Latest news with #AK-style
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
‘Her heart was rare': 2 get life in prison for shooting death of 10-year-old girl at July 4 party in Cleveland
CLEVELAND (WJW) — Two people convicted last month in the shooting death of 10-year-old Gracie Griffin at a Fourth of July party last year were sentenced to life in prison on Monday. Gracie Griffin was shot and killed during a family cookout last summer. On Monday, her loved ones came face-to-face with the men responsible: brothers Juwone Deaver and Jemerious Davis. Dog the Bounty Hunter's step-grandson killed by father in accidental shooting: report Juwone D. Deaver, 29, and Jemerious S. Davis, 24, both of Cleveland, were each sentenced Monday to 25 years to life for her murder. The shooting happened during a Fourth of July party at a home near the intersection of West 125th Street and Triskett Road, FOX 8 News previously reported. Griffin, 10, was at the party and was standing outside the home with Deaver, Davis and another suspect when a vehicle carrying four people pulled in front of the home, prosecutors said. 'Deaver and Davis then opened fire, shooting multiple times with a .45 caliber firearm and an AK-style firearm at the vehicle,' reads a previous news release from the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office. Vehicle that struck wanted man during Butler pursuit was driven by Mayor Wesley Dingus, police say Griffin was struck in the head and pronounced dead at a hospital. Deaver and Davis claimed they had felt threatened, but investigators determined no shots were fired from the vehicle, only toward it. 'She was taken, not by a stranger, but from someone she trusted; someone she was supposed to feel safe around,' Griffin's grandmother, Touch Choup, told the court on Monday. 'But I hope today justice speaks to the truth. That her life mattered. That her heart was rare. And that justice, whatever it looks like, speaks loud enough for her, since she can't speak for herself.' The courtroom inside the Justice Center was filled with emotion. Tears on both sides, and raw grief from a family still mourning a child taken too soon. Deaver's and Davis' mother, who also spoke at the Monday hearing, claimed the men were trying to protect Griffin and called her death a tragedy. Despite their convictions, the brothers' mother insisted in court they were acting to protect their family. East Cleveland mayor fires police chief: I-Team 'They didn't do it,' she said. 'They were protecting her; just as they were protecting us. And there's no telling what would have happened if they didn't protect us.' But for Gracie's family, that claim only deepened the pain. 'She was taken, not by a stranger,' said Gracie's grandmother. 'But from someone she trusted. Someone she was supposed to feel safe around.' 'Gracie Griffin's death was heartbreaking and completely avoidable,' Prosecutor Michael O'Malley is quoted in a Monday news release. 'While today cannot heal that loss, these sentences of 25 years to life send a clear message that senseless gun violence will not be tolerated.' While some members of the defendants' family expressed disappointment with the verdict, Gracie's loved ones said this wasn't about revenge; it was about making sure her voice was heard. Malcolm-Jamal Warner, 'Cosby Show' star, dies at 54 'I hope today, justice speaks to the truth,' a family member said. 'That her life mattered. That her heart was rare. And that justice, whatever it looks like, speaks loud enough for her, since she can't speak for herself.' In total, four people have been held accountable in connection with Gracie's death. Two other suspects also pleaded guilty to lying to police about the incident and have been sentenced, prosecutors said. The third suspect, Ed'Jawon Q. Williams, 24, of Cleveland, pleaded guilty in April to a felony count of obstructing justice and was sentenced to one year in prison, court records show. He was credited for about nine months served in jail while awaiting trial. Williams was also sentenced to four years in prison on felonious assault and intimidation charges from a separate case, state prison records show. 4 teens shot, 1 dead at unpermitted block party in Cleveland A fourth suspect, Katie McKnight, pleaded guilty in June to a misdemeanor count of obstructing justice and was sentenced to seven days in jail, which was credited for time served, court records show. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Yahoo
Woman sentenced after admitting to evidence tampering in 2024 Tyler fatal shooting
TYLER, Texas (KETK) — A woman who was accused of tampering with evidence following the murder of a 19-year-old in 2024 was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty on Thursday. On July 4, 2024, Rawly Sanchez was murdered while driving with his friends in Tyler. According to an affidavit, Sanchez and his friends had to do a U-turn. When they turned behind Bautista Auto, the driver reported seeing a person in a building with an AK-47-style rifle who started shooting at them. 'I'm a monster': Upshur County man gets 90 years for sexually assaulting young girl Rawly was shot and his friends took him to a local hospital, where he died. Around the same time, a Tyler Police Department officer was driving by Bautista Auto when he saw a white Ford Explorer with bullet holes on the side. When the officer came back later, the Ford was gone, and then Smith County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived on the scene. During the investigation, Corina Bautista arrived at the scene and was questioned about the Ford. Initially, she reportedly said the car was never there, but then said someone had shot at them when shown footage of the vehicle. Athens man gets more than 5 years in prison for meth trafficking After speaking with Corina, deputies went to her home and found the Ford parked in her driveway. Additionally, a man was seen inside, who was identified as Seferino Bautista-Renteria, Corina's husband. Seferino was questioned and claimed that he was at the lake with his family and then went to Bautista Auto to drop off jet skis. Seferino claimed he and his son were almost hit by the truck Sanchez was in, so they went inside. According to the affidavit, Seferino claimed not to have shown any guns. According to officials, several 7.62-caliber bullet casings were found at the scene of the murder, and Corina admitted there were guns at the business after initially saying there were none at the scene. After obtaining a search warrant, Bautisa Auto officials found two AK-style rifles in the back of the building. Following the investigation, Seferino was arrested and charged with murder and two counts of aggravated assault. On April 3, before 114th District Court Judge Reeve Jackson. Corina was also arrested following the investigation and was charged with tampering with and fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair. On Thursday, Corina was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Mainichi
16-06-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
Authorities still searching for suspect in shooting of 2 Minnesota state lawmakers
BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. (AP) -- Hundreds of law officers fanned out across a Minneapolis suburb Saturday in pursuit of a man who authorities say posed as a police officer and fatally shot a Democratic state lawmaker in her home in what Gov. Tim Walz called "a politically motivated assassination." Authorities said the suspect also shot and wounded a second lawmaker and was believed to be trying to flee the area. Democratic former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed in their Brooklyn Park home. Sen. John Hoffman, also a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, were injured at their Champlin address, about 9 miles (about 15 kilometers) away. Authorities identified the suspect as 57-year-old Vance Boelter, and the FBI issued a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction. Authorities displayed a photo taken Saturday of Boelter wearing a tan cowboy hat and asked the public to report sightings. Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said investigators obtained video as well. He did not give details on a possible motive. Boelter is a former political appointee who served on the same state workforce development board as Hoffman, records show, though it was not clear if or how well they knew each other. The early morning attacks prompted warnings to other elected officials around the state and the cancellation of planned "No Kings" demonstrations against President Donald Trump, though some went ahead anyway. Authorities said the suspect had "No Kings" flyers in his car and writings mentioning the names of the victims as well as other lawmakers and officials, though they could not say if he had any other specific targets. A Minnesota official told The Associated Press that the suspect's writings also contained information targeting prominent lawmakers who have been outspoken in favor of abortion rights. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing. The shootings happened at a time when political leaders nationwide have been attacked, harassed and intimidated amid deep political divisions. "We must all, in Minnesota and across the country, stand against all forms of political violence," Walz, a Democrat, said at a news conference. "Those responsible for this will be held accountable." The governor also ordered flags to fly at half-staff in Hortman's honor. Law enforcement agents recovered several AK-style firearms from the suspect's vehicle, and he was believed to still be armed with a pistol, a person familiar with the matter told AP. The person could not publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity. An overnight shooting Police responded to reports of gunfire at the Hoffmans' home shortly after 2 a.m., Champlin police said, and found the couple with multiple gunshot wounds. After seeing who the victims were, police sent officers to proactively check on Hortman's home. There they encountered what appeared to be a police vehicle and a man dressed as an officer at the door, leaving the house. "When officers confronted him, the individual immediately fired upon the officers who exchanged gunfire, and the suspect retreated back into the home" and escaped on foot, Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said. Multiple bullet holes could be seen in the front door of Hoffman's home. John and Yvette Hoffman each underwent surgery, according to Walz. "We are cautiously optimistic they will survive this assassination attempt," the governor said at a morning news conference. Trump said in a statement that the FBI would join in the investigation. "Our Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and the FBI, are investigating the situation, and they will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law. Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!" Two Democratic lawmakers targeted Hortman, 55, had been the top Democratic leader in the state House since 2017. She led Democrats in a three-week walkout at the beginning of this year's session in a power struggle with Republicans. Under a power sharing agreement, she turned the gavel over to Republican Rep. Lisa Demuth and assumed the title speaker emerita. Hortman used her position as speaker in 2023 to help champion expanded protections for abortion rights, including legislation to solidify Minnesota's status as a refuge for patients from restrictive states who travel to the state to seek abortions -- and to protect providers who serve them. Walz called her a "formidable public servant, a fixture and a giant in Minnesota." "She woke up every day, determined to make this state a better place," he said. "She is irreplaceable." Hortman and her husband had two adult children. The initial autopsy reports from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office gave their cause of death as "multiple gunshot wounds." The reports said Melissa Hortman died at the scene while her husband was pronounced dead at the hospital. Hoffman, 60, was first elected in 2012 and was chair of the Senate Human Services Committee, which oversees one of the biggest parts of the state budget. He and his wife have one daughter. State Patrol Col. Christina Bogojevic asked people "out of an abundance of caution" not to attend "No Kings" protests. Bogojevic said authorities did not have any direct evidence that the protests would be targeted, but noted the "No Kings" flyers in the car. Organizers announced that all demonstrations in the state were canceled, but many people still showed up for protests at the Capitol and elsewhere in the Twin Cities area. The suspect Boelter was appointed to the workforce development board in 2016 and then reappointed in 2019 to a four-year term that expired in 2023, state records show. Corporate records show Boelter's wife filed to create a company called Praetorian Guard Security Services LLC with the same Green Isle mailing address listed for the couple. On a website for the business, Boelter's wife is listed as president and CEO, while he is listed as director of security patrols. The homepage says it provides armed security for property and events and features a photo of an SUV painted in a two-tone black and silver pattern similar to a police vehicle, with a light bar across the roof and "Praetorian" painted across the doors. Another photo shows a man in black tactical gear with a military-style helmet and a ballistic vest. An online resume says Boelter is a security contractor who has worked in the Middle East and Africa, in addition to past managerial roles at companies in Minnesota. Boelter texted friends at a Minneapolis residence, where he had rented a room and would stay one or two nights a week, to say he had "made some choices," the Minnesota Star Tribune reported. In the messages, read to reporters by David Carlson, Boelter did not specify what he had done but said: "I'm going to be gone for a while. May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn't gone this way. ... I'm sorry for all the trouble this has caused." A former next-door neighbor in Inver Grove Heights, where Boelter used to live, said he hardly knew him but remembers his daughters because they kayaked and ice skated on the pond behind the homes. "It's really sad for the kids, very, very nice kids," Michael Cassidy said. He added that the suspect's wife once came over to pray with his wife and daughter. Massive search Hundreds of police and sheriff deputies, some in tactical gear with assault-style weapons, were scattered throughout the town. Some checkpoints were set up. Police lifted a shelter-in-place order in the afternoon, saying they had reason to believe the suspect was no longer in the area. "This is crazy, someone going after representatives," said Brooklyn Park resident Douglas Thompson, 62. "This is wrong. I'm hoping they'll catch them." Political violence Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, a Republican from Cold Spring, called the attack "evil" and said she was "heartbroken beyond words" by the killings. The shootings are the latest in a series of attacks against lawmakers across parties. In April a suspect set fire to the home of Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, forcing him and his family to flee during the Jewish holiday of Passover. The suspect said he planned to beat Shapiro with a small sledgehammer if he found him, according to court documents. In July 2024, Trump was grazed on the ear by one of a hail of bullets that killed a Trump supporter. Two months later a man with a rifle was discovered near the president's Florida golf course and arrested. Other incidents include a 2022 hammer attack on the husband of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in their San Francisco home and a 2020 plot by anti-government extremists to kidnap Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and start a civil war. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said he asked Capitol Police to "immediately increase security" for Minnesota Democratic Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith. He also asked Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican, to hold a briefing on member security. "Condemning violence is important but it is not enough," Schumer said on the social platform X. "We must also confront the toxic forces radicalizing individuals and we must do more to protect one another, our democracy, and the values that bind us as Americans."
Express Tribune
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Who is Vance Boelter? The fugitive tied to a politically charged double homicide
Authorities have identified 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter as the primary suspect in a politically motivated shooting that left Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband dead and injured Sen. John Hoffman and his wife. The attack took place in the early hours of Saturday, June 14, in Brooklyn Park and Champlin, Minnesota. Boelter, described as a former pastor and security contractor, allegedly posed as a police officer to gain access to the victims' homes. Authorities say he fatally shot Hortman and her husband Mark, while Hoffman and his wife Yvette are expected to survive after undergoing surgery. According to Boelter's LinkedIn, he is the CEO of Red Lion Group, based in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and director of Praetorian Guard Security Services. The suspect has a PhD in leadership and was previously appointed to the Minnesota Workforce Development Board. Surveillance images show Boelter wearing tactical gear and carrying a flashlight. Multiple AK-style firearms and anti-government flyers labeled "No Kings" were recovered from a vehicle tied to him. Boelter remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called the shooting 'targeted political violence' and stressed the need to stand united against extremist attacks. The FBI and state authorities are actively investigating. The public is advised to stay alert and report any suspicious activity.
Hindustan Times
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Vance Boelter spotted in Sibley County's Faxon Township? Alert issued amid manhunt for Minnesota shooting suspect
Authorities issued an alert for Sibley County's Faxon Township on Sunday after Minnesota shooting suspect, Vance Boelter's vehicle was spotted nearby. Officers are now searching the area and have asked residents to stay alert. Sibley County is located about 50 miles southwest of the Twin Cities. Local officials sent an emergency alert to citizens. 'Keep your doors locked and vehicles secured. Report suspicious activity to 911. Law enforcement will be going to area residences to ask to search properties," it read. Boelter has not been located hours after he allegedly targeted and killed Rep. Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) and her husband, Mark, on Sunday. State Sen. John Hoffman of Champlin and his wife, Yvette, were also shot multiple times. They are recovering, officials said. Read More: Vance Boelter social media: Old LinkedIn post saying 'keep the United States in your prayers' surfaces Both couples were shot at their homes. Police believe Boelter was posing as a law enforcement officer. The FBI has issued a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the suspect's arrest. The 57-year-old has been described as a white man with no hair. Officials shared a photo taken Saturday of Boelter wearing a tan cowboy hat and asked the public to report sightings. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said Sunday that authorities believe the shooter hasn't gone far. 'We believe he's somewhere in the vicinity and that they are going to find him,' the Democrat said Sunday on NBC's 'Meet the Press.' 'But right now, everyone's on edge here, because we know that this man will kill at a second.' Read More: Vance Boelter seen speaking at Democratic Republic of the Congo's seminar, videos surface Law enforcement agents recovered several AK-style firearms from the suspect's vehicle, and he was believed to still be armed with a pistol, a person familiar with the matter told AP. 'We must all, in Minnesota and across the country, stand against all forms of political violence,' Minnesota Gov Tim Walz said. He further ordered flags to fly at half-staff in Hortman's honor. 'Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!' President Donald Trump said in a statement.
