• The suspect in Charlie Kirk’s shooting death has been identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.
• During a Friday news conference, Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox said Robinson indicated to a family friend that he was connected to the shooting.
• President Donald Trump initially made the announcement about Robinson being in custody during an interview on FOX & Friends.

Charlie Kirk’s killer was arrested overnight in Utah, officials announced Friday morning. Tyler Robinson, 22, is in custody with the help of a family member and will face charges for murdering the conservative political activist earlier this week.

WE AS CHRISTIANS & AMERICANS SHALL FEAR NO MAN, JUSTICE WILL COME ONE WAY OR ANOTHER FROM GOD’S SOVEREIGN HANDS

Here are the latest updates for Friday, Sept. 12, 2025:

Robinson was engineering major, university says

12 p.m. ET: Utah State University announced Friday that Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old suspect arrested in the killing of Charlie Kirk, “briefly attended” classes there for one semester in 2021.

Robinson was a pre-engineering major and took classes consistent with that major for his one semester, Fox News Digital learned.

New details emerge about Tyler Robinson

11:30 a.m. ET: The Associated Press reported that Tyler James Robinson was admitted to Utah State University on an academic scholarship, according to a video of him reading his acceptance letter posted to a family member’s social media account. A university spokesperson told the AP he attended the school for only one semester in 2021.

Utah state records state Robinson was registered as a voter but not affiliated with either political party.

Mug shot of Tyler Robinson released

10:55 a.m. ET: Officials released a mugshot of Tyler Robinson, the shooting suspect in Charlie Kirk’s death.

Utah governor says Kirk assassination suspect is believed to have acted alone

10:45 a.m. ET: Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox says shooting suspect Tyler Robinson is believed to have acted alone, and the Charlie Kirk investigation is ongoing despite Robinson’s arrest.

FBI Director Kash Patel shares timeline of investigation

10:30 a.m. ET: The first FBI agents arrived on the scene at Utah Valley University some 16 minutes after Kirk was shot on Wednesday, FBI Director Kash Patel said at the news conference.

The bureau released the first photos of the suspect on Thursday morning, followed by the announcement of a cash reward and then the release of video of the suspect climbing down from the roof of a campus building and running away.

“Just last night, the suspect was taken into custody at 10 p.m. local time,” Patel announced.

Utah governor says Kirk’s assassination ‘is an attack on all of us’

10:26 a.m. ET: Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox said some people have asked why there have been so many resources dedicated to investigating Kirk’s killing when there’s violence around the country, but the governor said it is “much bigger than an attack on an individual. It is an attack on all of us.”

The Republican said Kirk’s killing is “an attack on the American experiment” and values, and “cuts to the very foundation of who we are.”

Details of messages on bullet casings revealed

10:25 a.m. ET: Bullet casings discovered by authorities had several inscriptions engraved on them, Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox said. The casing that had been fired read: “notices bulges OwO what’s this?”

• Cox said there were three unfired casings:
• One read, “hey fascist! catch!” with an up arrow symbol, right arrow symbol, and three down arrow symbols.
• Another one read: “oh bella ciao bella ciao bella ciao ciao ciao,” Cox said.
• The third fired casing read: “if you read this you are gay lmao.”

Kirk assassination suspect indicated to a family friend that he was connected to the shooting

10:15 a.m. ET: Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox opened the news conference on the latest developments in Charlie Kirk’s assassination with the statement, “We got him.”

Cox told reporters that Kirk assassination suspect Tyler Robinson indicated to a family friend that he was connected to the shooting.

The president talked about learning the news of Kirk’s assassination

9:50 a.m. ET: Near the end of his Fox News interview, President Donald Trump said he’d been holding a meeting about building the new White House ballroom when his aides interrupted.

“They came in and they said, ‘Charlie Kirk is dead.’ I didn’t know what they meant. I said, ‘What do you mean, dead?’” Trump said.

“‘Charlie Kirk was shot.’ And they thought it was dead because it was so horrific.”

Trump said he swiftly ended his meeting. “I just told these people, “Get out, you gotta go.”

Suspect in custody in connection with Charlie Kirk shooting is 22-year-old from Utah, AP source says

9:25 a.m. ET: The suspect in custody in connection with the assassination of Charlie Kirk is a 22-year-old from Utah, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.

Authorities have identified the suspect as Tyler Robinson, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.

A news conference is scheduled with the latest on Charlie Kirk investigation

9 a.m. ET: State and federal officials in Utah are planning to hold a news conference on the investigation.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason, FBI Director Kash Patel and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls are expected to attend.

Trump says Charlie Kirk shooting suspect in custody

8:15 a.m. ET: Trump confirmed the news during a Friday morning interview with FOX & Friends.

“I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody, right in custody. Everyone did a great job,” Trump said. 

“I just heard about it five minutes before I walked in. As I’m walking in, they said, ‘Looking real good.’ They have the person that they wanted.”

Sources told FOX News Friday that the suspected shooter was taken into custody in Southern Utah.

