Data Doesn’t Lie: Political Violence Is An Overwhelmingly Left-Wing Problem
The rot in the so-called data pushed by leftist scholars studying political violence gets worse the deeper you dig.The rot in the so-called data pushed by leftist scholars studying political violence gets worse the deeper you dig.Gunman receives deadly comeuppance during ambush on Border Patrol agents — just days after officer shot near ICE facility
A gunman clad in tactical gear was shot dead after ambushing U.S. Border Patrol agents outside a federal annex facility in Texas — just days after a police officer was shot in the neck while responding to a suspicious person near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Alvarado, Texas.
The Department of Homeland Security said an armed man opened fire at the entrance of the U.S. Border Patrol sector annex in McAllen on Monday morning. The gunman was wearing tactical gear and wielding a rifle, according to Fox News.
'The Department has zero tolerance for assaults on federal officers or property and will bring the full weight of the law against those responsible.'
The suspect – identified by authorities as 27-year-old Ryan Luis Mosqueda – engaged in a deadly firefight with Border Patrol agents and local police.
McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez said at a news conference that Mosqueda was "loaded for bear" and that "another rifle and other assaultive weapons" were discovered in the suspect's vehicle.
Rodriguez noted that the suspect shot dozens of rounds of ammunition at law enforcement officers.
Two local police officers and one Border Patrol employee were injured in the firefight, and all three were transported to the hospital.
Rodriguez said an officer with the McAllen Police Department was struck in the knee, but the police chief added that the cop was in stable condition and would be "fine."
Meanwhile, Mosqueda was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents and local police officers.
RELATED: Republicans clash with Democratic lawmakers defending violent anti-ICE rioters
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As far as a motive, Rodriguez said, "There is not enough known." However, he added, "When someone drives onto a parking lot and opens fire, there is some premeditation involved."
A local law enforcement official and a source familiar with the matter told CNN that the suspect's vehicle was spray-painted with the phrase “Cordis Die,” which is a main antagonist in the "Call of Duty" video game. Law enforcement noted that the vehicle had Michigan license plates and that Mosqueda was connected to an address in Michigan.
The FBI said it is leading the investigation.
An FBI spokesperson told Newsweek, "The FBI is the lead investigative agency, and we will continue working with our local, state, and federal partners to ensure the safety of this community. Since this is still a developing incident, no further information will be shared at this time. Once there is additional information to publicly release, we will do so."
The National Border Patrol Council – the union that represents Border Patrol employees – stated, "We are thankful for the prayers for our agents and personnel. Targeted violence will not be tolerated and will be dealt with swiftly. Justice will be served. Our agents and law enforcement partners will not back down."
The White House said it is aware of the Border Patrol shooting and that it is "working with the appropriate federal agencies to get to the bottom of what happened."
When asked if Democrats need to "tone down their rhetoric" following Monday's attack on Border Patrol agents, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt replied, "We certainly call on Democrats to tone down their rhetoric against ICE and Border Patrol agents who are, again, everyday men and women."
Leavitt called on Democrats to meet with Border Patrol agents.
"These are honorable Americans who are just simply trying to do their job to enforce the law," Leavitt said during the press briefing. "They go home to their families every night just like we all do, and they deserve respect and dignity for trying to enforce our nation's immigration laws and to remove public safety threats from our communities."
Monday's shooting at the Border Patrol sector annex comes only days after a local police officer was shot in the neck near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Alvarado, Texas.
The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that officers with the Alvarado Police Department were responding to a call regarding a "suspicious person" near the Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Prairieland Detention Facility around 10:56 p.m. on July 4.
Officers located the suspicious individual, who they said appeared to be carrying a firearm.
"As the first responding officer attempted to engage the person, multiple suspects opened fire on the officer," the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office stated.
The suspects fled the crime scene, but officers from the Alvarado Police Department, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, and neighboring agencies took several armed suspects into custody.
Police said an officer was struck in the neck and was flown to the Harris Methodist Hospital Ft. Worth. The officer was treated and released, according to the statement.
The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office said the motives of the suspects are "unclear" at this time.
