SHAWNEE COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman with previous convictions of forgery on new forgery allegaions.

On&nbsp;July 10, police responded to a reported fraudulent check at Azura Credit Union, 1129 S Kansas Avenue in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.

The bank reported Tina M. Funk, 31, of Topeka, was attempting to cash a check that was fraudulent.

It was then found that Funk had four outstanding warrants. As a result of the investigation, Funk was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Forgery; Making or altering a written instrument; unknown conviction, Identity theft, Theft by deception; Value less than $1,500, Theft by deception; Value $1,500 to $25,000 and the Warrants.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Funk has previous forgery convictions in Atchison and Jefferson County. She has an ID theft conviction in Morris County, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720815041351.png" alt="Funk photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Funk photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman with previous convictions of forgery on new forgery allegaions.On&nbsp;July 10, police responded to a reported fraudulent check at Azura Credit Union, 1129 S Kansas Avenue in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.The bank reported Tina M. Funk, 31, of Topeka, was attempting to cash a check that was fraudulent.It was then found that Funk had four outstanding warrants. As a result of the investigation, Funk was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Forgery; Making or altering a written instrument; unknown conviction, Identity theft, Theft by deception; Value less than $1,500, Theft by deception; Value $1,500 to $25,000 and the Warrants.&nbsp;&nbsp;Funk has previous forgery convictions in Atchison and Jefferson County. She has an ID theft conviction in Morris County, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kan. woman with forgery convictions stopped while cashing a check 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal judge presiding over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;in Florida dismissed the prosecution on Monday, siding with defense lawyers who said the special counsel who filed the charges was illegally appointed by the Justice Department.

<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652.672.0_2.pdf">Click here to read</a> the full ruling

<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24807236-trump-classified-documents-case-dismissed">The decision</a>&nbsp;by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, which can be appealed and may be overruled by a higher court, brings at least for now a stunning and abrupt conclusion to a criminal case that at the time it was filed was widely regarded as the most perilous of all the legal threats the Republican former president confronted.

Though the case had long been stalled, and the prospect of a trial before the November election already was an unrealistic scenario, the judge's order is a mammoth legal victory for Trump as he recovers from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-thomas-matthew-crooks-shooter-881581c46c07025898027143fc9132e5">a weekend assassination attempt</a>&nbsp;and prepares to accept the Republican nomination in Milwaukee this week.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/">one of four criminal cases against Trump</a>, he had faced dozens of felony counts accusing him of illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and obstructing FBI efforts to get them back. He had pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing.

Defense lawyers filed multiple challenges to the case, including a legally technical one that asserted that special counsel Jack Smith had been illegally appointed under the Constitution's Appointments Clause because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-donald-trump-merrick-garland-government-and-550c01de053c08db4d53ca57f315feb6">he was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland</a>, rather than being confirmed by Congress, and that his office was improperly funded by the Justice Department.

“The Special Counsel’s position effectively usurps that important legislative authority, transferring it to a Head of Department, and in the process threatening the structural liberty inherent in the separation of powers,” Cannon wrote in a 93-page order granting a defense request to dismiss the case.

“If the political branches wish to grant the Attorney General power to appoint Special Counsel Smith to investigate and prosecute this action with the full powers of a United States Attorney, there is a valid means by which to do so," she added.

That mechanism is through congressional approval, she said.

The order is the latest example of Cannon, a Trump appointee, handling the case in ways that have benefited the ex-president.

She generated intense scrutiny during the FBI's investigation when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-bc980316f80f88620b92e5666f96251c">she appointed an independent arbiter</a>&nbsp;to inspect the classified documents recovered during the August 2022 search of Mar-a-Lago, a decision that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-criminal-investigations-government-and-politics-16748b82a502c0eec977d3ec51390027">was overturned months later by a unanimous federal appeals panel</a>.

Since then, she has been slow to issue rulings — favoring Trump's strategy of securing delays — and has entertained defense arguments that experts said other judges would have dismissed without hearings. In May, she indefinitely canceled the trial date amid a series of unresolved legal issues.

Smith's team had vigorously contested the Appointments Clause argument during hearings before Cannon last month and told the judge that even if she ruled in the defense team's favor, the proper correction would not be to dismiss the case. Smith's team had also noted that the position had been rejected in other courts involving other prosecutions brought by other Justice Department special counsels.

But Cannon remained unpersuaded, and she called the prosecution's claims “strained.”

“Both the Appointments and Appropriations challenges as framed in the Motion raise the following threshold question: is there a statute in the United States Code that authorizes the appointment of Special Counsel Smith to conduct this prosecution?” she said. “After careful study of this seminal issue, the answer is no.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661941600753.jpeg" alt="FILE This image contained in a court filing by the Department of Justice on Aug. 30, 2022, and redacted by in part by the FBI, shows a photo of documents seized during the Aug. 8 search by the FBI of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The Justice Department says it has uncovered efforts to obstruct its investigation into the discovery of classified records at former President Donald Trump's Florida estate. (Department of Justice via AP)" />
 <figcaption>FILE This image contained in a court filing by the Department of Justice on Aug. 30, 2022, and redacted by in part by the FBI, shows a photo of documents seized during the Aug. 8 search by the FBI of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The Justice Department says it has uncovered efforts to obstruct its investigation into the discovery of classified records at former President Donald Trump's Florida estate. (Department of Justice via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal judge presiding over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;in Florida dismissed the prosecution on Monday, siding with defense lawyers who said the special counsel who filed the charges was illegally appointed by the Justice Department.<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652.672.0_2.pdf">Click here to read</a> the full ruling<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721052323058.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24807236-trump-classified-documents-case-dismissed">The decision</a>&nbsp;by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, which can be appealed and may be overruled by a higher court, brings at least for now a stunning and abrupt conclusion to a criminal case that at the time it was filed was widely regarded as the most perilous of all the legal threats the Republican former president confronted.Though the case had long been stalled, and the prospect of a trial before the November election already was an unrealistic scenario, the judge's order is a mammoth legal victory for Trump as he recovers from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-thomas-matthew-crooks-shooter-881581c46c07025898027143fc9132e5">a weekend assassination attempt</a>&nbsp;and prepares to accept the Republican nomination in Milwaukee this week.In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/">one of four criminal cases against Trump</a>, he had faced dozens of felony counts accusing him of illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and obstructing FBI efforts to get them back. He had pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing.Defense lawyers filed multiple challenges to the case, including a legally technical one that asserted that special counsel Jack Smith had been illegally appointed under the Constitution's Appointments Clause because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-donald-trump-merrick-garland-government-and-550c01de053c08db4d53ca57f315feb6">he was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland</a>, rather than being confirmed by Congress, and that his office was improperly funded by the Justice Department.“The Special Counsel’s position effectively usurps that important legislative authority, transferring it to a Head of Department, and in the process threatening the structural liberty inherent in the separation of powers,” Cannon wrote in a 93-page order granting a defense request to dismiss the case.“If the political branches wish to grant the Attorney General power to appoint Special Counsel Smith to investigate and prosecute this action with the full powers of a United States Attorney, there is a valid means by which to do so," she added.That mechanism is through congressional approval, she said.The order is the latest example of Cannon, a Trump appointee, handling the case in ways that have benefited the ex-president.She generated intense scrutiny during the FBI's investigation when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-bc980316f80f88620b92e5666f96251c">she appointed an independent arbiter</a>&nbsp;to inspect the classified documents recovered during the August 2022 search of Mar-a-Lago, a decision that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-criminal-investigations-government-and-politics-16748b82a502c0eec977d3ec51390027">was overturned months later by a unanimous federal appeals panel</a>.Since then, she has been slow to issue rulings — favoring Trump's strategy of securing delays — and has entertained defense arguments that experts said other judges would have dismissed without hearings. In May, she indefinitely canceled the trial date amid a series of unresolved legal issues.Smith's team had vigorously contested the Appointments Clause argument during hearings before Cannon last month and told the judge that even if she ruled in the defense team's favor, the proper correction would not be to dismiss the case. Smith's team had also noted that the position had been rejected in other courts involving other prosecutions brought by other Justice Department special counsels.But Cannon remained unpersuaded, and she called the prosecution's claims “strained.”“Both the Appointments and Appropriations challenges as framed in the Motion raise the following threshold question: is there a statute in the United States Code that authorizes the appointment of Special Counsel Smith to conduct this prosecution?” she said. “After careful study of this seminal issue, the answer is no.”

Read the ruling: Judge dismisses Trump classified documents case

GEARY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged domestic altercation that occurred Sunday on Interstate 70 and have a suspect in custody.

Late Sunday, deputies responded to eastbound Interstate 70 near McDowell Creek Road after a report of a rolling domestic dispute in a passenger car, according to the Geary County Sheriff's Department.

Deputies were able to locate the vehicle approximately 12 miles west near Frontage Road in Riley County.

