Minneapolis, Minnesota Local News | ReportWire publishes the latest breaking U.S. and world news, trending topics and developing stories from around globe.
The co-inventor of the Squatty Potty — once featured on the ABC hit show “Shark Tank” — faces charges of allegedly receiving sexually explicit images of a child, according to a Monday release from the Justice Department announcing an unsealed indictment against the business owner.
Federal authorities arrested 50-year-old Robert Edwards of Ivins, Utah, earlier this month after a four-and-a-half year investigation showed that he allegedly and knowingly received multiple images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), according to the DOJ release.
Edwards first came to the feds’ attention back in March 2021, when an undercover FBI agent joined a group chat used to trade CSAM and noted that participants viewed abuse videos streaming on the chat’s main screen, the DOJ said. The agent noted that participants were visible during the meeting, including a man later identified as Edwards.
In addition, FBI agents suspected last May that Edwards was purchasing CSAM via PayPal, which led them to execute a search warrant in November.
During the search, agents seized a cell phone from Edwards’ vehicle that contained what the DOJ described as “multiple videos and images of child sexual abuse material, some of which downloaded onto the cell phone just two weeks before the search warrant was executed.”
Authorities found additional CSAM files during the search of Edwards’s residence. He was arrested Feb. 12 and pleaded not guilty to a charge of receipt of child pornography.
His next court date is Monday in St. George, Utah.
HuffPost reached out to Edwards’s attorney, but no one immediately responded.
Edwards is best known to “Shark Tank” fans as the co-creator of Squatty Potty, a stool that props up the legs to supposedly ease bowel movements.
Savannah Guthrie said that she and her family have accepted that her missing mother, Nancy, may “already be gone,” but that they are still holding out hope while announcing a private reward of up to $1 million for her recovery.
“We still believe in a miracle, we still believe that she can come home,” the co-anchor of NBC’s “Today” show said in an emotional video posted Tuesday morning to Instagram.
“We also know that she may be lost, she may already be gone. She may have already gone home to the lord that she loves and is dancing in heaven with her mom and her dad and with her beloved brother Pierce, and with our daddy. And if this is what is to be, then we will accept it,” she says in the video. “But we need to know where she is. We need her to come home. For that reason, we are offering a family reward of up to $1 million for any information that leads us to her recovery.”
Nancy Guthrie is believed to have been abducted from her Tucson-area home by a masked, armed man more than three weeks ago. Video and photos released by the FBI captured a person outside the 84-year-old’s front door on the morning of Feb. 1 wearing a backpack, a ski mask, gloves and a handgun at their waist.
No arrests have been made or suspects identified in the case.
Savannah Guthrie, while fighting back tears, acknowledged that it’s now been 24 days since her mom vanished, leaving her in perpetual pain.
A missing person alert for Nancy Guthrie is seen.
“Every hour and minute and second, and every long night has been agony since then, of worrying about her, fearing for her, aching for her, and most of all just missing her,” she says.
The FBI on Tuesday shared news of the Guthries’ reward on social media, while reminding that its $100,000 reward also remains active.
Savannah Guthrie said her family has also donated $500,000 to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
“Somebody knows something that can bring her home. Somebody knows,” she says in the video.
The 84-year-old is believed to have been abducted from her Tucson-area home by a masked, armed man on Feb. 1.
The announced reward increase comes one day after law enforcement sources told ABC and CBS News that Nancy Guthrie’s front door camera captured the suspect outside her home at another, unknown time before her Feb. 1 disappearance. During that alleged visit, the person appeared wearing similar clothing but was without a backpack.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department on Monday shot down those reports, however, saying it’s “purely speculative” to say that the suspect visited the home at an earlier date based on those images.
“There is no date or time stamp associated with these images,” the department said of images showing the individual not wearing the backpack. “Therefore, any suggestion that the photographs were taken on different days is purely speculative.”
Minneapolis police say a man was fatally shot inside a south Minneapolis apartment building Tuesday night.
The shooting happened “in a first-floor common area” inside a building on the 100 block of East 18th Street around 10:40 p.m., police said.
Authorities have not publicly identified the decedent.
An “altercation” preceded the shooting, police said, and they are working to learn what exactly led to the killing. No one has been arrested as of Wednesday morning.
Police Chief Brian O’Hara called the shooting “senseless” and asked anyone with information to come forward.
Douglas County commissioners passed a measure Tuesday that requires hundreds of retail stores in unincorporated parts of the county to file a report with law enforcement when thieves rip them off.
But unlike an initial version of the law that was made public in December, the county will levy no fines on retailers for failing to do so — instead leaving any decision about punishment to a local court.
The first version of the law called for fines of $50, and all the way up to $1,000, for businesses that failed to report a crime. That caused some unease in the business community that Douglas County was overreaching.
Commissioner Abe Laydon said during the business meeting Tuesday that the ordinance was not meant to punish retailers but to keep the community safe.
“This is the most prosperous county in the state of Colorado — we don’t want us to become a target for organized crime,” he said. “When we tolerate organized retail theft, we normalize lawlessness.”
The latest rendition of the ordinance increased the time — from 24 hours to 96 hours — that businesses will have to report a theft. It also allows a retailer to report a crime via an online form rather than have police called to the scene.
That was enough to allay concerns from Chris Howes, the president of the Colorado Retail Council. In an attempt to make the measure more palatable to local businesses, he said his organization had some “fruitful discussions” with the county after the law was first unveiled.
