Groomed for violence? The dark world of furries and transgenderism in America's classrooms



The horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk on September 10 has sparked a number of politically charged conversations, not only about the frightening increase in political violence but about the suspected killer's associations with nonheteronormative relationships and so-called furries.

On September 12, just hours after investigators revealed that an engraving on one of the bullet casings makes reference to an online meme mocking gay furries, the suspect, Tyler Robinson, 22, was apprehended. In short order, details about Robinson and his alleged romantic relationship with roommate Lance Twiggs began to spread online. A photo of Twiggs wearing an animal costume went viral, and the New York Post and other outlets reported that an account name associated with Robinson appeared on the sexual fetish website FurAffinity.net, prompting speculation that Robinson has a "furry fixation."

A strange trend infiltrates public schools

In general, furries are people known to don animal costumes and exhibit animal-like behaviors. Once the sort of topic discussed only in hushed tones and in private company, furry culture has since gone mainstream, infiltrating common discourse — and even K-12 public education systems across the U.S. Reports indicate that since 2012, furry-like groups have sprung up in school districts in Arizona, California, Colorado, Kentucky, and Texas.

'Most furries are LGBTQ+.'

In April 2024, Blaze News exposed a growing furry problem at Mt. Nebo Middle School in Payson, Utah, about 20 miles or so south of Utah Valley University, where Kirk was murdered. Students, parents, and even a former staff member at the school shared disturbing stories of students who identified as furries wearing animal-like costumes, barking at others, chewing on sticks in class, playing fetch in the halls, and even biting classmates who invaded their territory.

RELATED: Furry trend in Texas public schools will hibernate permanently, if Republicans have their way

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Despite extensive video and photographic evidence of furries at the school, Nebo School District initially denied the existence of a furry problem, repeatedly insisting to Blaze News that the issue was akin to kids occasionally dressing up as their "favorite basketball player or baseball player."

"That’s just what kids this age do," district spokesman Seth Sorenson said at one point. "These rumors are unfounded and are not occurring in our schools," Sorenson told Blaze News in a separate statement.

Days later, the district moderated those denials, claiming to "take any and all harassment very seriously" and pledging that no group of students would be permitted "to target and harass other students without intervention and consequences." The updated statement, however, still made no mention of the furry group at the center of the harassment problem.

'Some degree of sexual motivation'

While Blaze News received numerous reports that Mt. Nebo furries were tormenting their classmates, none of the reported harassment there seemed to be sexual in nature. Yet admissions from furries and their supporters more broadly reveal that the furry culture is firmly grounded in sex and sexual identity.

A 2019 article published in Archives of Sexual Behavior found that 99% of the 334 male furries who participated in the authors' survey acknowledged "some degree of sexual motivation for being furries." Eighty-four percent categorized their sexual orientation as something other than heterosexual.

In a 2022 Religion News Service article that noted the high rates of atheism and anti-Christian bias among furries, Courtney Plante, a Furscience researcher and associate professor of psychology at Bishop’s University in Quebec, confirmed that "most furries are LGBTQ+."

Perhaps unwittingly, Debra Soh demonstrated the sexual foundation of the furry trend, even as she attempted to convince readers that furries are hardly "sex-crazed perverts." On the one hand, Soh gushed that the furries she met at a 2014 furry convention were "all friendly and welcoming, offering hugs and agreeing to have their photo taken." Yet in the next sentence, Soh noted that "they were mostly young, either teenaged or in their early 20s, male, and identifying as gay or transgender."

Likewise, in a Psychology Today blog post in 2017, Hal Herzog, Ph.D., claimed that characterizations of furries as "fetishists or as psychologically dysfunctional people" are "misconceptions" that "are demonstrably false," even as he admitted that "furries are seven times more likely than the general population to identify as transgender and about five times more likely to identify as non-heterosexual."

Despite the widely understood association between furries and sex, furries and others on the left often pretend that furry culture is mainly about community, that the animal costumes and "fursonas" help otherwise socially awkward introverts interact with others and express themselves in everyday, family-friendly situations.

RELATED: Man who tried to kill Justice Brett Kavanaugh identifies as transgender, new docs show

June 29, 2024, Furries in costume at the annual Pride in London parade. Photo by: Andy Soloman/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

United Utah Furry Fandom, for example, characterizes its members as "free-spirited and creative individuals" who simply "enjoy embodying characters that look and act like anthropomorphic animals." However, the group likewise acknowledges that "many members of the furry community tend to either have Autistic Spectrum Disorder, neurodivergence, or other traits that make social interaction in conventional spaces difficult."

