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Tag: authority

  • Here’s how the 2025 legislative session closed: The lowdown on the environment

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    Gov. Gavin Newsom wrapped up the 2025 legislative session with the usual flurry of activity, signing several important environmental, energy and climate bills and vetoing others ahead of Monday’s deadline.

    Among the newest laws in California are efforts to accelerate clean energy projects and advance the state’s position as a climate leader — but also decisions to ramp up oil drilling and reject the phase-out of forever chemicals.

    Here’s a look at what happened this year:

    In September, Newsom signed a blockbuster suite of bills including the reauthorization of California’s signature cap-and-trade program, which sets limits on greenhouse gas emissions and lets large polluters buy and sell emissions allowances at quarterly auctions. The Legislature extended the program by 15 years to 2045, rebranded it as “cap-and-invest” and specified how its revenues will be allocated for wildfire prevention efforts, high-speed rail and other projects.

    The greenhouse gas trading program is seen as essential for the state to meet its climate targets, including reaching carbon neutrality by 2045.

    “California really needed to act this year to decisively try to put in policies to meet our climate goals [and support] the economy and different sectors,” said Susan Nedell, senior western advocate with the nonpartisan policy group E2. She called state legislative efforts especially important as the Trump administration aims to erode California’s authority on tailpipe emission standards, electric vehicle initiatives and renewable energy projects, among others.

    “This is the time for California to lead, and I really feel like they came through on it as a state,” Nedell said.

    WHAT ELSE BECAME LAW

    • One of the more controversial bills of the year was Senate Bill 237, which makes it easier to drill up to 2,000 new oil wells in Kern County. It’s a tradeoff that also makes it more difficult to drill new oil or gas wells offshore. Legislators said it will help address the volatility of gasoline prices following announcements from oil companies Phillips 66 and Valero that they are shutting down two big refineries in the state. Environmental groups were quick to condemn the bill.
    • Also controversial was Assembly Bill 825, which will expand California’s participation in a regional power market — enabling the state to buy and sell more clean power with other Western states. Opponents feared that it will cede some control of California’s power grid to out-of-state authorities, including the federal government. Supporters said it will improve grid reliability and save money for ratepayers.
    • January’s firestorm in L.A. led to a renewed focus on the state’s approach to fires, including Senate Bill 254, which contains various policies to address California’s aging electric infrastructure and wildfire prevention goals. It will secure about $18 billion to replenish the state’s wildfire fund — a state insurance policy for utilities — which officials say will help protect ratepayers from excessive utility liability costs. It also will establish a program to speed up the construction of power lines needed for clean energy projects.
    • Assembly Bill 39 requires cities and counties with at least 75,000 residents to plan for more electrification infrastructure by 2030, including electric vehicle charging and building upgrades. The measures must address the needs of low-income households and disadvantaged communities.
    • Senate Bill 80 will create a $5-million fund to accelerate research and development for fusion energy. Fusion creates energy by slamming two atoms together. The state hopes to launch the world’s first fusion energy pilot project by the 2040s. “Fusion energy has the immense potential to provide consistent, clean baseload power on demand that will help us meet our clean energy goals,” said Sen. Anna Caballero (D-Merced), the bill’s author, in a statement.
    • Assembly Bill 888 creates a grant program to help low-income homeowners clear defensible space around their houses and install fire-safe roofs. It is “exactly the kind of proactive, people-first policy California needs,” said Eric Horne, California director for the nonprofit Megafire Action, which is geared to ending large wildfires.
    • Senate Bill 653 means that state agencies have to pay more attention to using native species in their fire prevention work and use science-based standards to avoid introducing invasive, fire-prone species.
    • Senate Bill 429 establishes the Wildfire Safety and Risk Mitigation Program at the California Department of Insurance, which will fund research into developing and deploying a public wildfire catastrophe model — a computer simulation that estimates property damage from large wildfires and helps communities better assess and prepare for risk.
    • Assembly Bill 462 streamlines approvals for accessory dwelling units on properties affected by the 2025 wildfires in the California Coastal Zone, requiring decisions on coastal permits within 60 days and eliminating some appeals.
    • Assembly Bill 818 accelerates local permitting for rebuilding homes and allows residents to place temporary homes, such as manufactured homes or ADUs, on private lots during reconstruction.
    • Assembly Bill 245 gives residents additional time to rebuild their homes or businesses in the wake of the 2025 wildfires without experiencing a property tax increase.
    • Senate Bill 614 will establish new regulations for the safe transport of carbon dioxide captured from large polluters or removed from the atmosphere. The legislation will authorize the development of dedicated pipelines to move CO2 to underground geological formations for permanent storage, and was described by Newsom as a vital next step for the state’s burgeoning carbon capture, removal and sequestration market.
    • Assembly Bill 14 expands the “Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program” statewide. The program encourages large vessels to voluntarily reduce their speed in designated areas in order to reduce air pollution and reduce the risk of fatal vessel strikes and harmful underwater acoustic impacts on whales.

    WHAT WAS VETOED

    • The governor vetoed Senate Bill 34, which would have required the South Coast Air Quality Management District to consider certain factors before implementing regulations at the region’s ports. Opponents, including health and environmental groups, said it would have ultimately weakened its authority and ability to meet clean air standards. In its place, the air district and the ports are pursuing a voluntary cooperative agreement that will include obligations for zero-emissions infrastructure and other clean-air efforts. “With the current federal administration directly undermining our state and local air and climate pollution reduction strategies, it is imperative that we maintain the tools we have,” Newsom wrote in his veto.
    • Assembly Bill 740 would have directed the state’s energy agencies to create an implementation plan for “virtual power plants” — networks of small energy resources such as smart thermostats, home batteries and rooftop solar panels that can help reduce strain on the grid. Newsom vetoed it earlier this month, stating that it would result in additional costs for the California Energy Commission’s already depleted operating fund. But Edson Perez, California lead at the nonprofit Advanced Energy United, called its veto a “costly mistake” and said the bill would have saved ratepayers more than $13 billion.
    • Newsom this week also vetoed Senate Bill 682, which would have phased out the use of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” in consumer products such as nonstick cookwear and products for infants and children. The governor cited concerns about affordability in his veto.

    Earlier this year, the governor also signed the most significant reforms to the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, since it originally became law in 1970. Signed in June, Assembly Bill 130 and Senate Bill 131 exempt a broad array of housing development and infrastructure projects from CEQA in an effort to ease new construction in the state. Supporters said it will help address the state’s housing crisis, while many environmental groups were outraged by the move.

    “While California was able to advance on grid regionalization, strengthen energy affordability, uphold local air quality protection, and protect endangered species, we’re frustrated by the Governor’s vetoes of measures that would have banned forever chemicals, prioritized cost effective energy consumption, expanded virtual power plants to lower electricity bills, and banned microplastics,” said Melissa Romero, policy advocacy director with the nonprofit California Environmental Voters.

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    Hayley Smith

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  • Suspects kidnapped, tortured woman in cross-country scheme to commit fraud, authorities say

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    A 28-year-old New York man was arrested outside an outdoor mall in Chino Hills on allegations that he, along with a female partner, kidnapped a 51-year-old woman and drove her across the country to commit fraud to repay debts she owed, according to authorities.

    During the cross-country trek, the suspect, Rahson Govantes, and an unidentified woman are accused of torturing their victim by burning her with cigarettes and a curling iron, according to a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department news release.

    Deputies discovered the victim, a resident of North Carolina, and Govantes acting suspiciously and loitering outside a Sephora store in Chino Hills on Saturday afternoon, according to deputies.

    Booking photo of Rahson Govantes.

    (San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department)

    Deputies arrested Govantes and booked him on suspicion of aggravated mayhem, torture, kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon, the sheriff’s department said. Detectives are trying to determine whether there are additional victims, and released Govantes’ booking photo. Authorities have not been able to identify the other woman who was allegedly involved in the kidnapping, and she remains at large, according to the sheriff’s department.

    Anyone who may have been victimized by Govantes or anyone with information about the case can contact the Chino Hills Police Department at (909) 364-2000. Anonymous calls can be made to We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78CRIME (27463) or at www.wetip.com.

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    Nathan Solis

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  • Search underway for gunman who shot three teenagers in Sun Valley

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    Authorities are searching for a gunman who opened fire at three teenagers in Sun Valley on Friday evening before fleeing in a silver car, authorities said.

    The Los Angeles Police Department responded to the reported shooting at 5:37 p.m. Officers found three male teens who had been shot near Vineland Avenue and Arminta Street. The victims, all between 16 and 18 years old, suffered non-life threatening wounds and were taken to hospitals.

    The shooter, described as a man in black clothing, was last seen fleeing eastbound on Arminta Street toward Vineland Avenue, according to an LAPD spokesperson. He is believed to be driving a silver Lexus RX SUV and may be armed with a handgun.

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    Clara Harter

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  • ‘Real Housewives’ star, husband charged in Maryland with fraudulently reporting burglary, theft

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    A “Real Housewives” star and her husband were arrested in Maryland on allegations they lied about a burglary, according to the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.Wendy and Edward Osefo were arrested on Thursday, the sheriff said in a statement.Wendy Osefo, 40, was indicted on seven counts of insurance fraud, eight counts of conspiracy insurance fraud, and one count of false statement to a police officer, according to court documents obtained by sister station WBAL-TV 11 News. She has been one of the main cast members of “The Real Housewives of Potomac” since joining the show in 2020.Edward Osefo, 41, was indicted on nine counts of insurance fraud, eight counts of conspiracy to commit insurance fraud and one count of false statement to a police officer, the court documents show.Burglary, theft report in 2024 leads to investigationThe sheriff’s office said deputies were called on April 7, 2024, to the couple’s house in Finksburg for a reported burglary and theft.Authorities said the homeowners told deputies that they returned from vacation in Jamaica to find their home broken into and numerous items had been stolen.According to the court document, the couple told a deputy that “they found their bedroom and both closets to be ransacked, and several designer handbags and jewelry had been stolen.”The couple reported approximately 80 items of jewelry, luxury goods, clothing and shoes were stolen, worth a total of more than $200,000, the sheriff’s office said.The court document says the Osefos’ alarm system was activated while the couple was on vacation and that it detected no motion inside the house while they were away.What investigators say happened sinceThe court document says the Osefos filed three insurance claims for the alleged losses suffered while they were away.The sheriff’s office said detectives found that more than $20,000 of the items that were reported stolen were actually returned to the store where they were purchased for a full refund.The court document states: “Edward Osefo gave recorded statements to two of the insurance companies regarding a list of stolen items he provided. He was asked whether any of the items on the list had been returned, which he denied. He was asked if he had other insurance, but failed to disclose to Homesite and Jewelers that he was also making a claim with Travelers Insurance.”After the burglary was reported, investigators said Wendy Osefo’s Instagram account showed photos of her wearing a diamond anniversary band on her left finger before the burglary.”This ring was reported stolen in the burglary. Then, after the reported burglary, on April 27, 2024, Wendy Osefo is wearing the same ring on her left finger,” the court document states.Court document: Investigators obtain email between coupleThe court documents detail an email the deputies obtained in which Edward Osefo is accused of sending a list of reportedly stolen items to Wendy Osefo.”The email asked if there were ‘additional high-value items we can add to this inventory listing (i.e., Chanel shoes, etc.)? I’m trying to get the total to exceed $423,000, which is our policy maximum,’” the court document states.At the time of their arrests, deputies executed a search and seizure warrant in the house and found at least 15 items that appear to be the same ones claimed stolen during the alleged burglary, according to the court document.The sheriff’s office said evidence was presented to a grand jury on Thursday that led to the couple’s arrests. They were both taken to Carroll County Central Booking, from which they posted bail, which was set at $50,000 each, and were released on Friday.The sheriff’s office has planned a 3 p.m. update that will be streamed on their Facebook page.

