Black suspect commits possible race hoax — then allegedly grabs a gun



A black teen in North Carolina has allegedly terrorized his community in more ways than one in just the past couple of weeks.

On May 2, Taquon Jameek Vereen, 18, was arrested after police in Fayetteville received reports of a suspect spray-painting a swastika on a building. A social media video also suggested a suspect was spray-painting swastikas on other properties as well, police said.

The Observer made no mention of Vereen's race.

Officers identified Vereen as the suspect and took him into custody without incident. He was charged with two counts of damage to real property and one count of second-degree trespassing, police said.

Court documents revealed that Vereen is accused of spray-painting swastikas on public property — "two stop signs and one traffic light control box" — as well as on the side of a convenience store from which Vereen had been banned back in April.

The Fayetteville Police Department statement described Vereen as a "black male, 18 years of age."

In its report about the incident, the Fayetteville Observer specifically noted that swastikas are "widely recognized as symbols of hate" that are "commonly associated with Nazi ideology and white supremacist groups." However, the Observer made no mention of Vereen's race.

RELATED: Video of man lurking in KKK garb unnerves Rhode Island residents — police say it is not what it seems

Photo of swastika graffiti in Brooklyn in March 2026 by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis/Getty Images

Vereen posted bond on May 6 in connection with the swastika case, court records showed. Just six days later though, he was back in custody, this time in connection with an even more serious incident.

On Tuesday, Vereen was arrested after he was "walking down the roadway pointing a handgun at bystanders and passing vehicles," police claimed, citing witness statements.

When cops arrived at the intersection in question, located about a half-mile from the swastika-tagged convenience store, they spotted the suspect, who immediately attempted to flee on foot. He was quickly apprehended and identified as Vereen.

A handgun was recovered at the scene, police said.

Vereen was charged with going armed to the terror of people and assault by pointing a gun. As of Thursday morning, he is not listed among the inmates at the Cumberland County Detention Center website, but a representative at the jail confirmed to Blaze News that Vereen remains in custody and has a hearing scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

A public defender for Vereen did not respond to a request for comment.

H/T: Stephen Horn

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Ex-HS counselor reportedly was 'crying throughout the hearing' after she was hit with felony sex charges involving student



A now-former high school counselor in North Carolina has been arrested for allegedly having sex with a student at the school, according to police.

Asheboro Police Department officers on Friday arrested 39-year-old Amber Elizabeth Walker, according to the arrest warrant WFMY-TV obtained.

'Asheboro City Schools is aware that a former employee of the district has been taken into custody in connection with alleged inappropriate activity.'

Walker was charged with two felony counts of sex act with a student, the arrest warrant said. Walker faces up to 94 months in prison if convicted on both charges, WFMY reported. During Monday's hearing, prosecutors petitioned the court to hold Walker without bond.

Walker's attorney argued that his client isn't a flight risk because she resides in Guilford County, where her 2-year-old son and her parents live, WXLV-TV reported. Her attorney also noted that Walker poses no risk of reoffending, as the school district no longer employs her.

However, the judge said the charges against Walker are considered violent offenses under Iryna’s Law, which means a defendant cannot be released on an unsecured bond or written promise, WXLV reported. Iryna's Law was enacted in October 2025 in response to the brutal killing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte commuter train.

According to the Duke Chronicle, the main provisions of Iryna's Law are to "enforce stricter pretrial release conditions, mandate mental health evaluations for some defendants, and expedite the process for implementing capital punishment."

Walker's secured bond was set at $50,000, and the judge ordered her to have no contact with the victim.

Walker was "crying throughout the hearing," according to WFMY.

Walker was a counselor and girls' basketball coach at Asheboro High School, according to WFMY.

Multiple posts on the official Asheboro High School Facebook account from 2019 and 2021 identify Walker as "Coach Walker" while congratulating the girls' basketball team.

