CBS News, Allen opened fire outside the ballroom where the president and other officials were gathered, discharging between five and eight rounds during the incident. The president and First Lady Melania Trump were safely evacuated, and no attendees suffered serious injuries.
At least one Secret Service agent was struck by gunfire but was protected by a ballistic vest and is expected to recover. Officials say the suspect was subdued at the scene and taken into custody without being fatally wounded.
<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/now/video/d-c-police-say-suspect-in-white-house-correspondents-dinner-shooting-appears-to-be-a-lone-actor-262130245620">Investigators</a> say Allen was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives. Washington, D.C., interim police chief Jeff Carroll confirmed the suspect was believed to have been staying at the hotel, giving him a potential pathway past earlier layers of security.
“At this point, it does appear he is a lone actor, a lone gunman,” Carroll said, noting the investigation remains ongoing.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran defended the response, emphasizing that the layered security posture functioned as intended in stopping the attacker before he could reach the main event space.
Still, the breach is likely to prompt renewed scrutiny of security protocols at major political gatherings, particularly given the high-profile nature of the correspondents’ dinner.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/26/correspondents-dinner-shooting-trump-blanche-00892236">said</a>, “It appears he purchased these firearms the past couple years. We don’t know how those firearms ended up in his possession in D.C.” Federal agents were seen conducting a search of his Torrance residence late Saturday night as part of the ongoing investigation.
Allen’s background adds another layer to the story. According to law enforcement sources, he earned a mechanical engineering degree from the California Institute of Technology in 2017 and later completed a master’s degree in computer science at California State University, Dominguez Hills. He was working as an instructor with C2 Education, a national tutoring and test preparation firm, and had been recognized internally as “Teacher of the Month” in late 2024.
Federal Election Commission records also show a $25 donation from an individual matching his profile to ActBlue, a major Democratic fundraising platform, in October 2024.
Authorities have also confirmed that Allen&#8217;s social media footprint included &#8220;anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric,&#8221; and he&#8217;d <a href="https://x.com/SteveGuest/status/2048399274799517950">shared posts</a> on leftwing site Bluesky calling for Trump to be &#8220;immediately removed from office and tried for high crimes.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Law enforcement confirmed to CBS that Cole Allen&#8217;s social media contained &#8220;anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/oTpT3vEjnr">pic.twitter.com/oTpT3vEjnr</a>
— Libby Emmons (@libbyemmons) <a href="https://twitter.com/libbyemmons/status/2048413833929130379?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Despite the emerging personal details, authorities have not established a definitive motive. Blanche said investigators believe Allen was targeting members of the Trump administration, though not any specific individual.
“He was trying to just breach his way in and take whoever he could,” one law enforcement source said.
Trump, for his part, downplayed any connection to ongoing geopolitical tensions, saying he did not believe the attack was linked to the U.S.-Israel conflict involving Iran.
The incident is the latest in a series of threats and attempted attacks targeting the president in recent years, underscoring persistent security concerns around major political events. Officials were quick to emphasize that the system ultimately worked, with the suspect stopped before reaching his intended target area.
Allen remains in federal custody and is expected to be arraigned in the coming days. Investigators continue to examine his movements, communications, and potential planning in the lead-up to the attack as authorities work to determine how the breach occurred and whether any warning signs were missed.