Federal investigators and state officials on Thursday had released photos and a video of the person they believe is responsible. Kirk was shot as he spoke to a crowd gathered in a courtyard at Utah Valley University in Orem.

More than 7,000 leads and tips had poured in, officials said. Authorities have yet to publicly name the suspect or cite a motive in the killing, the latest act of political violence to convulse the United States.

Video shows alleged gunman fleeing the scene

Dig deeper:

Law enforcement showed new video during a news conference on Thursday evening showing the alleged gunman fleeing from the scene after Kirk was shot.

In the video, a person wearing dark clothing is seen running across a rooftop and then climbing down the side. He is then seen running away from the scene.

Who was Charlie Kirk?

The backstory:

Kirk was the founder and executive director of Turning Point USA. Turning Point was founded in suburban Chicago in 2012 by Kirk, then 18, and William Montgomery, a tea party activist, to proselytize on college campuses for low taxes and limited government.

Kirk appeared alongside Trump on stage at political events, and was also a frequent commentator on Fox News, CNBC, and FOX Business News. He was the youngest speaker at the 2016 Republican National Convention.

Kirk played a major role in Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. He was credited with turning out the younger vote for Trump.

Tyler Robinson named suspect in Charlie Kirk shooting, how he was caught

Robinson was identified by his father in photographs released by auhtorities.

Authorities have taken into custody the person they suspect of shooting and killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Wednesday at a Utah university campus event.

Tyler Robinson, 22, was taken into custody in St. George, Utah, on Friday, authorities and sources told ABC News.

Robinson’s father recognized him as the person being sought by police after authorities distributed photographs.

The father initially told Robinson to turn himself in. Robinson initially said no, but later changed his mind, officials said.

The father then called a youth pastor, who is also a U.S. Marshals task force officer. The officer advised the father to have Robinson stay in place.

At a press conference on Friday, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Robinson had become more political in recent years, and engaged in a conversation with a family member about Kirk’s visit to the Utah Valley University campus the night before.

Cox also described what was engraved on the casings found on the scene.

The first casing, according to Cox, said “Notices Bulge OWO what’s this??”

The other three unfired casing said: “Hey fascist! CATCH!” with an arrow symbol pointing up, then to the right, and then three arrows pointing down, “O Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Ciao, ciao!,” and “If you read this, you are GAY Lmao.”

When law enforcement identified Robinson, they also interviewed Robinson’s roommate who showed them a message between Robinson and his roommate.

“The content of these messages included messages affiliated with the contact Tyler, stating a need to retrieve a rifle from a drop point, leaving the rifle in a bush,” Cox said. “Messages related to a to visually watching the area where a rifle was left, and a message referring to having left the rifle wrapped in a towel. The messages also referred to engraving bullets and a mention of a scope and the rifle being unique. Messages from the contact Tyler also mentioned that he had changed outfits.”

Cox said Robinson arrived on campus driving a gray Dodge Challenger, which matched his vehicle he arrived in on campus.

He also thanked Robinson’s family, “who did the right thing.”

FBI Director Kash Patel said that law enforcement caught Robinson within 33 hours of the shooting and was on scene within 16 minutes.

“This is a very much an ongoing investigation, as the governor said, and we will continue to work with state and local authorities to develop the investigation to provide them the evidence they need for their ongoing prosecutions,” Patel said.

Authorities and a former FBI agent previously said they believed the subject to be a college-aged individual with an apparent proficiency in handling a high-powered rifle and likely knew the layout of the university where the homicide occurred.

President Donald Trump initially announced the arrest, stating on “Fox and Friends” on Friday morning, “I think with high degree of certainty, we have him in custody.”

During a news conference on Thursday evening, state and federal officials released video of the person of interest jumping down from the roof of a building on the campus.

Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, said the suspect was wearing “distinct clothing” that could help in his identification, including Converse sneakers.

He said the person seen in the video jumping from the roof left shoe impressions and a palm print.

“We are investing everything we have into this and we will catch this individual,” Mason said at the news conference.

Authorities had received more than 7,000 tips and leads and completed some 200 interviews, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said.

During a news conference on Thursday morning, Robert Bohls, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office, said investigators believe they have recovered the weapon used in what the governor of Utah on Wednesday called a “political assassination.”

Bohls said the weapon, a high-powered bolt-action rifle, was found discarded in a wooded area near Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem, and is being analyzed at an FBI laboratory for any clues that can identify the gunman.

More specifically, multiple law enforcement sources with knowledge of the investigation told ABC News that the weapon is an older model imported Mauser .30-06 caliber bolt-action rifle that was found wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near the school. The sources said a spent cartridge was discovered in the chamber of the gun.

The gun and cartridges recovered are to be flown to the FBI’s main laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, for the most technologically advanced forensic analysis, law enforcement sources told ABC News. The focus is to look for any latent fingerprints and DNA, the sources said.

Investigators also collected a footwear impression, a palm print and forearm prints for analysis, Bohls said.

Mason said that investigators are also studying “good video footage” of the shooter that they have used to track his movements before and after the shooting.

