Mom sets up her own sting operation to confront man allegedly sexting her 13-year-old daughter — and soon bullets are flying



A Florida mother set up her own sting operation at a Popeyes fast food restaurant to confront a man who was allegedly sexting her 13-year-old daughter. The face-off ended with the suspect being shot multiple times.

Jacksonville Sheriff’s Chief of Investigations Alan Parker said during a press conference Monday that 18-year-old Cerry Rodriques Banks "was having an inappropriate text relationship with a 13-year-old female."

'As the officer reaches the corner of the business, he observes the suspect pull the pistol from his waistband.'

The girl's mother allegedly became aware of the illicit communications. She then took her daughter's phone and texted with the suspect, pretending to be her underage daughter.

The mother then set up a meeting with the 18-year-old man around 7 a.m. Sunday at a Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurant in Jacksonville.

Banks arrived at the fast food restaurant, believing he was meeting with the girl — but instead, he was met by the mother as well as her daughter and 11-year-old son.

The suspect brandished a gun and reportedly told the mother, "When you hear the shots tonight, you know what’s up."

The unnamed mother rushed her children into the Popeyes, and the suspect allegedly walked to the rear of the fast food restaurant — and the mom contacted authorities.

Police said the suspect had ample time to vacate the area, but he stayed outside of the restaurant.

Police officers confronted Banks and gave the suspect "multiple verbal commands" to "turn around and show his hands."

The suspect disregarded the commands, however, and fled.

Parker of the sheriff's office stated, "As the officer reaches the corner of the business, he observes the suspect pull the pistol from his waistband."

The officer reportedly instructed Banks to drop his weapon, which the suspect refused to do.

With that, the officer — a 7-year veteran — shot the suspect multiple times.

"The suspect continues to flee and, near a neighboring business, drops the gun," Parker said.

Banks was able to get away from the pursuing officer, but other officers set up a perimeter.

With assistance from a K-9 unit, the suspect was apprehended in a drainage tunnel without further incident.

Parker said the suspect was shot in his hand, torso, and possibly “in the leg.” He received medical assistance at the scene before being transported to a local hospital to treat his wounds.

Police said they recovered the gun, and the weapon did not appear to have been discharged during the incident.

According to jail records from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Banks was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, two counts of lewd and lascivious conduct by an offender 18 or older with the victim less than 16, unlawful use of a two-way communication device, and travel to meet after using a computer to seduce/solicit/lure a child.

Bond was set at $700,018.

Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said he understood the mother’s concern but that parents should allow law enforcement to handle situations such as this.

“We’d absolutely love to handle every situation, but this is a mother who’s concerned about her daughter. So, I get it, I understand," Waters said during the press conference. "But, I would say that in most cases, in situations like that, call us and let us come out and deal with the situation, so it doesn’t unfold like this.”

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Woman stops car near cops, gets out, says male in car was holding her at gunpoint. Suspect points gun at cops, who open fire.



A woman stopped her car near Indianapolis police officers Sunday afternoon, exited the car, and told officers a male in the car had been holding her at gunpoint, the Indianapolis Star reported.

With that, police said the suspect in the car pointed a gun at officers, and one officer shot the suspect, the paper said.

'If anybody here, or out watching, has a solution to prevent what happened here today, I'm all ears. There's no way in my mind this could have been prevented other than the person not forcefully taking and kidnapping a woman, forcing her to drive around while a gun was pointed to her head.'

Kendale Adams, deputy chief of criminal investigations, told the Star the incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. in the 1000 block of North Kealing Ave. between 10th and 11th Streets.

Citing preliminary information, the paper said officers were conducting an unrelated theft investigation when an uninvolved vehicle suddenly stopped near them.

Adams said the woman exited the car and told officers she was being held at gunpoint by a male inside the vehicle whom she did not know, the paper said.

An officer at the scene loudly told the male to put his hands up, but the male pointed a handgun toward nearby officers and at least one uninvolved citizen, Adams explained to the paper.

One officer fired his gun, striking the male at least once, before using a taser in an attempt to subdue him, the paper said.

Police ordered the male to drop the gun, but "the suspect was still holding the firearm. Officers then took the firearm out of the suspect's hand and pulled the suspect out of the car," Adams added to the Star.

Police said the male received first aid at the scene and was taken to a hospital in critical condition, the paper said, adding that Adams said he was still critical late Sunday but stable.

