Southwest
Hegseth signs off on wounded US troops keeping bullets, shrapnel removed from their bodies after Maduro raid
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Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, revealed dramatic new details Wednesday about the covert Jan. 3 mission targeting Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, describing U.S. troops who continued fighting after being shot and later asking to keep the bullets and shrapnel pulled from their bodies.
In a new “Verdict with Ted Cruz” podcast episode, Cruz detailed a trip with fellow Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and War Secretary Pete Hegseth to a San Antonio hospital to visit three of the seven soldiers wounded during Operation Absolute Resolve.
Cruz said American troops were “vastly outnumbered,” describing Cuban military members, tasked with guarding Maduro, opening fire on U.S. soldiers.
“It is an incredible testament to the precision and effectiveness of our military that not a single soldier on the American side was killed,” Cruz said. “There was a very large number of Cuban forces defending Maduro who were killed in that firefight.”
LAWMAKER WHO FLED COMMUNISM DRAFTS SPECIAL RESOLUTION HONORING TRUMP AFTER MADURO OUSTER
War Secretary Pete Hegseth; Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, visit Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. (Sen. John Cornyn via X)
The first soldier the politicians visited helped plan the “entire raid” and was leading one of the helicopters when he was shot in the leg, according to Cruz.
“Even in the midst of being shot in the leg, [he] continued,” Cruz said. “He did not step back from the fight, and he was critical, in terms of his location, protecting his fellow soldiers.”
During a discussion with the soldier, Cruz said Hegseth extended an offer for anything the soldier needed.
“[The soldier] said, ‘Well, actually, there is something you could do,’ and Pete says ‘what?’” Cruz said. “[The soldier] says, ‘I’d really like the bullet,’ the bullet that went into his leg.”
INSIDE THE LIGHTNING US STRIKE THAT OVERWHELMED VENEZUELA’S DEFENSES AND SEIZED MADURO
Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, after landing at a Manhattan helipad en route to a federal courthouse Jan. 5, in New York City. (XNY/Star Max/GC Images via Getty Images)
Cruz explained the hospital’s medical director previously told the soldier the hospital could not hand it over to him without a waiver.
“Pete, to his credit, said, ‘The waiver is granted, you can have the bullet,’” Cruz said. “That soldier was beaming. He was thrilled to have the bullet.”
The second soldier the group met with had also been shot and cut by a piece of shrapnel, causing a gash running the entire length of his arm.
“He had the exact same request,” Cruz said. “He said, ‘I’d really like the shrapnel.’ They had the piece of metal that had cut his arm open, and again, the hospital said, ‘We have it, but we’re not allowed to give it to him without the waiver.’”
Hegseth also signed off on the second soldier’s request, according to Cruz.
US RAID IN VENEZUELA SIGNALS DETERRENCE TO ADVERSARIES ON THREE FRONTS, EXPERTS SAY
Venezuelan citizens celebrate during a rally on the Colombia-Venezuela border after the confirmation of Nicolás Maduro’s capture Jan. 3 in Caracas. (Jair F. Coll/Getty Images)
“Both of those, I assume that they’re going to frame it or otherwise keep it as just a memento to the injury, the Purple Heart that they earned fighting for their country, but also being a part of profoundly impacting history,” Cruz said.
While the names and ages of the wounded soldiers, who are now all in good condition, have not yet been publicly released, Cruz said the first soldier was a bit older than the other two, who he described as “young guys.”
“If you saw them walking down the street, you wouldn’t do a double take,” he said. “The first guy kind of looked a little like Captain America, [and] the other two looked like they were fit … but the skill that you know they have, the heroism you know they have — if you just saw them on the street, you wouldn’t immediately know that.
Cruz spoke out about the covert Venezuela mission on a recent episode of his podcast. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
“With all three of the soldiers, I took an opportunity to tell them, ‘Look, you were part of history. You were part of history in a way, without exaggeration, that changed the entire Western hemisphere. What you did was profoundly important … and I took the chance on behalf of Texans and Americans just to say, ’Thank you. Thank you for your bravery.’”
Cruz added the first soldier, who was shot in the leg, had some friendly banter with the Pentagon chief.
