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New Mexico mass shooting suspects arrested, victims identified

New Mexico mass shooting suspects arrested, victims identified

Yahoo23-03-2025
Police in New Mexico say two suspects have been charged with three open counts of murder following a mass shooting at a park that left three dead and 15 injured.
Tomas Rivas, 20, and a 17-year-old boy were arrested on Saturday evening, Las Cruces Police said on Facebook. The victims who died in Friday evening's shooting at Young Park have been identified as 16-year-old Andrew Madrid, 18-year-old Jason Gomez and 19-year-old Dominick Estrada.
Police say Madrid and Gomez died on the scene, while Estrada died after being taken to a hospital.
Fifteen victims, whose ages range between 16 and 36, were injured. Nine are male and six are female, police said, adding that they will not release their names to "protect their privacy." Medical conditions of the surviving victims have not been released.
3 Dead, 15 Injured In New Mexico Shooting, Police Say
"This tragedy reminds us that it's going to take all of us to continue to come together to address these senseless acts of violence," Democratic House Speaker Javier Martinez of Albuquerque said Saturday at the conclusion of an annual legislative session, The Associated Press reported.
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The shooting took place around 10 p.m. during an unsanctioned car show.
Nm Lawmaker Whose Son Was Murdered Rips Dems For 'Homicide Scholarships' After Her Crime Bill Was Tanked
"The investigation so far reveals that there was an altercation between two groups of people and that altercation escalated to gunfire between both groups," Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story told reporters during a press briefing.
Rivas was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center, where he is currently being held without bond. The juvenile suspect was taken to the juvenile detention facility. Additional charges are pending against the two, police say.
Federal and state agencies are assisting the Las Cruces Police Department in the continued investigation of the shooting.
A fundraiser has been set up to help victims and their families. It can be found here.
Fox News Digital's Rachel Wolf and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Original article source: New Mexico mass shooting suspects arrested, victims identified
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Gymnast who sparked abuse inquiry into coach at elite US academy says she ‘needed to speak out'
Gymnast who sparked abuse inquiry into coach at elite US academy says she ‘needed to speak out'

New York Post

time5 hours ago

  • New York Post

Gymnast who sparked abuse inquiry into coach at elite US academy says she ‘needed to speak out'