Adams also told the Star that the woman recalled seeing officers at the location where she stopped her vehicle, which is why she drove the car there and "alerted the officers to the situation."

The paper said the officer who fired his gun has been placed on administrative leave, per department policy, and internal affairs is investigating. Adams also told the Star that the Civilian Use of Force Review Board will conduct a hearing after the criminal process.

More from the paper:

The shooting comes at a time when IMPD is seeking solutions to reduce the number of officer-involved shootings in Indianapolis after seeing a spike last year. In April, the department announced that the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Policing Institute would review shootings by Indianapolis police officers. There were 17 shootings that year. IMPD Chief Chris Bailey, though, said the North Kealing Avenue incident is "pretty cut and dry."

"Our officers were here on a thief report and violence came to them," Bailey told the Star. "They weren't making a traffic stop. They weren't serving a search warrant. They were here trying to help another community member."

Bailey also told the paper, "If anybody here, or out watching, has a solution to prevent what happened here today, I'm all ears. There's no way in my mind this could have been prevented other than the person not forcefully taking and kidnapping a woman, forcing her to drive around while a gun was pointed to her head."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Police release bodycam video of cop fatally shooting 6'5" woman who slashed his face, kept advancing despite warnings to stop



Fairfax County, Virginia, police on Monday released bodycam video of an officer fatally shooting a 6'5" woman last month who slashed the officer's face and kept advancing on him despite his repeated warnings for her to stop.

Police said the officer just after 10 a.m. Sept. 16 responded to a residence in the 11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive in Reston for a welfare check following a request from a mental health professional who said 33-year-old Sydney Wilson was in an agitated state. Reston is about a half hour northwest of Washington, D.C.

The officer retreated and tried to de-escalate the situation with repeated verbal commands for Wilson to 'back up!'

The officer, who was trained in crisis intervention, knocked on Wilson’s door, police said, adding that Wilson opened and immediately closed the door. The officer continued to try to speak with Wilson for two minutes and 45 seconds, explaining he wanted to check on her welfare, police said.

When Wilson opened the door again, she was holding a knife and immediately assaulted the officer outside the residence, police said.

Image source: Fairfax County (Va.) Police Department video screenshot

The officer retreated and tried to de-escalate the situation with repeated verbal commands for Wilson to "back up!" Police said the officer had backed into a dead-end hallway, but Wilson continued to advance toward him while holding the knife.

Image source: Fairfax County (Va.) Police Department video screenshot

Police said Wilson struck the officer in the head with the knife, and the officer fired his gun, striking Wilson three times in her upper body, police said.

Wilson was taken to a hospital and was pronounced dead, police said.

The officer in question — First Class Peter Liu, a 14-year department veteran — was placed on restricted duty amid a departmental investigation, police said.

Image source: Fairfax County (Va.) Police Department video screenshot

Image source: Fairfax County (Va.) Police Department

Soon after the deadly incident, police said Wilson had multiple encounters with officers this year, and Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis described Wilson as standing six feet, five inches tall and weighing around 330 pounds, WDVM-TV reported.

According to Wilson's obituary, in 2009 she accepted a full scholarship to Georgetown University where she played basketball, was a co-captain during her senior season, and was a member of the NAACP Georgetown University Chapter.

You can view the officer's bodycam video below as part of the police department's Monday news conference. Content warning: The bodycam video is intense and may be disturbing to some viewers:

- YouTubeyoutu.be

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Cop fatally shoots 6'5" 330-pound woman who slashed his face, kept advancing despite warnings to stop: Police



A Northern Virginia police officer fatally shot a 6'5" 330-pound woman who slashed his face while continually advancing toward the officer despite his repeated warnings for her to stop, police said.

The officer’s body-worn camera was activated during the encounter in the 11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive at the Reston Heights apartments Monday morning, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis told WDVM-TV.

The woman fell to the ground after the shooting, the station said, adding that medics took her to a hospital with critical injuries, and she died there.

Davis said at a news conference that the woman’s health care provider asked for a wellness check, the station said, adding that the uniformed officer identified himself and that the woman slammed her door in the officer’s face.

The chief added that the officer kept knocking on the door, offering to get help for the woman, and that the woman opened it minutes later while in possession of a knife, WDVM said.

