Midwest
'Makes me fearful': Minnesota woman whose attacker freed by Harris-supported bail fund speaks out
EXCLUSIVE: A 79-year-old Somali American woman in Minnesota, who was shot by an assailant ultimately released with the help of a bail fund supported by Vice President Kamala Harris, is speaking out against the vice president, telling Fox News Digital that her record raised questions about her “judgment and priorities in office.”
Halima Farah, who came to the U.S. in 2005 and became a citizen in 2011, recounted her “traumatic experience” on Jan. 2, 2021. She was shot and robbed of her rent money outside her Minneapolis apartment by De’Seanna Williams, police said at the time. Farah said she suffered bone fractures to her shoulder blade and skull, hemorrhages in her skull, lacerations on her face and had a gunshot wound to her upper thigh and buttocks area.
Williams was arrested after the attack but was bailed out by the Minnesota Freedom Fund, a fund that Harris promoted during the George Floyd riots in 2020.
In a blog post on Medium on May 31, 2020, then-Sen. Harris asked for individuals to “make a contribution to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, an organization working on the ground in Minnesota to post bail for arrested protesters.”
KAMALA HARRIS-BACKED ‘FREEDOM FUND’ THAT PUT MURDERERS, RAPISTS BACK ON STREETS STILL UP AND RUNNING
Halima Farah in her apartment in Minneapolis on Oct. 26, 2024. (Photo courtesy Fowzi Media | Hussein Noor)
Harris also posted in support of the Minnesota Freedom Fund that June as protests over the police death of Floyd in Minneapolis swept the country.
“If you’re able to, chip in now to the @MNFreedomFund to help post bail for those protesting on the ground in Minnesota,” she posted, along with a link to donate.
The post is still live on the site, and the link now re-directs to an ActBlue page headlined, “Kamala Harris for the People,” encouraging individuals to “make a donation to the Minnesota Freedom Fund.”
“Your support will help post bail for those protesting on the ground in Minnesota,” the website states.
Only a fraction of the more than $41 million raised actually went to freeing rioters, according to a FOX 9 report in 2020. The Minnesota Freedom Fund has reportedly bailed out defendants from prisons in Minnesota who had been charged with murder, violent felonies and sex crimes.
The Minnesota Freedom Fund did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
MINNESOTA MAN FREED BY KAMALA HARRIS-SUPPORTED BAIL FUND NOW CHARGED WITH MURDER
Farah, who does not speak English, provided her responses to Fox News Digital’s questions through her translator via email.
Farah told Fox News Digital that Harris’ promotion of the fund “should spark questions and debates over her suitability for higher office.”
“I believe that a president should not support measures that may lead to the release of violent criminals,” Farah said. “The implications of such policies are serious and warrant careful consideration.”
Halima Farah, left, and Vice President Kamala Harris. (Fowzi Media | Hussein Noor & Getty)
“Kamala Harris does not deserve to serve as President of the United States, and her tenure as vice president has weakened my rights,” Farah continued. “Also, her encouragement of donations to the Minnesota Freedom Fund is terrible to my safety and my life.”
Farah said, “the idea that the vice president would support bail for violent offenders is troubling to me and makes me fearful.”
“It raises questions about her judgment and priorities in office,” she said.
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, depart after speaking during a campaign rally at Burns Park in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
After she was released on bail with the help of the Minnesota Freedom Fund for beating, shooting and robbing Farah, Williams committed a non-violent crime of felony check forgery. Williams later pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree aggravated robbery and one count of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. She was sentenced to prison as part of the plea agreement and is expected to be released in April 2025.
“I realized that I didn’t get justice at all,” Farah told Fox News Digital, saying the Minnesota Freedom Fund “fosters criminal behavior and leaves victims without a sense of justice.”
BAIL FUND BACKED BY KAMALA HARRIS FREED SAME RIOTER TWICE – NOW HE’S BEEN CHARGED AGAIN
Farah went on to slam Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, for rising crime in the state.
“I don’t feel safe right now in the United States, especially in our state of Minnesota after the riots of George Floyd and the aftermath under Gov. Walz’ watch,” Farah said.
Minnesota murder rates have risen under Walz’s leadership.
Walz was sworn in as governor in 2019. Data from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety reviewed by Fox News Digital shows that in 2018, the year before Walz took office, the state recorded 104 murders, a figure that increased by more than 12% in 2019, when the state recorded 117 murders. Murders in the state in 2020, when violent crimes spiked nationwide, skyrocketed to 185. In 2021, the state recorded 201 murders, 182 in 2022 and 172 last year.
Data from the state shows that in the four years before Walz took office, from 2015-2018, there was an average of about 113 murders recorded in the state each year, which has increased to 171 murders, according to the yearly average under Walz’s five years as governor.
FBI crime data reviewed by Fox News Digital shows that homicides in 2017, Trump’s first year in office, slightly dipped nationally from 15,320 in 2016 to 15,312 in 2017. The data shows violent crime again dipped in 2018, at 14,604 homicides, and again in 2019 to 14,678, before skyrocketing in 2020 amid the riots to 18,965 homicides.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz. ( Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Farah told Fox News Digital she believes that “former President Donald Trump is tough on crime and criminals.”
“I would feel more comfortable and relieved having Trump in the White House,” she said. “I would also encourage anyone who loves this country not to vote for her.”