Recalling the damage her now-arrested coach inflicted on her and many of her gymnast friends, Finley Weldon said she feels a sense of pride. Free from the grip that Sean Gardner had during her years of training at an Iowa academy known for producing Olympians, Weldon told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview that she is among the few who survived his abuse and are still in the sport. The 18-year-old is heading into her freshman year at Iowa State University, where she'll be a member of the Cyclones gymnastics team. She spoke with the AP on Wednesday, less than a week after Gardner was arrested on a child sexual exploitation charge. Advertisement 5 Gymnast Finley Weldon, seen in Des Moines, Iowa, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, said she needed to speak up about Sean Gardner's abuse. AP 'I didn't want him to take away anything from me, especially something that I love,' she said. 'None of the girls that I started with or went through the things that I did with Sean are still doing gymnastics today. So that's something I'm very proud of.' She's also happy she's made a difference, in the same way gymnasts she admires — like Aly Raisman, an Olympian whose visceral accounts of abuse by Larry Nassar shined a spotlight on the trauma gymnasts went through and how authorities failed to curb it. Advertisement The AP generally does not identify victims of sexual abuse, but Weldon said she wanted 'my name out there because I was the one who did come forward.' 'I felt like I needed to speak out to stop it from happening to other little girls, so they didn't have to go through what I went through,' Weldon said. 'I knew it would just be a continuous cycle if nobody did.' 5 Sean Gardner was arrested on a child sexual exploitation charge. AP Gymnasts reported abuse to watchdog in 2022 Advertisement The FBI said Tuesday it believes Gardner 'targeted children' while coaching at Chow's Gymnastics and Dance Institute in West Des Moines, and gyms in Mississippi and Louisiana where he worked dating back to 2004. Gardner, 38, didn't return AP messages left on his cellphone before his arrest, and has not entered a plea to the charge. A public defender who represented him after his arrest hasn't returned messages. Another former gymnast at Chow's, the academy known for producing Olympic gold medalists Shawn Johnson and Gabby Douglas, first reported sexual abuse allegations against Gardner to the US Center for SafeSport in March 2022, alleging he fondled her during training sessions, according to an FBI affidavit. Start your day with all you need to know Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters Advertisement That girl provided the names of six other of Gardner's potential victims, according to the affidavit. Weldon said she spoke with a SafeSport investigator about her abuse at the time. SafeSport, a watchdog created after the Nassar scandal to investigate misconduct complaints, informed the West Des Moines Police Department about the allegations. It suspended Gardner from coaching or having contact with any gymnasts in July 2022. The police department said its investigation was closed in 2022 when the initial accuser decided she did not want to pursue charges. Weldon said police never reached out to her in 2022 but she's unsure whether she would have wanted to press charges then. She said she came forward in April 2024 at age 16 after she matured and began to realize the severity of her abuse. She praised police for doing 'an amazing job' keeping her informed about the progress of the case. 5 The Chow's Gymnastics & Dance Institute is seen Aug. 4, 2025, in West Des Moines, Iowa. AP 'It's definitely taken awhile, but I mean, even I didn't realize how many steps there would be to charge him with anything,' she said. Police defend investigative efforts Iowa investigators say they searched Gardner's home in May and seized electronic devices that contained images of nude girls from a hidden camera Gardner placed in the bathroom of a Purvis, Mississippi, gym where he previously worked. Advertisement West Des Moines Police Sgt. Daniel Wade said Wednesday the department sought the FBI's assistance in mid-July when the case's 'scope started to broaden.' Asked why the department didn't involve FBI sooner, he said, 'We call the FBI when the time is right.' Gardner is charged in federal court in Mississippi with producing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct related to the alleged hidden camera. Federal and state investigations remain active, and additional charges are possible. 5 Gardner was busted by the FBI for producing child pornography materials after authorities raided his home following an investigation into inappropriate contact with gymnasts at Chow's Gymnastics and Dance Institute in West Des Moines. AP Wade defended the department's investigative efforts over the last three years. He said investigators 'went as far with it as we could' in 2022, without a victim seeking charges and have been conducting a thorough investigation since receiving the new complaint in 2024. Advertisement Wade declined comment on whether investigators reached out to Weldon and other potential victims identified in 2022, saying only that police opened 'lines of communication with different people' that later paid off. Weldon said she met with investigators Tuesday and they asked her to identify herself in an image Gardner allegedly secretly took of her in a vulnerable stretching position. Protecting the 'male figure in my life' Weldon said her goal since she was a girl was to reach the elite level in the USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic program for those who aim to compete internationally. She said she started training at Chow's after her family moved to Iowa in 2015. She began taking private lessons with Gardner two or three times per week shortly after he joined Chow's in September 2018, when she 11 years old. Advertisement 5 A mugshot from Gardner's arrest for a drunken driving offense in 2021. AP Weldon said she was struggling as her parents went through a divorce and her father was largely absent from her life. She said Gardner sought to fill that role by telling her she could tell him 'anything' and that he would always be there for her. In hindsight, she said he was manipulating her in order to gain her trust. Finley's mother, Julie Weldon, said she heard concerns about Gardner from other parents at Chow's early on and asked her daughter whether her coach had ever done anything inappropriate. Finley said she falsely told her mother no because she was protecting the 'male figure in my life.' Inappropriate behavior progressed Advertisement She said Gardner began touching her inappropriately in 2019 during lessons, beginning with long hugs and pats on the back. She said his behavior progressed, and he began touching her butt during the hugs and requiring her to stretch for extended periods in positions that exposed her vagina and anus out of her leotard. She said around 2020 he began touching her vagina while spotting her during exercises. She recalled once telling him not to put his hands there and he claimed it was an accident because her 'leotard was slippery.' Weldon recalled reaching her breaking point with Gardner after a 2021 training in which he yelled and threw shoes at her, telling her she'd never reach elite status. She said she walked out and told her mom she wanted to quit. She said many of her classmates quit or didn't return because of Gardner's conduct after the gym shut down during the pandemic. But while he made her hate gymnastics at times, she continued training when her family moved to Texas and then to Utah. She said she eventually proved Gardner wrong by earning elite status and a spot on a Division 1 team. After news of Gardner's arrest, Weldon saw his jail booking photo in the AP story. She said she was struck by how much heavier and unkempt he appeared. 'He's definitely like gone through a spiral,' she said. 'I think he probably just had so much guilt built up in him that he kind of turned into that.'

Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum

time5 hours ago

Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum

BRASILIA, Brazil -- Brazil's federal police said messages found on the telephone of former President Jair Bolsonaro showed he once wanted to flee to Argentina and request political asylum, according to documents seen Wednesday by The Associated Press. Bolsonaro is currently awaiting a Supreme Court ruling about an alleged coup attempt and learned Wednesday he might face another case as police formally accused him and one of his sons, Eduardo Bolsonaro, of obstruction of justice in connection with his trial. The 170-page report said Bolsonaro had drafted a request for political asylum from Argentine President Javier Milei's government dated Feb. 10, 2024. He saved the document two days after authorities searched his home and office as part of the alleged coup plot investigation. Close to that date, Bolsonaro admittedly spent two nights at the Hungarian Embassy in Brasília, fueling speculation he may have been attempting to avoid arrest. The Argentina plot is part of the wider police accusation of obstruction of justice, in which Bolsonaro has allegedly ignored precautionary measures established for his house arrest and spread content to his allies 'to directly hit Brazilian democratic institutions, notably the Supreme Court and even Brazil's Congress,' according to the report. The AP reviewed the police evidence, which included messaging app exchanges and voice messages, after police forwarded the documents to Brazil's Supreme Court. Bolsonaro would face another trial if the attorney-general decides to charge him. Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversees the case, gave Bolsonaro's lawyers 48 hours to explain why the former president sought political asylum in Argentina and failed to comply with other precautionary measures of his house arrest, such as avoiding contact with people outside his family circle. In a 33-page letter addressed to Milei, Bolsonaro claimed he was being politically persecuted in Brazil. Both are staunch supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has recently repeated some of the former president's claims in his decision to impose 50% tariffs on Brazilian exports. 'I, Jair Messias Bolsonaro, request political asylum from Your Excellency in the Republic of Argentina, under an urgent regime, as I find myself in a situation of political persecution in Brazil and fear for my life,' the former Brazilian leader wrote. Bolsonaro had his passport seized by Brazil's Supreme Court in on Feb. 8, 2024. He has repeatedly sought to get it back, including prior to Trump's inauguration earlier this year. De Moraes rejected all requests as the former president is seen as a flight risk. Manuel Adorni, spokesperson for Milei, said the Argentine government hasn't received anything yet. Bolsonaro did not comment about the investigation. The former Brazilian president attended Milei's inauguration in December 2023, while the serving President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva did not attend. Lula and Milei have had a frosty relationship since the right-wing Argentine took office. Silas Malafaia, a very popular evangelical pastor who is a staunch ally of Bolsonaro's, had his passport and cell phone seized by investigators but was not formally accused of obstruction of justice. Brazil's federal police gathered several messages between Bolsonaro and his son in which they show interest in praising Trump to affect legal proceedings back home. 'You won't have time to reverse the situation if the guy here turns his back on you. Everything here is very touchy, every little thing affects you,' Eduardo Bolsonaro told his father in one of the exchanges. 'In today's situation, you don't even need to worry about jail; you won't be arrested. But I'm afraid things will change here (in the United States). Even inside the White House, there are people telling (Trump): 'OK, Brazil is gone. Let's move on',' Eduardo Bolsonaro said. Earlier, Eduardo Bolsonaro said in a statement that he 'never aimed at interfering in any ongoing proceedings in Brazil.' He added the conversations with his father that are part of the investigation are 'absolutely normal' and its publication has a political bias. Some exchanges also show frictions sauced with expletives between father and son. Eduardo, who moved to the U.S. earlier this year despite holding a seat in Brazil's congress, calls Bolsonaro 'ungrateful' for his efforts to influence the Trump administration in their favor. Eduardo Bolsonaro also asks his father to 'ACT RESPONSIBLY' so he doesn't have to remain much longer in the U.S. Eduardo Bolsonaro also said he had secured U.S. government support 'with great difficulty,' claiming that he and an ally, Paulo Figueiredo, were the only ones with access to the White House. He also told his father that Trump's pressure was the only chance Bolsonaro had to avoid prison. 'The most powerful man in the world is on your side. We did our part,' Eduardo texted on July 10. Brazil's federal police also investigated conversations between Bolsonaro and Martin de Luca, a lawyer for video platform Rumble and the Trump Media Group in a case challenging Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversees the investigations against the former president. De Luca sent the former president information about Rumble's lawsuit against de Moraes in the U.S. On July 14, De Luca wrote to Bolsonaro, saying he was receiving interview requests from U.S. media for the former president. That same day, Bolsonaro sent De Luca a voice message seeking his advice. 'I drafted a note, I think I sent it to you, with four short paragraphs. It is good, praising Trump, saying that freedom is much more important than economic issues," Bolsonaro said. "I was really happy with Trump, very grateful to him. Please guide me with a short statement from your side, so I can post it on my channels and send it back to you.' A verdict and sentence in the coup trial will come from a Supreme Court panel of five justices. They are scheduled to announce their rulings between Sept. 2 and 12. The new findings will not be part of that decision. including plans to kill Lula and de Moraes.