Of note, U2F2 adds that furries often "align with LGBTQ+ values" but insists that any presumed association between furries and sexual deviancy is "false."

By contrast, Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project, explained to Blaze News that such assertions are a form of gaslighting in which leftists claim that disturbing groups like furries do not exist or if they do exist, they pose no danger. In many cases, these gaslighters imply that those voicing concerns are either overreacting or manifesting latent bigotry.

"These people do this stuff because ... it sounds unbelievable and like it's not happening," Schilling said. "That's how the whole trans thing played out."

Schilling indicated that so many parents and medical professionals have gotten away with mangling children through so-called "gender-affirming care" because until recently, the idea of letting "a kid get a sex-change procedure" was considered "preposterous." He believes that the furry trend has spread for the same reason.

"It's dangerous, and it's hurting our education system."

'If you say we're not going to have any rules, we're not going to teach that anything's right or wrong, well, then you get furries in your seventh-grade classroom.'

U2F2 did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News, but did offer a statement in response to the Kirk murder.

"We condemn in the strongest terms the spreading of hate, conspiracy theories, and misinformation from any side of the political spectrum. For years, our leaders and volunteers have dedicated themselves to creating safe, welcoming, and joyful spaces for others — a mission that has always been the foundation of the fandom. Our community is built on creativity, inclusivity, and mutual support," U2F2 said, according to KTVX.

"We are saddened that our community has been dragged into this climate of hostility, and our thoughts remain with everyone directly affected by these tragic events."

'Sexual anarchy'

Like many others on the right, Schilling does not view the furry trend as a benign cosplay niche for weird adults. He made plain to Blaze News that furries are instead indulging in a "disgusting" sexual fetish.

"You can't separate the sexual from the furries. It is part and parcel," he told Blaze News. "They're constantly fantasizing about hooking up in these costumes."

Schilling further warned that the sexual component of furries is present in school-age groups too and has a particular impact on students who regularly use online forums and games. "These online forums are full of pornography. It's a whole porn genre," he said.

RELATED: 'Red state privilege': MD Anderson’s quiet LGBTQ+ push in Texas

Cosplayers known as "furries" march during San Diego Pride Parade on July 15, 2023, in San Diego, California. Photo by Daniel Knighton/Getty Images

Schilling believes that furries and other alleged sex-related deviancies like transgenderism have resulted from the overall "sexual anarchy" that has pervaded American culture, especially online and in public schools. "If you say we're not going to have any rules, we're not going to teach that anything's right or wrong, well, then you get furries in your seventh-grade classroom," he claimed. "You get complete disorder and chaos."

"The online world is radicalizing these kids, and then the schools are actually supporting it," he said in reference to furries. "Basically, the schools are treating it as a protected class."

Ties to violence

Tyler Robinson is hardly the first accused assassin with ties to transgenderism. In fact, he's not even the only suspected assassin with ties to transgenderism from Washington City, Utah, in just the last 16 months.

In June 2024, Mia Bailey, a 28-year-old man whose given name was Collin Troy Bailey, allegedly marched into the Washington City home of his parents — 70-year-old Joseph Bailey and 69-year-old Gail Bailey — and opened fire. Police found the couple shot to death. Joseph had been struck twice and Gail four times. Police also said the suspect attempted to gun down his brother, who locked himself in a room before making a daring escape to a neighbor's home.

After an extensive manhunt, Mia Bailey eventually surrendered to police. While in custody, Bailey allegedly told cops, "I would do it again. I hate them." In June 2025, he pled not guilty to two counts of aggravated murder, one count of attempted murder, seven counts of felony discharge of a firearm, and aggravated burglary.

Despite the transgenderism link to two Washington City-based murder suspects in just over a year, Washington City Mayor Kress Staheli called the Kirk shooting "an isolated incident," while Police Chief Jason Williams claimed that it "wasn’t really a reflection of our community."

"One individual doesn’t define who we are as a community," Staheli added.

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

RELATED: It's time to address America's transgender ideology problem

Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance pay their respects at Annunciation Catholic Church.Photo by ALEX WROBLEWSKI/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Transgenderism has also been a common theme in other national atrocities within the last few years.