“We don’t feel it punishes retail,” he said. “The focus on retail crime is overall going to be a benefit to us.”
District Attorney George Brauchler said he wants to get the message across that “we do not tolerate thieves.”
“If you come here to steal from us, plan on staying,” he said in a statement Tuesday. “Business owners and citizens alike should know that we will continue to protect their property rights.”
Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly said the ordinance is aimed at combating the recent trend of retail outlets, especially large ones, not reporting crime on their premises. The measure holds employers accountable for policies that discourage the reporting of theft and that might result in retaliation against an employee who does report a crime.
“When corporate policies prevent or discourage the reporting of theft, it limits our ability to investigate, identify patterns and hold offenders accountable,” Weekly said in a statement. “(This ordinance) reinforces the importance of timely reporting and evidence preservation while focusing on corporate entities rather than individual employees.”
Traveling is stressful, especially flying. So many things are out of your control, like the weather or plane issues
You could also suddenly get sick prior to the trip or get hurt while on it. All these “what ifs” could be costly. That’s where travel insurance can help.
“Travel insurance will help provide reimbursement for travel expenses you incur if your trip gets interrupted, delayed, or canceled,” said Clint Hinderson, a travel expert with The Points Guy, a travel website.
That sounds reassuring, but not all interruptions, delays or cancellations are created equal.
So, what does travel insurance cover?
“It will cover potential cancellation as long as you buy it within a period of time. It can cover medical emergencies. It can cover trip delays, flight delays. It can also cover things like baggage delays and loss,” said Rupa Mehta, CEO of Squaremouth, a travel insurance comparison website.
The list of what’s not covered is much longer, including what happened this month in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. War, civil unrest, natural disasters, alcohol and drug-related injuries, and extreme sports and activities are excluded from coverage.
“The biggest mistake people make is not reading the fine print. You really got to know what your policy does and does not cover,” said Henderson.
If you’re someone who doesn’t want to worry about what’s covered, you can opt to pay for cancel for any reason and interruption for any reason” coverage.
“Even if there are a lot of these exclusions listed, they’ll cover up to a certain percentage of your trip, no matter what. Cancel for any reason works before the trip and interrupt for any reason kicks in after you start your trip,” said Mehta.
Both experts warn this type of coverage is more expensive, while only covering about 50-75% of your trip cost if used.
When buying travel insurance, Squaremouth states people can expect to spend about 4-10% of their trip cost, depending on how extensive a policy they choose.
In 2024, about 86.97 million Americans secured travel insurance, spending roughly $5.56 billion to protect their trips, according to the U.S. Travel Insurance Association.
Let’s say you’ve done your research, got quotes and read the fine print. Now the question is, when is the right time to buy travel insurance? The answer is the earlier, the better. Mehta said right after booking flights, hotels and buying event tickets is the best time to consider if insurance is a good fit.
“We would always recommend purchasing travel insurance if you’re traveling internationally, because whether it’s a U.S. health care plan or Medicare, you’re unlikely to be covered abroad,” said Mehta.
Henderson is hesitant to spend on travel insurance, but there are unique instances when he feels there could be value.
“If I was spending big money on a once-in-a-lifetime trip, a safari, something like that, then I might splurge on insurance,” he said.
Many travel credit cards offer complimentary travel insurance if you use them to book your trip. The cards include Chase Sapphire Preferred, Delta Sky Miles Gold, Capitol One Venture X and more.
A bill designed to stop grooming in Minnesota schools is moving forward after its first hearing on Tuesday. It follows a WCCO investigative series where a young woman shared what she says happened to her in high school.
The House Education Policy Committee heard testimony on the bill.
“My name is Hannah LoPresto. I’m a victim survivor of grooming and sexual assault by my high school band teacher,” LoPresto said.
LoPresto told lawmakers what she says happened to her propelled her to act.
“My story exposed numerous gaps in our state laws that need to be strengthened to better protect K-12 students from sexual abuse,” LoPresto said.
Republican Rep. Peggy Bennett introduced the bill to strengthen protections for students against grooming after meeting LoPresto last fall and sharing her own experience with grooming in high school.
“It’s something that still sticks with me today, so it is a really important issue,” Bennett said.
Among enhancements to training and improving mandatory reporting, the bill calls for making grooming a chargeable felony offense.
“Often when I share that I was groomed and sexually assaulted, most people focus in on the sexual assaults as being the most horrific and impactful. But for me, the five-plus years of grooming were even more harmful to my long-term health and well-being. It was years of psychological manipulation that harmed my understanding of intimate relationships, my own value and my ability to trust others,” LoPresto said.
Detective Chad Clausen took LoPresto’s statement as part of a larger police investigation a few years ago and testified in support of the bill.
“These proposals are practical, preventative and focused on child safety. They target predatory behaviors, not educators,” Clausen said.
Supporters and committee members asked for clarifications on language in the bill, but mainly expressed admiration for LoPresto.
“So I’m just really proud of you and I hope you feel that walking out of here,” DFL Rep. Julia Green said.
“This is an abhorrent practice that is all too common, and so I want to thank you for telling your story and I want to thank you for bringing this legislation forward,” DFL Rep. David Gottfried said.
“Let’s have a good law that makes sure we keep kids away from these kinds of predators,” Bennett said.
LoPresto told WCCO the hearing was a monumental step and said seeing the support was incredible.
The bill now moves to the Public Safety Committee.
A man accused of shooting and killing another man in Denver on Valentine’s Day and fleeing Colorado was arrested Friday in Kansas on suspicion of murder, police said.
