Father demands action after daughter’s alleged killer with 39 charges walked free
A North Carolina father called for stricter penalties for criminals during a congressional hearing on Monday, saying that, similar to the case of the Charlotte light rail attack, his daughter was killed at the hands of a repeat offender.
Stephen Federico said his daughter Logan’s alleged murderer had more than two dozen felonies on his record in South Carolina before he broke into a house in Columbia, where the 22-year-old woman was visiting with friends, and robbed her and shot her in the chest.
“I will fight until my last breath for my daughter,” Federico told lawmakers during his opening remarks. “You need to fight for the rest of our children, the rest of the innocents, and stop protecting the people that keep taking them from us, please.”
Federico joined Mia Alderman, whose granddaughter was murdered in 2020, to speak out during a House Judiciary Committee hearing in Charlotte against a judicial system that they say failed their families.
CONGRESS TO HOLD CRIME HEARING IN CHARLOTTE FOLLOWING DEADLY LIGHT RAIL ATTACK
The committee held the remote hearing in North Carolina’s most urban region to highlight what lawmakers say is a need for criminal justice reform. The event comes after a repeat offender was caught on surveillance video last month stabbing Iryna Zarutska, 23, to death after she sat in front of the man on the Charlotte light rail.
Logan Federico’s suspected killer, Alexander Dickey, had been arrested several times for first-degree burglary, which carries a minimum 15-year sentence, when he pleaded guilty in 2023 to a lower charge as a first-time offender.
The solicitor’s office in South Carolina that handled Dickey’s last arrest later said it sought a sentencing based on a rap sheet that was incomplete because Dickey’s fingerprints were not properly recorded, according to a local report and a Fox News Digital analysis.
Stephen Federico said in total, Dickey had 39 charges on his record before he went on a burglary spree in May 2025, shot and killed his daughter, and then went to a store and used her debit card and other stolen cards. He was arrested the following day.
“When they saw his face on the video, they didn’t have to do a check. He was arrested so many times they knew who he was,” Stephen Federico said.
CHARLOTTE LIGHT-RAIL STABBING MURDER SPURS LANDMARK CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM FROM NORTH CAROLINA REPUBLICANS
In Zarutska’s case, suspect Decarlos Brown Jr. had a criminal record that spanned ten years and previously served prison time for robbery with a dangerous weapon.
Brown had also been diagnosed with schizophrenia and, according to the New York Times, had been awaiting an evaluation for his mental competence at the time of Zarutska’s murder. Before that, a magistrate judge released Brown in January after he was charged with a misdemeanor for abusing the 9-1-1 call line.
“Sadly, it’s all too common for a criminal to be let off easy by a judge only to have him turn around and commit an even worse crime,” said Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C., who represents part of Charlotte.
Alderman, meanwhile, said prosecutions for those responsible for murdering her granddaughter, 20-year-old Mary Collins, remain ongoing. Collins was found days after her death wrapped in plastic in a mattress with more than 100 stab wounds.
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“Five years is not justice. Five years is torment,” Alderman said, adding that one of the four people arrested, America Diehl, has been violating her release conditions. Three others have been arrested and charged, one of whom was out on bond for two years.
“Justice delayed is justice denied, and time is stealing our justice with the backlogged court system for murder trials, and Mary is not the only victim. … The same system that failed Mary failed Iryna,” Alderman said.
Hillary Clinton claims ‘White men of… a certain religion’ harm US, conservatives respond
During a recent appearance on MSNBC, former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton criticized “White men, of… a certain religion,” and said they are doing damage to the country.
“The idea that you could turn the clock back and try to recreate a world that never was, dominated by, you know, let’s say it, White men, of a certain persuasion, a certain religion, a certain point of view, a certain ideology, is just doing such damage to what we should be aiming for,” Clinton said last week on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
Some religious conservatives took Clinton’s comments as a dog whistle about them.
HILLARY CLINTON LAMENTS ‘MISSED OPPORTUNITIES’ FOR DEMOCRATS IN 2024 ELECTION
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, told Fox News Digital in an interview Friday that America is rejecting the ideology that Clinton is defending.
“She seems to be angry that the majority of Americans rejected the trajectory that the left had America on,” Perkins said. “And it’s not just White men of a particular persuasion. And I’m not sure what she means by that. Straight men? I’m not sure. But the reality is America has rejected this leftist ideology that has totally decoupled itself from truth.”
During her interview with Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, Clinton said, “Some people are actually scared about what’s going on in our country. The idea of we the people, that all men and women are created equal, that seems to be in the crosshairs of those on the right who want to turn the clock back on the progress that has been made, writing out huge chunks of our history, slavery, suffrage, anything inconvenient, you know, take it out of museums, take it out of national parks. You know.”
Perkins said he thinks Clinton wants an America that is antithetical to American values.