WHCD_Shooter

Here’s What We Know About WHCD Shooter Cole Tomas Allen

assassination attempt

Donald Trump

Politics

Shooting

Violence

Violent Crime

White House Correspondents’ Dinner

A gunman who appeared to be targeting his own &#8220;descendants&#8221; opened fire in three different homes across the city of Shreveport, Louisiana, on Saturday night — and was shot and killed after he attempted to carjack a vehicle in order to escape.
The suspect in the horrific murder spree was identified later in the day as 31-year-old U.S. Army veteran Shamar Elkins.
According to a <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/04/19/us-news/8-kids-ages-1-to-14-killed-in-mass-shootings-across-shreveport-louisiana/">report</a> published Sunday by The New York Post, Elkins shot ten people, eight of them fatally, in two homes on one street and one other home on a nearby street. The two survivors were adult women, and all eight of the deceased were children ranging in age from one year old to 14 years old. Some of the children are believed to be his.
&#8220;The individual responsible once leaving this scene performed a carjacking right here in close proximity to the corner of West 79th and Lynnwood, at which point in time, Shreveport police patrol officers got behind that vehicle in a chase incident,&#8221; Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Christopher Bordelon said during a press conference. The suspect was shot and killed by police.
&#8220;You have three different scenes, the shooting itself occurred just down the road over here, the 300 block of West 79th,” <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/louisiana-shreveport-mass-shooting-rcna340868">Bordelon added</a>. “There’s also another shooting related to this on Harrison Street, and then there’s an adjacent residence on West 79 where one of the victims ran to after the shooting.&#8221;
&#8220;This is an extensive scene unlike anything most of us have ever seen,&#8221; Police Chief Wayne Smith said, noting that the official crime scene included the scene of the carjacking in addition to the three homes.
&#8220;This is a tragic situation, maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had in Shreveport. So, right now we’re going to process the information and it&#8217;s in very good hands,&#8221; Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux said. &#8220;It’s a terrible morning.&#8221;
A motive for the shooting has not been determined, although several reports indicated that the suspect may have been involved with one of the women who was shot.

Shreveport shooting

Gunman Identified After Horrific Killing Spree Targeting ‘Descendants’

Louisiana

Mass Shooting

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>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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

Gun Violence

School Shooting

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

Principal Kirk Moore leapt into action when an armed former student walked into his school on Tuesday and opened fire, sustaining a bullet wound to the leg as he worked to disarm and then restrain him.
Moore, principal of Pauls Valley High School in Oklahoma, was the only person injured when former student Victor Hawkins, 20, entered the school on Tuesday afternoon armed with two semi-automatic handguns and immediately told everyone to &#8220;get on the ground.&#8221;
According to local NBC affiliate <a href="https://kfor.com/news/local/affidavit-pauls-valley-school-shooting-suspect-inspired-by-columbine-tried-to-shoot-multiple-students-before-shooting-principal/">KFOR</a>, Hawkins pointed a gun at a student in the entryway and pulled the trigger, but his firearm malfunctioned and he ducked behind a nearby vending machine in order to clear it. When he stepped out again, he fired at another student — but he missed, and the student put his hands in the air and asked him not to shoot again.
Hawkins, according to the report, then lowered his gun and told both students to get out — and they ran for the exit.
Upon hearing the commotion and the gunfire, Principal Moore came out of his office — and Hawkins fired again. Moore confronted the shooter directly and wrestled the firearm away, but took a bullet to the leg in the process. He and his assistant principal restrained Hawkins by lying on top of him, and were able to keep him restrained until law enforcement arrived.
Moore was flown to Oklahoma University Health in Oklahoma City, where he was treated for a gunshot wound to his leg and is expected to make a full recovery.
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) investigators interviewed the suspect, who said that his intent had been to shoot students, members of the faculty, and eventually himself. The firearms — which he had stolen from a closet — and the truck he had driven to the school belonged to his father.
In the interview, Hawkins also stated that he had intended to kill Principal Moore specifically, and that he&#8217;d &#8220;wanted to conduct his own school shooting like the Columbine shooters did.&#8221;
Hawkins was arrested and <a href="https://www.koco.com/article/victor-hawkins-pauls-valley-high-school-shooting-columbine-court/70966929">charged</a> with shooting with intent to kill, two counts of pointing a firearm and two counts of unlawful carry. He was booked at the Garvin County Jail, where he is being held on $1 million bond.
&#8220;Principal Moore acted bravely to protect students’ lives,” Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK) said. &#8220;Sarah and I are praying for his quick recovery. I’m thankful for the swift response from law enforcement and school staff, and I’m grateful no students were harmed.&#8221;

Pauls Valley High School

A Former Student Walked In Armed For A Massacre. Only His Principal Stood In The Way.

Armed Former Student Says Columbine 'Inspired' Him, But Principal Has Other Plans

Crime

High School

U.S.