After an investigation deputies arrested 28-year-old Nina Kravtsova of Centerton, Arkansas and booked her into jail just before 2a.m. Monday on requested charges of Domestic Battery, Aggravated Assault (Domestic), Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer, and Interference with LEO. 

Kravtsova was later accused of Battery on a Corrections Officer, according to the Sheriff's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721050643528.png" alt="Kravtsova photo Geary Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Kravtsova photo Geary Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>GEARY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged domestic altercation that occurred Sunday on Interstate 70 and have a suspect in custody.Late Sunday, deputies responded to eastbound Interstate 70 near McDowell Creek Road after a report of a rolling domestic dispute in a passenger car, according to the Geary County Sheriff's Department.Deputies were able to locate the vehicle approximately 12 miles west near Frontage Road in Riley County.After an investigation deputies arrested 28-year-old Nina Kravtsova of Centerton, Arkansas and booked her into jail just before 2a.m. Monday on requested charges of Domestic Battery, Aggravated Assault (Domestic), Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer, and Interference with LEO. Kravtsova was later accused of Battery on a Corrections Officer, according to the Sheriff's office.

Woman jailed after reported domestic disturbance on I-70

WASHINGTON —Missouri U.S. Senator Josh Hawley on Sunday&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14386QQQ9225034QQQ8082554QQQ8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2024%2f07%2fHawley-Letter-to-Chairman-Peters-re-Attempted-Assassination-of-Trump.pdf&amp;redir_log=659204414725889" target="_blank">sent</a>&nbsp;a letter to U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.), calling on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) Chairman to immediately&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14386QQQ9225034QQQ8082554QQQ8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fx.com%2fHawleyMO%2fstatus%2f1812462184728846842&amp;redir_log=967991304406288" target="_blank">launch</a>&nbsp;an investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Trump at a Pennsylvania campaign rally Saturday.

“This HSGAC investigation must include public testimony, hearings, and robust oversight over the relevant federal departments as they respond to this assassination attempt. Sworn testimony must be heard from Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle. Nothing should be classified or withheld from the public,”&nbsp;wrote Senator Hawley.

“Our prayers are with President Trump, the family of the slain American, and the innocent civilians who were injured. We owe it to the victims and the American people to get to the bottom of what happened. The American people have questions. And they deserve answers,”&nbsp;he concluded.

Senator Hawley previously&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14386QQQ9225034QQQ8082554QQQ8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fhawley-statement-on-attempted-assassination-of-president-trump%2f&amp;redir_log=558475836707660" target="_blank">released</a>&nbsp;statements following the shooting,&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14386QQQ9225034QQQ8082554QQQ8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.realclearpolitics.com%2farticles%2f2024%2f07%2f14%2ftrump_survives_assassination_attempt_shooter_dead__151259.html&amp;redir_log=115496052595803" target="_blank">condemning</a>&nbsp;the political violence and demanding answers from President Biden’s Justice Department on the identity of the shooter.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720975879185.jpeg" alt="Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump gestures while surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents as he is helped off the stage at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)" />
 <figcaption>Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump gestures while surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents as he is helped off the stage at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —Missouri U.S. Senator Josh Hawley on Sunday&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14386QQQ9225034QQQ8082554QQQ8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2024%2f07%2fHawley-Letter-to-Chairman-Peters-re-Attempted-Assassination-of-Trump.pdf&amp;redir_log=659204414725889" target="_blank">sent</a>&nbsp;a letter to U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.), calling on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) Chairman to immediately&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14386QQQ9225034QQQ8082554QQQ8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fx.com%2fHawleyMO%2fstatus%2f1812462184728846842&amp;redir_log=967991304406288" target="_blank">launch</a>&nbsp;an investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Trump at a Pennsylvania campaign rally Saturday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721008784101.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“This HSGAC investigation must include public testimony, hearings, and robust oversight over the relevant federal departments as they respond to this assassination attempt. Sworn testimony must be heard from Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle. Nothing should be classified or withheld from the public,”&nbsp;wrote Senator Hawley.“Our prayers are with President Trump, the family of the slain American, and the innocent civilians who were injured. We owe it to the victims and the American people to get to the bottom of what happened. The American people have questions. And they deserve answers,”&nbsp;he concluded.Senator Hawley previously&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14386QQQ9225034QQQ8082554QQQ8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fhawley-statement-on-attempted-assassination-of-president-trump%2f&amp;redir_log=558475836707660" target="_blank">released</a>&nbsp;statements following the shooting,&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14386QQQ9225034QQQ8082554QQQ8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.realclearpolitics.com%2farticles%2f2024%2f07%2f14%2ftrump_survives_assassination_attempt_shooter_dead__151259.html&amp;redir_log=115496052595803" target="_blank">condemning</a>&nbsp;the political violence and demanding answers from President Biden’s Justice Department on the identity of the shooter.&nbsp;

Senator demands full-scale investigation on attempted assassination of Trump

KANSAS CITY—A suspect is in custody after a violent incident inside a Kansas City hospital.

Just after 9p.m. Friday, police responded to a report of gunshots fired inside St. Luke's hospital, 4401 Wornall Road, according to Officer&nbsp; Alayna Gonzalez.

&nbsp;Security was notified of a subject who entered the hospital and assaulted a staff member. When attempting to take him into custody, the suspect produced a handgun and fired off a shot. 

The suspect was placed in handcuffs until police arrived on scene. There were no injuries as a result of the shot being fired, according to Gonzalez. Police did not release the name of the suspect.

An arrest was made after one man walked into a Kansas City hospital, assaulted a healthcare worker and then fired a gun.

Just after 9p.m. on Friday, emergency crews were called to St. Luke’s Hospital at 4401 Wornall Road with reports of shots fired inside the hospital.

First responders indicated that security was told about an individual who entered the hospital and assaulted a staff member. When they attempted to take him into custody, the man pulled out a handgun and fired a single shot.

KCPD said the man was put in handcuffs until officers arrived. No injuries were reported as a result of the shooting. No further information has been released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720906851450.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—A suspect is in custody after a violent incident inside a Kansas City hospital.Just after 9p.m. Friday, police responded to a report of gunshots fired inside St. Luke's hospital, 4401 Wornall Road, according to Officer&nbsp; Alayna Gonzalez.&nbsp;Security was notified of a subject who entered the hospital and assaulted a staff member. When attempting to take him into custody, the suspect produced a handgun and fired off a shot. The suspect was placed in handcuffs until police arrived on scene. There were no injuries as a result of the shot being fired, according to Gonzalez. Police did not release the name of the suspect.An arrest was made after one man walked into a Kansas City hospital, assaulted a healthcare worker and then fired a gun.Just after 9p.m. on Friday, emergency crews were called to St. Luke’s Hospital at 4401 Wornall Road with reports of shots fired inside the hospital.First responders indicated that security was told about an individual who entered the hospital and assaulted a staff member. When they attempted to take him into custody, the man pulled out a handgun and fired a single shot.KCPD said the man was put in handcuffs until officers arrived. No injuries were reported as a result of the shooting. No further information has been released.

 Police: Staff member assaulted, gun fired inside KC hospital

WASHINGTON (AP) — The 20-year-old man&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vp-vance-rubio-7c7ba6b99b5f38d2d840ed95b2fdc3e5">who tried to assassinate</a>&nbsp;former President Donald Trump first came to law enforcement’s attention at Saturday's rally when spectators noticed him acting strangely outside the campaign event. The tip sparked a frantic search but officers were unable to find him before he managed to get on a roof, where he opened fire.

In the wake of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/election-biden-trump-campaign-updates-07-13-2024">the shooting</a>&nbsp;that killed one spectator, investigators were hunting for any clues about what may have drove Thomas Matthew Crooks, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, to carry out the shocking attack. The FBI said they were investigating it as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-assassination-attempt-db24c5bfbbe7d09fa2437c3c836bb434">potential act of domestic terrorism</a>, but the absence of a clear ideological motive by the man shot dead by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-rally-4e3415b1461f5acefbc8e1fadad0375b">Secret Service</a>&nbsp;led conspiracy theories to flourish.

“I urge everyone — everyone, please, don’t make assumptions about his motives or his affiliations," President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-shooting-election-2024-704592d02c3421a767112f0bf6d25eb9">said in remarks Sunday from the White House</a>. “Let the FBI do their job, and their partner agencies do their job. I’ve instructed that this investigation be thorough and swift.”

The FBI said it believes Crooks, who had bomb-making materials in the car he drove to the rally, acted alone. Investigators have found no threatening comments on social media accounts or ideological positions that could help explain what led him to target Trump before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/pennsylvania-butler-national-national-decb43c08e0f497bb4ce70c2fbd625b5">Secret Service rushed</a>&nbsp;the presumptive Republican presidential nominee off the stage, his face smeared with blood.

Trump said on social media the upper part of his right ear was pierced in the shooting, but advisers said he was “great spirits" ahead of his arrival Sunday in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention. Two spectators were critically injured, while a former fire chief from the area, Corey Comperatore was killed. Pennsylvania's governor said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-victim-fire-chief-11e1aa65e6e45584f49577686d38766e">Comperatore, 50, died a hero</a>&nbsp;by diving onto his family to protect them.

