Suspect arrested for vandalizing state senator's district office in Zephyrhills: Police
A suspect was arrested on a criminal mischief charge for vandalizing State Senator Danny Burgess' office in Zephyrhills.
Police responded after the incident on Friday and said there was visible damage to the building.
Burgess posted a picture on social media that showed a busted window.
ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. - A suspect was arrested Monday for vandalizing State Senator Danny Burgess' office in Zephyrhills on Friday, according to officers.
The Zephyrhills Police Department said Chase Swinson, 30, was arrested for criminal mischief, a third-degree felony, after causing property damage to the senator's district office, located at 38507 5th Avenue.
READ: Florida man forced to strip down to his underwear fights armed kidnapper to escape 'terrifying ordeal': HCSO
Dig deeper
Officers responded to the incident on Friday, March 21, and they said they found visible damage to the building. Burgess posted a picture of a busted window on Friday showing the damage done during the incident.
What they're saying
"Thankfully, no one was injured," Burgess said in a Facebook post on Friday. "In our great state, there is zero tolerance for hateful actions like this. We all have a right to speak freely and protest peacefully, but we draw the line at violence."
What we know
Zephyrhills police said they further investigated the incident and identified Swinson as the suspect. Swinson did cooperate with investigators and was taken into custody without incident, according to the police department.
Follow FOX 13 on YouTube
Burgess and his staff weren't at the office when the incident happened, and there were no reported injuries by law enforcement. Swinson was taken to the Pasco County Jail.
What we don't know
Authorities have not said how they were able to determine that Swinson was involved.
The Source
The information in this story was released by the Zephyrhills Police Department and State Senator Danny Burgess.
STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA:
Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV
Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android
Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines
Download the SkyTower Radar app
Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New York Post
11 hours ago
- New York Post
Deadly social media trend threatens kids, homeowners defending themselves: ‘Children are going to get killed'
Potentially dangerous social media trends are getting kids, and potentially homeowners, into trouble this summer while kids are out of school. Two trends in particular are going viral on social media, including the 'UrbanEx,' or 'urban exploration,' challenge and the 'door-kicking challenge.' Advertisement 'There's a new trend every day. … You go to the FYP, the For You Page, you see what's trending. And then pretty soon, you'll see content created by children, which is in and of itself problematic. A lot of the children under the age of 13 … are legally not allowed to even be on social media,' Titania Jordan, CMO and chief parent officer at Bark Technologies, a parental control app, told Fox News Digital. Social media challenges prompt users to create more 'content that elicits a reaction,' she explained, 'that has viral components, resurfaces and resurfaces again, thanks again to the algorithm.' 'This sort of content is going to get likes, it's going to get comments, it is going to get shares. It's going to encourage children to try to emulate it because it's clout — they gain clout from their peers because of this,' she said. '…Any challenge like this, children aren't thinking, 'Is this the right thing to do? Is this safe?' They're thinking, 'I want validation,' and children are going to get killed. I mean, just one person who is armed who gets their door kicked in by a kid, and you're gonna have another national headline that is very sad.' Law enforcement agencies across the country are warning of both trends, the former of which challenges social media users to explore abandoned buildings and the latter of which challenges them to kick in strangers' doors. Advertisement While the door-kicking challenge has existed for years, multiple agencies have issued recent warnings, indicating a possible uptick in the trend this summer. An Ohio police department recently warned about the challenge, saying it is investigating four incidents that occurred in Byesville. 'Reports of doors being kicked in on homes began to come in during the middle of the night. Officers have collected evidence from neighborhoods indicating that a social media trend called the 'Door Kicking Challenge' is behind these acts,' the Byesville Police Department said in a Facebook post. 'The suspects are not entering the homes; instead, they are merely kicking the front doors and then fleeing the scene.' Advertisement 8 Social media trends could put kids and homeowners at risk this summer. Friendswood Police Department / Facebook Byesville police added that authorities are collecting physical evidence from the scenes of these crimes, including video footage. Byesville PD Chief Daulton Dolan told Fox News Digital that the door-kick challenges take 'ding dong ditch' to a new level, especially in stand-your-ground states like Ohio. 