    A “Real Housewives” star and her husband were arrested in Maryland on allegations they lied about a burglary, according to the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.

    Wendy and Edward Osefo were arrested on Thursday, the sheriff said in a statement.

    Wendy Osefo, 40, was indicted on seven counts of insurance fraud, eight counts of conspiracy insurance fraud, and one count of false statement to a police officer, according to court documents obtained by sister station WBAL-TV 11 News. She has been one of the main cast members of “The Real Housewives of Potomac” since joining the show in 2020.

    Edward Osefo, 41, was indicted on nine counts of insurance fraud, eight counts of conspiracy to commit insurance fraud and one count of false statement to a police officer, the court documents show.

    Burglary, theft report in 2024 leads to investigation

    The sheriff’s office said deputies were called on April 7, 2024, to the couple’s house in Finksburg for a reported burglary and theft.

    Authorities said the homeowners told deputies that they returned from vacation in Jamaica to find their home broken into and numerous items had been stolen.

    According to the court document, the couple told a deputy that “they found their bedroom and both closets to be ransacked, and several designer handbags and jewelry had been stolen.”

    The couple reported approximately 80 items of jewelry, luxury goods, clothing and shoes were stolen, worth a total of more than $200,000, the sheriff’s office said.

    The court document says the Osefos’ alarm system was activated while the couple was on vacation and that it detected no motion inside the house while they were away.

    What investigators say happened since

    The court document says the Osefos filed three insurance claims for the alleged losses suffered while they were away.

    The sheriff’s office said detectives found that more than $20,000 of the items that were reported stolen were actually returned to the store where they were purchased for a full refund.

    The court document states: “Edward Osefo gave recorded statements to two of the insurance companies regarding a list of stolen items he provided. He was asked whether any of the items on the list had been returned, which he denied. He was asked if he had other insurance, but failed to disclose to Homesite and Jewelers that he was also making a claim with Travelers Insurance.”

    After the burglary was reported, investigators said Wendy Osefo’s Instagram account showed photos of her wearing a diamond anniversary band on her left finger before the burglary.

    “This ring was reported stolen in the burglary. Then, after the reported burglary, on April 27, 2024, Wendy Osefo is wearing the same ring on her left finger,” the court document states.

    Court document: Investigators obtain email between couple

    The court documents detail an email the deputies obtained in which Edward Osefo is accused of sending a list of reportedly stolen items to Wendy Osefo.

    “The email asked if there were ‘additional high-value items we can add to this inventory listing (i.e., Chanel shoes, etc.)? I’m trying to get the total to exceed $423,000, which is our policy maximum,’” the court document states.

    At the time of their arrests, deputies executed a search and seizure warrant in the house and found at least 15 items that appear to be the same ones claimed stolen during the alleged burglary, according to the court document.

    The sheriff’s office said evidence was presented to a grand jury on Thursday that led to the couple’s arrests. They were both taken to Carroll County Central Booking, from which they posted bail, which was set at $50,000 each, and were released on Friday.

    The sheriff’s office has planned a 3 p.m. update that will be streamed on their Facebook page.

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  • Trump-appointed judges signal willingness to let president deploy troops to states

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    The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals appears poised to recognize President Trump’s authority to send soldiers to Portland, Ore., with members of the court signaling receptiveness to an expansive new read of the president’s power to put boots on the ground in American cities.

    A three-judge panel from the appellate court — including two members appointed by Trump during his first term — heard oral arguments Thursday after Oregon challenged the legality of the president’s order to deploy hundreds of soldiers to Portland. The administration claims the city has become lawless; Oregon officials argue Trump is manufacturing a crisis to justify calling in the National Guard.

    While the court has not issued a decision, a ruling in Trump’s favor would mark a sharp rightward turn for the once-liberal circuit — and probably set up a Supreme Court showdown over why and how the U.S. military can be used domestically.

    “I’m sort of trying to figure out how a district court of any nature is supposed to get in and question whether the president’s assessment of ‘executing the laws’ is right or wrong,” said Judge Ryan D. Nelson of Idaho Falls, Idaho, one of the two Trump appointees hearing the arguments.

    “That’s an internal decision making, and whether there’s a ton of protests or low protests, they can still have an impact on his ability to execute the laws,” he said.

    U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut of Portland, another Trump appointee, previously called the president’s justification for federalizing Oregon troops “simply untethered to the facts” in her temporary restraining on Oct. 4.

    The facts about the situation on the ground in Portland were not in dispute at the hearing on Thursday. The city has remained mostly calm in recent months, with protesters occasionally engaging in brief skirmishes with authorities stationed outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building.

    Instead, Nelson and Judge Bridget S. Bade of Phoenix, whom Trump once floated as a possible Supreme Court nominee, questioned how much the facts mattered.

    “The president gets to direct his resources as he deems fit, and it seems a little counterintuitive to me that the city of Portland can come and say, ‘No you need to do it differently,’” Nelson said.

    He also appeared to endorse the Department of Justice’s claim that “penalizing” the president for waiting until protests had calmed to deploy soldiers to quell them created a perverse incentive to act first and ask questions later.

    “It just seems like such a tortured reading of the statute,” the judge said. He then referenced the first battle of the U.S. Civil War in 1861, saying, “I’m not sure even President Lincoln would be able to bring in forces when he did, because if he didn’t do it immediately after Fort Sumter, [Oregon’s] argument would be, ‘Oh, things are OK now.’”

    Trump’s efforts to use troops to quell protests and support federal immigration operations have led to a growing tangle of legal challenges. The Portland deployment was halted by Immergut, who blocked Trump from federalizing Oregon troops. (A ruling from the same case issued the next day prevents already federalized troops from being deployed.)

    In June, a different 9th Circuit panel also made up of two Trump appointees ruled that the president had broad — though not “unreviewable” — discretion to determine whether facts on the ground met the threshold for military response in Los Angeles. Thousands of federalized National Guard troops and hundreds of Marines were deployed over the summer amid widespread protests over immigration enforcement.

    The June decision set precedent for how any future deployment in the circuit’s vast territory can be reviewed. It also sparked outrage, both among those who oppose armed soldiers patrolling American streets and those who support them.

    Opponents argue repeated domestic deployments shred America’s social fabric and trample protest rights protected by the 1st Amendment. With soldiers called into action so far in Los Angeles, Portland and Chicago, many charge the administration is using the military for political purposes.

    “The military should not be acting as a domestic police force in this country except in the most extreme circumstances,” said Elizabeth Goitein, senior director of the Liberty and National Security Program at New York University’s Brennan Center for Justice. “That set of circumstances is not present right now anywhere in the country, so this is an abuse of power — and a very dangerous one because of the precedent it sets.”

    Supporters say the president has sole authority to determine the facts on the ground and if they warrant military intervention. They argue any check by the judicial branch is an illegal power grab, aimed at thwarting response to a legitimate and growing “invasion from within.”

    “What they’ve done to San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles — they’re very unsafe places, and we’re going to straighten them out one by one,” Trump said in an address to military top brass last week. “That’s a war too. It’s a war from within.”

    The 9th Circuit agreed to rehear the Los Angeles case with an 11-member “en banc” panel in Pasadena on Oct. 22, signaling a schism among Trump’s own judges over the boundaries of the president’s power.

    Still, Trump’s authority to call soldiers into American cities is only the first piece in a larger legal puzzle spread before the 9th Circuit, experts said.

    What federalized troops are allowed to do once deployed is the subject of another court decision now under review. That case could determine whether soldiers are barred from assisting immigration raids, controlling crowds of protesters or any other form of civilian law enforcement.

    Trump officials have maintained the president can wield the military as he sees fit — and that cities such as Portland and L.A. would be in danger if soldiers can’t come to the rescue.

    “These are violent people, and if at any point we let down our guard, there is a serious risk of ongoing violence,” Deputy Assistant Atty. Gen. Eric McArthur said. “The president is entitled to say enough is enough and bring in the National Guard.”

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    Sonja Sharp

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  • 2 Pennsylvania state police officers and a suspect were shot while officers responded to a call

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    Two state police officers and a suspect were shot while officers were responding to a call in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, authorities said. The troopers were taken to hospitals, Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement.Sister station WGAL reports that, according to Pennsylvania State Police, state troopers responded to a retail theft at Dicks Sporting Goods in Guilford Township, Pennsylvania.The suspects fled the scene, traveling towards Interstate 81. Troopers quickly located the suspect vehicle, and a pursuit ensued. Spike strips were deployed and successfully stopped the vehicle at I-81 southbound at exit 3, where the vehicle came to final rest off the roadway in Antrim Township, WGAL reports.Two female suspects immediately complied with trooper commands and exited the vehicle to be placed in custody. The male suspect began shooting at the officers, striking two of them. Troopers returned fire, fatally wounding the male, WGAL reports.Both troopers were flown to an area hospital and are considered to be in critical and serious condition, according to WGAL.Gov. Josh Shapiro said he and his wife, Lori, were praying for the officers and asked others to join them. “Pennsylvania’s law enforcement officers are the very best of us — running towards danger every day to keep our communities safe,” Shapiro said in a post on the social platform X. State police said there was no threat to the public but “the scene remains very active.” The shooting took place in southern Franklin County, which is about 85 miles northwest of Baltimore.___ Sister station WGAL’s McKenna Alexander, Morgan Schneider and Austin Boley contributed to this report

    CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. —

    Two state police officers and a suspect were shot while officers were responding to a call in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, authorities said.

    The troopers were taken to hospitals, Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement.

    Sister station WGAL reports that, according to Pennsylvania State Police, state troopers responded to a retail theft at Dicks Sporting Goods in Guilford Township, Pennsylvania.

    The suspects fled the scene, traveling towards Interstate 81. Troopers quickly located the suspect vehicle, and a pursuit ensued. Spike strips were deployed and successfully stopped the vehicle at I-81 southbound at exit 3, where the vehicle came to final rest off the roadway in Antrim Township, WGAL reports.