Just weeks before Kirk's horrific death on September 10, a trans-identifying male shot up Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, murdering two schoolchildren and injuring more than a dozen others attending Mass. The trans-identifying suspect in that case, Robert "Robin" Westman, who committed suicide at the scene, left behind a handwritten letter, journals, and a video that indicated he was motivated by hatred for President Donald Trump and the Catholic Church.

Goodwill-Yost had previously introduced her 17-year-old daughter to the furry 'subculture,' where the teen met Acosta and Frank Felix ... described as 'obsessed' with the girl.

In March 2023, a trans-identifying female stormed into the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, and mowed down three adults and three children with bullets. The manifesto she left behind revealed deep-seated anti-Christian and anti-white bigotry.

Deadly meeting through furry 'subculture'

Furries have also been implicated in heinous crimes as well.

In September 2016, Jennifer Goodwill-Yost, 39; her husband, Christopher Yost, 35; and their friend Arthur “Billy” Boucher, 28, were shot to death by Joshua Acosta, a 21-year-old Army mechanic stationed at Ft. Irwin in Barstow, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

Goodwill-Yost had previously introduced her 17-year-old daughter to the furry "subculture," where the teen met Acosta and Frank Felix, then 25, who soon began a relationship with the girl, despite her parents' objections, and later supplied the gun and ammunition used in the commission of the crime. The D.A. described Felix as "obsessed" with the girl.

On the night of the murders, Acosta and Felix drove to the teen's house. After she jumped in their truck, Acosta went into her home and shot Boucher, who was sleeping on the couch, followed by Goodwill-Yost, whom the teen had previously accused of abuse. Lastly, Acosta shot Yost, the girl's stepfather, whom she accused of molesting her, as he was attempting to flee.

Two children, ages 6 and 9, were left alive and woke up the next morning and called 911 after discovering the dead bodies.

For their crimes, Felix was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences, and Acosta was sentenced to life plus 75 years. Neither man has the possibility of parole.

The LockJaw Arts murder

In March 2020, a Las Vegas couple tied to the furry world enticed 57-year-old Michael Crabtree to invite them to his home under the pretext of a threesome and then savagely murdered him. Police also indicated that the pair confessed to killing and skinning a dog.

Tonya Dillard, 33, and Jacob Berkovitz, 29, both pled guilty, though Berkovitz pled "guilty but mentally ill." Dillard will spend at least 14 years behind bars, while Berkovitz has a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 20 years plus a consecutive minimum sentence of eight years.

In the furry world, Dillard was known as "Vincent Vex," while Berkovitz went by "Jax." The pair is believed to have operated LockJaw Arts, offering furry costumes and furry-related art. An Instagram account for LockJaw Arts shares violent and pornographic depictions of furries.

RELATED: Video shows Colombian porn actor dancing nude while covered in blood after decapitating gay couple he was living with

Screenshot of Nevada corrections website

Child sex trafficking at a furry party

In 2017, David Parker pled guilty to sex trafficking involving a minor and was later sentenced to 30 years in federal prison. Reports indicate that in 2009 he began taking a boy under 10 years old to furry parties, where he offered the boy to an adult male for sexual purposes.

Four others besides Parker were charged in connection with what lehighvalleylive.com described as a "furries' child predator sex ring," but at least one of the defendants, Kenneth Fenske, accused of raping the child, was acquitted of all charges.

Online grooming

In September 2024, 41-year-old Adam Woolacott pled guilty in a court in Vancouver, British Columbia, to sexual interference, arranging a sexual offense against a child, and making sexually explicit material available to someone under 16.

Woolacott was sentenced to spend just six years behind bars despite having five separate sexual encounters with a girl he met in a furry group on Facebook. The girl was only 12 when she first made contact with Woolacott, who was then 35, according to Vancouver Is Awesome.

At his sentencing hearing, Judge Donna Senniw claimed that Woolacott knew the victim's age from the start. "[The victim] said he was the reason other men exploited her and had been abused, used, and groomed," Senniw stated.

'It's totally demonic'

Considering the surge in cases of trans-related violence and the alarming link between LGBTQ identities and furries, Schilling told Blaze News that parents must stay alert and "raise holy hell" about any instances of furries they see in their local school district. Otherwise, the furry fetish will metastasize and morph into something even worse.

