Federal prosecutors are set to ask that a man convicted of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump on a Florida golf course in 2024 be sentenced to life in prison at a hearing on Wednesday.Ryan Routh is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon in Fort Pierce. Her courtroom erupted into chaos in September shortly after jurors found Routh guilty on all counts, including attempting to kill a presidential candidate and several firearm-related charges. Routh tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen, and officers quickly dragged him out.Routh’s sentencing had initially been scheduled for December, but Cannon agreed to move the date back after Routh decided to use an attorney during the sentencing phase instead of representing himself as he did for most of the trial.Prosecutors said in a sentencing memorandum filed last month that Routh has yet to accept any responsibility for his actions and that he should spend the rest of his life in prison, in accordance with federal sentencing guidelines.“Routh remains unrepentant for his crimes, never apologized for the lives he put at risk, and his life demonstrates near-total disregard for law,” the memo said.Routh’s new defense attorney, Martin L. Roth, is asking the judge for a variance from sentencing guidelines: 20 years in prison on top of a seven-year, mandatory sentence for one of the gun convictions.“The defendant is two weeks short of being sixty years old,” Roth wrote in a filing. “A just punishment would provide a sentence long enough to impose sufficient but not excessive punishment, and to allow defendant to experience freedom again as opposed to dying in prison.”Prosecutors said Routh spent weeks plotting to kill Trump before aiming a rifle through shrubbery as the then-Republican presidential candidate played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club.At Routh’s trial, a Secret Service agent helping protect Trump on the golf course testified that he spotted Routh before Trump came into view. Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and run away without firing a shot.In the motion requesting an attorney, Routh offered to trade his life in a prisoner swap with people unjustly held in other countries and said an offer still stood for Trump to “take out his frustrations on my face.”“Just a quarter of an inch further back and we all would not have to deal with all of this mess forwards, but I always fail at everything (par for the course),” Routh wrote.In her decision granting Routh an attorney, Cannon chastised the “disrespectful charade” of Routh’s motion, saying it made a mockery of the proceedings. But the judge, nominated by Trump in 2020, said she wanted to err on the side of legal representation.Cannon signed off last summer on Routh’s request to represent himself following two hearings. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that criminal defendants have the right to represent themselves in court proceedings, as long as they can show a judge they are competent to waive their right to be defended by an attorney.Routh’s former federal public defenders served as standby counsel and were present during the trial.
FORT PIERCE, Fla. —
Federal prosecutors are set to ask that a man convicted of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump on a Florida golf course in 2024 be sentenced to life in prison at a hearing on Wednesday.
Ryan Routh is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon in Fort Pierce. Her courtroom erupted into chaos in September shortly after jurors found Routh guilty on all counts, including attempting to kill a presidential candidate and several firearm-related charges. Routh tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen, and officers quickly dragged him out.
Routh’s sentencing had initially been scheduled for December, but Cannon agreed to move the date back after Routh decided to use an attorney during the sentencing phase instead of representing himself as he did for most of the trial.
Prosecutors said in a sentencing memorandum filed last month that Routh has yet to accept any responsibility for his actions and that he should spend the rest of his life in prison, in accordance with federal sentencing guidelines.
“Routh remains unrepentant for his crimes, never apologized for the lives he put at risk, and his life demonstrates near-total disregard for law,” the memo said.
Routh’s new defense attorney, Martin L. Roth, is asking the judge for a variance from sentencing guidelines: 20 years in prison on top of a seven-year, mandatory sentence for one of the gun convictions.
“The defendant is two weeks short of being sixty years old,” Roth wrote in a filing. “A just punishment would provide a sentence long enough to impose sufficient but not excessive punishment, and to allow defendant to experience freedom again as opposed to dying in prison.”
Prosecutors said Routh spent weeks plotting to kill Trump before aiming a rifle through shrubbery as the then-Republican presidential candidate played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club.
At Routh’s trial, a Secret Service agent helping protect Trump on the golf course testified that he spotted Routh before Trump came into view. Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and run away without firing a shot.
In the motion requesting an attorney, Routh offered to trade his life in a prisoner swap with people unjustly held in other countries and said an offer still stood for Trump to “take out his frustrations on my face.”
“Just a quarter of an inch further back and we all would not have to deal with all of this mess forwards, but I always fail at everything (par for the course),” Routh wrote.
