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Tag: Shooting

  • Evergreen High School shooter used family heirloom gun; parents won’t be charged

    The gun used by the 16-year-old boy who shot two students and then himself at Evergreen High School in September was a family heirloom, investigators with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday.

    The Smith and Wesson .38 Special revolver that Desmond Holly used in the Sept. 10 attack originally belonged to one of Desmond’s grandparents, the sheriff’s office found, and was kept in a safe in the family’s home.

    Desmond’s parents will not be criminally charged in connection with the storage of the gun or their son’s access to it, the sheriff’s office concluded.

    Through an attorney, the boy’s parents told investigators on Jan. 23 that the revolver was “rarely seen or used and stored out of sight near the back of a large, locked gun safe,” and that their son “did not have access to the safe, except for brief moments when it was opened by his father,” according to a news release announcing the completion of the investigation.

    Douglas Richards, the attorney representing the Evergreen High shooter’s parents, told The Denver Post on Wednesday that he believes Desmond slipped the revolver out of the safe while he was with his father.

    “I believe what happened is Desmond and his father were cleaning some of the family firearms, and in a moment when his father was not looking, Desmond took a firearm from the back of the safe that was an heirloom and had not been used by the family, ever,” Richards said. “Because the firearm was never used and was not stored with other firearms in the safe, its disappearance was not noticed until after the tragedy.”

    The parents’ DNA was not found on the weapon, which was originally purchased in Florida in 1966.

    Richards called the decision not to charge the parents “correct.”

    The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged, in its announcement, “that this was not the outcome many in our community hoped for.”

    An email sent to Evergreen High families Wednesday, alerting them to the sheriff’s completed investigation, said victim advocates would be on campus Thursday alongside the school’s mental health and counseling teams.

    Sheriff’s officials noted in their news release that investigators were “unable to speak with” Desmond’s parents and implied the family was uncooperative during the probe into the revolver’s origins.

    But Richards said Desmond’s parents spoke with investigators at the hospital as their son was dying and answered written questions and follow-up questions from investigators. Richards said he also offered to sit down with investigators to explain how the gun was stored.

    “I have… explained from the outset that the firearm in this case was stolen without the knowledge of Desmond’s parents,” Richards said. “…We have cooperated at every single turn, and it was only earlier this (year) that on my own I decided to just send the DA’s office a letter explaining what occurred, which obviously satisfied them that what we had been saying all along was true — that this was a terrible tragedy that was not foreseeable by anyone in Desmond’s family.”

    Desmond died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the end of his attack on the high school.

    He roamed the halls for about nine minutes and shot in several areas before leaving the building. Desmond wounded a 14-year-old boy who was not publicly identified and 18-year-old Matthew Silverstone; both were seriously injured but survived. Video of the attack shows that Desmond physically grappled with Silverstone before shooting him.

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  • Sixth person arrested in connection with shooting of judge, wife in Indiana

    A sixth person was arrested Wednesday in connection with the shooting of a judge and his wife in their home in Lafayette, Indiana, in January, local officials said. 

    The Lafayette Police Department reported Wednesday night that 23-year-old Nevaeh Bell was taken into custody in the Jan. 18 shooting that wounded Tippecanoe County Superior Court Judge Steven Meyer and his wife, Kim. 

    Police said Bell faces 12 preliminary felony charges, including two counts of attempted murder and a count of conspiracy to commit murder. 

    Five others were arrested last month after what the Lafayette Police Department called “a coordinated, multi-state operation involving hundreds of investigative hours.” 

    They were identified as 38-year-old Raylen Ferguson and 61-year-old Zenada Greer of Kentucky, as well as Indiana residents Thomas Moss, 43, Blake Smith, 32, and 45-year-old Amanda Milsap.

    Police have accused members of a motorcycle club and a street gang of targeting Meyer, alleging the shooting was part of a scheme to derail a domestic abuse case against Moss, a member of the Detroit-based Phantom MC motorcycle club with ties to the Vice Lords street gang.

    Moss was charged with multiple violent felonies in June 2024 and was out on bond, according to court records, which also show that he was scheduled to go on trial in front of Meyer on Jan. 20 — two days after the shooting took place. 

    FILE — Steven Meyer, a state judge in Tippecanoe County in Indiana, who was hurt in a shooting at his home on Jan. 18, 2026. This photo is from Nov. 4, 2014. 

    The Purdue Exponent via AP


    Meyer and his wife, Kim, were shot at their home. Steven Meyer suffered an injury to his arm, and Kimberly Meyer sustained an injury to her hip, according to police. 

    According to a recording of the emergency dispatch operator, the caller who reported the shooting said there was a knock on the door, someone told them we have your dog, and then a shot came through the door. 

    Kim Meyer said in a statement last month that she and her husband have “great confidence” in the Lafayette police investigation and thanked all the agencies involved.

    “We are also incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support from the community; everyone has been so kind and compassionate,” she said. “We would especially like to thank the medical personnel who provided care and assistance to us following the incident.” 

    Adam Harrington and

    Sarah Lynch Baldwin

    contributed to this report.

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  • Justice Department plans to seek death penalty for man accused of shooting National Guard members – WTOP News

    The Justice Department said it will seek the death penalty for the man accused of shooting two National Guard members, and killing one of them, near the White House in November.

    (CNN) — The Justice Department said it will seek the death penalty for the man accused of shooting two National Guard members, and killing one of them, near the White House in November.

    The man, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, pleaded not guilty to the nine charges against him — including first-degree murder — during his initial appearance in federal court Wednesday.

    When Judge Amit Mehta pressed prosecutors on whether they would be pursuing additional charges that would allow them to seek the death penalty for Lakanwal, prosecutors waffled, eventually telling the judge they are pursuing “death-eligible charges.”