Blaze News requested a comment from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and the Alvarado Police Department but had not received a response by the time of publication.
Anyone with information regarding the shooting is urged to contact the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office at (817) 790-0910.
As Blaze News reported last month, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland, Oregon, had been attacked multiple times.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Saturday, "We are closely monitoring the attacks on DHS detention facilities in Prairieland, TX, and Portland, OR, and are coordinating with the USAOs and our law enforcement partners. The Department has zero tolerance for assaults on federal officers or property and will bring the full weight of the law against those responsible."
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated last week, "Our heroic ICE law enforcement officers are facing a nearly 700% increase in assaults against them. If you obstruct or assault our law enforcement, this administration will hunt you down and you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
RELATED: Sheriffs in Democratic strongholds partner with ICE to back Trump's deportation surge
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'Shots fired!' What started as a hit-and-run ends in deadly shooting after motorist reaches for gun, bodycam video shows
The Houston Police Department released bodycam footage last week showing what authorities said was an officer fatally shooting a motorist who attempted to grab a gun from his waistband.
'He's got a gun — look out, look out! Shots fired, shots fired!'
Police said in a press release that officers were dispatched to the North Freeway around 3:45 p.m. May 17 regarding a car accident involving three vehicles.
Two of the vehicles remained at the site of the crash, but one of the vehicles fled the scene, according to police.
Officers with the Houston Police Department located the alleged hit-and-run vehicle, a green SUV, in a vacant parking lot in Houston, according to bodycam video.
The bodycam video shows an officer approaching the man sitting in the driver's seat of the green SUV with the door open. The cop informs the motorist that video shows his vehicle was just involved in a car accident. Police said the motorist didn't comply when officers tried to detain him.
The officer asks the driver, "You didn’t want to provide your information? You know it’s state law to do that, right?"
The driver asks the officer, "[Who] did I hit?" The officer near the driver's side of the vehicle responds, "I'm not going to debate about it with you, OK? What we're going to do is put you in handcuffs, we're going to put you in a back seat, we're going to move your car over there with the other two cars that were involved in the crash, OK?"
Suddenly, the motorist is seen in the police bodycam footage pulling up his shirt and grabbing an object from his waistband.
"As the officers attempted to detain the driver of the green SUV for the crash investigation, the driver lifted his shirt up, reached for a visible gun in his waistband, and pulled out the weapon," the Houston Police Department stated.
An officer is heard on the bodycam footage screaming, "Hey, whoa, whoa!"
A cop yells, "He's got a gun — look out, look out! Shots fired, shots fired!"
Video shows a second officer apparently firing at the suspect from the rear of the vehicle.
Indeed, Houston Police said in a press release that "two HPD officers then discharged their duty weapons more than once, striking the suspect."
The man is then seen unresponsive, motionless, and slumped over in the driver's seat of the vehicle.
Police said officers attempted to administer lifesaving measures to the man until Houston Fire Department paramedics arrived. However, the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.
The police bodycam footage shows one of the officers removing a gun from the suspect's hand.
Neither police officer appeared to be harmed, according to the video.
Content warning: Graphic video:
The Houston Police Department's Special Investigations Unit, the Internal Affairs Division, and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office are investigating the deadly police shooting.
Houston Police Assistant Chief Christy Smith named the deceased suspect as Michael Dziedzic.
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Deputies shoot growling Florida man dead after 'bizarre' standoff — and just moments after he survived alligator attack: Cops
Soon after a Florida man survived an alligator attack on Monday, Polk County Sheriff's deputies fatally shot him when he emerged from a lake and charged at deputies with garden shears, officials said.
Just before 6 a.m., a clerk at a convenience store in Lakeland told police that a man was acting "bizarre," according to WTVT-TV.
'The fact that he was bitten by an alligator significantly and still continued his rampage is shocking.'
The man fled the scene before deputies could question him, the station said.
Around 7:43 a.m., police dispatchers received a tip that a man was swimming in a lake known to be infested with alligators, WTVT reported.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a news conference Monday that an alligator bit the man's right arm.
