Latest news with #AR-15-style
Axios
3 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
Man dies after shooting at "No Kings" protest in Salt Lake City
A man who was shot during Saturday's "No Kings" protest in downtown Salt Lake City has died, police said Sunday. The latest: The Salt Lake City Police Department on Sunday said the victim, 39-year-old Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, a Utah resident, appeared to be "an innocent bystander who was not the intended target of the gunfire." After the shooting, police found 24-year-old Arturo Gamboa with a gunshot wound hiding in a crowd of people. Gamboa was taken to the hospital before being booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on suspicion of murder. Two armed men, who were detained by police and believed to be part of the event's peacekeeping team, told authorities they spotted Gamboa acting suspiciously and saw him pull out an AR-15-style rifle from his backpack, according to police. The men pulled out their firearms and asked Gamboa to drop his weapon, police said. Instead, Gamboa began running into the crowd with the firearm. One of the peacekeepers fired three shots that struck the gunman and Ah Loo. What we're watching: Police have still not determined why Gamboa pulled out the rifle or ran away from the peacekeepers. The peacekeepers' actions are also under investigation. State of play: The shooting occurred just before 8pm near 151 S. State St., according to police. The big picture: About 10,000 demonstrators marched through the city to protest the Trump administration on Saturday, joining similar rallies across the state and nationwide. The protests were mostly peaceful before Saturday evening. Earlier in the day, a Democratic Minnesota state lawmaker was shot and killed, and another wounded, in what authorities called "targeted" attacks. What they're saying:"Our detectives are now working to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident," Salt Lake City police chief Brian Redd said in a statement Sunday. "We will not allow this individual act to create fear in our community." "The violence that we've seen here today in Salt Lake City and even in other parts of this nation is horrific, and it is not who we are," Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall told reporters Saturday night. "This act of violence does not define our city." Gov. Spencer Cox also condemned the violence on Saturday, saying"My heart is broken for everyone impacted tonight." Zoom in: Videos from the protest show marchers running away and seeking cover after the shots were fired. Threat level: Police say there is no current threat to the community.
New York Post
4 days ago
- New York Post
FBI captures former Marine Corps reservist accused of shooting at ICE officers at Texas detention center
Federal authorities arrested a military veteran on Tuesday afternoon, who was wanted in connection with an attack on an ICE detention facility in Texas and remained on the run for nearly 11 days after the attack. The FBI Dallas Field Office said it apprehended 32-year-old Benjamin Song on Tuesday afternoon in Dallas. Song allegedly joined a group of 10 to 12 others in an organized attack on officers at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, on July 4. Ten assailants were apprehended at the time, though Song managed to evade capture, according to authorities. 'The FBI has worked tirelessly to arrest everyone associated with the shooting at the Prairieland Detention Center,' FBI Dallas Field Office Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock said. 'We would like to thank all the entities that publicized this case and assisted in our efforts to successfully locate Benjamin Song. 'His arrest is the result of our determination to protect not only the community, but also our law enforcement partners that were the targets of a coordinated attack,' Rothrock continued. 'We have said it before, the FBI will not tolerate acts of violence toward law enforcement and will thoroughly investigate anyone that commits these types of offenses.' 3 Federal authorities arrested military veteran Benjamin Song on Tuesday afternoon. 3 Vehicle belonging to suspect with the words 'Cordis Die' written on its door is towed away from the scene at Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Sector Annex, Monday, July 7, 2025, McAllen, Texas. AP 3 The shot up ICE facility in Alvarado, Texas. ICE The FBI previously said it was offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to Song's arrest and conviction. Song, a former US Marine Corps reservist, is accused of firing two AR-15-style rifles at two correctional officers and one Alvarado police officer, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Fox News Digital last week. The Alvarado police officer was shot in the neck by a suspect in the woods, according to the complaint. Another assailant fired dozens of rounds at unarmed correctional officers who had stepped outside the facility. Song faces three counts of attempted murder of a federal officer and three counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Fox News
5 days ago
- Fox News
Federal authorities charge pair who allegedly helped ICE facility attacker escape after shooting