    According to court documents, Lakanwal traveled from Washington state to the capital city in late November before he ambushed the two officers, shooting them both in the head with a snub-nosed revolver.

    Another National Guard member, having heard the shots, pulled out his service weapon and shot Lakanwal, who fell to the ground and was quickly detained, court records say.

    Sarah Beckstrom, one of the National Guard members who was shot in the back of the head, was pronounced dead the next day. The other member, Andrew Wolfe, is still in recovery.

    Lakanwal worked with the CIA for over a decade in Afghanistan before the US military withdrew from the country. He came to the US in 2021.

    According to court records, Lakanwal had been given the pistol, which prosecutors say was stolen, by an unnamed person after Lakanwal said he needed a firearm to protect himself during his job driving for Uber and Lyft.

    Investigators say that, at the time, Lakanwal had been banned by Uber and had not been employed for around two months before the shooting.

    Initially, he wanted a firearm that could hold as much as a 30-round magazine, court documents say, and when given the revolver, asked “only five rounds?”

    Prosecutors also allege that on the same day that he was given the stolen firearm, Lakanwal went to a sporting goods store and purchased a box of bullets. Two hours later he allegedly searched “Washington, DC” in Google maps and, the next day, searched for the address of the White House.

    Ten days later he allegedly shot the two National Guards members two blocks from the White House.

    His next hearing in the case is scheduled for early May.

    The-CNN-Wire
    ™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

    WTOP Staff

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  • DC man found guilty in 2021 shooting after flag football game that left 1 dead – WTOP News

    A D.C. man has been convicted of first-degree murder for killing another man over a 2021 game of flag football.

    A D.C. man has been convicted of first-degree murder for killing another man over a 2021 game of flag football.

    A D.C. Superior Court jury found 22-year-old Antonio “Slick” Hawley Jr. guilty of shooting and killing 26-year-old Aaron Wiggins at Watkins Elementary in Southeast on Oct. 6, 2021.

    Wiggins, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, had scored the winning touchdown during a late-night pickup game on the school’s sports field.

    Players were talking trash during and after the game. Witnesses said that curses and insults were flung between the groups, and things got heated between the two teams.

    Prosecutors said Hawley pulled a handgun from another player’s bag and fired 17 shots, hitting Wiggins 13 times. Wiggins died at the scene.

    Hawley fled the scene but was later identified by eyewitnesses and video footage. He was arrested in December 2021.

    Hawley is scheduled to be sentenced April 10.

    WTOP’s Jeffery Leon and Ciara Wells contributed to this report.

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    Scott Gelman

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  • Three people charged in connection with fatal Thornton home invasion, shooting

    Three people were charged in connection with a fatal home invasion shooting that happened last month in Thornton, the Thornton Police Department announced Monday on social media.

    Thornton Police arrested three suspects on Jan. 14 after a burglary in the 9600 block of Huron Street resulted in a shooting that killed one person, according to Thornton police.

    The case was presented to the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, which filed the following charges:

    Vincent Rios was charged with possession with intent to manufacture or distribute a controlled substance. Leo Bonavich was charged with first-degree burglary and a crime of violence. Richard Hernandez was charged with first-degree burglary, vehicular eluding and a crime of violence.

    Police responded to the situation after a 911 call came in about gunshots in the 9600 block of Huron Street around 4:30 a.m.

    The caller described a “suspect vehicle. Police saw the vehicle leaving the area and started chasing it. Police stopped the vehicle by hitting it near West 56th Avenue and Federal Boulevard, just off of Interstate 76

    Four people were inside the vehicle, including one man who had been fatally shot. The remaining three suspects were arrested, including one who tried to flee the scene on foot.

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  • Colorado Springs officer, suspect injured in shooting, police say

    An officer and a suspect were injured Monday afternoon in a Colorado Springs shooting involving police, according to the department.

    The Colorado Springs Police Department first posted about the shooting in the 2600 block of East Bijou Street in East Colorado Springs at 2:48 p.m. Monday.

    Around 1:30 p.m. Monday, CSPD Tactical Enforcement Unit and the Colorado Parole Fugitive Apprehension Unit were in the area of East Bijou Street and Balfour Avenue conducting a “fugitive apprehension operation,” CSPD said. After the operation, CSPD officers contacted a suspicious man in the same area, CSPD said. The man ran away, took out a handgun and a shot a CSPD officer, police said. Two CSPD officers then returned fire, shooting the suspect.

    The suspect and the officer were taken to a local hospital. The officer sustained “serious but non-life-threatening” gunshot wound, police said. The suspect is in critical condition.

    The identity of the injured officer and the suspect are not being released at this time, CSPD said. The El Paso County Sheriff’s office is assuming responsibility for the investigation.

    This is the second Colorado Springs police shooting in three days.

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  • Deputies investigating after man shot in Sacramento County