"His conduct was outrageous. It was bizarre," Judd stated, according to WTVT. "This is crazy stuff. You know it's got to be true. You can't make it up."
Judd pointed out, "A witness actually took a life vest and tried to give it to him. He wouldn’t take it," NBC News said.
Another witness told police that the man was growling at them when they tried to assist him, WFLA-TV reported.
The suspect — identified as 42-year-old Timothy Schulz — walked out of the lake and grabbed a pair of garden shears, WFLA said, adding that the sheriff's office said Schulz used a brick to try to break into a vehicle.
Judd said Schulz charged at deputies with the garden shears, NBC News reported, after which the deputies ordered Schulz to drop the shears. Judd said deputies tased him twice after he didn't comply, WTVT noted.
Judd added that the suspect entered the passenger side of a running patrol vehicle and attempted to take a gun from its holder, WTVT reported.
"At that time, our deputies shot multiple times. As a result, Timothy is deceased," Judd explained, according to NBC News.
Two deputies — a trainee and his trainer — fatally shot the suspect, WFLA reported.
The deputies have been placed on administrative leave while the state’s attorney’s office reviews the police shooting, NBC News said.
Sheriff Judd noted that Schulz has a long criminal history, including several arrests for methamphetamine charges, WFLA noted.
Schulz had just been released from county jail on May 20, NBC News said, adding that an arrest affidavit in that case indicates police discovered a glass pipe in a backpack Schulz was carrying that tested positive for meth.
“The fact that he was bitten by an alligator significantly and still continued his rampage is shocking, but if you’re on enough meth, the person you see is not the person that’s attacking,” Sheriff Judd said, according to WFLA.
A witness saw deputies pulling the man out of the patrol car and starting to give him CPR, WFLA added.
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"I don’t know if this is a suicide by cop or a suicide by being absolutely out of your mind on methamphetamine, but he showed no fear of two deputies," Judd said, according to WFLA. "He showed no interest in complying. Even after he was tased, he still ran. And one of our witnesses said, 'I don’t know why the deputies waited so long before they shot him.'"
WFLA said Judd added, “When you’re on, you know, meth or whatever, crack cocaine, or whatever it might be, you’re sometimes out of your mind."
No deputies were injured, WTVT said.
You can watch a local newscast from WTVT regarding the strange case here.
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Cops level new accusations against Weezer bassist's wife charged with attempted murder; her husband still plays Coachella
Police have leveled new accusations against the wife of Weezer bassist Scott Shriner, saying Jillian Lauren Shriner shot at them during an unrelated search for hit-and-run suspects last week in Los Angeles, California.
As Blaze News previously reported, California Highway Patrol requested police backup to locate three hit-and-run suspects who fled from an alleged crime scene around 3:25 p.m. Tuesday. The suspects reportedly ran from the crash site into the neighborhood of Eagle Rock.
'Shriner then pointed the handgun at the officers, and an officer-involved shooting occurred.'
Shriner — a 51-year-old best-selling author and wife of the Weezer bassist — allegedly exited her home while police officers were searching for the three suspects. Police said Shriner was armed with a handgun.
Police allegedly ordered Shriner to drop her weapon "multiple times," but she reportedly refused to put down her firearm.
“The officers ordered Shriner to drop the handgun multiple times; however, she refused,” according to the police report obtained by KNBC-TV. “Shriner then pointed the handgun at the officers, and an officer-involved shooting occurred.”
Citing Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson Jennifer Forkish, the Los Angeles Times reported that Shriner "pointed it at officers and opened fire."
Cops allegedly returned fire and shot Shriner, who then fled into her home.
Shriner then purportedly exited her house and surrendered to the police. She was transported to the hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.
Police reportedly recovered a 9-mm handgun from Shriner's home.
Investigators reviewed video of the incident, which allegedly shows Shriner firing her gun at LAPD officers.
A police officer allegedly told dispatchers: "She has a gun in her hand."
"Female suspect's going to be wanted for ADW [assault with a deadly weapon] on the PO [police officer]," an officer can be heard saying in audio from the incident obtained by People magazine.
Shriner was charged with attempted murder of a peace officer.