Federal authorities have charged two individuals in connection with a targeted attack on a Texas ICE detention facility earlier this month that left one officer injured as the final suspect remains on the run. John Phillip Thomas and Lynette Read Sharp are charged with alleged accessory after the fact in the July 4 shooting at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, according to court documents. "[Sharp and Thomas] were involved in Signal Chats, which show reconnaissance," Nancy Larson, the acting U.S. Attorney, told "Fox and Friends" on Tuesday, adding the pair are accused of "planning a Google map [and] the location of nearby police departments." Authorities are still searching for alleged attacker Benjamin Hanil Song. Song, 32, is wanted for his involvement in what officials say was an organized attack on ICE officials by a group of 10 to 12 individuals. Four days after the attack, authorities executed a search warrant at Thomas' home in Dallas, with Thomas initially denying knowing Song before admitting the pair had been friends since 2022 and previously lived together from September 2024 to late June 2025, according to court documents. Thomas allegedly told investigators he was housesitting for a friend on the day of the attack and met with three individuals the following day, later telling officials the group discussed the shooting and their plans to help Song flee the area. Court documents state Thomas then admitted to transporting Song to a separate home in the area. Upon searching Thomas' vehicle, officers discovered a loaded 30-round AR-15 magazine and a Walmart receipt for clothing in Song's size dated July 6, according to federal prosecutors. Thomas allegedly told authorities he purchased the clothing for Song. The documents also reveal Thomas was a member of two separate Signal Chat groups that also included Song, with Thomas allegedly removing Song from one of the chats the morning after the shooting. The group chats were also allegedly used by Sharp, in which she is accused of discussing the group's plans to partake in an operation at the Prairieland Detention Center, but divulged that she would not be able to attend due to "family problems" and offered to monitor the chat for the group. The court documents also reveal Sharp allegedly used the online chat to help arrange Song's transport from Thomas to another unnamed individual. Authorities have arrested 14 people for their alleged connections to the attack, while Song remains at large. Fox News Digital was unable to immediately locate attorneys representing Thomas and Sharp. "We believe he is somewhere in the Dallas-Fort Worth area but have expanded our publicity efforts to neighboring states just in case," the FBI Dallas Field Office told Fox News Digital on Monday. Song is accused of firing two AR-15-style rifles at a pair of correctional officers and an Alvarado police officer, according to a criminal complaint. He faces three counts of attempted murder of a federal officer and three counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The FBI did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. The FBI is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to Song's arrest and conviction, with authorities noting the former U.S. Marine Corps reservist should be considered armed and dangerous. "These latest two charges show the walls are closing in on [Song]," Larson said, adding, "he is running out of people to go to."
International Business Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- International Business Times
Trump Shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks Seen in New Video, a Year After Assassination Attempt as Motive Still Remains Unclear
A bizarre video featuring the man who tried to assassinate President Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania last summer has resurfaced a year after the shooting. Thomas Matthew Crooks fired shots at Trump, who at the time was the leading Republican candidate for the presidency, on July 13, 2024. One of the bullets grazed Trump's ear, while another stray bullet killed 50-year-old Corey Comperatore, a father of two and a former fire chief, who was in the crowd. Now, a new video has surfaced that appears to show the would-be assassin talking about cooking holiday dishes with his parents and expressing a desire to get better at public speaking. Killer's Unlikely Video Thomas Matthew Crooks seen in the new video X Dressed in a neatly buttoned navy polo shirt and wearing glasses, the straight-laced 18-year-old Crooks appears composed and family-focused in the video, with no indication that he would go on to commit murder just two years later. "Hello, my name is Thomas Crooks. I'm currently 18 years old and live in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania," he said in the newly-unearthed clip. "My family consists of me, my mom and dad, my older sister, and our cat, Libby - and I don't think there's any better way to spend time with family than cooking meals together. "Me and my mom have cooked dinners together since I was a little kid, and on the holidays everybody helps out in the kitchen. For Thanksgiving, me and my dad will cook turkey and mashed potatoes together. At Christmas, me and my mom will bake dozens of cookies together. "In this