"It's not always going to be furries," he said. "It's going to be something else totally crazy and something that we didn't even imagine. I mean, think about this: Ten years ago, would you have ever imagined that furries would be a new sexual fetish and that children in schools would be identifying as it? No, because it's unthinkable. It's unimaginable.

"It's demonic. It's demonic," he reiterated. "It's totally demonic."

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Dana Bash bafflingly dismisses trans partner's relevance in Tyler Robinson probe



More and more disturbing information about Tyler Robinson, the alleged shooter of Charlie Kirk, is surfacing as the investigation progresses. One of the most significant revelations is that Robinson’s roommate, who has been cooperating with the FBI, is also his romantic partner.

Although authorities have not confirmed the name of this person, despite many X posts claiming his name is Lance Twiggs, they have confirmed that he is a biological male who identifies as transgender and is currently in the process of “transitioning” to a female.

This is a critical piece of information. Between the Nashville Covenant and Annunciation Catholic School shootings, as well as other trans-perpetrated crimes, we cannot ignore the clear tie between transgender ideology and violence.

But CNN’s Dana Bash prefers we do exactly that and pretend the correlation doesn’t exist.

In a recent interview with Utah Governor Spencer Cox (R), Bash asked how Robinson’s partner’s sexual identity was relevant to the investigation.

BlazeTV Sara Gonzales, alongside contributor Matthew Marsden and guest Adam Johnson, reacted to the clip on a recent episode of “Sara Gonzales Unfiltered.”

“Well, some outlets are reporting that the suspect lived with a transgender partner. Is that accurate? And are investigators looking at this part of his life as a possible motivation?” Bash asked.

“Yes, definitely. And yes, I can confirm that. I know that has been reported and that the FBI has confirmed that as well — that the roommate was a romantic partner, a male transitioning to female,” Cox replied, noting that Robinson’s partner has been “incredibly cooperative” in the investigation.

“And how is that relevant to the investigation when it comes to the motive?” Bash retorted.

Sara is appalled. “I don’t know, Dana. Do you have two brain cells to rub together? Like, it would be completely obvious to anyone who’s listening to the left continue today, this very moment, continue telling all of us that Charlie Kirk was a transphobic, homophobic, xenophobic, enter keyword here,” she says.

“The mental gymnastics these people are doing to not have to admit what we already see in front of us is true is truly spectacular,” she continues.

How about “the fact that it was written on the freaking bullets!” adds Marsden, referring to the disturbing inscriptions on some of Robinson’s bullets.

“The LGBTQIA+2 community is a death cult. They cannot exist without coming after our youth and convincing them to also be a part of their group. And that is why Charlie was the target,” Johnson says.

“Charlie went after the hearts and minds of those that were captured in our schools with Marxist ideology from a very young age. And he recaptured their minds. He broke them free. He allowed them to understand that there is truth, there is morals, and that living our lives in a Christian way — in a way that serves our Lord and Savior, in a way that serves our community — is the right way to live,” he continues.

“And that is why they took him out. Because if we recapture our youth, we recapture our country.”

To see the footage of Bash’s ignorant comments and to hear more of Sara and the panel’s discussion, watch the episode above.

Want more from Sara Gonzales?

To enjoy more of Sara's no-holds-barred take to news and culture, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Violence Is The Logical And Desired Outcome Of Leftists’ Trans Victim Narrative

After wallowing in the left's grievance politics, people are beginning to behave in predictably violent ways.

Blaze News exclusive: Suspect in anti-Trump ATV attack had gender issues, took estrogen, friend says



Last July, a young man driving an ATV committed a series of attacks in Hancock, a small city in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, including slashing tire valves, breaking car windows, and even running down an elderly man putting up yard signs in support of President-elect Donald Trump.

Hancock police almost immediately claimed that the incidents were "politically motivated" since the driver seemingly targeted the property of those who openly supported Trump and/or law enforcement.

In an effort to learn more details about the incidents and the suspect, Blaze News obtained multiple police reports as part of a Freedom of Information Act request. We also spoke with several individuals associated with the incidents. From these conversations, Blaze News learned not only that the suspect had serious mental health issues but that he even struggled with his gender identity and took female hormones prior to the attack.

'Kind of ran me down': Political rage leads to violence

On the afternoon of July 21, 81-year-old Carl Nelson and his brother, 78-year-old Paul Nelson, were outside Paul's home in Hancock, minding their own business, when a man on an ATV came barreling down the street, full of rage apparently directed at then-presidential candidate Donald Trump.