According to California state law, a conviction of attempted murder of a peace officer without premeditation is punishable by up to nine years in prison. The use of a firearm can lead to an enhanced prison sentence.
She was released from custody on a $1 million bond around 10 p.m. Wednesday, according to jail records.
Shriner is scheduled to appear in court on April 30.
Officers determined that Shriner was not connected to the hit-and-run incident.
Meanwhile, the California Highway Patrol said officers apprehended the suspected hit-and-run driver in a nearby backyard approximately an hour after the incident began.
The other two suspects who fled the hit-and-run have yet to be located, according to police.
Shriner's manager, Charlie Fusco, had no comment about the incident when questioned by the Los Angeles Times.
Jillian Lauren Shriner and Weezer bassist Scott Shriner got married in 2005.
When asked about his wife, the 59-year-old Shriner told TMZ, "She’s all right, thank you for asking."
He then told reporters, "See you at Coachella!"
Shriner performed with his bandmates of Weezer at the Coachella music festival on Saturday.
The alternative rock group was a last-minute addition to the music festival in the California desert.
Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo told the music festival audience, “We were making the Weezer movie back in Los Angeles, but when Coachella called and asked if we could make a surprise appearance, we said ‘Heck yeah.’ It’s so great to be here with all you guys and let out all these emotions."
Shriner has recorded 12 studio albums since joining Weezer in 2001.
Weezer has received multiple Grammy nominations and sold more than 35 million albums worldwide.
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Cops shoot Weezer bassist's wife, charge her with attempted murder during bizarre standoff after unrelated police chase
Police shot the wife of Weezer bassist Scott Shriner in Southern California on Tuesday and charged her with attempted murder amid a bizarre series of events in Los Angeles. The perilous showdown erupted from a completely unrelated police chase, according to law enforcement.
Around 3:25 p.m., officers with the California Highway Patrol allegedly were pursuing three hit-and-run suspects. During the police pursuit, the alleged suspects were involved in a car crash and headed into a residential neighborhood.
'The officers ordered Shriner to drop the handgun numerous times; however, she refused.'
CHP requested police backup to apprehend the suspects in the northeast Los Angeles neighborhood of Eagle Rock.
One of the hit-and-run suspects reportedly ran into a home's backyard.
Jillian Lauren Shriner — a 51-year-old author and wife of the Weezer bassist — allegedly exited her home near the police search, and she reportedly was armed with a handgun.
The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement that Shriner was "uninvolved in the hit-and-run," but still "officers ordered Shriner to drop the handgun numerous times; however, she refused. Shriner then pointed the handgun at the officers, and an officer-involved shooting occurred."
LAPD detective Meghan Aguilar said during a Wednesday night news conference that police bodycam video had not provided "a clear view of what she did with that firearm" and noted that it was "not clear if she fired at officers or not."
KTLA-TV shared cellphone video of Shriner lying on a road with a gunshot wound as police took her into custody.
Investigators reportedly will rely on a review of multiple videos from neighborhood cameras.
TMZ reported that Shriner was shot in the shoulder.
Shriner was transported to a local hospital for treatment, and her condition was said to be not life-threatening.
No officers or other community members were hurt during the incident.
Shriner was arrested and hit with attempted murder charges.
A 9-millimeter handgun was recovered from the scene, police said.
Shriner was booked and released from jail after posting a $1 million bond, according to jail records.
Investigators with the LAPD's Force Investigation Division — which is responsible for probing incidents involving police use of force — are looking into the shooting.
One of the hit-and-run suspects involved in the initial car chase was arrested in a nearby backyard, while two others fled the crime scene.
Shriner is the author of two best-selling memoirs, 2010’s "Some Girls: My Life in a Harem" and 2015’s "Everything You Ever Wanted." Shriner also penned "Behold the Monster: Confronting America’s Most Prolific Serial Killer," a book based on her interviews with serial killer Samuel Little.
She and the Weezer bassist were married in 2005, and they have two adopted children.
Scott Shriner declined to offer any remarks in regard to his wife when KTLA asked him for a comment.
