I love watching trains. I enjoy looking at freight and passenger trains pass through.
The only thing I enjoy about trains is not being close to it and respecting the rail.
Throwing objects from bridges onto tracks, tampering with switches or signals, tagging rail cars, hitchhiking (hobo), trying to beat the train, walking on abandoned tracks, walking on tressels, tampering with railroad equipment and riding a train on the outside will be considered extremely dangerous.
Again, if you want to be a thrill seeker, get life insurance.
The train does not stop on a dime. It takes about 1½ -2 miles to make a complete stop.
Why risk your life, your freedom and your wallet to mess with a train?
CSX and Fairport, New York police are warning residents that a train is a dangerous vehicle. The train always wins in a game of chicken.
A railfan spotted a handful of children playing near the railroad tracks as an active freight train is approaching. Within a few seconds, the train comes and two of the children quickly race across the tracks.
Video recorded near the Fairport Junction train-viewing platform shows the children on the tracks as the train closes in. They run away only seconds before it reaches them.
“They walked down there playing chicken with it, and they ran off at the last second,” said Jack, a teenage train enthusiast who witnessed and recorded the incident.
Jack said several people at the viewing platform watched the encounter unfold before showing the video to police.
“We were all just watching it really and just filming it,” he said.
According to Jack, the train stopped shortly after the encounter and remained there for approximately two hours.
“They were lucky this one was going slow, and it stopped pretty quick,” he said.
Signs posted at the viewing platform warn that freight trains can take a mile or more to stop.
Jack's mother, Annette, said the incident was disturbing not only because of the danger to the children, but also because of the lasting impact it could have had on the train crew and witnesses.
“As a parent, it’s upsetting to see that happen,” she said. “You don’t want your kids to see someone getting hurt. It affects the crew, and it’s just not a great situation for anyone.”
CSX said it is aware of the video and emphasized that being on railroad tracks is both illegal and dangerous.
“It’s important to note that this is an unlawful act that endangers those involved, our employees, and the entire surrounding community,” the company said in a statement.
The chief of Perinton Ambulance also addressed the incident in a Facebook post, calling it a "stark reminder" of the dangers of entering railroad tracks.
Drawing on experience as both a paramedic and a locomotive engineer, the chief said trains can weigh more than 10,000 tons and cannot stop quickly. He warned that unsafe behavior around railroad tracks can have lasting consequences not only for victims and their families, but also for train crews and first responders.
“I urge all parents and guardians: please talk to your children about the dangers of railroad tracks,” the chief wrote. “Supervise them, set a good example, and help us prevent tragedy.”
Students in the Fairport Central School District receive a railroad safety presentation each year.
It forced the train to stop and the conductor and engineer to exit the locomotive.
Fairport police and CSX have contacted the children involved and their parents to discuss the dangers of entering railroad property, according to Fairport Police Chief Samuel Farina. CSX has also increased patrols in the Fairport area.
Annette hopes the close call serves as a reminder of how quickly a dangerous situation can become a tragedy.
Fairport, located 10 miles from Rochester is a famous city known for its scenic view of the Erie Canal.
Shout out to Reese Waters. He made the catchphrase "Who Raised Y'all?" on his podcast.
The first thing the far right going to do is target his family. They are so fucking racist.
The Israel First Republicans vow to oppose any bid from Vice President JD Vance if he decides to run for president. He is skating on thin ice with the president.
I don't believe he is going to run.
Why?
He is already exhausted of the job of being Vice President of the United States. He has no active roles other than being an ambassador when President Donald J. Trump isn't overseas. His job is to break ties when Republicans can't vote to pass bills in the Senate (counting Mitch McConnell's absence and John Fetterman not voting). Like his predecessors Kamala Harris (with Joe Biden) and Mike Pence (with Trump), Vance is walking the tight rope of a curmudgeon president who is stuck on 20th Century policies in the 21st Century.
Vance also became a father to his fourth son with Second Lady Usha Vance. As military officials are dying in this war, Vance had the opportunity to announce himself being a father.
That screams tone deafness. Especially knowing that hundreds if not thousands of people sign up to join the military and are engage in this unnecessary aggression. Many may never become parents or enjoy the life. The 19 year old Isabella Gonzales had even got an opportunity to drink, smoke or play at a casino. She died when Iranian drones attacked one of the many U.S. air bases in Jordan.
Iran vowed to attack any U.S. military bases or aligned fronts after the president launched more attacks on Iran killing their civilians.
Usha is a lawyer and activist. She was formerly a Democrat. She is the first Asian American Second Lady of the United States. She is Indian American. They are shielding her from public criticism.
White extremists hate a diverse United States, even if they're MAGA.
The far right believes in the "nuclear" family. Basically a white man, a white woman and many white children. Vance is in an interracial marriage. They see it as betrayal of white pride.
Black FBA (or SIMP MAGA) attacked Harris on her marriage to former second gentleman Doug Emhoff. They questioned her Blackness. They attacked her Jamaican father and her late Indian American mother. They used the dog whistle troupes to undermine her progressive role as a prosecutor.
Again what damaged Harris was Biden's stupid support of Israel and not focusing on the economy.
Then of course, his home was broken into by that man in Cincinnati. It was a scary situation for the vice president and wife to have protests at their home because of their policies. Trump has a job approval of 29% fresh into his second term. Vance has a job approval of 33%.
With a new edition, it comes to be more of a burden to raise a child while running the goddamn country if you're the President of the United States. Vance will likely miss about 75% of his son's childhood if he does a term as president.
Vance is an asshole. The moment I saw this guy on television, I thought of him as a condescending pompous asshole who used his poor upbringing in Middletown, Ohio to con his way to becoming a millionaire. He joined the military because he wanted out of the rust belt. He married a lawyer from California who was raised a progressive. He was raised a moderate at one time before becoming a full fledge conservative. He managed to get a good word with Peter Thiel and learned the key to becoming a millionaire from his apprenticeship. Wrote a damn book about his upbringing and it became an inspiration for a film. He joined CNN and Fox as a prominent commentator.
Vance once called Trump, "America's Hitler."
Vance decided to run for the Senate once Rob Portman was shamed out for having a gay son. Vance was trailing badly as Josh Mandel, Mike Gibbons, Bernie Moreno and Matt Dolan were duking it out. After the Mandel and Gibbons debate fight, Trump under pressure from Thiel and Elon Musk decided to back Vance.