Davis noted that the woman — who has had multiple encounters with police this year — began attacking the officer with the knife and cut his face at least once, the station reported.

Bodycam video shows the officer repositioning himself, backing away several feet, after which the woman moved toward the officer and cut him, the chief told WDVM.

David described the 33-year-old woman as standing six feet, five inches tall and weighing around 330 pounds, the station said.

The officer told the woman at least eight times to drop the knife and stop, WDVM said, adding that she kept moving toward the officer. Davis said during the news conference that the officer opened fire multiple times.

The woman fell to the ground after the shooting, the station said, adding that medics took her to a hospital with critical injuries, and she died there.

Davis said he expects the officer to recover from his injuries, WDVM noted, adding that the woman had family and friends and that the chief and his officers feel the loss of life.

The station said this was the second deadly shooting at this apartment complex in about a month.

“Seeing police here again is of course uncomfortable,” Marvin Somoza told WDVM. “You want to feel safe where you live, right, and so I think a lot of tenants right now might be feeling unsafe.”

The chief said he reviewed the entire bodycam video and that he will release it to the public well within 30 days, the station said.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Texas officer fatally shoots male, 18, who police say produced handgun amid assault of victim who was motionless on ground



A Corpus Christi, Texas, police officer fatally shot an 18-year-old male early Sunday morning who police said produced a handgun amid the assault of a male victim who was motionless on the ground.

Police said officers were dispatched just after 1:30 a.m. to an assault in progress at the Ranch Dance Hall in the 4000 block of Everhart Road.

'We understand that there has been another shooting of a black man by CCPD.'

Police said call notes indicated the male assault victim was on the ground and not moving.

Police said arriving officers saw an assault taking place on the side of a building on the corner of Everhart Road and Burney Drive — and that the suspect produced a handgun while over the victim on the ground.

One of the officers of the two-man unit fired his gun and hit the 18-year-old male suspect who was taken to a hospital where he died, police said.

The assault victim also was taken to a hospital for his injuries, police said.

Police said the the officer involved wasn't injured and will be placed on administrative leave.

Police added that those with information about the incident can call detectives at 361-886-2840 or make an anonymous call to CrimeStoppers at 361-888-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online.

The Nueces County Medical Examiner has identified the 18-year-old who was killed as Dwayne Earl Johnson, the Corpus Christi Caller Times reported.

Leaders of the NAACP's H. Boyd Hall Chapter held a press conference Monday morning over the police-involved shooting, the Caller Times said, adding that the organization noted in a press release that “we understand that there has been another shooting of a black man by CCPD. We have been in touch with the chief and have requested a thorough and independent investigation to ensure the truth of what happened is ultimately discovered."

How are observers reacting?

Well over 200 comments have appeared underneath the Corpus Christi Police Department's Facebook post about the shooting, and they appear decidedly mixed; some support the officer's actions while others have questions. Here are a couple that reflect the breakdown:

  • "Was the gun pointed at the cop?" one commenter wondered. "Did he try to get the kid to put the gun down first, or did he just shoot? So many questions.... I think police like to shoot first and ask questions later."
  • "If someone points a gun at an officer it's called self defense; if someone points a gun at someone else it's called self defense in the third person," another commenter said. "Police serve and protect. Reading what they advise in this news segment the victim was on the ground defenseless, and the suspect pulled a gun out toward victim who could not defend himself, and officers protected the victim by using deadly force to match deadly force."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Federal prosecutors seek retrial for former detective shot at by Breonna Taylor's boyfriend



The Biden Department of Justice failed to get a conviction last month in the federal civil rights case against the former Louisville detective who returned fire during a drug raid when shot at by Breonna Taylor's boyfriend.

Despite admitting ahead of the Nov. 17 mistrial that it would take "enormous resources ... to retry this case," federal prosecutors revealed this week they plan to refile charges against former Detective Brett Hankison.

What's the background?

Louisville Metro Police Department narcotics detectives attempted to execute a "no-knock" search warrant around 12:43 a.m. on March 13, 2020. The apparently falsified warrant pertained to a drug investigation involving 26-year-old Breonna Taylor's ex-boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover.

Police indicated they knocked repeatedly, announced their presence, then utilized a ram to gain entry. At the time, Taylor was inside the apartment with her then-boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, reported WHAS-TV.

