Federal judges fear for safety as Supreme Court sides with Trump administration
A group of anonymous federal judges is criticizing the Supreme Court for overturning lower court rulings and siding with President Donald Trump’s administration with little to no explanation, NBC News reported Thursday.
NBC spoke with 12 federal judges, appointed by Democratic and Republican presidents including Trump, who pointed to a trend of lower court decisions being overturned by emergency rulings from the high court. These cases often see prominent members of Trump’s administration lashing out at lower court judges before their cases are overturned.
Ten of the 12 judges argued the Supreme Court should offer more explanation when overturning such decisions, saying emergency rulings in such cases imply poor work on the part of lower court judges.
“It is inexcusable,” one judge said of the Supreme Court. “They don’t have our backs.”
FEDERAL COURT STRIKES DOWN TRUMP TARIFFS AS ILLEGAL UNDER FEDERAL LAW IN APPEALS RULING
That judge also said they have received death threats for issuing rulings that counter Trump’s agenda. Trump himself and some of his top officials have spoken out against judges issuing unfavorable rulings.
When Judge James Boasberg sought to block the administration’s deportation flights to El Salvador, Trump argued he should be “IMPEACHED” on social media.
When various judges issued rulings blocking Trump’s tariff agenda in March, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller argued it was a “judicial coup.”
TRUMP’S TARIFF POWER GRAB BARRELS TOWARD SUPREME COURT
The judge who described the Supreme Court’s actions as inexcusable predicted that “somebody is going to die” if criticism from top Trump officials continues, according to NBC.
Another judge said lower courts are being “thrown under the bus.”
“It’s almost like the Supreme Court is saying it is a ‘judicial coup,’” a third judge told the outlet.
A fourth judge, however, appointed by President Barack Obama, conceded that several judges had been out of line with their rulings against Trump.
“The whole ‘Trump derangement syndrome’ is a real issue. As a result, judges are mad at what Trump is doing or the manner he is going about things; they are sometimes forgetting to stay in their lane,” that judge said.
“Certainly, there is a strong sense in the judiciary among the judges ruling on these cases that the court is leaving them out to dry,” the judge continued. “They are partially right to feel the way they feel.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The Supreme Court’s public information office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Midwest state becomes latest redistricting battleground ahead of midterms
The high-stakes political fistfight between Republicans and Democrats over congressional redistricting ahead of next year’s midterm elections shifted to a new battleground this week.
A special session of Missouri’s legislature to redraw the solidly red state’s congressional districts and give the GOP control of one additional House seat kicked off on Wednesday with public hearings scheduled for Thursday.
“Missouri’s conservative, common-sense values should be truly represented at all levels of government, and the Missouri First Map delivers just that,” Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe argued, as he announced the special session and unveiled a proposed map.
MAJOR REPUBLICAN REDISTRICTING VICTORY IN THIS KEY STATE
Kehoe’s move came hours after GOP Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas on Friday signed into law a redistricting bill passed by the Republican super majority in the state legislature that aims to create up to five right-leaning congressional districts at the expense of currently Democrat-controlled seats in the reliably red state.
The Republican push in Texas, which came at the urging of President Donald Trump, is part of a broad effort by the GOP across the country to pad their razor-thin House majority to keep control of the chamber in the 2026 midterms, when the party in power traditionally faces political headwinds and loses seats.
WATCH: CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATS AIM TO COUNTER TEXAS REDISTRICTING
Trump, in a social media post, argued that Missouri voters will have “the tremendous opportunity to elect an additional MAGA Republican in the 2026 Midterm Elections.”
Trump and his political team are aiming to prevent what happened during his first term in the White House when Democrats stormed back to grab the House majority in the 2018 midterm elections.
Democrats are fighting back against the rare, but not unheard-of mid-decade redistricting.
State lawmakers in heavily blue California last week approved a special ballot proposition this November to obtain voter approval to temporarily sidetrack the state’s nonpartisan redistricting commission and return the power to draw the congressional maps to the Democrat-dominated legislature.
TRUMP NOT ON BALLOT BUT FRONT-AND-CENTER IN 2025 ELECTIONS
The effort in California, which aims to create five more Democratic-leaning congressional districts and counter the shift in Texas, is being spearheaded by two-term Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is seen as a likely 2028 Democratic presidential contender.