Relatives of Crooks didn’t respond to numerous messages from The Associated Press. His father, Matthew Crooks,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/14/us/trump-shooting-thomas-matthew-crooks-intl-hnk/index.html">told CNN late Saturday</a>&nbsp;that he was trying to figure out “what the hell is going on” but wouldn’t speak about his son until after he talked to law enforcement. An FBI official told reporters that Crooks' family is cooperating with investigators.

Several rallygoers reported to local officers that Crooks was acting suspiciously and pacing near the magnetometers, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation. Officers were then told Crooks was climbing a ladder, the official said. Officers searched for him but were unable to find him before he made it to the roof, the official added.

Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe told the AP that a local officer climbed to the roof and encountered Crooks, who saw the officer and turned toward him just before the officer dropped down to safety. Slupe said the officer couldn’t have wielded his own gun under the circumstances. The officer retreated down the ladder, and Crooks quickly took a shot toward Trump, and that’s when Secret Service snipers shot him, according to two officials who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

FBI officials said Sunday that they were combing Crooks' background and social media activities while working to get access to his phone. The chatting app Discord, a social media platform popular with people playing online games, said Crooks appears to have had an account but used it rarely and not in the last several months. There's no evidence he used his account to promote violence or discuss his political views, a Discord spokesperson said.

Crooks’ political leanings were not immediately clear. Records show Crooks was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania, but federal campaign finance reports also show he gave $15 to a progressive political action committee on Jan. 20, 2021, the day Biden was sworn into office.

Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022. In a video of the school’s graduation ceremony posted online, Crooks can be seen crossing the stage to receive his diploma, appearing slight of build and wearing glasses. The school district said it will cooperate fully with investigators. His senior year, Crooks was among several students given an award for math and science, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://triblive.com/local/awards-and-recognition-program-honors-bethel-park-graduates/">Tribune-Review</a>&nbsp;story at the time.

Crooks tried out for the school's rifle team but was turned away because he was a bad shooter, said Frederick Mach, a current captain of the team who was a few years behind Crooks at the school.

Jason Kohler, who said he attended the same high school but did not share any classes with Crooks, said Crooks was bullied at school and sat alone at lunch time. Other students mocked him for the clothes he wore, which included hunting outfits, Kohler said.

“He was bullied almost every day,” Kohler told reporters. “He was just a outcast, and you know how kids are nowadays.”

Crooks worked at a nursing home as a dietary aide, a job that generally involves food preparation. Marcie Grimm, the administrator of Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation, said in a statement she was “shocked and saddened to learn of his involvement.” Grimm added that Crooks had a clean background check when he was hired.

A blockade had been set up Sunday preventing traffic near Crooks’ house, which is in an enclave of modest brick houses in the hills outside Pittsburgh and about an hour's drive from the site of the Trump rally. Police cars were stationed at an intersection near the house and officers were seen walking through the neighborhood.

Crooks used an AR-style rifle, which authorities said they believe was purchased by his father. Kevin Rojek, FBI special agent in charge in Pittsburgh, said that investigators do not yet know if he took the gun without his father's permission.

A video posted to social media and geolocated by AP shows Crooks wearing a gray t-shirt with a black American flag on the right arm lying motionless on the roof of a manufacturing plant just north of the Butler Farm Show grounds where Trump’s rally was held.

The roof where Crooks lay was less than 150 meters (164 yards) from where Trump was speaking, a distance from which a decent marksman could reasonably hit a human-sized target. That is a distance at which U.S. Army recruits must hit a scaled human-sized silhouette to qualify with the M-16 rifle.

Images of Crooks’ body reviewed by AP show he appears to have been wearing a T-shirt from Demolition Ranch,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@DemolitionRanch/videos">a popular YouTube channel</a>&nbsp;that regularly posts videos of its creator firing off handguns and assault rifles at targets that include human mannequins.

Matt Carriker, the Texas-based creator of Demolition Ranch, did not respond to a phone message or email on Sunday, but posted a photo of Crooks' bloody corpse wearing his brand's T-shirt on social media with the comment “What the hell.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720972888448.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The 20-year-old man&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vp-vance-rubio-7c7ba6b99b5f38d2d840ed95b2fdc3e5">who tried to assassinate</a>&nbsp;former President Donald Trump first came to law enforcement’s attention at Saturday's rally when spectators noticed him acting strangely outside the campaign event. The tip sparked a frantic search but officers were unable to find him before he managed to get on a roof, where he opened fire.In the wake of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/election-biden-trump-campaign-updates-07-13-2024">the shooting</a>&nbsp;that killed one spectator, investigators were hunting for any clues about what may have drove Thomas Matthew Crooks, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, to carry out the shocking attack. The FBI said they were investigating it as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-assassination-attempt-db24c5bfbbe7d09fa2437c3c836bb434">potential act of domestic terrorism</a>, but the absence of a clear ideological motive by the man shot dead by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-rally-4e3415b1461f5acefbc8e1fadad0375b">Secret Service</a>&nbsp;led conspiracy theories to flourish.“I urge everyone — everyone, please, don’t make assumptions about his motives or his affiliations," President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-shooting-election-2024-704592d02c3421a767112f0bf6d25eb9">said in remarks Sunday from the White House</a>. “Let the FBI do their job, and their partner agencies do their job. I’ve instructed that this investigation be thorough and swift.”The FBI said it believes Crooks, who had bomb-making materials in the car he drove to the rally, acted alone. Investigators have found no threatening comments on social media accounts or ideological positions that could help explain what led him to target Trump before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/pennsylvania-butler-national-national-decb43c08e0f497bb4ce70c2fbd625b5">Secret Service rushed</a>&nbsp;the presumptive Republican presidential nominee off the stage, his face smeared with blood.Trump said on social media the upper part of his right ear was pierced in the shooting, but advisers said he was “great spirits" ahead of his arrival Sunday in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention. Two spectators were critically injured, while a former fire chief from the area, Corey Comperatore was killed. Pennsylvania's governor said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-victim-fire-chief-11e1aa65e6e45584f49577686d38766e">Comperatore, 50, died a hero</a>&nbsp;by diving onto his family to protect them.Relatives of Crooks didn’t respond to numerous messages from The Associated Press. His father, Matthew Crooks,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/14/us/trump-shooting-thomas-matthew-crooks-intl-hnk/index.html">told CNN late Saturday</a>&nbsp;that he was trying to figure out “what the hell is going on” but wouldn’t speak about his son until after he talked to law enforcement. An FBI official told reporters that Crooks' family is cooperating with investigators.Several rallygoers reported to local officers that Crooks was acting suspiciously and pacing near the magnetometers, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation. Officers were then told Crooks was climbing a ladder, the official said. Officers searched for him but were unable to find him before he made it to the roof, the official added.Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe told the AP that a local officer climbed to the roof and encountered Crooks, who saw the officer and turned toward him just before the officer dropped down to safety. Slupe said the officer couldn’t have wielded his own gun under the circumstances. The officer retreated down the ladder, and Crooks quickly took a shot toward Trump, and that’s when Secret Service snipers shot him, according to two officials who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.FBI officials said Sunday that they were combing Crooks' background and social media activities while working to get access to his phone. The chatting app Discord, a social media platform popular with people playing online games, said Crooks appears to have had an account but used it rarely and not in the last several months. There's no evidence he used his account to promote violence or discuss his political views, a Discord spokesperson said.Crooks’ political leanings were not immediately clear. Records show Crooks was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania, but federal campaign finance reports also show he gave $15 to a progressive political action committee on Jan. 20, 2021, the day Biden was sworn into office.Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022. In a video of the school’s graduation ceremony posted online, Crooks can be seen crossing the stage to receive his diploma, appearing slight of build and wearing glasses. The school district said it will cooperate fully with investigators. His senior year, Crooks was among several students given an award for math and science, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://triblive.com/local/awards-and-recognition-program-honors-bethel-park-graduates/">Tribune-Review</a>&nbsp;story at the time.Crooks tried out for the school's rifle team but was turned away because he was a bad shooter, said Frederick Mach, a current captain of the team who was a few years behind Crooks at the school.Jason Kohler, who said he attended the same high school but did not share any classes with Crooks, said Crooks was bullied at school and sat alone at lunch time. Other students mocked him for the clothes he wore, which included hunting outfits, Kohler said.“He was bullied almost every day,” Kohler told reporters. “He was just a outcast, and you know how kids are nowadays.”Crooks worked at a nursing home as a dietary aide, a job that generally involves food preparation. Marcie Grimm, the administrator of Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation, said in a statement she was “shocked and saddened to learn of his involvement.” Grimm added that Crooks had a clean background check when he was hired.A blockade had been set up Sunday preventing traffic near Crooks’ house, which is in an enclave of modest brick houses in the hills outside Pittsburgh and about an hour's drive from the site of the Trump rally. Police cars were stationed at an intersection near the house and officers were seen walking through the neighborhood.Crooks used an AR-style rifle, which authorities said they believe was purchased by his father. Kevin Rojek, FBI special agent in charge in Pittsburgh, said that investigators do not yet know if he took the gun without his father's permission.A video posted to social media and geolocated by AP shows Crooks wearing a gray t-shirt with a black American flag on the right arm lying motionless on the roof of a manufacturing plant just north of the Butler Farm Show grounds where Trump’s rally was held.The roof where Crooks lay was less than 150 meters (164 yards) from where Trump was speaking, a distance from which a decent marksman could reasonably hit a human-sized target. That is a distance at which U.S. Army recruits must hit a scaled human-sized silhouette to qualify with the M-16 rifle.Images of Crooks’ body reviewed by AP show he appears to have been wearing a T-shirt from Demolition Ranch,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@DemolitionRanch/videos">a popular YouTube channel</a>&nbsp;that regularly posts videos of its creator firing off handguns and assault rifles at targets that include human mannequins.Matt Carriker, the Texas-based creator of Demolition Ranch, did not respond to a phone message or email on Sunday, but posted a photo of Crooks' bloody corpse wearing his brand's T-shirt on social media with the comment “What the hell.”

