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Tag: Public safety

Elon Musk Slams “Soft-on-Crime” Policies in Clash With Governor Polis
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The Western Journal, Approved, State

Elon Musk Slams “Soft-on-Crime” Policies in Clash With Governor Polis

By: Michael Austin | The Western Journal Elon Musk confronted Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis over a violent criminal released back on the streets, prompting a response from the official that failed to acknowledge how he signed a law allowing such circumstances to arise. The exchange came after Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams revealed to residents that under Colorado law, he was forced to release Debisa Ephraim, who was deemed incompetent to stand trial, into the public on Monday. Ephraim was arrested on second-degree murder and assault charges after he allegedly attacked residents in an unprovoked manner, per a report from CBS News. Reams remarked in a video that Ephraim has had several encounters with police. “It is a very violent crime, and how rapidly this person ha...
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Trump to Memphis: National Guard coming to restore safety
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Fox News, Approved, National

Trump to Memphis: National Guard coming to restore safety

By Rachel Wolf | Fox News Trump chooses Memphis, Tennessee, for next National Guard deployment President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he would be deploying the National Guard to Memphis, Tenn., next as he continues his anti-crime initiative.  The president made the announcement during an appearance on "Fox & Friends," adding that the deployment would not be limited to the National Guard and could include the Army if needed. "Memphis is deeply troubled," Trump said. "We're gonna fix that just like we did Washington." Trump admitted that he would have "preferred going to Chicago." The Trump administration has recently clashed with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson over possible National Guard deployment to the Win...
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Evergreen High School shooting victim identified as community mourns
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Fox31, Approved, Local

Evergreen High School shooting victim identified as community mourns

By: Brooke Williams, Phil Rankin | Fox 31 DENVER (KDVR) — One of the two victims hospitalized after the shooting at Evergreen High School has been identified. The family of 18-year-old Matthew Silverstone released a photo and statement through the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday afternoon. “The family appreciates the community’s concern and support, but as we remain focused on our loved one’s recovery, we respectfully request privacy as we continue to heal and navigate the road ahead,” the statement said. As of Friday morning, a spokesperson for St. Anthony Hospital said the victim at that hospital was still in critical condition. The other victim, who was transferred to Children’s Hospital Colorado, is in serious condition, a step better than critical, a hospital...
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New Colorado program shifts defendants from jail to treatment on competency grounds
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, State

New Colorado program shifts defendants from jail to treatment on competency grounds

By Michael Braithwaite | The Denver Gazette In an attempt to reduce wait times for inpatient defendant competency restoration, Colorado courts are launching a new program to divert eligible people into a separate community care process. The near-$1.5 million program, which uses money from the general fund and was spurred by the passage of House Bill 24-1355 last June, will create a process in each judicial district to identify certain individuals who are not competent enough to proceed in a trial process and refer them to a wraparound program that will connect them with external care, according to a news release from the Colorado Judicial Branch and the bill itself. “This work is the result of years of collaboration, deep listening, and versatility,” said Gene Klivansky,...
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GOP reps demand removal of judge who freed violent offender before train murder
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Daily Wire, Approved, National

GOP reps demand removal of judge who freed violent offender before train murder

By Virginia Kruta | Daily Wire “Ms. Zarutska’s murder was not only a profound personal tragedy but also a direct result of a failure of judicial responsibility.” Ten North Carolina Republican Reps., led by Rep. Tim Moore (R-NC), called on Tuesday for the removal of Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes, who released 14-time offender Decarlos Johnson Jr. before he murdered Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska. Moore shared a letter, signed by nine of his colleagues, in which he called on Chief Judge Roy Wiggins to begin “formal removal proceedings” against Stokes, saying that her decision to release Johnson — based solely on his written promise to return for his next court date — had been, at best, “reckless.” “Despite his history of violent and unstable behavior, Magistrate Stokes release...
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Evergreen Community Mourns After Deadly High School Shooting
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Local, Approved, kdvr.com