In her decision granting Routh an attorney, Cannon chastised the “disrespectful charade” of Routh’s motion, saying it made a mockery of the proceedings. But the judge, nominated by Trump in 2020, said she wanted to err on the side of legal representation.
Cannon signed off last summer on Routh’s request to represent himself following two hearings. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that criminal defendants have the right to represent themselves in court proceedings, as long as they can show a judge they are competent to waive their right to be defended by an attorney.
Routh’s former federal public defenders served as standby counsel and were present during the trial.
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.
A slowly growing, nearly contained wildfire burning on Colorado’s Western Slope is now the fourth-largest on state record, according to fire officials.
As of Monday night, the 90% contained Lee fire had scorched 138,844 acres between Meeker and Rifle. It grew by 1,086 acres on Monday, after multiple days with minimal to no growth.
The new acres consumed by the Lee fire bumped the wildfire from fifth-largest to fourth-largest in Colorado history, passing the 137,760-acre Hayman fire that sparked in 2002, according to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control.
The Lee fire is now less than 200 acres away from becoming the third-largest wildfire on state record. Currently, that ranking belongs to the 2020 Pine Gulch fire that burned 139,007 acres.
Rain showers and thunderstorms are forecast across the Western Slope again on Tuesday, bringing much-needed moisture to the state, fire officials said. Previous hot, dry and windy conditions fueled rapid fire growth in multiple counties across western Colorado, charring thousands of acres outside of the Lee fire.
A wildland firefighting truck heads down a road through a hillside burned from the Lee fire near Colorado 64 in Rio Blanco County, west of Meeker, on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Lee and Elk fires, near Meeker
The largest wildfire burning in Colorado — now the fourth-largest ever recorded in the state — consumed more than 1,000 new acres after a week of slow growth and increased containment, fire officials said.
As of Monday night, the 138,844-acre Lee fire burning between Meeker and Rifle was 90% contained, fire officials said.
All mandatory evacuation orders were lifted Saturday, and areas on pre-evacuation status were downgraded to monitoring status on Monday.
No new evacuation orders were issued overnight Monday, despite the new fire growth. An updated evacuation map for Rio Blanco and Garfield counties is available online.
The Lee fire and nearby Elk fire, which consumed more than 14,500 acres before reaching full containment last week, have together destroyed at least five homes and 14 outbuildings, fire officials said.
Extreme drought, high temperatures and strong winds fueled rapid growth on both fires, which were sparked by lightning west and east of Meeker on Aug. 2.
Thunderstorms are most likely near Meeker and Rifle between 9 a.m. and midnight on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. Rain showers, which are also expected in that period, could continue through 3 a.m. Wednesday before a brief reprieve.
Rainy weather is expected to continue on Wednesday and Thursday, forecasters said.
While the rain is helpful, afternoon thunderstorms also increase the risk of gusty winds, frequent lightning and flash flooding along burn scars, fire officials said.
Road closures tied to the smaller Crosho fire near Yampa were lifted Monday afternoon. That fire has burned 2,073 acres and is 81% contained.
A plane drops fire retardant on the Derby fire burning in Eagle County on Aug. 22, 2025. (Photo provided by Derby Fire Information)
Derby fire, in Eagle County
A wildfire burning on the edge of Eagle and Garfield counties has scorched more than 5,300 acres, fire officials.
The Derby fire is burning on 5,346 acres with no containment, up roughly 100 acres from Sunday and 1,200 acres from Saturday, fire officials said Monday. No size update was available Tuesday morning.
“We have totally changed the pattern from hot and dry,” said meteorologist Ryan Fliehman in a Monday evening briefing. “I’m afraid we might get too much rain. We are still having chances of precipitation six days out.”
Rain has forced some fire crews to pull back, and crews need to take extra care to avoid damaging dirt roads, which have turned muddy, Operations Chief Ben Patton said.
No containment has been reported on the fire, but officials hope to start solidifying the first bits of containment in the coming days.
The Derby fire was discovered on “remote, rugged terrain” in the White River National Forest, about 15 miles from Dotsero in Eagle County, on Aug. 17, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
It differs from the others burning in Colorado in that it started at higher elevations and has tried to push downhill at night.
Mandatory evacuations and pre-evacuations are in place for the northwest corner of Eagle County, including the town of Gypsum, and an eastern section of Garfield County.