What police know about man who tried to assassinate Donald Trump

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

A Fort Hays State University student has received a grant from the Heartland Community to paint a mural depicting native grasses, wildflowers and insects in downtown Hays.

The mural will be on the east side of the Andre Tax and Accounting building, 117 E. 10th St. Once it is complete, you should be able to view it from the downtown pavilion.

PJ Stauffer, 23, is a graduate student in art at FHSU, studying drawing.

Stauffer was a member of the Creative Arts Society at FHSU during his undergraduate studies. The group had the idea for a mural of native grasses, but the project never got off the ground because of the pandemic.

Stauffer is from a rural area of Glen Elder. He grew up on a farm and is familiar with native prairie scapes.

"I have always liked bugs and creatures and stuff, and flowers are easy for me to do because I find them beautiful," Stauffer said.

Stauffer painted three murals at his high school in Beloit. Two were landscapes, and one was an abstract painting with a musical theme.

The mural will be interactive. Visitors will be able to scan a QR code to see a list of insects, flowers and grasses depicted in it.

The mural will depict native grasses such as windmill grass, bluestem, Indian grass, switchgrass and side oats.

Some of the flowers will include bundle flower, coreopsis, Maximilian sunflower and cornflower.

Some insects will include silk moths, velvet ants, blacktail field cricket, mantis, bumblebees, rolly pollies,  parasitic wasps, tiger beetles and orb weavers.&nbsp;

"A lot of people say Kansas is just a lot of dead grass," Stauffer said. "It's not dead. There's a lot of colors out there, actually."

"It really bothers me that people say Kansas is ugly," he said.

He said he wanted to magnify the plants and insects so people would feel they were the same size as the landscape and insects.

"It's stuff that's very small, and we tend to overlook it, but when it's the same size as you, I think that's cool," Stauffer said.

He worked with the FHSU biology department to identify the wildlife, flora and fauna to be included in the mural.

"I came forward with a list of everything I wanted to put in it, and some are domestic. I learned the difference between things that grow here now very well because we brought them here versus stuff that has been here since before we got here," Stauffer said.

The Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics at FHSU and the building owner also contributed funds to the project.

Stauffer said he hopes to start on the mural as soon as possible and complete the painting by mid-August.

Stauffer will continue to work on his graduate degree at FHSU in the fall. In addition to continuing to create art, he hopes to teach when he finishes graduate school.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720644215037.jpeg" alt="Conceptual drawing of a new native prairie mural set to be painted on the building at 117 E. 1oth in downtown Hays. Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Conceptual drawing of a new native prairie mural set to be painted on the building at 117 E. 1oth in downtown Hays. Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostA Fort Hays State University student has received a grant from the Heartland Community to paint a mural depicting native grasses, wildflowers and insects in downtown Hays.The mural will be on the east side of the Andre Tax and Accounting building, 117 E. 10th St. Once it is complete, you should be able to view it from the downtown pavilion.PJ Stauffer, 23, is a graduate student in art at FHSU, studying drawing.Stauffer was a member of the Creative Arts Society at FHSU during his undergraduate studies. The group had the idea for a mural of native grasses, but the project never got off the ground because of the pandemic.Stauffer is from a rural area of Glen Elder. He grew up on a farm and is familiar with native prairie scapes."I have always liked bugs and creatures and stuff, and flowers are easy for me to do because I find them beautiful," Stauffer said.Stauffer painted three murals at his high school in Beloit. Two were landscapes, and one was an abstract painting with a musical theme.The mural will be interactive. Visitors will be able to scan a QR code to see a list of insects, flowers and grasses depicted in it.The mural will depict native grasses such as windmill grass, bluestem, Indian grass, switchgrass and side oats.Some of the flowers will include bundle flower, coreopsis, Maximilian sunflower and cornflower.Some insects will include silk moths, velvet ants, blacktail field cricket, mantis, bumblebees, rolly pollies, parasitic wasps, tiger beetles and orb weavers.&nbsp;"A lot of people say Kansas is just a lot of dead grass," Stauffer said. "It's not dead. There's a lot of colors out there, actually.""It really bothers me that people say Kansas is ugly," he said.He said he wanted to magnify the plants and insects so people would feel they were the same size as the landscape and insects."It's stuff that's very small, and we tend to overlook it, but when it's the same size as you, I think that's cool," Stauffer said.He worked with the FHSU biology department to identify the wildlife, flora and fauna to be included in the mural."I came forward with a list of everything I wanted to put in it, and some are domestic. I learned the difference between things that grow here now very well because we brought them here versus stuff that has been here since before we got here," Stauffer said.The Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics at FHSU and the building owner also contributed funds to the project.Stauffer said he hopes to start on the mural as soon as possible and complete the painting by mid-August.Stauffer will continue to work on his graduate degree at FHSU in the fall. In addition to continuing to create art, he hopes to teach when he finishes graduate school.

FHSU to create interactive prairie mural in downtown Hays

By NICK GOSNELL Hutch Post

A puppy in Hutchinson had to fight for its life recently because a young family trusted what they were told before consulting with a veterinarian.

"We got to contend with a Parvo case recently," said Jon Austin, DVM with Hutchinson Small Animal Hospital. "It's one of those things that definitely the old ounce of prevention pound to cure scenario for sure. I just wanted to restate to people how important it is to have a relationship with your veterinarian and to consult and trust their judgment and their recommendations for what's best medically for your pet, especially a new puppy. You know, this young family listened to the breeder you know and I can't tell you how many times in 33 years I've heard this you know that the dogs all current on his shots you know that's the line that comes from the breeder."

Fortunately, in this case, the puppy survived, but that doesn't always happen.

"Part of the sales technique or whatever is that they've been vetted and they've got all their shots," Austin said. "That's never true because if you're buying a puppy at eight or nine weeks, it's just now beginning to be old enough that it needs vaccinations. This young family kind of listened to that and didn't think and they had a puppy home for you know, five weeks and took it out in the community with them and exposed it accidentally, you know, to a virus that's out here and really prevalent in Hutchinson and Reno County called parvo virus. Parvo virus takes a happy bouncy puppy to depressed and just laying around and then you begin to vomit and have diarrhea and it becomes bloody vomit and bloody diarrhea dehydrates and becomes toxic and the animal can be dead in as few as three days."

"Ask your veterinarian," Austin said. "Most of us will do a series of vaccinations starting around seven and a half to eight weeks of age and should have a little three-week gap between vaccines and and that keeps your puppy healthy and prevents this disease from happening or if they do encounter it it makes the the process much less severe and they can survive you know even with the very best medicine and treatment we still lose upwards of 35-40% of the dogs. It's just a savage virus."

When you first get a puppy, take them to a vet and have the vet check them out and vaccinate them. It's the best and least expensive way to be sure they get a good start.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688392517145.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostA puppy in Hutchinson had to fight for its life recently because a young family trusted what they were told before consulting with a veterinarian."We got to contend with a Parvo case recently," said Jon Austin, DVM with Hutchinson Small Animal Hospital. "It's one of those things that definitely the old ounce of prevention pound to cure scenario for sure. I just wanted to restate to people how important it is to have a relationship with your veterinarian and to consult and trust their judgment and their recommendations for what's best medically for your pet, especially a new puppy. You know, this young family listened to the breeder you know and I can't tell you how many times in 33 years I've heard this you know that the dogs all current on his shots you know that's the line that comes from the breeder."Fortunately, in this case, the puppy survived, but that doesn't always happen."Part of the sales technique or whatever is that they've been vetted and they've got all their shots," Austin said. "That's never true because if you're buying a puppy at eight or nine weeks, it's just now beginning to be old enough that it needs vaccinations. This young family kind of listened to that and didn't think and they had a puppy home for you know, five weeks and took it out in the community with them and exposed it accidentally, you know, to a virus that's out here and really prevalent in Hutchinson and Reno County called parvo virus. Parvo virus takes a happy bouncy puppy to depressed and just laying around and then you begin to vomit and have diarrhea and it becomes bloody vomit and bloody diarrhea dehydrates and becomes toxic and the animal can be dead in as few as three days."Parvo virus is easily preventable."Ask your veterinarian," Austin said. "Most of us will do a series of vaccinations starting around seven and a half to eight weeks of age and should have a little three-week gap between vaccines and and that keeps your puppy healthy and prevents this disease from happening or if they do encounter it it makes the the process much less severe and they can survive you know even with the very best medicine and treatment we still lose upwards of 35-40% of the dogs. It's just a savage virus."When you first get a puppy, take them to a vet and have the vet check them out and vaccinate them. It's the best and least expensive way to be sure they get a good start.

