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Category: Crime
March 13, 2026
Crime
News

Soros-Backed DA Blames ‘Pro-Gun Lobby’ for ISIS Supporter’s Shooting Attack.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A mass shooting at Old Dominion University (ODU) in Virginia left two people dead, including the gunman, and two others injured. The attack is being investigated as an act of terrorism.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Shooter Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a former National Guardsman convicted in 2015 for supporting the Islamic State (ISIS), and Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) students who subdued him. Victim Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shah, a veteran Army helicopter pilot, was killed in the attack.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The shooting occurred on Thursday at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is not an ODU problem. This is a national sickness. We live in a country where people care more about guns than they care about six-year-old children.” – Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi

🎯IMPACT: Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi is blaming pro-gun advocates for the shooting, deflecting from the likely Islamist motivations of the shooter.

IN FULL

Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi, a George Soros-backed prosecutor, is facing backlash after attributing a deadly shooting at Old Dominion University (ODU) to pro-gun advocacy rather than the attacker’s background as an Islamic State (ISIS) supporter. Speaking at a press conference, Fatehi framed the incident as part of a broader national issue. “This is not an ODU problem. This is a national sickness. We live in a country where people care more about guns than they care about six-year-old children,” he said. He also criticized lawmakers and the courts, condemning what he called “the cult of gun absolutism.”

Authorities identified the gunman as 36-year-old Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a former Virginia National Guardsman and naturalized immigrant originally from Sierra Leone. Jalloh had previously been convicted in 2016 for attempting to provide material support to ISIS and received an 11-year federal prison sentence. However, he was released in 2024 after serving nine years.

Investigators say Jalloh opened fire during an ROTC class inside Constant Hall on ODU’s Norfolk campus. The attack left Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shah dead. Shah, a decorated Army helicopter pilot who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Eastern Europe, returned to ODU in 2022 to lead the school’s military science program.

Several ROTC cadets intervened and subdued the gunman during the attack, preventing further casualties. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the bureau is investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism and praised the “extreme bravery and courage” of the cadets who confronted the attacker. FBI spokesman Dominique Evans also commended the students, stating, “They rendered him no longer alive. I don’t know how else to say it.”

Fatehi defended his comments, saying, “I absolutely stand by what I said. It is the truth, no matter how much the gun lobby wants to deny it.” Addressing the suspect’s extremist ties, he added that “no matter the ideology of an attacker, that attacker is more dangerous with a gun than without one.”

Fatehi’s campaign has received substantial backing from political action committees (PACs) linked to far-left billionaire George Soros, totaling more than $650,000 in support between 2021 and 2025. Soros-backed prosecutors across the United States have drawn scrutiny from critics who argue their policies prioritize progressive criminal-justice reforms over traditional prosecution.

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March 13, 2026
Crime
News

Charlie Kirk’s Alleged Assassin Is Back in Court, Demanding Judge Ban Media, Cameras from Trial.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Tyler Robinson, accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk, is appearing in court as the defense seeks to restrict public access to case details.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Tyler Robinson, Judge Tony Graf Jr., and the Utah County prosecutor’s office.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Today’s court appearance for Robinson concerns a motion affecting a separate court hearing scheduled for April 17, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Specifically, Mr. Robinson seeks to take evidence in a closed setting regarding the unfairly prejudicial and misleading media coverage and the improper statements of government officials in order to avoid republicizing the same.” — Defense filing

🎯IMPACT: The move is the latest delay tactic being used by Robinson’s attorneys after they dragged out a motion—and subsequent hearing—for weeks in a long-shot attempt to disqualify the entire Utah County prosecutor’s office from the case last month.

IN FULL

Tyler Robinson, charged in the assassination of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk, will appear in court today as his defense team seeks to limit public access to certain court filings, as well as restrict media coverage and exclude cameras from an upcoming April 17 hearing. The move is the latest delay tactic being used by Robinson’s attorneys after they dragged out a motion—and subsequent hearing—for weeks in a long-shot attempt to disqualify the entire Utah County prosecutor’s office from the case last month.

“Specifically, Mr. Robinson seeks to take evidence in a closed setting regarding the unfairly prejudicial and misleading media coverage and the improper statements of government officials in order to avoid republicizing the same,” the defense filing reads, continuing, “Mr. Robinson also asks this court to take evidence regarding the privacy violations detailed in the ‘motion to exclude cameras’ in a closed setting, to, again, avoid reiterating the violative material.”

The attorneys for the 22-year-old Robinson plan to present what they claim is evidence of “harmful and prejudicial media coverage” at the hearing in April. “While there is simply not enough time to present all of what is referenced in the ‘motion to exclude cameras,’ the compilation anticipated will highlight the most egregious and most concerning media coverage impacting Mr. Robinson’s case,” the filing states.

Courtroom cameras and media presence have been a constant point of contention for Robinson’s defense team. On several occasions, they have pushed Judge Tony Graf Jr. to either limit or ban the recording of proceedings. While Graf has been sensitive to the defense’s argument that showing Robinson’s handcuffs or leg shackles on camera would be prejudicial, he has otherwise been reluctant to limit the media’s presence.

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March 12, 2026
Crime
Immigration

Haitian Man Admits to $6.7 Million SNAP Fraud Scheme.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Haitian man pleaded guilty to orchestrating a $6.7 million benefit fraud scheme through his Boston retail store.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Antonio Bonheur, 74, and a second defendant, Saul Alsime.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The scheme ran from February 2021 to December 2025 in Mattapan, Boston.

🎯IMPACT: Bonheur faces up to 20 years imprisonment, potential deportation, and financial penalties. A second defendant’s case is ongoing.

IN FULL

A Haitian man arrested last December in Boston and charged with orchestrating a $6.7 million fraud scheme involving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, also known as food stamps, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and unauthorized use of benefits. Antonio Bonheur, a 74-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Haiti, ran the scheme through his small retail store, Jesula Variety Store, in the Mattapan area of Boston, Massachusetts.

The National Pulse previously reported that Bonheur and Saul Alisme, a 21-year-old lawful permanent resident, conspired to use their small bodegas in the Mattapan neighborhood as fronts where SNAP benefits could be exchanged for discounted cash payments. Despite observably low inventory and minimal business transactions, one of the bodegas reportedly redeemed upwards of $500,000 in SNAP benefits in a single month. The figure, prosecutors noted, is one that would be expected for a major retail grocery chain and not a small independent convenience store.

Charging documents highlighted a dramatic escalation in the scale of the fraud. Monthly redemptions surged from $6,467 in October 2023 to $157,937 by March 2024, peaking at $540,870 in August 2024. Throughout 2025, monthly totals consistently exceeded $200,000, with October alone reaching $358,472.

Bonheur faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment for the wire fraud charge, along with potential penalties including three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and mandatory restitution. The plea agreement also acknowledges that Bonheur may face denaturalization and deportation. As a result of the guilty plea, Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Leah Foley has agreed to recommend a sentence at the lower end of the federal guidelines.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 30 in Boston. Meanwhile, Saul Alsime’s case has been postponed until May.

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March 11, 2026
Crime
News

Migrant Charged With Throwing Random Strangers Onto Subway Tracks.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Honduran migrant has been arrested at a homeless shelter for pushing two people onto subway tracks in New York City.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Suspect Bairon Hernandez, his two victims, and the New York City Police Department (NYPD).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The attacks took place last weekend, with Hernandez being arrested on March 10.

🎯IMPACT: The case is just the latest involving a migrant attacking random people on public transit in a major American city.

IN FULL

A Honduran migrant has been arrested for allegedly pushing two strangers, including an elderly man, onto subway tracks at a Manhattan station over the weekend. Authorities say Bairon Hernandez, 34, was taken into custody early Tuesday morning by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force and the New York City Police Department (NYPD) at a homeless shelter in Brooklyn.

Investigators say the incident occurred around noon Sunday at the Lexington Avenue–63rd Street subway station on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. According to police, Hernandez allegedly approached the victims from behind and shoved them onto the tracks without warning.

The victims, an 83-year-old man and a 31-year-old man who did not know each other, were left stranded on the rails below the platform after the attack, authorities said. Bystanders quickly rushed to help and were able to pull both men back onto the platform before a train entered the station.

Hernandez has been charged with attempted murder, attempted assault, assault, and reckless endangerment, police said. When reporters questioned him outside a Manhattan precinct following his arrest, Hernandez denied the accusations, repeatedly shaking his head and saying “no” when asked whether he pushed the two subway riders.

The attack has renewed concerns about violent incidents on public transit systems in major cities. In recent years, several high-profile cases involving migrants and transit violence have drawn national attention. In one widely circulated case, a migrant appealing deportation after prior sex crime convictions was accused of pushing a mail carrier in front of a train during an altercation. In another case, a migrant accused of setting a woman on fire allegedly avoided immediate federal immigration detention because of local sanctuary policies.

Such incidents have intensified political debate over public safety on transit networks, immigration enforcement, and the impact of sanctuary laws in major U.S. cities. Sanctuary restrictions on cooperation with federal immigration authorities undermine public safety by making it harder to take foreign criminals into custody.

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March 11, 2026
William Upton
Bonkers Britain
Crime

London Knife Crime is So Bad They Now Need ‘Bleed Kits’ on Every Bus.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Knife crime in the United Kingdom’s capital city has become so commonplace that the London Assembly is backing a plan to install bleed kits at every major bus station and along bus routes experiencing sustained levels of violent crime.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The London Assembly, the London Ambulance Service (LAS), Transport for London (TfL), and London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, of Britain’s governing Labour Party.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Early March, 2026, in London, England.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The current advice from the NHS is that standard first aid kits are sufficient for the majority of bleeding wounds. The NHS also highlights that the effective use of bleed kits requires appropriate training and there is a risk of significant harm if tourniquets, which are usually included in bleed kits, are not used correctly.” — TfL spokesman

🎯IMPACT: Over the weekend, the London Assembly passed a non-binding resolution asking the London Ambulance Service (LAS) to coordinate with Transport for London (TfL) to distribute the stab wound kits across the bus system.

IN FULL

Knife crime in the United Kingdom‘s capital city has become so commonplace that the London Assembly is backing a plan to install bleed kits at every major bus station and along bus routes experiencing sustained levels of violent crime. Over the weekend, the assembly passed a non-binding resolution asking the London Ambulance Service (LAS) to coordinate with Transport for London (TfL) to distribute the stab wound kits across the bus system.

Notably, the motion is non-binding, meaning the London Mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan, is not obligated to act on it. Additionally, TfL—citing National Health Service (NHS) guidance—says it does not plan to publicly advertise the availability of the bleed kits should they be installed.

“The current advice from the NHS is that standard first aid kits are sufficient for the majority of bleeding wounds,” a TfL spokesman said. “The NHS also highlights that the effective use of bleed kits requires appropriate training and there is a risk of significant harm if tourniquets, which are usually included in bleed kits, are not used correctly.”

Khan has been a regular target of President Donald J. Trump—and vice versa—with the America First leader saying of the London mayor in December, “I think he’s done a terrible job. London’s a different place. I love London. I love London. And I hate to see it happen.”

“He’s got a totally different ideology to what he’s supposed to have… he gets elected because so many [immigrants] have come in,” Trump added.

Image via East London Mosque.

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March 10, 2026
William Upton
Crime
Politics

Democrats’ Jan 6 ‘Insurrection Memorial’ Honors Ex-Cop Suspected of Drugging, Raping Ten Women.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A former Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department officer, already incarcerated for rape and linked to multiple sexual assault cases in Northern Virginia and Maryland, is among the law enforcement “honored” by a commemorative January 6 plaque installed this past weekend in the U.S. Capitol.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Former D.C. officer Timothy Valentin and multiple victims across Maryland and Virginia.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Offenses occurred in 2024 and 2025 in Northern Virginia and Maryland. Valentin was arrested in December 2025, and the plaque was installed on March 7, 2026.

🎯IMPACT: The investigation into numerous allegations of rape and sexual assault tied to Valentin continues, with potential further charges and victims identified.

IN FULL

Timothy Valentin, a former Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer listed among those honored by a commemorative January 6 plaque installed this past weekend in the U.S. Capitol, has been incarcerated since December last year on charges of rape, rape by force, and rape by physical incapacity or helplessness, among other counts. The inclusion of Valentin on a list of law enforcement officers honored for their actions during the January 6, 2021, Capitol protests—accessible through a QR code placed next to the plaque—is raising questions about the judgment and vetting implemented regarding the display.

The plaque was first authorized by Congress as an earmark buried in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 (H.R. 2471), sponsored by Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). Despite its adoption as part of the broader bill, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA)—after Republicans took control of the lower chamber—has used several procedural tools to delay the plaque’s installation. However, the plaque was forced to be temporarily displayed in the Senate wing of the Capitol Building after a resolution introduced by Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) was adopted in January of this year.

In 2021, Valentin was a patrol officer with the MPD—having joined the force in 2016—and served as part of the department’s response team during the Capitol protests. He and other officers present that day, per the provision in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, are listed in a lengthy PDF hosted on the Architect of the Capitol’s website and accessible via a QR code next to the plaque.

Disturbingly, months prior to receiving this “honor,” Valentin was arrested and charged with five felony counts involving rape. Even more troubling, when investigators reviewed the contents of Valentin’s phone, they found additional evidence potentially tying him to a series of unsolved sexual assaults in both Maryland and Virginia. On Monday, a grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, issued a superseding indictment adding more charges against the former MPD officer, who is among those hailed as “brave” and a “hero” by Sens. Merkley and Tillis, in connection with three other sexual crimes from March and November last year.

According to Maryland and Virginia prosecutors, they have identified at least ten victims of Valentin so far. They allege that Valentin would use dating apps to select his victims and then take the women out on dates, plying them with alcoholic beverages believed to be laced with sedatives. Once unconscious, Valentin would rape the women.

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March 5, 2026
Crime
Immigration

‘Abdulkarim Farah’ Jailed for Trying to Bribe Juror in Minnesota Fraud Case.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Abdulkarim Farah of Minneapolis was sentenced to 57 months in prison for attempting to bribe a juror in a high-profile fraud case.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Abdulkarim Farah, his brothers, co-defendant Ladan Ali, and “Juror 52” were key figures in the case.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The bribery attempt occurred during a trial beginning April 22, 2024, in Minnesota.

🎯IMPACT: The case highlights the importance of safeguarding the integrity of the justice system and the role of impartial juries.

IN FULL

Abdulkarim Farah of Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison followed by one year of supervised release after attempting to bribe a juror during the first trial connected to the massive Feeding Our Future fraud case. The largely Somali-led nonprofit sat at the center of a pandemic-era scheme that prosecutors say stole more than $250 million in taxpayer funds intended to provide meals to children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to federal prosecutors, Farah worked with his brothers and other associates to influence the trial’s outcome by offering money to “Juror 52” in exchange for a not-guilty verdict. The bribery attempt occurred during a trial that began April 22, 2024, involving seven defendants, including two of Farah’s brothers, before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel.

Court filings state that Farah monitored Juror 52 and the juror’s home, shared logistical information with co-conspirators, and coordinated the delivery of the bribe with co-defendant Ladan Ali. On June 2, 2024, Farah drove Ali to the juror’s residence, where she delivered a gift bag containing cash to a relative of the juror and promised additional payments if the juror voted to acquit. Investigators later found that Farah deleted the Signal messaging app from his phone in an effort to destroy evidence.

U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud sentenced Farah to the high end of the federal guidelines. During sentencing, the judge emphasized the importance of juries to the justice system, describing “properly functioning juries” as a cornerstone of criminal courts, and commended Juror 52 for refusing the large cash bribe.

The Feeding Our Future case has become one of the largest fraud scandals in the United States. Payments to the nonprofit surged during the pandemic as it claimed to be distributing millions of meals through dozens of affiliated sites across Minnesota.

Federal investigators have charged 98 people in connection with the scheme. According to congressional oversight findings cited in early 2026, 85 of those defendants are Somali.

The case has also prompted broader scrutiny of organized fraud networks tied to pandemic relief programs in Minnesota. Investigators and lawmakers have raised concerns about underground financial networks moving large sums of money through U.S. airports and allegations that proceeds from fraud operations have been connected to activist movements in Minneapolis.

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March 5, 2026
Crime
News

DOJ Staffer Faces Child Pornography Charges.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A longtime Justice Department employee has been arrested and charged in a child pornography case.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Timothy Parsons, a legal staffer at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C., and federal investigators.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executed search warrants at Parsons’ Bethesda residence on Monday. He is scheduled to appear in court Friday in Greenbelt, Maryland.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The employee is on leave and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken in accordance with standard procedure.” – Justice Department spokesman

🎯IMPACT: Federal criminal charges were filed in Maryland, where Parsons—a longtime Department of Justice (DOJ) staffer—resides, after an FBI task force executed search warrants at his Bethesda home on Monday.

IN FULL

Timothy Parsons, a legal staffer at the U.S. Attorney‘s Office in Washington, D.C., has been arrested and charged in a child pornography case, according to multiple sources. Federal criminal charges were filed in Maryland, where Parsons—a longtime Department of Justice (DOJ) staffer—resides, after a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) task force executed search warrants at his Bethesda home on Monday.

A court filing alleged that Parsons admitted to receiving a message containing child sex abuse material in February 2019. The FBI affidavit detailed that Parsons received multiple videos and images with child abuse content and responded with sexually charged remarks. Parsons reportedly deleted these messages, according to investigators.

The investigation into Parsons was linked to a 2025 case involving Victor Blythe, a former child psychotherapist at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington. The court filings stated that the images sent to Parsons originated from a suspected child exploiter connected to Blythe’s case. Blythe has pleaded not guilty and has a court appearance scheduled for March 25.

The DOJ issued a statement confirming that Parsons is on leave, adding, “While we cannot comment on personnel matters, we hold all of our employees to the highest standards of ethical conduct at all times.” The FBI has seized several devices from Parsons’ residence, and a full forensic examination is pending. Initial reviews of the devices revealed no child abuse material.

Parsons has not yet entered a plea and has been appointed a federal public defender. He is scheduled to appear in court on Friday in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Image by Steve Fernie.

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March 4, 2026
Crime
News

Iran-Backed Pakistani on Trial Over Plot to Assassinate Trump.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Pakistani national was accused of plotting with Iran to kill U.S. officials as part of a broader murder-for-hire scheme.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Asif Merchant, federal prosecutors, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents, and unnamed informants. President Donald J. Trump and former President Joe Biden were mentioned as targets.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Merchant flew from Pakistan to the United States in an attempt to recruit hitmen, and was arrested one day before the assassination attempt against President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This dangerous murder-for-hire plot was allegedly orchestrated by a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran and is straight out of the Iranian regime’s playbook.” – Former FBI Director Christopher Wray

🎯IMPACT: Merchant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison if convicted. The trial highlights ongoing threats from the Iranian regime against U.S. interests.

IN FULL

Federal prosecutors say Pakistani national Asif Merchant plotted with Iranian contacts to assassinate U.S. political figures, reportedly including President Donald J. Trump. Merchant is on trial in Brooklyn, New York, facing charges of attempting to commit terrorism and participating in a murder-for-hire scheme. Authorities allege Merchant was indicted in July 2024 after being recorded during a meeting with a confidential informant, where he outlined a plan on a napkin to kill an unnamed politician.

Prosecutors say he later attempted to hire two men to carry out the killing, offering $5,000 each. The would-be hitmen were undercover Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents. Merchant was arrested as he attempted to leave the United States.

Court evidence also includes graphic images that Merchant allegedly shared online depicting violence against Trump, including a severed head and a gravestone bearing Trump’s name. Some posts dated back to 2020 and referenced former President Joe Biden. One image showed a mock wanted poster for Trump with the caption, “Iran issues an arrest warrant for Trump.”

The case comes amid ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran following military operations ordered by Trump targeting Iranian-linked interests. Critics have argued that some of those actions lacked clear congressional authorization, while others maintain that Trump acted within his Article II powers as commander-in-chief.

Then-FBI Director Christopher Wray said, “This dangerous murder-for-hire plot was allegedly orchestrated by a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran and is straight out of the Iranian regime’s playbook.” Merchant’s defense team denies the allegations and contends the case is politically motivated.

Merchant’s prosecution follows other cases involving alleged threats against Trump. In February 2026, Ryan Routh,  accused of attempting to assassinate Trump, was sentenced to life in prison after authorities said he took substantial steps toward carrying out an attack. Months earlier, Routh reportedly sought transfer to a prison in a state permitting assisted suicide, stating he wished to pursue euthanasia while incarcerated.

In June 2025, authorities also charged an alleged Antifa-linked sharpshooter in connection with threats against Trump, accusing the suspect of making explicit statements about conducting a sniper-style attack before being apprehended.

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March 4, 2026
Crime
News

No Felony Charges for Antifa Agitators Despite $1M Damage at University of Washington.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: King County prosecutors declined to pursue felony charges against 33 agitators arrested for vandalizing the University of Washington’s Interdisciplinary Engineering Building, instead filing misdemeanor charges.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Thirty-three agitators, including members of the now-suspended group Students United for Palestinian Equality and Return (SUPER UW), and University of Washington police investigators.

📍WHEN & WHERE: May 2025 at the University of Washington’s Interdisciplinary Engineering Building; decision not to prosecute confirmed recently.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is an important step in ensuring accountability for those who perpetrated this occupation.” – UW spokesman Victor Balta

🎯IMPACT: Twenty-three students involved have already faced disciplinary suspensions.

IN FULL

Prosecutors in King County will not pursue felony charges against 33 Antifa agitators arrested in connection with last spring’s occupation and vandalism of the University of Washington’s Interdisciplinary Engineering Building. Instead, nearly a year after the May 2025 incident, which caused more than $1 million in damage, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed 33 counts of Criminal Trespass in the First Degree, a gross misdemeanor.

Records show University of Washington police told prosecutors they lacked sufficient evidence to support felony charges such as burglary or malicious mischief. Investigators cited the absence of eyewitness testimony or surveillance footage capturing the vandalism. A forensic review of seized electronic devices also failed to tie specific suspects to the property destruction.

Police reports indicate the demonstration was organized by Students United for Palestinian Equality and Return (SUPER UW), an anti-Israel student group later suspended by the university. According to authorities, individuals dressed in “Black Bloc” Antifa clothing entered the building after hours, barricaded exits, and damaged equipment. Officers issued dispersal orders and ultimately removed dozens of people, encountering resistance that included makeshift shields and protective gear.

Police Lieutenant Anthony Stewart said investigators believe two separate groups were involved: one that carried out the destruction and another, with university affiliations, that remained inside and “leverage[d] their status to avoid aggressive police responses.”

University spokesman Victor Balta confirmed that 23 of those charged were students who had already been disciplined.

The case unfolds amid broader national scrutiny of protest movements employing “Black Bloc” tactics associated with Antifa. In Texas, federal prosecutors have brought terrorism-related charges against individuals accused of attacking an ICE detention facility in 2025, marking one of the most aggressive uses of federal statutes in cases linked to alleged Antifa activity.

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