Tag: murder

DC crime eclipses Latin American capitals as Trump weighs federalizing the district

President Donald Trump’s threat to federalize Washington, D.C., should it fail to effectively deal with violent crime, comes as the city’s crime statistics show the American capital is less safe than many of the major cities of Latin America.

Washington, D.C., recorded 187 homicides in 2024 in a population of roughly 702,000. That total represents a murder rate of 26.6 per 100,000. That figure marked a 32% drop from 2023’s 274, when the rate was roughly 41 per 100,000.

Data from the Heritage Foundation shows that in 2023, D.C. had a homicide rate of 40.9 homicides per 100,000 residents and ranked fourth worst in the nation, behind only New Orleans (53.8), St. Louis (53.7), and Detroit (40.9). 

“If D.C. were a state, it would have the highest homicide rate of any state in the United States,” the conservative think-tank added. 

By way of comparison, the 2023 rate for Mexico City stood at about 8 per 100,000. Bogota, Colombia boasted a rate of 14 per 100,000 in 2023. Quito, Ecuador boasted a rate of 45 per 100,000, just slightly higher than D.C. in that year.

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New hate crime charges filed in killing of Israeli Embassy staffers, raising death penalty potential

D.C. federal prosecutors have filed federal hate crime and murder charges against the man accused of gunning down two Israeli Embassy staffers this spring, giving the Justice Department the option to pursue the death penalty in the case.

The newly unsealed indictment lays out the alleged digital footprint of Elias Rodriguez’s antisemitic views that prosecutors say fueled the deadly shooting of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah MilgrIm, a young couple who were days away from being engaged in Jerusalem.

The court documents include a “notice of special findings” that includes the potential for Mr. Rodriguez, 31, to receive the death penalty. 

Surveillance video showed Rodriguez advancing closer to Lischinsky and Milgrim as they fell to the ground, leaning over them and firing additional shots. He appeared to reload before jogging off, officials have said.

The defendant is accused of flying from Chicago to the District with his legally owned pistol to carry out the May 21 attack outside the Capital Jewish Museum. 

The new indictment says Mr. Rodriguez shouted “Free Palestine” when he shot the couple dead as they left the venue, according to court documents. 

Surveillance video allegedly captured Mr. Rodriguez standing over the victims and firing more shots into the couple after he initially downed them.

The filing said he then went inside the museum and claimed he killed the pair “for Gaza” and “for Palestine” while brandishing a red keffiyeh, a traditional Arabic scarf often associated with anti-Israel activists.

Mr. Rodriguez continued to shout “Free Palestine” during his arrest, the indictment said, and made statements about “intifada” and “revolution” as well. He also yelled  “shame on you” at event attendees inside the museum and “shame on Zio-nazi terror.”  

Old social media posts cited in court documents include a 2024 post that said “Happy New Year, Death To Israel.”

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Manhunt for former U.S. soldier suspected of murdering 4 in Montana continues into 3rd day

The manhunt for the suspect accused of killing four people at a Montana bar on Friday morning has intensified, with the search stretching into its third day as the suspect remains at large.

Authorities are continuing the rigorous search for 45-year-old Michael Paul Brown of Anaconda, the suspect who allegedly murdered a female bartender and three male patrons.

Brown, a former U.S. soldier, allegedly carried out the shooting with a rifle believed to be his personal weapon, according to Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen.

The shooting occurred at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, and law enforcement has yet to identify a motive.

“This is an unstable individual who walked in and murdered four people in cold blood for no reason whatsoever. So there absolutely is concern for the public,” Knudsen stated.

Law enforcement officials have since released surveillance video footage captured shortly after the shootings in which Brown appeared to be walking barefoot, wearing just his boxers.

Brown has since stolen a vehicle that contained camping gear, shoes, and clothing, according to law enforcement.

Meanwhile, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest announced on Saturday that over 16 square miles of the park will be closed through August 16th to “ensure public health and safety during the ongoing law enforcement investigation and search efforts to locate the suspect for the Anaconda murders.”

The Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Law Enforcement Center added that Brown is believed to be armed and dangerous.

“It’s a heavy and sad and intense time,” stated Anaconda resident Hope Hollingsworth. “This is hurting everyone. It’s just a beautiful and just a kind community that this is going to impact us for a long time.”

David Gwerder, the owner of the bar where the shooting occurred, revealed that Brown knew everyone at the venue during the time of the shooting.

“He didn’t have any running dispute with any of them. I just think he snapped,” Gwerder stated.

Additionally, Clare Boyle, Brown’s niece, added that her uncle had a history of mental health issues.

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Leftist WA activist raises $12,000 on GoFundMe for illegal immigrant wanted for murder in Mexico

A GoFundMe campaign raised over $12,000 for an illegal migrant referred to as “Paco,” who was detained last month by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Washington state. The campaign described the illegal immigrant as a friend and a hardworking business owner. However, it has since been revealed that “Paco’s” real identity is Yussef Zarate-Barbon, a Mexican national who is wanted in his home country for homicide.

