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Daily Mail
15 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Burglar shot and killed by mother protecting her baby during home invasion is identified - and his past is terrifying
A burglar shot and killed by a mother as she hid her baby in a closet during a home invasion was a serial criminal who'd only recently been freed from jail. Shelby Hurd, 36, died last Tuesday after being blasted in the head with a bullet while entering the unidentified mother's home in Joliet, Illinois. Patch reported that Hurd was only freed on parole in February this year over a slew of previous burglary convictions. In 2024, he pleaded guilty to two separate burglary incidents that took place 10 days apart in March 2022. Hurd was sentenced to four years with 170 days credit for time served. It is unclear how he ended up being freed back onto the streets in early 2025. The burglar also spent previous stints behind bars over 2019 charges for burglary of a vehicle, possession of a stolen vehicle and being a felon in possession of a weapon. His Facebook profile contained numerous disturbing posts, including one shortly after his release from prison earlier this year where he said: 'Sacrificed my peace and sleep. 'I did some sh (sic) you couldn't imagine.' Another post made in April 2023 - before Hurd's most recent incarceration - said: 'I'm from the streets… Better look both ways before you cross me.' Hurd's final burglary saw him break into the home of the woman - who he did not know - around 10:30pm on Tuesday August 12. He was wearing gloves and carrying a screwdriver, police say. The mother who was in the house realized it was being broken into and rushed to an upstairs bedroom with her newborn. She placed the infant in a closet to try and keep them safe just as Hurd burst into that room. The mom opened fire and shot Hurd in the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Last week's horror took place on a peaceful suburban street whose large homes are surrounded by greenery. Joliet sits around 40 miles southwest of Chicago. The city's downtown area is known to have a crime problem, but the burglary took place about seven miles west in a very quiet area. Joliet Police said an investigation into the burglary and shooting was ongoing. They said the mother who shot and killed Hurd was cooperating fully. Many commenters on Joliet Police Department's Facebook post about the shooting hailed the mother, with one even calling for her to be granted the freedom of the city. Illinois does not have a 'stand your ground' law, with locals encouraged to try and retreat before using deadly force. But exceptions apply - including during a home invasion such as the one that unfolded last week.
Daily Mail
15 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Trump praises Zelensky's attire for White House meeting
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at the White House today for the first time since an explosive row with Donald Trump in February. The US President is hosting European leaders at the White House today to discuss plans for an immediate ceasefire to end the Ukraine-Russia war . Zelensky will be joined by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italy's Giorgia Meloni, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Germany's Friedrich Merz and more. The Ukrainian leader was kicked out of the White House in a previous meeting after a shouting match erupted between the two leaders during a press conference, leaving Zelensky to walk out of the West Wing and into his SUV prematurely . Amongst the fiery exchange, Brian Glenn, Chief White House Correspondent Real America's Voice, asked Zelensky: 'Why don't you wear a suit? You're at the highest level in this country's office and you refuse to wear a suit. Do you own a suit? 'A lot of Americans have problems, with you not respecting the dignity of this office.' Responding to the criticism at the time, the Ukrainian leader said he faced more pressing problems with the war in Europe. He added that he 'will wear a kostium (Ukrainian for 'suit') after this war will finish' and it would be 'maybe something like yours, maybe something better, maybe something cheaper'. In a sign of support towards Zelensky, before the meeting escalated into a tense war of words, Trump quickly came to his aid and defended the president's clothing. 'I do like your clothing by the way,' Trump said. 'I don't know if you two like each other, but I think he (Zelensky) is dressed beautifully.' However, reports suggested that Trump privately was irritated by Zelensky's attire. The Ukrainian leader has rarely been seen wearing anything other than casual combat clothes since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and has even visited 10 Downing Street and Buckingham Palace without a suit. Supporters of Zelensky have compared him to the UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who notably also refused to wear a suit during a visit to the White House in the midst of World War Two. However, Zelensky was seen today wearing a suit in a potential bid to please the US President ahead of the crucial talks. The European leaders traveling to Washington DC today are being dubbed Mr Zelensky's 'back-up' following the previous acrimonious visit to the White House. Ahead of today's meeting, Trump posted a series of angry social media posts, tearing into the 'fake news' media for calling the meeting a 'big loss '. 