Evergreen Community Mourns After Deadly High School Shooting

By Shaul Turner | KDVR Fox 31 EVERGREEN, Colo. (KDVR) — Residents in the small community of Evergreen remain in shock after a deadly shooting at Evergreen High School on Wednesday. Many gathered at familiar places along the town’s main street to show each other support. “Some people might say there’s not a safe place to live in America,” Kevin Shepard told FOX31. Shepard, a former Western Slope school teacher, tells FOX31 that students deserve a chance to learn in a safe environment. “You feel like living in a small mountain town outside of Denver, the city here that, like you kind of can avoid violence and things like that, but it’s really we have such a crisis of mental health among our young people,” Shepard said. Many are shocked by the realization that a school shoot...
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Operation Midway Blitz launched in Chicago to tackle crime crisis
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The Federalist, Approved, National

Operation Midway Blitz launched in Chicago to tackle crime crisis

By M.D. Kittle | The Federalist DHS says the new effort is in honor of Katie Abraham, who was killed in a hit-and-run car crash earlier this year. A lot of things about Jan. 19, 2025, haunt Joe Abraham’s dreams. But one fact in particular about the way in which his 20-year-old daughter, Katie, was senselessly killed that day in a hit-and run crash keeps him up at night.  “They didn’t just kill Katie. They killed Katie’s kids, Katie’s kids’ kids. Her legacy is no longer there. She has been stopped,” Abraham, of Glenview, Ill., told The Federalist in an interview Monday evening.  You just can’t get past that,” the grieving father added. “Not only did she get a death sentence and we all got a life sentence, but her whole chain has been broken. And the silence [from Illin...
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Shooting at Evergreen High School leaves 3 critically wounded
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CBS Colorado, Approved, Local

Shooting at Evergreen High School leaves 3 critically wounded

By Christa Swanson | CBS Colorado At least two students were wounded Wednesday in a shooting at a high school in the Denver metro area. According to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, the shooting took place just after noon at Evergreen High School. The school is located at 29300 Buffalo Park Rd. in Evergreen, which is 28 miles southwest of Denver. JeffCo emergency communications said there are reports of "an active assailant in the area of Evergreen High School." The sheriff's office said at least two students have been shot. St. Anthony's Hospital said there are three patients there in critical condition. It's still an active scene, and authorities asked those with students at the school not to go directly to the school at this time. A teacher told CBS Colorado that th...
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Mourning or Margin? What the Silence Over Iryna Zarutska’s Murder Reveals About Media, Policy and Political Deadlock
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, National, Top Stories

Mourning or Margin? What the Silence Over Iryna Zarutska’s Murder Reveals About Media, Policy and Political Deadlock

By C.J. Garbo | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice The brutal and senseless murder of 23‑year‑old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail train has been met not with widespread grief, but with unsettling silence. When a story like this fades from national coverage, especially after being shared widely on social platforms, it raises urgent ethical and political questions - questions the mainstream media seems unwilling to confront. A Refugee’s Promise Meets a System’s Failure Zarutska fled war-torn Ukraine seeking safety. Tragically, her fresh start ended in horror: she was stabbed to death by Decarlos Brown Jr., a 34‑year‑old man with at least 14 prior arrests, on August 22, 2025. Footage capturing the killing - which has shocked millions, revealed bystander...
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City of Denver Promises Cleanup of Abandoned Home Tied to Crime
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Local, Approved, kdvr.com

City of Denver Promises Cleanup of Abandoned Home Tied to Crime

By Hanna Powers | KDVR Fox 31 DENVER (KDVR) — Less than 24 hours after FOX31 highlighted an alleged drug house in Denver’s Swansea neighborhood, city inspectors posted a 24-hour emergency abatement notice on the property. Neighbors had long complained about the vacant home on Fillmore Street, saying it had been used for drugs, stolen cars, and squatting. They told FOX31 the house was a magnet for crime, trash, and even rats. James Hicks, manager of Denver’s Neglected and Derelict Building Program, confirmed inspectors were already tracking the property and said it’s on the city’s radar. “Even though it may look like nothing is happening, we’re very busy, we’re very aware,” Hicks said. “Especially these properties that are very visible. I saw your story this morning and I immedi...
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