Vance would end up beating the "I am playing safe" Tim Ryan.
Vance became sort of a headache for then president Joe Biden. The weather balloon that flew across the U.S. became an issue that the far right harped on. I remember Vance sitting at one of his properties pointing his semiautomatic rifle at the sky trying to shoot down a 15 ton device.
Vance was vehemently opposed to a majority of the Biden agenda. He and then senator Sherrod Brown were pushing for the boondoggle Intel semiconductor facility in New Albany. The damn project got started in 2023 and has been in limbo since.
The Intel company is facing major issues and may eventually crash and burn leaving Ohio with massive land destruction. The sprawl around once prestigious farmland near Columbus has become a big issue for water resources now that data centers took the place of Intel.
Trump in his first term ended regulations on how fast trains were going and eliminated the use of emergency air brakes. It lead to the New Palestine train disaster. Biden caught flack for not pushing for the train safety bill.
Vance pushed for the New Palestine reimbursement. Vance, Brown, then senator Bob Casey and that asshole, Sen. John Fetterman (I-PA) were blowing smoke up Norfolk Southern's ass after the train derailment. To this day, the people are still affected by the train collision. The legislation that Brown and Vance pushed in the Senate was blocked by that fossil Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
Who knows if that asshole is alive?
Kentucky Republicans are purposefully delaying his whereabouts to stop a special primary and general to replace him.
Both JD Vance and Marco Rubio called Trump a dangerous wacko. Now the two are quietly feuding over the fallout from Trump's disasters.
In 2024, Vance, Doug Burgam and Marco Rubio were the final three of Trump’s running mates after he vowed to oppose a return of former vice president Mike Pence. At first, he wanted Burgum and even the website flagged it. A pressure campaign by Miriam Sheldon, Thiel and Musk drove Trump to Vance.
Vance would privately apologize to Trump for his past remarks.
The partnership began.
When Trump defeated Harris, it already fueled speculation that Vance would be the next MAGA heir. Vance was an aggressive attack dog during the first year of Trump's second term. He was actively stomping on rumors of Trump's cognitive decline. He was the guy who carried the carcass of Charlie Kirk when he was assassinated in September.
He became the first U.S. Vice President to do an active radio and podcast. He sat as a special fill-in host for Kirk. If Harris done it, the far right would bitch about.
Vance comforted Erika Kirk. He seen her multiple times since Kirk's death.
It fueled rumors of an active affair.
Of course, his death led to him and Usha having this child. It supposedly squashed rumors of Vance cheating. Really it didn't.
Well that Iran War thing.
Vance is sidelined in this and he is annoyed. Israel is doing a secret campaign to damage his reputation if he decides to run. The leaks of his demanding schedule to accommodate his family put a Secret Service agent on ice. It was leaked that Vance is overextending the resources. It was rumored that he wanted to take his oldest son to a private golf course for a Republican luncheon.
Republicans have been extremely concerned about the war and its impact on the economy. Vance notices it and said that Israel is trying to sabotage every proposal to end the war.
Vance said that he does not care about the opinions of Israelis or the American commentators who support it. He said he wants the president's policies to be America First.
Vance's authority has frequently been challenged by Trump's public statements. While Vance was deep in negotiations with Iranian officials, Trump publicly threatened to bomb Iran out of existence if they closed the Strait of Hormuz, severely complicating Vance's leverage.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio sparked headlines after sharp exchanges regarding Vance's diplomatic concessions. Hawks within the GOP have blasted Vance's framework—which included unfreezing Iranian assets to buy American agricultural goods—as a "humiliating deal" that failed to secure a permanent end to Tehran's ballistic-missile programs.
Proving he is still deeply entangled in the geopolitical fallout, Vance went on The Joe Rogan Experience to blast elements of the Israeli government. He accused certain Israeli officials of actively "manipulating" American public opinion to derail his peace talks and prolong the war indefinitely.
With the hard-fought June ceasefire now largely unraveled due to a resurgence of U.S. airstrikes and Iranian retaliations, Vance's diplomatic portfolio is under immense duress, but the White House maintains he is still leading the diplomatic track.
I have 40% chance that Vance wants to be president. Now if Trump does die while in office, a 23% chance that could happen, Vance will immediately be thrusted into a role that could rattle his family.
Vance is slowly realizing that Mike Pence was right. You can be a conservative and stand on principle. But when you cross Trump, you're finished.
Drake dissed LeBron James for switching teams. In rhetoric of the lyrics, James appeared at the Kendrick Lamar Pop Out Concert and it went viral when the rapper performed his Grammy Award single "Not Like Us."
Drake held a longtime friendship with James but all of it came to end when he released ICEMAN. In a few of those singles, Drake went after James for disloyalty.
Drake rapped: "I shouldn't even be shocked to see you in that arena, because you always made your career off of switching teams up."
The lyrics are prediction.
On Friday, LeBron James ended his eight season stint with the Los Angeles Lakers and has officially signed on for the Philadelphia 76ers.
At 41 years old, James will continue his run.
James’ first “final” decision was that he would retire. Weeks of deep reflection led him to change his mind, however, with all the familiar options in front of him to extend his career; a third trip with Cleveland, a second stop in Miami, maybe even stay in California for a high-profile union in Golden State.
Nope — to all of those teams.
The blaring headline in bold letters still seemed like a feverish dream to the bulk of a fan base that wasn’t even alive the last time the franchise won a title, but it’s true:
LeBron James is heading to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer made the announcement on social media Friday, saying it will be his “last decision” and that it comes after he strongly considered retirement.
“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time,” James said.
A four-time NBA champion, James wrote he was “done” when his 23rd NBA season ended and that it was his last with the Los Angeles Lakers.
“I was pretty sure I played my last game. I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and deicide if I still love this game,” James wrote. “I still truly love this game, and I have more to give.”
The 41-year-old James is set to sign a modest $8 million, two-year contract on the veterans’ minimum with the Sixers, according to ESPN. He made nearly $53 million last season.
“I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family,” James wrote. “What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning.”
James celebrated his decision on Instagram with a career highlight reel set to Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill’s “Dreams and Nightmares,” the adopted sports anthem of city teams.