"I was out in the front yard a little bit," Carl Nelson recalled to Blaze News, "and there had been some political signs that had been put up in the yards up and down the street there, and some guy comes along on a little four-wheeler — riding on it, dressed in all black — and comes whipping through, grabbing all the signs, runs across the street with them, and throws them in a swamp pile."

Carl told Blaze News that the driver never spoke, though he previously told police that the driver "started yelling obscenities" and gave the Nelson brothers the double bird.

The driver 'wasn't really targeting Biden people,' he said, just 'more or less the Trump and the Republican end of things.'

The driver then sped away. With the man gone, Carl proceeded to retrieve a couple of the signs and put them back up in his brother's yard.

The act of restoring the signs apparently stoked the ire of the driver, who returned to Paul's street, seemingly determined to remove the Trump signs again. According to a statement Paul gave to police, the driver then suddenly "veered off the road into the yard" and struck Carl from behind.

Carl told Blaze News he never saw it coming.

"He was coming from behind me and kind of ran me down," he explained.

The blow from the vehicle knocked Carl to the ground, where he hit his head and he briefly lost consciousness. Cops and first responders arrived on the scene quickly and transported him to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a brain bleed. He also had abrasions and deep bruises all over his body.

Composite screenshot of police report

Walter LaPlante, who lived across the street from Paul at the time of the incident, recalled the scene vividly.

"I was sitting there having a couple drinks for the day of my day off, eating breakfast and just having a nice relaxing day, and I see this four-wheeler blow through the stop sign," he told Blaze News. "And about 10 minutes later, I see cops everywhere, and I look out the window, and I see they're down at that fellow's house and there's an ambulance there and about six, seven cop cars."

LaPlante said that such a "politically motivated attack" was "shocking" to his quiet community. The driver "wasn't really targeting Biden people," he said, just "more or less the Trump and the Republican end of things."

Police did not take long to zero in on a suspect: 22-year-old Joshua Kemppainen of Hancock, a name Carl Nelson and LaPlante said they did not recognize.

The day after the incidents involving the ATV, Kemppainen called the cops so that he could "turn himself in for the crimes of vandalism he committed," a police report said. Police and sheriff's deputies raced to Kemppainen's address, where they found Kemppainen dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. They then searched his residence and collected evidence, including an ATV, apparel that matched the description of clothes worn by the driver, and some electronic devices.

'Shaved legs' and 'thigh-highs': Kemppainen presents as female

Until that fateful July day, Kemppainen had no encounters with local law enforcement. While he may not have been in trouble with the law, accounts from those who knew him best indicate that he was a troubled young man.

A few days after the attack on Carl Nelson, Joshua's father, David Kemppainen, and other relatives met with Hancock Police Chief Tami Sleeman. David informed Sleeman that Joshua had been been bullied in high school and that he had been diagnosed with autism. Joshua had also been taking medicine for depression, but that medicine had recently changed.

Another individual familiar with Joshua also reached out to law enforcement: Lane Campbell, a 25-year-old gamer who lives more than 500 miles from Hancock in southeastern Michigan between Lansing and Detroit. Campbell and Joshua met online and often played video games together.

Campbell told Blaze News that at first, Joshua was "awkward" and aloof and rarely shared anything personal. "It took a lot of talking to him in general and getting to know him in general before he kind of opened up," Campbell said.

'Sometimes he'd have a super high-pitched voice and be squealy and girly, and then the other times he'd have a super deep voice.'

But soon, the two guys "clicked," Campbell said. In fact, their friendship eventually became sexual in nature, and the two exchanged nude photos and other explicit messages. Campbell, who never met Kemppainen in person, characterized their relationship as "online f*** buddies."

Because of their intimate connection, Campbell learned firsthand that Kemppainen struggled with his gender identity. In addition to nude photos, Kemppainen sent Campbell pictures of himself with "shaved legs" as well as wearing "thigh-highs" and "skirts," Campbell said.

"It'd be weird. Sometimes he'd have a super high-pitched voice and be squealy and girly, and then the other times he'd have a super deep voice, kind of like a 'wake up in the morning' voice," Campbell recalled to Blaze News.

Campbell said that at some point during their friendship, Kemppainen had been seeing a psychiatrist and had even taken estrogen for a bit.

