Latest news with #U.S.Military
Boston Globe
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
What we know about the at-large suspect in Minnesota lawmaker shooting
Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed, while state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were critically injured. Boelter, 57, was last seen in Minneapolis on Saturday morning and should be considered armed and dangerous, police said. He is about 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes, and was thought to be working to leave the Twin Cities area. Images of Boelter captured Saturday morning show him wearing a light-colored cowboy hat, dark long-sleeved shirt or jacket, light-colored pants and dark sneakers. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'The public is asked to call 911 immediately if they see Boelter. Do not approach him,' the FBI said. Advertisement Authorities said that they discovered writings in Boelter's car that gave 'indications' of what could have driven him to carry out the attacks, but that it would be premature to give an exact motive. They also found several fliers for the 'No Kings' movement protesting President Donald Trump, which prompted the cancellation of local 'No Kings' demonstrations Saturday. A list discovered in the vehicle named prominent abortion rights advocates in Minnesota, including many Democratic lawmakers who have been outspoken about the issue, according to a person who had seen the list and spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the ongoing investigation. Advertisement The office of Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minnesota) confirmed her name was on the list. The suspected gunman works for a Twin Cities-area armed home security company called Praetorian Guard Security Services, serving as its director of security patrols, according to the company's website. His bio on the site said he had received training from private security firms and from 'people in the U.S. Military' and had 'been involved with security situations in Eastern Europe, Africa, North America and the Middle East, including the West Bank, Southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.' Authorities said they were aware of the suspected gunman's potential background in security services. 'Certainly, an individual would have some familiarity, if that's the line of work that they're in, with some of the tactics' used in the shootings, said Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The gunman was said to have been dressed as a law enforcement officer and opened fire on the actual police officers who were called to Hortman's home after she was shot. A black SUV that was altered to look like a police vehicle - complete with emergency lights and a license plate that read 'POLICE' - was towed away from Hortman's home Saturday. The website for Praetorian Guard Security Services notes that its guards wear 'the best personal protective equipment that money can buy' and drive Ford Explorer SUVs, the same vehicle make and model used by many police departments in the United States. Boelter's wife, Jenny, is listed as the resident agent for the company, according to business filings. Attempts to reach her Saturday were unsuccessful. Advertisement The suspect's online presence indicated he is well traveled and connected to several religious groups. He is listed on federal tax forms as the president of a Minnesota-based nonprofit called You Give Them Something to Eat - an apparent reference to the biblical episode in which Jesus feeds a large crowd with two fish and five loaves of bread. The organization's tax forms report no income or spending. Tax records also appear to show that the suspected gunman and his wife once led another nonprofit known as Revoformation Ministries. An archived version of its website calls the suspect 'Reverend' and says he was ordained in 1993. 'Prior to 9-11, Vance had already made several trips to violent areas in the Gaza Strip and West Bank where suicide bombings were taking place,' the site said. 'He sought out militant Islamists in order to share the gospel and tell them that violence wasn't the answer.' In recent years, the suspected gunman worked in Africa and sought to spread Christianity to 'Islamic militants,' according to his LinkedIn profile and other traces of his activity online. Two years ago, he posted on LinkedIn that he was working in the Democratic Republic of Congo as CEO of a company called Red Lion Group. His post referred to multiple trips to the country, as well as to Washington, where he said he was working with the country's ambassador to the United States. In a video posted to YouTube that shows the suspected gunman preaching to a large church in the Democratic Republic of Congo, he urges the congregants to embrace Christian joy even in difficult times. He shared a story about being at his mother's home in Minnesota when he learned that a friend doing missionary work in Zimbabwe had been murdered there. Advertisement 'Even though that hurt, I knew Jesus, and I knew my friend knew Jesus,' the suspect told the crowd. 'I knew he was in heaven.' In another post, shared around 2019, he encouraged friends and colleagues to vote in unspecified upcoming U.S. elections. 