As of Tuesday afternoon, 20-year-old Yeanbraiker Yriarte-Valera was being held at the Wyandotte County Detention Center in Kansas on a Denver homicide warrant, according to jail records. He was booked into the jail on Friday.
Yriarte-Valera is under investigation for first-degree murder, four counts of attempted first-degree murder, four counts of first-degree assault and a violent crime sentence enhancer, according to Denver court records.
Denver police responded to the shooting in the 1500 block of West Maple Avenue at about 5:15 a.m. on Feb. 14. When officers arrived, they found a woman who had been shot in the ankle and a man who died from his injuries at the scene.
Paramedics took the woman to the hospital, police said. The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner will identify the man killed in the shooting.
Investigators believe a fight started at a party in the area that escalated into the shooting, according to a news release from the Denver Police Department. At least two people fired off shots, hitting the two victims, but the second suspect had not been publicly identified as of Tuesday.
Yriarte-Valera is believed to have shot the bullet that killed the male victim, police said. The second suspect allegedly shot and injured the female victim.
Yriarte-Valera’s first Colorado court date had not yet been scheduled on Tuesday.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.
TRENTON, N.J. — The Trump administration is suing New Jersey over a state order that prohibits federal immigration agents from making arrests in nonpublic areas of state property, such as correctional facilities and courthouses.
The Justice Department lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in Trenton, challenges Gov. Mikie Sherrill ’s Feb. 11 executive order, which also bars the use of state property as a staging or processing area for immigration enforcement.
Sherrill, a Democrat who took office Jan. 20, “insists on harboring criminal offenders from federal law enforcement,” the lawsuit said, accusing her of attempting to obstruct federal law enforcement and thwart President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Sherrill’s executive order “poses an intolerable obstacle” to immigration enforcement and “directly regulates and discriminates” against the federal government, said the lawsuit, which misspelled her name as “Sherill.”
Asked about the lawsuit Tuesday, Sherrill said: “What I think the federal government needs to be focused on right now, instead of attacking states like New Jersey working to keep people safe, is actually training their ICE agents.”
The state’s acting attorney general, Jennifer Davenport, said the Trump administration was “wasting its resources on a pointless legal challenge.” New Jersey will fight the lawsuit and “continue to ensure the safety of our state’s immigrant communities,” she said.
The lawsuit is the latest in the Trump administration’s fight against state and local level restrictions on immigration enforcement.
Last year, the Justice Department sued Minnesota and Colorado, as well as cities including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Denver over so-called sanctuary laws, which are aimed at prohibiting police from cooperating with immigration agents.
Last May, the Trump administration sued four New Jersey cities — Newark, Jersey City, Paterson and Hoboken — over such policies. That case is pending.
The man went on the run after killing a Christian County deputy; when he was located by law enforcement, he opened fire, killing another deputy and igniting the shootout that led to his own death
February 24, 2026 10:22 AM
Master Trooper Stien Davis had served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol for more than 10 years; he was assigned to Troop B, District 7 in Robeson County
February 23, 2026 08:38 AM
·
Meridian, Idaho Police officials stated that the suspect was interrupted before he was able to light the accelerant and set the building ablaze
February 23, 2026 09:48 AM
The Knowledge Value Network Project will interconnect the agency’s technology system to ensure that information “flows smoothly, securely, and intelligently,” said Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill
February 23, 2026 11:04 AM
Engineered for reliability, precision, and mission readiness, CSI products are built to perform when seconds matter most
BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. — A sergeant with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office was killed while on duty when his vehicle was struck by a tractor-trailer on Interstate 40 on Monday, the department said.
“The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office is heartbroken to confirm that one of our sergeants was killed in the line of duty this evening,” BCSO spokesperson Jayme Gonzales said in an email.
Sgt. Michael Schlattman, who had been with the department since 2012, was conducting a traffic stop late Monday afternoon on I-40 eastbound near Carnuel when the incident occurred, Gonzales said.
“While he was outside the vehicle, a semi truck struck the rear of his department-issued vehicle, ultimately pinning him beneath,” she said in a news release early Tuesday morning.
Schlattman died on scene.
Sheriff John Allen battled tears in the early hours Tuesday morning as he spoke of Schlattman, also known as Schlatty to his colleagues.
“He was known for being a true leader in the field, as you saw him today during the traffic stop,” Allen said. “He was always wondering what was going on with the agency and wondering what he can do better and how to help the deputies and how to help us become a better agency.”
Schlattman, who became a sergeant in 2024, worked in various capacities for BCSO, including time as a detective in the special investigations and auto theft units and as a task force officer with the United States Marshals Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
At the time of his death, Schlattman was a sergeant in the East Mountains.
Allen said there were a “couple people” who were injured, including the semi-truck driver. All of them were treated at the University of New Mexico Hospital.
BCSO said investigators were reviewing dash-cam footage of the traffic stop and that multiple people were affected by the incident.
“We just want to make sure since this is so fresh and raw that we’re giving everything time,” Allen said. “We always want to make sure we give our community that we serve with transparency and facts … and they’re still developing.”
Allen added that the department would continue the work that Schlattman had done to the standards he would have expected.
“That was his last call tonight and we’ll take it from here,” he said. “That’s always been the tradition of law enforcement; we have no other choice. That’s what we signed up for, that’s what we’ll continue to do.”
Both lanes of I-40 were closed for hours on Monday while authorities investigated, and the lanes remained blocked early Tuesday morning.