'Actually, it is a great honor for America!!!' he insisted. The president also defended his high-stakes meeting with Russian President Putin on Friday in Alaska, which ended without a ceasefire deal or rough framework for peace with Ukraine. He also sent supporters into a tailspin on Sunday after posting a one-word message 'bela' to his Truth Social without additional context. Tempers flared on all sides during February's Oval Office showdown. Trump threatened to abandon Ukraine completely if Zelensky did not agree to his peace terms. He also accused the Ukrainian leader of not being grateful. Zelensky showed Trump photos he brought of the devastation to his country, and argued he had thanked the American people. The yelling match was unlike anything ever seen publicly in the Oval Office. And it played out on TV screens across the world. 'You're gambling with World War III,' Trump bellowed Zelensky at one point. Both men were tense and on the defensive as they repeatedly tried to talk over one another. Oksana Markarova, Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S., seated to the side in the Oval Office , buried her face in her hands. After the heated meeting Trump announced he had asked Zelensky to leave . The row started when Trump was pressed on historic Russian domination of its neighbors and repositioning the U.S. toward Russia. 'If I didn't align myself with both of them, you'd never have a deal,' Trump explained. 'You want me to say really terrible things about Putin and then say: 'Hi, Vladimir. How are we doing on the deal? It doesn't work that way. I'm not aligned with anybody. I'm aligned with the United States of America.' Then Vice President JD Vance jumped in. 'I will respond to this. So look, for four years the United States of America, we had a president who stood up the press conferences and talked tough about Vladimir Putin, and then Putin invaded Ukraine and destroyed a significant chunk of the country,' said Vance. 'The path to peace and the path to prosperity is maybe engaging in diplomacy. Then a fight over history ensued, as Zelensky ran through Ukraine's 2014 illegal annexation of Crimea. After Zelensky mentioned 2015, Trump jumped in: 'I was not here.' 'But during 2014 till 2022 … people have been dying on the contact line. Then he brought up broken ceasefire and other agreements. 'What kind of diplomacy JD was speaking about?,' asked Zelensky. 'I'm talking about the kind of diplomacy that's going to end the destruction of your country, Mr. President, Mr. President, with respect. I think it's disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media,' Vance told Zelensky, whose country has been under siege since 2022, and who came to Washington to ink a deal that will give the U.S. access to its rare earth minerals.' 'Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems, you should be thanking the president,' Vance told him. Vance accused Zelensky of bringing in dignitaries to his country on 'a propaganda tour' 'Do you think that it's respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?' Vance berated him. Zelensky tried to respond, but that only angered Trump more. 'Don't tell us what we're going to feel, because you're in no position to dictate,' he said. 'You've allowed yourself to be in a very bad position,' Trump told Zelensky, after last week calling him a 'dictator' and blaming Ukraine for starting the war . Yelling with his face getting red, Trump intoned: 'You're not in a good position. You don't have the cards right now … You're gambling with the lives of millions of people. 'You're gambling with World War Three. You're gambling with World War Three, and what you're doing is very disrespectful to the country – this country that's backed to you far more than a lot of people say they should have. 'Have you said thank you once, this entire meeting,' Vance said next in the tag team pile-on. 'You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October,' Vance, said, characterizing Zelensky's trip to an ammunition factory. 'Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who's trying to save your country,' he demanded. 'You think that, if you will speak very loudly,' Zelensky tried to counter in his accented English. 'He's not speaking loudly,' Trump said. 'Your country is in big trouble.' 'I know,' Zelensky responded. 'You're not winning. You're not winning this,' Trump told him. Zelensky got a moment to try to counter, saying 'in our country, staying strong, from the very beginning of the war, we've been alone, and we are thankful.' Trump contradicted him, telling him he hadn't been alone. 'We gave you, through this stupid president, $350 billion we gave you military equipment,' he said, overstating the amount of military hardware. Trump said Zelensky's men are 'brave,' but then told him, 'If you didn't have our military equipment, this war would have been over in two weeks.' 'It's going to be a very hard thing to do business like this,' Trump said. That brought Vance back to demanding thanks. 'Just say thank you,' Vance told him. 'I said it a lot of times,' Zelensky responded. Then Trump gave remarks indicating the blow-up was serving a purpose for him. 'I think it's good for the American people to see what's going on. I think it's very important. That's why I kept this going so long. You have to be thankful you don't have the cards. You're buried there. You people are dying. You're running low on soldiers,' Trump said. 'You're running low on soldiers. Listen, you're running low on soldiers. It would be a damn good thing. Then you tell us, 'I don't want a cease fire. I don't want a cease fire,' Trump said, delivering a mocking impression of his counterpart. 'I want to go, and I want this – look, you could get a ceasefire right now, I tell you, you take it so the bullets stop flying and your men stop getting killed.' 'Of course I want to stop the war. What I said to you – with guarantees,' Zelensky said. He has been pushing for security guarantees from the U.S. Shortly after the argument, Trump ended the public part of the meeting. 'This is going to be great television, I will say that,' he said. As press was being ushered out, President Trump reached over and patted Zelensky's shoulder.