Following Thursday’s news conference, the FBI in Salt Lake City released surveillance images of the person of interest wanted in connection with the shooting. The images show a person who appears to be a white male, wearing all dark clothing, including a dark long-sleeved collarless top with what appears to be an image on the front that includes an American flag. The man in the images is also wearing a dark ball cap and sunglasses.

The FBI announced a $100,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the capture of the suspect.

Mason said investigators believe the suspect arrived at the UVU campus at 11:52 a.m. local time, about 28 minutes before Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative grass roots organization Turning Point USA, was shot. He said the deadly shot was fired from a building a substantial distance from where Kirk was speaking to a crowd, authorities estimate was about 3,000 people. He did not disclose which building the shooter fired from.

“We have tracked his movements onto the campus, through stairwells, up to the roof, across the roof to the shooting location,” Mason said. “After the shooting, we were able to track his movements as he moved to the other side of the building, jumped off of the building, and fled off of the campus into a neighborhood.”

He said investigators combed the neighborhood for the suspect and contacted residents with doorbell cameras to analyze.

“The individual appears to be of college age,” said Mason, adding that the person of interest “blended in well with the college institution.”

Brad Garrett, a retired FBI agent and an ABC News contributor, said the evidence investigators have shared so far paints a picture of a suspect who planned the shooting down to the last detail, including discarding the possible murder weapon along his escape path.

“He probably did that [because] he didn’t want to be seen carrying a weapon, running through a neighborhood, or walking through a neighborhood,” Garrett said.

Garrett said the discovery of the weapon is a major clue that will give investigators additional leads to track down.

“Where did it come from? It could very well be registered or purchased by this shooter. We’ll have to see,” Garrett said. “Was it stolen? Whatever it might be, the ATF [the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives] will help them immediately, and they probably already know what that is.”

WE HERE AT GOOD SHEPHERD NEWS MEDIA BELIEVE ITS IS OUR OPINION BASED ON THE VIDEO BELOW THAT THE KILLER HAD PARTNERS ON THE INSIDE

Its with our deepest regrets to reports such a heinous evil crime, our Christian Brother CHARLIE KIRK has PASSED, Our prayers go out to our  heavenly father to take Charlie Kirk into heaven, to forgive him of any transgressions he may have done so that he may be in heaven with you father, IN JESUS MIGHTY NAME, AMEN

Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and close ally of President Donald Trump, was shot and killed Wednesday at a Utah college event in an act that drew renewed attention to the threat of political violence across the United States.

The death was announced on social media by Trump, who praised the 31-year-old Kirk, the co-founder and CEO of the youth organization Turning Point USA, as “Great, and even Legendary.”

“No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie,” Trump posted on his Truth Social account.

The suspected shooter has not been arrested, Orem, Utah, Mayor David Young said. A person who was taken into custody by law enforcement at the university where Kirk was speaking was not the suspect, according to a person familiar with the investigation who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Videos posted to social media from Utah Valley University show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone while sitting under a white tent emblazoned with the slogans “The American Comeback” and “Prove Me Wrong.” A single shot rings out and Kirk can be seen reaching up with his right hand as a large volume of blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators are heard gasping and screaming before people start to run away. The AP was able to confirm the videos were taken at Sorensen Center courtyard on the Utah Valley University campus.

“We are confirming that he was shot and we are praying for Charlie,” said Aubrey Laitsch, public relations manager for Turning Point USA.

Kirk was speaking at a debate hosted by his nonprofit political organization. Immediately before the shooting, Kirk was taking questions for an audience member about mass shootings and gun violence.

“Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?” an audience members asked. Kirk responded: “Too many.”

The questioner followed up: “Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?”

“Counting or not counting gang violence?” Kirk asked.

Then a single shot rang out.

The event had been met with divided opinions on campus. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry, and constructive dialogue.”

Last week, Kirk posted on X images of news clips showing his visit to Utah colleges was sparking controversy. He wrote, “What’s going on in Utah?”

Trump and a host of Republican and Democratic elected officials decried the shooting and offered prayers for Kirk on social media.

“We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!” Trump posted on Truth Social.

The shooting comes amid a spike in political violence in the United States across all parts of the ideological spectrum. The attacks include the assassination of a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband at their house in June, the firebombing of a Colorado parade to demand Hamas release hostages, and a fire set at the house of Pennsylvania’s governor, who is Jewish, in April. The most notorious of these events is the shooting of Trump during a campaign rally last year.

Former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz, a Republican who was at the event, said in an interview on Fox News Channel that he heard one shot and saw Kirk go back.

“It seemed like it was a close shot,” Chaffetz said, who seemed shaken as he spoke.

He said there was a light police presence at the event and Kirk had some security but not enough.

“Utah is one of the safest places on the planet,” he said. “And so we just don’t have these types of things.”

Turning Point was founded in suburban Chicago in 2012 by Kirk, then 18, and William Montgomery, a tea party activist, to proselytize on college campuses for low taxes and limited government. It was not an immediate success.

But Kirk’s zeal for confronting liberals in academia eventually won over an influential set of conservative financiers.

Despite early misgivings, Turning Point enthusiastically backed Trump after he clinched the GOP nomination in 2016. Kirk served as a personal aide to Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, during the general election campaign.