Evacuations were lifted for Sweetwater Valley and Sheep Creek at 10 a.m. Monday, allowing limited access for residents to return home, according to fire officials. Those who need to access Sweetwater Valley and Colorado River Road are being asked to limit their driving to between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to avoid disrupting emergency operations.
At least one building has been destroyed by the wildfire, but it’s unclear what type of building it was.
Parts of White River National Forest remain closed in Eagle and Garfield counties, including southwest of Sweetwater Lake to the west rim of Deep Creek Canyon, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Some BLM lands are also closed, including north and west of Gypsum, north of Coffee Pot Road, west of the Colorado River, east of the White River National Forest boundary and south of Derby Creek.
Colorado’s fifth-largest wildfire on record is 90% contained as rain showers and thunderstorms continue across the Western Slope, fire officials said.
As of Monday morning, the Lee fire had consumed 137,758 acres, equal to roughly 215 square miles. The burn area is just two acres short of Colorado’s fourth-largest wildfire on record — the 137,760-acre Hayman fire that sparked in 2002.
Other wildfires burning on Colorado’s Western Slope have scorched thousands of additional acres. Fire officials across the state have said hot, dry and windy conditions fueled the flames’ rapid growth.
Storms over the next several days will bring much-needed rain to the drought-stricken Western Slope, according to the National Weather Service. But those storms also increase the risk of lightning and strong winds — weather that can start fires and fan the flames of those already burning.
A wildland firefighting truck heads down a road through a hillside burned from the Lee fire near Colorado 64 in Rio Blanco County, west of Meeker, on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Lee and Elk fires, near Meeker
Growth on the largest wildfire burning in Colorado — the fifth-largest ever recorded in the state — has slowed over the past week as firefighters increase containment around the flames.
As of Monday morning, the 137,758-acre Lee fire burning between Meeker and Rifle was 90% contained, fire officials said.
“Minimal work” remains to fully contain the wildfire, Incident Commander Brent Olson said in a Sunday afternoon briefing.
All mandatory evacuation orders were lifted Saturday, but multiple areas around the fire remain on pre-evacuation status. An updated evacuation map for Rio Blanco and Garfield counties is available online.
The Lee fire and nearby Elk fire, which consumed more than 14,500 acres before reaching full containment last week, have together destroyed at least five homes and 14 outbuildings, fire officials said.
Extreme drought, high temperatures and strong winds fueled rapid growth on both fires, which were sparked by lightning west and east of Meeker on Aug. 2.
Rain showers and cooler temperatures helped mitigate the flames last week, which allowed firefighters to steadily increase containment. More showers and thunderstorms are expected in the days ahead as Colorado braces for a monsoonal weather system.
Rain showers and thunderstorms are most likely near Meeker and Rifle between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday, according to the National Weather Service. Chances of precipitation range from 30% to 50%, forecasters said.
Chances of rain greatly increase later this week in both areas, jumping to 90% Tuesday afternoon and remaining there until 11 a.m. Wednesday, according to hourly forecasts from the weather service.
While the rain is helpful, afternoon thunderstorms also increase the risk of gusty winds, frequent lightning and flash flooding along burn scars, fire officials said.
Heavy rains caused flash flooding in the Lee fire burn area on Sunday afternoon. The water caused a debris flow, which was blocking Piceance Creek Road, officials said in a Sunday afternoon update. It’s unclear if rain caused flooding in the Elk fire burn scar.
A plane drops fire retardant on the Derby fire burning in Eagle County on Aug. 22, 2025. (Photo provided by Derby Fire Information)
Derby fire, in Eagle County
A wildfire burning on the edge of Eagle and Garfield counties has scorched more than 5,300 acres, fire officials said Monday.
The Derby fire is burning on 5,346 acres with no containment, up roughly 100 acres from Sunday and 1,200 acres from Saturday, fire officials said.
Thunderstorm activity and gusty winds have driven the fire south in recent days, meteorologist Ryan Fliehman said in a Sunday afternoon briefing.
Rain showers and thunderstorms started Sunday afternoon and are expected to continue through Wednesday as a “strong monsoonal push of moisture” hits the Western Slope, Fliehman said.
The storms will help dampen the quickly spreading wildfire but may create other problems on the newly charred landscape, like flash flooding, fire officials said.