    Deputies investigating after man shot in Sacramento County

    THAT’S NORTH OF HIGHWAY 50 AND SOUTH OF FOLSOM BOULEVARD. KCRA 3’S ANDRES VALLE JUST ARRIVED ON SCENE. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US? YEAH. SO THIS IS A PRETTY LARGE CRIME SCENE, BUT MAINLY FOCUS ON THE VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT RIGHT BEHIND ME. THIS IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE K ONE SPEEDWAY RACING TRACK AS WELL. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THOSE INVESTIGATORS LOOKING AT THE PARKING LOT HERE. WE’VE SEEN SOME OF THOSE INVESTIGATORS ALSO INSIDE. WHAT WE DO KNOW SO FAR IS THAT ONE PERSON HAS BEEN SHOT. HE’S BEEN TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. HIS CONDITION STILL UNKNOWN AS OF RIGHT NOW, BUT SACRAMENTO COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE DID SAY THAT THERE’S THREE POSSIBLE SUSPECTS INVOLVED IN THIS SHOOTING. WE’RE STILL WORKING TO GATHER A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED, BUT WE HAVE A SHERIFF DEPUTIES ON THIS SIDE OF THE RESTAURANT, AS WELL AS DEPUTIES INSIDE THE RESTAURANT LOOKING FOR ANY PARTICULAR EVIDENCE. BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS RESTAURANT AS WELL, THERE’S ALSO A LARGE NUMBER OF SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES AS WELL. SO THEY’RE REALLY JUST COMBING THROUGH THE BUSHES, THE PARKING LOT INSIDE THE RESTAURANT. I ALSO DID NOTICE A COUPLE OF THE EMPLOYEES ARE STILL STUCK INSIDE, MORE THAN LIKELY BEING QUESTIONED BY THESE DETECTIVES. AS OF RIGHT NOW. BUT AGAIN, WE’RE WORKING TO GATHER A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION. WE KNOW THAT ONE PERSON HAS BEEN SHOT. THE CALL ORIGINALLY CAME IN AT 945. THAT PERSON IS HEADED TO THE HOSPITAL AS OF RIGHT NOW, AND THERE’S POTENTIALLY THREE SUSPECTS INVOLVED IN ALL OF THIS. WE KNOW THE SACRAMENTO COUNTY SHERIFF’S SPOKESPERSON IS CURRENTLY ON THEIR WAY HERE AND WILL BE PROVIDING US WITH AN UPDATE HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MINUTES OR SO, SO WE’LL HOPE TO HAVE THAT FOR YOU GUYS AT 11:00. BUT FOR NOW, WE

    Deputies investigating after man shot in Sacramento County

    Updated: 10:36 PM PST Feb 2, 2026

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    Deputies are investigating a shooting near a Sacramento County business on Monday night, according to the sheriff’s office. Crews responded to the report of a shooting in the area of Bradshaw Road and Business Park Drive around 9:45 p.m.Officials said one man was found with a gunshot wound. He was taken to an area hospital and his condition is unknown. Investigators are working to determine what led up to the shooting. A KCRA 3 crew was at the scene, where the parking lot of a Vietnamese restaurant appeared to be blocked by crime scene tape. This is a developing story. Stay with KCRA 3 for the latest. 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

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    Deputies are investigating a shooting near a Sacramento County business on Monday night, according to the sheriff’s office.

    Crews responded to the report of a shooting in the area of Bradshaw Road and Business Park Drive around 9:45 p.m.

    Officials said one man was found with a gunshot wound. He was taken to an area hospital and his condition is unknown.

    Investigators are working to determine what led up to the shooting.

    A KCRA 3 crew was at the scene, where the parking lot of a Vietnamese restaurant appeared to be blocked by crime scene tape.

    This is a developing story. Stay with KCRA 3 for the latest.

    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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  • One man dead after domestic disturbance in Brighton on Sunday

    The Brighton Police Department is investigating a fatal domestic disturbance that happened on Sunday night.

    The incident happened in the area of Beldock Street and Chavez Street, according to Brighton Police Department.

    Police responded to a disturbance in which a 48-year-old man fired a gun inside a home, BPD said. The suspect barricaded himself inside the home, police said, while police tried to communicate with him.

    Commerce City-Brighton SWAT team and crisis negotiators tried to communicate with the suspect, police said, but the man fired “several shots” at police. BPD said the officers did not return fire. No officers were injured during the incident, BPD said.

    Elizabeth Hernandez

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  • Virginia man who had affair with au pair found guilty of murdering wife, another man

    A Virginia man having an affair with the family’s Brazilian au pair was found guilty Monday of murdering his wife and another man that prosecutors say was lured to the house as a fall guy. 

    Brendan Banfield, a former IRS law enforcement officer, told police he came across Joseph Ryan attacking his wife, Christine Banfield, with a knife on the morning of Feb. 24, 2023. He shot Ryan and then Juliana Magalhães, the au pair, shot him, too.

    But officials argued in court that the story was too good to be true, telling jurors that Banfield set Ryan up in a scheme to get rid of his wife. It later came out that Brendan Banfield and Magalhães had been having an affair.

    Banfield, 40, shifted slightly and showed little emotion on Monday as the verdict was read in court. He had pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder in the killings of his wife and Ryan, and had taken the stand in his own defense. The jury had deliberated for nearly nine hours across two days before reaching a verdict. Banfield faces the possibility of life in prison at his sentencing, which is scheduled for May 8. 

    Brendan Banfield looks on during the double murder trial for Brendan Banfield in Fairfax County Circuit Court, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Fairfax, Virginia.

    Tom Brenner / AP


    Magalhães pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 2024 and testified against her former lover at trial. She said they had impersonated Christine Banfield, a pediatric intensive care nurse, on a website for sexual fetishes. She said they used the site to lure Ryan to the house for a sexual encounter involving a knife, staging the scene to look as though they had shot an intruder who was attacking the wife.

    Defense attorney John Carroll argued that Magalhães’ testimony could not be trusted because she was cooperating with prosecutors to try to avoid a long prison sentence. In his own testimony, Banfield said that the testimony was “absolutely crazy.”

    Carroll also introduced evidence showing that there was dissent within the police department over the theory that Magalhães and Brendan Banfield impersonated Christine Banfield on social media in a “catfishing” scheme. An officer who concluded from digital evidence that Christine Banfield was behind the social media account was later transferred in what Carroll said was punishment for disagreeing with a theory favored by the department’s higher-ups.