JOY REID CLAIMS ‘MEDIOCRE WHITE MEN’ LIKE TRUMP, ELVIS CAN’T ‘INVENT ANYTHING,’ STEAL CULTURE FROM OTHER RACES
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“I mean, I guess she wants to continue to advance a, you know, an administration, an ideology of the left that is killing unborn children, mutilating our children that do survive and are born. And indoctrinating them in our schools,” Perkins said.
“I guess that’s the trajectory she wants America to continue on. You know, the idea that there was never America in which there was normality,” he added. “I mean, look, we’ve always had our challenges, but they’re the ones that have been rewriting history. They’ve been doing it for 100 years.”
In light of Clinton’s remarks, Perkins said he is concerned Clinton would even respect or accept the vision of the Founding Fathers.
“I guess if she wants to do away with the, you know, men, White men of a particular persuasion, I assume she wants to erase all of the Founding Fathers who actually established the framework from which we work as a country that has given us the longest running consistent Constitution in country and history.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Roger Severino, vice president of domestic policy at The Heritage Foundation, said that Clinton’s comments were out of touch.
“It’s beyond tone deaf for Hillary to proclaim that conservative white Christian men are what’s wrong with America while the nation mourns the loss of Charlie Kirk,” Severino said. “At least it confirms what we all suspected, that Hillary still believes millions of Americans belong in her ‘basket of deplorables’ based on their sex, race, and sincere religious beliefs.”
Penny Nance, CEO and president of Concerned Women for America, told Fox News Digital in a statement that “Men of every race have allowed the left to marginalize and feminize them. America needs more strong men in this nation, not fewer.”
“The over 500,000 women of Concerned Women for America are incredibly thankful for strong men, and we dispute the false notion of ‘toxic masculinity,'” Nance added. “What has been labeled by the left as masculine is the opposite of masculine. Real masculinity protects the weak and leads with courage and character. We are thankful for men like the recent heroes who literally took bullets for women and children in recent shootings. We are grateful for the men who run towards danger, such as our first responders and the U.S. military.”
Nance went on to say that women are “begging” for men to be strong husbands, fathers, and providers and that will lead to a strong nation.
BILL CLINTON FEARS US IS ‘LOSING’ FREEDOM OF SPEECH AFTER BRIEF KIMMEL SUSPENSION
Charlie Kirk assassination suspect a no-show in court with unusual arrangement
PROVO, Utah — His absence from his own hearing left the courtroom with more empty seats than answers.
Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk at a Utah college campus earlier this month, returned to court Monday, sort of. He attended the hearing over a remote feed without video.
Robinson is due back for another hearing on Oct. 30, after his defense team, led by Kathy Nester, asked for more time to decide whether they would force an evidentiary hearing in the case against their client.
Two new names added to his team were announced during the hearing, attorneys Michael N. Burt and Richard G. Novak, both from California.
WHAT WILL BE TYLER ROBINSON’S DEFENSE STRATEGY? EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON ACCUSED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN
Prosecutors said they had begun handing over discovery materials to the defense. They raised a question about the wording of a gag order on the case, which may involve more than 3,000 witnesses, and the defense asked the court not only for more time on the waiver question but also before they decide whether to request bail.
There was a void in the courtroom, however, where Robinson would have sat and on the screen hooked up to the jail speaker he called in from.
Judge Tony Graf, who is overseeing the proceedings, asked Nester if she planned to have Robinson attend in person next month.
“Yes, your honor,” she replied. “Thank you.”
CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION LEAVES UNANSWERED QUESTIONS AS INVESTIGATORS PIECE TOGETHER GAPS IN CASE
It’s unusual but not unheard of for a defendant to appear remotely without video, a number of local attorneys and other authorities told Fox News Digital.
The request for the setup came from the defense, the court announced over the weekend. It was not immediately clear why, but security concerns may have been on everyone’s mind after Kirk’s assassination and a Sunday morning attack on a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Michigan happened within 18 days of one another.
CHARLIE KIRK’S ALLEGED ASSASSIN TYLER ROBINSON FACES DEATH PENALTY AS CHARGES FORMALLY ANNOUNCED
Security measures had been significantly bolstered ahead of the hearing, which saw few spectators beyond about two dozen reporters and a handful of other attendees. Police K9s swept the premises repeatedly throughout the morning, and the court closed one of its two entrances to divert all traffic through a single door. The judge temporarily banned bags from the courthouse.
Sgt. Ray Ormond, a spokesman for the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, told Fox News Digital that nothing happened to Robinson behind bars that would have prompted him to attend a hearing off-camera, he remains in the jail’s special housing unit and he hadn’t been involved in any incidents with other inmates.
“There were some other concerns,” he said, “partly because it was going to be such a short hearing.”
CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION SUSPECT REMAINS IN SPECIAL HOUSING UNIT DESPITE COMPLETED MENTAL EVALUATION
The hearing took about 10 minutes total, and Robinson was not asked to enter a plea.
Robinson’s defense team did not immediately respond to questions about the process, and there did not appear to be any record of Nester’s request in court documents.
Robinson had been expected to attend in person until the court announced Saturday that he wouldn’t.
“The best person to answer this question is someone on the defense team,” said Christopher Ballard, general counsel and the public information officer for the Utah County District Attorney’s Office.
UTAH PROSECUTORS PREPARE POTENTIAL DEATH PENALTY CASE AGAINST CHARLIE KIRK SUSPECT TYLER JAMES ROBINSON
The parties and the judge could have informally agreed to the arrangement, according to Randolph Rice, a Maryland-based legal analyst who is following the case.
“Just a thought, I wonder if they are so worried about tainting the jury pool with additional images of him in that suicide smock that they’re avoiding any unneeded video of him from the jail,” he told Fox News Digital.
Before the hearing started, a jail official said Robinson was present on the other side of a blank screen. He was not visible at all during the hearing, which the court said he would attend off-camera from the county jail.
“And to the jail, do we have Mr. Robinson present?” Graf asked after attorneys for both sides had introduced themselves.
“Yes, your honor,” a man’s voice replied.
WHO IS KATHRYN NESTER, CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION SUSPECT TYLER ROBINSON’S ATTORNEY?
“All right, Mr. Robinson, good morning to you as well,” the judge replied, indicating the voice belonged to the suspect.
Robinson faces seven charges, including aggravated homicide, which carries the potential death penalty, felony discharge of a firearm, obstruction and witness tampering.
He allegedly confessed or “implied” guilt to his parents, his romantic partner and friends, according to court documents. Investigators also allege they recovered his DNA from the suspected murder weapon, a Mauser .30-06 with a custom stock and modern optics — distinctive enough that his father allegedly asked him for the rifle’s whereabouts after police had it in their possession.
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Authorities have said they believe he acted alone and only discussed the plot with other people after allegedly carrying it out.
Trump admin gives Minnesota ultimatum after male pitcher dominated girls’ softball
FIRST ON FOX: The U.S. Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services have determined that Minnesota education agencies have violated Title IX by allowing biological male trans athletes to compete in girls’ sports, Fox News Digital has learned.
President Donald Trump’s administration found the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) in violation of Title IX after two months-long investigation into state policies and a transgender pitcher leading a girls’ high school softball team to a state championship.
A Department of Education press release obtained by Fox News Digital cites the pitcher’s performance in the 2025 season for the recent crackdown, stating “the male pitcher overpowered female athletes during five consecutive matches, only giving up one earned run over the course of 35 innings and striking out 27 female batters.”
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The release also cited instances of trans athletes competing in girls’ Alpine skiing, girls’ Nordic skiing, girls’ lacrosse, girls’ track and field team and girls’ volleyball.
“For too many years, Minnesota’s political leadership has found itself on the wrong side of justice, common sense, and the American people. Now the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota State High School League find themselves on the wrong side of Title IX by allowing males to compete in women’s sports,” said DOE Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor.
“The Trump Administration will not allow Minnesota or any other state to sacrifice the safety, fair treatment, and dignity of its female students to appease the false idols of radical gender ideology. Once an education program or entity takes federal funds, Title IX compliance becomes mandatory. And the federal government will hold Minnesota accountable until it recognizes that fact.”
The DOE and DHHS have now given the state and its education agencies a 10-day deadline to amend its policies to comply with Title IX and President Donald Trump’s “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order.
The conditions for that agreement are:
- MDE and MSHSL must rescind or revise any guidance permitting males to compete in girls’ sports to comply with Title IX and to reflect that to the extent State law conflicts with Title IX, federal law preempts State law;
- MDE will issue a statewide notice to all federally funded entities operating interscholastic athletic programs mandating their strict compliance with Title IX by separating athletics and intimate facilities based on sex;
- The notice will require these entities to adopt biology-based definitions of “male” and “female” and remind them that non-compliance with Title IX places their federal funding in jeopardy;
- MDE and MSHSL will submit updated Title IX training, procedure, and process materials for ED’s OCR and HHS’ OCR to review and approve, and will conduct the approved training to MDE and MSHSL personnel;
- MDE will restore to female athletes all records and titles misappropriated by male athletes competing in female categories, and send each female a letter of apology on behalf of the State of Minnesota for allowing her educational experience to be marred by sex discrimination. MDE will demand in writing that MSHSL take parallel action; and
- MDE will require each school and MSHSL to submit to MDE an annual certification that they have complied with Title IX.
If these conditions are not met, the state agencies will be referred to the Department of Justice. The DOJ has already filed lawsuits against Maine’s education agencies and California’s over the same issue of trans athletes in girls’ sports.