    Two female suspects immediately complied with trooper commands and exited the vehicle to be placed in custody. The male suspect began shooting at the officers, striking two of them. Troopers returned fire, fatally wounding the male, WGAL reports.

    Both troopers were flown to an area hospital and are considered to be in critical and serious condition, according to WGAL.

    Gov. Josh Shapiro said he and his wife, Lori, were praying for the officers and asked others to join them.

    “Pennsylvania’s law enforcement officers are the very best of us — running towards danger every day to keep our communities safe,” Shapiro said in a post on the social platform X.

    State police said there was no threat to the public but “the scene remains very active.”

    The shooting took place in southern Franklin County, which is about 85 miles northwest of Baltimore.

    ___

    Sister station WGAL’s McKenna Alexander, Morgan Schneider and Austin Boley contributed to this report

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  • Trump’s National Guard deployment in Portland, Oregon halted as Chicago braces for troops

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    President Donald Trump’s crime and immigration crackdown hit a legal roadblock in Portland, Oregon, as new details emerged about the administration’s plan to send federal troops into Chicago. On Saturday, a federal judge temporarily blocked Trump’s effort to federalize 200 members of the Oregon National Guard. U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut said the plan to send troops to Portland likely overstepped Trump’s authority and threatened state sovereignty. “This is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law. Defendants have made a range of arguments that, if accepted, risk blurring the line between civil and military federal power — to the detriment of this nation,” Immergut said. The decision was celebrated by state and local leaders who brought the lawsuit, but the White House vowed to appeal. “President Trump exercised his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland following violent riots and attacks on law enforcement — we expect to be vindicated by a higher court,” said White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland has been at the center of recent protests. On Saturday, hundreds marched to the building, prompting federal agents to deploy tear gas, among other crowd-control munitions. At least six people were arrested. Similar demonstrations and a similar debate have been playing out in Chicago. On Saturday, the Department of Homeland Security said federal agents shot and injured one woman during what the agency described as a “defensive” response to an alleged vehicle-ramming attack. On Saturday, Trump authorized 300 troops to protect federal officers and assets in Chicago, despite opposition from Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker. The timeline of the National Guard’s arrival was not immediately clear. More from our Washington Bureau:

    President Donald Trump’s crime and immigration crackdown hit a legal roadblock in Portland, Oregon, as new details emerged about the administration’s plan to send federal troops into Chicago.

    On Saturday, a federal judge temporarily blocked Trump’s effort to federalize 200 members of the Oregon National Guard. U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut said the plan to send troops to Portland likely overstepped Trump’s authority and threatened state sovereignty.

    “This is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law. Defendants have made a range of arguments that, if accepted, risk blurring the line between civil and military federal power — to the detriment of this nation,” Immergut said.

    The decision was celebrated by state and local leaders who brought the lawsuit, but the White House vowed to appeal.

    “President Trump exercised his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland following violent riots and attacks on law enforcement — we expect to be vindicated by a higher court,” said White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson.

    An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland has been at the center of recent protests. On Saturday, hundreds marched to the building, prompting federal agents to deploy tear gas, among other crowd-control munitions. At least six people were arrested.

    Similar demonstrations and a similar debate have been playing out in Chicago. On Saturday, the Department of Homeland Security said federal agents shot and injured one woman during what the agency described as a “defensive” response to an alleged vehicle-ramming attack.

    On Saturday, Trump authorized 300 troops to protect federal officers and assets in Chicago, despite opposition from Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker. The timeline of the National Guard’s arrival was not immediately clear.

    More from our Washington Bureau:

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  • Teen’s claim he was nabbed, shot by ‘Hispanic’ men sparked outrage. It was a hoax, police say

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    The text was every parent’s worst nightmare: A 17-year-old said he had been abducted, shot and wounded by a group of men on a Florida highway.

    Law enforcement scrambled to the scene. A statewide alert went out to locate the boy. After it became known that the teen had said his abductors were “Hispanic,” an outpouring of outrage followed online.

    But none of it was true, authorities now say.

    In a text to his mother last week, the teen — identified as Caden Speight — claimed he had been shot and abducted by four Latino men on Highway 484 in Dunnellon in Marion County, Fla.

    The claim prompted authorities to issue a statewide Amber Alert and sparked furor against Latinos on social media.

    “It’s time to act, no more words,” one user wrote on X, tagging President Trump. “Unleash the hounds of hell.”

    Another shared a drawing of a stick-figure family — the males clad in sombreros — with the caption, “Big or small, deport them all.”

    On Sept. 25, deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office arrived near Highway 484 and found Caden’s vehicle, but the teen was nowhere to be seen and his cellphone had been discarded, according to a news release from the agency.

    The report triggered further investigation.

    Caden was eventually found in Williston, Fla., authorities said, and his tale of abduction unraveled under closer scrutiny.

    Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said in a video statement Monday that detectives have collected evidence showing “the initial details that Caden texted to his family, were proven to be false — completely made up.”

    “We did find evidence of a single gunshot where Caden left his truck,” Woods said. “However, his claims that he had been shot and abducted were quickly disproven. We then learned that he had purchased a bicycle, tent and camping supplies just prior to him reporting this.”

    Caden bought a red-and-gray tent from a Walmart in Ocala, Fla., before he reported that he had been shot and abducted, Woods said.

    “Caden simply rode away towards Williston while the rest of us were left to think the worst and my team was working in overdrive to solve this case,” Woods said.

    The teen had a handgun with him and shot himself in the leg before he was found, authorities said.

    Woods alleged Caden did this to “continue the ruse,” adding that authorities believe, “There is zero chance that Caden’s gunshot wound came from any type of an assailant.”

    Woods said it wasn’t “off the table” that the teen might face criminal charges. The investigation is ongoing and detectives have questions for Caden, he added, but his parents haven’t allowed investigators to speak with him.

    The update from law enforcement triggered a fresh wave of social media commentary, ranging from condemnations to calls for patience and unity.

    “The fact that he tried to make it about four Hispanic men abducting him and not caring that that could have caused some real harm to innocent men that [were] doing nothing wrong in itself is despicable,” one Facebook user wrote.

    “I think we just need to all be supportive and an actual community and not act all crazy and jumping to conclusions,” another said. “A lot of people make things up. All we have to do is pray.”

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    Summer Lin

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  • Six people who tried to hang a banner on the Hollywood sign are arrested, officials say

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    Six people were arrested Sunday after they tried to hang a banner on the Hollywood sign, according to authorities.

    The group allegedly trespassed in the area of the landmark around noon and tried to hang a banner on one of the “O’s,” according to a Los Angeles Police Department Instagram post.

    The people were detained without incident, police said.

    It was unclear what sort of banner the group was trying to hang — or what message they were trying to send. A photo the LAPD shared on social media showed that the banner included what appears to be a green-and-white pill capsule, but the entire banner is not visible.

    L.A. city park rangers took over the investigation and the LAPD referred further questions to the agency, which didn’t immediately respond to a request for more information Wednesday.

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    Summer Lin

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  • Man pleads guilty to throwing Molotov cocktail at deputies during L.A. protest

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    A man admitted Wednesday that he lit a Molotov cocktail and threw it toward Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies during protests against immigration crackdowns over the summer.

    Emiliano Garduno Galvez, 23, who authorities said is a citizen of Mexico in the country illegally, pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing an unregistered destructive device and civil disorder tied to his actions the evening of June 7 in Paramount.

    Galvez is set to be sentenced Jan. 30, and he faces up to 15 years in prison.

    On the morning of June 7, Border Patrol agents were spotted gathering in Paramount, across the street from the Home Depot. Word quickly spread on social media. Passersby honked their horns. Soon, protesters arrived.

    Already tensions were high, with federal officials raiding a retail and distribution warehouse in downtown L.A. the day before, arresting dozens of workers and a top union official.

    According to the plea agreement, several people gathered near Hunsaker Avenue and Alondra Boulevard in Paramount and began amassing around personnel of federal agencies and later local law enforcement. People threw rocks or chunks of cinder blocks, lit objects on fire and set off fireworks in the direction of law enforcement, Galvez’s agreement states.

    Authorities said the protest interfered with “the coordination of federal agencies’ personnel and preparation for immigration enforcement activities,” and also “obstructed, delayed, and adversely affected commerce.”

    Specifically, according to the plea agreement, the Home Depot at the location had to close temporarily “and had products stolen during the civil disorder, including cinder blocks that were thrown at law enforcement.”

    Galvez admitted he was in Paramount that evening and that he saw the sheriff’s deputies engaged in crowd control. As the deputies tried to disperse and move the crowd back, Galvez admitted in the plea agreement to going behind a stone wall, lighting the wick inside the Molotov cocktail and then throwing it over the wall toward where he had seen the deputies.

    The Molotov cocktail landed in a grassy area near the foot of a protester and around 15 feet from the deputies, according to the plea agreement. Galvez admitted that he then ran from the area.

    Galvez threw the Molotov cocktail “intending to obstruct, interfere with, and impede the LASD deputies who were lawfully engaged in performance of official duties,” according to the agreement.

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    Brittny Mejia

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  • After Michigan church shooting, Mayor Bass calls for more police near houses of worship

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    Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced Sunday that Los Angeles police will increase patrols around houses of worship after a deadly shooting earlier in the day during services at a Michigan church.

    Five people were killed, including the shooter, and authorities say it is possible there are more.

    L.A. has thousands of houses of worship, including hundreds of storefront churches, according to the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture.

    “This type of violence is reprehensible and should have no place in our country,” Bass said in a statement posted on social media.

    Sometime around 10:25 a.m. Sunday, 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford drove a vehicle through the front doors of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, exited the vehicle and started shooting, according to preliminary information released by local authorities.

    Hundreds of congregants were inside, including many who shielded children, authorities said.

    Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye said at a news conference that Sanford was shot and killed by law enforcement officers at 10:33 a.m. in the church parking lot.

    Renye said 10 gunshot victims were transported to hospitals, including two who died. Seven are in stable condition while one victim remains in critical condition.

    Sanford is believed to have also intentionally set the church on fire, Renye said.

    After authorities entered the burned church, they found two more bodies. Renye said there may be others; authorities are aware of others not yet accounted for.

    After authorities killed Sanford, law enforcement officers searched multiple nearby churches regarding bomb threats, said Lt. Kim Vetter of the Michigan State Police. Vetter declined to say whether the churches searched were all LDS or other denominations and faiths.