Soon, Kirk was a regular presence on cable TV, where he leaned into the culture wars and heaped praise on the then-president. Trump and his son were equally effusive and often spoke at Turning Point conferences.

Charlie Kirk Shot at Utah University Multiple Times – PRAYERS for CHARLIE KIRK

At Least Two Children Killed in Minneapolis Catholic School Shooting

Suspect was deceased; police reported 17 others were injured, including 14 children

Fast Facts

• Brian O’Hara, Minneapolis Police Chief, confirms 2 children, aged 8 and 10, died in Annunciation Catholic Church shooting as they sat in pews
• 17 people, including 14 children, were injured in mass shooting on Wednesday
• O’Hara told reporters during a press conference Wednesday that police believe the shooter used three weapons, a rifle, shotgun and pistol
• Suspect took own life in rear of church, O’Hara said
• Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz acknowledged the incident on X, expressing concern and offering prayers for the affected students and teachers
• Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that the Department of Homeland Security is actively monitoring the situation
• Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is actively monitoring the situation, coordinating with Police Chief O’Hara and the emergency response team
• ATF agents from the St. Paul Office responded to the active shooter situation at Annunciation Church

Witnesses describe gunfire at Minneapolis shooting: ‘Went on for eternity’

Retired FBI agent breaks down response to Catholic school shooting

A retired FBI special agent said law enforcement’s mission in response to the Minnesota Catholic school shooting was “get to the school as fast as possible and stop the shooter.”

“Officers entered the building not knowing what they would face,” Jason Pack told Fox News Digital.Pack added that “those first minutes are confusion and noise, but training takes over.”

“Secure the scene. Protect the children. Save lives.”

Officials in Minneapolis confirmed that the shooter was dead and took his own life.

Pack said now the investigation shifts to gathering shell casings, reviewing security footage, tracing the firearms and interviewing witnesses.

He added that investigators will also look at the suspect’s past to understand warning signs and whether others were involved.“The main question they are answering, ‘Why would someone do this?’” Pack said.

DNC chair interrupts major party meeting to announce mass shooting miles away

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin interrupted his party’s summer meeting Wednesday in Minneapolis to announce the mass shooting in the same city.

“I just want to announce some news. I’m not trying to startle or shock any of you. It’s shocking to me. There is an active shooter, here in Minneapolis. Right now, an unknown amount of victims at a church and school,” Martin, who is from Minneapolis himself, told the audience.

“EMS has requested mass casualty responders, if, any of you, doctors, nurses and otherwise, responders, first responders, that could help. It seems to be a fairly significant shooting,” he added.

Police later said two children were killed and 17 other people – including 14 children – were injured in the shooting during a mass at the Annunciation Catholic School.

9 children, aged 6 to 14, being treated at Hennepin County Medical Center

Nine of the children injured in a shooting at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on Wednesday were being treated at a hospital, with four requiring surgeries, a hospital official told reporters.

Tom Wyatt, chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Hennepin Healthcare said 11 patients were brought to the Hennepin County Medical Center, including two adults and nine children aged between 6 and 14.

There were no fatalities among the 11 patients being treated there as of Wednesday afternoon, he said, adding that several of the children were in critical condition and required surgery.

“I can’t get into specifics, but we are dealing with gunshot wound injuries from apparently a high velocity weapon,” Wyatt said. “And, you know, gunshot wounds can be very problematic because it can involve multiple body systems.”

Wyatt said that he believed other non-critical victims were brought to other area hospitals.

Vice President Vance encourages Americans to pray for shooting victims

Police confirm two children killed, 17 others injured in shooting

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed on Wednesday that two children were killed and 17 others were injured, 14 of whom were children.

“The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible,” O’Hara said while addressing reporters.

Additionally, O’Hara said police believe the assailant took his own life. The suspect is believed to have shot through the church windows into the area where the children were praying. He was confirmed to have a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol.

There was a smoke bomb found at the scene.

Schumer, Jeffries call Minneapolis Catholic school shooting ‘horrifying’

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer listens as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) speaks, during a press conference addressing the appropriations process at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on July 22, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., are among the Democratic lawmakers sharing their reactions to the shooting at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on Wednesday.

“I’m horrified by the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis and closely monitoring the situation,” Schumer wrote on X. “I’m thankful for the first responders on the scene. Students and teachers should not be putting their lives on the line just by going back to school. We must do more to stop gun violence in America.”

Jeffries similarly called the Catholic school shooting “horrifying.”

“Praying for the children, families and first responders during this moment of terror and unimaginable grief,” he wrote on X, in part. “Weapons of war have no place in our neighborhoods, streets or schools.”

Hennepin County Attorney releases statement on Minneapolis Catholic school shooting

 

Six children being treated at Children’s Minnesota Hospital

 

Federal source says ‘mostly children’ among over a dozen injured in Minneapolis school shooting

Law enforcement officers gather outside the Annunciation Church’s school in response to a reported mass shooting, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

 

A federal source on the ground in Minneapolis confirmed to Fox News that an estimated 15 to 20 people were injured in a shooting at the Annunciation Catholic School.

