Connect with us

Michigan

Michigan voters express shock, sorrow for the country over Trump assassination attempt

Published

on

Michigan voters express shock, sorrow for the country over Trump assassination attempt


Voters in Michigan said they were worried about the country’s political climate as they reacted Saturday evening to news of a reported assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

Elaine Donnelly was at her home in Livonia, watching the Pennsylvania campaign rally on her phone when the shooting occurred. She said she was horrified to witness it, saying she could instantly tell by the sounds that it was gunshots, not firecrackers.

“It’s horrible that there is this level of violence and hate,” said Donnelly, president of the Center for Military Readiness and a former appointee of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush to presidential commissions on issues dealing with women in the military.

Her and others’ focus on Saturday night was more on the national state of affairs than the November election, which Michigan is expected to play a pivotal role in. They mostly expressed shock and sorrow for the status of American politics, public safety and unity in light of the incident.

Advertisement

Donnelly, a Republican who plans to vote for Trump, said the incident quickly reminded her of the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. She said she was grateful Trump was all right and that she would have been equally horrified if there had been an attempt on President Joe Biden.

Bryan Vliem, 44, of Grand Rapids said he “knew things would be heated” due to the national political climate and presidential race. “But not that bad.”

Vleim said he found out about the shooting from looking at the social media platform Reddit while eating dinner. He identified himself as politically independent, having voted for both Republicans in the past but more for Democrats lately.

Michael Fracker, a 76-year-old retired teacher in Ionia, was surprised and saddened when he heard about the incident. He’s worried that even after Saturday’s shooting, things won’t calm down any time soon.

“There doesn’t seem to be any middle ground anymore,” said Fracker, who considers himself a Republican. “The pendulum has swung so far both ways that there’s no middle ground. That’s sad. Because our country needs to have some unity again.”

Advertisement

The assassination attempt is a dark moment in the nation’s history, conjuring memories of the assassinations of Kennedy and his brother, Robert Kennedy, as well as the failed attempt on Reagan on March 30, 1981, in Washington, D.C.

That day, would-be assassin John Hinckley Jr. fired six gunshots toward Reagan, wounding him and three others. Reagan was seriously injured but was stabilized at nearby George Washington University Hospital. Hinckley reportedly had no political motivation for the attack but was instead trying to impress actress Jodie Foster.

That attempt and Saturday’s incident in Butler, Pennsylvania, are just two of many attempts to kill U.S. presidents.

Theodore Roosevelt, in one instance, was wounded by a gunman while campaigning for a third presidential term in 1912, some three years after he left office. More recently, then-President George W. Bush survived an assassination attempt on May 10, 2005, when an assailant hurled a grenade toward his podium during a speech in the eastern European country Georgia. The assailant pulled the pin on the grenade, but it did not detonate.

Other plots to assassinate presidents have failed after detection by security personnel. Four U.S. presidents — Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley and Kennedy — have been killed all while in office and all as a result of gunshot wounds.

Advertisement

Herb Saulnier, a 49-year-old truck driver from the Shiawassee County community of Henderson, considers himself an independent but attended one of Trump’s rallies during his 2020 campaign.

He was saddened by the news out of Pennsylvania but didn’t believe that would influence his participation in future campaign events for one side or the other.

“It’s not going to distract me from going there,” Saulnier said. “You never know who’s going to be in any crowd — political event, football game, concert. You just don’t know.”

Debbie Whitcher-Campbell, a 54-year-old from Livonia, had worked a long shift before running to a graduation party and didn’t hear the news until later Saturday night.

Whitcher-Campbell considers herself a Republican but said political rallies like the one in Pennsylvania Saturday aren’t appealing. Still, she said, individuals should be able to attend a political event in the U.S. without fear of violence.

Advertisement

“You should be able to freely voice your opinion without any fear,” she said. “I mean, what the hell is going on? This is the message we’re giving to our children that this is acceptable.”

Michael Langan was enjoying a show at Planet Ant Theater in Hamtramck when he saw the footage of Saturday’s shooting. He said it wasn’t a shock, and he’s fearful of what’s to come. 

“It’s really unfortunate that happened, and it’s even worse to know one of his fans died,” said Langan, 38, of Detroit.