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    Jaclyn Cosgrove

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  • 3 killed and 5 injured in North Carolina waterfront bar shooting

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    A shooting at a picturesque, seaside town in North Carolina that left three people dead and five others injured was a “highly premeditated” attack, police said Sunday.Police Chief Todd Coring said at a press conference Sunday that Nigel Edge of Oak Island is accused of opening fire from a boat into a crowd gathered at American Fish Company in Southport. Coring said the location was “targeted” but did not elaborate.The shooting, which erupted about 9:30 p.m. Saturday, took place along a popular stretch of bars and restaurants in the historic port town about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Wilmington. Investigators said Edge piloted a small boat close to shore, stopped briefly, fired, and then sped away.Edge is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon. He could face additional charges, Coring said.“We understand this suspect identifies as a combat veteran. He self-identifies. Injured in the line of duty is what he’s saying, he suffers from PTSD,” Coring said, referring to post-traumatic stress disorder.Edge is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Monday, District Attorney Jon David said. He is being held without bond.Among the five people hospitalized with injuries, at least one “is now clinging for their life,” David said.It was not immediately known whether Edge has an attorney to speak on his behalf. No attorney was listed on court documents.Roughly half an hour after the shooting, a U.S. Coast Guard crew spotted a person matching the suspect’s description pulling a boat from the water at a public ramp on Oak Island. The person was detained and turned over to Southport police for questioning, officials said.Investigators from multiple agencies — including the State Bureau of Investigation and the Coast Guard — remained on the water and at the scene Sunday collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses.Officials did not immediately release the names of those killed.

    SOUTHPORT, N.C. —

    A shooting at a picturesque, seaside town in North Carolina that left three people dead and five others injured was a “highly premeditated” attack, police said Sunday.

    Police Chief Todd Coring said at a press conference Sunday that Nigel Edge of Oak Island is accused of opening fire from a boat into a crowd gathered at American Fish Company in Southport. Coring said the location was “targeted” but did not elaborate.

    The shooting, which erupted about 9:30 p.m. Saturday, took place along a popular stretch of bars and restaurants in the historic port town about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Wilmington. Investigators said Edge piloted a small boat close to shore, stopped briefly, fired, and then sped away.

    Edge is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon. He could face additional charges, Coring said.

    “We understand this suspect identifies as a combat veteran. He self-identifies. Injured in the line of duty is what he’s saying, he suffers from PTSD,” Coring said, referring to post-traumatic stress disorder.

    Edge is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Monday, District Attorney Jon David said. He is being held without bond.

    Among the five people hospitalized with injuries, at least one “is now clinging for their life,” David said.

    It was not immediately known whether Edge has an attorney to speak on his behalf. No attorney was listed on court documents.

    Roughly half an hour after the shooting, a U.S. Coast Guard crew spotted a person matching the suspect’s description pulling a boat from the water at a public ramp on Oak Island. The person was detained and turned over to Southport police for questioning, officials said.

    Investigators from multiple agencies — including the State Bureau of Investigation and the Coast Guard — remained on the water and at the scene Sunday collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses.

    Officials did not immediately release the names of those killed.

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  • Human remains in Washington state identified as Travis Decker, wanted for killing his daughters

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    Forensic tests confirmed that human remains found on a remote mountain in Washington state this month were those of Travis Decker, a former soldier wanted in the deaths of his three young daughters last spring, officials confirmed Thursday.His remains were discovered on a steep, remote, wooded slope partway up Grindstone Mountain in central Washington, less than a mile from the campsite where the bodies of 9-year-old Paityn Decker, 8-year-old Evelyn Decker, and 5-year-old Olivia Decker were found on June 2, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said.Law enforcement teams had been searching more than three months for Decker, 32, before the sheriff’s office announced last week it had located human remains believed to be his. Sheriff Mike Morrison said Thursday that DNA tests on clothing found at the scene, as well as from the remains, matched Decker.The sheriff said investigators wanted to honor the girls’ memory by solving the case, and he apologized to their mother, Whitney Decker, for it taking so long.“I hope you can rest easier at night knowing that Travis is accounted for,” Morrison said.Decker had been with his daughters on a scheduled visit but failed to bring them back to his former wife, who, a year ag,o said that his mental health issues had worsened and that he had become increasingly unstable.He was often living out of his truck, she said in a petition seeking to restrict him from having overnight visits with them.A deputy found Decker’s truck as well as the girls’ bodies three days after Decker failed to return them to their mother’s house. Autopsies found the girls had been suffocated.Decker was an infantryman in the Army from March 2013 to July 2021 and deployed to Afghanistan for four months in 2014. He had training in navigation, survival, and other skills, authorities said, and once spent more than two months living in the backwoods off the grid.More than 100 officials with an array of state and federal agencies searched hundreds of square miles, much of it mountainous and remote, by land, water, and air during the on and off search. The U.S. Marshals Service offered a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to his capture.At one point early in the search, authorities thought they spotted Decker near a remote alpine lake after receiving a tip from hikers.Officials say the coroner’s office continues to work on determining the cause and time of his death.

    (Video above: KING via CNN Newsource) —

    Forensic tests confirmed that human remains found on a remote mountain in Washington state this month were those of Travis Decker, a former soldier wanted in the deaths of his three young daughters last spring, officials confirmed Thursday.

    His remains were discovered on a steep, remote, wooded slope partway up Grindstone Mountain in central Washington, less than a mile from the campsite where the bodies of 9-year-old Paityn Decker, 8-year-old Evelyn Decker, and 5-year-old Olivia Decker were found on June 2, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said.

    Law enforcement teams had been searching more than three months for Decker, 32, before the sheriff’s office announced last week it had located human remains believed to be his. Sheriff Mike Morrison said Thursday that DNA tests on clothing found at the scene, as well as from the remains, matched Decker.

    The sheriff said investigators wanted to honor the girls’ memory by solving the case, and he apologized to their mother, Whitney Decker, for it taking so long.

    “I hope you can rest easier at night knowing that Travis is accounted for,” Morrison said.

    Decker had been with his daughters on a scheduled visit but failed to bring them back to his former wife, who, a year ag,o said that his mental health issues had worsened and that he had become increasingly unstable.

    He was often living out of his truck, she said in a petition seeking to restrict him from having overnight visits with them.

    A deputy found Decker’s truck as well as the girls’ bodies three days after Decker failed to return them to their mother’s house. Autopsies found the girls had been suffocated.

    Decker was an infantryman in the Army from March 2013 to July 2021 and deployed to Afghanistan for four months in 2014. He had training in navigation, survival, and other skills, authorities said, and once spent more than two months living in the backwoods off the grid.

    More than 100 officials with an array of state and federal agencies searched hundreds of square miles, much of it mountainous and remote, by land, water, and air during the on and off search. The U.S. Marshals Service offered a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to his capture.

    At one point early in the search, authorities thought they spotted Decker near a remote alpine lake after receiving a tip from hikers.

    Officials say the coroner’s office continues to work on determining the cause and time of his death.

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  • Off-duty officer shoots man inside NYC’s busy Penn Station, police say

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    Off-duty officer shoots and wounds man inside New York City’s busy Penn Station, police say

    Updated: 10:07 AM EDT Sep 25, 2025

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    An off-duty police officer shot and wounded a man inside Pennsylvania Station, the main intercity railroad station in New York City and the busiest station in the U.S., authorities said.Police responded to a 911 call at 7 p.m. Wednesday reporting a 32-year-old man had been shot inside the portion of the midtown Manhattan station, a complex that includes Penn Station, a police spokesperson said.The unidentified man was transported to a hospital and was in stable condition, police said.No additional information about the shooting was immediately released, including what led up to it.Video showed a large police presence at a section of the station that serves the Long Island Rail Road.People should avoid the area because of the investigation, police said, warning of delays and traffic.The railroad station underneath Madison Square Garden can serve roughly 600,000 passengers daily via Amtrak, the New York subway system, and two regional rail lines — the Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit.In April, President Donald Trump’s administration announced it would take control of the planned $7 billion reconstruction of the aging station, sidelining the city’s mass transit agency.

    NEW YORK —

    An off-duty police officer shot and wounded a man inside Pennsylvania Station, the main intercity railroad station in New York City and the busiest station in the U.S., authorities said.

    Police responded to a 911 call at 7 p.m. Wednesday reporting a 32-year-old man had been shot inside the portion of the midtown Manhattan station, a complex that includes Penn Station, a police spokesperson said.

    The unidentified man was transported to a hospital and was in stable condition, police said.

    No additional information about the shooting was immediately released, including what led up to it.

    Video showed a large police presence at a section of the station that serves the Long Island Rail Road.

    People should avoid the area because of the investigation, police said, warning of delays and traffic.

    The railroad station underneath Madison Square Garden can serve roughly 600,000 passengers daily via Amtrak, the New York subway system, and two regional rail lines — the Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit.

    In April, President Donald Trump’s administration announced it would take control of the planned $7 billion reconstruction of the aging station, sidelining the city’s mass transit agency.

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  • Officials find remains they believe are Travis Decker

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    We want grief to only be for long, full lives, not short, sweet ones that have barely just begun. Tonight at 10, breaking news out of Washington state tonight with ties to Wisconsin, *** vigil there for three young girls found dead. Their father now charged with killing them, and tonight his family says he’s from Pewaukee. Travis Decker is *** wanted man at this hour. Investigators just updated us to say that they are still actively searching for him. 12 News Kendall Keyes leads us off with the court documents and the mystery about what happened. Whitney Decker speaking to *** Seattle news crew Monday about the father of her three girls, Travis Decker. I don’t personally think that he’s dangerous. I think that he is impulsive and he loves his children very much. The girls reported missing Friday by their mother after they did not return from *** scheduled visit with Decker. I think that he’s having *** Hard time and just needs something to make him feel better and for him that’s the girls. Her words haunting in hindsight. Decker now charged in the murder of his three daughters, 9-year-old Peyton, 8-year-old Evelyn, and 5-year-old Olivia. Family 12 News spoke to in Wisconsin say the 32-year-old grew up in Pewaukee. Monday, investigators found Decker’s truck abandoned at *** campground in Chelan County, Washington. According to court documents, 12 news obtained approximately 75 to 100 yards past where the vehicle was located and down *** small embankment, CCSO deputies located the bodies of three school-aged children. Investigators saying each has *** plastic bag over the head. The likely cause of death was *** fixation, and their wrists were also zip tied. Kendall Keys joins us from the newsroom tonight. Kendall Decker’s on the run right now, right, Diana, and they say he could be dangerous because he’s former military with extensive training. Within the hour, law enforcement in Washington held *** news conference calling for Decker to turn himself in. Travis, if you’re listening, this is your opportunity to turn yourself in. Do the right thing, do what you need to do and take accountability for your actions. We’re not going to go away. We’re not going to rest, and we’re going to make sure we find you. Pewaukee police say they’re not involved in the search. We have yet to hear back from the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office if they’ve been asked to assist in the investigation given Decker’s ties to Pewaukee.