The suspect in a brutal killing outside a Fort Myers, Florida, gas station has been captured, becoming another statistic in the national immigration debate, after federal officials confirmed the suspect had been released into the United States and later shielded from deportation.
Rolbert Joachim, a Haitian national, is accused of murdering Nilufa Easmin, known to friends and family as Yasmeen, by bludgeoning her with a hammer outside the Chevron station where she worked. The attack, captured on surveillance video, unfolded in broad daylight.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This criminal illegal alien from Haiti BARBARICALLY MURDERED an innocent woman by hitting her in the head multiple times with a hammer.
He was RELEASED into our nation by the Biden administration. Not only did they release this heinous murderer into our communities, but they… <a href="https://t.co/vbIKRNiIgx">https://t.co/vbIKRNiIgx</a> <a href="https://t.co/P6NgTzCUQy">pic.twitter.com/P6NgTzCUQy</a>
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/2041618194335769001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
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According to the Department of Homeland Security, Joachim first entered the U.S. in August 2022 and was “caught and released” at the border. Later that same year, an immigration judge issued a final order of removal against him. But instead of being deported, DHS says he was allowed to remain in the country under Temporary Protected Status, which expired in 2024.
“This illegal alien barbarically hit this woman in the head multiple times with a hammer,” said Acting DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “This heinous murderer was released into the country by the Biden administration. Not only did the administration release him, but they then gave him temporary protected status. Their reckless immigration policies cost this woman her life.”
Surveillance footage shows Joachim allegedly smashing a car windshield in the gas station parking lot. That vehicle, according to coworkers, belonged to Easmin. Moments later, she walked outside to confront him. He then rushed toward her and struck her in the head with a hammer. She collapsed, and investigators say he struck her repeatedly again.
Police launched an intensive manhunt, ultimately locating Joachim nearby. “I would just say one word — persistence,” a Fort Myers police official said. “We were not going home until we found him. We had a cop on every single block in the last confirmed area, and we used every resource — from aviation support to canine units to boots on the ground.”
Joachim is now in custody and being held without bond. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed a detainer on him, and DHS says he will be deported following the resolution of his case.
Neighbors described her as kind, devout, and consistent in her daily routine. “She was good,” said M.D. Islam, a local man who knew her. “She came and did her prayer in the morning … just minutes before the attack.”
“Everybody right now is sad,” Islam added. “Not only me or my Bangladeshi community — all of us. People around the world are very sad to see this news.”
A growing memorial now sits outside the gas station on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Highland Avenue, where flowers and candles mark the place where Easmin was killed.
But alongside mourning, the case is raising broader questions, particularly about how an individual ordered deported was able to remain in the country.
<a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2041599762844062049">According to DHS</a>, Joachim’s case reflects a wider system that has relied on release mechanisms and temporary protections rather than immediate removal. An immigration judge had already determined Joachim should be removed, yet he remained in the country for years after that order, long enough, tragically, for the April 3 killing to occur.
For neighbors like Islam, the policy debate is secondary to the senselessness of the violence. “I don’t know why some people become like this,” he said. “I cannot explain.”

AQMymWfnLG0bLnxDx2aRY8kifgIrXaWPMOXBRF6ErVWyhv_4T1FN5N15rCJ2Q4F1NfJxSYl8S62zr2310aPOa3ms_DrsPsPcmAtFwE0.00_00_05_11.Still002.jpg

Biden Admin Gave Illegal Haitian ‘Protected Status.’ Now He’s Accused Of Killing An Innocent Woman.

Haitian immigrants

illegal immigrant

Illegal Immigration

Fenway 1950s

This Viral Video Shows What We’ve Lost — And It’s Devastating

This Viral Video Shows What We've Lost — And It's Devastating

Boston

Boston Red Sox

Crime stats

demographics

Matt Walsh

Whites

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:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
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>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#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