Schlattman is the first officer killed in the line of duty in New Mexico this year. Two officers, Antonio Aleman of the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office and Timothy Ontiveros of the Bloomfield Police Department, were killed in the line of duty last year.
A procession for the BCSO sergeant began late Monday night along I-40 and went through the city to the Office of the Medical Investigator.
A memorial service for Schlattman will be held, and information will be shared with the public, when his family is ready, Gonzales said.
” Sergeant Schlattman was a servant leader and a protector in the truest sense,” Allen said. “He was the kind of supervisor who never asked a deputy to do something he would not do himself. Our hearts are broken, and we are asking our community to carry this family and this agency in your prayers.”
The man went on the run after killing a Christian County deputy; when he was located by law enforcement, he opened fire, killing another deputy and igniting the shootout that led to his own death
February 24, 2026 10:22 AM
Master Trooper Stien Davis had served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol for more than 10 years; he was assigned to Troop B, District 7 in Robeson County
February 23, 2026 08:38 AM
·
A man armed with a gun entered a barbershop and began shooting at customers and employees; he was fatally shot by an off-duty Austin Police officer
February 23, 2026 04:11 PM
·
Meridian police say the woman faces federal charges for the attempted destruction of a federal property by fire
The department’s deployment includes ARSENAL MK2 body-worn cameras featuring 128GB internal storage, hot-swappable batteries, and multiple mounting configurations
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced Tuesday that it had cited and fined three Weld County companies a combined $247,000 after it determined six people died following a hazardous gas exposure at a Weld County dairy farm in August.
Prospect Ranch LLC, which operates Prospect Valley Dairy east of Keenesburg, faces $132,406 in penalties after OSHA cited the company for failure to protect workers from atmospheric hazards, failure to communicate the hazards in writing and failure to train workers on how to detect hazardous gases, according to a U.S. Department of Labor news release.
Fiske faces $99,306 in fines and HD Builders faces $14,897 in penalties for failure to protect employees from atmospheric hazards and failure to provide hydrogen sulfide detection training. HD Builders employees were present during the incident, but were not harmed.
Fiske, based in Johnstown, is a construction and consulting company that provides equipment for dairy farms and other industrial services. HD Builders, based in Windsor, is owned by Agrifab Colorado, according to county records, and is a construction company specializing in agricultural equipment and structures.
OSHA’s investigation into the Aug. 20 incident found that a pipe in Prospect Valley Dairy’s manure management system had disconnected and released manure water and hydrogen sulfide gas, according to the news release. Contractors from Fiske and HD Builders had been hired to work on the system.
Hydrogen sulfide occurs naturally in crude petroleum and natural gas, but is also produced from decomposing manure, according to OSHA. In low doses, it is mildly irritating to eyes and lungs, but in high doses in a confined area it can quickly become deadly.
A Fiske employee and a Prospect Ranch employee attempted to stop the flow of the gas but died due to the exposure, according to the investigation. Three more Fiske employees and one Prospect Ranch employee entered the pump room where the gas was leaking and also died.
Four of the people who died were part of the same extended family, including father Espinoza Cruz and his sons Oscar Espinoza Leos and Espinoza Prado. They were related to Sanchez Pena by marriage, who lived in the employer-provided housing. The family worked in machinery repair for multiple dairy farms in the area.
The companies have 15 business days after receiving their citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA or contest the findings, officials said.
County records show the dairy farm is owned by Prospect Valley Dairy and Colorado business registrations show a Bakersfield, California, address for the owners of Prospect Ranch.
Lydia Kaiser, an eighth grader at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis who was wounded during a mass shooting during school Mass last August, spoke out Tuesday at the Minnesota Capitol for the first time since the attack and pushed lawmakers to act on gun violence prevention.
“Two students were shot and killed. Two students survived gunshot injuries to the head. I’m one of them,” Kaiser said of the Aug. 27 shooting. “Many more students were injured by bullets and flying glass. We all hid under the pews.”
Kaiser shared the extent of her injuries — that doctors had to remove half of her skull to remove bullet fragments from her brain over multiple surgeries.
“All children have the right to live free from gun violence in schools, churches and in our communities. Elected officials have a duty to protect us from guns. No one should have to go through what we went through at Annunciation,” she said.
Her comments came at a Tuesday morning news conference alongside Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who announced his gun violence prevention package that includes an assault weapons ban, school safety grants, restricting untraceable “ghost guns” and much more.
Lydia Kaiser speaks at a news conference alongside Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who unveiled his plans for new gun restrictions in the state on Feb. 24, 2026.
WCCO
“We owe it to the Annunciation families not to have that just be another statistic in the book,” Walz said. “In Minnesota, that was the final straw.”
Walz vowed to push for legislation on guns despite the uphill battle in the divided Minnesota Legislature where Republicans and Democrats share power in a tied House. The future of such bills is also uncertain in the Senate with a one-seat DFL majority; a few Democrats, in addition to Republicans, have in the past expressed concern about some of the measures and their impact on law-abiding gun owners.
On Tuesday afternoon, House Democrats will introduce some of their bills to the judiciary committee, including the assault weapons ban and restrictions on high-capacity magazines. Moyski’s parents are expected to testify.
“What we’re talking about is are we going to be with the people, or are we going to be with the gun lobbyists and the gun industry? And I think we here know who we’re with, and Minnesotans know who they’re with, and I certainly hope my colleagues do, too,” said Rep. Emma Greenman, DFL-Minneapolis, who is authoring the semi-automatic, assault-style weapons ban.
