Carjacking is on the rise; here's how you can protect yourself



Carjackings are on the rise — and they're no longer just confined to certain cities or neighborhoods.

Gas stations, parking lots, even the Dunkin' Donuts drive-thru — it could happen anywhere.

Whether you've just arrived somewhere or are about to leave, DON'T linger in your car checking your phone (something we all tend to do). This makes you a target!

So how can you prevent being a victim — and what should you do if a carjacker targets you?

Be aware

The most basic precaution you can take is simply to be aware of the threat. Fear shouldn’t rule your life, but you should always be aware of your security and surroundings the same way you keep an eye on the road.

Pay attention to who and what is around you. Trust your gut if something doesn't feel right. Avoid contact with pedestrians and other drivers, including eye contact. Do not roll your window down for anyone except those you know and law enforcement officers.

Secure your vehicle

Another obvious and simple measure is to keep your car doors and windows closed and locked.

Also, keep computers, cell phones, purses, wallets, and other valuables on the floor of the car and out of sight.

Plan ahead

Plan ahead and think about your reactions to “what if” scenarios. What would you do if the car in front of you slammed on the brakes or if a threatening person approached your car while stopped at a traffic light?

The carjacker is counting on the element of surprise, but you can counter the attack with a surprise of your own: a calm, quick response to his attempt, such as hitting the gas and getting away.

Again, trust your instincts. For such a response to a carjacker to be effective, it must be sure and fast.

And always keep your cell phone out and ready to call 911 if necessary.

Secure yourself

Your car is only one aspect of a carjacking. There are several steps you can take personally to make yourself safer and less likely to be a victim of a carjacking:

  • Whether you've just arrived somewhere or are about to leave, DON'T linger in your car checking your phone (something we all tend to do). This makes you a target!
  • Before you exit your car, take a quick look at your surroundings.
  • Before you enter your car, do the same; also make sure nobody is in, behind, or under the car.
  • Add or remove items from your trunk quickly.
  • Park in well-lit, high-traffic areas.
  • Walk from offices or other buildings to vehicles in pairs or larger groups. Or find a security guard to assist you if available.
  • Use valet parking or an attended garage if you’re driving alone.
  • Take your earphones out when pumping gas and walking to and from your vehicle.
  • Watch out for people loitering in the area, handing out flyers, for example, or sitting in parked cars.
  • Don’t park in isolated or visually obstructed areas near walls or heavy foliage.
  • Be especially careful when refueling a rental car on your way to returning it; obvious visitors — and their luggage — make tempting targets.
  • If someone tries to approach you as you near your parked car, change direction, or run to a busy store.
  • If you are bumped in traffic, drive to a busy, well-lit area or a police station. There's always the chance the "accident" was a ruse to get you out of your car.
  • If you have car trouble such as a flat tire or dead battery, call AAA or another roadside assistance service if possible. Exercise reasonable caution when accepting help from a random passerby.

If you are carjacked

  • Don't resist giving up your car and any possessions or money to an armed or potentialIy armed carjacker. Your priority is to get away.
  • Never agree to be kidnapped. Throw the cars keys and run and scream for help.
  • Once you are safe, call the police immediately to report the crime and provide detailed information about your car.
  • If the carjacker forces you to drive, consider crashing your car near a busy intersection to attract attention so bystanders can come to your aid and call the police.

90-year-old Navy veteran fatally shot, run over during carjacking in retirement home parking lot, police say



A 90-year-old Navy veteran was fatally shot and run over during a carjacking outside a Houston retirement home over the weekend, police told KTRK-TV.

The victim has been identified as Nelson Beckett, the station said.

'I think the neighborhood would feel safer if there were police patrols instead of just when something bad happens.'

Police told KTRK that Beckett was in the parking lot of Lonestar Living on Westbrae Parkway around 12:45 p.m. Saturday when a man in his late 20s approached the victim and began talking to him.

Investigators told the station that surveillance video shows the suspect attacking Beckett before shooting him and getting into the victim's car. What's more, police told KTRK the suspect ran over Beckett during the getaway.

Beckett was pronounced dead at a hospital, and his car was found abandoned at an apartment complex less than three miles away, the station said.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case:,

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The victim's son, Tim Beckett, told KTRK in a follow-up story that he hopes the suspect is caught and that he's "thankful" for the outpouring of support in the wake of his father's killing.

Tim Beckett added to the station that his dad leaves behind two children, five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. He also told KTRK that his father attended Abilene Christian University, worked in sales after his naval service, and was active at Southwest Central Church.

"What a foolish, brutal act against the mildest of men, an act that makes absolutely no sense," Southwest Central senior minister Steve Sargent said during a Sunday service, according to the station.

Sargent also said Beckett attended a funeral at the church just days before he was killed, KTRK said.

Crime statistics from January until the end of June this year show at least 61 crime reports along Westbrae Parkway near where Beckett was killed, the station said, adding that 81 crime reports were filed for the same area over the entirety of 2023.

At least one neighbor who's lived in the area for two decades added to the station that safety is a growing concern: "I think the neighborhood would feel safer if there were police patrols instead of just when something bad happens."

Police asked anyone with information about Beckett's killing to call 713-308-3600, KTRK said.

You can view a video report here about the fatal carjacking.

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Blaze News original: 10 times violent thugs got all they could handle from folks you might not expect would fight back



There appears to be no shortage of accounts at Blaze News describing violent thugs attempting to commit crimes — and promptly getting massive resistance from individuals you might not immediately expect would fight back because they're either elderly, very young, or completely outnumbered.

Just this week alone, we brought you a pair of stories in that vein.

'All of a sudden, something snapped in me, and I was like, 'You know what? No, I'm not going to let this happen to me. This is not going to happen.''

First off, video captured a brave 8-year-old girl who used a baseball bat to help her dad fight off an alleged armed robber Saturday night at the Minnesota liquor store he manages. "That day I just wanted to cry," the dad later said. "When I saw the video, I didn't expect she'd do that. I expect a little girl crying, screaming." Even better, police caught the suspect, who was charged with first-degree attempted aggravated robbery.

In the second example, an 85-year-old Wyoming homeowner described a scary encounter in which he said he fought with and shot a much younger intruder at his Riverton home late Friday night. Wayne Williams told the Cowboy State Daily that after he heard pounding and kicking at 11 p.m. outside his home, he pulled his .380-caliber pistol from its holster, tossed the holster on his bed, went to the front door — and opened it to confront the intruder who stood six inches taller than Williams and pushed him into the home. But Williams gamely fought back and ultimately won the harrowing battle.

The following are 10 other instances during which violent, dangerous thugs got all they could handle — and more — from folks you might not expect would fight back:

Female steals car while 13-year-old boy sleeps inside vehicle. He wakes up, punches her in face several times — and she ain't sticking around for more.


It was around 4:45 a.m. on March 3, 2022, when a woman called police in Tulsa, Oklahoma, saying her Nissan was stolen from a parking lot at 4800 South Darlington Avenue — and with her 13-year-old son sleeping in the front seat.

The boy later said he woke up when the suspect — identified as Koleasha Pruitt — hit a curb. And that was when he realized the woman driving the car wasn't his mother.

Police said the boy punched Pruitt several times in the face to get her to stop the car. KTUL-TV reported that she crashed into a center median. After Pruitt exited the vehicle, the boy locked the doors, police said. And even though Pruitt several times threatened to taser the boy, it didn't come to pass since she was locked out of the vehicle, police said.

At some point the boy called his mother and said the car was near 37th and Yale Avenue, police said, adding that the suspect ran off, but cops soon tracked her down. The boy wasn't injured, KTUL reported, adding that he is now back with his family.

Pruitt was arrested and booked into the Tulsa County Jail on charges of kidnapping after former conviction of felony, possession of a stolen vehicle after former conviction of felony, and obstruction/interfering with an officer.

'Mess around and find out': Would-be car thief picks wrong car, gets his 'butt whipped' by 66-year-old car owner


The Brevard County (Florida) Sheriff's Office said 29-year-old Blake Robinson tried to steal a car parked outside a home in the early morning hours of June 27 but was interrupted by the car owner, a 66-year-old man.

Authorities said after calling 911, the car owner confronted Robinson and got into a physical altercation with him. While Robinson knocked the owner to the ground and kicked him in the head, the car owner — Robert Polk — fought back and was able to incapacitate Robinson until police arrived.

"Welcome to Brevard County, where we proudly support ... 'Play stupid games ... win stupid prizes,'" the sheriff's office wrote on Facebook about the incident.

Deputies arrived at the crime scene and arrested Robinson, who allegedly had blood around his mouth and "was seemingly having a tough time getting up off of the ground, after getting his butt whipped by a 66-year-old man!"

The sheriff's office added, "Mr. Tough Guy ... got manhandled by a 66-year-old man who thankfully only required brief medical treatment and was left without any serious injuries!"

Deputies added that Polk's face was red and swollen, and one of his ears was covered in blood, but Robinson needed medical attention.

The sheriff's office also noted, "As for Robinson, he was fortunate enough to be in Brevard County where he won a few prizes for being stupid including a chauffeured ride to a local medical facility to check his injuries before arriving at his less than luxurious accommodations at Ivey's Iron Bar Lodge! At the lodge he was given a freshly washed 2-piece ensemble to get comfortable in before being shown to his sleeping area in our open floor plan."

Robinson was charged with burglary of an unoccupied conveyance and felony battery on a person over the age of 65. He was booked in the Brevard County Jail on a $30,000 bond.

Sheriff Wayne Ivey said the suspect "got an enhanced charge for hitting someone over the age of 65 who ended up whooping his punk butt!"

Ivey added, "As we like to say here in Brevard County, 'Mess Around and Find Out!'"

Thug knocks woman to ground, steals her purse — but victim's 9-year-old daughter isn't having it and punches crook in face, chases after him: 'I fought back. I had to save my mom'


Danielle Mobley and her 9-year-old daughter Journee Nelson were grocery shopping in West Palm Beach on Nov. 2, 2021, when surveillance video recorded the moment a thug tried to steal the mother's purse.

"We struggled over the purse. He pushed me down to the ground," Mobley told WSVN-TV.

The suspect reportedly told Mobley to let go of her purse — otherwise "you're going to make me pop you," the assailant said while reaching for his waistband.

With that, Mobley's 9-year-old daughter ran over to try and save her mother from the attack. In fact, Journee is seen on surveillance video punching the violent robber.

"We walked out the store, and then I took a little glance at him, and then I looked back at the car, and then I opened my door. And then, next thing I know, I saw him running towards my mom," Journee said during an appearance on "Fox & Friends Weekend."

"I fought back," Journee added to the cable news program. "I had to save my mom."

After Journee punched the thug in the face, he pushed her to the ground and fled the scene — but the brave 9-year-old girl still ran after him across four houses before he got away.

The thief ended up stealing Mobley's purse, which contained a cellphone, several bank cards, a wallet, cash, and her concealed carry permit. But the suspect — identified as 29-year-old Demetrius Jackson — was arrested two days later and charged with robbery and battery.

On Nov. 18, the West Palm Beach Police Department honored the pint-sized hero with a medal and certificate. Chief Frank Adderley said he bet the suspect was "shocked" by Journee's grit and guts, adding that "her actions were perfect timing in this particular situation, and I think she hit him pretty hard."

You can view a video report about the incident — which includes an interview with the mom and her daughter — here.

'He picked the wrong place to try and break into': 70-year-old, gun-toting homeowner sends lead-powered message to intruder


Steve Huntley, 70, was asleep early on the morning of March 21 when the noises commenced. Huntley — who lives in the Memphis neighborhood of Nutbush — told WREG-TV the sound was a "bump, bump, bump."

"That’s what got my dogs stirred up,” he added to the station.

Sure enough, Huntley said an intruder was trying to get into his home through a back door — and the elderly homeowner told WREG he soon was standing face-to-face with the intruder.

“I shoved him,” Huntley recounted to the station. “He hit the ground down there. I slammed the door and went in to get my pistol.”

Huntley added to WREG that upon returning to the face-off spot, he fired a single shot — and the intruder took off running.

“That’s the reason a lot of people are moving out of this neighborhood because of what’s going on,” Huntley added to the station.

WREG said a search through Memphis data revealed that police have been called 170 times within the past year about breaking and entering, property crimes, and thefts — all within a half-mile radius of Huntley’s home.

Huntley has a more personal reason to be on guard, the station said, after his son was shot to death in 2016. Therefore, Huntley told WREG, he's ready to throw down to the death if necessary when others threaten the safety of his loved ones.

“He picked the wrong place to try and break into,” he said of the hapless intruder. “Because my motto is, ‘If you come in here, you are going to meet your maker.'”

Police found the accused intruder a few blocks from Huntley's residence, WREG added, noting that charges against him were pending. You can view a video report about the incident — including an interview with Huntley — here.

'Something in me snapped': Young woman fights back against trio of would-be carjackers who pistol-whipped her in Target parking lot — and chases after them in her flip-flops



Police said the incident unfolded in the parking lot of a Target store on Pardee Road in the city of Taylor, Michigan, around 4:50 p.m. May 13. Taylor is about 20 minutes southwest of Detroit.

Rachel Smiglewski told WXYZ-TV she was sitting in her boyfriend's car when the trio of would-be carjackers wearing surgical masks threatened her with a gun.

"I was just baffled and so scared," the 24-year-old told the station.

She said she tried to call 911, but one of the thugs smacked her phone away and hit her face with the gun, after which she said she could feel blood spurting from her face.

Although she complied with their demands and handed over her car keys, Smiglewski said something inside her took over in the moment, and she decided to fight back.

"All of a sudden, something snapped in me, and I was like, 'You know what? No, I'm not going to let this happen to me. This is not going to happen,'" she said.

Smiglewski said she started yelling for help and slamming her hands on the roof of the car. People in the parking lot began calling police. Although the assailants still had her keys, they ran away from the spectacle she was causing.

But Smiglewski wasn't through. She ran after them — in her flip-flops, no less.

"I chased after them. We ran the whole parking lot, and I was wearing flip-flops. Then I lost my shoes, so my feet are all cut up," she said.

Smiglewski also said she realized they were not very big physically and got prepared to fight them: "I was back ready to fight all three of them because they look like they were scrawny little teenagers."

One of the assailants threw the keys at her as they ran away. Police said they ran into a BJ's restaurant, and the employees called police to let them know the suspects were hiding in their bathroom.

Police said they arrested three males between 14 and 18 years old and recovered a 9mm Glock. Police said they believe the two juveniles and the man had been playing basketball before they missed a bus to Detroit and decided to try carjacking someone.

When asked what motivated her to fight back, Smiglewski said she was fed up with people taking advantage of her.

"I've had everybody walk all over me and take advantage of me for years and years," she said. "You just get sick of it, and I'm not going to let anyone do that to me anymore."

Smiglewski said on Facebook she's a sandwich artist at Subway.

"I fought and won and am so glad to be alive and not shot dead over some car," she wrote in the post.

You can view a video report, which includes an interview with Smiglewski, here.

Violent home intruder handcuffs 85-year-old woman to chair. But she manages to get her .357 Magnum revolver — and shoots intruder dead.


An 85-year-old woman in rural Idaho is being hailed for her heroic actions after she was the victim of a brutal home invasion.

The Bingham County Sheriff’s Office said they were called to the home on March 13 and found a man dead from gunshot wounds and an injured elderly homeowner.

The home invasion began about 2 a.m. when 39-year-old Derek Ephriam Condon parked a mile away and used a screwdriver to break into the home through a window, according to Bingham County Prosecutor Ryan Jolley. Condon was wearing a military jacket and a black ski mask.

Condon then bashed the head of a sleeping Christine Jenneiahn with his gun. Police said they found blood on her pillow.

The man then dragged Jenneiahn to the living room and handcuffed her to a wooden chair. He demanded she tell him where her valuables were located and grew angry when she said she didn't have much. She said he put his gun to her head at that point.

She told him there were two safes downstairs, and Condon left her handcuffed to rummage around for the safes. That's when he discovered her disabled son also was in the home, and he was angry that she hadn't told him about her son.

When Condon left her alone again, Jenneiahn was able to drag her chair to her pillow and retrieve a .357 Magnum revolver. She then hid the gun and waited to see what Condon would do next.

Jolley said Condon threatened to kill her while burglarizing the home, so Jenneiahn decided to take a chance and shot at the man.

Condon was struck twice and was able to shoot back at Jenneiahn with a 9mm gun, striking her in the leg, arm, chest, and abdomen. Condon then made his way to the kitchen where he died of his wounds.

Jenneiahn was still handcuffed to the chair and remained on the floor for 10 hours before her son was able to bring her a phone so she could call the police. She was given life-saving treatment and taken to a hospital.

Jolley said that police found Condon's car near the home with footprints leading to the house. They also found a set of lock picks on Condon's body and a bag containing some of the Jenneiahn's possessions.

The incident was determined to be a “justifiable homicide” under Idaho criminal code, according to Jolley. He called the case "one of the most heroic acts of self-preservation" he had ever seen.

"Her grit, determination, and will to live appear to be what saved her that night," Jolley added. "Christine was justified in taking any and all means necessary to defend herself and her son that night." You can view a video report about the incident here.

Woman fights 3 armed males who tried to carjack her, and they take off without her vehicle. Still, police said 'do not fight back' against robbers — especially armed ones.


A 39-year-old woman began to exit her car in the Plaza shopping center's parking lot in Streetsboro, Ohio, around 1 p.m. Aug. 9, 2022, when a motorist drove up behind her, WEWS-TV reported.

With that, three men armed with guns got out of their vehicle, approached the woman, took her keys, and got into her vehicle, the station said.

But the woman climbed into her car's back seat, after which a struggle ensued, the station said. Soon all of the men exited her car and took off, police told WEWS, adding that the woman sustained a minor injury, and a description of the robbers wasn't provided.

After the attempted carjacking, police issued a warning to crime victims through the station: "We are glad that she is OK, but we would recommend that people do not fight back with people who are attempting to rob them — particularly if they are armed. Their safety is more important than any of their possessions ... this terrible crime can and does happen anywhere."

83-year-old great-grandmother who needs dialysis three times a week fights back against carjacker by biting him


The Harris County Sheriff's Office said 83-year-old Lydia Sanchez was leaving the La Michoacana grocery store in the Aldine area of Houston at 8 a.m. March 28 when a much younger, stronger male attacked her, KTRK-TV said.

Lee Sanchez, her son, said she fought back against the suspect who was trying to steal her car: "She ended up biting him, and my mom had a good hold on him."

The alleged assailant ripped Sanchez out of her car and threw her on the ground. He then drove away in her car with her purse and a large amount of cash.

Sanchez was hospitalized and later released. She suffered an extremely swollen knee, a busted lip, and a sore rib cage.

Surveillance cameras captured video of the suspect at a shopping center. He parked Sanchez's car behind Manny's Mexican Grill and Seafood Restaurant and then pulled on the door handle of a truck at the restaurant. Unable to gain entry, he walked away with a bag and abandoned the car.

Sanchez's family recovered her car, which she needs to attend dialysis three times a week. "We've got to focus on her healing," her son told KTRK.

Although her family is grateful that she wasn't more seriously injured, they want the perpetrator to face justice.

"She's doing her grocery shopping. She's 83 years old. Why?" her daughter Evelyn Garza asked. "To attack an elderly person? Yeah we want him caught!"

The family had to change out the door locks to her home because Sanchez's keys also were stolen. Sanchez has nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. You can view a video report about what happened to Sanchez here.

82-year-old man fights gun-wielding would-be carjacker, tackles him to the ground


Surveillance video — which you can view here — shows an 82-year-old man fighting a gun-wielding, would-be carjacker at an Atlanta gas station on the afternoon of March 11, 2021.

"I'm just glad to be alive," the elderly victim, who has chosen to remain anonymous, told WAGA-TV in an interview about the incident.

He described to the local news outlet how he was pumping gas at 2:30 in the afternoon when the suspect approached him.

"I thought he was going to shoot me," the victim said. "As I put my gas nozzle back and was getting ready to get in the car, I turned around, and he was there with a gun in his pants, and showed part of it. He just said, 'Give it up,' and I asked ... 'give what up?' and he said, 'You know what I'm talking about. Give me them keys.'"

Video shows the victim quickly grabbing medical records from the front seat of the car when he saw an opportunity to fight the assailant.

"I saw he wasn't looking, and I grabbed his arm with the gun in it, and we started tussling, and we hit the ground," the victim recalled. Video shows the assailant's gun was tossed in another direction during the scuffle.

After getting off the ground, the suspect allegedly grabbed the gun again, pointed it at the victim, saying, "Do you want me to shoot you? Don't make me shoot you, man."

The elderly victim then ran into the convenience store seeking help while the suspect attempted to steal the car. But after the suspect reportedly was unable to get the vehicle to start, he fled the scene.

"Oh, it scared me! It scared me. I thought he was going to shoot me," the victim recalled, adding that "desperate" criminals now are picking on victims they assume are vulnerable.

The crook made quite the misjudgment in this case.

Texas woman, 65, fatally shoots alleged home intruder who attacked her fiancé


A 65-year-old Texas woman fatally shot a home invasion suspect who reportedly attacked her fiancé.

The incident unfolded in Fredericksburg early on April 11, 2020, when 19-year-old Cleto Neri Solorzano reportedly attempted to break through the couple's patio door.

The 73-year-old homeowner investigated the source of the noise when he reportedly came face-to-face with Solorzano, who forced his way through the door, struck the homeowner with a blunt object, and began choking the victim.

That's when his fiancée jumped into action. After witnessing the attack, she reportedly ran back to the bedroom, grabbed a handgun, and fired a warning shot. Sources reportedly said she demanded Solorzano stop the attack, which rendered her fiancé unconscious, and leave the property — or she'd make the second shot count.

Solorzano apparently refused, so the woman made good on her threat — and shot the intruder in the head.

KXAN-TV reported that authorities arrived on the scene, and emergency workers transported Solorzano to nearby Hill County Memorial Hospital. He later was transferred to University Hospital in San Antonio where he was pronounced dead.

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Illegal immigrant with California driver's license accused of running over grandmother in deadly Virginia carjacking



An illegal immigrant from El Salvador is accused of running over and killing a grandmother with her own vehicle during a deadly carjacking Sunday at a 7-Eleven in Sterling, Virginia.

The male carjacked the vehicle owned by 54-year-old Melody Waldecker of Silver Spring, Maryland, around 11:39 a.m.

'This is another reminder of why it is essential that localities collaborate with our federal counterparts charged with enforcing U.S. immigration laws.'

Witnesses said Waldecker was ejected from her Kia during the carjacking, WUSA-TV reported, citing scanner audio.

With that, the suspect struck Waldecker with her own vehicle and took off, the Loudon County Sheriff's Office said in a press release. The grandmother was pronounced dead at the crime scene.

Waldecker's son told WUSA she was on her way home from visiting her mother at a nursing home when she made a stop at the convenience store.

WUSA reporter Matthew Torres posted video on X from a local resident showing the alleged stolen vehicle screeching and speeding down a residential street.

Law enforcement took the suspect — identified as 21-year-old Jose Aguilar-Martinez — into custody at 12:17 p.m.

The suspect was transported to a hospital after "appearing to have an unrelated medical condition." He was then taken to the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center in Leesburg.

Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin reported that Aguilar-Martinez has been charged with felony carjacking. Melugin added that more charges are expected, and the suspect is being held without bail.

On Wednesday, the Loudon County Sheriff's Office confirmed in a news release that Aguilar-Martinez is an illegal immigrant.

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official told Fox News that Aguilar-Martinez entered the U.S. as a "gotaway" at an unknown date and location.

ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations has placed a detainer request for him to be handed over to immigration authorities upon his release from local custody.

The El Salvadorian illegal alien did not have a fixed address but did have a California driver's license, according to the Loudon County Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff Mike Chapman from Loudoun County stated, "This is a horrific tragedy, and we mourn the death of Melody Waldecker as the result of the heinous actions by a suspect in our nation illegally. This is another reminder of why it is essential that localities collaborate with our federal counterparts charged with enforcing U.S. immigration laws."

The Loudon County Sheriff's Office noted that it cooperates with the Homeland Security Investigations and ICE "as a matter of practice."

The sheriff's office stated that ICE had issued 479 detainers for non-citizens arrested in Loudoun County for other offenses in the fiscal years of 2023 and 2024.

This is the second deadly carjacking in Virginia in two weeks. On July 20, 37-year-old Jose Vasquez Galvan was killed in Dumfries after a suspect carjacked his Lexus and ran him over during the escape.

Too close for comfort

Blaze News on Tuesday reported about a Honduran national with multiple immigration detainers against him and at least one assault and battery conviction to his name who allegedly beat a man to death in Fairfax County, Virginia, earlier this month.

Thing is, ICE reportedly filed multiple immigration detainers against the suspect with the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center — but ICE said the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office refused to honor the detainers, WJLA-TV reported.

Chapman commented in regard to this case that "we need to make sure that we're not keeping these people in our community that can do further harm. It makes no sense to me to allow these people to stay in the area and then commit another crime if we know for a fact that they're violent and that they're here illegally."

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Blaze News original: 10 instances when everyday people stood up to violent carjackers and thwarted their plans



Carjacking victims repeatedly are told to simply surrender their vehicles to the perps — and certainly don't resist or fight back. Those who witness carjackings in progress? The vast majority are going to stay out of harm's way and not intervene.

But every now and then, everyday folks go against conventional wisdom — and they fight back and fight for others.

'We are proud of these two citizens for their heroic action, for helping our officers make the arrest, and for keeping our community safe.'

Just last month, video showed an Amazon delivery driver beating up an alleged wannabe carjacker who punched his female coworker in the face, the New York Post reported.

The paper said the suspect suddenly attacked the 23-year-old female Amazon driver when she was stuck in traffic near one of the company’s warehouses in Jamaica, Queens. The suspect — identified as 29-year-old Kevon Wilson — allegedly punched the female Amazon driver repeatedly, dragged her from the van, and then jumped into the driver’s seat, the Post noted, citing police sources.

But the victim grabbed the keys out of the ignition as her male coworker entered the fray and was seen on video repeatedly punching the suspect in the middle of the road, the paper said. When the mini-brawl ended, the suspect actually got back into the driver's seat of the Amazon delivery van, the paper added.

Wilson later was arrested for robbery and assault, the Post said, adding that sources indicate he's been cuffed numerous times, including for a May 2020 assault, and he also has an open bench warrant for a traffic violation. Wilson had his bond set at $7,500 following his arraignment in Queens Criminal Court, the paper said, adding that he's scheduled back in court next Tuesday. Amazon told the Post the company is investigating the incident.

The following are 10 other times when everyday people stood up to violent carjackers and thwarted their plans.

Pair of citizens help capture career criminal; wild police bodycam video shows one of them thwart crook's carjacking attempt


Police in Ocala, Florida, said on the morning of Oct. 24, 2023, 39-year-old Michael Prouty forced his way into a woman's home in the Villages and stole her purse, cell phone, and car from the garage. Prouty later was driving the stolen car in Ocala, fled from police who spotted him, crashed into several vehicles — which left multiple people injured — and ran off. Police said "heroic citizen" Tom Episcopo grabbed Prouty, who got away but was slowed down. Police said Prouty then tried to carjack a woman while she was in a Starbucks drive-thru, but another "heroic citizen," Shane Spicer, intervened and tried to pull Prouty out of the vehicle. Bodycam video shows Spicer running after and grabbing and holding Prouty, after which officers took over and arrested him.

Prouty was facing multiple charges, including fleeing and eluding and attempted carjacking, police said, adding that Prouty also was involved in an early-morning robbery of an Ocala 7-Eleven hours before the home invasion. Police added that Prouty was sent to prison in 2017 after being charged with burglary and robbery and was released in July 2022, after which he committed more felony crimes in Miami-Dade County. Police said Prouty returned to prison and was again released in February 2023. Police said he was turned over to Miami-Dade jail and bonded out in March 2023.

Police formally recognized Episcopo and Spicer on Feb. 13 for their actions. “We are proud of these two citizens for their heroic action, for helping our officers make the arrest, and for keeping our community safe," Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken said at the time of the incident.

Philly public bus driver hailed as 'Batman' for barreling toward carjackers who were trying to take woman's vehicle while he was on his route, scaring them away


Chris DeShields, a bus driver for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, was driving north on Frankford Avenue in the city's Fishtown neighborhood not long before midnight on Jan. 25, 2023, when he said he saw a trio of 20-something males surrounding a young woman they’d forced out of a car, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported, adding that one of them snatched her keys.

DeShields was carrying five passengers at the time, the paper said, citing Chris Valentin, chief bus operations officer for the agency. But DeShields wasn't about to let the crooks get away with it. The Inquirer said DeShields veered the bus toward the trio, leaned on the horn, flashed the blinkers, and shouted out the windows.

“They had masks on, but you could see their eyes popping wide open,” DeShields, who's been driving buses for 17 years, told the paper. “Like, ‘What do we do now?’” With a 30,000-pound bus heading toward them, the Inquirer reported that the trio ran off.

DeShields told the paper he exited the bus to ask people in a bar to watch the woman until she was able to get help — and then he got back inside and continued his route “to get my passengers home.”

DeShields — who at the time was 38 and worked a 4:30 p.m. to 2:05 a.m. shift — added to the Inquirer that he "caught hell in the depot the next day. My coworkers were laughing and teasing me, saying, ‘We heard you were Batman.’”

“If you were raised a certain way, and you’ve got a bit of heart, you’re going to get involved with certain things," DeShields also told the paper. "I’ve got a soon-to-be wife and my sister — I would love somebody to help them if they get in a jam.”

Chick-fil-A worker rushes from restaurant to rescue woman, baby from armed carjacker — and tackles, subdues suspect


A woman was getting a baby out of her vehicle near a Chick-fil-A in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, on Sept. 14, 2022, when a male armed with a stick confronted her and allegedly demanded her keys. The victim cried out as the male wrenched her keys from her waistband and climbed inside her vehicle — and that's when Mykel Gordon took action, Okaloosa County Sheriff's deputies said.

Gordon, a Chick-fil-A employee, heard the victim's cries for help, tackled the suspect, and subdued the male despite taking a punch to the face. Others soon aided Gordon's efforts. The sheriff's office said 43-year-old William Branch of DeFuniak Springs — who reportedly was involved in another incident before the carjacking attempt — was charged with carjacking with a weapon and battery.

Matthew Sexton, operator of the Chick-fil-A, told CNN he was grateful for "amazing team member Mykel Gordon, who so selflessly jumped in to intervene and help our guests" and "couldn't be prouder of his incredible act of care."

You can view cellphone video of the incident here.

Lyft driver with concealed carry license opens fire on carjacking duo — one of them armed — and sends them both to hospital


A Lyft driver in Philadelphia who's licensed to carry a firearm thwarted an armed carjacking on the afternoon of Jan. 3, 2022, by shooting and wounding two suspects as they tried to steal his vehicle.

The 38-year-old rideshare driver was transporting a female passenger when he was rear-ended twice by a Honda Accord on the 4200 block of Parkside Avenue in West Philadelphia, WTXF-TV reported.

After being hit a second time, the Lyft driver exited his 2011 Infiniti sedan to confront the two males in the car behind him who, according to police, were in their 20s. That's when one male allegedly exited the trailing car and pointed a gun at the Lyft driver, demanding possession of his vehicle.

The Lyft driver got his passenger out of the vehicle before the carjacker sat in the driver's seat — but once the suspect did so, the Lyft driver opened fire, striking the suspect in the chest. Fox New said the getaway driver then tried to run over the Lyft driver — but the Lyft driver shot him, too. Both suspects reportedly drove the vehicles from the scene in opposite directions, but neither made it more than a few blocks. Philadelphia police took the suspects to a hospital shortly afterward. The Lyft driver wasn't hurt. Cops reportedly recovered all the weapons from the scene, and the identities of those involved weren't immediately disclosed.

Trio of crooks try carjacking man when witnesses say another person pulls gun, opens fire, and hits 1 suspect; the other 2 flee 


Three people tried carjacking a man in Dallas in late 2022 when another person pulled a gun, opened fire, and hit one of the suspects, KXAS-TV reported, adding that the other two suspects ran off.

Witnesses dining in Odelay near the Dallas North Tollway and Lovers Lane told the station the victim had just left the restaurant around 6:30 p.m. Dec. 30 when the incident unfolded. Witnesses added to KXAS that another person, whom police haven’t identified, shot one of the suspects. That suspect was taken to a local hospital while the other two fled, KXAS reported, adding that no one else was hurt.

Many customers couldn’t return to their cars that night, as Odelay’s parking lot became a crime scene and police continued to search for evidence, the station said.

Witness Thomas Gleason told KXAS he heard “six, eight, maybe 10" shots, adding that "it was not one or two. It was a number of them. Immediately, everyone just started to scatter like they would in a gunshot situation.” Gleason, who has a permit to carry, added to the station that he pulled his gun but didn't have to fire it.

Pair of karate instructors reportedly thwart alleged armed carjacking in broad daylight


Amid an apparent carjacking attempt in Oakland last summer, KTVU-TV said a pair of instructors from a karate studio across the street jumped into action.

Fox News said the incident unfolded at 2:45 p.m. Aug. 14 on Piedmont Avenue. KTVU obtained surveillance video from a plant nursery showing the victim exiting his car — and two masked, hooded assailants exiting another vehicle and taking the victim's keys. But then two Good Samaritans ran toward the scene and started smashing the windows of the assailants' car with sticks — one of them shattered the windshield. That apparently was a signal that the would-be carjackers were in the wrong place, and they were seen quickly getting back into their vehicle, which sped away. The victim's car was spared.

'You come here bullying people on my f***ing street!' Young black man reportedly defends elderly Asian man from violent carjacking


In October 2022, a video was posted on the Instagram account Black and Asian Souls Unite showing a black man using a handgun allegedly to protect an Asian man from a carjacking. The black man with the gun is seen shoving another black man down a sidewalk; the video does not show the alleged carjacking itself.

"Get the f*** off my street!" the Good Samaritan with the gun shouts at the other unidentified man. "You come around here bullying people on my f***ing street, [N-word]?"

"F***ing picking on an old-ass Asian man," the man concludes as the alleged would-be carjacker continues to walk away.

In the beginning of the video, the Good Samaritan fires a warning shot, likely to show the other man how serious he is. The Good Samaritan also can be seen tossing back what appear to be keys to the alleged victim, who responds, "Thank you."

Viewers said the video shows the "true allyship" of the black and Asian communities in the greater Los Angeles area. Carl Samson of NextShark — an outlet that describes itself as "a leading source covering Asian and Asian American news" — reported that the video was given to an LAPD volunteer, but it's unclear whether law enforcement investigated.

Passerby armed with hammer intervenes in attempted carjacking; cops arrest suspect


A passerby armed with a hammer intervened in an attempted carjacking earlier this year in Naugatuck, Connecticut, Patch reported, citing police.

Cops said in a news release that Guy Guery, 23, tried to steal a vehicle while a person was inside it by Fulling Mills Deli on Prospect Street around 5:30 p.m. Feb. 25, the outlet reported, adding that investigating officers determined that a passerby armed with a hammer intervened.

Guery fled on foot through a nearby wooded area, after which cops found and arrested him, police told Patch. Guery was charged with attempted carjacking by robbery, second-degree reckless endangerment, and interfering with officer/resisting arrest, the outlet reported, adding that Guery was held on a $500,000 bond and arraigned in court the next morning. Guery also had several outstanding warrants for failure to appear in court for which he was charged, Patch said, citing police.

Citizen helps off-duty Border Patrol agent pull would-be carjacker from vehicle belonging to local church pastor


A citizen helped an off-duty Border Patrol agent prevent a 24-year-old male from carjacking a local church pastor in Westmorland — a California city near the Mexican border.

Suspect Antonio Mendoza sustained undisclosed minor injuries when the pair pulled him from the vehicle and a scuffle ensued around 12:50 p.m. July 25, 2021, the Calexico Chronicle reported, citing Westmorland Police Chief Perry Monita. The suspect allegedly was in possession of a knife at the time of his arrest but reportedly did not brandish it during the incident, Monita added to the Chronicle.

Mendoza was treated and released at a local hospital before being booked into Imperial County jail, Monita told the paper, adding that Mendoza was charged with carjacking, making criminal threats, and making criminal threats to an officer.

The chief told the Chronicle that Mendoza allegedly assaulted the church pastor, but the victim wasn't injured — nor were the citizen or the Border Patrol agent who intervened. The paper said the victim is a pastor at Westmorland Apostolic.

Woman turns the tables on carjackers in lethal fashion, fatally shooting one of them with his own gun


A woman told detectives she picked up a friend on their way to a Friendsgiving on Nov. 19, 2022, and they parked in North Las Vegas to wait because they were too early, KVVU-TV reported. She noticed a vehicle approaching them fast; then the driver parked directly in front of her car, blocking it, the station said, citing arrest report documents.

The woman told detectives two black males exited the vehicle with guns pointed at her and her friend, the station said, adding that one of the males opened the driver’s-side door, grabbed her by the shirt, and yanked her out of the car. One of the males got into the driver’s seat but couldn't drive away, presumably because he didn't know a button needed to be pushed, the station said, adding that the male then placed the gun in his lap. The woman, who told her friend to run away, grabbed the gun and ran, the station said.

The male tackled her from behind, and she shot him, the station said, adding that a second suspect started shooting at her, after which the woman ran to a house and hid in a side yard. Officers found a dead adult male in the street bleeding from his head, the station said. Police determined the woman acted in self-defense.

KTLA-TV reported that police arrested 18-year-old Jaylin Morrison on Dec. 2, saying he was one of the would-be carjackers. The station, citing records, said he faced charges of second-degree kidnapping, attempted robbery, burglary, and conspiracy to commit robbery, all with a deadly weapon. Days later police arrested two additional suspects — Jaylyn Mays and Derico Jackson, both 19, KLAS-TV reported.

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Sotomayor’s Bodyguard Saved By Second Amendment Self-Defense Right That Justice Rejected

An armed U.S. marshal thwarted a carjacking while protecting the residence of anti-Second Amendment Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

Sonia Sotomayor's security officers shoot armed teen carjacking suspect outside justice's DC condo



Deputy U.S. Marshals assigned to the security detail of Justice Sonia Sotomayor fired their service weapons last week after an armed carjacking suspect apparently threatened one of their lives.

In the wee hours of the morning last Friday, at least two deputy U.S. Marshals were sitting in separate unmarked vehicles outside Sotomayor's residence in the Beauregard Condominiums complex located in Washington, D.C., as part of their security responsibilities.

Suddenly, just after 1:15 a.m., a silver minivan pulled up nearby, and a male suspect hopped out of the vehicle. The suspect drew a gun, aimed it at a security officer identified only as "Deputy US Marshal Black," and demanded that Black hand over his car, the Daily Mail reported.

'In most US cities, juveniles spend the summer hanging out with their friends, working summer jobs, visiting family members. In DC, juveniles carjack.'

A statement from the D.C. Metro Police Department indicated that Black then "drew his service weapon and fired several shots at the suspect," and at least one of those shots struck the suspect in the mouth, the Daily Mail said.

By that time, a second deputy Marshal had exited his vehicle "and fired his service weapon," though whether any of his shots struck the suspect is unclear. Afterward, Black rendered first aid to the suspect, later identified as 18-year-old Kentrell Flowers of Washington, D.C.

Flowers was then transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, but his apparent accomplice did not stick around to assess Flowers' condition. Shortly after the Marshals fired their weapons, "The silver van fled the scene travelling northbound on 11th Street Northwest," said a statement of facts filed in D.C. district court by Deputy U.S. Marshal Tyler Wells.

A vehicle matching the van's description was later found, but no other suspect has yet been identified. The weapon allegedly used in the commission of the crime, a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson, was recovered at the scene. No Marshals were injured in the incident.

Flowers has been charged with armed carjacking, carrying a pistol without a license, and possession of a large capacity ammunition-feeding device. The case remains under investigation.

The Daily Mail noted that Metro PD issued a statement about the Marshal-involved shooting within hours of the incident, but that initial announcement made no mention of the connection with Justice Sotomayor. According to the outlet, Sotomayor's D.C. residence is a two-bedroom, two-bath condo currently valued at over $860,000.

In 2013, Sotomayor likened the area to New York's East Village. "It has a touch of the East Village in it," she told the New York Times. "I picked it because it's mixed. I walk out and I see all kinds of people, which is the environment I grew up in and the environment I love."

Blaze News reached out to the public information officer of the U.S. Supreme Court for comment but did not receive a response.

K. Denise Rucker Krepp, a former elected D.C. official who once worked in the Obama administration, is outraged that violence perpetrated by young people continues to proliferate in her area.

"Washington DC, the District of Crime, has a juvenile carjacking problem," she told Blaze News in a statement. "In most U.S. cities, juveniles spend the summer hanging out with their friends, working summer jobs, visiting family members. In DC, juveniles carjack. As was demonstrated last Friday, no one is safe from juvenile carjacking in the nation's capital."

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Carjackers in broad daylight fire shots as they walk up to family members saying their goodbyes in driveway



A doorbell camera caught the terrifying moment when carjackers in broad daylight fired shots as they walked up to family members saying their goodbyes in a driveway in Jackson, Mississippi, last week.

"I threw my hands up like, 'Hey, hey, hey,' and he just pulled me down," Heather Allen recounted to WAPT-TV regarding Friday's ordeal.

'He jumps in the driver's seat, I'm standing on the outside looking in, and he points a gun at my oldest boy's face.'

The station said Allen and one of her sons were outside the car parked in the driveway at the time of the crime — however, Allen's daughter, two grandchildren, and her oldest son were inside the car.

Video shows one of the suspects opening the driver's side door and pulling a victim in the driver's seat out of the car. That victim is Allen's daughter, WAPT said.

"They kept hollering, 'Give me the keys, give me the keys.' My daughter was like, 'My babies, my babies are in the car,'" Allen recalled to the station.

Allen also told WAPT, "He jumps in the driver's seat, I'm standing on the outside looking in, and he points a gun at my oldest boy's face."

The station said Allen's son was able to get out of the car — and then she grabbed her grandchildren from the backseat. WAPT added that the whole time one of the suspects continued yelling for the keys.

As it turns out, though, the suspects were unable to figure out how to get the car to move, the station said.

'I'm not sleeping. My oldest son, his anxiety is through the roof — he's even scared. My daughter, she has shock, but they're safe.'

With that, WAPT said Allen threw on the ground the keys to her own car, which was parked on the lawn. The station said the suspects then gave up on the car parked in the driveway and took off in Allen's car.

"I'm not sleeping. My oldest son, his anxiety is through the roof — he's even scared. My daughter, she has shock, but they're safe. They are in Batesville right now," Allen noted to WAPT.

The family indicated that they've lived in the area for about three months — but now they want to move out of Jackson, the station reported.

"We can't stay here anymore," Allen added to WAPT.

What happened next?

Jackson police found Allen's car about two blocks away from the crime scene — and only 40 minutes after the incident, the station said.

"The cop said that the car looks good, but it's in the impound lot," Allen explained to WAPT. "I can't get it until they investigate it for fingerprints."

Police Chief Joseph Wade told the station that his department is working to get Allen's vehicle back to her as soon as possible.

"I had an opportunity to look at the video of Ms. Allen and her family being robbed and carjacked in their driveway," Wade told WAPT. "It was extremely disturbing to me. It was very concerning to me because a threat to them and their family is a threat to everyone."

Wade added to the station that investigators have identified two persons of interest, but they are not in custody.

WAPT said those with information can call Crime Stoppers at 601-355-TIPS.

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Blaze News original: When thugs victimize leftist, soft-on-crime, defund-the-police Democrats, cops suddenly aren't so awful



While Democrat U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas voted in favor of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, he also has family in law enforcement and, of course, supports police.

Those opposing forces were at play when three armed thugs carjacked Cuellar in Washington, D.C., last October. The congressman wasn't hurt, and his vehicle was recovered — but soft-on-crime approaches to law enforcement took a beating. Fox News said conservatives reacted to Cuellar's scary encounter with calls to confront rapidly rising crime in D.C.

'This chaos is the result of Democrat-led soft-on-crime policies, no different than their Open Border debacle.'

"Rep. Cuellar was carjacked near my same DC apartment building," GOP U.S. Rep. Burgess Owens of Utah posted at the time, according to Fox News. "This chaos is the result of Democrat-led, soft-on-crime policies, no different than their Open Border debacle. It's time for Democrats to start taking the safety of Americans seriously."

What's more, the National Republican Congressional Committee in March 2023 said 173 House Democrats supported reduced sentences for violent crimes.

Cuellar hardly can be called anti-cop, but plenty of Democrats are. Many are soft on crime, have pushed for defunding the police, and are far left in many respects.

What's particularly revealing is what often happens when thugs victimize leftist, soft-on-crime, defund-the-police Democrats. And wouldn't you know it? In those instances, cops suddenly aren't so awful after all. The following are but a handful of examples:

Democrat congresswoman who voted to defund the police gets carjacked, robbed at gunpoint in broad daylight


Democrat U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon of Pennsylvania was carjacked around 2:45 p.m. December 21, 2021, in Philadelphia. Police said Scanlon was walking to her vehicle after attending a tour with other members of Congress when two armed men demanded the keys to her blue 2017 Acura MDX; they also made off with her personal cell phone, her government cell phone, her purse, and her identification. Fox News said Scanlon cosponsored legislation to make it easier for state and local governments to replace police officers and defund police by instead employing mental health specialists. But she sure was grateful for the quick response from police when she was carjacked.

Progressive member of Seattle City Council who voted to defund the police turns to cops after her home is targeted in rock attack


In December 2020, a progressive Democrat on the Seattle City Council — who had voted to cut the city police budget and supported effectively legalizing certain misdemeanor crimes — turned to cops for help after a rock was thrown at her house. Lisa Herbold reportedly told police "she was on the west side of the living room near the kitchen when she heard a loud noise that sounded like a gunshot and dove into the kitchen for cover." When city council voted in August 2020 to defund police, only one member voted against the measure, and it wasn't Herbold. She also proposed amending the city code to allow a so-called "poverty defense" when people commit petty crimes like trespassing or shoplifting, KOMO-TV reported. In fact, Herbold told the council's Public Safety Committee just days before her home was attacked that such amendments would result in "giving people an opportunity to tell their stories and giving judges and juries the opportunity to hear those stories and make a decision based on the values of our city." Herbold declined to run for her seat in 2023.

Anti-cop New York City councilmembers want police protection after receiving death threats: Report


Sources told the New York Post last month that anti-cop New York City council members Chi Osse, Yusef Salaam, Shahana Hanif, and Carlina Rivera — all Democrats — want police protection after receiving death threats. All four have been vocal critics of the NYPD and pushed the “How Many Stops Act” that buries police officers in paperwork, the Post said, adding that they've also angered pro-Israel New Yorkers for publicly supporting pro-Palestinian protesters. None of the four council members immediately responded to the paper's requests for comment.

Soft-on-crime, Soros-funded district attorney carjacked at gunpoint — and soon changes his tune about crime and punishment


A pair of armed suspects carjacked New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams last October in the city's Lower Garden District; the Democrat's 78-year-old mother was in the black Lincoln Navigator at the time of the crime. The masked thieves didn't get very far since Williams kept the vehicle’s key fob in his pocket. Police said his SUV was recovered at an undisclosed location, but crooks stole some of his mother’s belongings, including her wallet and phone. George Soros gave a Williams PAC $220,000 leading to his successful election in December 2020 on a criminal justice reform platform. But just a month after the carjacking, Williams told WWL-TV he changed his thinking about crime and punishment, with the station saying he's "even reversed his positions on some of his strongest campaign promises." He recused himself from working on the carjacking case.

Democrat who backed dismantling police left bloody after violent carjacking in front of her children, leading her to call for tougher treatment of criminals


The vice chairwoman of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party in Minnesota — who had previously called for dismantling the police — last September was violently carjacked in front of her children and left bloody. Shivanthi Sathanandan said she suffered a broken leg, deep lacerations on her head, and bruising and cuts all over her body. She also demanded the increase of criminal penalties to deter violent crimes: “We need to get illegal guns off of our streets, catch these young people who are running wild creating chaos across our city and HOLD THEM IN CUSTODY AND PROSECUTE THEM,” she wrote on Facebook.

'Anti-police king' congressman called out for hypocrisy after requesting enhanced police patrols at his home


A progressive Democrat congressman who voted to defund Austin police as a city council member in 2020 and then blasted the department in December 2023 for alleged racist practices, even asking the Justice Department to investigate it, actually requested a patrol of his home from the same department, Fox News reported. "It’s come to our attention that Anti police king of the defund movement in Austin [Greg Casar] who only last week called APD an agency with racist practices has requested enhanced patrols around his house for the next week," the Austin Police Retired Officers Association posted on X, according to the cable news network. Casar was arguably the loudest proponent of defunding Austin police in 2020 while he was a city council member, Fox News said, adding that it led to an officer shortage and retirements from which critics said the Texas capital has not recovered. Casar's office added to Fox News Digital it does "not comment on active security matters related to the Congressman."

Left-wing thugs punch, scream at left-wing Portland mayor during his restaurant dinner


The eventful dinner took place in January 2021 and featured far-left militants barging past restaurant staff to confront Wheeler. One of the thugs made physical contact with the Democrat mayor. No arrests were made. Angry residents at the time accused Wheeler of not supporting police enough while militants said the opposite, even though months before the dinner showdown he said he was willing to defund the police but only to an extent. In July 2020 — the hottest month of the George Floyd summer — Portland rioters threw objects at Wheeler and endlessly berated him after he showed up on the streets for what he called a "listening session."

Democrat who once employed anti-cop staffer blasts soft-on-crime policies she says led to physical attack against her


It wouldn't be fair to categorize Democrat U.S. Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota as soft-on-crime or anti-cop — but one of her top staffers most definitely was in favor of defunding the police, the Washington Free Beacon reported in February 2022. A year later Craig was violently attacked in the elevator of her Washington, D.C., apartment and soon spoke out against the lack of prosecution of violent crime repeat offenders. "I got attacked by someone who the District of Columbia has not prosecuted fully over the course of almost a decade, over the course of 12 assaults before mine that morning," she told CBS News, adding that "we have to think about how in the world can we make sure we're not just letting criminals out." Just hours after the attack, Craig voted against the new D.C. criminal code that would significantly soften criminal penalties in the nation's capital.


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'I can't catch a break': DC charged victims of allegedly violent carjacking $2,000 to get car out of impound



A Washington, D.C., family who already endured an allegedly violent carjacking was victimized again after the city charged them thousands of dollars to get their stolen vehicle out of impound.

According to a report from WJLA, the trouble began back in November after the husband of Michelle Terrell worked a long shift as a driver for a food delivery service. When he returned to the couple's residence in northwest D.C. and attempted to park his car outside, he was carjacked at gunpoint, Terrell told the outlet.

Police recovered the stolen vehicle about two months later, and the Department of Public Works apprised the couple of the news via letter. Unfortunately, the letter was sent to an old address, and Mrs. Terrell received the letter by happenstance sometime in February when she visited her former home to look for tax forms.

"If I didn't go there to check the mail and just to make sure to see if I had any W-2s [or] 1099s, I would never have even received the letter," she claimed.

Terrell then went to the impound lot to retrieve her family's stolen SUV. Even though she could see her car from the sidewalk, she still couldn't drive it home after she learned that the city charged her more than $2,000 to cover the cost of towing and storage. To make matters worse, the thieves had also accrued at least one ticket on the city's traffic cameras — a ticket that was ultimately assessed against Terrell's family.

"I can't catch a break, but this time around I'm just determined to not give up," she said. Terrell reached out to the city, which eventually agreed to reduce some of the charges.

WJLA likewise reached out to the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles, which hinted that Terrell and her husband may actually be to blame for some of the hefty fines. "The DC Department of Motor Vehicles communicates with customers based on the last known address we have on file," its statement said, according to the outlet. "We advise customers to update their contact information with the agency as soon as possible whenever they change addresses."

When the family moved and whether they promptly updated their contact information with the city is unclear. Still, a DMV representative claimed that the agency would take a second look at Terrell's case.

For now, Michelle Terrell's car remains locked in the impound lot, and she suggests that all vehicle theft victims contact the DMV immediately after filing a police report.

"I just pray that no one else becomes a victim for the second time around because that's what's happening in my situation."

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