More than 50 years after 17-year-old Laura Ann Aime first disappeared, DNA evidence confirmed that she died at the hands of notorious serial killer Ted Bundy.
&#8220;This case is now officially closed,&#8221; Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith announced on Wednesday, detailing during a news conference the process by which his department had been able to connect Bundy to the case.
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eT9GeOM67OY?si=8pfmniJYYKIWcAnq" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Aime <a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/2026/04/01/ted-bundy-killed-utah-teen-laura/">disappeared</a> on Halloween night in 1974, and her body was discovered in American Fork Canyon, near the Timpanogos Cave Visitor Center, about one month later — and police initially thought they were looking at the body of a different missing teen. Debra Kent, also 17, had gone missing in Bountiful on November 8. The body of 17-year-old Melissa Smith, whose father was the Midvale police chief, was discovered just weeks earlier.
The attempted kidnapping of a 19-year-old woman eventually led to Bundy&#8217;s arrest in 1975, but he could not be directly tied to Aime&#8217;s murder. While DNA evidence was recovered at the scene, the technology was not yet available that would have allowed investigators to separate mixed profiles in order to make an identification.
Bundy was never charged with Aime&#8217;s murder, but her family — and local authorities — believed that he was the most likely suspect. The notorious serial killer himself named Aime, and Kent, as well as his victims, in a confession prior to his 1989 execution in Florida — but no one was able to tie him directly to the physical evidence until recently.
Sheriff Smith cited &#8220;new forensic techniques&#8221; that allowed commingled DNA samples to be separated into individual profiles — techniques that Utah&#8217;s state crime lab was not able to make use of until 2023.
Once a male DNA profile was extracted from the sample in Aime&#8217;s case, it was entered into a database that included samples from all around the country. A hit on the profile in Florida led investigators to collaborate with the crime lab there, and together they connected the profile to Bundy.
In the state of Utah alone, Bundy is believed to have murdered at least five women — and as many as eight. He moved to Salt Lake City in 1974 to attend University of Utah&#8217;s law school, but prior to his arrival there, he had already killed at least nine women in the Pacific Northwest.

Close Up Portrait of Ted Bundy Waving

Five Decades After Her Murder, Evidence Now Points To Notorious Serial Killer

Five Decades After Her Murder, DNA Links Slain Teen To Notorious Serial Killer

Murder

Serial Killers

Utah

Senator Marsha Blackburn warned Memphis District Attorney Steve Mulroy on Tuesday not to impede the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on crime after data suggest his office released dozens of violent criminals in December 2025. 
“President Trump and his administration are working around the clock to make Memphis the safest city in America,&#8221; the Tennessee Republican wrote in a <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/3.10.26-Follow-up-Letter-to-DA-Mulroy2.pdf">letter</a> obtained by The Daily Wire, cosigned by Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor. &#8220;It is your obligation as Shelby County’s District Attorney to enforce Tennessee’s criminal code and hold violent criminals accountable — not to allow them to be released back onto the streets to reoffend.&#8221;
Data from the <a href="https://memphiscrimebeat.org/">Memphis Crime Beat</a>, a citizen-run website that tracks crime in the city, showed that only 84 defendants received prison time for the 514 “resolved” cases in December 2025. At the same time, Mulroy admitted to Blackburn in a March 6 <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/2026-03-06-SM-Response-to-Senate-Letter1.pdf">letter</a> obtained by The Daily Wire that 166 of the cases resolved in December were classified as violent offenses.
The rebuke comes amid a back-and-forth between Blackburn and Mulroy over the Democrats&#8217; “soft-on-crime” policies. Mulroy has long faced pressure from state and local Republican officials over his handling of crime. In recent years, Memphis has been ranked as one of the most crime-ridden cities in the country, with consistently high murder rates. The Trump administration has surged law enforcement to the city to assist in a federal operation to reduce crime in Memphis.  
The data team from Memphis Crime Beat found that in December 2025, there were 514 total cases resolved, including 144 cases where there was no prosecution. Of the other 370, 178 received a combination of suspended sentence and probation or probation, 84 received prison time, 63 received diversion, and 45 were released with time served, Memphis Crime Beat Executive Director Leslie Taylor noted in an analysis of the data.
“It would logically follow that, if there were only 84 defendants who received prison time in December 2025, but there were 166 violent cases in that same month, there appear to be dozens of violent criminal defendants — based on your own admission — that received no jail time in December 2025,” Blackburn and Sen. Taylor wrote.
Mulroy told Blackburn on March 6 that 166 of the 514 cases were “designated as ‘violent’ in our system.” He added that there were a total of 187 “serious” cases closed counting Class A, B, and C felonies. In Tennessee, a Class A felony has a prison range of 15 to 60 years, while a Class C felony has a range of three to 15 years. 
&#8220;Most of the cases the letter lists as receiving probation or diversion are either nonviolent cases, cases involving defendants without significant criminal histories, cases where defendants have already spent time (often significant time) in jail, or cases in which judges granted such relief without our agreement,&#8221; Mulroy added.
Blackburn’s letter asked for more information on how many of the 166 violent defendants were released onto the streets and how many of the violent or serious felony cases got diversion or probation. 
“We have made significant progress in making Memphis the safest city in the United States, and we will not allow you to stall the tremendous progress that the city of Memphis has made,” Blackburn said.
Mulroy has denied Blackburn&#8217;s claims that he is a George Soros-backed DA, despite the evidence that Soros <a href="https://www.actionnews5.com/2024/02/08/billionaire-behind-curtain-da-steve-mulroy-denies-funding-claims-after-billionaire-george-soros-revealed-possible-campaign-donor/">contributed</a> to a political action committee that backed his campaign. Senator Taylor, a Republican from Memphis, has attempted to remove Mulroy from office through the legislature.
Leslie Taylor, who said that crime data is often difficult to obtain, told The Daily Wire that what happens after someone is arrested is at least as important as the initial detainment 
“The most recent data from the Shelby County Jail shows that 80% of those booked into jail have been there before, and 49% have been in jail 6 or more times,” she said. “We are concerned that if criminals aren&#8217;t effectively prosecuted, we will be back to square one when federal resources are withdrawn.”

