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Category: Crime
August 7, 2025
Crime

Over Half of D.C. Carjacking Suspects Are Minors.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Over half of those arrested for carjackings in Washington, D.C., since August 2023 were minors, with some as young as 12 years old.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Juvenile offenders, D.C. police, Attorney General Brian Schwalb (D), Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), and President Donald J. Trump.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Washington, DC; data from August 2023 to present, with a specific incident involving a government staffer on Sunday morning.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The law in D.C. must be changed to prosecute these ‘minors’ as adults, and lock them up for a long time, starting at age 14.” – President Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The rise in juvenile crime has sparked debate over curfews, penalties, and federal intervention in D.C. crime policies.

IN FULL

Since August 2023, 333 suspects have been arrested for carjackings in Washington, D.C., with 56 percent of those arrests involving individuals under the age of 18. According to police data, many of the juveniles arrested were between 15 and 16 years old, with some as young as 12. Notably, the nation’s capital has seen a concerning number of high–profile incidents involving carjackings in recent years, including the murder of former Trump administration staffer Mike Gill.

The rise in juvenile crime has coincided with a broader increase in vehicle-related offenses. Over the past two years, D.C. has reported 1,046 carjackings, with 72 percent involving a firearm. In contrast, motor vehicle thefts without the owner present have remained steady, with 2,847 cases reported since August 2024 compared to 2,844 in the same period last year.

The issue gained national attention after 19-year-old Edward Coristine, a former staffer with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), was attacked by a group of 10 juveniles while attempting to prevent a carjacking. Two 15-year-olds have been arrested in connection with the assault. President Donald J. Trump responded by calling for tougher penalties on juvenile offenders and warning of a potential federal takeover of D.C. if local leaders fail to address the crime surge.

“Crime in Washington, D.C., is totally out of control. Local ‘youths’ and gang members, some only 14, 15, and 16-year-olds, are randomly attacking, mugging, maiming, and shooting innocent Citizens, at the same time knowing that they will be almost immediately released,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, adding: “The law in D.C. must be changed to prosecute these ‘minors’ as adults, and lock them up for a long time, starting at age 14… If the D.C. leaders do not clean up their capital city, I will do whatever is necessary to protect our nation’s capital, even if it means taking federal control of the City.”

D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb has pushed back on such proposals, emphasizing rehabilitation for minors. In response to the Coristine case, Schwalb called the attack “horrific and disturbing” and stated, “When MPD brings us cases with sufficient evidence of juveniles who have broken the law and hurt people, we will prosecute them and ensure they face consequences for their actions.” His office has reported a 90 percent prosecution rate for homicide and attempted homicide cases in 2024, as well as high rates for carjacking and violent assault cases. Meanwhile, Mayor Muriel Bowser has implemented curfews for minors, including an 11 PM citywide curfew and earlier curfews in certain neighborhoods.

Image by Brandon Anderson. 

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August 6, 2025
Crime
Politics

Pennsylvania Man Charged for Alleged Death Threats Against President Trump.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Pennsylvania man was charged federally for allegedly threatening to kill then-President-elect Donald J. Trump before his inauguration.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Jacob Buckley, a 22-year-old from Port Matilda, Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Secret Service.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The threats were made on January 16, 2025, via TikTok, according to the Justice Department.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I’m going to kill Trump,” Buckley allegedly wrote on TikTok.

🎯IMPACT: If convicted, Buckley faces up to five years in prison, supervised release, fines, and a special assessment.

IN FULL

Jacob Buckley, a 22-year-old Pennsylvania man, has been charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania for allegedly threatening to kill then-President-elect Donald J. Trump. The threats, made on TikTok under the username “Jacob_buckley,” included statements such as, “I’m going to kill Trump,” and, “Bro we going into a literal oligarchy in 4 days and im going to kill Trump,” according to prosecutors.

The U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation, and Buckley has been “charged by criminal information for threatening Donald Trump as the President-elect,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The Department of Justice (DOJ) noted that the maximum penalty upon conviction includes up to five years in prison, supervised release, fines, and a special assessment.