    In closing arguments, prosecutor Jenna Sands told the jury they did not have to rely solely on Magalhães’ testimony, pointing to what she called a “plethora of evidence.” That included expert testimony that blood stains on Ryan’s hands suggested Christine Banfield’s blood had been dripped onto him from above.

    Magalhães was scheduled to be sentenced after Banfield’s trial. Attorneys have said she could be allowed to walk free if she is sentenced to time served.  

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  • La Grange man in critical condition after shooting in Goldsboro

    A 28-year-old La Grange man is in critical on Monday night
    after Goldsboro police said he was shot.

    Goldsboro police said the shooting happened around 2:46 p.m.
    on East New Hope Road near Hines Drive.

    Emergency Medical Services took the man to UNC Health Wayne,
    where he was airlifted to ECU Health in Greenville.

    The man is listed in critical condition, according to the
    police.

    Goldsboro police did not list any information about others involved
    in the shooting.

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  • Credit River woman found guilty in boyfriend’s 2024 shooting death


    A jury found a 47-year-old southern Twin Cities woman guilty of second-degree murder in connection with her boyfriend’s shooting death, court documents show.

    Charges say Jennifer Lieber shot and killed David Nonovic at their Credit River, Minnesota, home on March 4, 2024. 

    According to the criminal complaint, Lieber claimed Nonovic came at her with a gun that evening. She told investigators she kicked it out of his hand and it went off, killing him. She told investigators, “I loved him.”

    The charges say that Nanovic’s son told investigators a different story. He reported Lieber had been drinking beer and blackberry brandy all night, got the gun and threatened to kill them. The son says she had done this in the past, and physically abused his father. 

    He told investigators that living in the home was like “living in hell.”

    A sentencing date has not been set for Lieber. She faces up to 40 years in prison.

    Credit River is located about 26 miles south of Minneapolis.

    For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.

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    WCCO Staff

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  • Minneapolis man sentenced for 3-year-old boy’s accidental shooting death


    A Minneapolis man, who had been babysitting a 3-year-old boy when the child grabbed his gun and fatally shot himself, has been sentenced to nearly 6 months in jail.

    Elliot Staples III pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree manslaughter last September. Court documents say he will serve 180 days in jail beginning March 3, followed by five years of supervised probation. If he violates his probation, he will serve four years in prison. Staples was also ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution.

    On Oct. 21, 2024, the victim’s mother says Staples had been babysitting her 3-year-old son, Jajuan Robinson, at her northeast Minneapolis apartment while she was at work.

    According to the criminal complaint, Staples set his gun down on a center island in the kitchen, went to the bathroom and, while in there, heard a gunshot. He came out and found Robinson bleeding from the head.

    Charges say Staples told authorities he usually puts the gun on top of the refrigerator, but didn’t this time because “he was rushed.”

    Robinson was taken to a hospital, where he died.

    Note: The video above originally aired on Oct. 24, 2024.

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    WCCO Staff

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  • Cops: Two teens shot on a CTA bus in Humboldt Park following quarrel

    Two teens were shot Saturday afternoon on a CTA bus in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, according to Chicago police.

    Two males, 15 and 18, were aboard the bus when they were shot in the 4000 block of West Chicago Avenue near Orr Academy High School around 3:20 pm, police said.

    The teens were shot after a verbal dispute between a male of unknown age and a group of males, police said.

    The 15-year-old was taken to Stroger Hospital in fair condition and the 18-year-old was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in fair condition.

    There is no one in custody and detectives are investigating.

    Laura Turbay

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  • 3 injured in Brighton house party shooting after woman opens fire

    Three people were injured after a woman opened fire outside a house party in Brighton overnight, police officials said Saturday.

    The shooting happened at 12:26 a.m. near Bridge Street and South Eighth Avenue, the Brighton Police Department said in a news release.

    Witnesses told police there was a fight happening when a suspect drew a handgun and started shooting toward the house and people standing in the front yard.

    Officers at the scene found a 23-year-old woman, 18-year-old man and 24-year-old woman with gunshot wounds. The man was treated and released from the hospital and the two women are in critical but stable condition, police said.

    Katie Langford

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  • Suspect killed in police shooting as Sacramento officers respond to bank robbery, officials say

    A man died after he was shot by Sacramento officers who were responding to a bank robbery on Thursday, the law enforcement agency said. Sgt. Dan Wiseman of the Sacramento Police Department said officers responded to the bank robbery just before 4:30 p.m. near the intersection of Response Road and Heritage Lane. The suspect, a man in his 30s or 40s, was armed. When officers arrived, the suspect ran from the bank, and officers gave chase.Two officers discharged their firearms, hitting the suspect at least once, Wiseman said. He was taken to an area hospital, where he died from his injuries. Sacramento police said its officers were physically unharmed, and no one else was injured in the shooting. Officials did not specify where the shooting occurred, but KCRA 3’s Peyton Headlee was at the scene, where a large section of Exposition Boulevard was blocked off by crime scene tape at Challenge Way. Wiseman said a firearm was recovered at the scene. However, officials later said it was an imitation firearm. “None of our officers ever want to have to come to work and be involved in something like this,” Wiseman said. “But at the same time, we have an obligation to keep ourselves safe and the community safe.”Sacramento police said its homicide detectives are investigating the shooting, along with the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office and the Office of Public Safety Accountability. The man shot by officers has not yet been identified. 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

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    A man died after he was shot by Sacramento officers who were responding to a bank robbery on Thursday, the law enforcement agency said.

    Sgt. Dan Wiseman of the Sacramento Police Department said officers responded to the bank robbery just before 4:30 p.m. near the intersection of Response Road and Heritage Lane. The suspect, a man in his 30s or 40s, was armed. When officers arrived, the suspect ran from the bank, and officers gave chase.