The video ends with the lyric, “hold up, wait a minute. Y’all thought I was finished?” and cuts to a 76ers’ logo.
Fanatics already had his No. 23 jersey on sale for $125 with delivery not expected until the end of August. The company sold out within hours of the announcement.
Much as James did for Cleveland when he ended a 56-year championship drought for the city by leading the Cavaliers to the title in 2016, he can snap a lengthy title drought for the Sixers.
The Sixers went 45-37 last season and were swept in the second round by the NBA champion New York Knicks.
Most betting sites had the Sixers as 9-1 favorites to win the championship behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks, as of Friday afternoon.
James joins a 76ers team that has not won an NBA championship since 1983 and has not advanced out of the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs since 2001.
The 76ers should boast one of the top starting fives in the NBA with second-year standout VJ Edgecombe, fellow All-Stars Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown — the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, a five-time All-Star and the league’s fourth-leading scorer this past season acquired in a stunning offseason deal with the Celtics.
Maxey posted an Instagram story of him celebrating in a gym and yelling “what!? what?!” over the news while Brown wrote on X “#throwtheballup.” Brown wrote the same phrase in his introductory note to Philadelphia, and it has already been branded on billboards throughout the city.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro even proclaimed Friday as LeBron James Day in the state.
Turned out with the Brown deal, new 76ers team president Mike Gansey — an Ohio prep basketball star with James — was just getting started with his summer of surprises.
No move, of course, hits like James’ arrival.
Playing with his home team in Cleveland to the bright lights of Los Angeles and with the talent he took to Miami, James won an NBA championship everywhere he played. James left the Lakers after an eight-season run highlighted by the 2020 NBA title.
James is the NBA’s oldest active player at 41 and the only player in league history to have a career spanning 23 seasons; this coming season will be his 24th. Speculation has been rampant for more than two months about his future, officially starting in May when the Lakers were eliminated from the NBA playoffs.
James’ resume is beyond compare in NBA history. He’s a 22-time All-Star, a 21-time All-NBA selection, a four-time Most Valuable Player, a four-time NBA Finals MVP, a three-time All-Star Game MVP, and was a member of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team.
He’s also coming off a season where he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game. For his career, he’s averaged 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists in more than 1,600 games.
James started his career in Cleveland in 2003 and spent seven seasons with the Cavaliers before heading to Miami for four seasons — where he won his first two NBA titles. He then returned to Cleveland for four more seasons, including that title run in 2016, and left in 2018 for the Lakers.
Cleveland and Miami were believed to be on James’ radar again as he weighed this decision.
“Thank you LA. Miami I’ll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always home!” James wrote.
He eighty-sixed them all for a shot to win a title with the 76ers, a franchise with a career lineup that includes Wilt Chamberlain, Allen Iverson, Julius Erving, Charles Barkley and, for the next two seasons, LeBron James.
President Donald J. Trump is expected to attend a scaled down White House Correspondents Dinner tonight. This is his second time attending. The first time was an attempted assassination on his curmudgeon ass.
This is at the Washington Waldof Astoria and hosted by White House Correspondents Association president Weijia Jiang, a veteran CBS report.
Trump had insulted Jiang when she asked about coronavirus deaths. He said "why don't you ask China?" before he called on Kaitlin Collins. Collins allowed Jiang to retort and it angered Trump. He would end his presser.
The two were shaken when the California suspect Cole Allen is being held in federal custody awaiting trial.
The suspect is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The decision puts Trump back at a Washington ritual long tied to his fraught relationship with the press and political establishment.
Trump announced he would attend this year’s dinner as part of America’s 250th birthday celebration. He did not attend during his first term due to a contentious relationship with the media at the height of coverage of the Russia investigation.
The banquet was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic and revived in 2022 during President Biden’s administration. Trump also did not attend last year after retaking office for his second term.
His return also revives memories of the 2011 dinner, when President Barack Obama and comedian Seth Meyers mocked Trump after he had publicly proliferated birther conspiracy theories and called for the release of Obama’s birth certificate, which the State of Hawaii did release that year. He also attended the dinner in 2015, just months before launching his historic bid for president.
Speculation mounted that the jabs in 2011 helped fuel Trump’s eventual decision to run for president, culminating in a stunning upset victory in 2016. Trump has denied that remarks had anything to do with inspiring his presidential campaign.
Whether he has knife or not, Corey Ruiz didn't deserve three shots to the head.
The United States is the most violent country in the world. The U.S. police being trained by the Israel Defense Force must come to an end. We must end qualified immunity.
We must end the notion that "fear for your life" means execution.
The police officer has the most stressful job. We get it. Having that badge doesn't mean you immuned from criticism. The far right is full of hypocrisy.
The Back The Blue only when it kills the vulnerable.
They only protest it when it affects their lives.
America is truly in decline.
When Black people are killed by police, the far right often believe it's justified because of some perceived disrespect towards law enforcement. Whether a person had an open carry, refused to identify as a passenger, acting suspicious or just filming in public, the chances of a confrontation by law enforcement is relatively high when it comes to Black people.
Madison, Wisconsin could be the catalyst to Sept. 16, 2026. I still believe a trigger could spark and it will unrest. President Donald J. Trump will declare martial law and hold back Midterm elections. It will drive us closer to a civil war.
Corey Ruiz was killed on Wednesday by the Madison Police Department. The Wisconsin Department Of Public Safety and Gov. Tony Evers are being pressured to do something.
The officers who engaged with Ruiz did not wear body cameras. They claimed that he had a knife.
Big fucking deal.
The officers claimed he was struggling and resisting arrest. Wouldn't you if you were on your bicycle and minding your business when someone calls 9-1-1 on reports of suspicious behavior.
Soon you will hear about Ruiz having a criminal history to paint him as worthy of death.
They often do this shit to make the public see the victim as a "FAFO" and often believe his actions contribute to his death.
I am tired of hearing this. What is the fucking record of those officers?
How many complaints from the public?
What's their social media like?
Is there any biases in how they justify arresting civilians?
C'mon, let me know what the deal is?
We been dying to know what the names of the officers and how long they've been on the force?
All I know about this is a laser was deployed and one officer shoots off three rounds into a man's chest. He was motionless and they still handcuffed him. While some had rendered aid, the officer who may have shot Ruiz was pacing around like he was trying get a story out. Since there is no body camera, it's their word against a dead body.