When the police got the door open, Walker opened fire, striking Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly in the upper thigh and hitting his femoral artery. Officers returned fire.

In the exchange, Taylor was struck multiple times and killed. Mattingly survived, and Walker, initially charged with attempted murder of a police officer, later had his case dismissed.

Hankison reportedly fired 10 shots during the incident but did not hit Taylor or anyone else. He was nevertheless kicked off the force in June 2020 and ended up being the only officer criminally charged in the raid — with three counts of wanton endangerment.

The former detective was ultimately found not guilty of the wanton endangerment state charges last year.

Mistrial

Attorney General Merrick Garland — facing sustained pressure from Taylor's family and activists — announced charges for Hankison and the other officers involved in the fatal raid in August 2022.

Hankison was indicted accordingly for two civil rights offenses and accused of willfully using "unconstitutionally excessive force, while acting in his official capacity as an officer, when he fired his service weapon into Taylor’s apartment through a covered window and covered glass door."

The indictment noted that multiple bullets fired by the former detective traveled through the wall of Taylor's apartment and into neighboring apartments, endangering a pregnant woman, her partner, and their son.

During the trial, the former detective claimed his actions were the result of an attempt to defend himself and his fellow officers after seeing Mattingly catch a bullet from a shadowy figure who he figured was armed with a rifle, reported CNN.

"I felt helpless knowing that I had a handgun and I was facing rifle fire," Hankison testified. "Even though I had a tactical vest on, I knew that was no match for if the shooter came out with the rifle."

"I knew they were trying to get to him, and it appeared to me they were being executed with this rifle," continued Hankison. "I returned fire through the sliding glass door, and that did not stop the threat."

The Hill reported that after several days of deliberation in November, the 12-member jury notified U.S. District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings that they were at an impasse. Jennings implored them to keep trying. While they obliged her, their continued efforts were in vain.

Learning that the jury was deadlocked on both counts against Hankison, Jennings declared a mistrial on Nov. 17.

"I think the totality of the circumstances may be beyond repair in this case," said Jennings. "They have a disagreement that they cannot get past."

As the 47-year-old former officer was not acquitted, he remained susceptible to a retrial.

Retrial

While federal prosecutor Michael Songer indicated a retrial will be costly, an attorney for the Taylor family told reporters last month, "The assistant U.S. attorneys from the Department of Justice did indicate that it is their intention to retry Brett Hankison in this case."

Sure enough, federal prosecutors informed Hankison during a status hearing Wednesday that they plan to refile charges, the former detective's attorneys, Stew Matthews and Ibrahim Farag, confirmed to CNN.

A status hearing is reportedly set for Jan. 24, and a trial date has tentatively been set for Oct. 14.

Jack Byrd, another attorney for Hankison, filed a new motion of acquittal over the weekend, noting, "The evidence presented by the government in this case is insufficient to sustain a conviction on any of the Counts."

Judge Declares Mistrial In Case Of Former Officer Charged In Breonna Taylor Raidyoutu.be

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Liberal media and activists appear keen to gloss over critical detail about fatal police shooting of Leonard Cure in Georgia



A man was shot Monday by a sheriff's deputy in a traffic stop that went sideways in Camden County, Georgia. In the days since, there have been cries of "injustice" and accusations of racism.

The widespread presumption of police wrongdoing in the death of 53-year-old Leonard Allan Cure appears to have been driven, in part, by how the incident has been presented by the liberal media and other activist groups.

Footage of the incident, shared Wednesday by Camden County, reveals a critical detail has been downplayed or glossed over in the ascendant narrative: The deputy appears to have been in a fight for his life.

The incident

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, a Camden County deputy pulled over Cure around 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 16 for driving recklessly and speeding on Interstate 95. He had allegedly been going over 100 mph in a 70 mph zone.

Dash-camera footage shows a silver truck whipping down the highway and passing the deputy. The deputy, Staff Sgt. Buck Aldridge, turns on his lights, then follows the truck to the side of the road. Once the truck is stationary, the deputy approaches, ordering the driver to get out and to "put your hands back here," pointing to the rear of the truck.

"I ain't doing s***," replies Cure.

When the deputy reaches for Cure's right hand, Cure waves away the effort.

Upon the deputy identifying himself and citing his authority, Cure complies, placing his hands on the rear of the truck.