Also in that Tuesday afternoon hearing, lawmakers will discuss strengthening penalties for individuals who impersonate a police officer, which is what authorities say accused assassin Vance Boelter did when he showed up at the Hortman and Hoffman homes in the middle of the night on June 14, 2025.
This story will be updated.
Lydia Kaiser’s full statement
My name is Lydia Kaiser. I’m in eighth grade at Annunciation Catholic School.
On Aug. 27, I was in church attending the first school mass of the year when a gunman fired 116 rounds of bullets through the stained glass windows.
Two students were shot and killed. Two students survived gunshot injuries to the head. I’m one of them.
Many more students were injured by bullets and flying glass. We all hid under the pews. The older students covered the younger students to protect them.
I was taken to the hospital and rushed into surgery. The doctor moved a large piece, almost half of my skull, to let my brain swell and to remove bone and bullet fragments from my head.
I had a second surgery three weeks later to put the piece of my skull back in my head.
All children have the right to live free from gun violence in schools, churches and in our communities.
Elected officials have a duty to protect us from guns.
No one should have to go through what we went through at Annunciation.
By Colin Mixson and Thomas Tracy New York Daily News
NEW YORK — NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch has launched an investigation into a caught-on-camera clash where a rowdy crowd pelted a group of uniformed cops with snowballs in Manhattan’s Washington Square Park.
“The NYPD is aware of certain videos taken earlier today in Washington Square Park showing individuals attacking cops,” Tisch wrote on X late Monday. “I want to be very clear: The behavior depicted is disgraceful, and it is criminal.”
“Our detectives are investigating this matter,” she added.
Cops were responding to 911 calls of a large disorderly crowd inside the park at about 4:15 p.m. on Monday when people began throwing snowballs at them.
The NYPD is aware of certain videos taken earlier today in Washington Square Park showing individuals attacking cops.
I want to be very clear: The behavior depicted is disgraceful, and it is criminal.
A pre-planned snowball fight was taking place in the park as cops arrived.
Video uploaded to social media show the officers being battered by snowballs outside park restrooms as dozens of parkgoers crowd around filming and jeering at the cops.
“F–king bitch,” one man can be heard screaming at the cops, while another yelled: “Get em out of here.”
One cop was repeatedly hit by snowballs, the video shows. At one point, someone runs up behind the officer and smashes a snowball into the back of the cop’s head.
Cops were recorded shoving two people out of the way as they walked through the gauntlet of snow hurlers.
The NYPD said that “multiple uniformed officers” were hit in the face with snowballs and were taken to Northwell Greenwich Village Hospital, where they were treated for facial injuries.
“The Detectives’ Endowment Association is calling on Mayor Mamdani and District Attorney (Alvin) Bragg to ensure every individual responsible for this illegal behavior is prosecuted,” that union’s president, Scott Munro, said in a statement. “No free pass. No get out of jail free card.”
Statement from DEA President Scott Munro:
“What we saw in Washington Square Park today was not harmless fun — it was a deliberate, outrageous, and dangerous attack on uniformed police officers. The Detectives’ Endowment Association is calling on Mayor Mamdani and District… pic.twitter.com/AGYSH9YXUs
As of Tuesday, no arrests have been made, an NYPD spokesman said.
The union demands were ridiculed on social media, with some calling the pelted officers “snowflakes” and encouraging the cops to “play along next time.”
“No one wants to fund thousands in investigations over two guys trying to break up a snowball fight,” one X user, who goes by the handle “Ghost Money” wrote. “You guys have the worst PR.”
“Even my dad, who spent 33 years as a police officer here in Ohio before retiring, said these officers brought this on themselves,” user @armystig wrote. “The kids were outside and having fun in the park on a snow day. There was no need for them to stick their noses into this. Let the kids have their fun.”
“There’s a beautiful metaphor here,” added Todd Bonzalez. “When a bunch of snowflakes (you all) stick together, you form a snowball.”
Master Trooper Stien Davis had served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol for more than 10 years; he was assigned to Troop B, District 7 in Robeson County
February 23, 2026 08:38 AM
·
A man armed with a gun entered a barbershop and began shooting at customers and employees; he was fatally shot by an off-duty Austin Police officer
February 23, 2026 04:11 PM
·
Meridian police say the woman faces federal charges for the attempted destruction of a federal property by fire
February 24, 2026 12:08 PM
Meridian, Idaho Police officials stated that the suspect was interrupted before he was able to light the accelerant and set the building ablaze
The department’s deployment includes ARSENAL MK2 body-worn cameras featuring 128GB internal storage, hot-swappable batteries, and multiple mounting configurations
Drivers beware. Cities are seeing an uptick in stolen cars this winter.
As of Feb. 16, car thefts in Minneapolis are up 35% compared to the same time last year.
Warming up your car in the morning is routine if you park outside in the winter. And it’s why Minneapolis police say car thefts are spiking.
The keys are in the ignition or cup holder, making the vehicle an easy target. There are some common-sense solutions to this problem.
But first, what is the best way to protect your car from theft? Good Question.
“Aftermarket security is the best way to prevent car theft,” said Jeff Moravec, owner of Mobile Installation Services in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. “Car alarms from 25 years ago all the way up until a few years ago did a traditional starter interrupt or just an audible deterrent, flashing lights.”
Modern alarms now compensate for modern criminals who use high-tech tools to clone key fobs.
In a home surveillance video, thieves use a relay device to copy a fob’s code as it sits in the home while they stand outside the front door. The technology allows them to start the car in the driveway. Moravec’s team installs alarms that specifically combat this tactic.