Another federal source told Fox News Digital that there were 20 injured, and were “mostly children.”

It was not immediately clear whether there were any fatalities.

 

Minneapolis Catholic school targeted in shooting, prompting massive police response

A shooting was reported Wednesday at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, according to the state’s governor, Tim Walz.

Walz wrote on X that “I’ve been briefed on a shooting at Annunciation Catholic School” and “I’m praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence.”

The Minneapolis Police Department shared a message from the city of Minneapolis confirming “there is no active threat to the community at this time” and “the shooter is contained.” Sources told Fox 9 that the suspect – who has not been publicly identified – is deceased. source

 

IT SADDENS US TO REPORT THIS…May God ease the pain of the parents and take this innocent child unto his arms in heaven. in Jesus name Amen

9-year-old Canadian tourist Melina Frattolin found dead in NY after dad claimed she was kidnapped: cops

A 9-year-old Canadian tourist was found dead in upstate New York Sunday afternoon — hours after an apparently bogus kidnapping report from her father, cops said.

Melina Galanis Frattolin’s body was recovered in Ticonderoga, New York – roughly 30 miles away from Lake George, where her father originally reported she was last seen.

Authorities had issued an amber alert citing her “imminent danger” of being harmed or killed earlier Sunday.

However, there was apparently no real abduction during the entire ordeal, authorities said.

Melina’s father, Luciano Frattolin, 45, called the Warren County Sheriff’s Office at 9:58 p.m. Saturday evening reporting his daughter’s disappearance, noting a possible abduction, according to police.

Both Frattolins are residents of Canada, according to the New York State Police. 

While the WCSO was leading the investigation, authorities found “inconsistencies in the father’s account of events and the timeline he provided,” according to the NYSP.

The investigation was soon turned over to the NYSP “due to jurisdictional considerations.”

The NYSP determined that there was no indication of an abduction.

On Sunday morning, State Police activated an amber alert for Melina around four hours after she was reported missing along with a description. It was later cancelled at 4:18 p.m.

“The child was taken under circumstances that lead police to believe that they are in imminent danger of serious bodily harm and/or death,” the alert read. source

 

LOS ANGELES – Three sheriff’s deputies who were members of the Special Enforcement Bureau’s Arson Explosives Detail were killed following an explosion at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Biscailuz Center Training Academy in East Los Angeles Friday morning, officials said.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to a report of an explosion around 7:25 a.m. at the facility located in the 1000 block of Eastern Avenue, near the 710 Freeway.

The training center was evacuated and roads in the area were closed as the investigation continued. The impact of the explosion was so powerful it broke the windows of patrol cars in the parking lot.

The facility serves the sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau and Arson/Explosives Detail.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking into the post-blast investigation and is being assisted by the ATF, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said during a news conference on Friday.

“There’s a lot more that we don’t know than what we do know. But our intent is to look at this from the very beginning and figure out what is it exactly that caused this tragic event,” Luna said.

LA deputies killed in explosion had long history with the department

Former LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said the three deputies killed Friday in an explosion at an East LA training facility had decades of experience with the department. Today’s tragedy is the worst loss of life incident for LASD since 1857.

Explosion at training facility

What we don’t know:

While the official cause of the explosion is under investigation, preliminary information indicates this was a possible training accident.

It’s unclear what type of explosive materials were being handled by the deputies.

The deputies were identified as detectives Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus and William Osborn. They were all assigned to the Special Enforcement Bureau’s Arson Explosives Detail, according to the department.

Luna said the deputies had a combined 74 years of service between them at 19 years, 22 years and 33 years.

LASD deputies killed in explosion identified

Three LASD deputies were killed in an explosion in East LA on Friday. Detectives Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus and William Osborn had decades of experience in the department.

“I have met with two of the three families thus far. And as you can imagine, those were extremely challenging conversations,” Luna said, holding back tears.

The deputies had 20 plus years of experience in the field of arson/explosives. Two of the deputies provided security for the LA County Board of Supervisors.

Link to Santa Monica apartment

According to law enforcement, the deadly explosion may be linked to a Santa Monica apartment complex.

Officials say on Wednesday construction workers were installing EV chargers when they found grenades in a former tenant’s personal storage unit. The bomb squad was then called in. LASD officials say the grenades found at the apartment, located at 821 Bay Street, were related to today’s explosion. LASD homicide investigators were at the apartment Friday afternoon.

Santa Monica investigation tied to LASD explosion

Bomb squad investigators at a Santa Monica apartment building found what appeared to be grenades. The alleged grenades may be connected to the explosion at a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department training facility that killed three deputies.

This is the largest loss of life for the LA County Sheriff’s Department since an ambush in 1857. In terms of explosives, in 1986 two LAPD bomb squad members were killed in an explosion in North Hollywood.

A procession was held around 5 p.m. Friday, transferring the deputies’ bodies from the training center to the medical examiner’s office. Dozens of sheriff’s deputies stood in formation and saluted as the bodies were carried to a trio of medical examiner vans.