Sitting at the bar, Langan said he didn’t find the violence hard to believe. 

“I’m surprised it doesn’t happen more often. I don’t think anyone in public office should have their life put in jeopardy, but when you foster that negativity and anger into a pile with a match, you’re gonna catch a flame,” said Langan from Detroit. 

Advertisement

“I think he will use it as a crutch for election points, and anyone would, to be fair,” he said about Trump. “I’m actually afraid about how his people will seek retribution for this. And it’s unfortunate that a fan of his was killed. I’m curious who did it and why, but it doesn’t change what happened.”

Emma Armstrong, 19, of Novi was at the gym when a friend told her that Trump was shot.

“I was shocked because you don’t think that that would actually happen,” Armstrong said. She characterized the assassination attempt on Trump as a situation similar to when former President John F. Kennedy was shot.

“It’s crazy,” Armstrong said. “I hope he’s OK. I hope he recovers. I hope it doesn’t affect the election.”

But Armstrong added that she thinks “it definitely will have an impact.”

Advertisement

“He’s probably gonna get some sympathy votes,” Armstrong said. “And depending on who shot him,  I think that’s going to impact too. I think that stuff is gonna come up in the next few days.”

Jennifer O’Connell, 42, of Calumet, said she unfortunately wasn’t all that surprised to get a call from her mother with the news of what happened in Butler.

“They tried pretty much everything else to stop him from running, and none of it worked. He’s just becoming more and more popular,” said O’Connell, who plans on voting for Trump.

“I am a Trump supporter, but I’m one of those that can see both sides of it,” she added. “I don’t care if you’re left or right. This is just wrong. You should never attempt to try to take somebody’s life, period. I don’t care how much you disagree with them.”

“It’s sickening. And this is not America. This is not who we are.”

Advertisement

gschwab@detroitnews.com

eleblanc@detroitnews.com

srahal@detroitnews.com

kkozlowski@detroitnews.com



Source link

Advertisement

Michigan

Menominee, Michigan man arrested on sexual assault charges involving a minor

Published

on

Menominee, Michigan man arrested on sexual assault charges involving a minor


MENOMINEE, Mich. (WLUK) — 24-year-old Ethan Raymond Masters of Menominee was arrested on sexual assault charges June 30th, according to the Menominee County Sheriff’s Office.

According to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office, deputies learned of an incident involving a 24-year-old man and a 12-year-old girl which happened in Menominee June 22nd. Following a sexual assault investigation, police charged Masters.

Masters was arraigned July 2nd on 2 counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct First Degree. He remains in the Menominee County Jail on a $250,000 cash bond.

Menominee City Police and the Michigan State Police Crime Laboratory of Marquette assisted with the investigation.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Michigan

Michigan immigration advocates react after Supreme Court ruling on Temporary Protected Status

Published

on

Michigan immigration advocates react after Supreme Court ruling on Temporary Protected Status


Twenty-four thousand immigrants in Michigan have Temporary Protected Status (TPS), but a recent Supreme Court decision could put their protection in jeopardy.  

TPS is a humanitarian protection granted to U.S. immigrants fleeing dangerous situations in their home countries, often from natural disasters or political instability. The status allows immigrants from the designated countries to live and work in the U.S.  

The Supreme Court overturned those for 356,000 Haitians and Syrians in a recent decision. While the court’s decision directly impacted Haitian and Syrian immigrants, it also established that the Secretary of Homeland Security has the authority to determine TPS status without judicial review or input from the courts.

That means that the Secretary of Homeland Security can eliminate TPS for any immigrant group that is currently in the U.S. under protection. That puts 1.3 million immigrants in the U.S. at risk of deportation. In Florida, 113,000 healthcare workers with TPS are at risk of deportation. The Haitian population in Philadelphia is also expressing concerns about what comes next for them.  

Advertisement

“The Supreme Court turned its back on our moral and legal commitments to people seeking safety,” said Christine Sauvé, manager of Policy and Communication at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. “The decision eliminates legal protections for people fleeing danger and allows the Trump Administration to really advance its mass deportation agenda.”

Left without the ability to live or work in the U.S., these Haitian and Syrian immigrants with TPS now face deportation. But going back home could still be incredibly dangerous.