"He had taken hormones," Campbell explained. "He'd taken estrogen before but was off it pretty much, like, three months into me knowing him."

If Campbell's timeline is correct, Kemppainen would have stopped taking estrogen around February 2023, nearly a year and a half before the ATV attack, since the two men met online in November 2022.

Campbell does not believe Kemppainen was taking estrogen at the time of the ATV incidents, though the last time he spoke with him was in June 2024, a month before they occurred.

Campbell also insisted that Kemppainen never identified himself as a woman and did not care much about pronouns. "He wasn't trying to be transsexual," Campbell said. Instead, Kemppainen was more "transgender" and wanted "to be viewed more as a woman."

Records show that Campbell gave Chief Sleeman similar statements about Kemppainen's forays into transvestism and gender transition. Campbell also furnished her with screenshots of some of his Discord exchanges with Kemppainen. The screenshots are included in the police reports but are so grainy as to be entirely illegible.

Screenshot of police report

Campbell declined to share those screenshots with Blaze News, citing privacy concerns.

Blaze News left messages with Joshua's parents, David and Mia Kemppainen, but did not receive a return call.

Kemppainen and 'far-left' politics

It seems that Kemppainen's gender-identity problems may also have helped shape his politics and affected the way he viewed his community.

"He felt like in his community, being a very conservative rural community, he couldn't express being more feminine," Campbell said.

Campbell told police that Kemppainen held mainly "far-left" views and added to Blaze News that his friend had become increasingly frustrated with the Democratic Party, especially at the national level. By summer 2024, Kemppainen had little hope of a Democratic victory in the 2024 election.

"He's like, 'The Dems are just f***ing idiots at this point,'" Campbell recalled Kemppainen saying.

Kemppainen was also "anti-government" in general and harbored animus against law enforcement, Campbell said, calling all cops "f***ing pigs and a bunch of idiots." Kemppainen was particularly incensed about the cop-involved shooting of Breonna Taylor.

Kemppainen also apparently fantasized about committing suicide by cop. "It was the more suicidal bit and wanting to kind of go out and be like, 'I hope I get pulled over by a cop ... just so I can f***ing shoot him and then, you know ...'" Campbell said.

Despite mainly far-left views, Kemppainen was also a gun enthusiast and even spent time in the Army.

'He never kind of wished harm on anybody.'

In the weeks leading up to the ATV incidents, Campbell had become increasingly worried about Kemppainen's mental state. Kemppainen had a history of substance abuse, Campbell said, and would frequently use drugs or alcohol while playing games with him online.

Though Campbell declined to share with Blaze News screenshots of his Discord exchanges with Kemppainen, he did read aloud the final message he ever received from his late friend: "I'm getting wasted. I'm playing with my AK. Wish me luck."

Campbell said he responded by asking Kemppainen to be careful but that "he never got back to me on that."

When police discovered Kemppainen lifeless at his home, they found "an AK-style rifle between his legs."

Campbell also insisted that while Kemppainen was no fan of Trump, he never threatened violence against Trump supporters. "He never kind of wished harm on anybody," Campbell said.

According to a police report, David Kemppainen, Joshua's father, said his son "did not have a 'mean bone' in his body" and that the ATV attack "was not like him at all." He also told police that his son "did not have any political issues."

Another relative characterized Joshua as a "good kid" who "loved to go fishing and hunting" with his grandfather.

'A debacle': Continued fallout

Joshua Kemppainen's suicide was not the end of the story for anyone involved. His mother, Mia Kemppainen, was so distraught over her son's death and apparent outburst of violence that she "was not able to come in to talk with the police" when they asked, David Kemppainen said, according to a police report. Mia did later go to the police station to retrieve her son's confiscated belongings.

Family members who did speak with police were visibly "shaken" by Joshua's alleged crime spree and expressed concern about the elderly victim.

Lane Campbell believes that Kemppainen's alleged involvement in the ATV attack was "a cry for help." He also seemed to speak very carefully about the attack, describing it to Blaze News as "a debacle" and Kemppainen's alleged actions as "deplorable" but then adding that they might be "understandable" to some people.

"I think ... that he genuinely cared and just was misunderstood and because of that and his mental issues that led to him to going down the path he took," said Campbell, who also struggles with mental health issues.

"I wasn't expecting him to be a criminal, but I wasn't expecting him to kill himself."