The two argue about the merits of the tentative speeding charge, and the deputy orders Cure to put his hands behind his back, ostensibly to proceed with an arrest.

Cure continues challenging the deputy, who responds, "You passed me doing 100 mph."

"Okay, so that's a speeding ticket, right?" says Cure.

"Sir, tickets in the state of Georgia are criminal offenses," says the deputy.

Cure notes, "I don't have a ticket in Georgia."

"You do now," Aldridge says.

The deputy once again tells Cure to put his hands behind his back. When Cure flouts the order, pointing to the sky, the deputy tases him.

After being tased, Cure starts flailing his arms, then charges the deputy. Both men grapple on the roadside. Cure tears off the deputy's glasses, gets an arm around one of his shoulders, and grips Aldridge's face.

As Cure puts his hand on the deputy's throat, the officer reaches for his baton; however, he is unable to land an impactful thwack.

Cure pushes the deputy's chin backward, arching the officer and turning his face purple, saying, "Yeah, b****! Yeah, b****!"

Finally, the deputy reaches for his sidearm and fires one shot into Cure.

Moments later, what appears to be a Brinks security truck races backward along the shoulder. One security guard rushes to the scene to provide the deputy backup. Additional first responders soon arrive and aid the deputy in providing first aid to Cure.

Despite EMTs' efforts, Cure later died.

Aldridge has since been put on leave, reported the Washington Post.

Camden County Sheriff's Office in GA released the Oct. 16 dashcam footage of the police shooting of the latest BLM martyr, Leonard Cure. He choked a deputy in the video. Cure was called a model citizen & spoke to school students about the justice system.
— Andy Ng\u00f4 \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Andy Ng\u00f4 \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1697666977

The incident, according to the media and other liberal outfits

The Southern Poverty Law Center insinuated the shooting was racially motivated and failed to mention Cure had viciously attacked the officer.

SPLC president Margaret Huang said in a statement, "No one should be shot to death during a traffic stop. ... The brutal and unjust violence Black people have endured at the hands of police must end. Enough is enough."

"The SPLC once again calls for a reimagining of policing in this country that respects the rights of all people," continued Huang. "Leaders at every level must take urgent action to end the culture of anti-Blackness in policing, keep all communities safe and demand accountability until equal justice is a reality for all."

The ACLU of Florida wrote on X, "Leonard Cure was incarcerated for a crime he didn't commit for 16 years, before getting his life snatched from him by a cop. Modern policing is rooted in slavery, and rotten to the core."

When the footage of the incident was published, Reuters opened its report with, "Officials on Wednesday released video of the traffic stop and physical confrontation that ended with a sheriff deputy in Georgia shooting a Black man to death at point-blank range."

The report then underscored how Cure had been wrongfully convicted of a crime and ended up serving 16 years in prison before being exonerated in 2020.

The Guardian noted that he had initially received a life sentence because he had previous convictions for robbery and various other crimes.

While the Reuters report noted nine paragraphs down that Cure died after an altercation, it made no mention of the decedent first assaulting the officer after failing to comply.

CBS News similarly mentioned a "scuffle" in its eulogy but neglected to note how it started.

The leftist blog Democracy Now reported the incident thusly: "Leonard Allan Cure, a Black man, was driving on a highway in Camden County, near the Georgia-Florida state line, when a sheriff’s deputy pulled him over, reportedly for speeding. The officer notified Cure he’d be arrested, before shocking Cure with a Taser at least twice, beating him with a baton and then fatally shooting him."

The report emphasized Cure's previous innocence, but never once mentioned how he assaulted the officer.

NPR front-loaded its report with emphasis on Cure's exoneration, his race, and a quote from his family's lawyer, Ben Crump, claiming, "It is god awful that he would escape that injustice to have his life claimed by more bias. ... Just because you're Black should not be the determining factor whether you get a death sentence for a traffic stop."

One of Cure's brothers, Michael Cure, told reporters his brother "did turn and get a bit physical," adding, "There were possibly some issues going on, some mental issues with my brother. I know him quite well. The officer just triggered him, undoubtedly triggered him."