The Madison police officer shot and killed Ruiz who allegedly injured him with a knife while resisting arrest, officials said Wednesday, prompting swift protests as crowds marched to the state Capitol to demand accountability.
Cellphone video of the shooting, where three gunshots could be heard, circulated on social media.
It takes three to take him.
Madison Police Chief John Patterson stressed at a news conference that the footage circulating was just one perspective of what happened.
“I want to take a moment to honestly and sincerely offer my heartfelt sympathies to his family for this loss,” Patterson said. The man killed was in his 30s, Patterson said, but police did not release his name.
The shooting happened on a city street in a popular neighborhood lined with restaurants, bars, shops and residential homes less than 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the state Capitol. Footage shows numerous cars stopped in the intersection with people watching as it unfolded.
A white police officer shot and killed Tony Robinson, who was biracial, on the same street in 2015, a shooting that spurred large protests. The district attorney did not file charges against police in that case, determining the officer was justified.
The race of the officer who fired his gun on Wednesday and that of the man killed were not released by police.
But Black advocacy groups in Madison quickly spoke out against the crime and said they believed the man was Black.
“Another Black man is dead on a Madison street, and our community watched him die before we even knew his name,” said Brandi Grayson, the head of the Madison-based Black community advocacy group Urban Triage. “That is the cruelty of state violence.”
A crowd formed near where the shooting occurred on Wednesday with people chanting, “Arrest the cops!”
They placed flowers and candles where the man was shot and held a vigil, the crowd continuing to grow as the sun set.
Protesters also marched to the Wisconsin State Capitol and took the stage at a summer concert series, demanding the name of the officer and that he be held accountable. The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra announced on social media the show was canceled.
Police were responding to calls that someone was attempting to enter parked vehicles in the neighborhood, Patterson said. The suspect fled on a bike through nearby backyards in an attempt to get away before officers contacted him in the street, Patterson said.
The suspect either fell off of his bike or was taken off of his bike by officers and during the struggle pulled out a knife and injured an officer, Patterson said. Police posted a picture of the knife in a news release.
Already using his mugshot like he deserved to die.
An officer deployed a taser but it was unsuccessful, the chief said. The same officer who was injured by the knife fired his weapon and the man who was shot died later at the hospital, the chief said. He described the officer who fired his weapon as a veteran officer, but did not reveal any other details.
Another officer was injured, but it is not clear how, Patterson said. The other two officers were uninjured.
The Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation will investigate the shooting because it involves police officers. The four responding officers will be placed on administrative leave, per the police department’s policy.
Corey Durell Ruiz, 38, was shot and killed on a city street Wednesday, the moments of his death captured in bystander videos that were later posted online. The race of the officer who fired his gun has not been released by police. Ruiz is identified as Black or Latino in Wisconsin court records.
“It does not matter who you are or what your past is, you should not lose your life as a result of an encounter with law enforcement,” Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said during a news conference Thursday afternoon.
Wisconsin court records show Ruiz had been in and out of jail over the past decade for mostly misdemeanor offenses including disorderly conduct, drug possession, auto theft, battery and invasion of privacy. He was also convicted of felonies including possession of cocaine and marijuana, robbery, strangulation, resisting an officer and causing bodily harm.
“He’s a human being. He had a family. He has parents who loved him who brought him home, who cared for him,” Common Council President Sabrina Madison said, adding that she’s struggling to understand what she’s seen in videos of the shooting that have circulated on social media.
“My first thought is, when the officer’s walking away, why isn’t he walking away in cuffs,” Madison said. “I’m angry, there’s no way around it.”
Ruiz’s family has retained Ben Crump, an attorney who has represented the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, who were all shot and killed by the police. Crump said the case must be examined for excessive force.
Shooting sparks turmoil in a fed-up community
Frustrated residents marched, and a memorial of flowers and signs grew near the place where Ruiz died. It was just blocks from where two other police killings happened in 2015 and 2012.
A group of about 20 protesters burst into Thursday’s news conference, taking the microphone from police Chief John Patterson and arguing with some attendees who said they wanted to hear more about the investigation.
One protester held a sign saying “Corrupt cops deserve to die too!!!”
Moments earlier, the mayor said the shooting would be “rigorously investigated.”
Once the protesters quieted down, the chief resumed his presentation, promising his department’s full cooperation with the state investigation.
Police have released few details
None of the four officers who were detaining Ruiz wore body cameras, but passersby recorded the confrontation on video, and accused the officers of overreacting.
“I thought, ‘Holy cow — what could have warranted that?’ It looked to me like they had him under control,” David Ortiz-Whittingham, who saw officers swarming and heard the gunshots, said Thursday. “Even now, knowing about the knife, did he have to die for it? Could this have been de-escalated?”
The police chief released few details Thursday, saying a Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation probe of the officer-involved shooting must run its course.
Earlier Thursday, Madison’s independent police monitor, Aeiramique Glass, said police had not yet shared evidence or the officer’s identity with her office, which will review the case and can recommend to the district attorney that charges be filed if warranted. She said the department and city are “obstructing what the community and the public” want.
“Let me do my job,” she said.
Patterson said the police were committed to cooperating with Glass.
The chief urges people not to draw conclusions
Patterson has urged caution in reading too much from the cellphone videos. He said none show the perspective of the officers, and additional video that hasn’t been released is being reviewed.
The officer who fired his weapon is an 11-year veteran of the force, the chief said. He and the three other responding officers will be placed on administrative leave pending the investigation by the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation, as required under state law.
Patterson said police were responding to calls that someone was attempting to enter parked vehicles, and the suspect fled on a bike before the officers surrounded him. One deployed a taser, but Patterson said the effort failed to control the man.
In the videos circulating online, the man can be seen standing before he’s brought to his knees as the officers struggle to force him into a prone position. Then he falls quickly to the pavement after what sounds like three gunshots, and seems motionless as the officers handcuff him behind his back. Arriving officers then escort one of the officers a short distance away.
Patterson said he did not know the extent of the knife injuries sustained by the officer.
“This situation was clearly dangerous,” Patterson said before adding he was saddened by the loss of life.
A neighborhood now accustomed to police shootings
The shooting happened in the middle of an intersection in the popular Marquette neighborhood, less than 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the state Capitol. Bystander videos show numerous cars at the scene, with people watching as it unfolds.
“I saw everything! I saw everything! You did not need to kill him! ... We watched it all!” a woman yells in the video recorded by Ortiz-Whittingham. Three loud shots can be heard among the sirens, followed by screams.
Residents who dealt with two other police killings expressed frustration Thursday.
In 2015, a white police officer shot and killed Tony Robinson, who was biracial, on the same street. Large protests followed, but the district attorney filed no charges, determining the officer was justified. In 2012, Paul Heenan, a white musician, was fatally shot after he had been drinking and mistakenly entered his neighbor’s house. That officer was exonerated as well.
The chief acknowledged that the neighborhood “has experienced a lot of trauma” and urged people to support one another.
“I want transparency. I want accountability,” Patterson said.
Questions about race and technology emerge
Black advocacy groups, protesters and politicians are speaking out against the shooting, which has also focused attention on the Madison Police Department’s lack of body-worn cameras. The force of around 500 is among the largest in the Midwest that doesn’t use the devices.
Madison said Thursday that she expects a police request for $400,000 to be approved, enabling the cameras to be phased in over the next three years. Others lamented that cameras weren’t already being used.
The mayor said her budget, which has not yet been released, will include funding for body-worn cameras. She said the city needs to put together a policy for their use before the budget takes effect in January.
And now it’s a talking point in the governor’s race
The shooting has quickly infused itself into the race to succeed Evers as governor, with voting already underway in the Aug. 11 primary.
Democratic socialist candidate Francesca Hong called the shooting “state sanctioned violence” and Democrat Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said the reports are “painfully reminiscent of the tragedies we have witnessed in Kenosha, Minneapolis, and far too many communities.”
Tension brewing.
Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany called on his rivals to let the state investigation “establish the facts without politicians rushing to judgment.”
The United States is the most violent country in the world. Israel and Russia follow behind respectfully. Israel, Russia and the United States are the most hated countries in the world.
The United States is downsizing in democracy.
What is wrong with white men, white women and white boys?
It's the guns stupid!
Things to keep in mind when the blame game comes, will the suspect be:
White
Black
Latino
Muslim
Arab
Non White National
Immigrant
A member of the LGBTQ community
A disgruntled employee
A former student
A current student
A gang member
A so called leftist
A person who has conservative views
A person with easy access to firearm
The person with easy access to firearms should be the only answer. Alas, the far right is hoping for this to be a person they can scapegoat as their next de jour of outrage. Anyone can get firearm in the United States. Even, people who are non U.S. citizens are allowed to obtain firearms.
The real issue is not just guns, it's white men, white women tears and white boys. They are losing their goddamn minds. Inspired by loneliness, politics, job loss, social media trends, endless perceptions of others, the lack of opportunities (besides joining the military) and the need to be ahead of everyone else is what drives these fools to commit endless chaos.
If the suspect is white, they will give the shooter a glaring profile. If the suspect is not white, expect the far right to claim its the left or accused a certain nationality, race, religion or sexuality the cause of mass shootings.
White privilege also santizes the white shooters. Already we are getting details of the mass shooters. Glaring profiles of these white mass shooters to paint them as unfortunate circumstances. Ignoring the fact, these terrorists had signs of potential danger but their families thought it was just noise.
They're more upset over a protester saying he's anti-Zionist, anti-colonialist, anti-imperialist, anti-capitalist and called the cops pigs.
That restraining order doesn't mean much to a deranged individual. It's a trigger!
I wish things could have turned out well! But unfortunately, a shooter never abides to a court order!
How can a piece of paper protect a victim when it's not reliant on stopping the perpetrator (from causing harm)?
The real issue is gun violence. Not comedians. Not activists. Not Black men. Not immigrants. Not Muslims. Not transgender Americans. Not video games. Not movies. Not rap music. Not the left.
A man made crisis that can be solved if these incompetent politicians and media agitators stop making excuses for the continued gun violence epidemic. Prayers are just words and speeches. Instead offering words, how about policies?
The United States is downsizing in democracy and freedom.
I just want to say that the Second Amendment is White, period.
A bullet does not care about color. We all bleed red and so many lives are lost to gun violence. Republicans offer no solutions other than "thoughts and prayers", "send them back" with a touch of "lock em up."
Gun violence continues to be the number one threat in the United States.
I dismiss this ridiculous notion that criminals are the problem, not the guns. Firearms are often obtained through legal purchases.
Again, having more security, teachers being armed and offering safe rooms are not solving the problem. The problem is lawmakers not willing to stop gun violence.
According to the far right: White shooters are always mentally ill or lone wolves. The far right believes they should receive some sympathy for their crimes. Black shooters are unrepentant thugs and criminals who deserve lengthy time in the iron college or death. Gay and transgender shooters are active groomers who want to be pedophiles on children. Muslim shooters are terrorists who should be surveiled or deported. Hispanic and Asian shooters are illegal immigrants and they should be deported. According to the far right, almost all white [or non-white] mass shooters are registered Democrats [leftist or some progressive activist] because they have liked or done one thing common to the politics of the left. Of course, they often share or post disinformation by using the ridiculous "Sam Hyde" meme or make bogus social media platforms with the shooter's image as a way to denounce most mass shooters being white or associated with conservative causes. The far right says a white person should "protect" themselves from thugs, terrorists or protesters. They believe the use of firearms are "justified" if they are protesting or even instigating a conflict. The far right believes if a shooter is a police officer, an active military member, a veteran or a citizen who supports conservative causes, they are considered a "heroes" and use of firearms are justified. If the shooters are teens in urban communities, the far right automatically assume the gunmen are Black. Even if the evidence turns out that the shooter has alignment with conservative causes or Republicans, the far right dismisses it as a hoax or a plot to demonize the MAGA movement.
The Republicans usually amplify white victims. Anytime a person of color kills a white victim, it is often wall-to-wall coverage on Fox, Twitter and they force it into national news. They make the case to blame Black Lives Matter, Barack Obama, Kamala Harris, Democrats, Rev. Al Sharpton and rap music for Black on whatever violence. Republican lawmakers who do not live in urban neighborhoods often troll social media to talk about gun violence or crime in Chicago, Baltimore, Milwaukee and New York City while not doing a damn thing to stop it. If a white person shoots a Black person, the shooter is given the benefit of doubt. White shooters are given glowing profiles about their perfect lives and how friends noticed something but refused to do something. When it comes to Black shooters, automatic vilification. They don't see mental illness. They see it as gang violence, allegedly fatherless homes, Democratic policies or the need for more firearms.
Trump gave us open season.
WHITE PRIVILEGE IS REAL! IT'S "SUIT AND TIE" WHITE SUPREMACY ON TELEVISION, RADIO, THE INTERNET AND AMERICAN POLICY!
FOR EVERY BAD COP, THERE WILL BE A DEAD COP!
IF THE UNITED STATES CONTINUES TO AID ISRAEL, THE WORLD WILL BOYCOTT THE U.S. AND ABANDON THE DOLLAR!
I DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING ON THE INTERNET OR THE COP'S VERSION.
These murderers don't have mental illness. They are calculated and prepared. It happened to be a moment where they have the opportunity to take out lives.
Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or 988, or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). Both services are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The deaf and hard of hearing can contact the Lifeline via TTY at 1-800-799-4889. All calls are confidential. Contact social media outlets directly if you are concerned about a friend’s social media updates or dial 911 in an emergency. Learn more on the Lifeline’s website or the Crisis Text Line’s website.
You can get help if you, a loved one or friend is dealing with drug abuse.
SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
If you or a loved one are a victim of domestic violence, you can call a 24-hour crisis hotline at 1-800-300-1080 or visit www.corasupport.org.
The Network/La Red’s 24-hour hotline, 1-800-832-1901 provides confidential emotional support, information, referrals, safety planning, and crisis intervention for lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and/or transgender (LGBTQ+) folks, as well as folks in kink and polyamorous communities who are being abused or have been abused by a partner.
There's no sickness in the head. Most mass shooters legally obtain their assault rifles without little background checks. They have likely no criminal history and they are willing to use the assault weapon in the only thing it's good for: Killing numerous lives.
Holding these lawmakers accountable is not just a pledge, but a promise. You need to learn who represents your community. Your local community member, your school board member, your mayor, your state representative, your state senator, your governor, your U.S. Representative, your U.S. Senator and the president need to be held accountable for their actions.
Iran isn't a threat. The U.S. citizen with a firearm is the threat.
People, please do not resort to the levels of those who profit off the anger. The anger of right wing Americans in the wake of white nationalist Charlie Kirk's death has sparked a censorship and harassment campaign.
Erika Kirk, Elon Musk, Scott Presler, Laura Loomer, Riley Gaines, Lizzy Savetsky, Blaire White, Derrick Evans, Joey Saladino, Hermes, Eric Daughetry, Paul Szypula, Roseanne Barr, Steve Bannon, James Woods, Cam Higby, Kanye West, Tucker Carlson, Catturd, CJ Pearson, Stephen Crowder, Tomi Lahren, Jack Posobiec, Snoop Dogg, Ray J, Waka Flocka Flame, DaBaby, James O'Keefe, Jacob Wohl, Ryan Metta, Buck Sexton, Clay Travis, Mila Joy, Rick Ross, Ben Garrison, Todd Starnes, Jeffrey Mead, Nick Fuentes, Donald Trump, Jr., Eric Trump, Nick Shirley, Roger Stone, Terrence K. Williams, Ian Miles Cheong, Lindy Li, Andy Ngo, Alexis Wilkins, Olivia Krolcyzk, Brandon Tatum, Tom Finton, Nick Cannon, Adin Ross, Candace Owens, Nick Sorter, Patrick Bet-David, Tommy Robinson, Phil McGraw, 50 Cent, Nicki Minaj, Harris Faulkner, Tara Bull, Theodis Daniel, DJ Daniel, Kevin Sorbo, Dean Cain, Simon Abeta, SNEAKO, Rob Schneider, Gunther Eagleman, Nelly, Chaya Raichik, Meghan McCain, Tim Pool, Lauren Southern, Megyn Kelly, Amir Odom, Dom Lucre, Jesse Watters, Debra Lea, Brianna Wu, Bill O'Reilly, Mark Levin, Steve Bannon, Myron Gaines, Rochelle "Silk" Hardaway-Richardson, Juanita Broddrick, Mordechai David, Jake Lang, Larry Elder, Eylon Levy, Ben Shapiro, Dave Rubin, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz, Chris Cuomo, Nick Sorter, Alex Jones, Owen Shroyer, Bill Cunningham, Andrew Tate, Tristan Tate, Kevin Hodge, Keith Hodge, Sage Steele, Bill Maher, Forgiato Blow, Rick Santorum, Vanilla Ice, Amber Rose, Greg Gutfeld, David Limbaugh, Ian Carroll, Gordon Robertson, Malachi Maxey, April Chapman, Ali Alexander, Michelle Malkin, Ann Coulter, Brent Bozell, Dalton Eatherly, Matt Walsh, Benny Johnson, Olivia Nuzzi, Ryan Lizza, Laura Ingraham, Matt Drudge, Greta Van Susteren, Nancy Grace, Mike Lindell, Clavicular, Vince Langman, Brian Kilmeade, Glenn Beck, Xaviaer DuRousseau, Sean Davis, Ian Jaegar, Christopher Rufo, Joey Mannarino, Sean "Softball" Hannity and every far right agitator in the junk food media scared of being taken out by a gunman. They are scared that the bullet won't miss. They want you to risk your freedom or your life to protect their right to gas you up to commit unspeakable crimes against one another.
Let me be clear: I do not condone violence towards to politicians, media personalities, animals and property. I am not condemning things any longer. I am getting tired of putting empathy on antipathy.
Any current or future government shutdown will definitely rile up people. When you start fucking with the money, people start going crazy. Especially when their needs outmatch the noise of Congress and the junk food media.
If you care about the future and want to voice your frustration with your federal officials, let 2026 be the call to action.
The call center to the White House and Congress should still be the same.
The call number to the White House and U.S. Capitol is now going to be used. This is the official White House numbers 202-456-1111 and 202-456-1414. This is the Congress official phone number, 202-224-3121. Please be respectful to operators, staff members and elected leaders. Your calls are monitored by the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Capitol Police.
Let them know that "thoughts and prayers," "hearts going to" and "good guys with guns" are no longer acceptable and you want legislation to curb gun violence. Let them know that we are tired of police officers using immunity when committing death of suspects in custody. You want no more qualified immunity for police officers who use deadly force when it's not justified. Let them know that deporting law abiding immigrants seeking refuge is inhumane. You want the U.S. to improve the immigration process. You want the U.S. lawmakers stop dehumanizing human beings. You want the U.S. to prove to the world its a beacon of freedom. You want our American military and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents out of our cities, the Middle East and every fucking international conflict in the world. You want legislation to focus on lowering the cost of rent, lowering the cost of food, lowering the cost of hospital visits, improving healthcare and building relationships with other nations. Let them know that you tired of being lectured about oppresive regimes overseas when the very people running our state and federal government are doing the same in real time. Let them know that you will not tolerate a government shutdown which affects federal services for Americans in need or in support of services. Let them know that pulling out of the UN Human Rights Organization, World Health Organization and Paris Climate Accords will put the U.S. in danger when catastrophic event happen. Let them know that you are tired of private equity firms getting away with destroying small businesses and long established companies. Let them know that you are tired of your taxpayer money going to foreign nations like Israel and Ukraine. You are tired of hearing about "Israel having a right to..." and the bogus claims of being anti-semitic or in support of terrorism because you support the freedom of Palestinians. You are tired of the propaganda being forced on your media platforms.
We have bigger issues at home and our tax dollars should solve the housing crisis, lowering food prices, fixing roads, bridges, helping reinvest in struggling urban and rural communities. We have hospitals closing, big box retailers leaving communities and television programs dying. There are bigger issues in the country than Israel. You want an immediate ceasefire, a weapons embargo, sanctions and accountability for war crimes done by Israel. You want no more domestic or foreign influence in American elections. You also want to make sure future presidents and lawmakers avoid influence from lobbyists and special interest groups.
THERE IS NO GOD!
GOD IS NOT FIXING THIS!
FUCK YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS!
LET ME BE CLEAR, PRAYERS DO NOT STOP FUCKING BULLETS!
THIS IS A MAN-MADE ISSUE! WHY IS IT SO HARD TO STOP A MAN-MADE ISSUE LIKE GUN VIOLENCE?
STOP SAYING YOU'RE PRAYING TO PEOPLE AFFECTED BY GUN VIOLENCE. IT IS FUCKING PLATITUDES. DO SOMETHING ABOUT FUCKING GUN VIOLENCE YOU WORTHLESS LAWMAKERS. PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, THE CHOICE TO CONTINUE THE STATUS QUO WILL KEEP YOU AND OTHERS AT RISK OF VIOLENCE. MAKE A CHOICE TO STOP THE CHAOS AND ACT LIKE A FUCKING 80 YEAR OLD MAN. DO SOMETHING TO HELP THE COUNTRY.
IRAN IS RIGHT! THE UNITED STATES HAS A BUNCH OF PEOPLE INSTALLED WITH A SIXTH GRADE EDUCATION. AMERICANS MAKE SO MUCH MONEY OFF OF DIVISION. THEY ARE WILLING TO SOW CHAOS TO THE NEXT POTENTIAL THREATS. I WISH WE CAN STOP GASLIGHTING AND COME TO SENSIBLE SOLUTIONS. HOWEVER, WHITE LEADERSHIP IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF THE CHAOS IN THE WORLD.
He loves to act white. Jesse Lee Peterson is a gay anti-Black agitator.
If you want to be white so bad....
Well unfortunately science can't change pigment.
Did you know that white extremists fear a population of more biracial Americans?
Biracial children born between 1999 to 2026 will surpass whites in 20 years.
A lot of far right agitators are stroking their egos and pushing these narratives about the Great White Replacement Theory. Well if the Supreme Court decides to rollback gay marriage, interracial marriage and immigration rights, then the white majority could return.
President Donald J. Trump will be the first president in modern history to make white leadership look bad. For the first time ever, more Americans are looking for leaders that aren't white, male or old.
Anti-Black agitators are annoying as fuck. They exist as the counter narrative to radical change.
Brandon Tatum, Jeffrey Mead, CJ Pearson, Keith Hodge, Jordan Wells, James David Manning, Kevin Hodge, Sage Steele, Candace Owens, Terrence K. Williams, Colin Noir, Jason Whitlock, Anthony Brian Logan and Jesse Lee Peterson love to talk about Black people in negative ways while profiting off their blackness.
Perfectly fine.
Raymond "Benzino" Scott ain't the only one without a neck. Meet Officer "No Neck" Brandon Tatum.
It is free speech.
Anti-Black Black people are the best click bait for the far right to seize on. They need a Black face to say all the things they wish they could say without being fired or ostracized by the junk food media.
Internalized self-hate for his people manifests in an unconscious and conscious adoption of white people's racist belief system against blacks. This led him to view his own people through a negative lens while seeking validation from white people. pic.twitter.com/pOtTCmkIEm
Internalized self-hate for his people manifests in an unconscious and conscious adoption of white people's racist belief system against blacks. This led him to view his own people through a negative lens while seeking validation from white people. pic.twitter.com/pOtTCmkIEm
Internalized self-hate for his people manifests in an unconscious and conscious adoption of white people's racist belief system against blacks. This led him to view his own people through a negative lens while seeking validation from white people. pic.twitter.com/pOtTCmkIEm
🚨 I’m a Black man, a proud conservative, and a follower of Jesus Christ.
When I see protesters outside the Collin County Courthouse chanting “FUCK WHITE LIVES!” after Karmelo Anthony’s sentencing for murdering Austin Metcalf, my soul grieves. This isn’t justice. This isn’t… pic.twitter.com/TjwGlZGk7u
— Reverend Jordan Wells (@WellsJorda89710) June 10, 2026
— The Black Tucker Carlson Jr 🇺🇸 (@B1TuckerCarlson) November 5, 2025
They need a shield. Who else but a far right Black agitator.
If they want to be on that team, please leave us out of it.
In the recent tragedies of Black men and women (especially Nolan Wells), the spotlight now turns to the systematic violence of Blacks in the United States.
Every story about a Black person hanging from a tree to an accidental drowning often throws up alarms.