Vet: Parvo in puppies is preventable

&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Wichita Police Department reported that 2-year-old Ryan Ramones was located safe. Richard Ramones is currently in custody. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation canceled the Amber Alert.&nbsp;

At 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, Ryan Ramones was physically taken from his mother by his father, Richard Ramones, who assaulted the mother. She was holding Ryan at the time of the assault and the father fell into furniture with the child, possibly causing injury to him. 

Richard took the boy and left the residence of 7101 West Shade Apt. 515, in Wichita. He was on foot headed in an unknown direction. The child was believed to be injured and in imminent danger. Police did not release details on the condition of the boy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721037613565.png" alt="Photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>Photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Wichita Police Department reported that 2-year-old Ryan Ramones was located safe. Richard Ramones is currently in custody. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation canceled the Amber Alert.&nbsp;At 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, Ryan Ramones was physically taken from his mother by his father, Richard Ramones, who assaulted the mother. She was holding Ryan at the time of the assault and the father fell into furniture with the child, possibly causing injury to him. Richard took the boy and left the residence of 7101 West Shade Apt. 515, in Wichita. He was on foot headed in an unknown direction. The child was believed to be injured and in imminent danger. Police did not release details on the condition of the boy.

Police: Suspect in Kansas Amber Alert is in custody

JACKSON COUNTY, Mo. —Two people died and five others were injured in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Sunday in Jackson County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Hyundai Elantra driven by Connor J. Souther, 20, Lexington, Missouri, was eastbound on Interstate 70 near the Blue Springs exit. 

The car traveled off the left side of the road, crossed the median, traveled into the westbound lanes and struck a westbound 2018 Chevy Traverse driven by Garret D. Brumley, 56, Lee's Summit, head-on.&nbsp;

Souther and Brumley were pronounced dead at the scene and they were transported to the Medical Examiner's office.

EMS transported five passengers in the Chevy including Gary D. Brumley, 80 and Glenna Brumley, 79; both of Louisburg, Kansas; Juneitta F. Brumley, 58; Kayla M. Mcenroe, 25 and Justin Mcenroe, 25, all of Lee's Summit to Centerpoint Medical Center. All seven were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

JACKSON COUNTY, Mo. —Two people died and five others were injured in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Sunday in Jackson County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Hyundai Elantra driven by Connor J. Souther, 20, Lexington, Missouri, was eastbound on Interstate 70 near the Blue Springs exit. The car traveled off the left side of the road, crossed the median, traveled into the westbound lanes and struck a westbound 2018 Chevy Traverse driven by Garret D. Brumley, 56, Lee's Summit, head-on.&nbsp;Souther and Brumley were pronounced dead at the scene and they were transported to the Medical Examiner's office.EMS transported five passengers in the Chevy including Gary D. Brumley, 80 and Glenna Brumley, 79; both of Louisburg, Kansas; Juneitta F. Brumley, 58; Kayla M. Mcenroe, 25 and Justin Mcenroe, 25, all of Lee's Summit to Centerpoint Medical Center. All seven were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Kan. couple hospitalized, 2 dead after I-70 head-on crash

By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Author/42773/c-todd-lopez/">C. Todd Lopez</a>, Department of Defense

As the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nato.int/" target="_blank">NATO</a>&nbsp;summit in Washington concluded last week, the U.S. announced its latest security package for Ukraine.&nbsp;

"The Defense Department announced the 61st presidential drawdown authority package, which has an estimated value of $225 million," said Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh during a briefing Friday. "This package will provide Ukraine additional capabilities to meet its most urgent needs and includes one Patriot battery, munitions for rocket systems, and artillery and antitank weapons."

Also among the materials in the latest security assistance package are 155 mm and 105 mm artillery rounds; Javelin and AT-4 antiarmor systems; and small-arms ammunition.&nbsp;

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, the United States has committed more than $53.7 billion in security assistance through both presidential drawdown authority and the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717851301558.png" alt="File photo White House -Since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, the United States has committed more than $53.7 billion in security assistance" />
 <figcaption>File photo White House -Since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, the United States has committed more than $53.7 billion in security assistance</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Author/42773/c-todd-lopez/">C. Todd Lopez</a>, Department of DefenseAs the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nato.int/" target="_blank">NATO</a>&nbsp;summit in Washington concluded last week, the U.S. announced its latest security package for Ukraine.&nbsp;"The Defense Department announced the 61st presidential drawdown authority package, which has an estimated value of $225 million," said Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh during a briefing Friday. "This package will provide Ukraine additional capabilities to meet its most urgent needs and includes one Patriot battery, munitions for rocket systems, and artillery and antitank weapons."Also among the materials in the latest security assistance package are 155 mm and 105 mm artillery rounds; Javelin and AT-4 antiarmor systems; and small-arms ammunition.&nbsp;Since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, the United States has committed more than $53.7 billion in security assistance through both presidential drawdown authority and the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.

$53.7 Billion: U.S. spending more on weapons for Ukraine

Late Sunday morning Former first lady Melania Trump released a letter following the assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

In a post on his social media network, former President Donald Trump also thanked “everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening.”

“We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness,” he said.

Trump also said, “Our love goes out to the other victims and their families” and he said he’s praying “for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed.”

“In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win,” he adds.

“I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin,” he said in his Sunday morning social media post.&nbsp;&nbsp;The convention kicks off Monday in Milwaukee.

An online fundraiser for victims of the Trump rally shooting has raised more than $1 million.

The fund created by Trump campaign officials is “a place for donations to the supporters and families wounded or killed” in Saturday’s assassination attempt."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602762449332.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Late Sunday morning Former first lady Melania Trump released a letter following the assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720974759727.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720974789176.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In a post on his social media network, former President Donald Trump also thanked “everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening.”“We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness,” he said.Trump also said, “Our love goes out to the other victims and their families” and he said he’s praying “for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed.”“In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win,” he adds.“I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin,” he said in his Sunday morning social media post.&nbsp;&nbsp;The convention kicks off Monday in Milwaukee.An online fundraiser for victims of the Trump rally shooting has raised more than $1 million.The fund created by Trump campaign officials is “a place for donations to the supporters and families wounded or killed” in Saturday’s assassination attempt."

Read Melania Trump's letter after the attempted assassination 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden warned Sunday of the risks of political violence in the U.S. after Saturday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-assassination-attempt-db24c5bfbbe7d09fa2437c3c836bb434">attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump</a>, saying, “It's time to cool it down.”

In a prime-time national address from the Oval Office, Biden said political passions can run high but “we must never descend into violence.” The president acknowledged the passions of an election year, and that he and Republicans offer different policy visions, but implored Americans to “recommit” to resolving their differences peacefully.

“There is no place in America for this kind of violence — for any violence. Ever. Period. No exception. We can’t allow this violence to be normalized," Biden said.

Biden spoke for six minutes in his third address to the nation since Saturday evening's attack by a shooter that killed one rallygoer and seriously injured two more. His warning came hours after FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate said agents have seen increasingly violent rhetoric online since the attack at the Trump rally.

The president and his team had been grappling with how to calibrate the path forward after the weekend attack on the very person Biden is trying to defeat in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">November’s election</a>.

The president noted that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-rnc-what-to-expect-702139084873df3d633ee19d1b82e5f0">Republican National Convention</a>&nbsp;was opening in Milwaukee on Monday, while he himself would be returning to the reelection campaign trail after pausing his schedule to manage the immediate response to the shooting. Biden said he had “no doubt” that Republicans will “criticize my record and offer their own vision for this country" and promised to campaign laying out his own ideas, but said those disagreements must remain peaceful.

“We can do this,” Biden pleaded, saying the nation was founded on a democracy that gave reason and balance a chance to prevail over brute force. “American democracy — where arguments are made in good faith. American democracy — where the rule of law is respected. Where decency, dignity, fair play aren’t just quaint notions, they’re living, breathing realities.”

Biden also warned that political tensions were being flamed by a balkanized media environment and exploited by American enemies.