    Officials find remains they believe are Travis Decker, wanted in killings of his 3 young daughters in Washington

    Updated: 1:04 AM EDT Sep 19, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    Authorities say they have found remains they believe are Travis Decker, an ex-soldier wanted in the deaths of his three daughters, in the mountains of Washington state.The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Thursday that it was processing the site with the help of the Washington State Patrol crime scene response team. They will follow up with DNA analysis, it said.Video above: Wisconsin native on the run after death of his three daughters in Washington“While positive identification has not yet been confirmed, preliminary findings suggest the remains belong to Travis Decker,” the statement said.Decker, 32, has been wanted since June 2, when a sheriff’s deputy found his truck and the bodies of his three daughters — 9-year-old Paityn Decker, 8-year-old Evelyn Decker and 5-year-old Olivia Decker — at a campground outside Leavenworth.Three days earlier, he failed to return the girls to their mother’s home in Wenatchee, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of Seattle, following a scheduled visit.Decker was an infantryman in the Army from March 2013 to July 2021 and deployed to Afghanistan for four months in 2014. He had training in navigation, survival and other skills, authorities said, and once spent more than two months living in the backwoods off the grid.More than 100 officials with an array of state and federal agencies searched hundreds of square miles, much of it mountainous and remote, by land, water and air during the on and off search. The U.S. Marshals Service offered a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to his capture.Last September, Decker’s ex-wife, Whitney Decker, wrote in a petition to modify their parenting plan that his mental health issues had worsened and that he had become increasingly unstable. He was often living out of his truck, and she sought to restrict him from having overnight visits with their daughters until he found housing.An autopsy determined the girls’ cause of death to be suffocation, the sheriff’s office said. They had been bound with zip ties and had plastic bags placed over their heads.

    LEAVENWORTH, Wash. —

    Authorities say they have found remains they believe are Travis Decker, an ex-soldier wanted in the deaths of his three daughters, in the mountains of Washington state.

    The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Thursday that it was processing the site with the help of the Washington State Patrol crime scene response team. They will follow up with DNA analysis, it said.

    Video above: Wisconsin native on the run after death of his three daughters in Washington

    “While positive identification has not yet been confirmed, preliminary findings suggest the remains belong to Travis Decker,” the statement said.

    Decker, 32, has been wanted since June 2, when a sheriff’s deputy found his truck and the bodies of his three daughters — 9-year-old Paityn Decker, 8-year-old Evelyn Decker and 5-year-old Olivia Decker — at a campground outside Leavenworth.

    Three days earlier, he failed to return the girls to their mother’s home in Wenatchee, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of Seattle, following a scheduled visit.

    Decker was an infantryman in the Army from March 2013 to July 2021 and deployed to Afghanistan for four months in 2014. He had training in navigation, survival and other skills, authorities said, and once spent more than two months living in the backwoods off the grid.

    FILE - This undated photo provided by the Wenatchee Police Department shows Travis Caleb Decker, who is wanted in connection with the deaths of his three daughters.

    Wenatchee Police Department via AP, File

    FILE – This undated photo provided by the Wenatchee Police Department shows Travis Caleb Decker, who is wanted in connection with the deaths of his three daughters.

    More than 100 officials with an array of state and federal agencies searched hundreds of square miles, much of it mountainous and remote, by land, water and air during the on and off search. The U.S. Marshals Service offered a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to his capture.

    Last September, Decker’s ex-wife, Whitney Decker, wrote in a petition to modify their parenting plan that his mental health issues had worsened and that he had become increasingly unstable. He was often living out of his truck, and she sought to restrict him from having overnight visits with their daughters until he found housing.

    An autopsy determined the girls’ cause of death to be suffocation, the sheriff’s office said. They had been bound with zip ties and had plastic bags placed over their heads.

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  • Kirk killing suspect feared being shot by police and agreed to surrender if peaceful, sheriff says

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    Tyler Robinson, the Utah man charged with assassinating Charlie Kirk, was afraid of being shot by police and agreed to surrender as long as it was done peacefully, a sheriff involved with taking him into custody said Wednesday.Robinson appeared quiet and somber when he turned himself in with his parents last Thursday at the Washington County Sheriff’s office, a day after Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University, said Sheriff Nate Brooksby.”He didn’t want a big SWAT team at his parent’s house or his apartment,” said the sheriff, who was only involved with the surrender and not the broader investigation. “He was truly fearful about being shot by law enforcement.”On Tuesday, prosecutors charged the 22-year-old Robinson with capital murder and announced they will seek the death penalty while revealing a series of incriminating messages and DNA evidence that they say connect Robinson to the killing of Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and confidant of President Donald Trump.Utah Valley University students returning to campus Wednesday clustered silently, staring down at the barricaded courtyard where an assassin struck down conservative activist Charlie Kirk in an attack that upended the nation.Care stations offering stuffed animals, candy and connections to counseling dotted the campus on the first day of classes since the shooting more than a week ago.Matthew Caldwell, 24, said his classmates were quieter and seemed more genuine about being in class, even with sadness still in the air.”The way that we treat each other in our words can ultimately lead to things like this,” he said. “And I think everybody sort of understands that a little bit better now.”Since the shooting, the Republican president has threatened to crack down on what he calls the “radical left” and has classified some groups as domestic terrorists. Former Democratic President Barack Obama said this week that Trump has further divided the country rather than working to bring people together.On Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee called on the chief executives of Discord, Steam, Twitch and Reddit to testify on how they are regulating their platforms to prevent violence.”Congress has a duty to oversee the online platforms that radicals have used to advance political violence,” said GOP Rep. James Comer, the committee chair, signaling a shift for congressional Republicans, who had previously scrutinized online platforms for policing free speech.Video below: Students at Utah Valley University returned to campus after Kirk’s killingHidden note in suspect’s apartmentInvestigators say that sometime after Robinson fired a single fatal shot from the rooftop of a campus building overlooking where Kirk was speaking on Sept. 10, he texted his romantic partner and said to look under a keyboard.There was a note, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,” according to court documents.After expressing shock, his partner who lived with Robinson in southwestern Utah, asked Robinson if he was the shooter. Robinson responded, “I am, I’m sorry.”Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said DNA on the trigger of the rifle used to kill Kirk matched Robinson, who faced his first hearing in the case Tuesday. A judge read the charges and said he would appoint an attorney to represent him. A message was left Wednesday with the county’s public defender office.Robinson’s family has declined to comment to The Associated Press since his arrest.Investigators looking at whether Robinson had helpLaw enforcement officials say they are looking at whether others knew about Robinson’s plans or helped, but they have not said if his partner is among those being investigated, only expressing appreciation for the partner sharing information.The partner apparently never went to law enforcement after receiving the texts. Robinson remained on the run for more than a day until his parents recognized him in a photo released by authorities.Also getting a closer look is the security on the day of the attack. Utah Valley is conducting a review, university President Astrid S. Tuminez said Wednesday.Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox met with students and campus leaders near the shooting scene, saying he understands they might still be haunted and angry over what happened. “What you do with that anger, that’s what determines where we go from here,” he said.Was Charlie Kirk targeted over anti-transgender views?Authorities have not revealed a clear motive in the shooting, but Gray said that Robinson wrote in a text about Kirk to his partner: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”Kirk, a 31-year-old father of two, was credited with energizing the Republican youth movement and helping Trump win back the White House in 2024. His political organization, Arizona-based Turning Point USA, brought young, evangelical Christians into politics through social media, his podcast and campus events.While court documents said Robinson wrote in one text that planned the attack for more than a week, authorities have not said what they believe that entailed.Gray declined to answer whether Robinson targeted Kirk for his anti-transgender views. Kirk was shot while taking a question that touched on mass shootings and transgender people.Robinson was involved in a romantic relationship with his roommate, who investigators say is transgender.Parents said their son became more politicalRobinson’s mother told investigators that their son had turned hard left politically in the last year and became more supportive of gay and transgender rights, Gray said.She recognized him when authorities released a picture of the suspect and his parents confronted him, at which time Robinson said he wanted to kill himself, Gray said.The family persuaded him to meet with a family friend who is a retired sheriff’s deputy. That person was able to get Robinson to turn himself in, the prosecutor said.Robinson detailed movements after the shootingIn a text exchange with his partner released by authorities, Robinson wrote about planning to get his rifle from his “drop point,” but that the area was “locked down.”The texts, which Robinson later told his partner to delete, did not include timestamps, leaving it unclear how long after the shooting Robinson sent the messages.”To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you,” Robinson wrote.___Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio.

    OREM, Utah —

    Tyler Robinson, the Utah man charged with assassinating Charlie Kirk, was afraid of being shot by police and agreed to surrender as long as it was done peacefully, a sheriff involved with taking him into custody said Wednesday.

    Robinson appeared quiet and somber when he turned himself in with his parents last Thursday at the Washington County Sheriff’s office, a day after Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University, said Sheriff Nate Brooksby.

    “He didn’t want a big SWAT team at his parent’s house or his apartment,” said the sheriff, who was only involved with the surrender and not the broader investigation. “He was truly fearful about being shot by law enforcement.”

    On Tuesday, prosecutors charged the 22-year-old Robinson with capital murder and announced they will seek the death penalty while revealing a series of incriminating messages and DNA evidence that they say connect Robinson to the killing of Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and confidant of President Donald Trump.

    Utah Valley University students returning to campus Wednesday clustered silently, staring down at the barricaded courtyard where an assassin struck down conservative activist Charlie Kirk in an attack that upended the nation.

    Care stations offering stuffed animals, candy and connections to counseling dotted the campus on the first day of classes since the shooting more than a week ago.

    Matthew Caldwell, 24, said his classmates were quieter and seemed more genuine about being in class, even with sadness still in the air.

    “The way that we treat each other in our words can ultimately lead to things like this,” he said. “And I think everybody sort of understands that a little bit better now.”

    Since the shooting, the Republican president has threatened to crack down on what he calls the “radical left” and has classified some groups as domestic terrorists. Former Democratic President Barack Obama said this week that Trump has further divided the country rather than working to bring people together.

    On Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee called on the chief executives of Discord, Steam, Twitch and Reddit to testify on how they are regulating their platforms to prevent violence.

    “Congress has a duty to oversee the online platforms that radicals have used to advance political violence,” said GOP Rep. James Comer, the committee chair, signaling a shift for congressional Republicans, who had previously scrutinized online platforms for policing free speech.

    Video below: Students at Utah Valley University returned to campus after Kirk’s killing

    Hidden note in suspect’s apartment

    Investigators say that sometime after Robinson fired a single fatal shot from the rooftop of a campus building overlooking where Kirk was speaking on Sept. 10, he texted his romantic partner and said to look under a keyboard.

    There was a note, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,” according to court documents.

    After expressing shock, his partner who lived with Robinson in southwestern Utah, asked Robinson if he was the shooter. Robinson responded, “I am, I’m sorry.”

    Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said DNA on the trigger of the rifle used to kill Kirk matched Robinson, who faced his first hearing in the case Tuesday. A judge read the charges and said he would appoint an attorney to represent him. A message was left Wednesday with the county’s public defender office.

    Robinson’s family has declined to comment to The Associated Press since his arrest.

    Investigators looking at whether Robinson had help

    Law enforcement officials say they are looking at whether others knew about Robinson’s plans or helped, but they have not said if his partner is among those being investigated, only expressing appreciation for the partner sharing information.