By all accounts, Kemppainen was a loner. He had few friends in the real world, had recently lost an online friend to suicide, and had difficulty holding down a job. He could have returned to the Army after COVID but for whatever reason chose not do so.

Campbell believes that extreme isolation contributed to Kemppainen's decline and advocated for those with fragile mental health to go outside, "touch grass," and mingle with regular people. "We need to be more connected as a society," he said.

'It could've been a little worse than it actually was.'

For his part, Carl Nelson has made almost a full recovery. "For little a while, my right knee bothered me, but that's gone now," he told Blaze News.

Aside from describing his attacker as an "idiot," he also does not seem to carry much resentment about the incident. "It's something we lived through and survived," he stated matter-of-factly.

"It could've been a little worse than it actually was."

Nelson, who lives in Wisconsin, added that several lawyers in the Hancock area approached him and offered to file a lawsuit against the suspect's parents but that he had declined their offer. "[The parents] obviously didn't have any control over him, so nothing could be done by trying to suck some money out of them," he explained. "So I didn't do it."

In fact, Nelson said that he and his brother, Paul, a devout Catholic, had prayed together for the ATV driver.

Sadly, in early August, just a few days after Carl Nelson was hospitalized because of the attack, Paul Nelson died after a brief battle with cancer.

"He was actually a very religious person," Carl said. "So he went while praying."

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Trans-identifying homeless man allegedly stabs Christian shelter employee in stomach over eviction



A trans-identifying man in South Carolina became so irate over a recent eviction from a homeless shelter that he allegedly stabbed an employee in the stomach with such force that her internal organs were exposed.

Until recently, a 34-year-old homeless man going by the name Michelle Silva Perez had been staying at Shepherd's Gate, a Greenville homeless shelter — which is run by a Christian organization called Miracle Hill Ministries — designated to serve women and mothers with young children.

Miracle Hill also issued a statement, claiming ignorance about Perez's true biological sex while he stayed at Shepherd's Gate but indicating it would have 'had no bearing' on his admission into or disqualification from the facility designated for women and young children.

Last Wednesday night, Perez had been "disqualified" from staying at the shelter because he had violated facility guidelines, Miracle Hill said in a statement. The organization did not specify the nature of Perez's alleged violations.

Exactly when Perez learned about his eviction is unclear, but the next morning Greenville police were called to the scene after Perez allegedly attacked a shelter employee on account of the eviction.

According to reports, Perez pushed the employee to the ground in the Shepherd's Gate parking lot and then allegedly hoisted what the Greenville County Sheriff's Office called a "sharp-edged object" and what an arrest warrant referred to as a sword and began stabbing the employee with it.

The stabbing apparently caused such severe wounds to the woman's stomach that when officers later viewed surveillance video of the attack, they could see some of the victim's internal organs on the outside of her body. Police apparently also could identify Perez as the perpetrator based on the video.

The woman was rushed to a local hospital and underwent surgery. She "is currently stable and recuperating," Miracle Hill said.

Meanwhile, Perez was arrested on charges of attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime and booked into the Greenville County Detention Center, though as of Thursday morning, his name does not appear in a jail records online database. Perez reportedly has been placed in isolation in a men's facility because he's allegedly in the midst of a so-called gender transition.

Despite reality, the statement from the sheriff's office referred to Perez as "a woman" without any "trans" qualifiers. Blaze News reached out to the agency for further clarification about the statement. Spokesperson Lt. Ryan Flood told us: "I can tell you that [Perez] identifies as a female, and her [driver's license] indicates as such."

Miracle Hill also issued a statement, claiming ignorance about Perez's true biological sex while he stayed at Shepherd's Gate but indicating it would have "had no bearing" on his admission into or disqualification from the facility designated for women and young children.

"After the incident, we became aware in media reports that the former guest was transgender," the statement said in part. "Our ministry had no knowledge of this. That report, whether true or false, had no bearing on whether Miracle Hill would help, and did not contribute to the guest’s exit from the facility."

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Man who pretends to be woman unrepentant about allegedly murdering parents. Cop worries about 'respect' suspect will receive.



A Utah man who allegedly murdered both of his parents in cold blood earlier this week not only reportedly confessed to the crime, he also allegedly insisted he would "do it again" if he could.