INSIDE GAVIN NEWSOM’S TRANSGENDER VOLLEYBALL CRISIS
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has already filed his own lawsuit against Trump and the DOJ for trying to enforce its policies to protect girls’ sports in Minnesota. Ellison has bragged about “suing them first” regarding the issue.
Meanwhile, the situation involving the softball player has already prompted another lawsuit by three teenage girls who have had to compete against the trans pitcher.A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit earlier this month.
The lawsuit was filed by three anonymous female athletes against Ellison, Minnesota State High School League Executive Director Erich Martens, Minnesota Department of Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero and Minnesota Commissioner of Education Willie Jett.
One of the anonymous plaintiffs told Fox News Digital the dismissal is “upsetting” and “frustrating.”
“This is so upsetting. I honestly don’t think it’s fair that this is still going on. I really hoped the court would order it to stop immediately, and now it just feels super frustrating, not only for those affected now but for all the girls it could affect,” she said.
The transgender athlete, Marissa Rothenberger of Champlin Park High School, led the school to a state championship this past year while dominating female opponents.
Rothenberger threw a complete-game shutout, allowing just three hits and striking out six in the championship game, capping off a run that saw Rothenberger pitch all 21 innings across three state tournament games, giving up just two runs. The junior allowed just two runs across 35 total innings in the postseason.
One of the plaintiffs previously told Fox News Digital about what it was like playing against Rothenberger.
“Hitting against him is not only a physical challenge but a mental, too. It’s a mental battle knowing that he has an advantage in the sport that I grew up playing, making it hard to even want to hit against him,” the player said.
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“His ability to get outs and spin the ball is a strong advantage, but, like I said, it’s also incredibly mentally challenging knowing that you’re competing against someone who has unfair advantages leaving you with little to no confidence.
“This issue has affected me in ways that I never imagined. It’s simply unfair, and I hate that nothing is happening to change that. Boys should not be able to take girls’ spots on teams just because they are capable of doing so. I hope that more girls affected by this issue will stand up against this.”
Now, the federal government is stepping up to take action.
Father of Michigan church attacker speaks out: ‘It’s been a nightmare’
The father of Thomas Jacob Sanford said he feels “terrible” after his son allegedly opened fire at The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, on Sunday, killing four people.
“I feel terrible about all the families that have been hurt and they’re under the same crap that I’m going under, that my wife and I are going under,” Thomas Sanford told the Detroit Free Press. “I apologize for that.”
The shooter served in the Marines from 2004 to 2008 as an organizational automotive mechanic and vehicle recovery operator, the Marine Corps told Fox News.
“He came back. I’m glad he came back in one piece,” Thomas Sanford said to the Detroit Free Press. “He was in logistics. He drove a wrecker and went out and picked up vehicles. One time, he was under fire but most of the time he was fine.”
“He loved the United States; he loved his family,” Sanford reportedly added. “He was a good man. He was a family man.”
“The only thing I can say is that it was my son that did it,” Sanford also told the Detroit Free Press. “As far as why? Irrelevant. It happened. We’re dealing with it. It’s been a nightmare.”
Fox News’ Louis Casiano and Garrett Tenney contributed to this report.
GRAND BLANC, Mich. – The father of the man responsible for driving a truck into a Mormon church in Michigan before opening fire on congregants apologized for his son’s actions on Monday.
The father, Thomas Sanford, told the Detroit Free Press that the situation is a “nightmare.” Neighbors and members of the community in Grand Blanc, Michigan expressed shock and sorrow in interviews with Fox News Digital. Investigators have not determined a specific motive for the shooter, also named Thomas Sanford, as new details emerge about his romantic life and alleged anti-Mormon prejudice.
“I feel terrible about all the families that have been hurt and they’re under the same crap that I’m going under, that my wife and I are going under,” the elder Sanford said. “I apologize for that.”
Online images of the shooter’s home showed a campaign sign for President Donald Trump on its fence, but the sign was not present when Fox News Digital saw the home on Monday.
Local city council candidate Kris Johns told Fox News that he spoke to Sanford just days before his attack and that the conversation veered toward extreme anti-Mormon rhetoric.
Sanford referred to Mormonism as “the anti-Christ” during their talk, Johns said.
Past acquaintances of Sanford’s say he had no such prejudice earlier in his life. Sandra Winter, who says she was Sanford’s landlady in Utah for roughly 10 months in 2010, said he dated and nearly married a Mormon woman during his time there.
Winter said she knew Sanford well and that he was considering joining the Mormon church in order to further his relationship with the girlfriend. She added that the woman’s family was “pretty gung ho about the idea.”
Despite all this, Winter said Sanford one day abruptly left without explanation.
Fox News’ Garrett Tenney contributed to this report.