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“Hegseth asked him, ‘How are you feeling?’ And he said, ‘I’m ready to go again,’” Cruz said. “I said, ‘Great, can you do Saturday?’ And he said, ‘Well, can we hold off till Monday?’ So, that kind of gives you a sense of the spirit [the soldiers had].”
Cruz’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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Los Angeles, Ca
Victims sought after man allegedly points gun at passing cars in Santa Clarita Valley
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help finding witnesses after a man allegedly pointed a handgun at numerous passing cars in Castaic on June 18.
The man was allegedly seen pointing the gun at cars near Lake Hughes Road and Ridge Route Road between 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The suspect was described as wearing a red shirt and black shorts.
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Did you see this man pointing a handgun at numerous passing cars in the Santa Clarita Valley. (LASD)
Authorities provided a photo of the man seen running in the street while holding something in his left hand.
Anyone who may have witnessed the alleged assaults, is a victim of the incident or has information about the case is asked to call Detective Marinelli at (661) 260-4000 ext. 5618.
Southern California is enjoying a comfortable stretch of below-average temperatures that should continue through Father’s Day, but a strong heat wave is looming.
A significant warming trend will begin early next week before peaking Wednesday and Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.
“Another one of those ridges of high pressure is expected to build in, with temperatures really heating up,” KTLA’s Kirk Hawkins said. “We’re looking at temperatures reaching triple digits in parts of the High Desert and Inland Empire as well.”
An extreme heat watch has been issued for parts of Los Angeles County, including Woodland Hills, Pomona, Pasadena, Santa Clarita and other areas, from Tuesday morning through Thursday evening.
Temperatures in those areas could range from the upper 80s to 100 degrees.
The Weather Service suggested the following actions:
- Continue to monitor the latest forecasts, as the amount of heating is still uncertain
- Adjust plans now to stay cool next week
- Check in with elderly neighbors and family members to ensure they are aware of the hot forecast
The high-pressure system is expected to weaken on Thursday, bringing cooler temperatures as we head into next weekend.
A 48-year-old man who led law enforcement on a dangerous pursuit lasting more than an hour is in custody in connection with the shooting deaths of a man and a woman at an upscale Pomona apartment complex Thursday, police announced.
Officers with the Pomona Police Department responded to the Monterey Station Apartments, located at 180 E. Monterey Ave., near North Garey Avenue, just before 3:30 p.m. on reports of a shooting, according to a department news release.
Police, along with responding Los Angeles County firefighters, found the two victims in a fourth-floor apartment.
Paramedics immediately began life-saving measures, but both victims were ultimately declared dead at the scene, investigators said.
Neighbors told KTLA’s Mary Beth McDade that the suspected shooter, Robert Galtman of Pomona, shot his girlfriend and another resident of the apartment complex.
“He shot the girl, that was the girlfriend,” one woman, a resident of the building who did not want to give her name, told KTLA. “I know them because he had tried to hit on me and told me the situation that she was beating him up and that she cheated on him with this guy, the one that was killed.”
Authorities were searching Galtman, who was believed to be in dark-colored sedan that fled the apartments northbound on Towne Avenue near Holt Avenue.
Just before 5 p.m., officers with the California Highway Patrol spotted his vehicle traveling northbound on the 5 Freeway, officials confirmed to KTLA. When officers attempted a traffic stop, he failed to yield and led authorities on a high-speed pursuit that lasted more than an hour.
During the pursuit, he made a U-turn on the freeway and headed southbound before exiting in Castaic and taking Lake Hughes Road through the hills toward the Antelope Valley.
Sky5 was over the dangerous chase as Galtman was seen tossing unknown items from the vehicle, including some type of liquid, swerving dangerously onto the shoulder and refusing to stop as at least four CHP units followed closely behind.
He initially dodged several spike strips deployed by officers, at one point driving on the shoulder in Lancaster before clipping one of the strips with the vehicle’s left side, causing both tires to deflate.
Still refusing to stop, Galtman continued at about 30 mph until a CHP officer accelerated and performed a PIT maneuver that spun the vehicle and disabled it.
He was quickly surrounded by officers with guns drawn but did not immediately comply.
Following law enforcement commands, Galtman exited the vehicle, surrendered and was taken into custody.
The identities of the two victims are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Authorities have not released a motive in the deadly shooting. The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to contact the Pomona Police Department’s Detective Bureau at 909-620-2085.
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