The Derby fire was discovered on “remote, rugged terrain” in the White River National Forest, about 15 miles from Dotsero in Eagle County, on Aug. 17, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Mandatory evacuations and pre-evacuations are in place for the northwest corner of Eagle County, including the town of Gypsum, and an eastern section of Garfield County.
Evacuations will be lifted for Sweetwater Valley and Sheep Creek at 10 a.m. Monday, allowing limited access for residents to return home, according to fire officials. Residents will be required to present proof of address at checkpoints along Colorado River Road.
That area will remain on pre-evacuation status and people may be required to re-evacuate if conditions change, fire officials said. Livestock will not be allowed to return yet. The wildfire’s activity remains unpredictable.
“This is not a full repopulation, as the risks are still very high and residents should remain prepared to vacate at any time,” Eagle County Sheriff James Van Beek said in a statement on social media.
Travel within the restricted area must remain extremely limited to protect both residents and fire crews, sheriff’s officials said. The best window for essential travel is between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when conditions are safest and least disruptive to emergency operations.
The Eagle County Sheriff’s Office is working on a plan to allow some evacuated residents to access their homes, specifically “those who own property or depend on it for their livelihood,” sheriff’s officials said Sunday. Exact details of that plan were not available, and the evacuation orders remain in place.
At least one building has been destroyed by the wildfire, but it’s unclear what type of building it was.
The U.S. Forest Service also expanded closures in the White River National Forest in Eagle and Garfield counties, including southwest of Sweetwater Lake to the west rim of Deep Creek Canyon. Some BLM lands are also closed, including north and west of Gypsum, north of Coffee Pot Road, west of the Colorado River, east of the White River National Forest boundary and south of Derby Creek.
The Stoner Mesa fire burns in southwestern Colorado’s San Juan National Forest on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. (Photo provided by Stoner Mesa Fire Information)
Stoner Mesa fire, near Dolores
The Stoner Mesa fire is burning on 10,233 acres in a remote section of the San Juan National Forest, fire officials said Sunday.
Multiple areas around the fire — including Mavreeso, Gobble Creek, Fish Creek, Johnny Bull Creek, Dunton, Lizard Head, Horse Creek, Rico and Sulfer Creek — remain on “monitor” status, the step before pre-evacuation orders, according to the wildfire’s evacuation map.
All pre-evacuation orders were lifted Saturday, but sections of the San Juan National Forest remain closed for the wildfire.
As of Sunday, the lightning-sparked Stoner Mesa fire was 41% contained.
A Meeker fire department truck stations itself at an out building across from W. Highway 64 as smoke billows on a ridge above it from the Lee fire in Rio Blanco County just outside of Meeker on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Air-quality impacts
Air quality alerts for wildfire smoke near the Derby and Stoner Mesa fires were issued Sunday morning by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
The warnings, which include southeastern Dolores County, northeastern Montezuma County, western Eagle County and eastern Garfield County, will remain active through at least 9 a.m. Monday.
Smoke will be heaviest in the areas near the fires, especially during the overnight and early morning hours, state health officials said. Incoming storm systems should help improve air quality near the fires.
Smoky conditions are most hazardous for young children, older adults and people with heart disease or respiratory illnesses, according to state health officials.
All residents should limit outdoor activity when heavy smoke is present. If visibility drops to 5 miles or less, the smoke has reached unhealthy levels.
A man suspected of spraying gunfire from atop a Marina del Rey apartment complex over the weekend was identified Monday by authorities.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department identified the suspect as 41-year-old Victoryloc Nguyen, who remains jailed in lieu of $2-million bail.
No one was injured in the Saturday night shooting in the 4100 block of Via Marina, according to a written statement from the Sheriff’s Department.
The incident began at 10:15 p.m. when deputies from the Marina del Rey sheriff’s station responded to reports of gunshots from inside the apartment complex.
Later, a sheriff’s helicopter “observed a male suspect on the roof of the location, firing rounds from a rifle,” the statement read.
The shooting prompted deputies from other nearby stations to respond to the location, and armored SWAT-style vehicles were dispatched.
Videos posted on social media show a man shooting from the balcony of an apartment who can be heard saying: “I can shoot a car right now and no one would give a s—.” In other videos, bystanders shelter at home or take cover while gunfire can be heard in the background.
Witnesses told KTLA that as many as 100 rounds were fired from the building. Jeff Rubin, who was hiding with his wife in their apartment’s bathroom, said there were at least 20 minutes of silence.