The online fundraiser, created by leftist activist Carissa Miller, was amplified in a recent news article published in The Olympian, a local newspaper that did not include Zarate-Barbon’s past. Brandi Kruse, an independent journalist and host of the “UnDivided” podcast, was the first to report on the apprehended migrant’s true identity.

The GoFundMe campaign for “Paco” has since been shut down as of Tuesday. It read at the time: “On June 24th my close friend and neighbor, Paco, was abducted by ICE,” the fundraiser read. “He was pulled over while riding passenger and removed from the vehicle without a warrant or receiving any information about why he was being detained.”

“He is currently being held in the NW detention center and still hasn’t been told why he is being held,” the fundraiser continued. “Paco is a local business owner of a mechanic shop in Lacey as well as running a small organic farm, all of this on the books. He was the ‘bread winner’ for his family who are struggling to wrap up loose ends and shut down his business in his absence.”

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Exonerated Missouri woman sues police for conspiracy and coverup that put her in prison for 43 years

Sandra Hemme’s federal lawsuit accuses St. Joseph Police of suppressing and destroying evidence that pointed to a fellow officer who was guilty of the 1980 murder. Before being freed last year, Hemme served the longest sentence of any wrongly convicted woman in American history.

Sandra Hemme, the Missouri woman who spent 43 years in prison for a murder she did not commit, has sued the city of St. Joseph and eight police officers in a 10-count federal lawsuit alleging malicious prosecution, a coerced confession and conspiracy.

“There was never any objective evidence tying Plaintiff (Hemme) to the crime,” the lawsuit alleges.

The lawsuit also points the finger at a former police officer, Michael Holman, as the killer of librarian Patricia Jeschke in 1980.

“To protect Holman, the Defendants concealed evidence of his guilt and chose not to follow the evidence leading to Holman,” according to the lawsuit. Holman died in 2015.

Hemme served the longest sentence of any wrongly convicted woman in American history, her lawyers have said. She was finally exonerated and freed last year after a lengthy legal battle that saw the Missouri Attorney General fighting to overturn her innocence ruling.

A year ago, in July 2024, Livingston County Circuit Court Judge Ryan Horsman overturned Hemme’s conviction — writing that she was “the victim of a manifest injustice.”

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey battled all the way to the state Supreme Court to keep Hemme in prison. She won her final freedom after the Missouri Court of Appeals rejected all of Bailey’s arguments, and in March the Buchanan County prosecutor declined to refile charges.

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Suspect arrested in double homicide at Devil’s Den State Park

Authorities have arrested a suspect in the murders of Clinton David Brink, and Cristen Amanda Brink, at Devil’s Den State Park.

James Andrew McGann, 28, of Springdale was arrested by special agents of the Arkansas State Police on July 30.

The double homicide took place Saturday, July 26, 2025.

He was taken in at 4:57 p.m., on Wednesday, July 30, at a business location in Springdale.

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement following the arrest.

“No news can heal the enormous harm done to the Brink family in last weekend’s crime, but this announcement is a comfort and reassurance for our State. I am so proud of the Arkansas State Police, Park Rangers, local law enforcement, and others who have worked nonstop since last weekend to capture this suspect. I ask that Arkansans lift up prayers of thanks for the brave men and women of law enforcement – and offer prayers of condolence to the victims of this horrific crime. Let there be no mistake – we do not tolerate violent crime in Arkansas. If you target innocent people, law enforcement will hunt you down and bring you to justice.”

ASP Col. Mike Hagar added, “I’m extremely grateful for the long hours and dedication that our Agents put forward in bringing justice to this family,” ASP Col. Mike Hagar added.

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Arkansas State Police release police sketch of ‘person of interest’ in murder of couple at Devil’s Den Park

Arkansas State Police have released a sketch drawing of a person of interest in their search for the killer of a couple at Devil’s Den State Park. Their two young daughters, who were innocent bystanders at the time of the killings, were fortunately left unharmed.

On Monday, the department recently released a composite sketch depicting a man wearing a baseball hat. Police referred to the unidentified man as the “person of interest” in the case who was last seen in the park at the time of the murders.

Authorities described the suspect as a “White male with a medium build, who was seen wearing a long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up, dark pants, a dark ballcap, sunglasses and fingerless gloves who was also carrying a black backpack.”

Police noted that the suspect had been seen “driving toward a park exit in a black, four-door sedan” – possibly a Mazda with tape covering the license plate. The vehicle may have also been traveling on State Route 170 or 220, they added.

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CNN Slammed For Labeling Black NYC Shooter “Possibly White” In Latest Example Of Fake News Lies

Leftist mainstream media outlet CNN is being blasted online for falsely labeling black 27-year-old New York City gunman Shane Tamura, who killed three citizens and a police officer on Monday, a “possibly white” suspect.

A photo of the suspect that was going around during a manhunt while he was still on the loose and a copy of his concealed firearms permit clearly show a non-white male.