Examining the Live Entertainment Industry

Marsha Blackburn Warns Dem DA: Stop Releasing Dangerous Criminals

Marsha Blackburn

Memphis

Tennessee

Since Inauguration Day, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have been working nonstop to make America safe again. Thanks to their operations, the Trump administration has <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/12/10/thanks-president-trump-and-secretary-noem-more-25-million-illegal-aliens-left-us">deported more</a> than 600,000 illegal aliens, including predators, gang members, drug traffickers, and violent criminals. Another 1.9 million have chosen to self-deport rather than face arrest.
In Tennessee, we are seeing how these efforts are transforming communities for the better. ICE officers have played a vital role in President Trump’s Memphis Safe Task Force, helping restore law and order in a city that last year recorded the highest crime rate in the country. Since the task force launched in September, overall crime has dropped 44%, including a 70% reduction in car thefts and a 44% decline in murders.
In total, the task force has <a href="https://memphistn.gov/safedata/">conducted</a> more than 5,800 arrests, including hundreds of warrant arrests for domestic violence and aggravated assault and dozens more for narcotics, weapons, robbery, homicide, and sexual assault. Nearly 800 have been immigration arrests conducted by ICE officers, <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/10/20/dhs-law-enforcement-arrests-gang-members-pedophiles-drug-traffickers-part-president">apprehending</a> aliens charged with some of the worst crimes imaginable: child abuse, human trafficking, assaulting police officers, domestic violence, aggravated assault, drug dealing, and more.
A big part of this success: local, state, and federal law enforcement are working closely together to identify and detain criminals, including illegal aliens. In November, the Shelby County Sheriff <a href="https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/local/2025/11/05/shelby-county-memphis-tennessee-sheriff-signs-agreement-with-ice/87093263007/">signed a 287(g) agreement</a> that allows law enforcement to detain and transport illegal aliens wanted by ICE, serving as a model of what can be accomplished when authorities at all levels of government cooperate to enforce our immigration laws.
Beyond Memphis, ICE has detained dangerous criminals across Tennessee. Just last weekend, agents arrested a criminal meth dealer in Monroe County. In Nashville, agents have rounded up violent criminal illegal aliens, <a href="https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/8-venezuelan-illegal-aliens-ties-tren-da-aragua-are-charged-transnational-commercial">including Tren de Aragua gang members</a> who operated a transnational sex trafficking ring.
Operations like these are making communities safer for Tennesseans and Americans nationwide. Yet for months, Democrats have smeared these officers for doing their job and enforcing the law.
California Governor Gavin Newsom <a href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/immigration/newsom-justifies-no-secret-police-bill-prohibiting-ice-agents-from-wearing-masks/?ipid=promo-link-block1">compared</a> them to “secret police.” Minnesota’s Tim Walz <a href="https://x.com/AlphaNews/status/1923906506472243685?s=20">likened</a> them to “modern-day Gestapo.” Rep. Ilhan Omar (Minn.) <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/vile-lie-trump-official-drills-squad-member-anti-ice-post-attacks-increase">called</a> ICE’s operations “vile and beyond cruel,” while Rep. Rashida Tlaib (Mich.) <a href="https://x.com/RepRashida/status/1963246794638340238">claimed</a> agents are “turning our country into a fascist police state.”