“Here in America we need to get out of our silos, where we only listen to those with whom we agree, where misinformation is rampant, where foreign actors fan the flames of our division to shape the outcomes consistent with their interests, not ours,” Biden said.

Earlier Sunday he had been briefed in the White House Situation Room and condemned the attempted assassination of his predecessor,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>, as “contrary to everything we stand for as a nation.” He said he was ordering an independent security review of how such an attack could have happened.

The president said he has also directed the U.S. Secret Service to review all security measures for the RNC. Hours later, Audrey Gibson-Cicchino, the Secret Service’s coordinator for the convention, said the weekend attack against Trump did not prompt any changes to the agency's security plan for the event and officials “are fully prepared.”

Biden called for the country to “unite as one nation,” promised a “thorough and swift” review and asked the public not to “make assumptions” about the shooter’s motives or affiliations.

The president said he and first lady Jill Biden were praying for the family of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-victim-fire-chief-11e1aa65e6e45584f49577686d38766e">Corey Comperatore</a>, a former fire chief who was shot and killed during the Trump rally Saturday night in Butler, Pennsylvania.

“He was protecting his family from the bullets," Biden said. "God love him.”

The president also said he'd had a “short but good conversation” with Trump in the hours after the shootings and said he was “sincerely grateful” that the former president is “doing well and recovering.”

Trump, who has called for national resilience since the shooting, posted on his social media account after Biden's remarks, “UNITE AMERICA!”

Biden, who has set out to brand Trump as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-democracy-election-2024-f2f824f056ae9f81f4e688fe590f41b4">dire threat to democracy</a>&nbsp;and the nation’s very founding principles, put a temporary pause on such political messaging. Shortly after Saturday night's attack, Biden’s reelection campaign froze “all outbound communications” and was working to pull down its television ads.

The president also postponed a planned trip to Texas on Monday, where he was to speak on the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act at the Lyndon B. Johnson presidential library. An NBC News interview between Biden and anchor Lester Holt will now occur at the White House, instead of in Texas, as initially planned.

Biden's campaign said that, after the NBC interview airs on Monday night, it and the Democratic National Committee “will continue drawing the contrast” with Trump over the course of the GOP convention — even though it remains unclear when ads would resume.

Biden also still plans to make a planned trip to Las Vegas, which will include a campaign event Wednesday. Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;postponed her planned campaign trip to Florida on Tuesday, where she had been set to meet with Republican women.

Trump, meanwhile, arrived Sunday evening in Milwaukee for the Republican convention, where criticism of Biden and the Democrats is sure to be searing.

The weekend developments were only the latest upheaval in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-2024-lawmakers-debate-2c426f98063ab30143a7675cba10a5b4">campaign that has been extraordinarily topsy-turvy in recent weeks</a>.

Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bidentrumppresidentialdebate-0e7577e9a354a69f50675494fea54ca9">shaky debate performance</a>&nbsp;on June 27 so spooked his own party that some top surrogates and donors turned on him, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-president-trump-d5fb136a643edb020745336ff9709923">nearly 20 Democratic members of Congress</a>&nbsp;called on the president to leave the race outright. Facing mounting questions about whether he was fit for a second term, Biden and his top advisers have been scrambling to salvage his campaign by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-campaigning-pennsylvania-democratic-doubts-election-77b050b1c5c39aec2ef633281d082566">adding events</a>&nbsp;around the country and more aggressively criticizing Trump.

Saturday's attack upended — at least for now — that counteroffensive on the cusp of the Republican convention.

The campaign hoped that Sunday's Oval Office address let Biden further drive home his point about unity while demonstrating leadership that could assuage nervous critics within his own party.

“We’ll debate and we’ll disagree, that’s not going to change,” Biden said in his afternoon remarks. “But we’ll not lose sight of who we are as Americans.”

Although investigators are still in the early stages of determining what occurred and why, some Biden critics were calling out the president for telling donors in a private call Monday that “it’s time to put Trump in the bullseye.”

A person familiar with those remarks said the president was trying to make the point that Trump had gotten away with a light public schedule after last month's debate while the president himself faced intense scrutiny. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to more freely discuss private conversations.

In the donor call, Biden said: “I have one job and that’s to beat Donald Trump. ... I’m absolutely certain I’m the best person to be able to do that."

He continued: “So, we’re done talking about the debate. It’s time to put Trump in the bullseye. He’s gotten away with doing nothing for the last 10 days except ride around in his golf cart, bragging about scores he didn’t score. … Anyway I won’t get into his golf game.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721002063120.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden warned Sunday of the risks of political violence in the U.S. after Saturday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-assassination-attempt-db24c5bfbbe7d09fa2437c3c836bb434">attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump</a>, saying, “It's time to cool it down.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden Full Oval Office Address following Assassination Attempt against former President Trump: &quot;We can&#39;t allow this violence to be normalized.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/IkhCZn8Fn0">pic.twitter.com/IkhCZn8Fn0</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1812645870795391383?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a prime-time national address from the Oval Office, Biden said political passions can run high but “we must never descend into violence.” The president acknowledged the passions of an election year, and that he and Republicans offer different policy visions, but implored Americans to “recommit” to resolving their differences peacefully.“There is no place in America for this kind of violence — for any violence. Ever. Period. No exception. We can’t allow this violence to be normalized," Biden said.Biden spoke for six minutes in his third address to the nation since Saturday evening's attack by a shooter that killed one rallygoer and seriously injured two more. His warning came hours after FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate said agents have seen increasingly violent rhetoric online since the attack at the Trump rally.The president and his team had been grappling with how to calibrate the path forward after the weekend attack on the very person Biden is trying to defeat in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">November’s election</a>.The president noted that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-rnc-what-to-expect-702139084873df3d633ee19d1b82e5f0">Republican National Convention</a>&nbsp;was opening in Milwaukee on Monday, while he himself would be returning to the reelection campaign trail after pausing his schedule to manage the immediate response to the shooting. Biden said he had “no doubt” that Republicans will “criticize my record and offer their own vision for this country" and promised to campaign laying out his own ideas, but said those disagreements must remain peaceful.“We can do this,” Biden pleaded, saying the nation was founded on a democracy that gave reason and balance a chance to prevail over brute force. “American democracy — where arguments are made in good faith. American democracy — where the rule of law is respected. Where decency, dignity, fair play aren’t just quaint notions, they’re living, breathing realities.”Biden also warned that political tensions were being flamed by a balkanized media environment and exploited by American enemies.“Here in America we need to get out of our silos, where we only listen to those with whom we agree, where misinformation is rampant, where foreign actors fan the flames of our division to shape the outcomes consistent with their interests, not ours,” Biden said.Earlier Sunday he had been briefed in the White House Situation Room and condemned the attempted assassination of his predecessor,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>, as “contrary to everything we stand for as a nation.” He said he was ordering an independent security review of how such an attack could have happened.The president said he has also directed the U.S. Secret Service to review all security measures for the RNC. Hours later, Audrey Gibson-Cicchino, the Secret Service’s coordinator for the convention, said the weekend attack against Trump did not prompt any changes to the agency's security plan for the event and officials “are fully prepared.”Biden called for the country to “unite as one nation,” promised a “thorough and swift” review and asked the public not to “make assumptions” about the shooter’s motives or affiliations.The president said he and first lady Jill Biden were praying for the family of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-victim-fire-chief-11e1aa65e6e45584f49577686d38766e">Corey Comperatore</a>, a former fire chief who was shot and killed during the Trump rally Saturday night in Butler, Pennsylvania.“He was protecting his family from the bullets," Biden said. "God love him.”The president also said he'd had a “short but good conversation” with Trump in the hours after the shootings and said he was “sincerely grateful” that the former president is “doing well and recovering.”Trump, who has called for national resilience since the shooting, posted on his social media account after Biden's remarks, “UNITE AMERICA!”Biden, who has set out to brand Trump as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-democracy-election-2024-f2f824f056ae9f81f4e688fe590f41b4">dire threat to democracy</a>&nbsp;and the nation’s very founding principles, put a temporary pause on such political messaging. Shortly after Saturday night's attack, Biden’s reelection campaign froze “all outbound communications” and was working to pull down its television ads.The president also postponed a planned trip to Texas on Monday, where he was to speak on the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act at the Lyndon B. Johnson presidential library. An NBC News interview between Biden and anchor Lester Holt will now occur at the White House, instead of in Texas, as initially planned.Biden's campaign said that, after the NBC interview airs on Monday night, it and the Democratic National Committee “will continue drawing the contrast” with Trump over the course of the GOP convention — even though it remains unclear when ads would resume.Biden also still plans to make a planned trip to Las Vegas, which will include a campaign event Wednesday. Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;postponed her planned campaign trip to Florida on Tuesday, where she had been set to meet with Republican women.Trump, meanwhile, arrived Sunday evening in Milwaukee for the Republican convention, where criticism of Biden and the Democrats is sure to be searing.The weekend developments were only the latest upheaval in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-2024-lawmakers-debate-2c426f98063ab30143a7675cba10a5b4">campaign that has been extraordinarily topsy-turvy in recent weeks</a>.Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bidentrumppresidentialdebate-0e7577e9a354a69f50675494fea54ca9">shaky debate performance</a>&nbsp;on June 27 so spooked his own party that some top surrogates and donors turned on him, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-president-trump-d5fb136a643edb020745336ff9709923">nearly 20 Democratic members of Congress</a>&nbsp;called on the president to leave the race outright. Facing mounting questions about whether he was fit for a second term, Biden and his top advisers have been scrambling to salvage his campaign by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-campaigning-pennsylvania-democratic-doubts-election-77b050b1c5c39aec2ef633281d082566">adding events</a>&nbsp;around the country and more aggressively criticizing Trump.Saturday's attack upended — at least for now — that counteroffensive on the cusp of the Republican convention.The campaign hoped that Sunday's Oval Office address let Biden further drive home his point about unity while demonstrating leadership that could assuage nervous critics within his own party.“We’ll debate and we’ll disagree, that’s not going to change,” Biden said in his afternoon remarks. “But we’ll not lose sight of who we are as Americans.”Although investigators are still in the early stages of determining what occurred and why, some Biden critics were calling out the president for telling donors in a private call Monday that “it’s time to put Trump in the bullseye.”A person familiar with those remarks said the president was trying to make the point that Trump had gotten away with a light public schedule after last month's debate while the president himself faced intense scrutiny. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to more freely discuss private conversations.In the donor call, Biden said: “I have one job and that’s to beat Donald Trump. ... I’m absolutely certain I’m the best person to be able to do that."He continued: “So, we’re done talking about the debate. It’s time to put Trump in the bullseye. He’s gotten away with doing nothing for the last 10 days except ride around in his golf cart, bragging about scores he didn’t score. … Anyway I won’t get into his golf game.”