    Two officers discharged their firearms, hitting the suspect at least once, Wiseman said. He was taken to an area hospital, where he died from his injuries.

    Sacramento police said its officers were physically unharmed, and no one else was injured in the shooting.

    Officials did not specify where the shooting occurred, but KCRA 3’s Peyton Headlee was at the scene, where a large section of Exposition Boulevard was blocked off by crime scene tape at Challenge Way.

    Wiseman said a firearm was recovered at the scene. However, officials later said it was an imitation firearm.

    “None of our officers ever want to have to come to work and be involved in something like this,” Wiseman said. “But at the same time, we have an obligation to keep ourselves safe and the community safe.”

    Sacramento police said its homicide detectives are investigating the shooting, along with the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office and the Office of Public Safety Accountability.

    The man shot by officers has not yet been identified.

    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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  • Sean Grayson sentenced to 20 years in prison for Sonya Massey shooting

    Sean Grayson has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murder of Sonya Massey in Sangamon County, Illinois, in 2024. 

    Grayson, 31, was found guilty last October of second-degree murder for the shooting of Sonya Massey.

    The judge sentenced Grayson to 20 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections followed by two years of mandatory supervised release. He has the right to appeal his sentence. 

    As he explained his sentence, the jduge said firing three rounds threatened other in the neighborhood, and that a strict sentence was necessary to “to deter ohers from acting under the same circumstances.”  He noted the defense argued that this sitaution was unlikely to happen again as Grayson, now a convicted felon, can no longer haev a gun or serve as a police officer, but said he believes the shooting was the result of Grayson’s temper and mindset. The judge also said he believes probation would “depreciate the seriousness of the crime.”

    if Grayson serves his full sentence he will be 51 when he is released. 

    The judge sent March 6 as the hearing date for that appeal. 

    Massey’s family was in court for the sentencing, along with a number of family members dressed in purple. When the sentence came down, one of Massey’s family members shouted “yes!” When the hearing was complete, the family stood crying as one thanked God. Massey’s mother Donna also thanked the court at large. 

    Massey’s mother and father testified in the hearing, and her two teenaged children all made statements at sentencing.

    “This traumatic experience has caused deep loss in my life,” Massey’s daughter Summer told the court. “Since her death, I have not been the same person.”

    Her son Malachi told the judge, “My soul is ripped. It’s like a part of me is really dead.”

    “This is like pain I can’t explain,” he continued. “Sometimes I really wake up and believe she’s really here. It’s unbelievable.”

    Her father James Wilburn told the court that while he is bent, he is not broken, but that his family continues to suffer in the wake of her loss. 

    “Her laugh, cooking, voice,” Wilburn said. “I will never hear again, ‘Daddy I love you.’”

    Her mother Donna told the court, “I cried every day. I lost my short term memory. Today, I’m afraid to call the police for fear that I may end up like Sonya.”

    “She was one of the smartest, sweetest people I ever knew,” she continued.

    Grayson’s attorneys submitted character letters on behalf of their client, and argued that the jury convicted Grayson on a lesser charge, as he was tried for first-degree murder, and that his life and livelihood have been severely impacted by the conviction. They asked for probation or conditional discharge, saying Grayson would comply with the terms, has been well-behaved on release and had previously successfully completed probation. 

    The defense also said Grayson was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2023 which has now spread to liver, and separately has been diagnosed with Stage 4 rectal and lung cancer, and argued imprisonment would be dangerous for his heath. 

    The judge said they did not see any evidence that Grayson’s cancer treatment would be different in prison compared to outside of prison. 

    What happened in the Sonya Massey shooting?

    In July 2024, Massey, a 36-year-old unarmed Black woman, called police for help for a possible prowler outside her home.

    Inside the home, Grayson said Massey began acting erratically and rebuked him “in the name of Jesus” while walking towards a pot of water on her stove. Body cam video from Grayson’s partner captured the moment he shot Massey, who died of a gunshot wound. 

    Grayson’s body camera was not activated for most of the call, only turning on shortly after he pulled his weapon.

    At trial last fall, Dawson Farley, Grayson’s former partner on the night of the Massey shooting, testified during the trial that he was not afraid of Massey during the call, but instead feared Grayson. Farley told the jury that, while he was confused after Massey said “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” he never perceived that as a threat. He added he only unholstered his gun because Grayson did.

    Grayson also took the stand in his own defense at trial. He testified that finding broken windows on Massey’s car, her 911 call for help and waiting four minutes for her to answer the phone made him concerned someone else was inside. He also said he believed she may have been “under the influence of something” and said she appeared “scatterbrained.”

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  • Sean Grayson sentenced to 20 years in prison for Sonya Massey shooting

    Sean Grayson has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murder of Sonya Massey in Sangamon County, Illinois, in 2024. 

    Grayson, 31, was found guilty last October of second-degree murder for the shooting of Sonya Massey.

    The judge sentenced Grayson to 20 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections followed by two years of mandatory supervised release. He has the right to appeal his sentence. 

    As he explained his sentence, the jduge said firing three rounds threatened other in the neighborhood, and that a strict sentence was necessary to “to deter ohers from acting under the same circumstances.”  He noted the defense argued that this sitaution was unlikely to happen again as Grayson, now a convicted felon, can no longer haev a gun or serve as a police officer, but said he believes the shooting was the result of Grayson’s temper and mindset. The judge also said he believes probation would “depreciate the seriousness of the crime.”

    if Grayson serves his full sentence he will be 51 when he is released. 

    The judge sent March 6 as the hearing date for that appeal. 