In Missouri, the new map proposed by Kehoe targets longtime Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s Kansas City area district by shifting it eastward to include rural right-leaning voters.
If passed by the GOP-controlled legislature, the new map would likely flip Cleaver’s seat and give Republicans a 7-1 advantage in the state’s U.S. House delegation.
The Missouri legislature’s special session will also tackle another top Republican priority – a proposed constitutional amendment making it more difficult to approve citizen-driven ballot initiatives. Abortion-rights and marijuana legalization amendments, opposed by many Republican leaders in the state, have passed in recent years.
Missouri state House Minority Leader Ashley Aune on Monday charged that Kehoe and Republican state lawmakers are pushing to “rig our maps and eliminate our representation in Congress.”
Former Rep. Russ Carnahan, the chair of the Missouri Democrats, warned there are political consequences for Republicans pushing to redistrict.
“They’re choosing to bow down to Washington demands to do some things that I think are going to stir the ire of Missouri voters, and they’re about to see what pissed off Missouri voters look like,” Carnahan told Fox News Digital.
But Democrats in the Missouri state house have limited options to stop the legislature from passing the new map. Unlike in Texas, where Democratic state representatives fled the state for two weeks to delay passage of redistricting, a similar move by Missouri Democrats wouldn’t prevent a quorum needed to conduct business.
And any filibuster by Democrats in Missouri’s state Senate would likely be quickly shut down by the majority Republicans.
Cleaver, whose seat is threatened, has vowed to take legal action if the new map is signed into law by the governor.
With Democrats currently needing just a three-seat pick-up in next year’s midterms to win back the House majority, Missouri and Texas are far from the only states where Trump and his political allies are urging Republicans to re-write the maps to create more right-leaning congressional districts.
Top Republican state lawmakers in Indiana, which, similar to Missouri, is a former battleground state that’s now red, visited the White House last week to discuss redistricting.
Republicans in GOP-controlled South Carolina and Florida are also mulling redistricting ahead of the 2026 elections. And right-leaning Ohio is under a court order to draw new maps ahead of the midterms.
Democrats, as they push back, are looking to New York, Illinois and Maryland in the hopes of creating more left-leaning congressional seats.
But they have less attractive options than Republicans.
They control fewer states than the GOP and face constitutional limitations or nonpartisan redistricting commissions, which is the case in New York.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
In Illinois and Maryland, where Govs. J.B. Pritzker and Wes Moore are discussing redistricting, Democrats hope to pick up to three more left-leaning seats.
And they could pick up a seat in right-leaning Utah, where a judge recently ordered the GOP-controlled legislature to draw new maps after ruling that lawmakers four years ago ignored an independent commission approved by voters to prevent partisan gerrymandering.
Fox News Digital reached out to Kehoe’s office to request an interview but did not immediately hear back.
WATCH: Over 100 cars block blue state street as mob shoots fireworks at police
Video showed a “riotous” scene erupted in New Jersey over Labor Day weekend as dozens of cars took over a local road and individuals shot fireworks at police vehicles in the middle of the night, officials said.
At around 2 a.m. Sunday, officers received a call reporting over 100 people driving recklessly and making donuts at a local intersection, according to the Secaucus Police Department.
When police arrived, a group of over 50 people surrounded authorities’ vehicles as some individuals climbed on top, ultimately causing some damage to the cruisers.
SOCIAL MEDIA-FUELED TEEN FLASH MOBS PROMPT CLOSURES OF BUSINESSES AND PUBLIC CENTERS NATIONWIDE
The incident quickly escalated as several individuals shot fireworks at and under police vehicles, using them as “incendiary devices,” according to authorities.
ILLEGAL STREET TAKEOVER SHUTS DOWN BUSY INTERSECTION WITH DANGEROUS STUNTS, FIREWORKS: POLICE
Several local agencies from neighboring towns were called in to assist in dispersing the unruly crowd, and no injuries were reported among the officers.
In a statement posted online, Secaucus Police Chief Dennis Miller commended the department for exercising restraint while responding to the incident.
HUNDREDS OF TEENAGERS TRANSFORM PEACEFUL BEACH INTO CHAOS AS POLICE FORCED TO BREAK UP FIGHTS
“Our officers came under attack last night and I will not tolerate this unrest,” Miller said. “I will be dedicating resources from our Traffic Bureau, Detective Division, Patrol Division and Intelligence Section to assemble a Task Force to identify the individuals responsible for this riotous behavior and bring them to justice. Secaucus is not going to be the place where these criminals operate with impunity!”