The man police identified as the gunman who killed four people and injured several others during services at a Michigan Mormon church on Sunday before setting the building on fire is a 40-year-old Marine veteran who served in Iraq.
Thomas Jacob Sanford was named by authorities as the man who rammed a Chevy Silverado truck into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, before opening fire on the hundreds of worshipers gathered there.
Sanford then allegedly set the building on fire before being killed by responding officers. Police said they believe Sanford used an accelerant, likely gasoline, to start the fire.
At a short news conference, authorities confirmed that Sanford, from nearby Burton, Michigan, was the lone suspect.
Sanford served in the Marines from 2004 to 2008 as an organizational automotive mechanic and vehicle recovery operator, the Marine Corps told Fox News.
He deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He earned several awards during his four years of service, including the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.
He left with the rank of sergeant and his last duty assignment was with the 2nd Maintenance Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 25, 2nd Marine Logistics Group at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Police sources told FOX 2 Detroit that Sanford had a wife and son.
Fox News’ Garrett Tenney contributed to this report.
John Bond, a 77-year-old U.S. Navy veteran who served in Vietnam, was identified by Fox2 Detroit as one of the four people who died in the shooting on Sunday at The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan.
Bond’s family told the station that he had six children and ten grandchildren.
His widow told FOX 2 Detroit that Bond said, “I love you,” prior to him attending service on Sunday.
“He was a well known and loved member of his family and active in his community. John was a Navy veteran serving for nine years, a lover of golf and trains and always loved spending time with his family and grandkids,” read a GoFundMe page set up to support his memorial service.
Marine veteran Thomas Jacob Sanford, the man identified by authorities as the gunman who killed four people and injured eight others at a Michigan church that he also allegedly set on fire, was previously arrested for burglary and operating while intoxicated (OWI), authorities said Monday.
“The suspect from yesterday has been arrested by law enforcement in the past,” Grand Blanc Police Chief William Renye said during a press conference.
Sanford, 40, was killed when he engaged with responding law enforcement officers at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc on Sunday.
Days before he allegedly killed four people at the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the alleged shooter espoused anti-Mormon views, according to a city council candidate.
Kris Johns, who is running for a seat on the Burton City Council, was out canvassing going door-to-door about a week ago when he met Thomas Jacob Sanford.
Within minutes of meeting, Johns said Sanford asked him “What are your thoughts on guns?” and “What do you know about Mormons?”
Johns said Sanford then launched into a tirade against the church.
“It was a tirade. I mean, that’s ultimately what it was,” he told Fox News. “It was a series of questions, but it was him proactively making a tirade about his views in the LDS Church.
“It was extremely anti-Mormon,” he added. “And then really what I walked away with, you know the statement I’ll never forget was that Mormons are the anti-Christ.”
Johns said he initially didn’t make the connection between Sanford’s remarks and the attack in the church.
“I was in church at the time that the attack happened,” he said. “I received the message and I saw that it was an LDS church. I made no connection. From the attack in Grand Blanc to what was him. It wasn’t until later in the day where I saw a photo where I knew exactly that was the person I spoke with.”
A Michigan resident told WDIV that Thomas Jacob Sanford “gunned [the] engine” of his truck at her and her 16-year-old daughter in the days leading up to the deadly shooting in Grand Blanc Township.
Kara Pattison was identified by the station
as a longtime friend of Sanford. The alleged incident happened as Pattison and her daughter, Lydia, were walking on a street.
“We started to cross, and the truck like gunned its engine and came at us,” Pattison said. “I blocked my daughter and we jumped back, and then the window rolled down, and it was Jake. He was laughing. He’s, like, ‘Oh, got you guys.’”
“He had never pretended to run us over before, so no, that wasn’t normal behavior,” Pattison added.
The FBI has conducted more than 100 interviews as it continues to investigate Sunday’s deadly shooting, the agency said Monday.
Reuben Coleman, the acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office, said that investigators were still trying to determine a motive for the attack.
“In the past 24 hours, our investigative squads and specialty teams have been out all night exhausting leads, some which are coming in from the public via tips,” he said.
The FBI is investigating the shooting as an act of targeted violence.
The bureau’s special agents, victim specialists, child advocate forensic interviewers, and local partners have interviewed over 100 victims and witnesses, Coleman said.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt provided an update on the FBI investigation into the shooting and fire at a Michigan Mormon church on Sunday.
“Based on my conversations with the FBI director, all they know right now is this was an individual who hated people of the Mormon faith, and they are trying to understand more about this, how premeditated it was, how much planning went into it, whether he left a note. All of those questions have yet to be answered, but certainly will be answered by the FBI,” Leavitt told “Fox & Friends” on Monday after speaking with FBI Director Kash Patel.