What they’re saying:

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi was among the first federal officials to comment, saying on X that she had spoken with both Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna and U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. She also confirmed that the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were assisting with the investigation.

Los Angeles County Supervisors Hilda L. Solis, Kathryn Barger and Janice Hahn all expressed sorrow and support following the explosion. Solis said she was deeply saddened by the loss and is in contact with Sheriff Robert Luna. Barger also expressed sympathy and said her thoughts are with the department and victims’ families. Hahn called the deadly explosion “an extraordinarily painful day.”

LA Mayor Karen Bass said the city was supporting the tragic incident and that LAFD arson investigators and LAPD bomb squad personnel are assisting as needed.

“The thoughts of all Angelenos are with all of these impacted by this blast,” the Mayor said on X.

Sen. Adam Schiff called the incident “an unbelievable tragedy” and added that he is “praying for the deputies’ families and every member of the sheriff’s office.”

Los Angeles-area U.S. Rep. Judy Chu said on X that she was “heartbroken by the tragic news of the explosion at the @LASDHQ training facility in Monterey Park that claimed the lives of three brave deputies.”

“I am monitoring the situation closely,” she wrote. My deepest condolences go out to the families, friends and fellow law enforcement officers mourning this unimaginable loss.

National security expert provides insight

What we know:

National security expert Hal Kempfer, who has worked previously with the LASD, called the situation “a horrific thing to see.”

“They are probably one of the best trained, most professional, special operations, law enforcement organizations in the country and the world,” he said. “So for something like this to happen, they’re gonna be looking at this very closely and trying to figure out what exactly occurred.”

Regarding the cause, Kempfer said it seems the deputies were transporting explosive materials when the incident occurred.

“It just tells me that probably they were transporting or storing something and something went horribly wrong,” he said. “Frankly, things do go wrong with demolitions. You take a lot of precautions and everything, but it’s dangerous work, dangerous training, dangerous business, and sometimes accidents do occur.”

Kempfer described the possible situation that may have unfolded.

“It would make sense that you’d have a driver and an assistant driver in a vehicle moving this, but because it is dangerous explosives, there may have been a couple of other deputies assigned to provide security in case anything happened along the way, and that might explain why you have four deputies involved,” he said.

“You know the driver sees things, but the assistant driver is an extra pair of eyes. And obviously with something like, you know, if you’re moving a load like this, you absolutely want to be extremely cautious about what you’re doing. So you need that extra set of eyes, but then of course, if anybody from the outside had knowledge that this was a load of explosives being moved, obviously that would make it a potential target for pilferage or worse. So you’d probably want some security as well. On the other hand, it could have been that they were moving to a range or something like that or moving to another facility. And it just happened that there were, you know, four deputies total because of whatever they were planning to do.”

As ar as the protocol goes, Kempfer said it all depends on the amount of explosives that are being moved.

“If you’re moving a few flashbangs, you’re not going to have four deputies needed for that,” he said. “But if you are moving a larger load of explosives, and it could be explosives that were tied to evidence, this could be a part of a seizure, and that would make sense to me if it was part of a seizure because a lot of times when you recover explosives from a crime scene, they’re not necessarily in as good a shape as the stuff that you would normally use. They may be less stable, they may be old, there may be a lot of problems,” he added.

Kempfer said it was “improbable, if not impossible” that the deputies did not know the materials were explosive or active.

“If this was something where someone had secretly planted explosives, that would be a different situation. It sounds like they were just simply moving explosive material and it sounds like a tragic accident,” he said. “Things just sometimes go horribly wrong with explosive materials.”

Explosion claimed lives of three veteran officers who had responded to Santa Monica call the day before

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has identified the three deputies killed in Friday’s training facility explosion at an East Los Angeles County training site.

The devastating explosion has been considered one of the agency’s deadliest internal tragedies in years.

The blast happened just after 7:30 a.m., claiming the lives of Deputies Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus, and William Osborn. All three men were assigned to the Special Enforcement Bureau’s Arson Explosives Detail and were described as brave men who served with honor, courage, and an unwavering commitment to protecting and serving the community, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.

“There are no words to express the pain and sorrow we feel,” said Sheriff Robert Luna. “These heroes represented the best of our Department, exemplifying courage, integrity, and selfless service. This is not only a heartbreaking loss for their families, but for all of us.”

A map shows the approximate location of the explosion.

The fallen deputies had a combined 74 years of service, according to Luna.

The LASD released a statement Friday evening highlighting the service histories of the deputies and each showed a long record of dedication, specialized training, and service across high-risk assignments.

Detective Kelley-Eklund later promoted to the rank of Detective at Narcotics Bureau in 2016 where he was assigned to the LA Impact Team investigating complex crimes, seizing large quantities of narcotics, and assisting in the arrests of murder suspects.  (Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department)

Detective Steven Kelley-Eklund joined LASD in 2006 but served at multiple facilities before becoming a Field Training Officer at South LA Station. Kelley-Elund was promoted to Detective with the Narcotics Bureau in 2016 and worked with major investigations and arrests. He became a certified Arson and Explosive Investigator in 2022. He is survived by his wife, Jessica, and their seven children.