'I have been in several countries where people don't have the ability to vote for who their leaders are. I will just say they were not places that anyone of us would want to live in if we had any choice in the matter,' he wrote. 'For those of you that I'm connected with that are not in the United States, if you believe in prayer, please keep the United States in your prayers. I think the election is going to have more of an impact on the direction of our country than probably any election we have been apart of, or will be apart of for years to come.' The suspect worked for several large food companies during the past 25 years, including Nestlé and Gerber, Johnsonville Sausage and Del Monte, according to his LinkedIn profile. Minnesota governors appointed him at least twice to serve on the Governor's Workforce Development Board, an advisory group on which Hoffman also served. Gov. Mark Dayton (D) appointed the suspect to the board in 2016, and Gov. Tim Walz (D) did the same in 2019. The 2019 nomination said he lived in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, south of St. Paul, while the 2016 appointment said he was living in Shakopee, Minnesota, about 20 miles to the west. Advertisement The suspect sometimes stayed at a house in North Minneapolis, according to the owner of the residence. A Minneapolis City Council member told constituents that police searched the house Saturday. David Carlson, who also lives in the house, said he received text messages from Boelter this weekend saying he would be 'gone for a while.' Carlson said he read the messages to reporters, instead of sending screenshots, because he didn't want the suspect's wife to see the images of the texts on television. 'David and Ron, I love you guys,' the messages said, according to local news reports. 'I made some choices, and you guys don't know anything about this, but 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.' In a brief interview, Carlson called what happened in Minneapolis 'a tragedy.' 'It's a tragedy. That's all I've got to say. Tragedy all around,' he said. Tobi Raji and Dylan Wells in Washington, Holly Bailey in Atlanta and Patrick Marley in Minneapolis contributed to this report.
Newsweek
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Pilot Covering 'No Kings' Protest Goes Viral With Accidental Admission
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A helicopter pilot who was covering the "No Kings" protests in Los Angeles from the sky accidentally joked about his personal life as he was caught on a hot mic. Fox 11 reporter pilot Stu Mundel was in a helicopter flying over California when he began to discuss his cats, his marriage, and other home affairs. Mundel had been covering the No Kings protests in Los Angeles, which were organized in response to President Donald Trump's military parade on Saturday that celebrated the anniversary of the U.S. Military's creation—as well as his own 79th birthday, a coincidence he played down, saying the parade was to celebrate the Army and flag day. While streaming live to Fox 11's YouTube channel coverage on the protests, Mundel appeared to respond to a question over his radio, before launching into a conversation about his personal life. "You know what? I don't care. I don't care about my... I am married. I am legally married. I am legally married," Mundel joked. "That's about the only way you can really say it. I am legally married. But I am not looking at... now at all. "I just had a bunch of debacles with my personal life. Yes, it's true. I know it's hard to believe. Somebody that doesn't even know what he's talking about in their relationship. "I got nothing right now. Got nothing. Got nothing. Not really looking. I'm trying to find myself and be happy. I'm being serious about that. I want to behold—I want to be beholden to no one at this moment. You know? Do I get lonely? Of course, of course. But I got cats," he said before laughing. Thousands of protesters gather in downtown Los Angeles for an anti-Trump "No Kings Day" demonstration in a city on June 14, 2025. Thousands of protesters gather in downtown Los Angeles for an anti-Trump "No Kings Day" demonstration in a city on June 14, 2025. Getty Images Mundel then changed the topic of conversation to the view from the helicopter with comical speed, saying: "I think all that information's on the internet. Look at all those red cars down there." The No Kings protests that Mundel was covering were taking place in multiple states on Saturday in response to Trump's parade, but Los Angeles has remained the focus of many groups due to the ongoing unrest and protests in response to Trump's immigration policies. Most of the protests in Los Angeles have been peaceful, but some have taken the opportunity to burn or vandalize property, loot, and throw projectiles at law enforcement. Trump responded to these incidents with military deployments; doing so against the wishes of California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, escalating the situation and tensions with the Democratic leaders The protests continue throughout the U.S., though events in Minnesota have been canceled after the suspect in the shooting of two state lawmakers was found to have No Kings flyers in his vehicle.
New York Post
06-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Federal judge approves Colorado's age limit for firearms purchases
A federal judge upheld Colorado's restriction on firearms sales requiring buyers to be 21 or older after Rocky Mountain Gun Owners and two people looking to purchase firearms sued Democratic Gov. Jared Polis. Chief U.S. District Judge Philip A. Brimmer agreed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit's decision that age-based requirements for purchase do not fall under the Second Amendment's right to keep and bear arms. The 10th Circuit and Brimmer agree that the issue falls under a 'safe harbor' exclusion, placing it outside the scope of the Constitution. The only exceptions to Colorado's firearm purchase age restriction are for those in the U.S. Military and for peace officers. In both cases, the person must be making the purchase while on duty and is 'serving in conformance with the policies' of their respective agency. 'Governor Polis is committed to making Colorado one of the ten safest states, and common-sense laws encourage responsible gun ownership and keep people safe. For decades in Colorado, you had to be 21 to purchase a handgun, per federal law. The requirement to be 21 was expanded to rifles and shotguns with the signing of SB23-169, and Governor Polis is glad to see the court affirm that Colorado's common sense law does not infringe on Second Amendment rights. Governor Polis is confident this law has and will help keep Coloradans and our communities safe,' Polis' Communications Director Conor Cahill said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 3 A federal judge upheld Colorado's restriction on firearms sales requiring buyers to be 21 or older. REUTERS Brimmer acknowledged that Adrian Pineda and Matthew Newkirk — the two individuals under 21 who sued Polis together with Rocky Mountain Gun Owners — are part of 'the people' as written in the Second Amendment. However, he referred to the 10th Circuit's decision, saying it had resolved the case back in 2023, according to Courthouse News Service (CNS). The decision in Colorado comes in contrast to one issued by the Supreme Court in 2022 in which justices determined that New York issued unconstitutional requirements for carrying a concealed weapon in public. Then-President Joe Biden said he was 'deeply disappointed' by the ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. He said that SCOTUS had 'chosen to strike down New York's long-established authority to protect its citizens.' 3 The only exceptions to Colorado's firearm purchase age restriction are for those in the U.S. Military and for peace officers. DmyTo – 'This ruling contradicts both common sense and the Constitution, and should deeply trouble us all,' Biden said in a statement at the time. He went on to reaffirm his commitment to reducing gun violence and making communities safer. 3 The 10th Circuit and Brimmer agree that the issue falls under a 'safe harbor' exclusion, placing it outside the scope of the Constitution. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Brimmer is also going against a decision made by the New Orleans-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, which struck down a federal restriction banning the sale of firearms to anyone below the age of 21. That court held that those aged 18 to 20 are protected under the Second Amendment, according to The Trace, an organization of journalists who report on gun violence in the U.S. 'The federal government has presented scant evidence that eighteen-to-twenty-year-olds' firearm rights during the founding-era were restricted in a similar manner to the contemporary federal handgun purchase ban,' Judge Edith H. Jones wrote in the opinion. Several states, including New York, Massachusetts, California, Florida, Illinois, Delaware and Vermont have raised the age for purchasing firearms, according to the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund. While some states have limited the age restrictions to handgun purchases, others have applied the restriction to any kind of firearm.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Midwest Honor Flight takes off June 3
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — Tomorrow, June 3, 85 veterans from the 3 Siouxland states and Minnesota will travel to our nation's capital. Mission 26 for Midwest Honor Flight will fly out of the Sioux Gateway Airport on Tuesday morning at about 5:30 a.m. Story continues below Top Story: Community remembers Alicia Hummel 10 years after her murder Lights & Sirens: Venue change motion for Bloomfield double homicide case pending Sports: Local IHSAA State Quarterfinal soccer scoreboard Weather: Get the latest weather forecast here Veterans will get to see the memorials built and dedicated to honor the sacrifices and services of all those who served in the U.S. Military. They will return to Hawthorn Aviation at around 9 p.m., where a welcome home ceremony will take place. Midwest Honor Flight officials say the flight is still not 100% fully funded, and are asking for donations for this mission. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion - Our military is the real victim of Trump's war against DEI
We swore an oath to protect this country and uphold its Constitution. That commitment didn't end when we hung up our boots. But these days, we're left wondering whether our sacrifices, and those of countless others, are valued. Memorial Day is a time to honor those who served and sacrificed for this country. But as veterans who dedicated our lives to defending the freedoms we all cherish, this year feels different. It feels heavier. That's because the very values we fought for — freedom, equality, opportunity — are being rolled back by the same government that once relied on our service. From eliminating diversity and inclusion programs to restricting the teaching of hard but necessary truths, these changes are heartbreaking. They don't reflect the military we were proud to be part of. And they certainly don't honor the full legacy of those who wore the uniform. Serving has taught us many things, namely that this oath of protecting and serving our country does not expire. 'Liberty and justice for all' is ingrained in our lives, but with the Trump administration seeking to erase the historic contributions of women and people of color who have bravely sacrificed their lives for our nation, we pose the question: for whom does 'for all' actually entail? Despite baseless and false attacks stating otherwise, the fundamental American values of diversity, equity and inclusion or DEI are not divisive — they are the very foundation of a stronger, more unified military and nation. DEI ensures that every service member, regardless of race, gender, disability or background, has an equal opportunity to serve and succeed. DEI programs have helped dismantle barriers for women in combat roles, addressed disparities in healthcare access for veterans of color, and ensured accommodations for disabled service members so they can continue to thrive. Without these values, the Trump administration is not just erasing history — it is endangering our future by building a force that is less capable, less inclusive and less prepared to meet the diverse challenges. As two veterans, we are patriotic as they come, and know firsthand the bravery and dedication to servitude to our country. Yet our life's dedication now reads as 'content not found' on government websites. Where's the consistency in that? In 1948, the U.S. Military was the first federal agency to desegregate, paving the way for us to join in defiance of the societal limits placed on us as minorities. While this was a moment of pride for us both, it was also an early signal of the pressures we would face: proving that we could do a 'white man's job.' We continued to fight, not just for our place in the ranks but for the right to be seen as equal to our male and white counterparts, despite the systemic barriers that continue to surround us. The issue of gender and racial equality within the military is certainly not a new one. And despite the strides we have made, it is far from resolved. To describe our jobs as dangerous would be an understatement: flying through typhoons and treating soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorders returning from Vietnam, all while struggling to process our own mental health trauma from war, was not for the faint of heart. Our military journeys have been shaped as much by our daring professions as by facing systems that have tried to silence or ignore us. Black Americans make up 19 percent of active-duty military enlistments, and women make up roughly 17 percent; and I cannot imagine these numbers will increase, given the pervasive attempts to erase our identities. We gave our lives to the military, and yet, upon reflection, we realize how hollow the American dream still feels. We are speaking up because just as it is our duty to protect this country, its values and its promise of equality, it's time for the country to fight for us in return. Our service may have ended, but the fight for equity and recognition continues. Nearly 3.5 million veterans report having a disability, and current attacks on DEI disproportionately harm them. The Department of Defense's recent purge of DEI content from military websites has resulted in the erasure of historical minority contributions to the military, sending a harmful message to disabled veterans, particularly those from minority backgrounds, by diminishing their contributions and experiences. People like us stand as a testament to what diversity, equity and inclusion can do for this country. When we provide a space for everyone to contribute, we make this nation stronger. But when those who have served are overlooked, we are left with a fractured system that fails to live up to its promises. That's why we cannot afford to let things stay the way they are. As veterans, as citizens, as people who have sacrificed, we must demand change. We must ensure that the rights and privileges we fought for are not only upheld but expanded. And that starts with supporting the rights of veterans, supporting DEI initiatives, and ensuring that every American, no matter who they are, has a seat at the table. Sylvia Andersh-Gonzalez is a U.S. Air Force veteran, medical professional, career military spouse, daughter of immigrants and current cancer patient, with experience serving in five VA hospitals. Ed Anderson is a Vietnam-era U.S. Air Force veteran, retired science educator and Georgia lead organizer for Common Defense, with a distinguished career in military meteorology, broadcast journalism as the first African American TV meteorologist at WXIA-TV, and public service. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