Thomas Jacob Sanford was named by authorities as the man who rammed a Chevy Silverado into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, before opening fire on the hundreds of worshipers gathered there.
The White House press secretary praised local law enforcement for their response to the shooting.
“Local police officers were on the ground of this scene within minutes and neutralized this shooter, no doubt saving lives, and they should be commended. Our police officers are heroes and this president will always respect them and support them,” Leavitt continued.
Scandal-plagued Dem in key state hit with new allegations involving her children
New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill, who is currently embroiled in a controversy involving a cheating scandal while she studied at the U.S. Naval Academy, is facing questions and accusations of nepotism over her children being admitted to that same academy earlier this year.
“I am so proud of all the young men and women from NJ-11 who are reporting to the military academies or academy preparatory programs this summer,” Sherrill said in a June press release highlighting 24 students from her district being appointed to various military academies including two of her children, Lincoln and Margaret Hedberg.
The press release did not note that the two students with her husband’s last name were her children and the photo in the release showing Sherrill posing with the students does not include her children.
“From my time at the Naval Academy, I remember how challenging the academy’s programs are — both academically and physically,” the press release added. “Learning to work as a team and overcoming those challenges prepared me to lead servicemembers as a military officer. I am grateful for these young men and women who are willing to serve our nation in uniform and I wish them the best of luck as they start their careers as future military leaders.”
MIKIE SHERRILL STAYS SILENT AS NEW JERSEY POLITICIANS REACT TO CONVICTED COP KILLER’S DEATH
Members of Congress nominate students to the service academies while the actual academies make the appointments after the representatives submit a list of nominees by the end of January and the academies appoint qualified candidates.
Some on social media have suggested nepotism was at play with their acceptance into the academy given that only 22 students from her district were admitted to the military academies, including just nine to the naval academy, according to the press release.
College rankings show that admissions to the Naval Academy are very competitive with a 9% acceptance rate.
“Mikie Sherrill’s two kids are at the Naval Academy, one of the hardest schools to get into, because of her nepotism,” Rasmussen pollster Mark Mitchell posted on X. “Meanwhile, some hardworking, impoverished, and unconnected teenagers lose out on a life dream they earned.”
Journalist Jennifer Jean Miller posted on X, “Far left politicians like Mikie Sherrill like to virtue signal about privilege…yet have no problem exerting their own privilege. How did Mikie Sherrill’s two kids get into the Naval Academy? Did two other deserving students miss out because of her nepotism?”
While many on social media have claimed that Sherrill nominated one of her children, an aide for Democratic Sen. Cory Booker confirmed to Fox News Digital that Booker nominated one of Sherrill’s children for this year’s freshman class.
“Each year, Senator Booker, as a member of Congress, has the honor of nominating qualified young people to serve in the United States military service academies,” Booker’s office told Fox News Digital.
“Prospective candidates go through an extensive application and screening process with service members and academy volunteers to recommend the best candidates to the academy based on merit. The candidates put forth for each academy represent the best and brightest that New Jersey has to offer.”
Sherrill’s other child was nominated by now-former Democratic Sen. George Helmy, a Helmy spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital.
Sherrill told Fox News Digital in a statement that, in “order to remove even the appearance of a conflict of interest, my children did not compete in my office’s service academy nomination process.”
“Instead, they applied to the offices of the U.S. Senators from New Jersey, who also run academy nomination processes each year, and I am proud that they each earned nominations on their own,” Sherrill added.
“Every year, our office runs a competitive and nonpolitical process to select the best nominees to submit to the academies. I am honored to nominate the service academy appointees from our district who step up to serve our country.”
MIKIE SHERRILL REMAINS SILENT ON ISSUE OF TRANS ATHLETES IN WOMEN’S SPORTS AS TRUMP CALLS HER OUT FOR IT
When asked by Fox News Digital why Sherrill’s press release did not include her children in the picture or mention their relationship to her, Sherrill’s office said that her child appointed by Booker attended that ceremony and that the press release listed all the students from NJ-11 who were appointed to academies, not just those she nominated, which is “routine for the office.”
Sherrill’s campaign called the nepotism questions a “depraved attack” in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“The Trump administration, in concert with the Ciattarelli campaign, released Mikie Sherrill’s unredacted service records — including her Social Security number and parents’ address — and now is desperately doubling down by attacking Mikie’s husband and kids,” the statement said. “It’s despicable, wrong, and underscores just how unfit Jack Ciattarelli is to be governor.”
Federal law (10 U.S.C. § 8454) states that members of Congress may nominate up to 15 candidates for each available vacancy at the U.S. Naval Academy. “Each member of Congress can have 5 constituents attending the Naval Academy at any time,” according to their admissions website.
The combustible ballot box battle in New Jersey, which is one of only two elections for governor across the country this year, was rocked last week after a report revealed that the United States Naval Academy blocked Sherrill from taking part in her 1994 graduation amid a cheating scandal.