Detective Victor Lemus completed the Deputy Sheriff   as a part of Class 339 in 2003 before he was assigned to Twin Towers Correctional Facility where he ran on the Baker to Vegas running team.  (Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department)

Detective Victor Lemus began his career at LASD in 2003 where he served at Twin Towers and Century Station. Lemus reportedly excelled as a Senior Training Officer and Detective. He was also touted as a decorated Baker to Vegas runner and a K-9 handler.  He joined the Arson and Explosives Unit in 2023. He is survived by his wife, Detective Nancy Lemus, their three daughters, and several family members also serving with LASD.

Detective William Osborn was an Arson investigator, he handled cases involving high dollar loss fires in residential properties, as well as fires involving the loss of life.  He was a peer leader and took on the role of mentoring newly assigned investigators.  (Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department)

Detective William Osborn served in patrol, investigations, and training roles across the county and graduated in 1992. He was purportedly a longtime detective with a deep passion for investigative work.  Osborn joined the Arson and Explosive Unit in 2019 and was well-known for being a mentor and his expertise. He was also a trusted leader in the bomb technician community.

LASD officials told Fox News Digital that the same deputies responded to a call Thursday at a complex in Santa Monica where they assisted the local police department in seizing explosives.

The incident is still under investigation, and it is unclear if the deputies were examining the explosives at the time of the blast.

3 LA sheriff’s deputies killed in explosion; probe possibly tied to Santa Monica apartment

An explosion at a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department training facility Friday morning left three deputies dead. (KTTV)

LASD say homicide detectives are in the process of obtaining a search warrant for the Santa Monica location and “out of the abundance of caution,” the LAPD bomb squad, L.A. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Los Angeles will search the location for any potential explosive materials.

“At this time, it is not determined if the devices found yesterday have any correlation to today’s critical incident,” officials wrote in a statement to Fox Digital. “Santa Monica PD is assisting the Sheriff’s Department in this incident and have evacuated the residents in the complex. They are in the process of locating a shelter for displaced residents.”

Details regarding a memorial service for the deputies will be released soon, according to LASD.

A Hollywood 7-Eleven employee has died after she was allegedly attacked by her store manager during a shift last week, according to her family.

It was around 2:15 p.m. on June 24, according to the Los Angeles Police Department, when officers from the Wilshire Division responded to a call about a felony battery at the convenience store on the 5700 block of Melrose Avenue.

LAPD said an altercation happened between a female victim and a female suspect, where they got into a verbal argument that turned physical. Officers arrived to find a woman in her 20s unconscious on the floor with critical injuries. She was rushed to a hospital, but police say the suspect had fled the scene before authorities arrived. No arrests have been announced as of June 30.

Family members identified the victim as Jessica McLaughlin. Her brother, Sean McLaughlin, told KTLA that Jessica was nearing the end of her shift when the assistant manager began antagonizing her and threw a bottle at her. The situation then escalated, he said.

Other employees told the family that the manager had pinned Jessica to the ground and straddled her, causing her to lose oxygen and ultimately lose consciousness. The assistant manager then allegedly attempted to delete the store’s surveillance footage before fleeing on a bicycle, according to Sean.

Doctors purportedly told the family that the lack of oxygen caused irreversible brain damage. Jessica was declared clinically dead, and her family has planned to take her off life support Tuesday or Wednesday, pending funeral arrangements. She had reportedly told loved ones before the incident that she had been experiencing bullying at work.

Jessica’s father has remained at her side at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital, where the family is grieving and calling for justice.

Sean McLaughlin launched a GoFundMe to raise money for Jessica’s funeral, writing: “Jessica McLaughlin is my sister — but she’s so much more than that. She’s a daughter, a best friend, and the kind of auntie every kid dreams of having. … She had such a beautiful soul and deserved so much better than the way her life was taken from her.”

He described how coworkers attempted to give Jessica CPR after the attack, but the damage was already done.

“Doctors and detectives later confirmed what we already knew in our hearts — Jessica didn’t do anything wrong. She was the victim, and this attack should have never happened,” he wrote.

“Now we’re trying to give her the goodbye she deserves. … If you can help — whether it’s by donating or just sharing this — it would mean everything to us.”

News has reached out to 7-Eleven regarding this incident and is awaiting a response. The investigation remains ongoing, and LAPD is still searching for the suspect. source

BOISE, Idaho  — Firefighters were ambushed by sniper fire while responding to a blaze in a northern Idaho mountain community Sunday, killing at least two people and unleashing barrages of gunfire over several hours in an attack the governor called a “heinous” assault.

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office said crews responded to a fire at Canfield Mountain just north of Coeur d’Alene around 1:30 p.m., and gunshots were reported about a half hour later.

Sheriff Bob Norris said officials believe the two people killed were fire personnel. He didn’t know if anyone else was shot.

“We don’t know how many suspects are up there, and we don’t know how many casualties there are,” Norris told reporters at a 4:30 p.m. news conference. “We are actively taking sniper fire as we speak.”