Authorities are now asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspects seen in video of the incident, adding anyone with information should contact police.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The Secaucus Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Gazan boy safe after dramatic twist to false report he was killed by Israeli forces
EXCLUSIVE: A young Gazan boy dubbed “Amir,” who traveled to a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution site and was reported as having been killed by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in May, has been found alive and was hiding out with his mother.
In an exclusive interview with the boy whose real name was confirmed by the GHF to be Abdul Rahim Muhammad Hamden, but who goes by “Abboud,” the 8-year-old and his mother answered questions provided by Fox News Digital through a GHF translator, in which the pair appeared excited ahead of their planned extraction from the Gaza Strip.
Abboud and his mother, whose name is Najlaa, were safely extracted from the Gaza Strip on Thursday, though the location has not been disclosed in this reporting for their protection.
“Outside the Gaza Strip is nice,” Abboud said, according to a translation verified by Fox News Digital.
The story of Abboud went viral after a former GHF contractor, Anthony Aguilar, a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Army and retired Green Beret Lt. Col., said he saw the boy who he called “Amir” gunned down by IDF forces outside a GHF distribution site on May 28.
ISRAEL SAYS UN MISLEADS WORLD AS GAZA AID STOLEN AND DIVERTED FROM CIVILIANS
In his account, Aguilar showed images taken using his body camera footage of the boy approaching him and another contractor clutching bags of food.
Aguilar claimed that he and the boy had a touching moment where Abdul, whose nickname is Abboud, kissed his hand and then his face in apparent thanks for the food supplies.
The former Green Beret said that the boy then ran back to the group of other Palestinians who were shortly after forced to leave the aid site after pepper spray, tear gas and stun grenades were employed, he claimed in an interview with MSNBC.
Aguilar – who was employed as a contractor for UG Solutions, a subcontractor for GHF – then said he heard shots fired after the Palestinians had left, and upon reaching the scene, he found Abboud and others had been shot by the IDF.
ISRAEL SET TO LAUNCH GAZA CITY OFFENSIVE: HIGH STAKES, HIGH COSTS AHEAD
“Shot to the torso, a shot to the leg – dead,” he told Dialogue Works regarding Abboud.
In his accounts of the incident to multiple media outlets, as well as Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., on July 29, Aguilar claimed the killing happened first outside GHF aid site Secure Distribution Site-1 (SDS) before telling MSNBC on Aug. 2 that the shooting happened near SDS-2, and then telling Dialogue Works late last month the events occurred outside SDS-3.
The GHF, who terminated Aguilar’s contract in June, launched an investigation at the end of July to try and locate the identity of the boy and uncover what happened.
Through their investigation, which relied on speaking with local Palestinians, they eventually tracked down Abboud’s mother and her son.
The identities of Abboud, his mother and other relatives were verified by GHF by using facial recognition software that compared the images of the boy with those captured by Aguilar, along with biometric data shared with Fox News Digital.
In footage exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital, Abboud, is seen playfully interacting with a GHF representative after he first arrived at SDS-3 with his mother late last month.
“We are overjoyed and deeply relieved that Abboud is safe, and that this story ends in hope,” GHF Executive Chair Johnnie Moore said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “That outcome was never guaranteed and it’s thanks to the courage and persistence of our team of American heroes; veterans who never stopped working to find him and bring him to safety in the most complex environment imaginable.”
Concern mounted as Aguilar’s story gained international attention that Hamas had a vested interest in ensuring that Abboud was not found, as it would discredit the claim that the GHF and the IDF had engaged in not only brutal but deadly behavior towards Palestinians.
“While this story ends happily, it could have ended in tragedy,” Moore added. “Too many people, including in the press and civil society, were quick to spread unverified claims without asking the most basic questions.
“When a child’s life is at stake, facts must matter more than headlines,” he added.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Abboud’s mother brought him to SDS 3 late last month under a heavy disguise, before the pair, along with four other male family members, including at least one who had been threatened by Hamas, were extracted from the Gaza Strip, a GHF representative involved in the operation confirmed to Fox News Digital.
“He and his mother have been moved to safe and secure location. We will not be disclosing their whereabouts at this time for their safety and security, but we have every belief that they are on their way to a new life,” GHF spokesman Chapman Fay told Fox News Digital.
Najlaa said her wish for her son’s future is that he be “at ease.”
“My son and I suffered a lot. But we thank God,” she added. “I thank everyone who helped me and stood by me.”
Potential evidence from tragedy that killed 67 people discovered Labor Day weekend
A man walking his dog over Labor Day weekend discovered what may be wreckage from the deadly January midair plane collision in Washington, D.C.
Andrew Guevara told FOX 5 DC he and his four-legged friend were walking on the Mount Vernon Trail in Alexandria this weekend when he spotted several items floating around in the water.
“I noticed that there was something. It just looked a little bit odd, but there’s a lot of trash that’s always along the river,” he told the local TV station.
“But there just seemed to be something noticeable about it. I guess is the best way to say it. There happened to be like a, a lever that would – it looked like for the tray table, like you would see on a plane. And there happened to be like a leather pouch at the bottom and just the curvature of the top of it. It very much looked like an airplane seat,” he said.
ARMY HELICOPTER THAT CRASHED WITH COMMERCIAL PLANE IN DC WAS FLYING ABOVE ALTITUDE LIMIT: NTSB
Alexandria police were originally called to the scene, according to FOX 5, but the National Transportation Safety Board is “taking possession of the item and will evaluate it and store it until it can be transferred to the remainder of the wreckage from the DCA midair accident,” a spokesperson said in an email to Fox News Digital.
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER SHOULD HAVE WARNED PLANE OF ARMY HELICOPTER’S PATH AHEAD OF FATAL DC CRASH: FAA
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Back in July, a Federal Aviation Administration official said an air traffic controller failed to notify the crew of a commercial plane that an Army helicopter was moving toward the aircraft before the collision in Washington, D.C., on January 29 that killed 67 people.
‘Silent killer’ parasitic disease spreading across multiple US states, experts warn
A little-known disease is spreading in the U.S., primarily in the state of California, health officials warn.
In a new study published in the CDC journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, researchers state that human cases of Chagas disease have been confirmed in eight states, leading them to recommend that the disease is classified as “endemic.”
“Acknowledging the endemicity of Chagas disease in the United States is crucial for achieving global health goals,” the authors wrote.
VALLEY FEVER CASES SPIKE TO RECORD LEVELS IN WEST COAST STATE, HEALTH OFFICIALS WARN
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines a disease as “endemic” when there is a “constant presence and/or usual prevalence” in a population within a specific geographic area — in other words, the “baseline” level of disease within a community.
“Chagas disease (or American trypanosomiasis) is already endemic in South America and Central America, but it has now spread to the Southern U.S., where it is taking hold among insects and animals,” Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel told Fox News Digital.
What is Chagas disease?
Chagas disease is a parasitic illness spread by triatomine bugs, also known as “kissing bugs,” according to the CDC.
The disease is transmitted when feces from bugs infected with the T. cruzi parasite enter a person’s body, typically through a bite wound or contact with the eyes or mouth.
FLESH-EATING PARASITE CASE DETECTED IN US TRAVELER RETURNING FROM CENTRAL AMERICA
“When the kissing bug takes a blood meal, it will eventually defecate and leave the feces somewhere,” lead study author Dr. Norman Beatty, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine, told Fox News Digital.
“Sometimes it can ‘poop’ on our skin or mucous membrane while feeding, and then the parasite enters at that site. The bug’s feces can also end up inside or near a home and then be incidentally ingested or rubbed into the skin or mucous membrane.”
Transmission in the U.S. can also occur from congenital infection, where a chronically infected mother can transmit the parasite to a fetus, or from organ transplantation, according to Beatty.
Signs and symptoms
The first stage of Chagas disease, called the acute phase, happens shortly after infection. It is followed by the longer-term chronic phase, according to the CDC.
The disease does not always cause illness, but some people can experience symptoms.
“Chagas can lead to fever, fatigue, rash, body aches and lymph node swelling, and later can lead to digestive issues, heart problems and neurological involvement,” Siegel warned.
“What really matters is whether or not the kissing bug has been found invading homes and harbors the parasite.”
Another hallmark of the disease is eyelid swelling, also known as Romaña’s sign.
In the chronic phase, about 20% to 30% of people with the infection may experience potentially fatal heart issues or serious digestive problems, the CDC states.
Prevalence of the disease
Approximately 300,000 people are living with Chagas disease who acquired the infection in Latin America and the U.S., according to Beatty.
“However, the exact number is unknown — a national prevalence study has never been conducted,” he told Fox News Digital.
MOSQUITO-BORNE DENGUE FEVER CASES SURGE AT POPULAR US VACATION DESTINATION
The disease is more likely to occur in states where the kissing bug is found close to where people live, which includes parts of California, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana and Florida, according to the expert.
“What really matters is whether the kissing bug has been found invading homes and harbors the parasite that causes Chagas disease in a particular region,” he said, adding that researchers are “just tipping the iceberg” with their understanding of locally acquired disease in the U.S.
“Unfortunately, most of the United States is unaware of this ‘silent killer’ and the fact that it is spread by a bug,” he said.
“Our first steps are recognizing that this is an endemic infectious disease, building on improved education among the public and healthcare providers, and allocating funding for research and programs to support testing and additional monitoring.”
COULD CHIKUNGUNYA VIRUS SPREAD TO US? HERE’S WHAT AMERICANS SHOULD KNOW
The expert refers to Chagas as a “neglected tropical disease.”
“Our hope as a team researching Chagas here in the U.S. is that we bring awareness to the fact that this infectious disease is being transmitted here and can be deadly,” he told Fox News Digital. “More research and resources are needed so we can help mitigate transmission to at-risk communities, especially those living in rural and agricultural sectors.”
Screening and treatments
In most circumstances, Beatty said, people are bitten by the bug in their bed or home.
“From there, a person will reach out with a picture of that bug, and we start the process of testing and educating on how to prevent the insect from getting in the home and deterring it from wanting to be around a human dwelling.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Lab screening tests and treatments are readily available, Beatty said, but clinicians are largely unaware that the disease is being transmitted in certain communities.
There are two antiparasitic drugs approved for the treatment of Chagas disease in the U.S. — Benznidazole and Lampit (nifurtimox).
“Currently, there is a clinical trial being conducted to assess a new agent for the treatment of Chagas at certain centers in the U.S. and Latin America,” Beatty said.
There are no vaccines currently available to prevent the disease.
It can be a challenge for patients in rural America to find a provider who understands this disease, Beatty noted.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“In my clinic, people have traveled from other states to see me in Florida just because they have no one else near them willing to care for them,” the researcher said.
“It is essential that we start educating our future clinicians about Chagas disease and ways to test, treat and manage those infected.”
“People have traveled from other states to see me in Florida just because they have no one else near them willing to care for them.”
Beatty also shared some tips for preventing kissing bugs from entering the home.
That includes removing “harborages” of nesting animals near a home where rodents would reside, such as piles of wood or clutter.
Sealing up door jambs, window seals and other entry points, as well as placing screens on windows and doors, can also be effective.
Beatty also recommends “judicial use” of residual pesticide-spraying near potential entry points, like door jambs and window perimeters.
Billionaire fashion designer known for creating the ‘power suit’ dead at 91
Iconic fashion designer Giorgio Armani has died at the age of 91, the Armani Group confirmed on Thursday.
“With infinite sorrow, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder and tireless driving force: Giorgio Armani,” a statement posted on Instagram by several Armani Group-affiliated accounts read. The statement said that the designer was “surrounded by his loved ones” when he passed.
AMERICAN EAGLE SHARES JUMP 25% AFTER RETAILER TOUTS ‘SUCCESS’ OF SYDNEY SWEENEY’S DENIM CAMPAIGN
“Indefatigable to the end, he worked until his final days, dedicating himself to the company, the collections and many ongoing and future projects,” the company added.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni mourned the iconic fashion designer’s death, saying he was “a symbol of the best of Italy.”
“With his elegance, sobriety, and creativity, he was able to bring luster to Italian fashion and inspire the entire world. An icon, a tireless worker, a symbol of the best of Italy. Thank you for everything,” Meloni wrote on X.
SHEIN LAUNCHES PROBE AFTER LUIGI MANGIONE LIKENESS APPEARS MODELING SHIRT ON COMPANY’S WEBSITE: REPORT
Reuters reported Armani’s earnings at approximately $2.7 billion annually.
The outlet said the designer had been unwell for some time, even dropping out of his group’s shows at Milan’s Men’s Fashion Week in June. This was a first for the designer.