    The partner apparently never went to law enforcement after receiving the texts. Robinson remained on the run for more than a day until his parents recognized him in a photo released by authorities.

    Also getting a closer look is the security on the day of the attack. Utah Valley is conducting a review, university President Astrid S. Tuminez said Wednesday.

    Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox met with students and campus leaders near the shooting scene, saying he understands they might still be haunted and angry over what happened. “What you do with that anger, that’s what determines where we go from here,” he said.

    Was Charlie Kirk targeted over anti-transgender views?

    Authorities have not revealed a clear motive in the shooting, but Gray said that Robinson wrote in a text about Kirk to his partner: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”

    Kirk, a 31-year-old father of two, was credited with energizing the Republican youth movement and helping Trump win back the White House in 2024. His political organization, Arizona-based Turning Point USA, brought young, evangelical Christians into politics through social media, his podcast and campus events.

    While court documents said Robinson wrote in one text that planned the attack for more than a week, authorities have not said what they believe that entailed.

    Gray declined to answer whether Robinson targeted Kirk for his anti-transgender views. Kirk was shot while taking a question that touched on mass shootings and transgender people.

    Robinson was involved in a romantic relationship with his roommate, who investigators say is transgender.

    Parents said their son became more political

    Robinson’s mother told investigators that their son had turned hard left politically in the last year and became more supportive of gay and transgender rights, Gray said.

    She recognized him when authorities released a picture of the suspect and his parents confronted him, at which time Robinson said he wanted to kill himself, Gray said.

    The family persuaded him to meet with a family friend who is a retired sheriff’s deputy. That person was able to get Robinson to turn himself in, the prosecutor said.

    Robinson detailed movements after the shooting

    In a text exchange with his partner released by authorities, Robinson wrote about planning to get his rifle from his “drop point,” but that the area was “locked down.”

    The texts, which Robinson later told his partner to delete, did not include timestamps, leaving it unclear how long after the shooting Robinson sent the messages.

    “To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you,” Robinson wrote.

    ___

    Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio.

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  • Those closest to Tyler Robinson made horrifying discoveries in hours after Charlie Kirk killing, authorities say

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    In the frantic hours after political activist Charlie Kirk was killed by a sniper at a Utah university, those closest to the alleged shooter began making wrenching discoveries, authorities said.

    In charging Tyler Robinson, 22, authorities revealed new details about the hours after the shooting and how they led to the arrest. Robinson was charged with seven counts, including one count of aggravated murder and two counts of obstruction of justice, for allegedly hiding the rifle used in the killing and disposing of his clothes, said Utah County Atty. Jeffrey Gray. He is also facing two counts of witness tampering after he allegedly instructed his roommate to delete incriminating texts, and asking them not to talk to investigators if they were questioned by authorities.

    Kirk, 31, was an influential figure in conservative and right-wing circles, winning praise for his views on heated topics, including abortion, immigration and gender identity. His death by a single gunshot during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University last week shocked the nation and has led to vigorous debate over the motivations of his accused killer.

    Text exchanges

    Gray also provided details of a text exchange between Robinson and his roommate, a person transitioning to female with whom he was romantically involved, in which Robinson apparently confessed to the killing.

    According to the exchange detailed in charging documents, Robinson’s partner appeared to have no knowledge that Robinson had taken a rifle and had planned the shooting for about a week.

    After the shooting, authorities say, Robinson allegedly texted the partner to say: “Drop what you’re doing, look under my keyboard.” The roommate found a message that read: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”

    “What??????????????” the roommate responded to Robinson in a text message. “You’re joking, right????”

    Robinson appears to confess to the killing in the text messages, and describes details of the shooting as he allegedly tried to evade authorities.

    “You weren’t the one who did it, right?” the roommate texted Robinson after the shooting, according to Gray.

    “I am, I’m sorry,” Robinson responded, according to court filings.

    While local and federal officials searched for the gunman, Gray said, Robinson allegedly texted his partner, explaining his decision to kill Kirk.

    “Why?” his partner, who was not identified by Gray, texted Robinson.

    “Why did I do it?” Robinson responded.

    “Yeah,” the roommate replied, according to Gray.

    “I had enough of his hatred,” Robinson allegedly replied. “Some hate can’t be negotiated.”

    Parents’ suspicions

    It took nearly a day before officials released grainy photos of the suspect.

    Gray said authorities were led to Robinson by his parents, including his mother who first recognized him from pictures that were released to the public of the suspected shooter. She then showed the images to her husband, who agreed the person looked like their son, according to Gray.

    Robinson’s mother told investigators that in the last year, her son had “become more political and had started to lean more to the left, becoming more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented,” Gray said.

    Robinson had also spoken to his parents about Kirk visiting the Utah campus, and had accused Kirk of “spreading hate,” Gray said.

    When his parents confronted him, Robinson admitted to the killing and said he was thinking of killing himself, Gray said.

    “Robinson implied he was the shooter and didn’t want to go to jail,” Gray said. “When asked why he did it, Robinson explained, ‘There’s too much evil, and the guy,’ referring to Kirk, ‘spreads too much hate.’”

    Discord chat

    The Washington Post reported earlier this week that Robinson appear to confess to members of a Discord chat group two hours before he was arrested.

    Citing a source, the Post quoted the message this way: “Hey guys, I have bad news for you all. It was me at UVU yesterday. im sorry for all of this.”

    The Post said he was arrested soon after.

    Agents are also interviewing people who interacted with the suspect online, FBI Director Kash Patel said.

    That includes a Discord chat that seems to have involved more than 20 people after the shooting.

    “We’re running them all down,” Patel said.

    The weapon

    The rifle, Gray said, had apparently been given to Robinson by his father as a gift. According to text exchanges with his roommate, the rifle had belonged to his grandfather at one point, and Robinson seemed concerned he would be unable to retrieve it.

    “I’m worried what my old man would do if I didn’t bring back grandpas rifle,” Robinson texted. “How the f— will I explain losing it to my old man…”

    Suspicious that his son was involved in the shooting, his father asked Robinson to send a picture of the rifle, but his son didn’t reply, according to Gray.

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    Richard Winton, Salvador Hernandez

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  • Suspect left note saying he planned to kill Charlie Kirk, later confessed in texts, prosecutor says

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    Prosecutors brought a murder charge Tuesday against the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk and outlined evidence, including a text message confession to his partner and a note left beforehand saying he had the opportunity to kill one of the nation’s leading conservative voices “and I’m going to take it.”DNA on the trigger of the rifle that killed Kirk also matched that of Tyler Robinson, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said while outlining the evidence and announcing charges that could result in the death penalty if Robinson is convicted.The prosecutor said Robinson, 22, wrote in one text that he spent more than a week planning the attack on Kirk, a prominent force in politics credited with energizing the Republican youth movement and helping Donald Trump win back the White House in 2024.”The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy,” Gray said.Kirk was gunned down Sept. 10 while speaking with students at Utah Valley University. Prosecutors allege Robinson shot Kirk in the neck with a bolt-action rifle from the roof of a nearby building on the campus in Orem, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City. Robinson appeared briefly Tuesday before a judge by video from jail. He nodded slightly at times but mostly stared straight ahead as the judge read the charges against him and appointed an attorney to represent him. Robinson’s family has declined to comment to The Associated Press since his arrest.Was Charlie Kirk targeted over anti-transgender views?Authorities have not revealed a clear motive in the shooting, but Gray said that Robinson wrote in a text about Kirk to his partner: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”Robinson also left a note for his partner hidden under a keyboard that said, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,” according to Gray.The prosecutor declined to answer whether Robinson targeted Kirk for his anti-transgender views. Kirk was shot while taking a question that touched on mass shootings, gun violence and transgender people.”That is for a jury to decide,” Gray said.Robinson was involved in a romantic relationship with his roommate, who investigators say was transgender, which hasn’t been confirmed. Gray said the partner has been cooperating with investigators.Robinson’s partner appeared shocked in the text exchange after the shooting, according to court documents, asking Robinson “why he did it and how long he’d been planning it.”Parents said their son became more politicalWhile authorities say Robinson hasn’t been cooperating with investigators, they say his family and friends have been talking.Robinson’s mother told investigators that their son had turned left politically in the last year and became more supportive of gay and transgender rights after dating someone who is transgender, Gray said.Those decisions prompted several conversations in the household, especially between Robinson and his father. They had different political views and Robinson told his partner in a text that his dad had become a “diehard MAGA” since Trump was elected.Robinson’s mother recognized him when authorities released a picture of the suspect and his parents confronted him, at which time Robinson said he wanted to kill himself, Gray said.The family persuaded him to meet with a family friend who is a retired sheriff’s deputy, who persuaded Robinson to turn himself in, the prosecutor said.Robinson was arrested late Thursday near St. George, the southern Utah community where he grew up, about 240 miles southwest of where the shooting happened.Robinson detailed movements after the shootingIn a text exchange with his partner released by authorities, Robinson wrote: “I had planned to grab my rifle from my drop point shortly after, but most of that side of town got locked down. Its quiet, almost enough to get out, but theres one vehicle lingering.”Then he wrote: “Going to attempt to retrieve it again, hopefully they have moved on. I haven’t seen anything about them finding it.” After that, he sent: “I can get close to it but there is a squad car parked right by it. I think they already swept that spot, but I don’t wanna chance it.”He also was worried about losing his grandfather’s rifle and mentioned several times in the texts that he wished he had picked it up, according to the texts shared in court documents, which did not have timestamps. It was unclear how long after the shooting Robinson was texting.”To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you,” Robinson wrote in another text to his partner.Prosecutor says Robinson told partner to delete textsRobinson discarded the rifle and clothing and asked his roommate to conceal evidence, Gray said.Robinson was charged with felony discharge of a firearm, punishable by up to life in prison, and obstructing justice, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.He also was charged with witness tampering because he had directed his partner to delete their text messages and told his partner to stay silent if questioned by police, Gray said.Kash Patel says investigators will look at everyoneFBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday that agents are looking at “anyone and everyone” who was involved in a gaming chatroom on the social media platform Discord with Robinson. The chatroom involved “a lot more” than 20 people, he said during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington.”We are investigating Charlie’s assassination fully and completely and running out every lead related to any allegation of broader violence,” Patel said in response to a question about whether the Kirk shooting was being treated as part of a broader trend of violence against religious groups.The charges filed Tuesday carry two enhancements, including committing several of the crimes in front of or close to children and carrying out violence based on the subject’s political beliefs.Gray declined to say whether Robinson’s partner could face charges or whether anyone else might face charges.Kirk, a dominant figure in conservative politics, became a confidant of President Donald Trump after founding Arizona-based Turning Point USA, one of the nation’s largest political organizations. He brought young, conservative evangelical Christians into politics.In the days since Kirk’s assassination, Americans have found themselves facing questions about rising political violence, the deep divisions that brought the nation here and whether anything can change.Despite calls for greater civility, some who opposed Kirk’s provocative statements about gender, race and politics criticized him after his death. Many Republicans have led the push to punish anyone they believe dishonored him, causing both public and private workers to lose their jobs or face other consequences at work.___Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio.