The Camden County Sheriff's Office noted that "it is common for rumors to occur, but blatant false information by some media representatives should not be tolerated.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

France dispatches 40,000 cops ahead of third night of riots, looting, and firebombings



France, presently on its fifth republic since 1792, has mobilized an army of 40,000 police to deal with the violent riots that have transformed parts of Paris and the countryside into lawless infernos. 5,000 units will be dispatched to Paris alone.

What's the background?

The riots, looting, and firebombings initially kicked off Tuesday after a French motorbike officer fatally shot a 17-year-old motorist of Algerian and Moroccan heritage. The decedent, who has been identified as Naël M., allegedly sped through a red light and into a traffic jam in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, where he apparently refused to comply with orders to stop his rental car.

The Associated Press referenced a possible video of the incident circulating online that appears to show two police officers leaning on the driver side of the rental car.

In the video, Naël, who previously had run-ins with the law over his "refusal to comply," appears to disregard their orders, raise his voice, then veer forward, at which point one officer opens fire.

While Naël hit the gas while an officer was ostensibly leaning on the hood of the vehicle, the media and prosecutors have claimed he had not tried to run them over.

French police are allowed to open fire when they feel their life or physical safety or the life of another individual is at risk; when an area or group of people under their protection are under attack; when they need to prevent a dangerous person from fleeing; "When they are unable to stop a vehicle whose driver has ignored an order to stop and whose occupants are likely to pose a risk to their life or physical safety, or other people’s"; or if doing so may preclude a murder from occurring, reported Al Jazeera.

The officers indicated they feared for the safety of pedestrians and cyclists as Naël had previously ignored their warnings, refused to stop, and had rushed down a bus lane.

Pascal Prache, the Nanterre prosecutor, confirmed Thursday that the 38-year-old officer who shot Naël has been arrested and is presently under investigation on suspicion of murder, reported the Telegraph.

"Conditions for the legal use of a firearm were not met," said Prache, adding that the officer's single shot "went through his right arm and into his chest."

Naël mother claimed, "They took away my baby, he was still a child, he needed his mother," reported the Independent.

The rioting and looting begins

The protests and rioting began Tuesday evening just hours after the news of the shooting went viral.

Although the investigation into the officer who shot Naël was and remains far from concluded, French President Emmanuel Macron rushed to state, "A teenager was killed. That is inexplicable and unforgivable. Nothing can justify the death of a young person."

Marine Le Pen, Macron's rightest opponent and member of the National Rally, suggested the president's remarks were "excessive" and expressed surprise at the "swiftness of this stance."

The Telegraph reported that the Alliance Police Nationale union similarly denounced the president's rush to throw the officer under the bus, stating, "Like certain politicians, artists and others, should flout the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary by condemning our colleagues even before [justice] has been pronounced. ... Like any citizen, [the officer] has the right to the presumption of innocence."

Macron's swift denunciation of the French cop did little to mollify prospective firebombers, looters, and rioters.

Rioters targeted French police with various kinds of incendiary devices.

— (@)

Some among the mob looted and pillaged while police, spread thin, desperately tried to restore order.

— (@)

The country's interior minister, Gerald Darmanin, indicated that 31 people were arrested the first night of the riots, which saw 25 police officers injured and at least 40 cars torched.

At an emergency meeting, Macron stated, "The last few hours have been marked by scenes of violence against police stations but also schools and town halls, and thus institutions of the Republic and these scenes are wholly unjustifiable."

The mayhem resumed Wednesday, with rioters torching government buildings and attacking police, at least 170 of whom were injured.

Police, including the 2,000 mobilized in the Paris region, and firefighters reportedly struggled throughout the second night of the riots to extinguish the fires.

Darmanin indicated 180 people were arrested, underscoring that the "response of the state must be extremely firm."

— (@)

By early Thursday morning, over 100 public buildings were damaged, including the town hall in the Paris suburb of L’Ile-Saint-Denis, and public transportation had been shut down in Paris and the surrounding area, with one official stressing, "Our transports are not targets for thugs and vandals!"

A tram had been torched in Clamart and a bus was set ablaze in the Essonne region south of Paris, reported the Telegraph.

— (@)

The New York Times indicated there is presently no sign of the riots dying down.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office release bodycam video of police shooting armed man who fired gun while jumping from two-story apartment



An armed Florida man was seen jumping from a two-story apartment and then being shot by an officer in police bodycam video released by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office on Monday.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said the girlfriend of 23-year-old Darius Robinson ended their relationship and moved out of their apartment weeks before the shooting incident that occurred on April 30. The girlfriend alleged that she broke up with Robinson over what police described as his "spiraling use of the drug MDMA and escalating paranoia." Police said that the girlfriend claimed that Robinson had "become increasingly jealous and had exhibited erratic behavior."