Reporter says former aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams gave her a chip bag filled with cash

time8 hours ago

Reporter says former aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams gave her a chip bag filled with cash

A longtime adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams who resigned from his administration while under FBI scrutiny gave a reporter a potato chip bag filled with cash Wednesday following a campaign event, a gift her lawyer later insisted wasn't an attempted bribe. The local news site The City reported the episode hours after one of its reporters said Winnie Greco had pressed a bag of potato chips into her hands containing a red envelope with a $100 bill and several $20 bills. The reporter, Katie Honan, had scrutinized Greco's conduct in the past as a major fundraiser for Adams in the Chinese American community. Greco's attorney, Steven Brill, told The Associated Press that the situation was being 'blown out of proportion." 'This was not a bag of cash,' Brill wrote in an email. 'In the Chinese culture, money is often given to others in a gesture of friendship and gratitude. And that's all that was done here. Winnie's intention was born purely out of kindness.' Asked why Greco wanted to make such a gesture to Honan, Brill said, 'She knows the reporter and is fond of her.' The City said it interviewed Greco later Wednesday and she apologized, saying she made 'a mistake.' 'I'm so sorry. It's a culture thing. I don't know. I don't understand. I'm so sorry. I feel so bad right now,' Greco said, according to The City. In response to the report of the bag filled with cash, Adams' reelection campaign said it had suspended Greco from further work as an unpaid volunteer and that Adams had no prior knowledge of Greco's actions. The City reported Greco had texted Honan to meet her inside a Whole Foods store after they both attended the opening of Adams' campaign headquarters in Harlem. When given the chip bag, Honan at first thought Greco was just giving her a snack and said she could not accept it but Greco insisted, according to the report. Honan left and later discovered the money, then called Greco and told her she could not accept it and asked to give it back. Greco said they could meet later but then stopped responding, the report said. Greco later called The City back and asked them not to do a story, saying 'I try to be a good person," the news outlet reported. A City Hall spokesperson declined to comment Wednesday night. An Adams campaign aide, Todd Shapiro, said Greco holds no position in the campaign. 'We are shocked by these reports,' Shapiro said. 'Mayor Adams had no prior knowledge of this matter. He has always demanded the highest ethical and legal standards, and his sole focus remains on serving the people of New York City with integrity.' A text message sent to a phone number listed in public records for Greco was not immediately returned Wednesday night. Since she resigned as Adams' director of Asian affairs last fall, Greco has occasionally been seen at Adams campaign events. Before her resignation, Greco had served as Adams' longtime liaison with the city's Chinese American community. She was also a prolific fundraiser for Adams' campaigns. In February of 2024, federal agents searched two properties belonging to Greco. Authorities didn't explain what the investigation was about, and Greco has not been charged with committing a crime, but she was a number of close aides to Adams who resigned or were fired amid the federal scrutiny. The City has reported extensively on the investigation and Greco's conduct, including a campaign volunteer's allegations that Greco had promised to get him a city job if he helped renovate her home. A separate federal investigation into Adams led to a 2024 indictment accusing the mayor of accepting illegal campaign contributions and travel discounts from a Turkish official and others — and returning the favors by, among other things, helping Turkey open a diplomatic building without passing fire inspections.

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