This case follows a similar incident involving a Rhode Island man, Carl Montague, who was charged in July for allegedly threatening Trump and members of his administration on Truth Social. Montague’s threats, posted on June 27, 2025, included violent language directed at Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. The FBI later determined that Montague did not have access to weapons or the means to carry out his threats.

During the 2024 presidential campaign, two would-be assassins made attempts on President Trump’s life. Ryan Wesley Routh, who was discovered by the Secret Service hiding with an SKS-style rifle amidst shrubbery on the edge of the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, is currently facing trial. A judge recently ruled that Routh will be allowed to represent himself in his defense.

Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok.

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August 6, 2025
Crime
News

Dershowitz Says All Epstein Material Should Come Out and Trump Should ‘Lead The Campaign.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Former Epstein lawyer Alan Dershowitz criticized the credibility of Jeffrey Epstein’s accusers and called for the release of Epstein-related files, suggesting President Donald J. Trump should lead the effort.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Alan Dershowitz, Jeffrey Epstein, Virginia Giuffre, Ghislaine Maxwell, President Donald Trump, and former President Bill Clinton.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Comments made by Dershowitz aired Tuesday on NewsNation’s Cuomo.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Everything should come out and the president should lead the campaign and start tomorrow, saying, ‘I’m ordering my attorney general to go in front of every judge, seek everything out there.” – Alan Dershowitz

🎯IMPACT: Renewed calls for transparency over Epstein files and scrutiny of high-profile connections.

IN FULL

During an appearance on NewsNation’s Cuomo, attorney Alan Dershowitz, who previously represented convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, pushed back against allegations from several of Epstein’s accusers and called for the release of all files associated with Epstein. The retired Harvard Law School professor went so far as to suggest President Donald J. Trump should “lead the campaign and start tomorrow.”

Dershowitz insisted many of the claims against Epstein were fabricated, stating they were “all made up,” and dismissed the evidence of sex trafficking involving powerful men as “not credible.”

“I wish there were a client list. My fondest wish is that there were a client list ’cause I wouldn’t be on it. I wasn’t his client, I was his lawyer. He was my client,” Dershowitz said, refuting speculation about a supposed list of high-profile individuals connected to Epstein. He continued, “There was no client list. Only two people testified that they were trafficked. Both of them have been found to be complete liars.”

“So there’s no credible evidence basically about clients or about being passed around to people. That’s just all made up! And you know, I challenge anybody to come up with any testimony to the contrary of that,” he added.

Dershowitz advocated for the public release of files related to Epstein’s case, suggesting that sensitive information about victims could be redacted to preserve their privacy. He argued this would allow people to independently evaluate the credibility of the allegations. “Everything should come out and the president should lead the campaign and start tomorrow, saying, ‘I’m ordering my attorney general to go in front of every judge, seek everything out there,’” he said.

Addressing Epstein’s ties to former President Bill Clinton, Dershowitz acknowledged, “I can testify that Bill Clinton knew Jeffrey Epstein,” but added, “there was nothing in the files that suggests that he did anything wrong, that he was ever on the island, or that he ever had anything or did anything improper.”

Despite his own name appearing on Epstein’s flight logs, Dershowitz has long denied wrongdoing. He has admitted to receiving a massage at Epstein’s residence but described it as “therapeutic,” claiming it was performed by “an old Russian” while he remained fully clothed.

Dershowitz has also continued to defend Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former associate, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking a minor. He recently called for her release. Maxwell has been speaking with the Department of Justice (DOJ), with some speculation that she is looking for a pardon from President Donald J. Trump.

