GoFundMe acts after outrage over pages aiding accused killer of commuter
GoFundMe said that it removed multiple fundraising campaigns created on behalf of Decarlos Brown Jr., the ex-convict accused of stabbing and killing Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska aboard a Charlotte, North Carolina, light-rail train.
“GoFundMe’s Terms of Service explicitly prohibit fundraisers for the legal defense of anyone formally charged with a violent crime. Consistent with this long-standing policy, all fundraisers for Decarlos Brown Jr.’s legal defense have been removed from the platform, and any donors have been fully refunded,” a company spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
According to information reviewed by Fox News Digital, the campaigns were taken down within hours of being flagged. GoFundMe declined to specify how many pages were removed but emphasized that it actively scans for and blocks attempts to launch campaigns on behalf of individuals facing violent charges.
The company’s action followed social media backlash over the fundraisers, with critics turning to social media to lambaste the fundraiser for the murder suspect as “an insult” to the 23-year-old victim.
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Zarutska, 23, fled Ukraine with her family in 2022 to escape Russia’s war before settling in Charlotte, according to her obituary. She was working at a local pizzeria, Zepeddie’s Pizza, at the time of her death. Fox News Digital has reached out to Zepeddie’s for comment.
“Recently, our Zepeddie’s family suffered a tremendous loss. We lost not only an incredible employee but a true friend. Our dear Iryna left this world far too soon, and our hearts are heavy with grief. Since her passing, we have kept a candle burning in her memory—a small reminder of the warmth, kindness and light she brought into our lives every single day. We are so grateful for the love, support and prayers we’ve received during this difficult time,” Zepeddie’s Pizza said in a statement. “Iryna, we miss you more than words can say. You will forever be in our hearts.”
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Her family described Zarutska as a passionate artist and graduate of Synergy College in Kyiv, where she earned a degree in Art and Restoration. She was remembered for her creativity, her love of animals, her determination and her eagerness to learn.
WATCH: Ukrainian refugee stabbed to death on Charlotte light rail
On Aug. 22, according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital, authorities found Zarutska stabbed to death on the Lynx Blue Line after she sat in front of Brown, who allegedly pulled out a folding knife and attacked her without provocation.
Surveillance video reviewed by Fox News Digital shows Zarutska boarding the train just after 9:45 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 22. Wearing her pizzeria uniform, she is seen scrolling on her phone as a man in a red hoodie sits behind her.
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Around four minutes later, the man pulls out a knife and begins stabbing Zarutska three times, including in the neck. According to the affidavit, Zarutska was stabbed in the middle of her throat.
He is charged with first-degree murder under North Carolina law and is being held without bond.
Records obtained by Fox News Digital reveal that Brown has a lengthy criminal history spanning more than a decade. His convictions include larceny and breaking and entering in 2013, as well as a 2015 conviction for robbery with a dangerous weapon, for which he served more than six years in prison. He was released in 2020 and remained on parole until 2021. More recent charges included communicating threats and misuse of the 911 system earlier this year.
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While campaigns to raise money for Brown’s defense have been shut down, a separate, verified fundraiser supporting Zarutska’s family remains active on GoFundMe.
The stabbing death on public transportation has renewed calls for increased public safety across cities in America.
President Donald Trump mentioned the stabbing during remarks at the Museum of the Bible.
“We’re all people of religion, but there are evil people,” Trump said. “And we have to confront that. I just give my love and hope to the family of the young woman who was stabbed this morning or last night in Charlotte by a madman.”
Crockett, Tlaib, other progressives push far-left amendments in must-pass bill
The House is preparing to take up its annual defense policy bill this week, with Democrats filing hundreds of amendments — many aimed at rebuking President Donald Trump’s administration and current GOP priorities.
Lawmakers submitted roughly 450 proposed amendments to the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Among them are measures dealing with diversity, Israel funding and Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
The House Rules Committee will review the bill Monday afternoon and set parameters for debate, paving the way for a floor vote later this week.
Most of the progressive amendments are unlikely to survive, underscoring their symbolic nature. Still, Democrats are using the traditionally bipartisan defense package to spotlight opposition to the White House and Republican leadership.
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Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, filed several amendments, including one to strike the NDAA’s prohibition on using defense funds for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts.
Similarly, Reps. Luz Rivas, D-Calif., and Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii, offered an amendment to block a ban on DEI programs at the Pentagon.
Crockett also introduced language aimed at halting construction of migrant detention facilities on military installations, directly challenging Trump administration policy.
Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., put forward an amendment barring Defense Department funds from supporting migrant processing and detention operations.
The Pentagon announced last month it is building the country’s largest federal migrant detention center in Fort Bliss, Texas.
Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., filed two amendments targeting Trump-era immigration policies. One would prohibit funding for family separation, while another “prohibits funds from being used to transfer non-citizens to foreign prisons, except under treaties and extradition laws,” according to the Rules Committee website. The latter proposal would effectively block deportations to El Salvador.
Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., introduced measures aimed at limiting U.S. support for Israel.
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Tlaib’s amendment would ban U.S. arms sales to countries whose governments include officials with outstanding International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants. The ICC issued warrants in late 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior officials.
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Omar’s proposal seeks to repeal Israel’s emergency access to a U.S.-managed weapons stockpile located in the country.
The NDAA is a bill passed every fiscal year that sets national security and defense policy for the U.S. government.
More than 1,000 total amendments have been introduced to this year’s bill.
Barrett says Supreme Court decisions today will matter for presidencies far into future
Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett pushed back against partisan portrayals of the Supreme Court, telling Fox News’ Bret Baier that justices “wear black, not red or blue” and follow the Constitution, not politics.
She appeared on Fox to promote her new book, “Listening to the Law,” and to address public perceptions of the Court’s work and independence.
Barrett stressed that the Court is not divided into partisan teams. She also defended its approach to presidential power, clarified misconceptions about the Dobbs decision, and reflected on her originalist judicial philosophy.
Her book touches on details such as assigned seating, courtroom traditions, and the gap between outside perception and inside reality.
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“You know, we don’t wear red and blue, we all wear black because judges are nonpartisan. And the idea is that we are all listening to the law. We’re all trying to get it right. We’re not playing for a team,” she told Baier. “We don’t sit on specific sides of the bench, left and right. You know, we sit in order of seniority.”
Barrett underscored the disconnect between public perception and the Court’s inner workings, noting:
“I often ask new law clerks what surprised you most when you started? And one of the most common answers is the difference between what’s happening on the inside and what people think is happening on the inside.”
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Critics on the left argue the Court is shielding former President Donald Trump, a view reflected in headlines from outlets such as The New York Times and NBC.
Barrett responded by placing the Court’s work in historical context, stressing that cases on presidential power extend beyond any one occupant of the office.
“We’re not deciding cases just for today, and we’re not deciding cases based on the president,” Barrett said. “As the current occupant of the office, we’re deciding cases about the presidency. So we’re taking each case, and we’re looking at the question of presidential power as it comes. And the cases that we decide today are going to matter.
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“Four presidencies from now, six presidencies from now, and so on. Each of these cases that we’re getting, you know, well, I mean, some of them overlap, but many present different constitutional issues,” she added.
She stressed the Court rules on the presidency as an institution, with decisions that resonate across administrations.
Turning to the Dobbs decision, Barrett said the ruling did not outlaw abortion but returned the issue to the political process—a point she argued has been widely misunderstood.
“Dobbs did not say that abortion is illegal. Dobbs said it belongs to the political process,” Barrett said.
Barrett acknowledged growing threats to judges, stressing violence should not be “the cost of public service.”
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Returning to public perception, she said the Court must follow the law even when rulings are unpopular, stressing integrity over public opinion.
“The court… can’t take into account public opinion in making individual decisions… you have to follow the law where it leads, even if it leads in a place where the majority of people don’t want you to go,” she said.
Retired university professor killed while walking dog during daily routine, police say
A former Auburn University professor was killed while walking her dog on Saturday at a local park.
The Auburn, Alabama Police Department said 59-year-old Julie Schnuelle was found dead in a wooded area of Kiesel Park with injuries that indicated her death was caused by an assault. Police said officers initially responded to a 911 call regarding a deceased person. AL.com reported the dog was unharmed.
26-year-old Harold Rashad Dabney III was arrested on two counts of capital murder in relation to the death of Schnuelle. In a news release, police said that Dabney was arrested on Sunday following an 8:30 a.m. call reporting a “suspicious person,” noting that detectives “made observations that led them to believe Dabney had involvement with the homicide.”
Dabney III also allegedly stole a red Ford F-150 belonging to Schnuelle which has since been recovered, police said.
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Schnuelle was a professor emerita at Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine from 2003 to 2021, when she retired, the university said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
“The Auburn University community extends its sincere condolences to Gard Schnuelle’s family and loved ones for their tragic loss,” the spokeswoman said.