Meanwhile, CNN anchor Erin Burnett told viewers that police knew “he is, a male, possibly white. He’s wearing sunglasses.”

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Blackstone Executive Wesley LePatner Among the Four Victims Killed in Manhattan Shooting

New details have surfaced of one of the four victims in the tragic Manhattan shooting that occurred on Monday evening.

As The Gateway Pundit previously reported, 27-year-old Shane Tamura from Las Vegas has been identified as the shooter who opened fire on the 33rd floor of the Manhattan building that houses the NFL and Blackstone headquarters.

A new report by Blackstone has revealed that one of its executives was killed in the shooting.

In an announcement, Blackstone wrote, “We are heartbroken to share that our colleague, Wesley LePartner, was among those who lost their lives in the tragic incident at 345 Park Avenue.”

Per The New York Post:

A Blackstone executive was among the four people shot and killed by the crazed gunman who shot up a Midtown office building, the company confirmed Tuesday.

Married mom Wesley LePatner, a senior managing director for the financial giant, was shot and killed in the lobby of the ritzy Park Avenue office tower when Shane Tamura opened fire in anger at the NFL, which shares the same building.

“We are heartbroken to share that our colleague, Wesley LePartner, was among those who lost theor lives in the tragic incident at 345 Park Avenue,” Blackstone told The Post 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.”

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Nightmare in America’s Cities

“Chicago’s Worst Hoods at Night!”

“Chicago Gangs, Alleys and Guns at Night”

“Top 10 US Cities With the Most Dangerous Nighttime Vibe While Walking That I Have Visited”

I picked these titles at random from the popular YouTube channel of Charlie Moore, a former Detroit cop who films his drives through inner city urban areas. The Atlantic characterized these journeys as “hood safaris,” implying that it’s racist to document the unfathomable danger the residents of our most crime-ridden cities face every day, even though Moore himself is black. I challenge anyone to watch just one of these videos and not instead ask: How have we allowed parts of cities like Chicago to become more dangerous than actual war zones?

Although Barack Obama was not in the audience at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on July 23, during a conversation about Fox News contributor Gianno Caldwell’s new book, “The Day My Brother Was Murdered: My Journey Through America’s Violent Crime Crisis,” Caldwell directed a related question to the former president:

You’re from Chicago. You lived there for many, many years. You were president for eight years. How many times did he talk about Chicago and fixing the issues that exist there? We didn’t really hear him talk about that. Why? Why is that the case?

Obama and the Left’s silence on America’s crime crisis infuriates many of the fortunate among us who have never had to mourn a family member or friend lost to a stabbing or drive-by shooting. Just imagine how Caldwell feels. His youngest brother, Christian, was gunned down on Chicago’s South Side on June 24, 2022, when he was only 18 years old. Christian was not the intended victim, and his killers have still not been captured. 

On the same day as Christian’s death, 150 other people were murdered across the country. Caldwell shares the stories of eight of those victims in “The Day My Brother Was Murdered.” During the Q and A session at the Reagan Library, he mentioned the heartbreaking story of Cecelia Thomas:

Baby Cecelia was five months old on June 24. She was in a car with her parents up front — and her baby brother, three years old. They hear a pop. They thought it was fireworks. Baby Cecilia was shot in the head. She was four days away from being six months old.

The system should be working to bring justice to victims like Cecilia and her family. Instead, Caldwell says, it too often seems to be helping the criminals. Is that just an exaggeration? Well, consider the SAFE-T Act in Illinois, which eliminated cash bail throughout the state. Caldwell explained why the law is such welcome news for murderers:

So for doing things like murder, as an example, you may get an ankle monitor bracelet…and they will sit you at home. But the SAFE-T Act … created this new avenue for this ankle monitor bracelet. … The police can not respond to someone being out of range on their ankle monitor bracelet for 72 hours. You’ve killed the witness at that point! It’s insanity!

Not insane enough for you? How about the requirement that, when Chicago police officers witness a crime, they must get approval from their supervisor before chasing suspects on foot or by car? Unfortunately, this insanity is not confined to Chicago. While Caldwell called Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson even worse than his predecessor, Lori Lightfoot, he made clear that L.A.’s Karen Bass is clearly in the running for the worst city leader in America:

If people don’t believe that there is accountability … it is legitimately Gotham City, and in many cities across the nation that’s what we’re experiencing. … Karen Bass doesn’t believe in accountability, apparently. You saw what happened with the ICE protests — I mean, this is insane … This is completely political. They let people run wild and destroy their own neighborhoods. … How do you get justice by destroying your own stuff? You don’t.

And you won’t get justice as long as George Soros-funded prosecutors are in charge. These “terrible people,” as Caldwell described them, “have enabled an ideology” that has failed those who may not have started out as criminals but now see insane laws telling them they can do things like steal up to $950 worth of items without being stopped. When they realize they can get away with such crimes, some escalate to carjacking, robbery, and even murder.

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