course, I hope to improve my skills as a public speaker. I've never been particularly good at public speaking. Until then, good luck to you all." Thomas Matthew Crooks X The video is chilling precisely because of how normal it seems, offering no hint of the violent events that would later unfold in Butler. Crooks, who was shot dead by Secret Service snipers at the Trump rally, had been a registered Republican and had only completed high school two years prior to the incident. He was employed as a dietary aide at the Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, where he helped serve meals and care for elderly and recovering patients. No Signs of Mental Issues His employer said on Sunday that Crooks had passed a background check and had done his job without raising any concerns—before he showed up at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, armed with an AR-15-style rifle. Dionald Trump seen raising his fist after being shot in an assassination attempt as Secret Service agents move him from the stage X In a shocking and chaotic moment, Trump was seen clutching his ear and falling to the ground as Crooks' gunfire erupted, throwing the crowd into panic. Just seconds later, Trump stood up, raised his fist, and yelled "fight, fight, fight" while being rushed away by Secret Service agents to a waiting motorcade and then to a hospital. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Crooks' uncle, Mark Crooks, said he hadn't seen the shooter or his parents in several years, describing the family as "very private." "I haven't seen that part of my family in years,' he said. 'Honestly it's been so long I don't think much about them "It's a shame. The kid is like a stranger to me. They're private and they don't reach out to anybody any time." Thomas Matthew Crooks seen positioned on the rooftop of the building from where he fired at Trump X The Bethel Park School District, where Crooks had been a student until two years ago, confirmed his graduation and vowed to fully cooperate with authorities during the investigation. Records show that on the day of President Joe Biden's inauguration in 2020, Crooks made a donation to a group that supported him. So far, Crooks' reasons for trying to assassinate Trump remain unclear.
Axios
5 days ago
- Axios
Families of Kingsessing mass shooting victims sue ghost gun retailer
Several families of victims in Philadelphia's Kingsessing 2023 mass shooting are suing a firearms retailer, accusing it of selling "ghost gun" components to the alleged shooter. The big picture: Ghost guns — untraceable firearms that are unregistered and privately assembled via a kit or with a 3D printer — account for a significant portion of the guns seized in Philadelphia that are used in crimes, police have said. The lawsuits aim to hold Indiana-based 80-Lower for sales practices that the families say make it easy to evade state-mandated background checks and other safety regulations. Driving the news: Four of the five victims' families have filed lawsuits in Philadelphia court in recent weeks against 80-Lower; its parent company, Tactical Gear Heads; and Chad Myers, who is listed as the owner of both businesses. They allege that the retailer "negligently entrusted" gun parts to Kimbrady Carriker — who authorities accuse of opening fire on people in the Southwest Philadelphia neighborhood with an AR-15-style rifle. The suits name Carriker as a defendant and assert that he purchased a receiver from the company before the shooting spree. The families are seeking unspecified damages. Catch up quick: Carriker is charged with murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, and weapons offenses in the 2023 shooting. His case is still pending, and his attorneys have indicated they are likely to put on an insanity defense at trial. Carriker had a previous state firearms conviction and couldn't own a gun under Pennsylvania law, per the lawsuits. What they're saying: 80-Lower "created a way for a convicted criminal such as Kimbrady Carriker to circumvent the protections, laws and rules," Marie Merritt, the mother of 22-year-old victim Lashyd Merritt, alleges in the lawsuit. The other side: Myers didn't respond to Axios' requests for comment by phone and email. Zoom in: The lawsuits allege 80-Lower intentionally markets its products to people looking to evade background checks and recorded purchases. The complaints cite an advertisement that says, "Free men don't ask for permission. Built not bought." Between the lines: Gun sellers and manufacturers are typically immune under federal law from lawsuits brought against them for crimes committed by people who purchased their firearms, says attorney Shanin Specter of Kline & Specter, a law firm that filed two of the lawsuits. But arguing the gun seller negligently entrusted Carriker with the firearms parts could allow the families to pierce the immunity and prevail in court, Specter tells Axios. What we're watching: The mother of 15-year-old DaJuan Brown, the youngest victim in the shooting, is planning to sue the city of Philadelphia, along with Pennsylvania-based gun parts retailer JSD Supply, and its owner, Jordan Vinroe, and another company based at the same address, Patriot Enterprises Worldwide, per a writ of summons obtained by Axios.