“Then another round of gunshots and that went on for three hours,” he told the news station.
A pair of photographs of the scene released by the sheriff’s SWAT unit show two rifles, a handgun and tactical gear lying on the ground after the suspect’s arrest early Sunday.
City News Service reported that the suspect was a self-employed chef who specializes in organic traditional Vietnamese cuisine and might have been live-streaming the shooting.
Authorities said the motive for the shooting was not known. Nguyen is due in court Tuesday.
Disbarred Denver attorney Steven Bachar died Friday at the Rifle Correctional Center, where he was serving a three-year sentence for defrauding an investor of $125,000.
Bachar, 58, apparently had a medical event and became unresponsive, according to the Garfield County Coroner’s Office.
First aid and CPR were given and emergency medical responders arrived at the scene, but Bachar died at the prison. The coroner’s office was called to the prison Friday morning.
Bachar’s cause and manner of death are still pending, but it appears to be “most consistent with a natural death,” Garfield County Coroner Robert Glassmire said in a statement.
The Department of Corrections confirmed Bachar’s death on Friday but declined to release further information, stating his death was under investigation, “as is the normal course of action,” spokesperson Alondra Gonzalez said in an email.
Bachar had ongoing health problems, he told a Denver District Court judge during his sentencing hearing in November.
“As your honor knows, I have some significant health issues that focus me on the need to live a good honest life going forward,” Bachar said during the November hearing.
Before moving to Colorado in 2015, Bachar was an Army reservist, graduated from Georgetown University Law Center and worked in the U.S. Treasury Department and the White House under President Bill Clinton, according to his LinkedIn and previous reporting.
He also worked with Sen. John Hickenlooper, serving as counsel for Hickenlooper’s campaign for Denver mayor and on his transition team before moving to Denver to join the law firm Moye White’s business section.
He left the firm in August 2017, according to previous reporting.
Bachar was then charged with three counts of theft and one count of fraud in June 2022 for defrauding an investor of $125,000 in December 2017, according to court records. He was also disbarred in June 2022.
According to the Denver District Attorney’s Office, Bachar misrepresented and omitted information in order to secure $125,000 in funding from an investor for his firm, Empowerment Capital. Bachar never invested or repaid the money, instead spending most of it for personal use.
While prosecutors asked for two years of prison during Bachar’s November sentencing, Johnson sentenced him to 3 years in prison, stating during the hearing that he wanted to push back on the criminal justice system’s tendency to be more lenient on wealthy, well-connected and well-educated defendants.
LAS VEGAS, January 17, 2023 (Newswire.com)
– ArmorSource has introduced its Next Generation Aire System, a full spectrum of advanced hole-free head protection solutions for military, law enforcement, and special forces personnel. The Aire System includes six Next Gen Lightweight Shells, a revolutionary Liner System, an ultra-lightweight helmet mount, and multiple helmet accessories to provide maximum protection and comfort.
ArmorSource users can choose from the following six unique boltless shells:
‘Aire‘ – Providing high frag protection plus NIJ IIIA at less than 1.9 lbs./850g. for the complete helmet, the ‘Aire’ is one of the lightest certified ballistic helmets.
‘Aire II‘ – Meeting the U.S. DOD Advanced Combat Helmet GEN II specifications with lower areal density, better trauma and frag protection.
‘Aire EX‘– An Extended Rifle Resistance Helmet that provides protection against M193, M80 ball, 7.62X39 LC, and other rounds to enhance the safety of front-line and anti-terror operators.
‘Aire LE’ – Designed to defeat several handgun threats that law enforcement agents frequently face on top of NIJ IIIA.
‘Aire CF’ – The first Carbon-based safety helmet that comes in an ACH geometry for tactical missions and training.
‘Crew II’ – ArmorSource was recently awarded a contract to provide the U.S. Army with 14,000 Next Generation Advanced Combat Vehicle Crewman Helmet units starting in Q2/2023.
Each of these shells has a unique matrix, but all are versions of the ArmorSource Next Generation Ballistic Technology that utilize the most advanced ballistic composite materials available.
The Aire System also provides three ‘AireSupport’ suspension systems, as well as three ‘AireLink’ retention systems, for users to choose from. Available accessories include ultra-lightweight AireMount shrouds, AireRail side-rails, and multiple newly designed accessories.