People are still coming off the mountain, the sheriff said, so it “would be safe to assume” that others were still up there.

Gov. Brad Little said “multiple” firefighters were attacked.

“This is a heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters,” Little said on the social platform X. “I ask all Idahoans to pray for them and their families as we wait to learn more.”

Norris said it appeared the sniper was hiding in the rugged terrain and using a high-powered rifle. He said he instructed deputies to fire back.

“I’m hoping that somebody has a clear shot and is able to neutralize, because they’re not at this point in time showing any evidence of wanting to surrender,” the sheriff said.

An alert by the Kootenai County Emergency Management Office asked people to avoid the area around Canfield Mountain Trailhead and Nettleton Gulch Road, about 4 miles (6.5 km) north of downtown Coeur d’Alene.

The fire was still active, Norris said.

“It’s going to keep burning,” he said. “Can’t put any resources on it right now.”

The FBI has responded to the scene with technical teams and tactical support, Deputy Director Dan Bongino said.

“It remains an active, and very dangerous scene,” he wrote in a post on X.

Coeur d’Alene is a city of 55,000 residents near the border with Washington. Canfield Mountain is a popular hiking and biking area on the outskirts, covered with trees and heavy brush and crisscrossed with trails. source

The gunman shouted “Free Palestine” as he was being arrested, law enforcement officials said.

Two staff members of Israel’s embassy in Washington, D.C., were shot dead outside the district’s Capital Jewish Museum on Wednesday night, officials said.

The suspect shouted “Free, free Palestine” while in police custody and “implied” that he committed the shooting, Washington Police Chief Pamela Smith said. He was identified as Elias Rodriguez, in his early 30s, of Chicago.

In custody, he told authorities where he discarded the weapon, Smith added. Mayor Muriel Bowser said there was no active threat to the community following the arrest. There have so far been no charges.

The victims were named by the embassy as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim. Earlier, Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, said they were a couple on a night out and were about to get engaged.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has directed security increases for Israeli missions and representatives around the world.

He offered his condolences to the victims, saying, “My heart grieves for the families of the young beloveds, whose lives were cut short in a moment by an abhorrent antisemitic murderer.”

The victims were leaving the museum, where an event was being held, when they were gunned down around 9 p.m., Leiter said. Ted Deutch, CEO of the American Jewish Committee, confirmed in a statement that the group was hosting the gathering.

The man had been pacing back and forth outside the museum when he approached a group of four and opened fire using a handgun, Smith said. He then entered the building, where he was detained by security, she said.

A spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in Washington, Tal Naim Cohen, described the victims as two staff members, adding that they “were shot this evening at close range while attending a Jewish event.”

Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, called the incident a “depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism.”

“Harming the Jewish community is crossing a red line,” he said on X.

The organizer of the event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington last night said she spoke to the man suspected of killing two people moments after the shooting — without realizing he would be accused of carrying out the attack.

Sky News, Jojo Drake Kalin said she mistook the suspected shooter for a bystander when he entered the building, offering him water because he seemed “distraught.”

“I actually offered and gave him water, unbeknownst to me that I was actually looking evil in the eye,” Kalin said. “There was commotion and a frenzy, but no one was aware of lives lost.”

Moments later, police arrived on scene to arrest the suspect, named as Elias Rodriguez.

Kalin said the Young Diplomats reception was focused on the theme, “turning pain into purpose,” with the aim of bringing together young professionals, both Jewish and non-Jewish, to talk about bridge-building in the Middle East and North Africa region.

“We were wanting to counter the us-versus-them narrative,” she said. “It’s painfully ironic that at a time we were speaking about bridge building, somebody came in with such hate and destruction.”

The shooting comes more than 18 months after Israel launched a bombing campaign and ground invasion in Gaza following the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas militants, in which more than 1,200 people were killed and hundreds more were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel’s counteroffensive has killed more than 53,000 people in Gaza, many of them women and children, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. International aid groups and governments have also warned of the risk of famine in the enclave. Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel would allow a limited amount of humanitarian aid to flow in following a three-month blockade.

“Free Palestine” has become a popular refrain among supporters of the Palestinian cause.

“The couple that was gunned down tonight in the name of ‘Free Palestine’ is a young couple about to be engaged,” he said at a late-night news conference. “The young man purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem.”

President Donald Trump condemned the violence.

“These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA. Condolences to the families of the victims. So sad that such things as this can happen!” he said on social media.

Attorney General Pam Bondi offered prayers to the victims on X.

“We’ll be doing everything in our power to keep all citizens safe, especially tonight our Jewish community,” Bondi said at the news conference. She added that Jeanine Pirro, the interim U.S. attorney for Washington, will prosecute the case.

Other U.S. officials also decried the shooting. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the victims were “senselessly killed,” and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who is Jewish, called it “another horrific instance of antisemitism which as we know is all too rampant in our society.”

FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency was working with police to learn more and asked for prayers for the victims and their families.

Steve Jensen, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Washington field office, said his team was working to pin down whether the shooting may have been hate-motivated or potentially an act of terrorism. source

]]>