“Over the years, Giorgio Armani has crafted a vision that expanded from fashion to every aspect of life, anticipating the times with extraordinary clarity and pragmatism. He has been driven by relentless curiosity and a deep attention to the present and to people. Along this journey, he established an open dialogue with the public, becoming a beloved and respected figure for his ability to connect with everyone,” the company said in another post on Instagram.
POPULAR NEW JERSEY MALL HIT WITH LAWSUIT FOR SELLING CLOTHES ON SUNDAY
Armani’s fashion legacy started in 1975 when he, along with Sergio Galeotti, established Giorgio Armani S.p.A. Just a few years later, in 1978, Armani dressed Diane Keaton when she won an Oscar for Best Actress for her role in the Woody Allen classic “Annie Hall.” This was only the beginning of Armani dressing major stars.
In 1980, Armani created the wardrobe for the film “American Gigolo” starring Richard Gere, marking the fashion designer’s decades-long work with Hollywood.
Since the mid-1970s,the name Armani has become synonymous with understated luxury.
“The mark I hope to leave is one of commitment, respect and genuine care for people and for reality. That’s where everything truly begins,” Armani is quoted as saying in an Instagram post.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
The Armani Group said its founder expressed his “precise vision” down to the last detail, making it what the company calls “a style in the truest sense of the word: a way of being and presenting oneself, certainly incorporating clothing and accessories, but also including gestures, ways, behaviors and attitudes.”
The company announced a funeral chamber would be set up in Milan on Saturday and Sunday. It also said that, in accordance with Armani’s “explicit wishes,” the funeral will be held in private.
Blue city struggles to strengthen consequences for criminals amid rash of killings
Minneapolis was shaken when gunfire erupted outside Annunciation Catholic Church on Wednesday, Aug. 27 – the fourth major shooting in less than 24 hours.
The school attack, which terrified students and parents, capped a violent spree that left at least three people dead and more than a dozen others wounded across the city.
The Violent Span
The violence began Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 26, when a gunman opened fire on a group standing on a sidewalk in broad daylight. One victim was killed and six others wounded.
Later that night, a second deadly shooting unfolded, followed by a third shooting in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Aug. 27. Then, just hours later, gunfire rang out outside the church near Annunciation Catholic School – an attack that rocked an already reeling community.
MINNEAPOLIS CHURCH SHOOTING AUDIO CAPTURES FIRST RESPONDERS RUSHING TO CHAOTIC SCENE IN DEADLY ATTACK
Following the third reported shooting, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara expressed concern, calling the recent spike in gun violence “deeply unsettling.”
“Across three separate multiple-victim shootings, eight people have been injured by gunfire and three have lost their lives,” O’Hara said in a news release, issued before the school attack added to the toll.
“While this level of violence is cause for concern, our resolve to fight for the safety of every person in our community is unwavering,” he continued.
Immediate Response
Gov. Tim Walz responded by deploying additional state law enforcement officers to Minneapolis to bolster patrols around schools and places of worship.
“No child in America should go to school apprehensive of danger, of losing a classmate, of gunshots during prayer,” Walz said in a news release. “We will work in close partnership with the City of Minneapolis to give residents every reassurance that their families and their children are safe.”
WHAT LEADS SOMEONE TO COMMIT A MASS SHOOTING? TRUMP ADMIN, RFK JR PLAN TO FIND OUT
Minnesota State Patrol Col. Christina Bogojevic stressed that the state’s role extends beyond enforcement. “Our presence is about more than patrols – it’s about letting the people of Minneapolis know they are not alone.”
Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson echoed that message, noting: “The loss Minneapolis is experiencing right now is felt across our entire state. By coming together, local and state law enforcement are sending a clear message: The people of Minneapolis are not alone.”
Progress Unraveled
The spree came just months after city officials touted progress in curbing violence. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey previously highlighted stretches with no homicides and said the city’s Northside was “safer than it’s been in over a decade.”
City data showed 2024 recorded the fewest gunshot victims since 2014. But Frey acknowledged how quickly progress can unravel. Just before his spring remarks, an April 29 mass shooting left four people dead.
Jillian Peterson, executive director of the Violence Prevention Project Research Center and a criminology professor at Hamline University, told USA Today that surges in violence can still occur despite positive trends.