An additional Aire option is the ‘AireLock Liner System’, a ballistic version of the Skydex IsoFit. When worn with an ArmorSource-certified shell, this revolutionary floating/mesh system provides a new level of comfort and safety to users.
“The new Aire system provides not only the highest ballistic and environmental performance at the lightest weight, but is also versatile and modular, built to allow each of our customers, no matter if they are front-line warriors, tankers, marines, law enforcement, SWAT, special command, or security guard, to build their own head protection configuration. This is a new game, not only for ArmorSource, but for its customers,” says Nick Gramly, ArmorSource’s VP of Technology. “To make sure the system performance stays consistent for long periods, the shells went through extensive third-party testing that included testing under multiple conditions such as extreme hot and cold, salt water, exposure to common field agents, high altitude, and accelerated aging.”
Leveraging its state-of-the-art design, R&D, testing and manufacturing facilities, ArmorSource strives to continuously enhance its products’ ballistic capabilities while maintaining and improving all aspects of comfort and durability.
ArmorSource’s recognition as a trusted ballistic helmet solution provider for militaries, law enforcement organizations, and special forces on multiple continents is a testament to its dedication to maximizing the survivability of personnel around the world.
Doing well in Warzone is often about making the most out of what you can find on the field. But with the ability to recover or purchase your loadout, one of the best ways to gain an advantage over the competition is to grab your curated selection of guns and perks.
Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 has a ton of guns. Like, a lot. There’s nothing wrong with picking one that looks, sounds, and feels great for your personal playing style, but with the game having been out for a little while, a specific meta is starting to emerge. Let’s jump into some of the best choices out there, broken down by category (I’ll also briefly cover how to get access to your loadout as well).
Best assault rifle loadout for Warzone 2.0
It doesn’t get any more steak and potatoes than an assault rifle in Warzone. While the trusty M4 is always a reliable and performant weapon, the TAQ-56 stuck out early on as one of the best assault rifles in Modern Warfare II.
You may prefer different attachments for different uses, but most assault rifles in Modern WarfareII benefit from prioritizing boosts to medium-range effectiveness. Sniper rifles, battle rifles, and marksman rifles will usually outpace an assault rifle at long distance, while SMGs are typically great for up-close engagements. Your mileage may vary, but here are some attachments to consider for the TAQ-56 assault rifle:
Maybe you shouldn’t use the grenade launcher, but c’mon where’s the fun in that?Screenshot: Activision / Kotaku
Muzzles: Harbinger D20 or Echoline GS-X Barrels: 17.5 Tundra Pro Barrel Underbarrel: FTAC Ripper 56 or Hellscream 40mm (for the lulz) Ammo Type: High Velocity or Armor Piercing (pierces walls and is effective against vehicles. Does fuck-all against armor tho) Magazine Size: 60 rounds
If you want to swap one of these out to gain an Optic, the Aim-OP V4 is a good choice. I personally prefer the Lonewolf, but that’s more of an aesthetic choice than a functional one.
And if the Taq V ain’t to your liking, you might also want to consider the M4, Kastov 762 or 74U. Folks out there also really like the Chimera, which you need to extract from Building 21 in the DMZ to obtain (good luck). I also like the STB 556 a fair bit.
Best SMG loadout for Warzone 2.0
SMGs put out a lot of bullets, and fast. Your running speed will usually be higher with one equipped as well, so having one of these will benefit you in more ways than just damage output.
While the FSS Hurricane and Vel 46 aren’t bad choices, when it comes to SMGs, the Fennec 45 is easily one of the best in Warzone 2. It’s not uncommon to find these on enemies, kitted out to an extreme degree for good reason: It fires bullets real-fuckin’-fast™ and feels damn stable while doing so.
The Hacksaw is a pretty fun Fennec blueprint.Screenshot: Activision / Kotaku
Here are some attachments to consider for the Fennec 45:
Optic: Cronen Mini Pro or SZ Holotherm Muzzles: XTEN RR-40 or Singuard MKV Barrels: Covert Force or ZLR 16.5 Ignition Barrel Underbarrels: FSS Skarkfin 90 or Agent Grip Magazine Size: 45 rounds
And if the Fennec isn’t your cup of high-bullet-output tea, you may wish to consider the Vaznev-9K.