'If you feel that your life or a life of your family members are threatened, you can take deadly force against somebody right there on the spot. … So, for instance, if someone kicks open [a] door in the middle of the night, and the homeowner believes that they're coming in can physically harm them, they're going to shoot at them if they have a gun nearby,' Dolan said. 'And in Southeast Ohio … we've seen that before.' Advertisement 8 The Friendswood Police Department accused kids of ringing a doorbell and using an object to hit a front door. Friendswood Police Department / Facebook 8 The door-knock challenges could take 'ding dong ditch' to a new level if they happen in a stand-your-ground state, the Byesville PD Chief Daulton Dolan warned. Additionally, in Ohio, if a person's leg enters another person's home by kicking a door in, that can result in a burglary charge, on top of possibly trespassing charges, Dolan explained. Homeowners might also face a lengthy process in the criminal justice system if they choose to defend themselves with a gun if someone kicks their door open, Dolan said. 'Our job would be: if the homeowner did fire a weapon if somebody had kicked open their door, we would conduct an investigation into that. Of course, we would seize the weapon that was used in it as evidence. We would take any kind of interviews and reports, medical exams, pictures, measurements, everything … and then we would turn it over to the Guernsey County Prosecutor's Office … [who] can rule it out as a justified homicide or they can move it up further and go to a grand jury.' 8 A 77-year-old said her door was damaged by kids doing the challenge. Fox 26 Houston / Facebook The Fleetwood Police Department in Pennsylvania on June 8 warned that a 'TikTok 'door knock' or 'door kick' challenge encourages kids and teens to record themselves doing just that; knocking on and/or kicking random doors, usually late at night.' 'While 'ding dong ditch' has been a hallmark for decades of kids who were looking to have a little mischievous fun, today's youth have taken things to a more serious level by kicking at doors and ultimately causing damage,' the department wrote. 'Besides the financial consequences to homeowners who are often left with the expense of repairs, there is the potential for a child to be seriously hurt or even killed by someone who believes, especially in the middle of the night, that their residence is being broken into and ultimately determines there is an imminent threat to life and property.' Advertisement The Flower Mound Police Department and The Oak Harbor Police Department in Washington also said they have seen the trend on TikTok. The Fort Worth Police Department in Texas issued a similar warning recently. 'This trend has been reported across the country, including right here in Texas,' the Fort Worth PD said. 'It is imperative that individuals partaking in this trend understand that even if no burglary or theft occur, this behavior is illegal and considered vandalism and can lead to criminal charges. More critically, it can be mistaken as an attempted break-in, potentially prompting dangerous or defensive responses from homeowners.' Advertisement The department further urged parents 'to speak with their children about the risks and consequences of participating in trends like this,' adding that 'what may seem like a prank can result in very real trouble and/or danger.' 8 Bradenton Police are searching for a suspect they accused of kicking a door and running off. Bradenton Police Department / Facebook Meanwhile, another trend called 'UrbanEx' has made headlines recently for putting participating social media users behind bars. The 'challenge' encourages users to explore abandoned buildings, from old schools to churches to retail and entertainment establishments. The Harris County Constables in Precinct One in Texas recently announced the arrests of three 18-year-old men, who are accused of trespassing in the Houston Astrodome, which has been closed since 2009. Advertisement The Constables office said security guards for the venue saw the three men enter the stadium around midnight and later spotted them running across a parking lot and jumping a fence. The three teens are charged with trespassing. 'Sneaking into closed old historic buildings is dangerous,' Constable Precinct One Alan Rosen said in a June 10 statement. 'You are taking a risk for yourself and first responders, and it is against the law.' 8 The suspect was caught on camera attempting the social media stunt, the Bradenton Police Department said. Bradenton Police Department / Facebook A June 8 video showing the interior of the Astrodome posted by had nearly 845,000 views on TikTok. Advertisement Last year, a 23-year-old man named Guillermo Leflore, known as 'Urbex Tarzan' on TikTok, was arrested after officials said he trespassed on private property while exploring steam tunnels. It wasn't his first time attempting a dangerous stunt for social media; he is accused of previously attempting to climb the Milwaukee Art Museum, as FOX 6 Milwaukee first reported. Ari Lightman, professor of digital media and marketing at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy, told Fox News Digital that social media trends resemble what used to be games of truth-or-dare 'on steroids.' 8 The 'UrbanEx' challenge encourages users to explore abandoned buildings. AP 'You're reaching tens of thousands of people. You're not daring somebody face-to-face,' Lightman said. 