Politics
Republican has message for every lawmaker after Falls Township shooter kills 3: 'That needs to change'
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., warned on Saturday that America could continue to see violent crime sprees like Saturday’s Pennsylvania shooting and New Jersey standoff, where a lone gunman killed three people before being taken into custody hours later.
During a segment on “Fox News Live,” Fitzpatrick discussed the tense situation and said lawmakers need to prioritize addressing mental health problems, or they would continue to see violence permeate communities across the country.
“The reality is, in America, it’s stigmatized when we talk about healthcare from the neck up,” Fitzpatrick said. “We focus on healthcare from the neck down and that needs to change. Mental health is an absolute crisis in America. It was worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s being spiked due to expanded social media usage, increased drug use. A lot of these are interconnected issues.”
He added: “Until we start treating mental health issues like we do physical health in America, unfortunately, we are going to keep seeing crises like this. We have to fix it.”
3 SHOT DEAD IN PENNSYLVANIA; SUSPECTED GUNMAN ARRESTED
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Penn., called mental health “an absolute crisis” in America. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The comments came as police said 26-year-old Andre Gordon allegedly shot and killed three people in Falls Township, Pennsylvania, which falls inside the district that Fitzpatrick represents, before he fled across state lines into New Jersey, where he had a five-hour standoff with law enforcement at a residence.
During Saturday’s multi-state rampage, Gordon is accused of killing his 52-year-old stepmother, Karen Gordon, and 13-year-old sister, Kera Gordon, inside a Falls Township home.
SWAT team members at a residence in Trenton, New Jersey, where the suspected shooter barricaded himself, according to police. (FOX 29 Philadelphia)
Authorities ultimately took Gordon into custody in Trenton, New Jersey, after he surrendered to law enforcement.
“The suspect has been located at another location in Trenton, and he surrendered peacefully,” Detective Lt. Lisette Rios of the Trenton Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital.
Fitzpatrick shared that Gordon was taken into custody on the social media site X.
Police activity along Viewpoint Lane in Falls Township on Saturday. A shooting there canceled events and closed businesses in the Levittown area. (JD Mullane / USA TODAY NETWORK)
Andre Gordon, 26, was arrested Saturday after allegedly gunning down three people in Falls Township, Pa. (Falls Township Police Department)
“Moments ago, Andre Gordon was apprehended after a manhunt that lasted all morning and into the late afternoon. On a day where our Lower Bucks community celebrates our proud Irish heritage, Andre shocked our region by selfishly and abhorrently taking the lives of 3 individuals who have been confirmed to be his very own family,” he wrote.
PHILADELPHIA DUO FACE CHARGES FOR ALLEGEDLY KILLING MAN AND WOMAN ‘EXECUTION STYLE’: POLICE
Fitzpatrick applauded the efforts of the various law enforcement entities involved.
“From the onset, we had federal law enforcement, first responders from all over Bucks County, and units from Philadelphia and New Jersey answer the call to track down this perpetrator. We are incredibly grateful for their swift response in ensuring that all parade participants were safely evacuated, residents remained sheltered in place, and we are grateful for their swift pursuit,” Fitzpatrick wrote.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Penn., applauded the efforts of the various law enforcement entities that helped get the suspected shooter to surrender. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
“These individuals displayed heroic courage by stepping up instantly and for putting our safety before theirs. As we continue to investigate what happened today, let us pray for the 3 Bucks County residents we lost today and pray for all of those impacted by this tragedy,” he continued.
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Three other people, including a minor, were inside the home at the time.
He then fled to another home, where he is accused of shooting and killing 25-year-old Taylor Daniel, who was the mother of their two kids, at another home in the area. Four others inside the home survived.
Politics
US military announces another deadly strike against ‘narco-terrorists’
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The U.S. military announced another deadly strike against a vessel that it alleges was involved in “narco-trafficking” efforts.
“On April 19, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,” U.S. Southern Command indicated in a post on X.
“Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” the post continued.
US MILITARY KILLS 2 SUSPECTED CARTEL OPERATIVES IN LATEST EASTERN PACIFIC LETHAL STRIKE, SOUTHCOM SAYS
The U.S. military announced that it killed three “narco-terrorists” in a strike in the Caribbean on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (@Soutcom via X)
SOUTHCOM indicated that the attack killed three men.
“Three male narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed,” the post noted.
President Donald Trump’s administration has carried out dozens of deadly strikes against vessels of alleged “narco-terrorists.”
US MILITARY CONDUCTS MORE DEADLY STRIKES AGAINST VESSELS OF ALLEGED ‘NARCO-TERRORISTS’
Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Francis L. Donovan, nominee for commander of U.S. Southern Command, testifies during his Senate confirmatino hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 15, 2026. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
In a completely different part of the world, amid ongoing tensions between America and Iran, the U.S. attacked an Iranian-flagged cargo ship on April 19.
“Guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) intercepted M/V Touska as it transited the north Arabian Sea at 17 knots enroute to Bandar Abbas, Iran. American forces issued multiple warnings and informed the Iranian-flagged vessel it was in violation of the U.S. blockade,” U.S. Central Command noted.
US SEIZES IRANIAN SHIP AFTER OPENING FIRE; PAKISTAN TALKS IN DOUBT
President Donald Trump on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, April 16, 2026. (Graeme Sloan/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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“After Touska’s crew failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period, Spruance directed the vessel to evacuate its engine room. Spruance disabled Touska’s propulsion by firing several rounds from the destroyer’s 5-inch MK 45 Gun into Touska’s engine room. U.S. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit later boarded the non-compliant vessel, which remains in U.S. custody,” CENTCOM noted.