    Massey’s family was in court for the sentencing, along with a number of family members dressed in purple. When the sentence came down, one of Massey’s family members shouted “yes!” When the hearing was complete, the family stood crying as one thanked God. Massey’s mother Donna also thanked the court at large. 

    Massey’s mother and father testified in the hearing, and her two teenaged children all made statements at sentencing.

    “This traumatic experience has caused deep loss in my life,” Massey’s daughter Sonta told the court. “Since her death, I have not been the same person.”

    Her son Malachai told the judge, “My soul is ripped. It’s like a part of me is really dead.”

    “This is like pain I can’t explain,” he continued. “Sometimes I really wake up and believe she’s really here. It’s unbelievable.”

    Her father James Wilburn told the court that while he is bent, he is not broken, but that his family continues to suffer in the wake of her loss. 

    “Her laugh, cooking, voice,” Wilburn said. “I will never hear again, ‘Daddy I love you.’”

    Her mother Donna told the court, “I cried every day. I lost my short term memory. Today, I’m afraid to call the police for fear that I may end up like Sonya.”

    “She was one of the smartest, sweetest people I ever knew,” she continued.

    Grayson’s attorneys submitted character letters on behalf of their client, and argued that the jury convicted Grayson on a lesser charge, as he was tried for first-degree murder, and that his life and livelihood have been severely impacted by the conviction. They asked for probation or conditional discharge, saying Grayson would comply with the terms, has been well-behaved on release and had previously successfully completed probation. 

    The defense also said Grayson was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2023 which has now spread to liver, and separately has been diagnosed with Stage 4 rectal and lung cancer, and argued imprisonment would be dangerous for his heath. 

    The judge said they did not see any evidence that Grayson’s cancer treatment would be different in prison compared to outside of prison. 

    What happened in the Sonya Massey shooting?

    In July 2024, Massey, a 36-year-old unarmed Black woman, called police for help for a possible prowler outside her home.

    Inside the home, Grayson said Massey began acting erratically and rebuked him “in the name of Jesus” while walking towards a pot of water on her stove. Body cam video from Grayson’s partner captured the moment he shot Massey, who died of a gunshot wound. 

    Grayson’s body camera was not activated for most of the call, only turning on shortly after he pulled his weapon.

    At trial last fall, Dawson Farley, Grayson’s former partner on the night of the Massey shooting, testified during the trial that he was not afraid of Massey during the call, but instead feared Grayson. Farley told the jury that, while he was confused after Massey said “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” he never perceived that as a threat. He added he only unholstered his gun because Grayson did.

    Grayson also took the stand in his own defense at trial. He testified that finding broken windows on Massey’s car, her 911 call for help and waiting four minutes for her to answer the phone made him concerned someone else was inside. He also said he believed she may have been “under the influence of something” and said she appeared “scatterbrained.”

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    Shardaa Gray

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  • Protester in Alex Pretti shooting aftermath reflects on how it “could’ve just easily been me”

    During WCCO’s live coverage of Saturday’s fatal shooting of Alex Pretti and the subsequent protests, there was one man who left his mark and shared his moment with WCCO’s Frankie McLister: 

    Mike Medvec says he’s a gun owner and supports police, but not the federal crackdown in his hometown.

    WCCO’s Frankie McLister wanted to reconnect with Medvec after a live interview between the two went viral Saturday.

    “I support the police, support the military,” Medvec told McLister on Saturday.

    Medvec says he was home alone Saturday when he saw the video of Pretti being shot and killed.

    “I still am really emotional about it,” Medvec said. “My wife was in Vegas and I saw footage of the shooting and thought, I can’t just sit here? What am I gonna do?”

    During Saturday’s live interview, Medvec said, “Today this could’ve just easily been me that got shot.”

    Medvec has a permit to carry in Minnesota, loves donuts and claims he also would’ve filmed ICE if he were at Glam Doll Donuts.

    “I don’t think what they’re doing is right,” Medvec said on Saturday.

    “Lets face it. Anybody with half a heart who saw them push a lady to the ground would’ve helped, OK? And if that was me that was helping, it could’ve been me,” said Medvec.

    He says Saturday gave him flashbacks to 2020.

    “I cried after I saw what they did to my neighborhood. And I pray that everyone stays vigilant because I don’t want to see this happen to my city again,” he said in Saturday’s interview.

    Medvec said he was proud of the city’s response on Saturday. 

    “I’ll tell you peaceful protest goes much further than rioting. I’m so proud of this city,” he said.

    “I was blown away and wasn’t surprised,” said Pam Medvec when asked about her thoughts when seeing her husband’s viral interview. “He doesn’t fit what a lot of people think is a stereotypical protester, which doesn’t exist.”

    “I’ll tell you, I’ve been clean for 39 years, May 19. I’ve done a lot of hugs, not drugs. When you see people struggle, whether it’s an addiction or everyday life, you just start to care,” Medvec said. 

    “We are proud of Minneapolis, but we lost two beautiful people. I’ll never forget that. That’s what I’ll fight for the next time,” he added.

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    Frankie McLister

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  • 2 federal agents fired their weapons during Alex Pretti shooting, government report to Congress says

    Two U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents fired their weapons during the fatal shooting of Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti over the weekend, according to a government report sent to Congress and obtained by CBS News that does not mention Pretti reaching for his firearm.

    The report was shared with congressional officials Tuesday by CBP, which said it was based on a “preliminary review” by its Office of Professional Responsibility. It provides the most comprehensive official account yet of Pretti’s killing, which has triggered widespread outcry from members of both parties.

    According to the report to Congress, CBP agents were conducting an operation in Minneapolis on Saturday morning when an officer was “confronted by two female civilians blowing whistles.” The officer ordered the women to “move out of the roadway,” the report said. That’s when CBP agents first encountered Pretti.