🎥 Biden's oval office address following Trump assassination attempt

WASHINGTON — Thousands of Republicans will gather in Milwaukee beginning Monday for the party’s presidential nominating convention — a typically joyous occasion that will likely take on a different tone this year after a gunman shot at Donald Trump, injuring him, on Saturday.

Trump, who will be formally nominated as the GOP’s presidential nominee on Thursday, still plans to attend the convention and officials stress the four-day event will go on as normal.

The shooting at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania is being i<a href="https://penncapital-star.com/campaigns-elections/fbi-identifies-shooter-in-assassination-attempt-on-trump-at-butler-rally/" target="_blank">nvestigated as an attempted assassination</a>&nbsp;and the FBI identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pa. The U.S. Secret Service “neutralized the shooter, who is now deceased,” the Secret Service said.

Trump, who has been declared “safe” by the Secret Service, posted on social media Sunday morning that he was still looking “forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin.”

“Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening,” Trump wrote. “We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness. Our love goes out to the other victims and their families. We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed. In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win.”

Senior advisors to the Trump campaign Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita released a statement hours after the shooting on Saturday to say that the former president wasn’t changing his plans.

“President Trump looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th President of the United States,” Wiles and LaCivita wrote in a joint statement. “As our party’s nominee, President Trump will continue to share his vision to Make America Great Again.”

Reince Priebus, chairman of the MKE 2024 Host Committee, said in a separate statement that he was “heartbroken that reports indicate that at least one innocent person has been killed and perhaps others have been injured. This horrific violence has no place in America.”

“Guests have already begun to arrive in Wisconsin, and we look forward to working with the Republican National Committee to welcome everyone to Milwaukee this week,” Priebus added.

Political party conventions are designated as National Special Security Events, or NSSEs, and come with extremely heightened security compared to a typical campaign rally.

The Secret Service will have at least two security perimeters around the Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee and the city itself will be swarming with additional federal, state and local law enforcement officers.

The convention will still host speeches throughout the week and the dozens of side events hosted by state Republican Parties and conservative organizations were still expected to continue, though likely with a more somber mood than was planned before the shooting.

WASHINGTON — Thousands of Republicans will gather in Milwaukee beginning Monday for the party’s presidential nominating convention — a typically joyous occasion that will likely take on a different tone this year after a gunman shot at Donald Trump, injuring him, on Saturday.Trump, who will be formally nominated as the GOP’s presidential nominee on Thursday, still plans to attend the convention and officials stress the four-day event will go on as normal.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGOP%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0UqxG4atEqJipdnJHrSDcy6PG92u7nPxP1Jkxx5jeFWFZ9RPNxrqrn2Z3EGeFvR6hl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="364" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The shooting at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania is being i<a href="https://penncapital-star.com/campaigns-elections/fbi-identifies-shooter-in-assassination-attempt-on-trump-at-butler-rally/" target="_blank">nvestigated as an attempted assassination</a>&nbsp;and the FBI identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pa. The U.S. Secret Service “neutralized the shooter, who is now deceased,” the Secret Service said.Trump, who has been declared “safe” by the Secret Service, posted on social media Sunday morning that he was still looking “forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin.”“Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening,” Trump wrote. “We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness. Our love goes out to the other victims and their families. We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed. In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win.”Senior advisors to the Trump campaign Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita released a statement hours after the shooting on Saturday to say that the former president wasn’t changing his plans.“President Trump looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th President of the United States,” Wiles and LaCivita wrote in a joint statement. “As our party’s nominee, President Trump will continue to share his vision to Make America Great Again.”Reince Priebus, chairman of the MKE 2024 Host Committee, said in a separate statement that he was “heartbroken that reports indicate that at least one innocent person has been killed and perhaps others have been injured. This horrific violence has no place in America.”“Guests have already begun to arrive in Wisconsin, and we look forward to working with the Republican National Committee to welcome everyone to Milwaukee this week,” Priebus added.Political party conventions are designated as National Special Security Events, or NSSEs, and come with extremely heightened security compared to a typical campaign rally.The Secret Service will have at least two security perimeters around the Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee and the city itself will be swarming with additional federal, state and local law enforcement officers.The convention will still host speeches throughout the week and the dozens of side events hosted by state Republican Parties and conservative organizations were still expected to continue, though likely with a more somber mood than was planned before the shooting.

GOP convention to go on as planned in Milwaukee, with Trump in attendance

BUFFALO TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania (AP) — The former fire chief who was killed at a Pennsylvania rally for Donald Trump spent his final moments diving in front of his family to protect them from gunfire that rang out Saturday during an assassination attempt against the former president.

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-allyson-after-tragic-loss?attribution_id=sl:8ebb6271-1db2-4eae-884d-37b25ed25190&amp;utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=copy_link">Click here to view the GoFundMe </a>for the Comperatore family

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro confirmed Sunday that Corey Comperatore, 50, had died a “hero," using his body as a shield to protect both his wife and daughter from the bullets.

“His wife shared with me that he dove on his family to protect them,” Shapiro said.

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden extended their “deepest condolences” to Comperatore's family.

“He was a father. He was protecting his family from the bullets that were being fired and he lost his life, God love him. We’re also praying for the full recovery of those who were injured," Biden said.

At least two other people were injured during the attempt to kill Trump at Saturday's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Those two have been identified as David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, Pennsylvania and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township, Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania State Police. Both were listed in stable condition as of Sunday.

Separately, Texas U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson said in a statement Sunday that his nephew was injured but “thankfully his injury was not serious.”

“My family was sitting in the front, near where the President was speaking," Jackson said. "They heard shots ringing out — my nephew then realized he had blood on his neck and something had grazed and cut his neck. He was treated by the providers in the medical tent.”

The Secret Service said it killed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-thomas-matthew-crooks-shooter-881581c46c07025898027143fc9132e5">suspected shooter,</a>&nbsp;who attacked from an elevated position outside the rally venue.

The former president was showing off a chart of border-crossing numbers when at least five shots were fired. Trump was seen holding his ear and got down on the ground. Agents quickly created a shield around him. When he stood, his face bloodied, he pumped his fist to cheering supporters

Randy Reamer, president of the Buffalo Township volunteer fire company, called Comperatore “a stand-up guy” and “a true brother of the fire service.” He said Comperatore served as chief of the company for about three years but was also a life member, meaning he had served for more than 20 years.

“Just a great all-around guy, always willing to help someone out,” Reamer said of Comperatore. “He definitely stood up for what he believed in, never backed down to anyone. … He was a really good guy.”

A crew was power-washing the front of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company on Sunday with plans to install memorial drapery to honor the slain former chief.

Assistant Chief Ricky Heasley of Sarver, who knew him for more than a decade, remembered him as very outgoing and full of life.