The night before the shooting, the girlfriend claimed that Robinson messaged her from an unknown Instagram account and said he was coming to her place of employment. She reportedly replied that she did not want any contact with him.

Around 4:50 a.m. on April 30, Robinson's mother called the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office to inform authorities that armed men allegedly entered her son's apartment. Robinson reportedly told his mother that he locked himself in his bedroom. The mother provided police with her son's phone number.

A police dispatcher called Robinson and he said that there were armed individuals outside his bedroom door. Robinson, as well as his stepfather, informed the police that he was armed with a gun. Officers asked Robinson to leave the apartment, but he refused.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said, "Around 5:30 a.m. Officer S.C. Carolan walked to the back of Robinson’s apartment to see if he could see any activity within it. Officer Carolan observed that the apartment was locked and deadbolted."

Carolan claimed that he could see Robinson near a window in his apartment holding a firearm. However, Carolan said that he did not see any evidence that there were armed men in the apartment.

At 6:26 a.m., Carolan was in the back of Robinson's apartment when he heard glass breaking.

Seconds later, Robinson leaped from the window of his second-story apartment. While jumping, Robinson fired a shot. After Robinson landed on the ground, Carolan yelled, "Put!" The officer then fired three shots at Robinson. The armed man fell to the ground, and the officer handcuffed him before rendering medical aid.

Robinson was rushed to a local hospital, where he was listed in critical but stable condition. He underwent surgeries for multiple gunshot wounds.

Crime scene detectives found a 9MM handgun allegedly owned by Robison in the grassy area behind the apartment, as well as a bullet casing from the shot that was fired.

Police confirmed that there were no other people in Robinson's apartment.

There will be an independent inquiry into the officer-involved shooting, and a review of Officer Carolan's actions by the state attorney's office. There will also be an investigation carried out by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office to determine if Carolan's actions were "within agency policy."

You can watch the graphic bodycam video on the YouTube page of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Easter morning tragedy: Young child, two adults shot dead; police fatally shoot man believed responsible

Easter morning tragedy: Young child, two adults shot dead; police fatally shoot man believed responsible



A young child and two adults were pronounced dead Easter morning after being shot. Police shot and killed the suspect after he opened fire, local law enforcement officials reported.

"Tonight we had a tragedy in our Parramore community," Orlando's police chief Eric Smith said in a press conference.

"A suspect walked out of the house, walked towards the officers, shot at the officers, the officers returned fire and the suspect fell," said Chief Eric Smith of the Orlando Police Department.

Police responded to a domestic violence call in the 600 block of Grand Street in west-central Orlando's Parramore neighborhood early Sunday morning.

Officers reportedly heard gunshots inside the home prior to the suspect exiting the home 2:28 a.m. Officers shot the 28-year-old gunman after he opened fire. The gunman was transported to the hospital and pronounced dead, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

On entering the home, officers found 3 victims with gunshot wounds. One was a young child.

"The young child died at the hospital. OPD itself transported him to the hospital," Chief Smith said in a Sunday morning press conference.

"It’s heart wrenching to wake up to this horrific news of a family and a child being murdered here on Resurrection Sunday, Easter Sunday," District 5 City Commissioner Regina Hill told the outlet, adding that the child was only 4 years old.

"What a horrific, tragic situation," said Orlando's Mayor Buddy Dyer. "Sending support to the family members of the victims as well as the offers, who were thankfully unharmed."


Neighbors, friends, and family gathered on Grand Street, hugging and crying, the Sentinel reported. They sat on plastic chairs waiting at the scene for more answers.

"I don't know how to feel right now," the father of one of the victims reportedly said through his tears.

The officers involved were not injured in the shooting. They will be placed on paid administrative leave according to protocol. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will also be investigating, followed by the State Attorney's Office. OPD plans to release footage from officers' bodycams within 30 days, according to a statement from OPD.

OPD will provide additional information on the victims after next of kin notifications have been made, the department said in a social media post Sunday afternoon.

Watch WKMG's footage from the early morning scene below.



Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!