'Why are they doing that? Is it just to get likes, and those likes might turn into followers, and those followers might turn into advertisers, and those advertisers might turn into profits for some people? Is it even real, or is it AI generated?' Defenders of the UrbanEx trend say it exposes historically significant structures that have been left to rot; many social media users have been calling on local city leaders to revive abandoned schools, houses, churches and event spaces. 'Just the general lack of respect amongst children today, whether it's for people's property in the classroom or other people's feelings, it's a big problem. They're lacking empathy and respect because they're spending too much time in front of a screen and not enough understanding in real-life human emotion,' Jordan said. 8 Law enforcement agencies across the nation are warning homeowners about the dangerous trends. Fox 26 Houston / Facebook She advised parents to join a Facebook group called 'Parenting in a Tech World' where the 'latest trends are being shared there from parents whose children are experiencing it in real time.' She also advised parents to talk to their kids candidly and calmly about what they are seeing online, and Google the trends that are appearing on the social media pages. 'Maybe your kid's playing Roblox and you don't think it's safe. Google dangers of Roblox. Show your child how other children have been harmed by adults they have been lured by on that platform so they realize you're not just being overprotective,' she said. 'All you can do is have candid calm conversations with them, and not just talking to them or talking at them, but asking them what they've seen. What did they think? What do they think the dangers are of hanging around an old building and recording it? Maybe they say they don't know, and that can encourage a conversation right there.'


San Francisco Chronicle
16 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Northern California fireworks explosion: Two more missing people named
Names have emerged of two more of the seven people reportedly missing since a massive explosion at a Yolo County fireworks warehouse Tuesday triggered a 78-acre fire. A GoFundMe page created by a relative Friday identified 41-year-old Carlos Rodriguez as among those missing since the explosion, Sacramento station ABC10 reported. The page was created by the aunt of Rodriguez's wife, Tiffany Nolan-Rodriguez. 'My heart is in pieces not only for our families, but more importantly my kids that don't have the ability to understand fully of what's going on,' Nolan-Rodriguez wrote Friday in a Facebook post. A Friday Facebook post by CWC Life, a church in Manteca (San Joaquin County), also identified Angel Voller, a member of the church, as having 'tragically passed away' in the explosion. Venture Academy also posted a statement to Instagram this week announcing the 'sudden and tragic passing of Angel Voller.' 'Angel was a fierce competitor and the most loyal friend and teammate you could ever ask for,' the charter school's statement read. Seven people were originally reported missing shortly after the explosion Tuesday. Officials confirmed Thursday that at least one person had been killed by the blast, which also injured two people and forced evacuations within a 1-mile radius. Human remains have since been located at the scene of the blast, county officials confirmed in a news release Friday. Officials have not yet identified any remains or confirmed the number of deceased victims, but sheriff's office spokesperson Lt. Don Hartman previously told the Chronicle he is fairly certain that 'more than one' person had been killed based on the evidence collected so far. Recovery efforts by investigators, coroner personnel and fire crews will continue throughout the weekend, the news release added. Once all remains are recovered, teams will employ rapid DNA testing to identify those killed in the blast. On Saturday, recovery teams began disposing of explosives and removing other hazardous materials from the site, according to a Facebook post from the sheriff's office. Among the others missing are brothers and warehouse employees Joel 'Jr' Melendez, 28, Johnny Ramos, 22, and Jesus Maneces Ramos, 18, who had just begun his first day at work. A GoFundMe page was set up for Melendez's pregnant wife, Maria, and their 11-month-old son. The warehouse belonged to Devastating Pyrotechnics, according to a joint statement by officials from Marysville, Yuba City, and Sutter and Yuba counties. Federal regulators previously denied the company's owner and CEO — 48-year-old Kenneth Chee of San Francisco — the licenses necessary to acquire and possess firearms. The origin and cause of the blast is under investigation by arson and bomb personnel from Cal Fire. Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association, previously told the Chronicle that explosions of commercial grade fireworks, though extremely rare, are generally caused by human error. Devastating Pyrotechnics released a statement Wednesday saying that the company will 'cooperate fully with the proper authorities in their investigation.' 'Our hearts and thoughts are with those we lost, their families, and everyone impacted in our community,' the statement continued. 'We are grateful for the swift response of law enforcement and emergency personnel. Our focus will remain on those directly impacted by this tragedy.' The county has provided impacted families with hotel and food vouchers, as well as access to counseling services, said Yolo County Supervisor Angel Barajas, who represents the district where the explosion occurred. 'Our priority is the families (and) making sure they're comfortable during this investigation,' Barajas said at a news conference Thursday. 'We share our thoughts and prayers with everybody involved in this tragic accident.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Oh, Canada! Trump cuts off all trade talks with US's northern neighbor citing ‘blatant attack on our country'