Ciattarelli and his campaign are calling on Sherrill, who went on to pilot helicopters during her military career after graduating from the Naval Academy, to release her military records to explain why she was blocked from attending her graduation ceremony.
“What we learned today is that she was part of it in some way, shape or form. Come clean, release the records. Tell us what’s in your disciplinary records. I think the people of New Jersey deserve that,” Ciattarelli said Thursday night in an interview on Fox News’ “Hannity.”
But a second report revealed that the National Personnel Records Center, which is a branch of the National Archives and Records Administration, errantly released Sherrill’s improperly redacted military personnel files, which included private information including her social security number, to a Ciattarelli ally.
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The news spurred calls by top Democrats across the country for an investigation.
“To have a guy I’m running against, it will stop at nothing, it will stop at nothing, who will illegally obtain records. It’s just beyond the pale,” Sherrill, who served as a federal prosecutor before winning election to Congress, charged Thursday night on the campaign trail in Plainfield, New Jersey.
The two candidates face off next week in the second and final debate in the race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy.
Father of 4 confirmed dead after Dallas ICE sniper attack; wife expecting fifth child
A second detainee has died after a shooter opened fire on a Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility last week, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed to Fox News.
The League of United Latin American Citizens identified the victim as Miguel Ángel García-Hernández, 32, who they said died after being removed from life support following the Sept. 24 sniper attack.
García-Hernández leaves behind four young children and his wife, who is expecting their fifth child.
MANGIONE, CATHOLIC CHURCH SHOOTER, CHARLIE KIRK SHOOTER, ICE SHOOTER ALL USED ENGRAVED BULLETS
“My husband Miguel was a good man, a loving father and the provider for our family,” his wife Stephany Gauffeny said in a statement. “We had just bought our first home together and he worked hard every single day to make sure our children had what they needed.”
“His death is a senseless tragedy that has left our family shattered. I do not know how to explain to our children that their father is gone,” she added.
García-Hernández was originally from Mexico and in the U.S. illegally. He was arrested by police in Arlington, Texas, on Aug. 8 and charged with driving while intoxicated, evading arrest with a vehicle and fleeing police. That same day, ICE officials filed an immigration detainer against him.
Records show García-Hernández had also been charged with failure to identify himself to law enforcement officers in 2011 and 2017. After the 2017 arrest, ICE lodged a detainer, but he was released before immigration authorities could take custody.
The attack also killed detainee Norlan Guzmán-Fuentes, 37, of El Salvador and wounded Jose Andres Bordones-Molina, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela.
DALLAS ICE GUNMAN’S HANDWRITTEN NOTE THREATENED ‘REAL TERROR,’ FBI REVEALS
Officials said Joshua Jahn, 29, carried out the sniper assault and wanted to incite terror by killing federal agents. Jahn fatally shot himself following the attack.
The shooting happened while ICE officers were bringing detainees into the agency’s Dallas facility. ICE sources told Fox News the detainees were inside a law enforcement van when the gunfire erupted. Federal officials said anti-ICE messaging was engraved on rounds found near Jahn’s body.
FBI Director Kash Patel said Jahn downloaded a document before the attack titled “Dallas County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management,” which listed DHS facilities.
Between Aug. 19 and Aug. 24, Jahn also searched apps that tracked the presence of ICE agents, Patel said. In the hours before the shooting, he looked up ballistics information and the “Charlie Kirk Shot Video.”
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Investigators also recovered a handwritten note in which Jahn wrote: “Hopefully this will give ICE agents real terror, to think, ‘is there a sniper with AP rounds on that roof?’” Patel said evidence gathered so far indicates a “high degree of pre-attack planning.”
House Democrats threaten shutdown to protect expiring Obamacare subsidies
House Democrats are ready to go to war to save enhanced Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire at the end of this year, even if it means risking a partial government shutdown.
Democrats and some moderate House Republicans have been sounding the alarm about the expiring healthcare subsidies for weeks, a fight that’s now coming to a head as the Senate is poised to vote on a short-term federal funding bill called a “continuing resolution” (CR) aimed at keeping the government funded through Nov. 21.
House Democrats held an in-person caucus meeting on Capitol Hill Monday night to paint a contrasting image with House Republicans who are home in their districts during a potential shutdown.
“One, yes, we should get it done in this CR,” Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., told Fox News Digital after the meeting when asked if getting the subsidies included was worth risking a potential shutdown. “The Republicans in the last 20 years have asked for policy goal after policy goal in this similar situation.”
DEMS NOT BUDGING ON GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN DEMANDS AHEAD OF HIGH-STAKES TRUMP MEETING, JEFFRIES SUGGESTS
“And number two, we need some commitments that if we sign up for a budget, the budget will actually be observed,” he added.