The Auburn University statement described Schnuelle as a “cherished educator.”
“She was a cherished educator, mentor and colleague whose dedication to students and passion for theriogenology and veterinary medicine left a lasting impact on Auburn,” the university said. “Dr. Gard Schnuelle’s legacy of compassion, scholarship and service will continue to inspire generations of veterinarians.”
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Ashley Rutter told AL.com that Schnuelle went to Kiesel Park every day.
“She ran there every day,” Rutter said. “She was always so welcoming. She was spunky and ready to make jokes. But if she saw something she didn’t like, she would always stand up for you and for herself.”
Another former student, Destinee Bearden Patterson, told the outlet Schnuelle “was a force.”
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“She was only a little bit over 5-foot-2, not your typical large animal veterinarian. She was a force in this world, such a bright, bright light, just an all-around wonderful human being that is going to be missed terribly,” Patterson said.
Dabney is being held at the Lee County Jail without bond.
Father gives up Phillies souvenir after fan’s tirade, hopes she will give ball back
A family at the center of a firestorm over a home run ball at a Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins game last week spoke out about the incident on Fox News Channel on Monday.
Drew Feltwell, his son Lincoln, and daughter Avery appeared on “America Reports” to talk about the incident.
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The viral moment showed Drew Feltwell run toward a home run hit by Phillies outfielder Harrison Bader. He beat out about four people for the souvenir. He then gave it to his son and shared in the special moment. But before the moment could sink in, an irate female Phillies fan marched over to Feltwell and his family and demanded that they give her the ball instead.
“I can’t even repeat that on air. She was very vulgar,” he recalled. “Screaming right in my ear that, you know, lotta bad words and, ‘That’s my ball.’ That was her section and trying to tell me she had the right to that ball. The screaming and yelling kinda got to us and I just wanted her to go away. So, that’s how she got the ball.”
Feltwell said he was trying to de-escalate the situation when he gave the ball to the woman. She celebrated the win soon after.
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He said he had no regrets about how he handled the situation.
“No, I think the world could use a little extra de-escalation,” Feltwell explained. “Everything is so tense. The world is pretty crazy and I don’t want to do anything like that in front of my son or on camera. It was tough giving the ball back but it ended that situation.”
Internet sleuths have tried to figure out who the woman in the Phillies jersey was. Several have pinpointed the wrong people.
Feltwell said he hoped that nothing bad would happen to her but would want her to give the ball back.
“Well, I’d love to get the ball to give back to my son,” he said. “But I don’t want anything bad to happen to her. Definitely not happy with her. Our evening worked out quite well afterward. So, can’t complain.”
Lincoln was able to get a package of souvenirs from the Phillies organization as the team tried to make it right. Bader gave the boy an autographed bat as well.
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“I hope that ball meant a lot to her,” Lincoln said.
Goldie Hawn posts beach photo with son as fans spot one hilarious detail
Goldie Hawn posted a cheeky photo to celebrate her son’s birthday.
The 79-year-old actress posted a photo of her and her son Oliver Hudson standing next to each other, taken from behind, as they look out onto the ocean in their swimsuits. In the photo, Hawn is wearing a black one-piece swimsuit, while Oliver is wearing a black speedo, with his name written across the back.
“Happy birthday my Oliver,” she wrote in the caption. “Every moment I’m with you is a blessing 🩷 you captured my heart at our first hello! I love you more than words can say. 💞”
Fans flooded the comments section with birthday wishes for him, with one writing, “Happy Birthday! Let’s see him get his own sitcom this coming year. The world needs him!”
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“You still put his name on his underwear??? Just kidding, happy birthday🎂 to your handsome son!” another fan wrote.
Oliver’s sister, actress Kate Hudson, shared her own birthday tribute to the podcast host.
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“Happy 49th to my brother — the poet laureate of inappropriate jokes, the crown prince of chaos, and somehow also the most devoted dad and fiercely loyal friend,” she wrote in the lengthy caption, later thanking ChatGPT for helping her write “what I would have said if I had the patience.”
Hawn shares Oliver, 49, and Kate, 46, with her ex-husband, Bill Hudson. The two were married from 1976 until their divorce in 1982.
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Following the end of her relationship with Bill, Hawn started a relationship with actor Kurt Russell in 1983. The two first met in 1966 while filming the 1968 movie musical “The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band,” and would go on to star in many other films together over the course of their relationship, including “Overboard” and “Swing Shift.”
In 1986, the couple welcomed their only child together, a son named Wyatt, who joined Kate, Oliver and Boston, Russell’s son from his previous relationship. While the two are one of Hollywood’s longest lasting couples, they have never officially tied the knot.
“It’s not about the marriage. It’s about the people and the relationship, and the will to stay together,” Hawn told People in December 2020. “And that’s a big one because if you want it, you can have it. You’ve got to give things up, but the joy and the excitement of being together and touching the toes of somebody at night is really a nice feeling.”
After entering a relationship with Hawn, Russell developed a close relationship with Kate and Oliver, with them often referring to him as their dad.
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“Essentially, he raised me. … I’m the man I am today because of him,” Oliver said on “Sibling Revelry,” his podcast with Kate. “There was a moment when he asked us — myself and Kate — if we wanted to be adopted, and we said no. Not that we were, you know, very aware of probably what it even f—ing meant. … We just said, ‘Well, we don’t need it. The love is right there.’
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Prince Harry arrives solo in UK as expert claims ‘royal family do not trust’ him
Prince Harry made the journey from California to Britain to pay respects on the third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death.
There has been a great deal of speculation about whether King Charles will see his son, but an expert told Fox News Digital it is unlikely.
On Monday, Harry visited the late monarch’s burial site at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor. The Duke of Sussex brought a wreath of flowers to pay his respects to his late grandmother, according to People Magazine.
Queen Elizabeth died on Sept. 8, 2022 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. She was 96-years-old.
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Richard Fitzwilliams, a royal expert, said Harry’s visit this year is necessary given the trouble he and his wife, Meghan Markle, caused the royal family during last year’s visit.
“Since he has arrived in Britain on the third anniversary of the Queen’s death, it is only fitting that Harry pays his private respects at her grave at St George’s Chapel in Windsor. However, it will not be forgotten that he and Meghan made Queen Elizabeth’s last year’s extremely difficult,” he said.
Harry arrived in the U.K. early Monday morning. Markle did not attend his trip overseas, neither did his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital it’s unlikely that Harry will be reuniting with Prince William or King Charles during his four-day visit.
“It seems certain that William will not be seeing his errant brother during his four-day visit this week.”
“William and Catherine have paid a personal tribute to the Queen today with a visit to the Women’s Institute. It seems certain that William will not be seeing his errant brother during his four-day visit this week. They reportedly have not spoken for about three years.”
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“There has been a good deal of speculation about whether King Charles will see Prince Harry. It does seem unlikely as the royal family, understandably, do not trust the Sussexes,” he said.
Royal expert Helena Chard pointed out to Fox News Digital that Harry is also in Britain to complete a job.
“Prince Harry, I mean, obviously he’s over here for a job. He’s doing the WellChild Awards. It’s the 20th anniversary, which is something also that’s close to his heart,” she said.
The WellChild Awards, which celebrates the courage of seriously ill children and those who care for them, is sponsored by a charity Harry has long supported.
Harry seemed to click with his audience on Monday when he alluded to his strained relationship with William as he met with a group of young people ahead of the awards. Chatting with Declan Bitmead, 17, winner of an inspirational young person award, Harry learned the teen had a younger brother.
“Does he drive you mad?” Harry asked and Declan replied “no, we get on fine.”
But when Harry, who followed William to Eton, learned that Declan and his brother went to the same school, he said: “That sometimes makes it more challenging.’’
Harry has been estranged from his family since he and his wife Meghan stepped back as senior royals in 2020. At the time, they cited the unbearable intrusions of the British press and the lack of support from the palace as their reasons for the move.
After the couple settled in California, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex aired their grievances in interviews and documentaries. Harry’s 2023 memoir “Spare,” which revealed embarrassing details about the House of Windsor and exposed his sibling rivalry with William, worsened tensions.
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In May, the 40-year-old told the BBC he wanted to reconcile with his family, but the king would not speak to him.
“I would love reconciliation with my family,” he said at the time. “There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore. I don’t know how much longer my father has.”
Harry’s stay in London gives him a chance to see his father, 76. It’s believed the king will be at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where the queen died in 2022.
Charles and Harry have not met in person since February 2024. They met days after Buckingham Palace announced Charles was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer.
Fox News Digital has reached out to reps for Harry and Buckingham Palace for comment.
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Ed Sheeran to move family to America in search of a more settled life
Ed Sheeran is gearing up for a major move.