President Donald Trump on Friday said he was suspending all trade talks with Canada — and making plans to force Americans to pay high import taxes on its goods — after the northern ally's finance department confirmed plans to collect a digital services tax. The late afternoon move quickly caused markets to spiral amid fears of a return to the president's self-inflicted trade war. In a post on Truth Social, the president complained that he had 'just been informed' about the Canadian government's decision, which will see it require payment of a 3 per cent tax on revenue collected from Canadian users of digital platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter), above $14.6 million in a calendar year retroactive to 2022. The tax could saddle American technology companies with bills as large as $2 billion for the first retroactive payments. Although it is meant to apply to any company that provides digital services and takes in profits from selling advertising or user data, Trump groused that it amounted to Ottawa 'putting a Digital Services Tax on our American Technology Companies' and called the move 'a direct and blatant attack on our Country.' 'They are obviously copying the European Union, which has done the same thing, and is currently under discussion with us, also,' wrote Trump, who added that the result of the 'egregious tax' would be the U.S. 'hereby terminating ALL discussions on Trade with Canada, effective immediately.' The president concluded his post with an unsubstantiated claim that any tariffs on Canadian goods would be paid by the government of Canada (rather than by American importers and consumers), writing: 'We will let Canada know the Tariff that they will be paying to do business with the United States of America within the next seven-day period.' A short time later in the Oval Office, during a ceremony to mark a peace deal between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Trump claimed the U.S. has 'a great relationship with the people of Canada' but groused that the Canadian government has made things 'very difficult' even though the U.S. has 'all the cards' in the bilateral relationship. 'We don't want to do anything bad, but ... economically ... we have such power over Canada. I'd rather not use it, but they did something with our tech companies today, trying to copy Europe,' he said. He also suggested things 'would not work out well for Europe' if the EU continued with plans to implement a similar tax which U.S. tech companies have objected to and described U.S.-E.U. trade negotiations under European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as 'a very tough situation' while repeating an often-used — and false — assertion that the 27-member bloc was formed to 'take advantage of the United States.' 'They have been unbelievably bad to us. If you look at past presidents, they've treated them very badly. They're being very nice to me, because I get it. I know the system, and we have the cards. We have the cards far more than they do, and they have not treated us well, and they're coming to us right now,' he said. He later complained further about E.U. courts with E.U judges imposing fines on American technology companies for violations of E.U. law. 'They're nasty people, and I don't want them affecting U.S. companies. I don't want that — if anybody's going to affect a U.S. company, I want it to be us, and if they're going to have to pay a penalty or fine, let it be to us,' he said. Trump's threat to punish Canada by taxing Americans comes just weeks after a group of House members wrote to him urging 'a swift government response' to any attempt by Canada to collect what they called an 'unprecedented, retroactive tax' that would 'set a terrible precedent that will have long-lasting impacts on global tax and trade practices.' 'Allowing Canada to proceed with this unprecedented, retroactive tax on U.S. firms would send a signal to the rest of the world that they have the green light to proceed with similar discriminatory cash grabs targeting our firms, workers, and tax base,' they said. According to the U.S. Trade Representative's office, U.S. goods trade with Canada totaled roughly $762 billion last year, making Canada one of the country's two largest trading partners. Earlier this month, Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced an agreement to set a July 21 deadline for a new trade agreement at the Group of Seven summit hosted by Carney in Alberta. Ottawa has been pushing for Washington to stand down from the 50 per cent tax currently charged on steel, aluminum and automobile imports as well as other taxes Trump has unilaterally imposed on Americans with the aim of purportedly punishing Canada for not doing enough to stop fentanyl trafficking. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court for International Trade had previously ruled that Trump's use of tariffs for such purposes was illegal but that ruling is on hold pending an appeal.