However, the New York Post said Shriner was seen walking four dogs outside the couple's home Thursday and said in reference to his wife that "she’s all right, thank you for asking." Shriner added, “See you at Coachella!” as he returned to the home, the Post said.
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Police body cam video: Florida cop fired after she shot man with his own gun during routine traffic stop
Newly-released body cam video shows the moment when a Jacksonville police officer shot a Florida man during a routine traffic stop. The cop was charged and reportedly terminated after the accidental shooting.
On Dec. 13, 2024, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office police officer S. Lowry conducted a routine traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Jason Arrington. The officer accused Arrington of driving through a red light, and Arrington disagreed.
'Holy s**t!'
Body cam video shows Arrington being compliant during the traffic stop and informing Officer Lowry that he was armed with a gun.
"So what we're gonna do is — just for my safety and your safety — I'm gonna have you step out of the vehicle," the officer instructs Arrington. "And we're just gonna remove the pistol from you."
The officer continued, "Then we're gonna run your license and make sure everything is good, and then I'm gonna send you on your way."
Officer Lowry informs two other officers at the scene that the driver is "very compliant" and "he does have a pistol on him."
Police body cam video shows Arrington exiting the vehicle and then placing his hands on the roof of his truck.
Officer Mindy Cardwell is seen on police body cam video attempting to extract the gun holstered in Arrington's waistband.
"She tugged on the gun the first time, then she tugged again," Arrington explained before adding, "I don't know, she might have got nervous or whatever, and she pulled harder two more times, and that's when it discharged."
Suddenly, a gunshot is heard in the video, and Arrington is seen slumping down in pain.
Lowry can be heard screaming, "Holy s**t!"
'Gun owners in this state should be able to carry their firearms without the fear of an officer pulling them over on the side of the road, then voluntarily disclosing they’re carrying a firearm, then being shot with their own weapon.'
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said in a statement, "While Officer Cardwell was attempting to remove the firearm, it discharged, striking Mr. Arrington in the leg."
The bullet hit Arrington in the upper thigh and went through his right side.
Body cam video shows Officer Caldwell's finger on the trigger of Arrington's handgun as she removes it from his waistband.
Within seconds, blood is seen flowing down Arrington's leg, and he needs assistance from an officer to walk. Officer A. Weippert applies a tourniquet to Arrington's leg, and Arrington is seen grimacing in pain. The officer then cuts the pants off Arrington's leg to locate the gunshot wound.
Following the police shooting, Officer Lowry is heard whispering to himself: "Goddamn."
Lowry also is heard telling dispatch that the police shooting was a "negligent discharge."
In a late-December press conference, Arrington announced that he planned to sue over the officer-involved shooting.
“It messed with me as far as me working and stuff,” Arrington said. "Certain things in my job I can’t do no more, perform, like getting up on equipment and stuff, you know, different things."
"I have to get on top of trains and unload stuff, forklift, crane, whatever I have to do at my job. It’s kind of hard for me to do it. I can do it, but it’s challenging, like real bad," Arrington stated.
Arrington's attorney — Kay Harper Williams — stated, "Gun owners in this state should be able to carry their firearms without the fear of an officer pulling them over on the side of the road, then voluntarily disclosing they’re carrying a firearm, then being shot with their own weapon."
Williams said she believes Officer Caldwell "was not properly trained" and "certainly did not follow proper protocol."
Weeks after the incident, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office released a memo spotlighting how police should conduct stops involving a citizen legally carrying a concealed firearm.
"The burden of proving an individual is not eligible to carry a concealed firearm falls on the investigating officer and is not an automatic presumption," the memo reads. "Unless an officer has articulable suspicion that the detained person presents a threat to the safety of citizens or officers or has knowledge that the detained person is ineligible to carry a concealed firearm, officers should not seize a firearm (i.e. remove it from holster, vehicle, pocket, bag, etc.) from someone lawfully carrying it."
Internal Affairs launched an investigation, and Cardwell was hit with a sustained charge of incompetence.
CBS News on Wednesday reported that Caldwell had been fired.
A week after the traffic stop, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office dismissed the traffic citation against Arrington.