“It’s not really an option to go back to their home country,” said Melanie Goldberg, immigration attorney with the Institute of Metro Detroit. “In the case of Haiti, they don’t even have an airport in Port-au-Prince that’s operational. Yet they say it’s safe for these citizens to go back.”

In Michigan, immigrants with TPS have contributed $349 million to the state’s economy, a sign that they are deeply embedded in the community, according to Sauvé.  

“Many TPS holders have been in our communities for a very long time,” Sauvé said. “They’ve really spent decades building their lives here in Michigan. We welcomed them here, only to see that completely ripped away with the stroke of a pen.”

Advertisement

The Michigan Immigrant Rights Center encourages Haitian and Syrian immigrants with TPS, as well as any immigrants in the U.S. with a TPS designation, to seek out a qualified legal service provider and review the “Know Your Rights” Materials on the MIRC’s website



Source link

Continue Reading

Michigan

Sherrone Moore’s former assistant sues University of Michigan over alleged FOIA violations

Published

on

Sherrone Moore’s former assistant sues University of Michigan over alleged FOIA violations


A former University of Michigan assistant whose relationship with ex-coach Sherrone Moore was under investigation is accusing university officials of refusing to provide records related to the probe.

Paige Shiver filed the lawsuit on Wednesday in Washtenaw Circuit Court, claiming that U of M “arbitrarily and capriciously” violated the Michigan Freedom of Information Act by repeatedly denying her requests. Shiver and her legal team are seeking a court order requiring the university to disclose the records.

The lawsuit also alleges that throughout Shiver’s four-year employment with U of M, she was “discriminated against and subjected to a hostile work environment on the basis of her sex, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Michigan law including Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act.”

“The lawsuit filed today demands transparency and accountability from the University of Michigan, President Grasso and the Board of Regents,” said Shiver’s attorney, Andrew M. Stroth. 

Advertisement

On Wednesday, CBS News Detroit reached out to U of M, which says it has no comment.

The investigation led to Moore’s firing in December 2025. At the time, it was determined that he was in an inappropriate relationship with a staffer, who was later identified as Shiver. 

Moore was arrested hours later after authorities said he went to Shiver’s home and threatened to harm himself. He was charged with third-degree felony home invasion, as well as misdemeanor counts of stalking and of breaking and entering. Moore was sentenced to 18 months’ probation after pleading no contest to the two misdemeanor charges.

According to the lawsuit, Shiver filed a FOIA request in February 2026 for audio, video and transcripts of interviews of herself, her father, Jeff Shiver, and Moore. The lawsuit alleges that the university denied her request, citing the ongoing investigation.

The lawsuit alleges that Shiver submitted a similar request months later, in June, but was told by the university that it was “overly broad and vague” and “does not describe a ‘public record sufficiently to enable the public body to find the public record.’”

Advertisement

The lawsuit claims that requests were submitted in March and May, respectively, for all emails sent to the law firm Jenner & Block (UMconcerns@jenner.com) and for recordings of Shiver’s meetings by the university through Jenner & Block. However, those requests were denied because the university cited that it had no responsive records, according to the lawsuit.

The law firm was hired by U of M to investigate Moore and Shiver’s relationship. The university later expanded the investigation to include the athletic department.

The lawsuit also claims that Shiver requested copies of emails between Moore and athletic director Warde Manuel that contained the words “affair,” “discipline,” “pregnancy,” “baby” and “abortion.” The university denied the request, citing the communication between U of M employees as “exempt information,” according to the lawsuit.

However, Shiver’s legal team argued that the university has not shown evidence that the emails are exempt.

“This public university paid Jenner & Block $12 million to investigate the Sherrone Moore scandal and the abuse, Title IX and Title VII violations within the athletic department and Schembechler Hall, yet now refuses to release the investigation’s findings. It was important for our client to file this initial FOIA lawsuit to ensure the truth and facts come out,” Stroth said.

Advertisement

Shiver appeared on ABC News’ “Good Morning America” in April to discuss her relationship with Moore. In the interview, she said she became pregnant by Moore and sought an abortion after medical complications were discovered about the pregnancy.


Note: The video above previously aired on April 14, 2026.



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending