Mark Latunski, the gay cannibal who admitted to murdering and eating a man on Christmas Day, convicted of first-degree murder



On Wednesday, the Shiawassee County cannibal, 53-year-old Mark Latunski, was found guilty of first-degree murder. He had previously pled guilty to open murder for having killed, mutilated, and eaten part of 25-year-old Kevin R. Bacon of Swartz Creek in December 2019. The conviction entails a mandatory life sentence.

Shiawassee County Judge Matthew Stewart determined that "this is a crime of cold calculation ... Kevin Bacon's death was Mark Latunski's design."

Karl Bacon, the victim's father, expressed relief upon Latunski's conviction. He said, "It's in our best interest to see him in prison forever and I didn't want him out in public again."

WJBK reported that the victim's father was surprised to hear about some of his son's interests and proclivities, which were raised this week in court. "What was released (Monday) shows that Kevin had a dark side," said Karl Bacon. "He obviously got into something that he wasn't prepared for."

Kevin Bacon, a hairstylist who worked in Swartz Creek, met Latunski on the gay and transsexual dating app Grindr on December 24, 2019. Reportedly aware that that Latunski was a fetishist into violent sex, Bacon went to the cannibal's house for "sexual reasons."

Latunski later told investigators that he and Bacon discussed the Swartz Creek man's killing and that Bacon said, "OK, I'm ready."

When Bacon didn't show up to breakfast on Christmas Day, his family worried. Later that day, they called police to report the victim missing.

Bacon's roommate, Michelle Myers, notified investigators that Bacon had met a man on Grindr the previous day.

Bacon's phone, wallet, and other belongings were subsequently discovered along with his car at a Family Dollar in Clayton Township.

On the basis of social media posts pertaining to Latunski's house as well as other indicators of Bacon's potential whereabouts, police were dispatched to the cannibal's home on West Tyrrell Road in Bennington Township, Michigan, where, on December 28, 2019, they found Bacon's body in the basement.

One of the witnesses who testified during the trial, now an undercover Michigan State Police officer, said that police found Bacon naked and dangling from the rafters with his ankles bound, throat slit, body perforated by stab wounds, and parts missing.

The cannibal admitted in September that after stabbing Bacon, he removed the victim's testicles and brought them into his kitchen. Latunski allegedly cooked and consumed the victim's genitals.

Cannibal killer pleads guilty in murder of Kevin Bacon youtu.be

Latunski married Jamie J. Arnold, a man he met on Grindr, in December 2016. They broke off the relationship in September 2019. Arnold told MLive, "Never in a million years did I think he'd be capable of doing such a horrendous crime."

Over the course of a few months, it appears Latunski may have committed a handful of horrendous crimes.

According to a 2020 complaint, Arnold allegedly introduced a New York man named James Carlsen to Latunski. With a ticket purchased by Mark Latunski, Carlsen then flew from New York to Michigan. With the intention to engage in sadomasochist gay sex, he then traveled to Latunski's home.

Latunski allegedly chained up Carlsen and held him captive. Carlsen claimed to have cut himself free while the cannibal was asleep. Once freed from his restraints, he called 911 and fled the area in a panic. However, lacking funds to return home, Carlsen returned to his former captor, expecting Latunski to pay for his flight back to New York.

Flint Journal-MLive obtained the 911 calls from two men fleeing Latunski's basement on two separate occasions. One of the callers said he was from New York.

911 call details man’s frantic flight from basement at center of murder case - Nov. 25, 2019 youtu.be

Michael Parks, Latunski's neighbor, recalled to WILX the time that a man with purple hair and a leather skirt came to his front porch, covered in blood. He said the man screamed, "Help me, keep him away ... he wants to hurt me, he wants to hurt me."

"Another vehicle pulls in my driveway and out comes, who I now find out is Mark, wearing a leather skirt, belts across his chest, no shoes, no shirt on ... very odd-looking gentleman," said Parks.

Michigan State Police Special 1st Lt. David Kaiser detailed how on November 25, 2019, troopers rescued the 29-year-old man referenced by Parks. The victim indicated he had been chained up in the cannibal's basement.

Kaiser stated that the victim "advised he did not want a report to go to the prosecutor's office and he was not looking for any type of criminal charges. The victim reportedly returned Latunski's leather kilt and was provided a ride to safety by police.

Prior to his marriage to Arnold, Latunski had been married to Emily Latunski from 2001 to 2013. The couple raised four kids.

Latunski was charged with parental kidnapping in September 2013 for taking two of his kids from his ex-wife. The resultant trial began in January 2015 but was dismissed one month later without prejudice.

Emily Latunski claimed in 2013 that her ex-husband, when off his medication, would watch torture/horror movies, talk to himself, and stay out all night.

The Des Moines Register reported that Latunski was diagnosed in 2010 and 2012 with a variety of mental health disorders, including borderline personality traits, depression, and paranoid schizophrenia.

The cannibal, who received a degree from Central Michigan University and a master's in chemistry from Iowa State University, previously worked for American Chemical Technologies making lubricants, but was fired, allegedly for "erratic behavior."

Although allegedly erratic, Latunski's murder of Bacon was meticulously planned and premeditated. He even told officials he had planned on ordering a dehydrator to store additional pieces of his victim's body.

\u201cICYMI: Disturbing accounts from a taped interview with accused killer Mark Latunski. This happened Tuesday in court. \n\nLater tonight on @midmichigannow I will have the decision from the judge on the degree charge in this case.\u201d
— Courtney Bennett (@Courtney Bennett) 1666196751

Latunski's next hearing is on December 15.

AOC can't stop repeating the word 'baby' as she pitches 'SICK' plan to abort more babies in red states



Vice President Kamala Harris' cringeworthy habit of getting stuck on repeat seemed to have brushed off on Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) as she pitched her outrageous plan to keep abortion available on demand in red states.

In response to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on Friday, Ocasio-Cortez is demanding that the U.S. government, presumably funded by taxpayers, should set up abortion providers on federal land in red states.

"Yeah, I’ll start with the babiest of the babiest of baby steps. Open abortion clinics on federal lands in red states right now, right now, right now!" Ocasio-Cortez shouted to a crowd of pro-abortion protesters.

\u201cALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ: \u201cOpen abortion clinics on federal lands in red states right now!\u201d \n\n\u201cRight now!\u201d\u201d
— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1656433420

The progressive congresswoman was immediately excoriated by conservatives on Twitter:

\u201c@RNCResearch She knows nothing about economics, climate or the environment, foreign policy, immigration, national defense, basic math, science, or history, and it doesn't look like she's ever taken a class about U.S. Government because she doesn't know the Supreme Court is an EQUAL branch! \ud83e\udd21\u201d
— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1656433420
\u201cI will never ever understand why a group of women would cheer and applaud the killing of the unborn. It's literally an exercise in mind control. Sick.\u201d
— Joe Pags Pagliarulo (@Joe Pags Pagliarulo) 1656436339
\u201c@RNCResearch She is really grabbing at straws now. AOC needs a big dose of common sense. They still don't get it 'Abortion has not been outlawed', the administration of the law is passed to the states, they act like its a death sentence.\u201d
— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1656433420
\u201c@RNCResearch @ScottAdamsSays She doesn\u2019t represent red states. That\u2019s a constitutional crisis.\u201d
— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1656433420
\u201c@RNCResearch That\u2019s no longer the federal governments role to determine.\u201d
— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1656433420
\u201c@RNCResearch Remember when abortion clinics on tribal lands forced sterilization on Indigenous women ? I do.\u201d
— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1656433420
\u201c@IRONRANGER218 @marc_hoeee @RNCResearch Get outta here with this federalist \u201crule of law\u201d shit. I want a fascist central government to dictate morality to me and I want it now!!\u201d
— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1656433420
\u201c@RNCResearch . . . exhibits baby like tendencies, like throwing tantrums, loves shiny new things, goes on baby strolls, listens to music to calm down and loves constant attention.\u201d
— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1656433420
\u201c@RNCResearch Perfect example of why States should kick the Feds out of managing their natural resources. Another overreach that should be returned to States Rights.\u201d
— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1656433420
\u201c@RNCResearch So Federally run abortion clinics funded by taxpayers on Federal lands???\u201d
— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1656433420
\u201c@JohnFinnell6 @RNCResearch Reading comprehension is a skill, and they lack it\u201d
— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1656433420
\u201c@JohnFinnell6 @RNCResearch She gets it, the dummies that vote for her don\u2019t understand what the decision means. It\u2019s a coalition of morons\u201d
— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1656433420
\u201cEvil comes in many forms.\u201d
— Courtney Kirchoff (@Courtney Kirchoff) 1656435047

On BlazeTV's "The News & Why it Matters," host Sara Gonzales and guests John Doyle and Lily Kate discussed some of the most "demonic" pro-abortion protesters who are taking to the streets to show their outrage over the possibility of more babies being born.

Watch the video below. Can't watch? Download the podcast here.


Want more from The News & Why It Matters?

To enjoy more roundtable rundowns of the top stories of the day, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.

China censors popular sitcom 'Friends' to remove 'vulgar, immoral, and unhealthy' content



In its latest censorial crackdown on Western media, the Chinese government has censored content from the popular situational comedy "Friends."

Regional streaming services in China such as Bilibili, Tencent, Youki, Sohu, and iQiyi now enable Chinese audiences to view the popular sitcom after the series' reunion special on HBO Max, titled "Friends: The Reunion," proved to be popular among Chinese audiences.

Largely, Chinese censors are altering and removing parts of the show that portray gay relationships, homosexuality, one-night stands, adultery, and underage love in accordance with content guidelines issued in 2016.

The guidelines stipulate that "vulgar, immoral, and unhealthy" content shall not be available to the public.

Scenes from the series' premier in which one character bemoans his ex-wife's adulterous lesbian escapades have been deleted.

Scenes throughout the series that show the characters discussing homosexuality have been altered, and sexually explicit conversations between characters have received subtitles that change the conversation's trajectory.

For instance, a sexually explicit conversation in which a character acknowledges the sexual uniqueness of women is accompanied by Chinese subtitles reading "women have endless gossips" instead of translating the actual, explicit statement verbatim.

Chinese fans of the series vented their frustrations online by using the hashtag "#FriendsCensored." This hashtag received more than 54 million mentions but was pulled down by state censors within hours of its first appearance.

According to CNN, the popular Chinese social media website Weibo took down the hashtag because it could no longer host the content "according to relevant laws and regulations."

According to online complaints, Chinese citizens viewed the censorship as an "insult to our English language ability."

Nevertheless, this censorship was required so the show could be available to the Chinese public in accordance with the law.

From 2012 to 2013, Chinese audiences could stream "Friends" without state censorship.

In late January, the Chinese government censored David Fincher's 1999 film "Fight Club." The Chinese streaming platform Tencent altered the movie by cutting out a dramatic end scene where the film's leads effectively cause a societal financial collapse. Instead of showing the film's original ending, Chinese censors inserted a caption telling viewers that the financial reset was foiled and that all of the complicit criminals were arrested.

FIGHT CLUB\u2019s ending for the Chinese release (on Tencent Video) was changed to this and now I\u2019m waiting for someone to fanfic a sequel based on this censored ending.pic.twitter.com/zYB0bY3Dlp
— Courtney Howard (@Courtney Howard) 1643062101

The film was reportedly edited by its copyright holder for approval by the Chinese government prior to its circulation in China.

Similarly, last November, Disney caved to pressure from the Chinese government and removed a popular episode "The Simpsons" that mocks the Chinese government from the company's streaming platform in Hong Kong.

China alters ending of cult classic 'Fight Club' so that the authorities come out on top



Movie fans were outraged over the weekend after observing China's latest censorship plot, which in this case was the drastic altering of David Fincher's 1999 film, "Fight Club," to make it so that, in the end, the criminals are arrested and the authorities win.

What happened?

In the original version of the cult classic — starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter — the Narrator, played by Norton, kills off his alter ego Tyler Durden, played by Pitt, setting off a chain of explosions that destroy all bank and credit records, effectively ending consumerism and resetting the economy.

But that's not what viewers experience when watching the film on Tencent Video, a popular Chinese streaming service. In China's altered version, the film's ending is cut short ahead of the explosion scene, and viewers are informed in a short, to-the-point caption that Project Mayhem was foiled by the state and all criminals were arrested.

"Through the clue provided by Tyler, the police rapidly figured out the whole plan and arrested all criminals, successfully preventing the bomb from exploding. After the trial, Tyler was sent to lunatic asylum receiving psychological treatment. He was discharged from the hospital in 2012," the caption read, according to Vice.

FIGHT CLUB\u2019s ending for the Chinese release (on Tencent Video) was changed to this and now I\u2019m waiting for someone to fanfic a sequel based on this censored ending.pic.twitter.com/zYB0bY3Dlp
— Courtney Howard @ #Sundance (@Courtney Howard @ #Sundance) 1643062101

Vice noted it remains unclear whether the ending was altered under self-censorship or by government order, adding that Tencent Video declined to comment on the news.

But a source familiar with the matter reportedly told the news outlet that the film was edited by the copyright owner and approved by the government before it was sold to streaming sites for distribution. Furthermore, the Chinese publisher of the film, Pacific Audio & Video Co., is an affiliate of Guangdong TV, a state-owned television station.

What else?

Hong Kong Free Press noted in its coverage of the news that China has some of the world's strictest censorship rules. The communist country only approves a handful of foreign films for release every year, and often requires that major edits are made.

Film fans reportedly erupted in mockery after viewing the new ending, the Hong Kong news outlet reported.

"This is too outrageous," one viewer commented, while another said the edit is proof that Chinese authorities "don’t just delete scenes, but add to the plot too."

"There is no point watching this film without that scene," another person commented on the Twitter-like site Weibo, according to VICE.

Still another commenter quipped, "Probably 'Ocean’s 11' would have all been arrested. 'The Godfather’s' entire family would end up in jail."

Anything else?

China's censorship practices were also the subject of controversy late last year when Disney drew headlines for removing an anti-China episode from its "Simpsons" catalog in Hong Kong.

In the episode, which was first broadcast in 2005, the fictional cartoon family ridicules the country during a trip to mainland China, where they visit the mummified body of notorious former Chairman Mao Zedong and Beijing's Tiananmen Square.

Fight Club (1999) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers www.youtube.com

'My spirit is fluid': Courtney Stodden comes out as 'nonbinary'



Reality show personality Courtney Stodden announced on social media that she was identifying as "nonbinary," and did not identify as a woman anymore.

The model and social media influencer said in the Instagram post that her preferred pronouns were "They/them/theirs."

They/them/theirs. I don’t Identify as she or her. I’ve never felt like I ever fit in anywhere. I was bullied horrib… https://t.co/5HbmzhxDqF
— Courtney Stodden (@Courtney Stodden)1618370806.0

"I don't Identify as she or her. I've never felt like I ever fit in anywhere," Stodden explained.

"I was bullied horribly in school because I was different. The other girls never understood me. It got so bad that my mom pulled me out of school. And still, i don't fit in. I never really connected with anyone my age," Stodden added.

"My spirit is fluid with a kaleidoscope of color," the 26-year-old concluded.

A nonbinary person is one who has no official gender designation and rejects the traditional male/female gender dichotomy.

I love all genderless angels with my entire heart. #nonbinary
— Courtney Stodden (@Courtney Stodden)1618436572.0

"I love all genderless angels with my entire heart," Stodden tweeted after her announcement.

Stodden went on to explain the announcement in a statement to Variety.

"I'm excited to begin to truly start expressing myself without worry of others' judgments or opinions," the actress wrote. "I've lived too long hiding from who I really am. I'm so excited for everyone to see my true self creatively and spiritually."

Stodden first made headlines in 2011 when she married Doug Hutchison, a 51-year-old Hollywood actor, when she was only 16 years old. Her mother signed off on the controversial relationship after citing his Christian faith. The couple divorced two and a half years later, reconciled, but divorced again in 2020.

Stodden later claimed that Hutchison continued to court teenagers after their relationship ended, an accusation he denied. In a comment to TheBlaze in 2020, Stodden called Hutchison a "sociopath."

Here's more about Stodden's sordid history:

Hollywood's Marriage Shockerwww.youtube.com

Democratic socialist AOC gets destroyed for selling $58 'Tax The Rich' shirts



Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is a self-declared democratic socialist who has been a vocal critic of capitalism. In the past, she has instructed her nearly 11 million Twitter followers to "Resist disaster capitalism." Last year, AOC called declared capitalism to be "irredeemable."

Ocasio-Cortez railed against Amazon constructing a second headquarters in New York City, which was estimated to bring "at least 25,000 to 40,000 good paying jobs and nearly $30 billion dollars in new revenue" into the state. according to New York. Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

This week, the democratic socialist fully embraced capitalism by peddling $58 shirts that say, "Tax The Rich" on them. The $58 does not include shipping and handling. AOC's merchandise website indicated that it would cost an additional $9.22 to ship the product to my house, bringing the grand total for the shirt to $67.22. The shop stated that the shirt would ship via the U.S. Postal Service, and "ship in 1-2 weeks + 2 business days in transit."

Pre-orders were being taken this week for the "gender neutral fit" shirts.

Thanks!Preorders are open now :) https://t.co/J973Ot2VAt https://t.co/yY7SpOG4VD
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez)1606948590.0

It turns out that AOC has an entire merchandise shop, where she sells a hoodie promoting the Green New Deal, made from 20% polyester, for a whopping $65.

If you can't afford the expensive long-sleeved shirts, you can purchase a strangely worded T-shirt that says "AOC + ME" for $27. Instead of paying off your student loan you can spend $27 on a cancel student debt T-shirt. There is even a perplexing "Drink Water & Don't Be Racist" T-shirt for $27.

The AOC shop also hawks other swag, such as $24 posters and $25 onesies promoting the Green New Deal, a $28 "Abolish ICE" hat, a $27 tote bag, and a $27 mug that promote Ocasio-Cortez.

Many people considered the Democratic socialist selling products at premium prices to be "hypocritical," and bashed the Democratic congresswoman for selling such high-priced goods on Twitter.

AOC has a store where she’s selling shirts... otherwise known as capitalism https://t.co/EfMT9ZAsGN
— Ryan James Girdusky (@Ryan James Girdusky)1606970674.0
Capitalism is amazing, isn't it? https://t.co/JZa0006DRT
— Allie Beth Stuckey (@Allie Beth Stuckey)1606969214.0
AOC:“Capitalism sucks!”Also AOC:“Buy my Green New Deal sweatshirt for $65!” https://t.co/DAq4ComvwB
— Courtney Holland 🇺🇸 (@Courtney Holland 🇺🇸)1606968876.0
Why aren’t they free? https://t.co/FEzhMFuBRV https://t.co/4UH2ntIZDD
— Prison Mitch (@Prison Mitch)1606971025.0
AOC is selling $65 dollar sweatshirts that say “tax the rich” that only rich ppl can afford. Should just say “Tax M… https://t.co/tYbw8ZFTwv
— matt’s idea shop (@matt’s idea shop)1606969848.0
@AOC Slay, my capitalist kween.
— The Red-Headed libertarian ™ (@The Red-Headed libertarian ™)1607000116.0
looking forward to AOC buying a third home https://t.co/pPfhbp9Xls
— Siraj Hashmi (@Siraj Hashmi)1606970678.0

One person, who seemed to be an AOC supporter and retweeted the congresswoman numerous times in the past, simply wrote, "Wish I could afford this."

@taxmarch @AOC Wish I could afford this
— LovethatBoMolly (@LovethatBoMolly)1606951436.0

Sarah Fuller, brand new to college football team, blasts players at halftime. After one kickoff, she's named SEC special teams player of the week.



One story utterly dominated the sports world Saturday: A goalie for the Vanderbilt University women's soccer team joined the school's football team as its placekicker after specialists on the squad were out with COVID-19.

Factually speaking, Sarah Fuller made history when she stepped on the field against Missouri to start the second half, becoming the first woman to play in a Power 5 football game. The Southeastern Conference called her kickoff "perfectly-executed" noting that it "sailed 30 yards and was downed at the Missouri 35-yard line."

Vanderbilt's Sarah Fuller Becomes First Woman To Play In Power Five Football Gameyoutu.be

But everything else surrounding her stint with the football team, according to a number of sports commentators, seemed just a tad over the top.

What are the details?

For starters, Fuller actually blasted her brand-new teammates in a halftime speech. Now, it's not uncommon for players to get vocal with each other in the locker room when the chips are down — but a player who just joined the team? And given that kickers' workloads are quite light, typically they're the last players who will rip into teammates covered in mud, blood, and sweat.

But Fuller told reporters that's just what she did.

"I just went in there, and I said exactly what I was thinking," Fuller recalled, according to ESPN's Courtney Cronin. "I was like, 'We need to be cheering each other on. This is how you win games. This is how you get better is by calling each other out for stuff, and I'm going to call you guys out. We need to be supporting one another.'"

Fuller added that she "was a little pissed off at how quiet everybody was on the sideline. We made a first down, and I was the only one cheering, and I was like, 'What the heck? What's going on?' And I tried to get them pumped up."

I just got off a Zoom call with Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller, who detailed the halftime speech she gave and the r… https://t.co/vBUh74szRf
— Courtney Cronin (@Courtney Cronin)1606671547.0

And believe it or not, Fuller said after her speech she "had coaches come up to me and say, 'I've been wanting to say that for awhile now.'" Vanderbilt lost the game 41-0.

Oh, and after her single kickoff, Fuller was named the SEC's co-special teams player of the week.

Fuller's effort reportedly was compared to Jackie Robinson

And a number of folks just couldn't get enough of the growing legend surrounding Fuller.

Uber-woke NBA superstar LeBron James praised Fuller on Instagram. ESPN's Linda Cohn gushed on camera, calling Fuller a "rock star" during a recent interview.

Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller on becoming the first woman to play in Power 5 game | SportsCenteryoutu.be

Alex Scarborough, also with ESPN, penned a feature article totaling more than 2,000 words on Fuller.

Nashville-based radio commentator Chad Withrow said that a fellow local host likened Fuller's efforts to Jackie Robinson breaking baseball's color barrier.

"I'm thinking, 'Are you kidding me?'" Withrow told Outkick's Clay Travis on Monday. "I mean the insanity of some of this drives me crazy."

Broadcasters Compare Sarah Fuller To Greats Like JACKIE ROBINSON- Clay And Chad Are NOT Ok With It!youtu.be

Travis — a Vanderbilt alum — has been following the story closely and suggested that the whole thing may have been a publicity stunt pulled off by head coach Derek Mason to save his job. (If so, it apparently didn't work; Mason was fired the day after Fuller's game, having tallied an 0-8 season.)

Anything else?

Fuller is well aware of the negativity pointed at her.

"I've been trying not to look at the comments, but it's hard not to see them sometimes when they're talking crap about you, and I'm just like, at this point, what are you doing?" she told ESPN in a separate story. "I am a D-I soccer player, I go to Vanderbilt University, I am going to get my degree from here, I've done amazing things I've set out to do, and so they can talk crap all they want. This is something I believe I've earned, and I was at the right place at the right time, so yeah, I'll take on the hate."

Fuller also said she wants to keep playing for Vanderbilt's football team, even if other specialists return to the squad.

Trump admin says COVID-19 vaccine will not be mandatory, will be distributed within 24 hours of FDA approval



President Donald Trump announced Friday that a COVID-19 vaccine will be distributed within 24 hours of completion of phase 3 trials and FDA approval, with all Americans having access to the vaccine by April, according to the Daily Caller.

Speed has been the priority in the pursuit of a vaccine to provide relief to the country from the pandemic, as evidenced by the name of the initiative: Operation Warp Speed. From the Daily Caller:

"Since January, America's brilliant doctors and scientists have been working been working around the clock, the best medical minds in the world by far and the vaccines are going through the gold standard of clinical trials, very heavy emphasis placed on safety," Trump told reporters at the top of his Friday afternoon press conference. "Three vaccines are already in the final stage."

The president further stated that "as part of Operation Warp Speed, my administration has manufactured one of the most promising vaccines in advance, and it will be fairly long in advance, as soon as a vaccine is approved, the administration will deliver it to the American people immediately. Distribution will begin within 24 hours."

Trump said there should be enough doses by April for every American to have access to the vaccine.

Concerns about how safe the vaccine will be, combined with new perspective on just how heavily governments may impose requirements on citizens in an emergency, have led some to be skeptical about taking a vaccine for COVID-19.

Dr. Scott Atlas, a member of the White House coronavirus response task force, assured the public that they will have a choice in the matter.

"By April, every single American who wants to be vaccinated will have the ability to be vaccinated," Atlas said. "It's not a forced vaccination."

Nearly half of surveyed Americans have said they will either definitely or probably not get a COVID-19 vaccine, according to Pew Research Center. Of that group, 76% of them cite fear of side effects as a major concern, and 72% of them say they want to know more about how well it works.

Among the roughly half of Americans who say they would not get a #Covid19Vaccine vaccine, 76% say concern about sid… https://t.co/RiKlH9RHZE
— Courtney Johnson (@Courtney Johnson)1600452790.0

From Pew Research:

There are widespread public concerns about aspects of the vaccine development process. On the heels of a pledge from nine pharmaceutical companies to ensure that a potential vaccine would meet rigorous standards, the Center survey finds three-quarters of Americans (77%) think it's very or somewhat likely a COVID-19 vaccine will be approved in the United States before its safety and effectiveness are fully understood. And when asked about the pace of the vaccine approval process, 78% say their greater concern is that it will move too fast, without fully establishing safety and effectiveness, compared with just 20% who are more concerned approval will move too slowly, creating unnecessary delays.

Breaking: Rioting erupts after Minneapolis police accused of shooting and killing suspect — they say video shows he killed himself



Looting and rioting broke out in Minneapolis, Minnesota, again after the police were accused of shooting and killing another black man, but they say video shows that he committed suicide.

The aftermath of the incident was captured on cellphone video by residents who angrily denounced the police and accused them of shooting and killing the black man.

Social media erupted with scenes of looting and rioting in the wake of the accusations against the officers.

Massive looting and rioting in Nicollet Mall Target. #mplsdowntown https://t.co/zHmt9tBm5Z
— Mike Karbo (@Mike Karbo)1598488933.0

But police claim that the suspect turned a gun on himself and committed suicide when they cornered him. According to reporter Kent Erdahl of KARE11 News, Minneapolis police showed them the video of the suspect caught on surveillance video killing himself.

Erdahl posted a freeze frame from the video on social media:

Minneapolis police have just shown us video from a city surveillance camera that appears to show a murder suspect d… https://t.co/VJCDpCGubM
— Kent Erdahl (@Kent Erdahl)1598487956.0

Despite the video, looting and rioting continued on in Minneapolis.

"Looting in downtown Minneapolis. Haskell's liquor store and Medical Arts building included," reported Courtney Godfrey of KMSP-TV.

Looting in downtown Minneapolis. Haskell’s liquor store and Medical Arts building included. This is all linked to a… https://t.co/XuKuj15Vo6
— Courtney Godfrey (@Courtney Godfrey)1598491626.0

"This is all linked to alleged suicide of suspect in earlier homicide. Crowds down here were convinced he was shot by police," she added.

Godfrey indicated that she also saw the video produced by police of the suspect killing himself.

"Immediately after the suspect goes down, you can see officers rush over and start CPR," she said.

Minneapolis Police spokesperson John Elder said in a media briefing that the suspect was being sought in an investigation of a homicide committed earlier on Wednesday. He added that the police involved in the incident were wearing body cameras, but that the video could not be released without a formal process.

Here's a local news report about the incident:

Minneapolis Police Discuss Suicide Of Murder Suspectwww.youtube.com