The Black far right agitators are never speaking on issues that faces white people. Since they are obsessed with downgrading their own skin color, one TikTok user called people like Brandon Tatum out for trying to make coin on disrespecting Black America.
Brandon Tatum has the same issue that Raymond "Benzino" Scott got. The internet is going to roast this fool. Whenever you hear him go on these rants (like the Nolan Wells tragedy), start calling him "Officer No Neck". I bet that rub his ass the wrong well.
Obviously a man with no neck has no..... Well I don't talk about his manhood.
The endorsements are not working. Jim Clyburn's endorsement of Haley Stevens shows how out of touch the Democrats are.
Folks, Americans are not monolithic voters. When the paychecks are not matching the American economy, all lawmakers are targets of frustration.
We don't care about the politics. We care about the policies.
It is not about Black and white. It is about survival. Under two presidents, we have seen the U.S. economy take a nosedive. Their support of the apartheid genocidal ethnostate has not made the country great. With billions going to fund Israel and we can't fix the damn potholes on our roads, Americans had enough.
We have major flooding in Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Houston, yet the current president claims that the war is beneficial to the American people.
The Democratic Party claims they have the momentum going in. After the Graham Platner incident, I believe the blunted all their chances to retake the Senate.
Now an establishment candidate in a crucial race is throwing everything but the issues at the rival. The candidate openly supports that country and recently voted to give billions to fund its military.
This shit is coming to end.
Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) endorsed Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) in a last ditch attempt to stop the momentum of rising progressive rival, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed in this bitter Democratic primary.
Clyburn, 86 put his full support on Stevens, 43.
El-Sayed, 41 dismissed the endorsement and stated clearly that no matter how many endorsements, the voters will decide on whether he or Stevens is capable of taking on former lawmaker Mike Rogers.
It's almost over.
Stevens has used tactics almost as bad as a Republican. She used articles from the Washington Examiner or Washington Free Beacon to go after El-Sayed's finances.
Sen. John Fetterman (I-PA) appeared on Fox to directly call El-Sayed "pro-Hamas" and compared him to former Maine candidate Graham Platner.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) have stepped up on fundraising for Stevens after a series of missteps.
The reasons for all of this is because the vote cannot be split. Since Michigan state senator Mallory McMorrow dropped out, the Democratic establishment is trying to put the thumb on the scale (sort of speak).
Clyburn on his part is trying to use troupes and racial identity politics to undermine the grassroots efforts El-Sayed put forth in his campaign.
"I saw a picture that concerned me [from] the rally. I didn’t see a single person that looks like me. That tells me all I need to know."
Clyburn is a stuanch supporter of Israel. His biggest problems is that he won't retire.
He is grooming his daughter to run for him if he does retire. He has actively squashed any attempt at getting grassroots movements the candidate they want.
While I did back Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH) over Nina Turner, Brown's support of Israel has now made me question whether she is focused on Ohio issues like Cleveland, one of the poorest cities in the damn state. Before 2023, I was opposed to Israel but at the time, supportive of Democrats who stood with then president Joe Biden. Before Biden took his focus off the economy to help Ukraine and Israel, all was good. However, the former president and his damn Catholic faith led us to Israel getting a blank check to do whatever the fuck it wants. When progressive told the president that his support for Israel will doom him (and eventually former vice president Kamala Harris), folks like Clyburn dismissed it as radical noise.
America, we have to change course.
Well it made Michigan swing back to Donald J. Trump. The economic issues didn't get better under Biden. They are not certainly better under Trump.
Slotkin barely won against Rogers. She won with less than 1% of the vote. Many voters already disapproved of her job as a senator. She criticized Hasan Piker for being extreme while appearing at town hall. The next day she goes on Real Time with Bill Maher. Maher, a known bigot who is Islamophobic and said racial slurs about Black people. He identifies as a libertarian but leaning more conservative since the Israel thing.
El-Sayed wants to discuss economics, the massive influx of money into this primary forces Israel back into the spotlight. Pro-Israel groups like the AIPAC-aligned United Democracy Project have poured nearly $30 million into boosting his opponent, Rep. Haley Stevens, turning campaign finance itself into a proxy war over Israel.
Detractors quickly accused Clyburn and the party establishment of weaponizing identity politics against a fellow Democrat in a highly diverse city like Detroit.
President Donald J. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prove to the world an amazing feat. For the first time in world history, white men are no longer looked upon as leaders globally. The world sees that as relics of war, genocide, corruption and destruction of resources.
The world hates Israel. The United States and Russia are by far the worst countries in the world. The world is tired of these entities creating chaos.
The Trump administration is weighing whether to take military action in Mali, current and former U.S. officials familiar told The Washington Post.
The administration’s plan is to target an al-Qaida-affiliated group known as Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin. If it’s approved, it will be the eighth nation on the list of countries where President Donald Trump has ordered strikes since the start of his second term.
Since the beginning of July, JNIM and another rival separatist group have been fighting the Malian army to gain control over the northern part of the country and create an independent nation in that region.
Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin. Realizing that fighting for natural resources and survival are the reasons why these groups exist.
An administration official who did not disclose whether President Donald Trump would move forward with strikes said that terrorism in the Sahel is a “multinational problem.”
“We urge regional partners and NATO allies to support the Alliance of Sahel States in their war against JNIM and ISIS,” the official said.
Convoy ambushed
In the most recent fighting, the JNIM ambushed a Mali military convoy, reportedly killing or capturing at least 50 soldiers. The JNIM also released video appearing to show soldiers surrendering. Some of those reportedly killed or captured are Russian fighters allied with Mali’s military.
The Russian fighters are part of Russia’s Africa Corps, which replaced the Wagner Group in offering support to Mali’s military.
Mali says its military responded to the ambush with airstrikes that killed 20 fighters.
The ambush happened in the northern part of Mali, between the cities of Gao and Anefis, which the JNIM has been fighting to take.
Violence could topple government
The ongoing fighting could topple the government of Mali, which is led by its military. The military took power in a series of coups in 2020 and 2021.
The government’s defense minister was killed in April in a joint attack by JNIM and the Azawad Liberation Front, known as FLA, a Taureg-led separatist group.
The two groups joined forces battling Mali’s military even though they do not share long-term goals. The FLA want an independent land in north Mali, while the JNIM want to implement religious rule across the country.