This reckless rhetoric has put a target on the back of the brave men and women of ICE, <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/01/08/radical-rhetoric-sanctuary-politicians-leads-unprecedented-1300-increase-assaults">who are facing</a> a 1,300% increase in assaults over the last year. In response, far-Left activists have mobilized to disrupt lawful ICE operations, endangering both agents and the public. We saw this in Minneapolis, where 37-year-old Renee Good attempted to impede federal officers and hit an ICE agent — forcing the officer, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ice-agent-struck-by-renee-goods-vehicle-suffered-internal-bleeding-from-incident-dhs-says">who suffered internal bleeding</a>, to use lethal force to stop her.
This tragedy should have never happened. But instead of dialing back their incendiary language, Democrats have doubled down. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey instructed ICE agents to “get the f— out” of the city, and Minnesota is suing the Trump administration to block their law enforcement operations. In Congress, Democrats <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5685388-shutdown-threat-dhs-ice-funding/">are threatening</a> a partial government shutdown to block funding for the agency.
Some media outlets have only made matters worse by amplifying false narratives. Just this week in Tennessee, a local news outlet <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/01/13/us-news/new-police-dashcam-video-refutes-claims-that-cops-ran-over-man-at-rowdy-anti-ice-protest/">claimed</a> that state troopers ran over a man protesting ICE. Dashcam footage later showed that the protester flagged down the vehicle, bent down in front of it, and walked off unharmed.
The lies, slander, and mischaracterizations can’t hide the truth: ICE agents are putting their lives on the line every single day to protect the American people — from Memphis to Minneapolis and everywhere in between. And they deserve our full support as they uphold the rule of law.
* * *
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn represents the state of Tennessee and serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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Romy and Jake Reiner issued a joint statement from the family on Wednesday, marking the first time they&#8217;ve spoken publicly since the brutal murders of their parents, acclaimed Hollywood director Rob Reiner and producer Michele Singer Reiner.
&#8220;Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day. The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren&#8217;t just our parents; they were our best friends,&#8221; Jake, 34, and Romy, 28, said in the statement first published by <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/12/17/reiner-family-statement/">TMZ</a>.
&#8220;We are grateful for the outpouring of condolences, kindness, and support we have received not only from family and friends but people from all walks of life,&#8221; the statement continued. &#8220;We now ask for respect and privacy, for speculation to be tempered with compassion and humanity, and for our parents to be remembered for the incredible lives they lived and the love they gave.&#8221;
The statement came within hours of the first court appearance for their brother Nick, 32, who was arrested on Sunday and charged on Tuesday with two counts of first-degree murder, with special circumstances attached because there were multiple murders and he allegedly attacked with a deadly weapon.
During Reiner&#8217;s brief court appearance on Wednesday, he was seated behind glass and wore a suicide-prevention smock. The judge quickly ruled that no photos or videos could be taken of him during the proceedings.
Reiner, who was arrested hours after the bodies of his parents were found, did not enter a plea, and after confirming that the accused understood he was waiving his right to a &#8220;speedy&#8221; arraignment, the judge granted a continuance, pushing the arraignment until January 7, 2026.
He has retained high-powered defense attorney Alan Jackson, whose prior clients include actor Kevin Spacey and disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.

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