You can watch police body cam footage from all three of the officers involved in the shooting incident at the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office's official Facebook page, but it should be noted that the video is graphic.
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'We are hurting': Texas police officer — a husband and father of 3 — gunned down in 'ambush'
A Texas police officer — a husband and father of three — was fatally shot in the line of duty in an "ambush" Monday.
The Greenville Police Department stated in a press release that Officer Cooper Dawson initiated a traffic stop around 7:40 p.m. Greenville is about 75 minutes northeast of Dallas.
'We are heartbroken over the loss of Officer Cooper Dawson, who selflessly put his life on the line to serve and protect our community.'
The suspect reportedly fled the traffic stop, and Dawson allegedly pursued the suspect on foot.
Police noted that Dawson, 27, was "ambushed and shot multiple times" while pursuing the suspect.
Despite suffering critical injuries, Dawson reportedly "displayed exceptional courage, returning fire, and striking the suspect."
Following the shooting, both Dawson and the suspect were rushed to Hunt County Regional Hospital.
Dawson's condition was so severe that authorities had to airlift him to Medical City Plano where he later died.
Dawson's death reportedly was the first in the line of duty within the Greenville Police Department in more than 100 years.
The Dallas Morning News identified the alleged cop-killer as 25-year-old Christian Robert Sparger.
Citing Denton County court records, the Morning News said Sparger pleaded guilty last year to charges of aggravated assault and continuous violence in a separate case.
The paper also said Sparger was arrested in 2017 and 2018 for marijuana possession, public intoxication, and failure to identify as a fugitive with intent to provide false information.
"Officer Dawson was a highly respected member of the Greenville Police Department and had previously served with the Garland Police Department," Greenville Police stated. "His dedication to public service and his unwavering commitment to protecting the Greenville community will never be forgotten."
Before leaving the Garland Police Department in 2023, Dawson purportedly earned 10 certificates of merit, a dozen commendations, and two bars for saving a life.
Greenville Police Chief Chris Smith declared, "We are heartbroken over the loss of Officer Cooper Dawson, who selflessly put his life on the line to serve and protect our community. We ask that you keep Officer Dawson’s family, our department, and the Greenville community in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time."
According to KXAS-TV, Smith added, "We are hurting. We are hurting as a department. We are hurting as a community. Today, we honor him as a hero, a husband, a father, and a friend. The grief we feel is indescribable."
Smith also said, "We lost a good man today. He was an excellent officer. Today, we honor him as a hero, a husband, a father, and a friend. The grief we feel is indescribable."
Greenville Police displayed a squad car in front of its department in memory of Dawson.
At 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Greenville Police featured a procession of Dawson's remains through the city streets as a tribute to him.
Dawson also served with the U.S. Army National Guard.
Details regarding memorial services for Dawson's family will be announced in the coming days, police said.
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Crazy bodycam video shows suspect trying to flee cop on a lawnmower, getting tased — and it only gets worse for him
Newly released police bodycam video shows the moment a Michigan suspect tried to flee a police officer on a riding lawnmower. However, the suspect ended up getting tased and shooting himself in the hand.
The Jackson County Sheriff's Office said an officer was dispatched to a property in Leoni Township.
'This was an unfortunate and certainly dangerous situation. Mr. Kerr was not well that day.'
In the bodycam video the sheriff's office released, Deputy Robert Henderson went to arrest 41-year-old James Mitchell Kerr III on a felony warrant for violating probation and two misdemeanor warrants on Sept. 19, according to WWJ-TV.
The bodycam video shows the officer approach Kerr — who is on a riding lawnmower.
The video — seen hundreds of thousands of times online — shows Kerr seemingly disregarding Henderson's multiple orders to get off the riding lawnmower.
The officer is seen running after Kerr, continuing to order him to "stop."
Once the officer wields a taser, the suspect finally stops the lawnmower.
Henderson warns: "You run, I'm gonna tase you, James."
Kerr is seen exiting the lawnmower, but he then picks up what appears to be a handgun from under the lawnmower's seat, according to WJBK-TV.