Farah said she hopes “to meet former President Trump or his running mate JD Vance before the election to share my concerns and fears.”
The Harris-Walz campaign declined to comment when reached by Fox News Digital.
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Wisconsin
Wisconsin severe thunderstorm watch into Saturday morning
MILWAUKEE – The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch for parts of southeast Wisconsin late Friday night. It remains in effect until 5 a.m. on Saturday, May 16.
The watch covers Jefferson, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Racine, Walworth and Waukesha counties. Storms could produce gusty wind and hail.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
FOX6 Weather Extras
Local perspective:
Meanwhile, FOX6Now.com offers a variety of extremely useful weather tools to help you navigate the stormy season. They include the following:
FOX6 Storm Center app
FOX LOCAL Mobile app
FOX Weather app
FOX Weather
Maps and radar
We have a host of maps and radars on the FOX6 Weather page that are updating regularly — to provide you the most accurate assessment of the weather. From a county-by-county view to the Midwest regional radar and a national view — it’s all there.
School and business closings
When the weather gets a little dicey, schools and businesses may shut down. Monitor the latest list of closings, cancellations, and delays reported in southeast Wisconsin.
FOX6 Weather Experts in social media
The Source: Information in this report is from the FOX6 Weather Experts and National Weather Service.
Detroit, MI
What time is Pistons Game 7 vs Cavs? Date, tickets in Detroit
The Detroit Pistons won their fourth must-win game of the postseason, and they’ll have to win one more if they want to advance to the NBA’s final four in the 2026 playoffs.
The 1-seed Pistons will face the 4-seed Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Sunday, May 17. The game will be streamed exclusively on Amazon’s Prime Video streaming service, with a start time of either 5 p.m. ET or 8 p.m. ET.
The Pistons reached Game 7 for a second consecutive series after beating the Cavaliers 115-94 in Game 6 on Friday night in Cleveland. The Pistons were down 3-2 in the series after losing three consecutive games, including an overtime loss in Game 5 at LCA on Wednesday.
Pistons-Cavs Game 7 tickets
The winner of Game 7 will face the 3-seed New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals, with the Pistons aiming to avenge a first-round loss to the Knicks in the 2025 playoffs. The Pistons went 3-0 in the regular season against New York.
Here’s what you need to know about Sunday’s Game 7 between the Cavs and Pistons:
Pistons vs Cavs Game 7 time
- Date: Sunday, May 17.
- Time: 5 or 8 p.m. ET.
- Location: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit.
Sunday’s Game 7 between the Pistons and Cavs will take place Sunday evening at Little Caesars Arena.
Pistons vs Cavs Game 7 channel
Pistons vs Cavs stream for Game 7
Sunday’s Game 7 between the Pistons and Cavs will not be on a traditional TV channel, but instead will stream exclusively on Prime Video. That means you’ll need a smart device with a Prime subscription to watch it.
Watch Pistons-Cavs Game 7 on Prime Video
Pistons tickets for Game 7 vs Cavaliers
Tickets for Game 7 of Cavaliers vs. Pistons on Sunday night at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit are going on StubHub.
Pistons vs Cavaliers schedule, scores in playoff series
Here are the Pistons vs. Cavs scores and schedule for the playoff series in the first round:
>>Follow the best Pistons coverage all year round at freep.com/sports/pistons.
Need to catch up on the news during your lunch break? Sign up for our Sports Briefing newsletter to get daily summaries of Detroit sports!
You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee Recreation hosts youth arts and humanities showcase
MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Recreation held its Partnership for the Arts and Humanities Showcase Friday at North Division High School, bringing together students and community organizations to celebrate arts education in Milwaukee.
The event featured performances, visual art, and cultural programming from a range of partner organizations that work with Milwaukee students before and after school, on weekends, and during the summer.
Ariana Holmes, a recreation supervisor with Milwaukee Recreation, said the showcase highlights the breadth of arts and humanities programming available to young people across the city.
Watch: Milwaukee Recreation hosts youth arts and humanities showcase
Youth Arts and Humanities showcase underway
“This is one of our programs out of many, many at Milwaukee Recreation, but it centers a celebration of arts and humanities in our before and after school programming,” Holmes said. “All of the partners that you see here today, they run programs with Milwaukee students after school, on the weekends, during the summer, making sure that every kid in Milwaukee has access to really wonderful arts and humanities education.”
Organizations represented at the event included Bembe Drum and Dance, Woodland Pattern, All Hands Boat Works, and Running Rebels, among others.
“We have such a wonderful range that really celebrates the diversity that is the arts and humanities,” Holmes said. “We have Bembe Drum and Dance, they’re drumming for us and dancing on stage right now. We have Woodland Pattern, who does poetry with young people in Milwaukee. We have organizations that help build boats with young people, All Hands Boat Works, really just an incredible range.”
Students can sign up for the programs through Milwaukee Recreation, which connects them with partner organizations that run programming both in schools and at their own locations. Holmes said an arts internship for high schoolers is planned for the summer.
“This summer, we’ll be doing an arts internship for older kids, high schoolers to be engaged in arts, so it really is just like a really wonderful diversity of experiences,” Holmes said.
Information about Milwaukee Recreation programs is available through the organization’s printed guides, which are mailed to Milwaukee residents. Residents are encouraged to pick up the guides and explore opportunities for their children to get involved.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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