Best Sniper Rifle loadout for Warzone 2.0
I expect opinions on this to diverge more than any other category on this list. Sniper rifles are a little rare out there in Al Mazrah, particularly for Warzone 2.0 proper which tends to see fights break out at close enough distances that a sniper would be somewhat of a disadvantage. In the DMZ, however, they’re often indispensably valuable.
Warzone 2.0 has a nice selection of sniper rifles which some might say don’t differ a whole lot between each other. For the most part, you can rely on powerful, bolt-action rifles doing substantial damage and frequently downing enemies with a single hit. But that Signal-50’s semi-auto rate of fire is hard to argue with. The Victus XMR has lately emerged as the go-to sniper rifle. If you struggle to land solid shots, one at a time, however, you might want to fall back on the Signal-50 for its higher rate of fire.
Screenshot: Activision / Kotaku
Here’re some great attachments choices for the Victus XMR:
Muzzles: Bruen Counter-Ops Muzzle or Bruen Agent 90 Silencer (reduced damage, but no negative to ADS speed) Barrel: Mack 8 33.5 Super Barrel Stock: XRK Rise 50 or FTAC Homeland Ammo Type: 50 Caliber High Velocity Guard: Corvus Responder
The RPK (why are we even considering other LMGs?)
The RPK sometimes feels like a damn Swiss Army knife. With high damage, fast rate of fire, and a decent-sized magazine that reloads nearly as quickly as an assault rifle, the slow-ass reload rates of other LMGs like the Rapp H or Sakin MG38 are left in the dust by this one clear standout. The RPK isn’t just one of the best LMGs, it’s one of the best guns in the game.
And though we’re talking about the battle royale, here’s a quick tip for DMZ: If you’re low on weapons, securing an RPK is your first objective. Most enemies tend to have them, and having a stash of these to fall back on when your insured weapon is on cooldown can help you build some momentum in the next deployment. Have I told you about my personal lord and savior, DMZ, yet? By the way, extraction shooters are amazing, in case you didn’t know.
Back to Warzone. Here are some great attachment choices for the RPK:
Screenshot: Activision / Kotaku
Optics: Aim-OP V4 or SZ Vortex-90 Muzzles: Polarfire-S or Zulu-60 Stock: Heavy Support Underbarrels: FTAC Ripper or VX Pineapple Rear Grips: Demo-X2 or Ivanov ST-70 Grip
What about battle rifles, marksman rifles, and other weapon loadout choices in Warzone 2.0?
Right now the Warzone meta centers around assault rifles, SMGs, and that darn RPK. Unless you’re going for some counter-cultural personal expression or are trying a new experimental build, everything listed above is likely your best choice when curating a loadout. But let’s consider a few alternatives if what I’ve mentioned so far isn’t to your liking.
Battle Rifles: Taq-V, FTAC Recon. (Some people like the SO-14. I fell off this in favor of the other two listed here). Marksman Rifles: EBR-14, TAQ-M Shotguns: LOL None.Season 01 Reloaded nerfed Shotguns pretty badly. The Bryson 800 is probably the best of these right now, but you’re better off just ignoring this category for now.
Recon: Double Time, Tracker, Focus, Birdseye Great for: Moving fast, keeping your aim on point under pressure, and gathering intel on your enemies
Things can get quite hot in Warzone. The Recon perk package will help you move faster with Double Time, spot enemy footprints with Tracker, avoid flinching when aiming at enemies with Focus, and Birdseye will reveal enemy locations and the direction they’re facing on the mini-map whenever you call up a UAV.
Specter: Double Time, Tracker, Spotter, Ghost Great for: Moving fast, spying on enemies, and laying low
Specter is similar to Recon in that it has Double Time and Tracker, but it adds Spotter for locating enemy equipment, and Ghost, making you invisible to UAVs, Portable Radars, and even that darn Heartbeat Sensor. That last perk kinda makes Specter a must-have.
Screenshot: Activision / Kotaku
Vanguard: Double Time, Bomb Squad, Resupply, High Alert Great for: Moving fast, reducing explosion damage, extra lethal equipment, and supernatural senses
Vanguard also comes with Double Time, so you’ll have your speed to rely on. You’ll also be able to move with less concern for explosions, as Bomb Squad will reduce damage from any non-Killstreak explosive. Resupply will help you stay stocked on lethal equipment, but High Alert is the real appeal of Vanguard as it will let you know when you’ve been spotted by an enemy you can’t see. If you value your privacy, grab this one for sure.
Screenshot: Activision / Kotaku
Weapon Specialist: Overkill, Strong Arm, Spotter, Survivor Great for: Carrying two primary weapons, throwing grenades more accurately, and staying alive
If you want your loadout to come with two assault rifles, an assault rifle and an SMG, an RPK and a sniper, or just about any combo of two primary weapons, look no further than the Weapon Specialist perk package. Overkill lets you slot two primaries into your loadout, and that’s by and large the main appeal here. But having the ability to accurately throw grenades, spot enemy equipment, and ping foes who down you (very handy for duos, trios, and quads) isn’t bad either.
What about tactical and lethal equipment?
Choosing the best tactical equipment in Warzone is often a matter of playing to the strengths of your playstyle. Also, in Warzone (as well as DMZ), tactical equipment might be something you frequently change up as you find new stuff on the map.
If you like to play it safe and keep some distance between you and other players, consider the Spotter Scope or Heartbeat Sensor.
Both Warzone and DMZ take place on a biiiig map. The Spotter Scope (essential in DMZ, imho) will help you spot potential danger ahead or behind you, while the Heartbeat Sensor is pretty handy when clearing a building. Watch the battery life on the Heartbeat Sensor, however, that thing evaporates quicker than a Steam Deck running Cyberpunk 2077.
Stims can save your life when you’re out of armor.
You’ll go into Warzone with two-plate armor vests (in DMZ you default to just one, which is even deadlier). Stims can often mean the difference between life and death as they’ll quickly juice your health back up. If you ask me, I save Stims for recovery on the battlefield, but you might decide to toss it in your loadout if you find you like to advance on an enemy even after your plates are broken.
Flash, Stun, Tear Gas and Smoke grenades are versatile and effective.
Want to piss off an advancing enemy who looks armed to the teeth? Blind ‘em with a flash grenade. Stun grenades can achieve similar results. Tear gas is also an effective way to screw with an enemy, exposing precious seconds of vulnerability. But if you want to vanish quickly, a big ploom of smoke can be very advantageous.
And if you’re a DMZ fan, I recommend saving more than a few Smoke grenades to spam the chopper when you’re exfiltrating. It’s a great way to obscure your location at a distance and confuse foes rushing the chopper. Be warned, however, thermal scopes (which include the Spotter Scope and Recon Drone) can see through that smoke.
What about Field upgrades?
Field upgrades don’t just give you an advantage, they can help your whole team. But they’re not a part of your loadout in Warzone (though they are in DMZ). You’ll have to find them on the field or grab ‘em at a Buy Station. Packing or finding a Munitions Box or Armor Box is one of the best options. Revive Pistols will also save you or a friendly if they’ve been downed, keeping you in the fight and out of the Gulag.
Beyond that, Battle Rage ain’t a bad choice if you like to get in people’s faces, and it pairs well with a high-output SMG like the Fennec 45.
I am personally a huge fan of the Recon Drone. In DMZ, at least, I’m never without it. In Warzone things might border too close to constant chaos for a Recon Drone to be of use, but it is a quick and effective way to get a bird’s eye perspective on what’s around you, following you, or just up ahead.
Inflatable Decoys can be hilarious when used well, but they take up a slot that might be better filled by other Field Upgrades mentioned here.
And how do I find my loadout?
Jeez this game has a lot of stuff you can find and use. You’ll spawn in on Warzone with a scrawny little pistol, so you’ll need to get that loadout from a few different places.
If you clear out an AI Stronghold, you’ll find a chest where you can acquire your loadout. Alternatively, you can wait until the announcer calls out random supply drops—but be warned, everyone will be gunning for those. You can now, thankfully, also buy your loadout via a Loadout Drop Grenade. This was added (back) into the game recently, and according to Raven Software might be subject to some changes and alterations.
Here’s the price breakdown for loadout drop grenades according to squad player counts:
Solos: $8,000
Duos: $16,000
Trios: $24,000
Quads: $32,000
Once you have one of these, you can just toss it out and wait for your Loadout to drop from the sky, ready to equip and slaughter the opposition with.
Like many battle royales, smart, in-the-moment decision making is just as essential as any weapon in the game. The weapon choices here will help you find the right loadout for your playstyle. I can’t help you with the exploding helicopters though.