Both Himes and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, referenced earlier comments by senior appropriator Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., to Politico, questioning why Democrats would join the GOP in funding negotiations given the Trump administration’s propensity for cutting spending that Congress agrees on.
DeLauro told reporters after the meeting that Republicans “absolutely” needed to deliver on Obamacare, formally known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), in written legislation.
“Why should we believe them if it’s not in legislation?” she asked.
DeLauro said earlier, “We certainly don’t want to shut down. We’ve said that all along, and all we need is good, bipartisan cooperation. That’s what’s necessary. We’ve been able to do that before, I anticipate we ought to be getting there now. And all this is about is affordability, affordability of health care costs.”
Other House Democrats who spoke with Fox News Digital did not directly say the subsidies were worth risking a shutdown, but argued they needed to be addressed immediately.
“Healthcare costs are skyrocketing, and so look, I mean, to not address that reality is political malpractice. Congress has an obligation to do something, and we have to do something now. We’re here in Washington because we want to fix the problem. Republicans aren’t here,” Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., said.
“It’s about whether people continue to afford to have adequate healthcare…this is a big issue, and this is a fight the American people, I think, are on our side on.”
Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, said when asked if the subsidies were worth risking a shutdown now, “I think this will be [President Donald Trump’s] shutdown, because he’s not just the president, but for his entire second term, he has tried to give everyone the impression that he is all powerful. And that does come at a cost.”
“[Republicans] could extend these tax credits that are very popular and necessary at a time with rising costs, by simply sitting down and negotiating with us,” Landsman said.
Rep. Eugene Vindman, D-Va., pointed out that “notices are supposed to go out as early as Wednesday that ACA tax credits are going away.”
SHUTDOWN EXPLAINED: WHO WORKS, WHO DOESN’T AND HOW MUCH IT COSTS
“The Democrats are happy to support any bill that would protect Americans’ healthcare, our education, and we’re ready to vote. We’re here working right now, Republicans aren’t here,” Vindman said.
Already existing ACA subsidies were increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic under former President Joe Biden.
And while the credits were meant as a temporary expansion, they’ve since become a political lightning rod with healthcare premiums poised to rise for millions of Americans.
There have been some conversations about limiting the income brackets eligible for those enhanced subsidies, while conservatives have pushed for them to be eliminated altogether.
House and Senate GOP leaders have signaled they would be willing to have those discussions later this year and are accusing Democrats of trying to jam partisan demands into a seven-week government funding bill.
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While House Democrats appear united on the matter, however, it’s the Senate that is pivotal in the current equation.
The House passed the CR largely along party lines earlier this month, and it’s now on the Senate to advance the measure before midnight on Oct. 1 to avert a shutdown.
But even Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., signaled on Monday evening that Democrats would hold firm.
“They say give us 45 days. Since March, we’ve had 45 days and 45 days and 45 days and 45 days. We asked to meet earlier, they didn’t want to,” Schumer told reporters. “So we think when they say later, they mean never. We have to do it now, first because of the timing issue, and second, because now is the time we can get it done.”
Steelers backup QB at center of mysterious Dublin incident as new info emerges
An alleged incident involving Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Skylar Thompson in Dublin last week took a new twist on Monday as the team got back to the U.S.
Irish police said a formal complaint had not been filed in connection to reports that Thompson was assaulted and robbed in Dublin while his team prepared to play the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL’s first regular-season game in the country.
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An Garda Síochána, the national police, said it did not have information to substantiate the robbery report involving Thompson.
The NFL Network reported Thompson was robbed and suffered minor injuries in the incident. Irish media reported “a number of males were involved in an assault on Thompson near the Temple Bar area” and that his phone was stolen.
Police said officers became involved early Saturday when they encountered a man who required medical assistance.
“The male in his 20s was treated and assessed at the scene by emergency services personnel,” police said without commenting further about the assault report.
The Steelers issued a statement on the incident.
BRONCOS DEMOLISH BENGALS TO GET BACK IN WIN COLUMN AS BO NIX SHINES AT HOME
“We are aware of a situation involving Skylar Thompson on Friday night in Dublin,” a Steelers spokesperson told the NFL Network. “We will have no further comment at this time as we are working with NFL security to gather more information regarding the incident.”
The NFL Players Association also commented on the incident.
“As always, our priority is the health and safety of our player members — especially as we continue to work on the player protections and well-being while playing international games — and we will continue to support Skylar in any way he needs,” the union said.
Thompson, 28, signed with the Steelers in January after spending some time with the Miami Dolphins. He was activated to the roster in March and earned the backup job to quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
He was placed on injured reserve on Sept. 10 due to a hamstring injury. Thompson, Rodgers and Mason Rudolph are the quarterbacks on the roster.
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The Steelers defeated the Vikings on Sunday, 24-21.