KAROLINE LEAVITT CALLS PSAKI’S PRAYER COMMENTS ‘UTTERLY DISRESPECTFUL’ AFTER MINNEAPOLIS SCHOOL SHOOTING
“We tend to see clusters like this, and it’s difficult to determine whether they’re part of a larger pattern or isolated incidents,” Peterson said. “But something like the shooting at Annunciation School hasn’t happened in a very long time.”
Adding to the city’s trauma were the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses at their homes in July.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit that tracks such incidents, Minneapolis has seen at least six mass shootings in 2025 so far. The organization defines a mass shooting as one where four or more people are hit by gunfire, not including the shooter.
Structural Challenges
Public safety expert David Zimmer argued that, despite improvements, Minneapolis remains the epicenter of Minnesota’s violent crime problem.
“Following the post-George Floyd uprising in 2020, Minneapolis experienced an explosion in violent crime, including murder, robbery and carjackings,” Zimmer explained. “While those elevated rates of violent crime have decreased over their peaks in 2022 and 2023, violent crime in 2024 remained 45% higher than it had been in 2018.”
Zimmer said that stat is significant because while Minneapolis only represents 7% of Minnesota’s population, the city accounts for:
- 30% of all aggravated assaults
- 46% of all murders
- 56% of all robberies
- 91% of all carjackings
“As Minneapolis goes, so goes Minnesota,” Zimmer said.
VANCE BLASTS PSAKI FOR POST DECLARING PRAYER ‘IS NOT FREAKING ENOUGH’ IN RESPONSE TO MINNESOTA SHOOTING
Zimmer also noted the Minneapolis Police Department is operating 40% below authorized strength, with just 550 sworn officers, one of the lowest staffing ratios among major U.S. cities.
Despite staffing challenges, Zimmer praised the MPD’s “Crime Pattern Response Protocol,” which he said has proven successful in responding to patterns of violent robberies and carjackings.
Policy and Politics
The violent spree has renewed political battles over Minnesota’s progressive criminal justice policies.
Zimmer argued that lawmakers often prioritize the impact of laws on offenders rather than victims. “The fact is, Minnesota has consistently been among the states with the lowest imprisonment rates in the nation,” he said, “but narratives about overincarceration make it difficult to strengthen consequences for criminal activity.”
CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Retired NYPD Inspector and Fox News contributor Paul Mauro also pointed to the spree’s scale: “We’re well into the twenties on shooting victims in that town over the last two days,” he wrote on X, calling out progressive officials like Hennepin County District Attorney Mary Moriarty.
According to data from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, murders climbed sharply after Walz took office in 2019, from 117 that year to a peak of 201 in 2021, before gradually falling to 172 in 2023.
Analysts blame pandemic disruptions, anti-police sentiment, progressive prosecutorial decisions, and the so-called “Ferguson effect,” where police scale back proactive enforcement.
Walz’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Father reveals moment FSU football star was shot in the head hours after Alabama win
The father of Florida State linebacker Ethan Pritchard offered grisly details about the shooting that left his son wounded following the team’s upset win over Alabama.
The freshman football player was shot in the back of the head while driving and remains in stable condition at a hospital in Tallahassee, Florida, his father, Earl, told WFTV in Florida on Wednesday.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
“He was actually in the car taking my sister around the corner to her daughter’s house to drop her off,” Earl Pritchard told the station. “They turned the corner, and as soon as they turned the corner, they heard gunshots.”
The shooting occurred while Ethan Pritchard was driving his aunt from a family gathering in Havana, Florida, according to ESPN. Officials were reportedly still investigating the incident.
Pritchard played high school football at Seminole High School in Sanford, Florida, and was a four-star recruit. He was rated No. 437 in the 247Sports Composite and No. 507 nationally in the On3 Industry Ranking. ESPN ranked Pritchard as the No. 39 linebacker nationally and the No. 64 player out of Florida.
ACC FINES FLORIDA STATE $50,000 UNDER NEW POLICY AFTER FANS STORM FIELD FOLLOWING UPSET OVER ALABAMA
As a senior, he helped lead Seminole High School to a 10-2 record and its second consecutive regional final in 2024, recording 39 tackles and seven tackles for loss in nine games.
As a junior, Pritchard had 75 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery as Seminole High School went 10-3. He began his high school career as a safety before transitioning to linebacker as a sophomore.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Pritchard committed to Florida State in October 2023, choosing the Seminoles over Miami, Florida and UCF, among others.