RELATED: 'Monster' guidance counselor admits to sexually abusing underage girl; promised to leave husband and kids for victim: Police

Police said they received a tip on Friday accusing Walker of engaging in sexual activity two days before with an underage student at the school, WFMY reported. Police said detectives "quickly developed evidence confirming the allegation" and took Walker into custody within hours of receiving the potentially damning accusations.

WXII-TV reported that the school district hired Walker on Feb. 26, 2018, and Asheboro City Schools fired her Friday. The school district said in a statement that it will "continue to cooperate with appropriate authorities as necessary."

"Asheboro City Schools is aware that a former employee of the district has been taken into custody in connection with alleged inappropriate activity," the school district said in a statement WFMY obtained.

The New York Post reported that just two months ago, Asheboro City Schools urged college-aspiring students to contact Walker for scholarship opportunities.

Walker is scheduled to appear in court on May 26. The Asheboro Police Department and the Randolph County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to Blaze News' request for comment.

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Roy Cooper Says He’ll Block Grocery Mergers To 'Make Stuff Cost Less,' But He Cozied Up to Kroger as NC Governor: Senate Hopeful Didn't Fight Its Plans for Massive Merger

Fresh off securing the Democratic nomination for North Carolina's open Senate seat, former Gov. Roy Cooper kicked off his general election campaign with a  core campaign pledge: "Make Stuff Cost Less." Voters are getting squeezed at the grocery store, Cooper said at an early March campaign event, and he vowed to bring down costs by blocking anti-competitive grocery store mergers responsible for driving costs up.

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House Dem Don Davis Touts His Eastern North Carolina Bona Fides—but Nearly All His Individual Campaign Donations Come From Outside the State

Rep. Don Davis (D., N.C.) has built his political brand around his identity as an eastern North Carolinian, frequently touting his local roots in the state’s only swing district. Yet 90 percent of the individual donations to the Democrat came from out of state last quarter.

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ANOTHER elected Democrat leaves party in North Carolina



They're starting to fall like dominoes in North Carolina.

A second North Carolina state representative from Mecklenburg County, Rep. Nasif Majeed, has officially left the Democratic Party. Last week, news broke that state Rep. Carla Cunningham had changed her voter registration to "unaffiliated."

'I have witnessed and experienced actions within the political landscape that I believe could be perceived as misleading or inconsistent with the spirit of fair elections.'

On Monday, Majeed confirmed that he has followed suit.

"After deep reflection and conversations with constituents across District 99, I have made the decision to disaffiliate from the Democratic Party and serve as an Independent," he said in a press release, according to WBTV.

"This decision is rooted in my responsibility to represent people — not party agendas — and to remain grounded in integrity, fairness, and truth," he added.

"I have witnessed and experienced actions within the political landscape that I believe could be perceived as misleading or inconsistent with the spirit of fair elections. I cannot, in good conscience, remain aligned where those concerns are not adequately addressed."

Like Cunningham, Majeed is viewed as a more conservative Democrat, voting to override vetoes from Democratic Gov. Josh Stein. Cunningham voted to override a veto of the Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act, while Majeed voted to override the veto of a bill condemned by LGBTQ+ activists because it formally recognizes only two genders.

Both of those veto-overrides were successful, and the bills are now law in North Carolina.

RELATED: Elected Democrat leaves party after standing up for Americans over illegal aliens

Also like Cunningham, Majeed lost his re-election bid last month when he was trounced in the Democratic primary for the District 99 seat. Challenger Valeria Levy garnered 69% of the vote to Majeed's paltry 26%.

Majeed has represented District 99 since 2019. Cunningham has represented District 106 since 2013. Both will serve out their terms but will be unable to run as an independent candidate for their respective districts in November.

North Carolina House Democratic Leader Robert Reives suggested he harbors no hard feelings over the defections.

"During their years in public office Representatives Majeed and Cunningham have voted on bills according to their values and I expect they will continue to do so," Reives said in a statement released Monday, according to NC Newsline. "I value their friendship and look forward to continuing to serve with them."