    “The [CBP officer] pushed them both away and one of the females ran to a male, later identified as 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a US citizen,” the report said. “The [CBP officer] attempted to move the woman and Pretti out of the roadway. The woman and Pretti did not move. The [CBP officer] deployed his oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray towards both Pretti and the woman.”

    CBP agents then “attempted to take Pretti into custody,” according to the report.

    “Pretti resisted CBP personnel’s efforts and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, a BPA yelled, ‘He’s got a gun!’ multiple times,” the report said.

    “Approximately five seconds later, a [Border Patrol agent] discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19 and a [CBP officer] also discharged his CBP-issued Glock 47 at Pretti. After the shooting, a BPA advised he had possession of Pretti’s firearm,” CBP added. “The BPA subsequently cleared and secured Pretti’s firearm in his vehicle.”

    The new information provided by CBP differs from the initial accounts offered by the Department of Homeland Security, which said in a statement over the weekend that one Border Patrol agent had fired “defensive shots.”

    In that statement, DHS also said Pretti “approached” the CBP agents with a 9mm semi-automatic firearm. But CBP’s report to Congress makes no claim that Pretti tried to reach for his firearm.

    In the hours after the shooting, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem alleged that Pretti approached federal agents with a gun in what she described as an effort to kill officers, and Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino accused Pretti of trying to “massacre law enforcement” — allegations that did not appear in the Office of Professional Responsibility’s report.

    The government’s response to Pretti’s death — the second fatal shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis this month — has drawn intense scrutiny in recent days, as videos of the incident appear to contradict officials’ claims that Pretti approached law enforcement with his gun. 

    Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara has said Pretti was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry.

    The report does not state that Pretti’s gun discharged accidentally, one theory that has circulated in the wake of the shooting. President Trump alleged in a Wall Street Journal article that Pretti was carrying a “dangerous and unpredictable gun” that “goes off when people don’t know it.”

    It also revealed that U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel removed and stored Pretti’s firearm in a government vehicle, a decision now raising broader concerns about the integrity of the investigation.

    According to a CBP report sent to congressional officials, a Border Patrol agent reported taking possession of Pretti’s gun immediately after the shooting and later clearing and securing the firearm inside a vehicle. The report does not specify whether the weapon was photographed in place or logged with a documented chain of custody at the scene.

    CBS News previously reported that federal investigators have no documented chain of custody for Pretti’s handgun, with officials saying the firearm was placed on the seat of a vehicle rather than sealed in a required plastic evidence bag and labeled with standard identifying details such as date, item description, and handler name. 

    The report to Congress confirmed ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations branch is investigating the shooting, a move current and former agency officials described as highly unusual for an office that has historically not investigated use-of-force incidents. The report said CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility is also reviewing the incident internally, and that the DHS Inspector General has been notified.

    CBP told CBS News in a statement: “These notifications reflect standard Customs and Border Protection protocol and are issued in accordance with existing procedures. They provide an initial outline of an event that took place and do not convey any definitive conclusion or investigative findings. They are factual reports – not analytical judgments – and are provided to inform Congress and to promote transparency.”

    The full report is below:

    The following statement pertains to an in-custody death that occurred on Saturday, January 24, 2026, in Minneapolis, MN. This information is based on a preliminary review by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) Investigative Operations Directorate (IOD) and may be updated and clarified as additional details become available. It is being provided to Committee staff concurrently with CBP senior leadership to ensure timely reporting. 

    CBP OPR IOD established the following information and timeline based on a preliminary review of body worn camera footage and CBP documentation.

    On January 24, 2026, United States Border Patrol (USBP) Border Patrol Agents (BPAs) and Customs and Border Protection Officers (CBPOs) supporting Operation Metro Surge were conducting enforcement actions near the intersection of Nicollet Ave. and 26th St. in Minneapolis, MN. Several civilians were in the area yelling and blowing whistles. BPAs and CBPOs made several verbal requests for the civilians to stay on the sidewalks and out of the roadway.

    At approximately 9:00 a.m., a CBPO was confronted by two female civilians blowing whistles. The CBPO ordered the female civilians to move out of the roadway, and the female civilians did not move. The CBPO pushed them both away and one of the females ran to a male, later identified as 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a US citizen. The CBPO attempted to move the woman and Pretti out of the roadway. The woman and Pretti did not move. The CBPO deployed his oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray towards both Pretti and the woman. 

    CBP personnel attempted to take Pretti into custody. Pretti resisted CBP personnel’s efforts and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, a BPA yelled, “He’s got a gun!” multiple times.  Approximately five seconds later, a BPA discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19 and a CBPO also discharged his CBP-issued Glock 47 at Pretti. After the shooting, a BPA advised he had possession of Pretti’s firearm. The BPA subsequently cleared and secured Pretti’s firearm in his vehicle.

    At approximately 9:02 a.m., CBP personnel cut Pretti’s clothing and provided medical aid to him by placing chest seals on his wounds. At approximately 9:05 a.m., Minneapolis Fire Department Emergency Medical Services (MFD EMS) emergency medical technicians (EMTs) arrived and assumed primary medical care for Pretti. 

    At approximately 9:14 a.m., MFD EMTs placed Pretti in an MFD EMS ambulance and he was subsequently transported to Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC). At approximately 9:32 a.m., HCMC medical personnel pronounced Pretti deceased.

    CBP OPR IOD was advised that an autopsy would be conducted by medical personnel from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office. CBP OPR IOD will request the official findings upon completion.

    Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the incident and CBP OPR IOD is reviewing it. The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General was notified.

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  • Two Federal Officers Fired Shots During Encounter That Killed Alex Pretti, DHS Tells Congress – KXL

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Two federal officers fired shots during the encounter that killed ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, a Customs and Border Protection official told Congress in a notice sent Tuesday.

    Officers tried to take Pretti into custody and he resisted, leading to a struggle, according to a notification to Congress obtained by The Associated Press. During the struggle, a Border Patrol agent yelled, “He’s got a gun!” multiple times, the official said.

    A Border Patrol officer and a CBP officer each fired Glock pistols, the notice said.

    Investigators from CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the analysis based on a review of body-worn camera footage and agency documentation, the notice said. The law requires the agency to inform relevant congressional committees about deaths in CBP custody within 72 hours.

    The notification came a day after President Donald Trump ordered border czar Tom Homan to take over his administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota following Pretti’s death, which was the second fatal shooting this month of a person at the hands of immigration law enforcement.

    Ecuador’s minister of foreign affairs, meanwhile, filed a protest with the U.S. Embassy after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents tried to enter the Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis without permission Tuesday.

    A video of the attempt on social media shows a consulate staffer running to the door to turn the ICE agents away, telling them, “This is the Ecuadorian consulate. You’re not allowed to enter.” One ICE officer can be heard responding by threatening to “grab” the staffer if he touched the agent before agreeing to leave.

    International law generally prohibits law enforcement authorities from entering foreign consulates or embassies without permission, though sometimes permission may be assumed granted for life-threatening emergencies, like fires.

    “Consulate officials immediately prevented the ICE officer from entering the consular building, thus ensuring the protection of the Ecuadorians who were present at the time and activating the emergency protocols issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility,” the ministry wrote on X.

    A “note of protest” was filed with the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador so that similar attempts aren’t made at other consulates, the ministry said. The State Department, Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    Trump says a ‘big investigation’ is underway in Pretti’s killing
    By sending Homan to Minnesota, “we’re going to de-escalate a little bit,” Trump said during an interview on Fox News’ “Will Cain Show.” That’s significant since White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, when questioned repeatedly Monday about Homan’s being dispatched to Minnesota, refused to say that doing so was an effort to calm the situation.

    The president added of Homan, “Tom, as tough as he is, gets along” with governors and mayors, even in Democratic areas.

    As he left the White House Tuesday, the president was asked whether Alex Pretti’s killing on Saturday was justified. He responded by saying that a “big investigation” was underway. In the hours after Pretti’s death, some administration officials sought to blame the shooting on the 37-year-old intensive care nurse.

    Trump said in an interview broadcast Tuesday that he had “great calls” with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Monday, mirroring comments he made immediately after the calls.

    The seemingly softer tone emerged as immigration agents were still active across the Twin Cities region, and it was unclear if officials had changed tactics following the shift by the White House.

    Walz’s office said Tuesday that the Democratic governor met with Homan and called for impartial investigations into the shootings involving federal officers. They agreed on the need to continue to talk, according to the governor.

    Frey and Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said they also met with Homan and had a “productive conversation.” The mayor added that city leaders would stay in discussion with the border czar.

    Homan posted on social media that the discussions “were a productive starting point.” Homan said that Walz, Frey, top law enforcement officials and he all agree that “we need to support our law enforcement officers and get criminals off the streets.”

    The White House had tried to blame Democratic leaders for the protests of immigration raids. But after Pretti’s killing and videos suggesting he was not an active threat, the administration tapped Homan to take charge of the Minnesota operation from Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino.

    Trump says of sending Bovino to Minneapolis: ‘maybe it wasn’t good here.’
    Trump said Bovino, the go-to architect for the president’s large-scale city-by-city immigration crackdowns, was “very good” but added “he’s a pretty out-there kind of a guy” and “maybe it wasn’t good here.”

    Immigration enforcement activity witnessed by journalists in Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs on Tuesday appeared comparable with recent weeks. As before, most didn’t result in major confrontations with agents. Activists say they continue to monitor enforcement operations through social media and chats on messaging apps.

    In Texas, a federal judge issued a temporary order prohibiting the removal of a 5-year-old Ecuadorian boy and his father who were detained last week in Minnesota in an incident that further inflamed divisions on immigration under the Trump administration. U.S. Judge Fred Biery ruled Monday that any removal or transfer of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, is on hold while a court case proceeds.

    On Tuesday, federal immigration authorities released an Ecuadorian man whose detention led the chief federal judge in Minnesota to order the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to appear in his courtroom, the man’s attorney said.

    Attorney Graham Ojala-Barbour said the man, who is identified in court documents as “Juan T.R.,” was released in Texas. The lawyer said in an email to The Associated Press that he was notified in an email from the U.S. attorneys office in Minneapolis that his client had been freed.

    In an order dated Monday, Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz expressed frustration with the Trump administration’s handling of Juan’s and other immigration cases. He took the extraordinary step of ordering Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, to personally appear in his courtroom Friday.

    Schiltz had said in his order that he would cancel Lyons’ appearance if the man was released from custody.

    “This Court has been extremely patient with respondents, even though respondents decided to send thousands of agents to Minnesota to detain aliens without making any provision for dealing with the hundreds of habeas petitions and other lawsuits that were sure to result,” he wrote.

    Schiltz’s order followed a federal court hearing Monday on a request by the state and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul for a judge to halt the immigration enforcement surge. The judge in that case said she would prioritize the ruling but did not give a timeline for a decision.

    Schiltz wrote that he recognizes ordering the head of a federal agency to appear personally is extraordinary. “But the extent of ICE’s violation of court orders is likewise extraordinary, and lesser measures have been tried and failed,” he said.

    The Associated Press left messages Tuesday with ICE and a DHS spokesperson seeking a response.

    Jordan Vawter

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