During a recent appearance on The 2 Johnnies Podcast, the British singer-songwriter — whose 17th album, “Play” is set to be released later this week — opened up about his plans to move his family from England to the United States in hopes of “settling.”
“I’m just about to move to America. I feel like I might be the only person moving to America,” said Sheeran, who grew up in an English town called Framlingham, but currently resides in Suffolk. “I’m going on tour there for a while and I have a family so I can’t dip in and out. We’re going and settling there.”
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Earlier this year, Sheeran opened up about his future plans to transition into country music.
“When you transition to country, you can’t transition back,” Sheeran, who shares two young daughters with wife, Cherry Seaborn, told Alex Cooper during an appearance on “Call Her Daddy.” “Nashville is my favorite city in the States, and it’s always been my end goal to move to Nashville and transition to country.”
In 2013, Sheeran further expressed his love for Nashville.
“Nashville is full of very, very nice people,” Sheeran told Newsbeat at the Brit Awards, per BBC.
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“I don’t think people really care [about celebrities] in Nashville,” he said. “Even if they knew who you were, I don’t think they’d care. They’d just be like, ‘Eh.'”
Unlike Sheeran, many celebrities — including Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O’Donnell — have fled the States for a life abroad.
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Ellen DeGeneres’ move to the English countryside comes after President Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
DeGeneres has confirmed that Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election played a role in her decision to move abroad.
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Initially, the move was meant to be a part-time getaway. But after election night, things took a more permanent turn.
“We got here the day before the election and woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis, and I was like, ‘He got in,’” DeGeneres said during her first U.K. appearance since relocating, per the BBC. “And we’re like, ‘We’re staying here.’”
O’Donnell fled to Ireland after Trump won the 2024 election and had been feuding with the president since she made remarks about him as a co-host of “The View” in 2006.
Accused attempted Trump assassin rattles jury with odd, ‘politically charged’ queries
The first day of jury selection kicked off Monday in Fort Pierce, Florida, for the high-profile federal trial of Ryan Routh, who allegedly sought to assassinate President Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf club in September 2024.
Routh, who is representing himself, appeared at the federal courthouse on Monday morning wearing a gray suit and ankle shackles as the voir dire process began, with prosecutors and Routh questioning jurors to determine whether they can fairly participate in the trial.
The jury selection process will identify 12 jurors and four alternates for the trial.
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During jury selection, Routh asked potential jurors their views on the war in Gaza, their position on the U.S. potentially acquiring Greenland as the president has floated, and how they would act if they were driving and spotted a turtle in the middle of the road.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, dismissed Routh’s questions as “politically charged,” and said that they were unnecessary for jury selection.
“None of the questions on your list have any bearing whatsoever. They were off base, sir, and have no relevance to jury selection,” Cannon said. When Routh attempted to speak in protest, Cannon warned him not to interrupt.
Routh also said a former co-worker listed on his witness list, Eric Zuniga, would not testify on Routh’s behalf because Zuniga lives in Costa Rica and “likes his freedom and doesn’t want to get arrested or deported.” Routh then withdrew Zuniga’s name as a potential witness.
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Routh also said another potential witness he’d listed would also unlikely to appear, due to scheduled travel to Vietnam during the trial.
After the morning session wrapped up, Cannon asked if there was anything else, prompting Routh to say that he is “still in a situation at the jail where I can’t sleep.”
“I don’t know if they could move me to general population or something,” Routh said.
But Cannon once again shut Routh down, and said that the statement wasn’t appropriate at that time.
Twenty-seven out of the 60 prospective jurors claimed that they had a hardship that would prevent them from participating on the jury for Routh’s case. Meanwhile, Routh claimed he had reservations about many potential jurors, but couldn’t identify specific concerns.
Prosecutors claim that Routh sought to kill Trump for weeks, and staked out a spot in shrubbery on Sept. 15, 2024, when a Secret Service agent detected him pointing a rifle at Trump while the then-presidential candidate played golf at his West Palm Beach country club. Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, but abandoned his weapon and the scene after the Secret Service agents opened fire.
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Routh faces federal charges, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, as well as assaulting a federal officer and various gun violations. The charges carry a potential life sentence if the jury finds him guilty. Meanwhile, Routh has maintained he’s innocent and pleaded not guilty to all federal charges, in addition to state charges of terrorism and attempted murder.
Opening statements for the trial are expected to kick off on Thursday, and prosecutors are poised to launch into their case immediately afterward. The court has allocated four weeks for Routh’s trial, although it is expected to wrap up sooner.