Politics
Uproar over mama bear killing could help launch a state wildlife coexistence program
SACRAMENTO — A month after a public uproar over a mama bear being euthanized after swiping at a resident in Monrovia, state lawmakers are considering mandating the use of nonlethal ways to help allow wildlife and humans to coexist.
Sen. Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas) said she believes the bear’s death, and the state’s decision to kill four wolves last year that were preying on cattle, raised public concern.
“That made everybody realize we have to do better here,” she told The Times on Thursday. “We need to recognize the importance of seeing ourselves, humans, as part of a larger ecosystem that includes animals and plants and our world and trying to protect it.”
Senate Bill 1135, introduced by Blakespear, would direct the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to create the Wildlife Coexistence Program, which would provide public education, offer technical assistance and maintain a statewide incident reporting system. It would help communities deploy nonlethal devices to deter predators, like barriers or noise and light machines.
At a legislative hearing on Tuesday, Blakespear told the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water that a three-year state initiative offering similar services was seeing positive results — until it was discontinued two years ago after funding ran dry. She said it was time to implement a permanent program.
“Human population growth, habitat loss and the growth of industry across California inevitably leads to interaction between humans and wildlife,” Blakespear told legislators. “No two animal species are the same and each has unique behavior patterns and territories. SB 1135 recognizes these differences and gives communities the tools to prevent conflict and respond when it occurs.”
The bill would also rename a state program that reimburses ranchers who lose livestock to wolves, calling it the Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program. It would require ranchers seeking compensation to show they were using nonlethal deterrents approved by the department.
Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) stressed that life in rural areas is different than living in a city. She said some families and cattle ranchers have a genuine fear of predators.
“When these baby calves drop on the ground and then two wolves start ripping them apart, it’s not the prettiest thing you’ve ever witnessed,” said Grove, who abstained from voting on the measure. “These wolves are not puppies.”
More than 30 organizations are supporting the legislation, including the National Wildlife Federation, Defenders of Wildlife, California State Assn. of Counties, Animal Legal Defense Fund and Citizens for Los Angeles Wildlife.
The California Farm Bureau and the California Cattlemen’s Assn. are in opposition due to concerns over funding.
Last month, Blakespear sent a letter to the chair of the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review requesting $48.8 million to implement the legislation, with $25 million earmarked for addressing wolf encounters. Half of the money for wolf conflicts would go toward deterrents; the remainder would compensate ranchers for their losses.
Kirk Wilbur, vice president of government affairs cattlemen’s association, said the organization is concerned about that division of funding — especially if funding is reduced.
Wilbur told legislators Tuesday that the organization supports some aspects of the bill and was having productive conversations with Blakespear to address their concerns.
The bill ultimately passed the committee with a 5-to-1 vote and now heads to the Senate Committee on Appropriations.
Human wildlife conflicts have made headlines in California recently, with a bear refusing to leave a basement for weeks in Altadena and a mama bear dubbed Blondie crossing paths last month with a woman walking her dog in Monrovia.
Blondie swiped the woman’s leg, and was subsequently euthanized by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Her two cubs were sent to the San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center. The bear’s death upset many in the community, as thousands had signed a petition calling for other solutions, like relocation.
Deadly wildlife attacks on humans, however, are rare in California.
There have been six reported human fatalities from mountain lions since 1890, according to the state Fish and Wildlife Department. The agency recorded one human fatality from a coyote in 1981 and another fatality from a black bear in 2023. The department has no recorded human fatalities from gray wolves.
Politics
Trump ally diGenova tapped to lead DOJ probe into Brennan over Russia probe origins
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The Justice Department is turning to former Trump attorney Joeseph diGenova to spearhead a probe into ex-CIA Director John Brennan and others over the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation, as the department reshuffles leadership of the sprawling inquiry.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has tapped diGenova to serve as counsel overseeing the matter, according to a New York Times report, putting a former Trump attorney in a key role in the high-profile probe. A federal grand jury seated in Miami has been impaneled since late last year.
The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
DOJ ACTIVELY PREPARING TO ISSUE GRAND JURY SUBPOENAS RELATING TO JOHN BRENNAN INVESTIGATION: SOURCES
Joseph diGenova represented President Donald Trump during special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call/Getty Images)
DiGenova, a former U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., who represented Trump during special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, has repeatedly accused Brennan of misconduct tied to the origins of the Russia probe—allegations that have not resulted in criminal charges.
He also said in a 2018 appearance on Fox News that Brennan colluded with the FBI and DOJ to frame Trump.
The origins of the Russia investigation have been the subject of ongoing scrutiny by Trump allies, who have argued that intelligence and law enforcement officials improperly launched the probe.
BRENNAN INDICTMENT COULD COME WITHIN ‘WEEKS’ AS PROSECUTORS REQUEST OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS
Joseph diGenova has previously said that ex-CIA chief John Brennan colluded with the FBI and DOJ to frame Trump. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call/Getty Images)
DiGenova’s appointment follows the ouster of Maria Medetis Long, a national security prosecutor in the South Florida U.S. attorney’s office. She had been overseeing the inquiry, including a false statements probe related to Brennan and broader conspiracy-related investigations.
As the investigation continues, federal investigators have issued subpoenas seeking information related to intelligence assessments of Russian interference in the 2016 election.
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John Brennan has denied any wrongdoing related to the Russia investigation. (William B. Plowman/NBC/NBC NewsWire via Getty Images; Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Brennan has previously denied wrongdoing related to the Russia investigation and has defended the intelligence community’s assessment that Moscow interfered in the 2016 election.
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