    PROVO, Utah —

    Prosecutors brought a murder charge Tuesday against the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk and outlined evidence, including a text message confession to his partner and a note left beforehand saying he had the opportunity to kill one of the nation’s leading conservative voices “and I’m going to take it.”

    DNA on the trigger of the rifle that killed Kirk also matched that of Tyler Robinson, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said while outlining the evidence and announcing charges that could result in the death penalty if Robinson is convicted.

    The prosecutor said Robinson, 22, wrote in one text that he spent more than a week planning the attack on Kirk, a prominent force in politics credited with energizing the Republican youth movement and helping Donald Trump win back the White House in 2024.

    “The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy,” Gray said.

    Kirk was gunned down Sept. 10 while speaking with students at Utah Valley University. Prosecutors allege Robinson shot Kirk in the neck with a bolt-action rifle from the roof of a nearby building on the campus in Orem, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City.

    Robinson appeared briefly Tuesday before a judge by video from jail. He nodded slightly at times but mostly stared straight ahead as the judge read the charges against him and appointed an attorney to represent him. Robinson’s family has declined to comment to The Associated Press since his arrest.

    FBI

    Tyler Robinson, suspect in Charlie Kirk’s assassination

    Was Charlie Kirk targeted over anti-transgender views?

    Authorities have not revealed a clear motive in the shooting, but Gray said that Robinson wrote in a text about Kirk to his partner: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”

    Robinson also left a note for his partner hidden under a keyboard that said, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,” according to Gray.

    The prosecutor declined to answer whether Robinson targeted Kirk for his anti-transgender views. Kirk was shot while taking a question that touched on mass shootings, gun violence and transgender people.

    “That is for a jury to decide,” Gray said.

    Robinson was involved in a romantic relationship with his roommate, who investigators say was transgender, which hasn’t been confirmed. Gray said the partner has been cooperating with investigators.

    Robinson’s partner appeared shocked in the text exchange after the shooting, according to court documents, asking Robinson “why he did it and how long he’d been planning it.”

    Parents said their son became more political

    While authorities say Robinson hasn’t been cooperating with investigators, they say his family and friends have been talking.

    Robinson’s mother told investigators that their son had turned left politically in the last year and became more supportive of gay and transgender rights after dating someone who is transgender, Gray said.

    Those decisions prompted several conversations in the household, especially between Robinson and his father. They had different political views and Robinson told his partner in a text that his dad had become a “diehard MAGA” since Trump was elected.

    Robinson’s mother recognized him when authorities released a picture of the suspect and his parents confronted him, at which time Robinson said he wanted to kill himself, Gray said.

    The family persuaded him to meet with a family friend who is a retired sheriff’s deputy, who persuaded Robinson to turn himself in, the prosecutor said.

    Robinson was arrested late Thursday near St. George, the southern Utah community where he grew up, about 240 miles southwest of where the shooting happened.

    Robinson detailed movements after the shooting

    In a text exchange with his partner released by authorities, Robinson wrote: “I had planned to grab my rifle from my drop point shortly after, but most of that side of town got locked down. Its quiet, almost enough to get out, but theres one vehicle lingering.”

    Then he wrote: “Going to attempt to retrieve it again, hopefully they have moved on. I haven’t seen anything about them finding it.” After that, he sent: “I can get close to it but there is a squad car parked right by it. I think they already swept that spot, but I don’t wanna chance it.”

    He also was worried about losing his grandfather’s rifle and mentioned several times in the texts that he wished he had picked it up, according to the texts shared in court documents, which did not have timestamps. It was unclear how long after the shooting Robinson was texting.

    “To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you,” Robinson wrote in another text to his partner.

    Prosecutor says Robinson told partner to delete texts

    Robinson discarded the rifle and clothing and asked his roommate to conceal evidence, Gray said.

    Robinson was charged with felony discharge of a firearm, punishable by up to life in prison, and obstructing justice, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

    He also was charged with witness tampering because he had directed his partner to delete their text messages and told his partner to stay silent if questioned by police, Gray said.

    Kash Patel says investigators will look at everyone

    FBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday that agents are looking at “anyone and everyone” who was involved in a gaming chatroom on the social media platform Discord with Robinson. The chatroom involved “a lot more” than 20 people, he said during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington.

    “We are investigating Charlie’s assassination fully and completely and running out every lead related to any allegation of broader violence,” Patel said in response to a question about whether the Kirk shooting was being treated as part of a broader trend of violence against religious groups.

    The charges filed Tuesday carry two enhancements, including committing several of the crimes in front of or close to children and carrying out violence based on the subject’s political beliefs.

    Gray declined to say whether Robinson’s partner could face charges or whether anyone else might face charges.

    Kirk, a dominant figure in conservative politics, became a confidant of President Donald Trump after founding Arizona-based Turning Point USA, one of the nation’s largest political organizations. He brought young, conservative evangelical Christians into politics.

    In the days since Kirk’s assassination, Americans have found themselves facing questions about rising political violence, the deep divisions that brought the nation here and whether anything can change.

    Despite calls for greater civility, some who opposed Kirk’s provocative statements about gender, race and politics criticized him after his death. Many Republicans have led the push to punish anyone they believe dishonored him, causing both public and private workers to lose their jobs or face other consequences at work.

    ___

    Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio.

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  • Suspect left note saying he planned to kill Charlie Kirk, later confessed in texts, prosecutor says

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    Prosecutors brought a murder charge Tuesday against the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk and outlined evidence, including a text message confession to his partner and a note left beforehand saying he had the opportunity to kill one of the nation’s leading conservative voices “and I’m going to take it.”DNA on the trigger of the rifle that killed Kirk also matched that of Tyler Robinson, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said while outlining the evidence and announcing charges that could result in the death penalty if Robinson is convicted.The prosecutor said Robinson, 22, wrote in one text that he spent more than a week planning the attack on Kirk, a prominent force in politics credited with energizing the Republican youth movement and helping Donald Trump win back the White House in 2024.”The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy,” Gray said.Kirk was gunned down Sept. 10 while speaking with students at Utah Valley University. Prosecutors allege Robinson shot Kirk in the neck with a bolt-action rifle from the roof of a nearby building on the campus in Orem, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City. Robinson appeared briefly Tuesday before a judge by video from jail. He nodded slightly at times but mostly stared straight ahead as the judge read the charges against him and appointed an attorney to represent him. Robinson’s family has declined to comment to The Associated Press since his arrest.Was Charlie Kirk targeted over anti-transgender views?Authorities have not revealed a clear motive in the shooting, but Gray said that Robinson wrote in a text about Kirk to his partner: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”Robinson also left a note for his partner hidden under a keyboard that said, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,” according to Gray.The prosecutor declined to answer whether Robinson targeted Kirk for his anti-transgender views. Kirk was shot while taking a question that touched on mass shootings, gun violence and transgender people.”That is for a jury to decide,” Gray said.Robinson was involved in a romantic relationship with his roommate, who investigators say was transgender, which hasn’t been confirmed. Gray said the partner has been cooperating with investigators.Robinson’s partner appeared shocked in the text exchange after the shooting, according to court documents, asking Robinson “why he did it and how long he’d been planning it.”Parents said their son became more politicalWhile authorities say Robinson hasn’t been cooperating with investigators, they say his family and friends have been talking.Robinson’s mother told investigators that their son had turned left politically in the last year and became more supportive of gay and transgender rights after dating someone who is transgender, Gray said.Those decisions prompted several conversations in the household, especially between Robinson and his father. They had different political views and Robinson told his partner in a text that his dad had become a “diehard MAGA” since Trump was elected.Robinson’s mother recognized him when authorities released a picture of the suspect and his parents confronted him, at which time Robinson said he wanted to kill himself, Gray said.The family persuaded him to meet with a family friend who is a retired sheriff’s deputy, who persuaded Robinson to turn himself in, the prosecutor said.Robinson was arrested late Thursday near St. George, the southern Utah community where he grew up, about 240 miles southwest of where the shooting happened.Robinson detailed movements after the shootingIn a text exchange with his partner released by authorities, Robinson wrote: “I had planned to grab my rifle from my drop point shortly after, but most of that side of town got locked down. Its quiet, almost enough to get out, but theres one vehicle lingering.”Then he wrote: “Going to attempt to retrieve it again, hopefully they have moved on. I haven’t seen anything about them finding it.” After that, he sent: “I can get close to it but there is a squad car parked right by it. I think they already swept that spot, but I don’t wanna chance it.”He also was worried about losing his grandfather’s rifle and mentioned several times in the texts that he wished he had picked it up, according to the texts shared in court documents, which did not have timestamps. It was unclear how long after the shooting Robinson was texting.”To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you,” Robinson wrote in another text to his partner.Prosecutor says Robinson told partner to delete textsRobinson discarded the rifle and clothing and asked his roommate to conceal evidence, Gray said.Robinson was charged with felony discharge of a firearm, punishable by up to life in prison, and obstructing justice, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.He also was charged with witness tampering because he had directed his partner to delete their text messages and told his partner to stay silent if questioned by police, Gray said.Kash Patel says investigators will look at everyoneFBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday that agents are looking at “anyone and everyone” who was involved in a gaming chatroom on the social media platform Discord with Robinson. The chatroom involved “a lot more” than 20 people, he said during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington.”We are investigating Charlie’s assassination fully and completely and running out every lead related to any allegation of broader violence,” Patel said in response to a question about whether the Kirk shooting was being treated as part of a broader trend of violence against religious groups.The charges filed Tuesday carry two enhancements, including committing several of the crimes in front of or close to children and carrying out violence based on the subject’s political beliefs.Gray declined to say whether Robinson’s partner could face charges or whether anyone else might face charges.Kirk, a dominant figure in conservative politics, became a confidant of President Donald Trump after founding Arizona-based Turning Point USA, one of the nation’s largest political organizations. He brought young, conservative evangelical Christians into politics.In the days since Kirk’s assassination, Americans have found themselves facing questions about rising political violence, the deep divisions that brought the nation here and whether anything can change.Despite calls for greater civility, some who opposed Kirk’s provocative statements about gender, race and politics criticized him after his death. Many Republicans have led the push to punish anyone they believe dishonored him, causing both public and private workers to lose their jobs or face other consequences at work.___Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio.

    PROVO, Utah —

    Prosecutors brought a murder charge Tuesday against the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk and outlined evidence, including a text message confession to his partner and a note left beforehand saying he had the opportunity to kill one of the nation’s leading conservative voices “and I’m going to take it.”

    DNA on the trigger of the rifle that killed Kirk also matched that of Tyler Robinson, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said while outlining the evidence and announcing charges that could result in the death penalty if Robinson is convicted.