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Trump Forces Departure of Chinese Solar Firm Roy Cooper Lured to North Carolina With Tax Incentives

A Chinese solar company whose wholly owned American subsidiary won millions of dollars in tax incentives from former North Carolina governor Roy Cooper (D.) in 2024 is now seeking a full exit from its U.S. business in what one domestic advocacy group said is the direct result of President Donald Trump’s trade policies.

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Elected Democrat leaves party after standing up for Americans over illegal aliens



An elected state representative in North Carolina is no longer a registered Democrat after she crossed the aisle to vote with Republicans on immigration.

Last week, news broke that state Rep. Carla Cunningham was no longer registered as a Democrat. She had represented the Democratic Party in office since she was first elected to the 106th Congressional District seat in 2012. Cunningham then confirmed in a statement that she "came to realize" that she wants "to serve the people, not a party."

'All cultures are not equal.'

"Being an independent thinker does not align with party politics, and I will never compromise the needs of my constituents to satisfy a political agenda," her statement continued, according to the Charlotte Observer.

Cunningham's voter registration now says she is "UNA," or unaffiliated.

In the last year, Cunningham has faced considerable criticism after making a speech on the floor of the North Carolina House in favor of American citizens over illegal aliens and other immigrants.

"If you ask me to line up behind another group of people to raise awareness about their plight, I unapologetically say no," she said back in July.

"It's time to wake up. We must establish new rules to address a distinct type of migration that we are facing in our country, state, and cities. It's time to turn the conveyor belt off," she continued.

During the fiery speech, Cunningham noted that some immigrants come from cultures that are incompatible with the American way of life. "All cultures are not equal," she said, adding that she would still "welcome" those immigrants who "want to adapt to [our] country, not isolate yourself, and come here legally."

RELATED: Loud-mouthed former Democrat mayor tries to resurrect political career in a new state — and a new party

Nevertheless, Cunningham voted with Republicans that month to override a veto from Democrat Gov. Josh Stein on the Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act. Her vote appears to be based on principle, as it was not needed for the veto override to pass the House, which passed the override overwhelmingly, 72-48. The state Senate likewise passed the override by a sizeable margin, 30-19.

Cunningham, who is black, claimed that she was accused of racism on account of that vote. "Yes, I was degraded for my vote. Yes, I was called racist for my vote. And yes, I was said I was trash," she stated during her floor speech.

Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden (D) even allegedly threatened Cunningham over that vote. In January, Cunningham joined others in filing a petition to recall McFadden, claiming that McFadden warned her not to vote to override the veto — or else.

McFadden called Cunningham and claimed that people would "come after" her if she voted to override it, Cunningham claimed in a sworn affidavit. "I don’t want to see you get hurt; you live in my county," he added, according to Cunningham, who took those alleged statements as a threat masked as concern.

McFadden did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

Despite the allegations against him, McFadden effectively won re-election in March after he sailed through the Democrat primary and now faces no opposition in the general election in November.

Cunningham, however, did not fare well in the March primary. After seven terms in office, she lost her Democrat primary race to Rev. Rodney Sadler, who carried the day with nearly 70% of the vote. With no Republican or independent candidates in the race, Sadler will win the seat in November.

Blaze News was curious whether Cunningham has given any thought to running for political office again, perhaps as an independent or even a Republican. However, her office did not respond to a request for comment.

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'Monster' guidance counselor admits to sexually abusing underage girl; promised to leave husband and kids for victim: Police



A former North Carolina guidance counselor faces decades in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing an underage girl, according to police. The ex-school staffer reportedly promised the victim that she would leave her family to be with her.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said in a statement that an investigation was launched in February 2024 regarding accusations that a school guidance counselor was involved in an improper relationship with a student.

'A predator was lurking behind the walls of the counseling office, waiting for a victim.'