“The Compustar products use a rolling code technology that hops codes along the line, which make it virtually impossible for that relay attack to happen,” he said.
Other benefits of alarms include horn and light activation, which draw attention. Some even have an immobilizer that disables the ignition if thieves have a key.
You can also protect your fob from getting cloned by placing it in a metal box or a pouch that blocks radio signals. You can find the pouches online for as low as $5.
Installing remote start is another idea to consider. It allows the engine to run while the doors remain locked. And if someone breaks in hoping to drive off, the engine dies since there’s no key present. Some remote start systems even connect to your smartphone.
Minneapolis police said keys being left inside cars, often when warming, led to nearly half of the car thefts committed in late January.
Buying an alarm system could also save you money. Car insurance companies like State Farm, Allstate and Geico offer discounts for installing anti-theft devices.
The family of Rajon Belt-Stubblefield served notice Monday to the city of Aurora that they intend to file a lawsuit in connection with the August shooting death of the unarmed Black man.
Belt-Stubblefield was 37 when he was shot and killed by an Aurora police officer during an Aug. 30 traffic stop, and his then 18-year-old son witnessed the shooting. A notice of claim — a legal step necessary before suing the city — was filed on behalf of Belt-Stubblefield’s family and a second notice was filed on behalf of his son, Zion Murphy.
The family, along with their lawyer Milo Schwab, held a news conference to announce the filing and then attended the Aurora City Council meeting where they spoke about a lack of transparency surrounding the shooting and a need for accountability for officer Matthew Neely, who fired the fatal shots. Neely’s name had not been released by the police department.
“No child should ever have to witness that,” said Erica Murphy, Zion Murphy’s mother. “No child should have to carry the trauma for the rest of their life. Rajon was more than a headline. He was more than a police report. He was a father. He was loved. He mattered.”
On the night of the shooting, Neely tried to pull over Belt-Stubblefield for speeding and a possible DUI near East Sixth Avenue and Sable Boulevard. Zion Murphy was driving behind his father in another car.
AURORA, CO – FEBRUARY 23: Family and attorneys of Rajon Belt-Stubblefield hold a press conference at the Aurora Municipal Center to announce legal action concerning Belt-Stubblefield who was fatally shot by Aurora police last August on February 23, 2026 in Aurora, Colorado. After the press conference, the crowd gather inside the Aurora City Council chambers to address the mayor and council members. (Photo By Kathryn Scott/Special to The Denver Post)
Belt-Stubblefield fled and then rear-ended one car before crossing a median and hitting a second vehicle. He was armed but tossed a handgun into the grass before walking toward the officer, Aurora police Chief Todd Chamberlain said at the time.
Belt-Stubblefield ignored orders to stop and raised his hands, and Neely punched him in an attempt to de-escalate the situation, according to Chamberlain’s account in the days after the shooting. Belt-Stubblefield raised his fist and repeatedly asked if the officer was “ready for this,” Chamberlain said.
The officer shot Belt-Stubblefield as he continued to move toward him, backing Neely into the street, Chamberlain said.
Belt-Stubblefield died at the scene.
But the notices of claim filed by Schwab offer a different perspective on what happened.
Neely pointed his weapon at Belt-Stubblefield as soon as he exited his wrecked car, and Belt-Stubblefield asked the officer not to shoot him as he tossed his gun into the grass. Neely tried to grab Belt-Stubblefield by the neck and take him to the ground, but the officer is the one who fell, according to the notice of claim. Belt-Stubblefield did not take aggressive action and tried to walk away.
Neely then followed Belt-Stubblefield, shoved him in the back and then as Belt-Stubblefield turned to speak to his son Neely “suckerpunched Mr. Belt-Stubblefield in the back of the head, causing Mr. Belt-Stubblefield to put his fists up to protect his head,” the notice of claim stated.
Neely backed into the street with his gun and fired three times. The first two shots struck Belt-Stubblefield in the chest, and he stopped and looked at Neely. Neely then fired the third shot into Belton-Stubblefield’s head, killing him at the scene, the notice of claim said.
Schwab said the city has not communicated with the family in the six months since the shooting, and the officer has not been disciplined for his actions.
“We’ve given it six months,” he said. “We’re done waiting.”
The shooting drew national attention, leading prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump to visit with Belt-Stubblefield’s widow and to condemn the fatal shooting.
Aurora has been in the spotlight for police brutality multiple times in the past decade, most notably for the 2019 killing of Elijah McClain, an unarmed 23-year-old Black man who died during a violent arrest even though he had not committed a crime. McClain’s name became a rallying cry in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.
Two Aurora paramedics and a police officer were convicted for their roles in McClain’s death. Two others were acquitted, and the city paid $15 million to McClain’s parents to settle a civil rights lawsuit.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser placed the department under a consent decree after McClain’s death after his investigation found a pattern of racially biased police and excessive force within the department.
In 2015, Aurora paid a $2.6 million settlement — the largest in city history at the time — to the family of Naeschylus Carter-Vinzant, an unarmed Black man who shot by a city police officer. Officers were trying to serve an arrest warrant after Carter-Vinzant had removed a monitoring bracelet from his ankle. That settlement also came with an agreement from the city to improve police oversight and to improve community relations.
The family of Kilyn Lewis, an unarmed Black man killed by Aurora police in 2024, sued the city in May for wrongful death. That case is pending.