    The prosecutor said Robinson, 22, wrote in one text that he spent more than a week planning the attack on Kirk, a prominent force in politics credited with energizing the Republican youth movement and helping Donald Trump win back the White House in 2024.

    “The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy,” Gray said.

    Kirk was gunned down Sept. 10 while speaking with students at Utah Valley University. Prosecutors allege Robinson shot Kirk in the neck with a bolt-action rifle from the roof of a nearby building on the campus in Orem, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City.

    Robinson appeared briefly Tuesday before a judge by video from jail. He nodded slightly at times but mostly stared straight ahead as the judge read the charges against him and appointed an attorney to represent him. Robinson’s family has declined to comment to The Associated Press since his arrest.

    FBI

    Tyler Robinson, suspect in Charlie Kirk’s assassination

    Was Charlie Kirk targeted over anti-transgender views?

    Authorities have not revealed a clear motive in the shooting, but Gray said that Robinson wrote in a text about Kirk to his partner: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”

    Robinson also left a note for his partner hidden under a keyboard that said, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,” according to Gray.

    The prosecutor declined to answer whether Robinson targeted Kirk for his anti-transgender views. Kirk was shot while taking a question that touched on mass shootings, gun violence and transgender people.

    “That is for a jury to decide,” Gray said.

    Robinson was involved in a romantic relationship with his roommate, who investigators say was transgender, which hasn’t been confirmed. Gray said the partner has been cooperating with investigators.

    Robinson’s partner appeared shocked in the text exchange after the shooting, according to court documents, asking Robinson “why he did it and how long he’d been planning it.”

    Parents said their son became more political

    While authorities say Robinson hasn’t been cooperating with investigators, they say his family and friends have been talking.

    Robinson’s mother told investigators that their son had turned left politically in the last year and became more supportive of gay and transgender rights after dating someone who is transgender, Gray said.

    Those decisions prompted several conversations in the household, especially between Robinson and his father. They had different political views and Robinson told his partner in a text that his dad had become a “diehard MAGA” since Trump was elected.

    Robinson’s mother recognized him when authorities released a picture of the suspect and his parents confronted him, at which time Robinson said he wanted to kill himself, Gray said.

    The family persuaded him to meet with a family friend who is a retired sheriff’s deputy, who persuaded Robinson to turn himself in, the prosecutor said.

    Robinson was arrested late Thursday near St. George, the southern Utah community where he grew up, about 240 miles southwest of where the shooting happened.

    Robinson detailed movements after the shooting

    In a text exchange with his partner released by authorities, Robinson wrote: “I had planned to grab my rifle from my drop point shortly after, but most of that side of town got locked down. Its quiet, almost enough to get out, but theres one vehicle lingering.”

    Then he wrote: “Going to attempt to retrieve it again, hopefully they have moved on. I haven’t seen anything about them finding it.” After that, he sent: “I can get close to it but there is a squad car parked right by it. I think they already swept that spot, but I don’t wanna chance it.”

    He also was worried about losing his grandfather’s rifle and mentioned several times in the texts that he wished he had picked it up, according to the texts shared in court documents, which did not have timestamps. It was unclear how long after the shooting Robinson was texting.

    “To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you,” Robinson wrote in another text to his partner.

    Prosecutor says Robinson told partner to delete texts

    Robinson discarded the rifle and clothing and asked his roommate to conceal evidence, Gray said.

    Robinson was charged with felony discharge of a firearm, punishable by up to life in prison, and obstructing justice, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

    He also was charged with witness tampering because he had directed his partner to delete their text messages and told his partner to stay silent if questioned by police, Gray said.

    Kash Patel says investigators will look at everyone

    FBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday that agents are looking at “anyone and everyone” who was involved in a gaming chatroom on the social media platform Discord with Robinson. The chatroom involved “a lot more” than 20 people, he said during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington.

    “We are investigating Charlie’s assassination fully and completely and running out every lead related to any allegation of broader violence,” Patel said in response to a question about whether the Kirk shooting was being treated as part of a broader trend of violence against religious groups.

    The charges filed Tuesday carry two enhancements, including committing several of the crimes in front of or close to children and carrying out violence based on the subject’s political beliefs.

    Gray declined to say whether Robinson’s partner could face charges or whether anyone else might face charges.

    Kirk, a dominant figure in conservative politics, became a confidant of President Donald Trump after founding Arizona-based Turning Point USA, one of the nation’s largest political organizations. He brought young, conservative evangelical Christians into politics.

    In the days since Kirk’s assassination, Americans have found themselves facing questions about rising political violence, the deep divisions that brought the nation here and whether anything can change.

    Despite calls for greater civility, some who opposed Kirk’s provocative statements about gender, race and politics criticized him after his death. Many Republicans have led the push to punish anyone they believe dishonored him, causing both public and private workers to lose their jobs or face other consequences at work.

    ___

    Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio.

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  • Stockton families mourn loved ones lost in Napa crash that claimed six lives

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    7:00. REMEMBERING SIX PEOPLE KILLED IN A DEADLY CRASH WITH AN ALLEGEDLY DRUNK DRIVER AT THE WHEEL. THAT CRASH WAS OVER THE WEEKEND IN RURAL NAPA COUNTY. ALL BUT TWO OF THE PEOPLE IN THAT MINIVAN WERE KILLED WHEN THAT VEHICLE HIT A TREE. NOW THE DRIVER IS FACING MURDER CHARGES. THOSE VICTIMS ARE FROM THE STOCKTON AREA AND KCRA 3’S MARICELA DE LA CRUZ SPOKE WITH THREE OF THOSE FAMILIES. SUNDAY’S DEADLY CRASH IN NAPA COUNTY CLAIMED THE LIVES OF SIX FARM WORKERS FROM THE STOCKTON AREA. AUTHORITIES SAY 53 YEAR OLD NORBERTO CELERINO WAS INTOXICATED WHEN HE DROVE A MINIVAN CARRYING SEVEN PASSENGERS INTO A TREE. FOR GABRIEL LOPEZ, THE NEXT THREE DAYS WERE AGONIZING. LOPEZ AND HIS COUSINS SEARCHED FOR THEIR UNCLE, PEDRO LOPEZ GOMEZ, AND HIS BROTHER IN LAW, MARVIN SANTOS RUIZ, WHO HAD JUST STARTED HIS FIRST DAY ON THE JOB. WHILE THEY GOT CONFIRMATION THAT THEIR UNCLE DID NOT SURVIVE THE CRASH, SOME RELIEF CAME WHEN MARVIN CALLED FROM THE HOSPITAL. LOPEZ SAYS HE HASN’T BEEN ABLE TO VISIT MARVIN YET. BUT WHILE THE FAMILY CELEBRATES THE LIFE OF THEIR LOVED ONE. OTHERS ARE MOURNING. TODAY WE HEARD FROM THE FAMILY OF 42 YEAR OLD LORETO RICARDO HERNANDEZ. HIS DAUGHTER JASMINE TOLD US THAT HER FATHER WAS HER FIRST LOVE. HER HERO AND CHILDHOOD BEST FRIEND, SAYING HE WILL BE REMEMBERED BY MANY. THE FAMILY IS NOW RAISING FUNDS TO COVER FUNERAL COSTS. RELATIVES OF 32 YEAR OLD BAY MARIPOSA RODRIGUEZ, WHO LIVE IN MEXICO, SAY THEY’RE DEVASTATED BY HIS DEATH. NORBERTO CELERINO, NOW FACING SIX COUNTS OF MURDER, IS STILL RECOVERING FROM HIS INJURIES. HE’LL BE FORMALLY CHARGED ONCE HE RECEIVES MEDICAL CLEARANCE. MARICELA DE LA CRUZ KCRA THREE NEWS. CELERINO HAS AT LEAST TWO DUI CONVICTIONS IN SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY. AND IN FACT, A JUDGE HAD ALREADY WARNED HIM THAT HE COULD FACE

    Stockton families mourn loved ones lost in Napa crash that claimed six lives

    Updated: 9:32 PM PDT Sep 12, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    Six farm workers from the Stockton area were killed in a crash in Napa County over the weekend, allegedly caused by an intoxicated driver who now faces murder charges.Authorities said 53-year-old Norberto Celerino was driving a minivan with seven passengers when it collided with a tree, resulting in the deaths of all but two occupants.Gabriel López, a family member of two victims, described the agonizing days following the crash. “We found out that my uncle was dead, but we couldn’t find Marvin,” López said. López and his cousins searched for their uncle, Pedro López Gomez, and his brother-in-law, Marvin Santiz Ruiz, who had just started his first day on the job. While they received confirmation that Pedro did not survive, relief came when Marvin called from the hospital.”He cried and said ‘I’m alive’ and he’s at the hospital,” López said. Marvin remains hospitalized, and López has not been able to visit him yet.While López’s family celebrates Marvin’s survival, others are mourning. The family of 42-year-old Loreto Ricardo Hernández shared their grief, with his daughter Jasmin describing him as her first love, hero, and childhood best friend, saying he will be remembered by many. The family is raising funds to cover funeral costs. Relatives of 32-year-old Beymar Reynosa Rodríguez, who live in Mexico, expressed their devastation over his death.Norberto Celerino, who is recovering from his injuries, will be formally charged once he receives medical clearance to appear in court. He has at least two DUI convictions in San Joaquin County, and a judge had previously warned him that he could face murder charges if he killed someone while driving under the influence.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    Six farm workers from the Stockton area were killed in a crash in Napa County over the weekend, allegedly caused by an intoxicated driver who now faces murder charges.

    Authorities said 53-year-old Norberto Celerino was driving a minivan with seven passengers when it collided with a tree, resulting in the deaths of all but two occupants.

    Gabriel López, a family member of two victims, described the agonizing days following the crash.

    “We found out that my uncle was dead, but we couldn’t find Marvin,” López said.

    López and his cousins searched for their uncle, Pedro López Gomez, and his brother-in-law, Marvin Santiz Ruiz, who had just started his first day on the job. While they received confirmation that Pedro did not survive, relief came when Marvin called from the hospital.

    “He cried and said ‘I’m alive’ and he’s at the hospital,” López said. Marvin remains hospitalized, and López has not been able to visit him yet.

    While López’s family celebrates Marvin’s survival, others are mourning. The family of 42-year-old Loreto Ricardo Hernández shared their grief, with his daughter Jasmin describing him as her first love, hero, and childhood best friend, saying he will be remembered by many. The family is raising funds to cover funeral costs.

    Relatives of 32-year-old Beymar Reynosa Rodríguez, who live in Mexico, expressed their devastation over his death.

    Norberto Celerino, who is recovering from his injuries, will be formally charged once he receives medical clearance to appear in court. He has at least two DUI convictions in San Joaquin County, and a judge had previously warned him that he could face murder charges if he killed someone while driving under the influence.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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