The Independent
16 minutes ago
- The Independent
Democrats are getting crushed in fundraising, with only $15M in the chest compared to Republicans' $80M
Nearly a year out from the 2026 midterm elections, Democrats are facing a money problem, having only $15 million on hand compared to Republicans, who have $80 million. After facing a crushing defeat in the 2024 presidential election, in which Democrats lost the presidency, the House, and the Senate to Republicans, the party appears to be struggling to find its footing and connecting with potential voters. While some polling suggests Democrats have a small lead, thanks to some of President Donald Trump's unpopular policies, such as tariffs and his harsh mass deportation plan, the Democratic National Committee does not appear to be enticing donors. Federal Election Commission filings, submitted by the DNC and Republican National Committee at the end of June, show that the two parties have a $65 million gap. It's a significantly larger gap than the one the two parties had going into the 2022 midterms, when Democrats had $30 million on hand while Republicans had $14 million, or the 2024 presidential election, when Democrats had $22 million and Republicans had $38 million. Major Democratic donors have reportedly withheld donations this past year as they have witnessed the party struggle to maintain cohesive messaging and fight against Trump's extensive use of the executive branch, according to the Washington Post. 'I don't think that the DNC has given Democrats good reasons to donate,' Julie Roginsky, a Democratic strategist, told the Post in July. Only 47 donors gave the maximum contribution possible to the DNC in the first half of 2025, according to FEC filings. Over the same time period in 2021, more than 130 people gave the same amount. Former DNC Executive Director Sam Cornale told Politico that the committee has raised twice the amount it raised at this point in 2017. Since losing the election to Trump and Republicans, Democratic voters have expressed frustration with their party for failing to reach potential voters and not doing enough to combat Trump's agenda. In recent polling, one in three Democratic voters said they view the party as 'weak' and 'ineffective.' Florida-based Democratic strategist Steve Schale told Politico that, 'donors want some kind of reckoning.' 'But I also think that the kind of state party building that I think [DNC Chair Ken Martin] wants to do at the DNC is really vital to our success. And so I hope people kind of get over themselves pretty quick,' Schale added. However, the significant gap in cash between the DNC and RNC could make it difficult for the DNC to rebrand. Democrats are already facing an uphill battle, having to fight Trump's aggressive agenda and slow down his agenda with fewer seats in Congress. It's difficult to rely on judges to push back on rulings because the administration has targeted Democratic-appointed judges as 'rogue' and partisan. Ultimately, the Supreme Court has final say in many cases, and with a predominantly Republican court, there's no telling what polices the president will be able to implement. Recently, Democratic-led states have been trying to come up with plans to counteract Trump's desire to pick up more Republican seats by redrawing Texas's congressional map. California Governor Gavin Newsom has pushed forward an effort to do the same in his state. But while Republicans have Trump and members of his current administration to appeal to voters and request donations, Democrats have yet to find a leader to do the same. However, not all hope is lost for the DNC. The committee similarly struggled to out raise or even catch up with the RNC leading up to the 2020 presidential election, which former president Joe Biden ultimately won.