The officer tased the suspect, and he fell to the ground.
The officer screams, "Drop the gun!"
Video shows the suspect shooting himself in the hand.
Kerr reportedly was treated at a hospital for the gunshot wound and then released.
Kerr was charged Oct. 23 with assault with intent to murder, felony firearm, and resisting and obstructing police. He was released on bail.
If convicted, Kerr faces up to life in prison for the assault charge, up to two years for the felony firearm charge, and up to two years for resisting an officer.
Jackson County Sheriff Gary Schuette said, "This incident underscores how rapidly a seemingly routine encounter can escalate and the potential dangers deputies face daily. Thankfully, the deputy was unharmed, and the suspect did not sustain serious injuries."
Kerr's attorney, Philip Curtis, told the Detroit News, "This was an unfortunate and certainly dangerous situation. Mr. Kerr was not well that day, and I think it is more likely that he intended to harm himself, which is what happened. The deputy should be commended for so effectively defusing the situation before anyone was seriously injured. My client and his family are grateful for that."
The Jackson County Sheriff's Office conducted an internal investigation. The Michigan State Police conducted an independent criminal investigation, which cleared Henderson of any wrongdoing and indicated that no police policies were violated.
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Venezuelan street gang Tren de Aragua given 'green light' to shoot police officers: Reports
The violent Venezuelan street gang Tren de Aragua has given its members a "green light" to attack and shoot police officers, according to multiple reports.
The gang reportedly has notified members that it's open season on law enforcement officers in the United States, the New York Post reported, citing a government memo the paper said it obtained.
'Today’s designation of Tren de Aragua as a significant Transnational Criminal Organization underscores the escalating threat it poses to American communities.'
The alleged memo from the Homeland Security Investigations office in Chicago advises staffers to be “vigilant” as they come across gang members or affiliates of the gang.
“Credible human sources from Colorado provided information on TdA [Tren de Aragua] giving a ‘green light’ to fire on or attack law enforcement,” read the alleged memo.
The memo reportedly added, “As you may know, we have a TdA presence here in Chicago, so please be vigilant as you encounter TdA members or affiliates during your investigative and operational activities."
The Post added that the intel from Colorado came through the Albuquerque Police Department in New Mexico.
The alert regarding the dangerous Tren de Aragua directive also was noted in a bulletin from the Colorado Information Analysis Center, Fox News reported. The cable network added that Albuquerque police had received the concerning information from "federal partners."
"The Albuquerque New Mexico Police Department (APD) has released this officer safety bulletin to notify law enforcement of information regarding the Tren De Aragua criminal organization and reports that TDA members in Denver have been given a 'green light' to fire on or attack law enforcement," the alleged bulletin read.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Tren de Aragua for "engaging in diverse criminal activities, such as human smuggling and trafficking, gender-based violence, money laundering, and illicit drug trafficking."
Brian Nelson, under secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, stated on July 11 that “today’s designation of Tren de Aragua as a significant Transnational Criminal Organization underscores the escalating threat it poses to American communities.”
Nelson vowed to "deploy all tools and authorities against organizations like Tren de Aragua that prey on vulnerable populations to generate revenue, engage in a range of criminal activities across borders, and abuse the U.S. financial system."
On the same day, the U.S. State Department offered up to a $12 million reward for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions of the gang’s leaders.
Specifically the State Department offered rewards ranging from $3 million to $5 million for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions of Tren de Aragua leaders Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero, also known as ”Niño Guerrero,” Yohan Jose Romero, a.k.a. “Johan Petrica,” and Giovanny San Vicente, a.k.a. “Giovanny,” “Viejo Viejo,” and “El Viejo.”
Members of Tren de Aragua have infiltrated the U.S. by crossing the southern border illegally and asking for asylum.
As Blaze News previously reported, two illegal immigrants tied to Tren de Aragua were accused of attacking two NYPD officers in January.
A report released last month found that more than 100 criminal investigations in the U.S. are tied to Tren de Aragua.
Jose Ibarra, the illegal immigrant accused of murdering Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, is reportedly a member of Tren de Aragua.
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