“He never had a bad word,” Heasley said.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-allyson-after-tragic-loss?attribution_id=sl:8ebb6271-1db2-4eae-884d-37b25ed25190&amp;utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=copy_link">GoFundMe</a>&nbsp;launched to support Comperatore’s family had already surpassed more than $180,000 in donations as of Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720987221196.png" alt="Corey Comperatore photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Corey Comperatore photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>BUFFALO TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania (AP) — The former fire chief who was killed at a Pennsylvania rally for Donald Trump spent his final moments diving in front of his family to protect them from gunfire that rang out Saturday during an assassination attempt against the former president.<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-allyson-after-tragic-loss?attribution_id=sl:8ebb6271-1db2-4eae-884d-37b25ed25190&amp;utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=copy_link">Click here to view the GoFundMe </a>for the Comperatore familyPennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro confirmed Sunday that Corey Comperatore, 50, had died a “hero," using his body as a shield to protect both his wife and daughter from the bullets.“His wife shared with me that he dove on his family to protect them,” Shapiro said.President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden extended their “deepest condolences” to Comperatore's family.“He was a father. He was protecting his family from the bullets that were being fired and he lost his life, God love him. We’re also praying for the full recovery of those who were injured," Biden said.At least two other people were injured during the attempt to kill Trump at Saturday's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Those two have been identified as David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, Pennsylvania and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township, Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania State Police. Both were listed in stable condition as of Sunday.Separately, Texas U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson said in a statement Sunday that his nephew was injured but “thankfully his injury was not serious.”“My family was sitting in the front, near where the President was speaking," Jackson said. "They heard shots ringing out — my nephew then realized he had blood on his neck and something had grazed and cut his neck. He was treated by the providers in the medical tent.”The Secret Service said it killed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-thomas-matthew-crooks-shooter-881581c46c07025898027143fc9132e5">suspected shooter,</a>&nbsp;who attacked from an elevated position outside the rally venue.The former president was showing off a chart of border-crossing numbers when at least five shots were fired. Trump was seen holding his ear and got down on the ground. Agents quickly created a shield around him. When he stood, his face bloodied, he pumped his fist to cheering supportersRandy Reamer, president of the Buffalo Township volunteer fire company, called Comperatore “a stand-up guy” and “a true brother of the fire service.” He said Comperatore served as chief of the company for about three years but was also a life member, meaning he had served for more than 20 years.“Just a great all-around guy, always willing to help someone out,” Reamer said of Comperatore. “He definitely stood up for what he believed in, never backed down to anyone. … He was a really good guy.”A crew was power-washing the front of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company on Sunday with plans to install memorial drapery to honor the slain former chief.Assistant Chief Ricky Heasley of Sarver, who knew him for more than a decade, remembered him as very outgoing and full of life.“He never had a bad word,” Heasley said.A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-allyson-after-tragic-loss?attribution_id=sl:8ebb6271-1db2-4eae-884d-37b25ed25190&amp;utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=copy_link">GoFundMe</a>&nbsp;launched to support Comperatore’s family had already surpassed more than $180,000 in donations as of Sunday.

Former fire chief who died at Trump rally used his body to shield family

The
drought monitor report as of Tuesday, July 9 shows a little over half the state
now totally out of drought conditions. &nbsp;None
of the state is in extreme or exception drought.&nbsp; Barton County is ranges from a little
abnormally dry conditions with mostly moderate drought.&nbsp; Part of the area northwest of Barton County
is in severe drought as is the area of Reno, Sedgwick, and Harvey Counties.&nbsp; The six to ten-day outlook (July 16 to 20)
indicates a 50 to 60% chance of likely above normal temperatures and leaning 33
to 40% chance above normal for precipitation.&nbsp;
The eight to fourteen-day outlook (July 18 to 24) indicates a 40 to 50%
chance of leaning above normal for temperatures and a continued 33 to 40%
chance of leaning above normal for precipitation.&nbsp; No great for dryland soybeans and corn kernel
development.&nbsp; Fortunately, much of the
area’s corn, especially east of US 281 has pollinated.&nbsp; 

Over the last several weeks, the extension
district’s agents have shared releases from K-State Research and Extension in
Manhattan regarding pest control, especially weed control with the recent rains
and wheat harvest.&nbsp; Naturally, much of
the focus has centered on chemical weed control which is a necessary component
of pest control, especially when trying to reduce and/or eliminate
tillage.&nbsp; For those not in the industry,
it may seem chemical control is all agriculture does.&nbsp; However, this is farm from true.&nbsp; Over the last fifty years, pest control has
evolved from simply spraying and tillage to a process termed Integrated Pest
Management (IPM).

Before starting, it’s important to
understand that producers would be thrilled to not need to apply these
chemicals.&nbsp; It’s expensive, takes time and
labor, and producers are concerned about protecting environmental
resources.&nbsp; While some use of chemical
control can be found back to the Roman Era and even before, Prior to the end of
WWII, most pest control was mechanical removal of the pest, burning, or in some
way physically removing the pest or pest infected organisms.&nbsp; During the war DDT was developed and used
initially for mosquito control in the Pacific Theater and for insect
susceptible stored items.&nbsp; After the war,
DDT was promoted as a miracle chemical for controlling insect pest
everywhere.&nbsp; Then in the 1950s,
herbicides development led to chemical weed control with Atrazine for weed
control initially in corn seeing to be the answer for weed control.&nbsp; Naturally, research into chemical control
ramped up for insects, diseases, and weeds.&nbsp;
It seemed to many that we were on the cusp of a “Golden Age” of pest
control.&nbsp; Many may be familiar with what
was happening by the early 1960s with DDT and Rachel Carson’s book, “Silent
Spring.”&nbsp; Next was the almost total
elimination of bald eagles in the continental U.S.&nbsp; This combined with pollution and health
issues, the development of pest resistance, and issues with crop rotations and
residual herbicides grabbed the attention of the USDA, land grant institutions.
Producers and the public.&nbsp; 

The upshot was, by the 1970s, a
search among the scientific community for an effective, environmentally safer
approach to pest control.&nbsp; Next week:
Integrated Pest Management.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596995818491.jpeg" alt="Dr. Victor L. Martin, Instructor/Coordinator Agriculture/Weights and Measures, Barton Community College" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Victor L. Martin, Instructor/Coordinator Agriculture/Weights and Measures, Barton Community College</figcaption>
 </figure>The
drought monitor report as of Tuesday, July 9 shows a little over half the state
now totally out of drought conditions. &nbsp;None
of the state is in extreme or exception drought.&nbsp; Barton County is ranges from a little
abnormally dry conditions with mostly moderate drought.&nbsp; Part of the area northwest of Barton County
is in severe drought as is the area of Reno, Sedgwick, and Harvey Counties.&nbsp; The six to ten-day outlook (July 16 to 20)
indicates a 50 to 60% chance of likely above normal temperatures and leaning 33
to 40% chance above normal for precipitation.&nbsp;
The eight to fourteen-day outlook (July 18 to 24) indicates a 40 to 50%
chance of leaning above normal for temperatures and a continued 33 to 40%
chance of leaning above normal for precipitation.&nbsp; No great for dryland soybeans and corn kernel
development.&nbsp; Fortunately, much of the
area’s corn, especially east of US 281 has pollinated.&nbsp; Over the last several weeks, the extension
district’s agents have shared releases from K-State Research and Extension in
Manhattan regarding pest control, especially weed control with the recent rains
and wheat harvest.&nbsp; Naturally, much of
the focus has centered on chemical weed control which is a necessary component
of pest control, especially when trying to reduce and/or eliminate
tillage.&nbsp; For those not in the industry,
it may seem chemical control is all agriculture does.&nbsp; However, this is farm from true.&nbsp; Over the last fifty years, pest control has
evolved from simply spraying and tillage to a process termed Integrated Pest
Management (IPM).Before starting, it’s important to
understand that producers would be thrilled to not need to apply these
chemicals.&nbsp; It’s expensive, takes time and
labor, and producers are concerned about protecting environmental
resources.&nbsp; While some use of chemical
control can be found back to the Roman Era and even before, Prior to the end of
WWII, most pest control was mechanical removal of the pest, burning, or in some
way physically removing the pest or pest infected organisms.&nbsp; During the war DDT was developed and used
initially for mosquito control in the Pacific Theater and for insect
susceptible stored items.&nbsp; After the war,
DDT was promoted as a miracle chemical for controlling insect pest
everywhere.&nbsp; Then in the 1950s,
herbicides development led to chemical weed control with Atrazine for weed
control initially in corn seeing to be the answer for weed control.&nbsp; Naturally, research into chemical control
ramped up for insects, diseases, and weeds.&nbsp;
It seemed to many that we were on the cusp of a “Golden Age” of pest
control.&nbsp; Many may be familiar with what
was happening by the early 1960s with DDT and Rachel Carson’s book, “Silent
Spring.”&nbsp; Next was the almost total
elimination of bald eagles in the continental U.S.&nbsp; This combined with pollution and health
issues, the development of pest resistance, and issues with crop rotations and
residual herbicides grabbed the attention of the USDA, land grant institutions.
Producers and the public.&nbsp; The upshot was, by the 1970s, a
search among the scientific community for an effective, environmentally safer
approach to pest control.&nbsp; Next week:
Integrated Pest Management.