A lawsuit filed Monday against the Department of Homeland Security accuses federal agents at the Bishop Henry Whipple Building in Minneapolis of barring faith leaders from offering prayer and pastoral guidance to detainees.
Denying people in custody from receiving ministry or spiritual comfort is a violation of the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the suit says.
Groundwork Legal and Saul Ewing are representing the Minneapolis Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ and Father Christopher Collins, a Jesuit priest. The DHS, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Head Todd Lyons are among those listed as defendants.
The Whipple Building near Fort Snelling serves as the epicenter of ICE’s operations in Minnesota. Rep. Kelly Morrison, who visited the site earlier this month, said she saw people in leg shackles on cold cement floors with no beds or blankets.
According to the lawsuit, faith leaders have been leading prayer vigils at the Whipple Building since at least 2018.
In December, during the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Collins attempted to enter Whipple to pray for a woman, but he was blocked from accessing the building and ministering, the lawsuit says.
Last week on Ash Wednesday, a reverend attempted to provide care and impose ashes on the holy day of prayer, but was denied access. The lawsuit says she was directed to an ICE waiting room and was told by a federal employee that she would not be permitted to access anyone inside for “security” and “safety” reasons.
The employee said that faith leaders had tried to enter the building four times a week since the onset of Operation Metro Surge, but had been denied each time, according to the suit. A clergy member attempted to provide care as recently as Monday morning, but was denied.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security in a written statement about the lawsuit said, “The Whipple Federal Building is not a detention facility—it is a field office. Illegal aliens are only briefly held there for processing before being transferred to a detention facility. Religious organizations are more than welcome to provide services to detainees in ICE detention facilities. It is not within standard operating procedure for religious services to be provided in a field office, as detainees are continuously brought in, processed, and transferred out.”
“Constitutional rights do not disappear at the doors of the Whipple,” said Irina Vaynerman, CEO of Groundwork Legal. “The way we treat those in detention or facing deportation is one of the true litmus tests of our democracy. Pastoral care allows for detainees to be treated with humanity, instead of being treated like inventory.”
Conditions at the Whipple building have been under scrutiny since the beginning of the federal government’s enhanced immigration enforcement operation in the state. U.S. citizens who have been taken into custody at the site have described agonizing cries coming from other detainees inside the building, including children.
Last week during a Congressional oversight visit, Reps. Ilhan Omar and Angie Craig said the building was “completely empty,” as ICE had moved detainees into certain county jails.
Police officers in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, fatally shot an armed male who shot at them on Monday afternoon, officials say. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara says the individual killed was suspected of fatally shooting two people earlier on Monday.
Officers in the Twin Cities suburb responded to the area between the 5500 and 5600 blocks of Brooklyn Boulevard around 3:55 p.m. for a report of a male waving a gun around outside retail stores, according to police. They were confronted by the male, who was armed with a handgun, when they arrived, officials said.
“Gunfire was exchanged between the subject and officers and the subject was struck by the gunfire,” police said in a news release.
The officers, who were wearing body cameras during the incident, administered first aid to the male before he was taken to the hospital, where he later died, according to officials.
Police said no officers were hit by bullets in the shooting.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating.
Around 3:30 p.m. in north Minneapolis, police said a 14-year-old boy and a 23-year-old man were killed in a shooting. O’Hara says the suspected shooter, a 24-year-old man, was the male involved in the shooting with Brooklyn Center officers.
“We believe that the suspect from this double murder left the scene and shortly thereafter became involved in a shooting with police in Brooklyn Center,” O’Hara said.
Police in Brooklyn Center said the intersection of Xerxes Avenue North and 56th Avenue North, near the area of the incident, would be closed down for “an extended period of time.”
The intersection is near the retail hub surrounding the former site of Brookdale Mall.
Callum Heskett pleaded guilty to attempting to influence a public servant, a felony, and false reporting of an emergency, a misdemeanor, according to a news release from the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
The plea deal dropped additional charges of attempting to influence a public servant, tampering with evidence, reckless endangerment, obstructing government operations and official misconduct from his case, according to Jefferson County court records.
Heskett was sentenced to three years of supervised probation and ordered to pay more than $16,000 in restitution, according to the district attorney’s office. That amount, which may be updated in the coming days, accounts for the costs incurred by all the agencies that responded to his fake distress call.
The former park ranger’s misdemeanor conviction is permanent, but he was granted a deferred sentence on his felony charge, court records show. If Heskett fulfills the terms of his probation, that charge will be removed from his record.
However, if Heskett violates the probation agreement, he will be sentenced to the Colorado Department of Corrections for a period of between two and six years.
The investigating officers’ main concern when considering a plea deal was ensuring that Heskett would not be allowed to work as law enforcement again, Deputy District Attorney Michael Rex said during the Monday morning hearing, according to the news release.
The stabbing hoax convictions will revoke Heskett’s POST certification and bar any future recertification, according to the district attorney’s office.
Heskett radioed for help inside Staunton State Park at about 9:30 a.m. on Aug. 19, claiming he had been attacked and stabbed by a stranger who fled the scene. The state park was shut down, all visitors were evacuated and a shelter-in-place order was issued for roughly 8,600 nearby residents as law enforcement agencies searched for the fictional suspect.
Two days later, authorities confirmed the attack was an “elaborate hoax.” The former Colorado Parks and Wildlife ranger had researched abdominal injuries, including how deep arteries are and the abdomen’s anatomy, in the days leading up to the fabricated attack, according to his arrest affidavit.