The investigation resulted in the arrest of 31-year-old Jessica Patrick Finley, a guidance counselor and volleyball coach at McDowell County High School.

Finley was charged with eight counts of indecent liberties with a child, six counts of statutory sex offense with a child, one count of sex act with a student, and one count of offenses involving a child under the age of 15.

"In April 2025, Finley declined a plea agreement and chose to proceed toward trial," the press release read.

On Thursday, Finley pleaded guilty to all charges in superior court.

A judge sentenced Finley to a minimum of 28 years and four months and a maximum of 40 years and six months in prison, police said.

At the time of sentencing, Finley already had served 778 days in jail, according to McDowell News.

Finley is required to pay a fine of $30,000 and register as a sex offender upon release.

RELATED: Special-ed teacher accused of sexually assaulting students in her home, giving them alcohol; 1 victim said he 'felt trapped'

The victim — now 17 years old — explained to the court that she originally sought counseling for anxiety and depression before her relationship with Finley began, according to McDowell News.

"I was seeking help during a time when I felt alone, and she took advantage of that," the victim said in court.

The victim knew the guidance counselor because Finley was a volleyball coach and the student played volleyball, according to McDowell News.

“A predator was lurking behind the walls of the counseling office, waiting for a victim,” the teen's older sister said in court, adding that "a day does not go by that we do not wonder what we could have done to prevent this nightmare for my sister."

The victim’s mother told the courtroom, "We would have beat the door hinges off that building to save her from that monster" and that "children are off limits. Period. No excuses and no exceptions."

A sobbing Finley told the court, "I would just like to say I am so sorry for my actions and the things I have caused, for pain I have caused, for the Carter family, my family, and my own children."

The McDowell News reported that Finley's attorney, Christopher Rumfelt, argued that Finley was suffering from postpartum depression and having marital issues around the time of the sexual abuse.

Rumfelt conceded regarding Finley, "This will follow her until the day she dies. She understands that and accepts that."

Officials with McDowell Public Schools confirmed to WHNS-TV that Finley resigned in February 2024, once the school district was made aware of the child sex crime allegations.

WLOS-TV obtained warrants revealing that Finley had sexual conversations through text messages with the 14-year-old student.

"Finley and (Minor Child 1) discussed details of their sexual encounters, as well as acts they wanted to perform on each other in the future," the warrants stated.

McDowell News reported, "Finley also had phone sex with the victim on one occasion."

The victim told investigators that Finley performed sexual acts on her on multiple occasions in Finley's guidance counselor's office at McDowell High School, according to WLOS.

Finley also told the underage girl that she would leave her family for her, according to warrants.

"Finley made statements to (Minor Child 1) regarding Finley leaving her husband and children to be with (Minor Child 1)," the warrants said.

The teen told investigators that she thought she was dating Finley, WLOS reported.

McDowell News reported, "The victim said she tried multiple times to stop seeing Finley. The victim said anytime she tried to stop the interactions, Finley would threaten to quit her job or kill herself."

The news outlet added that the victim said she felt trapped by the fear of being held responsible for Finley’s death.

Shanon Smith, a captain at the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office at the time of the crimes being reported, told McDowell News that Finley's father had been a deputy with the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office, and Finley's mother had worked with McDowell CrimeStoppers.

With a potential conflict of interest, the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office handed over the investigation to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

McDowell Public Schools did not immediately respond to Blaze News' request for comment.

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School Board Member Refuses To Resign After ‘Satanic’ Islam Post Sparks Fury
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School Board Member Refuses To Resign After ‘Satanic’ Islam Post Sparks Fury

'Have you read the Quran at all?'

On the Couch With Kamala Harris

CHARLOTTE—Kamala Harris is technically still on tour promoting 107 Days, her critically panned campaign memoir that came out almost seven months ago. Copies of the book adorn the stage at Ovens Auditorium, but no one wants to hear her rehash petty grievances from a lost election in what feels like the distant past. Maybe that explains the empty seats.

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