Around 7 p.m. on Tuesday, a 28-year-old man whose given name was Collin Troy Bailey but who legally changed his gender to female and his name to Mia Bailey last year allegedly marched into his parents' home near St. George, Utah, with the intent to kill his family.

'We want to make sure that she knows that we’re going to treat her in the correct way and in a fair way.'

According to reports, his parents — 70-year-old Joseph Bailey and 69-year-old Gail Bailey — may have taken issue with his gender confusion. Neighbor Richard Zyszkiewicz told reporters that the family's relationship was volatile and that he got "bad vibes" from them.

Once inside the home, Mia Bailey allegedly opened fire on his parents. He also allegedly attempted to gun down his brother, who had locked himself in a bedroom but managed to escape to a neighbor's house and call the police.

When officers arrived on the scene, they found Mr. and Mrs. Bailey covered in blood and shell casings scattered all over the floor. The couple was pronounced dead at the scene. Two shots had struck Joseph Bailey, and four had struck his wife.

After an extensive manhunt, Mia Bailey eventually surrendered to police. The handgun on his person supposedly matched the caliber of the shell casings found at the home.

Once in police custody, Mia Bailey was surprisingly forthcoming, and according to an affidavit, showed no "remorse" about killing his parents. "I would do it again. I hate them," he allegedly said. He likewise "openly" expressed "hatred" for his brother, the affidavit added.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Bailey also seemed to have issues with other family members, who supposedly told police they were "afraid" of him. "These family members all sought alternative lodging ... to ensure their safety," the affidavit said.

Mia Bailey has been charged with three counts of aggravated murder, seven felony counts of discharging a weapon, and one count of aggravated burglary. Whether he is now housed at a women's or men's detention facility is unclear.

At least one area cop seemed eager to demonstrate just how accommodating law enforcement plans to be about Bailey's gender. "This isn’t the end for her, right?" said Lt. Kory Klotz, a public information officer with the Washington City Police Department who has repeatedly used female pronouns to describe the suspect, as Blaze News previously noted.

"We want to make sure that she knows that we’re going to treat her in the correct way and in a fair way and make sure our justice system is followed and that she gets the respect that she needs."

Police have not yet confirmed a motive for the shooting. It is unclear when Bailey is next scheduled to appear in court.

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Man who claims to be woman wanted for double homicide, remains on the loose



A man suspected of shooting two people to death in southern Utah earlier this week remains on the loose, police say.

Around 7 p.m. on Tuesday, police received a report that shots had been fired inside a house on E. Chinook Dr. in Washington, Utah, just a few miles northeast of St. George. Officers were able to gain access to the residence easily as the front door was ajar when they got there.

In a department statement posted to Facebook, Klotz described Bailey as a 'transgender male transitioning to female.' Then during an interview with St. George News, he repeatedly used female pronouns in reference to Bailey.

Once inside, the cops made a horrific discovery: two adults, one male and one female, lying dead from apparent gunshot wounds. Officers attempted unsuccessfully to render medical assistance. The identities of the victims have not been released, though ABC4 described them as "a couple."

There were no other individuals inside the home at the time. However, cops found evidence that the two deceased were victims of "a homicide," said Lt. Kory Klotz of the Washington Police Department.

Police do have a suspect in this case: 28-year-old Collin Troy Bailey, a biological man who masquerades as a female and goes by the name Mia Bailey. Any connection between Bailey and the victims is unknown, and police did not reveal why they believe Bailey may have been involved in their untimely deaths.

Bailey also remains at large, having fled the area in a bright yellow Kia Soul with Utah license plate UO69GF. Bailey is described as 5'10" and just 130 lbs. with brown hair, though Klotz noted that Bailey frequently wears different wigs.

The suspect may also be carrying a small-caliber handgun, Klotz warned. So, anyone who spots Bailey or his vehicle should immediately call police and not attempt to engage, he said.

In a department statement posted to Facebook, Klotz, described as a public information officer, described Bailey as a "transgender male transitioning to female." Then during an interview with St. George News, he repeatedly used female pronouns in reference to Bailey.

"Her whereabouts are unknown," Klotz said. "She is considered armed and dangerous."

The Facebook post indicated that Bailey may still be in Washington County, Utah. Even with a possible murderer on the loose, "There are no threats to the general public," the post insisted. The case remains under investigation.

Anyone with information about Bailey should notify Washington Police at (435) 986-1515 or simply dial 911.

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