Heskett “was in a position of authority and trust” and “abused that authority” by making a false report that triggered a substantial law enforcement response, Deputy District Attorney Rex said during the hearing.
“Innocent third parties were inconvenienced and investigated as possible assailants, and likely numerous police reports went unresponded to as critical assets were deployed,” Rex said. He called the conduct “utterly incompatible with the responsibility, trust and duty charged of a law enforcement officer.”
He resigned when faced with termination from the police department after receiving a multitude of poor evaluations during his sole month of training, including low scores in nearly 90% of the training evaluation categories, according to his personnel file.
Heskett failed to demonstrate “sufficient proficiency in critical areas needed to be a police officer,” Lafayette Police Chief Rick Bashor wrote in Heskett’s termination letter. The letter was rescinded when Heskett elected to resign in lieu of termination on July 3, 2024.
SEA GIRT, N.J. — Most contestants walk into their “American Idol” audition with a guitar and a dream. Special Officer Julia Santiago walked in with a pair of handcuffs.
The 20-year-old Sea Girt police officer made an unforgettable Season 24 debut by jokingly “arresting” judge Luke Bryan for his tough critiques— but it was her powerhouse voice that ultimately stole the show and earned her a golden ticket to Hollywood Week.
A bold entrance that made an impact
As Santiago entered the audition room, she immediately approached Bryan, jokingly placing him under arrest for giving too many contestants a “no.”
Santiago, whose stage name is Julia Sienna, handcuffed Bryan before beginning her performance of “I Would” by Connie Talbot.
While she leaned into her law enforcement role for the bit, Santiago did not wear her official Sea Girt police uniform during the audition. Department policy limits officers from using formal uniforms for commercial or personal appearances, so she instead wore attire in department colors with generic patches in place of official markings.
Bryan remained in cuffs throughout the audition, drawing laughs from judges Carrie Underwood and Lionel Richie. By the end of the performance, all three judges delivered a “yes” vote, sending the New Jersey officer to Hollywood.
From the Jersey Shore to the national spotlight
Santiago has served with the Sea Girt Police Department since 2024 as a seasonal special police officer, a position commonly utilized along the Jersey Shore during the busy tourism season, Chief Justin Macko said.
“It is exciting to witness one of Sea Girt Police Department’s own take the national stage,” Macko wrote. “Congratulations to Special Officer I Julia Santiago on receiving her golden ticket to Hollywood on American Idol.”
Macko noted that Santiago has performed the National Anthem and “God Bless America” at numerous events in Sea Girt and throughout New Jersey.
“The entire police department is proud to see her pursue this opportunity on such a significant platform and wish her all the best on this exciting journey,” he wrote.
Macko added that Santiago’s audition struck a balance between professionalism and personality, giving viewers a glimpse of the human side of law enforcement.
A law enforcement family — and a big stage ahead
Public service runs in Santiago’s family. Her father serves as the Monmouth County Prosecutor, adding another layer to her ties to law enforcement, Macko said.
Now, as she advances to the Hollywood round of American Idol, colleagues back home will be watching — not from behind a badge, but from behind their televisions.
When does ‘American Idol’ air?
“American Idol” Season 24 premiered Jan. 26 on ABC.
New episodes air Mondays at 8 p.m. ET and run for two hours. Episodes are available to stream the next day on Hulu.
This season includes auditions followed by Hollywood Week: Music City Takeover — a Hollywood Week round held in Nashville for the first time. ABC says the “Music City Takeover” will feature one round only, with hopefuls facing the biggest Hollywood Week cut in “Idol” history.
After Hollywood Week, the show heads to Hawaii for a new three-episode arc filmed at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina. The arc includes the new ’Ohana Round, where the top 30 perform for a lineup of “industry tastemakers,” along with peers, family members and friends. By the end of the ’Ohana Round, 20 contestants advance before the competition moves on to America’s vote.
Santiago earned her golden ticket during the audition phase of the competition. The episode aired on Feb. 16.
Master Trooper Stien Davis had served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol for more than 10 years; he was assigned to Troop B, District 7 in Robeson County
February 23, 2026 08:38 AM
·
From paperwork to people skills, seasoned cops offer hard-earned advice for the next generation
February 23, 2026 12:54 PM
·
A woman called 911 after her husband pointed a gun at her; on the other end was Kelly Prentice, communications manager for Northampton County, who put her de-escalation training into action
February 22, 2026 07:00 AM
K-9 Nazar was deployed after the suspect resisted and a TASER deployment was ineffective; during the apprehension, the suspect punched the dog and compressed his neck
February 22, 2026 07:00 AM
The department’s deployment includes ARSENAL MK2 body-worn cameras featuring 128GB internal storage, hot-swappable batteries, and multiple mounting configurations
JAMESTOWN, Pa. — Combined Systems, Inc., a U.S.-based manufacturer of less-lethal munitions and Penn Arms launchers, will exhibit at Enforce Tac 2026, taking place February 23–25, 2026, in Nuremberg, Germany.
Enforce Tac stands as Germany’s premier trade show for security and defense, providing an important platform for CSI to connect with international partners, distributors, and agencies while showcasing our Penn Arms launchers and less-lethal munitions trusted by professionals worldwide.
Visitors to the CSI booth will have the opportunity to engage directly with our team, learn more about product capabilities, and discuss solutions designed to meet evolving operational needs.
Engineered for reliability, precision, and mission readiness, CSI products are built to perform when seconds matter most.
Step into Booth #7-116 and discover solutions designed for performance in critical moments.