WATCH:

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August 6, 2025
Crime
News

Muslim Passenger Threatens to Rape, Set Light to Air Hostess.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A wealthy recruitment boss, Salman Iftikhar, was sentenced to 15 months in jail after threatening a Virgin Atlantic stewardess with gang rape and arson during a flight.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Salman Iftikhar, Virgin Atlantic stewardess Angie Walsh, and other cabin crew members.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred on a flight from London Heathrow to Lahore, with Iftikhar arrested at his home in Buckinghamshire on March 16, 2024. He was sentenced to prison in August 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I was abused for eight hours and 15 minutes. It has broken me. I was doing everything in my power to protect passengers and the crew from him.” – Angie Walsh

🎯IMPACT: Angie Walsh took 14 months off work, citing trauma, while Iftikhar faced legal consequences for his actions.

IN FULL

A 37-year-old Muslim recruitment firm director in the UK has been sentenced to 15 months in jail after an unhinged rant aboard an airplane in which he threatened to gang rape a stewardess and set her on fire. Salman Iftikhar was jailed after a series of abusive and threatening actions against Virgin Atlantic cabin crew during an eight-hour flight from London Heathrow to Lahore. The incident occurred while Iftikhar, who had been drinking champagne, was traveling in first class with his wife and three children.

Prosecutors revealed that Iftikhar directed a tirade of abuse at stewardess Angie Walsh, including threats to gang rape and set her alight. He also hurled racist insults and made death threats, leaving Walsh “broken” and “traumatized.” At one point, Iftikhar threatened to blow up the floor of the Avari Lahore Hotel, where the cabin crew was scheduled to stay, and made specific references to room numbers.

The situation unfolded in front of Iftikhar’s family, including his crying children, who pleaded for him to stop. Despite intervention attempts by the crew and even the pilot, Iftikhar’s behavior escalated. Upon landing, no immediate action was taken in Pakistan, but Iftikhar was later arrested at his home in Buckinghamshire over a year after the incident.

Angie Walsh, a 37-year veteran of Virgin Atlantic, described the ordeal as life-changing: “I was abused for eight hours and 15 minutes. It has broken me. I was doing everything in my power to protect passengers and the crew from him.” She also noted that the incident forced her to take 14 months off work due to trauma, though she has since returned to her role.

Recorder Annabel Darlow KC, in sentencing Iftikhar, highlighted the severity of his actions, particularly the impact on his children and the long-lasting trauma inflicted on Walsh. Virgin Atlantic praised Walsh and the cabin crew for their professionalism and bravery, affirming their zero-tolerance policy toward disruptive behavior. A spokesman stated, “We will always work closely with the relevant authorities and will not hesitate to seek prosecution for those individuals that cause disruption onboard through unacceptable behavior.”

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August 6, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Crime

Former DOGE Staffer ‘Big Balls’ Violently Assaulted in D.C. While Trying to Stop Carjacking.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A former member of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team was viciously assaulted by teens while attempting to stop a carjacking in Washington, D.C.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Edward “Big Balls” Coristine, President Donald J. Trump, Elon Musk, Capitol Police.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred on August 3 at 3 AM in the Dupont Circle area of D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Perhaps it should have been done a long time ago, then this incredible young man, and so many others, would not have had to go through the horrors of Violent Crime.” – President Donald J. Trump calling for tougher sentences for juvenile criminals

🎯IMPACT: The attack shows the ongoing criminality in the nation’s capital, renewing the possibility of President Trump federalising the city and placing it under federal government control.

IN FULL

Edward Coristine, a former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer widely known by the nickname “Big Balls,” was reportedly assaulted by a group of about ten juveniles near Washington D.C.’s Dupont Circle around 3 AM on August 3. Police say Coristine, who the government still employs, was with a woman described in the report as his “significant other” when the confrontation occurred.

Two 15-year-olds were taken into custody while trying to flee the scene, police said. The attackers also allegedly stole a black iPhone 16 valued at approximately $1,000.

President Donald J. Trump posted an image of a shirtless and bloodied Coristine on his social media platform, Truth Social, following the incident. The photo, taken by DOGE colleague Marko Elez, shows Coristine with apparent blood on his face, torso, and pants. Trump used the post to renew his call for tougher sentencing laws for juveniles.

“Perhaps it should have been done a long time ago, then this incredible young man, and so many others, would not have had to go through the horrors of Violent Crime,” Trump wrote.

According to Coristine’s account to police, the group approached him and his companion outside his vehicle and made a comment indicating they intended to take it. He said he managed to get the woman into the car before the group turned violent.

Elon Musk, who previously led the DOGE initiative, commented on the incident in a post on X (formerly Twitter), offering his own version of events. “A gang of about a dozen young men tried to assault a woman in her car at night in DC,” Musk claimed. “A [DOGE] team member saw what was happening, ran to defend her and was severely beaten to the point of concussion, but he saved her.”

Coristine currently works at the Social Security Administration and has previously held influential roles within DOGE. His government service has included efforts to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and roles in agencies like the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), where he contributed to initiatives such as Gold Cards.

Trump, who has often criticized crime levels in the nation’s capital, has long advocated for placing Washington, D.C. under federal control.

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Migrant Crime
August 1, 2025
Crime
Immigration

ICE Catches Illegal Immigrant Released by Sanctuary County Despite Child Sex Charges.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: An illegal immigrant facing multiple charges of sex crimes against children was arrested after being released from a county jail due to sanctuary policies.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Oscar Adalberto Penate, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Montgomery County officials.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Arrested on July 27 in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, after release from Montgomery County Correctional Facility.

💬KEY QUOTE: “If the elected officials in Montgomery County are not going to protect the citizens of the county, we will.” – ICE ERO Philadelphia Field Office Director Brian McShane.

🎯IMPACT: Penate remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings, with charges of serious sexual offenses against minors still pending.

IN FULL

A 56-year-old illegal immigrant from El Salvador, charged with multiple sex crimes against children but released by a sanctuary county in Pennsylvania, has been detained by federal immigration officials. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in conjunction with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in Philadelphia, arrested and detained Oscar Adalberto Penate on July 27 after the accused child sex offender was released from the Montgomery County Correctional Facility due to the county’s sanctuary laws.

“If the elected officials in Montgomery County are not going to protect the citizens of the county, we will,” said ICE ERO Philadelphia Field Office Director Brian McShane. “An illegal alien who committed a crime by unlawfully entering the United States, who is then charged with heinous crimes like this, should never be released to prey on the citizens of Montgomery County.”

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that Penate had an ICE detainer placed on him, but Montgomery County’s sanctuary policies led to his release regardless. McShane criticized these policies, saying, “The sanctuary policies recently enacted by the Montgomery County Commissioners forced prison officials to release this individual to the streets rather than turn him over to ICE officials on the detainer filed against him. I am just glad we got him before he could harm another.”

Penate, who claimed to have entered the United States in 1998 by crossing the border into Texas, was arrested on July 22 by the Pottstown Township Police Department. Charges against him include indecent assault of a person under 13, corruption of minors, and other offenses. These charges remain pending.

DHS also revealed that Penate has a prior criminal history, including a 2001 arrest by the Houston Police Department for resisting arrest, to which he pleaded guilty. He will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

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August 1, 2025
Crime
News

Ghislaine Maxwell Secures Transfer to Minimum-Security Facility, Eyes Pardon.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Child sex trafficker and Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell was transferred from a low-security prison in Florida to a minimum-security facility in Texas.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ghislaine Maxwell, her lawyer David Oscar Markus, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The transfer occurred this week from a Florida prison to the Federal Prison Camp Bryan in southeast Texas.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Ms. Maxwell cannot risk further criminal exposure in a politically charged environment without formal immunity.” – David Oscar Markus

🎯IMPACT: The move has sparked further questions about Maxwell’s cooperation with authorities and her appeal for a potential pardon.

IN FULL

Ghislaine Maxwell has been discreetly relocated from the low-security Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Tallahassee, Florida, to Federal Prison Camp Bryan, a minimum-security facility in southeast Texas. The Jeffrey Epstein associate’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, confirmed the transfer, which represents a notable shift for the 63-year-old as she continues to serve a 20-year sentence for child sex trafficking.

What makes this transfer stand out is that it was reportedly managed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons rather than the U.S. Marshals Service, an uncommon procedural move. Before arriving in Texas, Maxwell spent a short time at a federal facility in Oakdale, Louisiana. Her new prison placement is known for housing mostly nonviolent offenders. At Bryan, Maxwell will have access to various commissary items such as cosmetics.

Maxwell’s legal team has made it known that she is pursuing a pardon from President Donald J. Trump. Her lawyer emphasized that she is prepared to speak “openly and honestly” to members of Congress, provided she is granted immunity in return for her testimony. The House Oversight Committee recently issued a subpoena requiring Maxwell to give a deposition on August 11. However, Markus warned that she would remain silent without immunity.

“Ms. Maxwell cannot risk further criminal exposure in a politically charged environment without formal immunity. Nor is a prison setting conducive to eliciting truthful and complete testimony,” Markus said.

When asked about potentially granting Maxwell a pardon, Trump responded, “Well, I’m allowed to give her a pardon, but nobody’s approached me with it.”

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche visited Maxwell in Florida last week to question her about Jeffrey Epstein. According to Markus, officials asked about “maybe 100 different people” during that meeting. Despite growing public demand for transparency, the Justice Department recently reaffirmed that it will not release further records tied to the Epstein case, asserting that no so-called “client list” for Epstein exists, despite Attorney General Pam Bondi previously saying it was “sitting on [her] desk.”

Maxwell is pursuing an appeal of her conviction, claiming that a 2008 agreement made with Epstein by federal prosecutors should have also granted her protection from prosecution.

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July 30, 2025
Crime
News

Trump Moves to Shut Down New York’s City-Sanctioned Drug Dens.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order targeting city-approved “safe” drug injection sites, potentially forcing their closure.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), OnPointNYC, Mayor Eric Adams, and the New York City Health Department.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The executive order was issued on July 24, 2023; the injection sites are located in East Harlem and Washington Heights, NYC.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I urge the Department of Justice to take immediate action and shut down these centers and put to an end once and for all their operations.” – Rep. Nicole Malliotakis

🎯IMPACT: The order could end federal funding for injection sites, expand civil commitment procedures, and prioritize grants for jurisdictions enforcing drug-use prohibitions.

IN FULL

Two allegedly “safe” drug injection sites in New York City may be forced to shut down following a new executive order issued by President Donald J. Trump. Signed on July 24 and titled “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets,” the order restricts federal funding to “evidence-based programs,” explicitly excluding support for “so-called harm reduction or safe consumption efforts” that it claims “only facilitate illegal drug use and its attendant harm.”

The directive has drawn support from Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), who is urging federal authorities to take swift action. “I urge the Department of Justice to take immediate action and shut down these centers and put to an end once and for all their operations,” Malliotakis said.

The two sites at the center of the controversy, located in East Harlem and Washington Heights, were opened in November 2021 during the Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) administration in collaboration with the New York City Health Department, and have continued to operate under Mayor Eric Adams. The facilities, managed by OnPointNYC, have remained open despite warnings from then-Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams that such programs violate federal law.

Malliotakis, a longtime critic of the sites, contends they do more harm than good. “Since 2021, New York City has allowed two illegal drug injection sites to remain open, and it’s time to shut down these illegal facilities to protect public safety and the quality of life for all New Yorkers,” she stated.

Malliotakis recently reintroduced her Defund Heroin Injection Centers Act of 2025, which seeks to permanently cut off federal funding to such facilities by codifying Trump’s executive order into law. In February, she also asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to intervene and close the OnPointNYC-operated sites.

In addition to targeting supervised drug-use sites, Trump’s executive order broadens civil commitment options for individuals with severe mental illness and prioritizes federal funding for jurisdictions that ban open drug use. The order also eliminates federal backing for “housing first” programs that do not include mandatory treatment or recovery services.

Image by Nicola Sap De Mitri.

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July 30, 2025
Crime
Immigration

Anti-ICE Activists Help Detainee Escape Facility.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Anti-ICE protestors are being accused of helping an illegal immigrant escape from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Los Angeles, California, on Tuesday.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: ICE agents, anti-ICE protestors, and an illegal immigrant with British citizenship.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The escape occurred on Tuesday, July 29, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is getting out of control,” one ICE official said.

🎯IMPACT: Federal immigration officials have faced increasingly violent attacks in the wake of June’s violent anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles. Anti-ICE activists continue to maintain a significant presence near the Los Angeles detention facility, with the aim of disrupting its operation.

IN FULL

An illegal immigrant escaped from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Los Angeles, California, on Tuesday with the assistance of far-left anti-ICE protestors. The migrant, who has British citizenship, was being transferred to the ICE facility when his escape was enabled by the anti-ICE activists, who subsequently absconded with the detainee in a waiting van.

Federal immigration agents have launched a manhunt to locate and recapture the illegal, who is said to have a criminal record. “This is getting out of control,” one ICE official said, describing the dangerous environment created by the far-left activists who have dominated the immediate area around the Los Angeles detention facility since June’s anti-ICE riots.

Over the last month, federal immigration officials have faced increasingly violent attacks in the wake of the June riots. The National Pulse reported last week that Elpidio Reyna, accused of hurling concrete blocks at law enforcement during immigration enforcement actions in Paramount, California, on June 7, was apprehended at the U.S. southern border. Meanwhile, earlier this month, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents captured Benjamin Song, a suspect accused of shooting at ICE officers during a riot at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, on July 4. The ambush resulted in a local police officer being shot in the neck.

The Democratic Party has been intensifying its rhetoric against law enforcement involved in deportations, in particular, since President Donald J. Trump’s reelection, with 2024 Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz going so far as to describe ICE agents as the “Gestapo.” A number of Democratic lawmakers and candidates have been arrested for attempting to interfere with federal immigration enforcement actions, with Congresswoman LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) being indicted on charges of forcibly impeding federal officers.

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July 30, 2025
Crime
News

Man Douses Politician in Gasoline and Sets Him on Fire.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Virginia councilman was doused with gasoline and set on fire outside his workplace on Wednesday.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Councilman Lee Vogler, 38, and suspect Shotsie Michael Buck Hayes, 29.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Wednesday morning in Danville, Virginia, outside the offices of Showcase Magazine on Main Street.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This type of senseless act of violence has to stop. Lee is a brother to me. He is one of the kindest, most genuine people I know.” – Showcase Magazine co-owner Andrew Brooks

🎯IMPACT: Vogler was airlifted to a burn center and is reportedly awake and speaking; the suspect was arrested shortly after the attack.

IN FULL

A local Virginia official, Councilman Lee Vogler, was set on fire outside his workplace in a shocking attack on Wednesday. The incident occurred outside the offices of Showcase Magazine on Main Street in Danville.

According to the Danville Police Department, 29-year-old Shotsie Michael Buck Hayes entered the building with a large bucket of gasoline, poured it on Vogler, and set him on fire as he tried to flee. Witnesses reported seeing Vogler run outside while on fire.

“An individual forced his way into our office carrying a five-gallon bucket of gasoline and poured it on Lee,” said Andrew Brooks, who co-owns Showcase Magazine with Vogler, in a Facebook video, continuing: “Lee attempted to flee, ran to the front of the building—the individual followed him and set him on fire.”

Brooks added, “This type of senseless act of violence has to stop. Lee is a brother to me. He is one of the kindest, most genuine people I know.”

Vogler, a four-term Republican councilman who has served Danville for over 12 years, was treated at the scene before being airlifted to a burn center. Brooks confirmed that Vogler was “awake, speaking, and en route to the center in Lynchburg” and that he was able to identify his attacker.

Police apprehended Hayes, who fled the scene in a vehicle, shortly after the attack. Authorities confirmed that the incident was not politically motivated but rather stemmed from a personal matter between the two men.

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