Body cam footage of the shooting death of Patrick Harmon.

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

A Utah prosecutor is urging the FBI to investigate a white police officer who shot and killed a black man who was stopped on his bicycle for crossing traffic without the required rear light.

Dramatic body cam footage of the Aug. 13 shooting shows Salt Lake Police Officer Clinton Fox yelling, “I’ll (expletive) shoot you” before firing his gun at 50-year-old Patrick Harmon from behind.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill ruled the shooting was justified, saying Harmon initially turned toward officers after threatening he had a knife, which was not discernible in the video. A knife was later found at the scene, according to police.

But Harmon’s family and civil rights activists applauded the decision to involve the FBI, saying the district attorney should resign for defending the officer.

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

A San Diego federal judge defended Border Patrol’s use of deadly force against rock throwers in a case involving a lawsuit filed by the family of a Mexican man killed at the border.

Border Patrol Agent Dorian Diaz fatally shot Jesus Yanez Reyes, 40, while he allegedly was throwing rocks at agents who were pursuing him.

U.S. District Judge William Hayes ruled last week that Border Patrol agents should not be held liable for Reyes’ death, the Los Angeles Times reports. 

“The Court concludes that the unique circumstances surrounding Yañez’s death implicate national security issues related to the security of our nation’s borders,” Hayes said.

Hayes also said Diaz is entitled to qualified immunity.

Lawyers for Reyes’ family plan to appeal.

“We feel strongly the law was clearly established on this point,” said attorney Gerald Singleton.

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents were involved in a fatal shooting after two high-speed chases, several exchanges of gunfire and the hijacking of a commercial truck in Arizona.

The shooting suspect was killed after firing his weapon numerous times at law enforcement officials.

The violence began at 12:56 a.m., when a state trooper pulled over a Ford Mustang for a traffic violation, KSWT reports. The front-seat passenger shot at a trooper and then fled with the Mustang along I-10.

After a 6-mile chase, the Mustang stopped before the suspect fired at Border Patrol agents, fled on foot and hijacked a commercial truck.

The suspect drove the truck along I-10 before exiting, exchanging fire with law enforcement and heading toward Main Street, where the vehicle stopped.

The suspect and law enforcement exchanged fire. The suspect was struck by a bulett and later died.

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James T. Hodgkinson was killed by police after he shot four people at a congressional baseball game.

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

Before firing 60 rounds from a rifle and handgun at an unwitting group of Republican lawmakers and staffers who were practice baseball in Alexandria, Va., James T. Hodgkinson had been living in his van in the parking lot of the YMCA on the outskirts of Washington D.C.

Struggling with his marriage, anger management problems and a beef against Republicans, the unemployed home inspector from Illinois approached the baseball players and asked, “Is this the Republican or Democrat baseball team?”

Soon after the encounter, the 66-year-old retrieved a 7.62-caliber SKS rifle and 9mm handgun from his van before returning and calmly and deliberately opening fire at the lawmakers and their staff.

U.S. Capitol Police special agents and officers from Alexandria returned fire, killing the gunman.

Five people were wounded, including House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., who is in fair condition at the hospital after multiple emergency surgeries.

On Wednesday, the FBI revealed details of a troubled Hodgkinson who had long-simmering hatred for Republicans.

“While the shooter was known to have a history of diagnosed mental illness, he is known, or it was known, to have an anger management problem,” Timothy R. Slater, FBI special agent in charge, said at a press conference Wednesday. “He was struggling in all kinds of different ways.” 

The FBI still doesn’t know why Hodgkinson was in the area, and agents believe he acted alone and that the shooting was spontaneous. 

Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La.

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

The FBI plans to release details today of the shooting that critically injured House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and four other people last week on a northern Virginia baseball field.

The bureau’s Washington Field Office will reveal the investigative findings by agents and other law enforcement officials.

Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, was critically wounded when he was shot near the hip, but after several surgeries, his condition has upgraded to serious.

James T. Hodgkinson was killed by police after he shot four people at a congressional baseball game. Photo via Facebook.

The shooting happened while Scalise and other congressional Republicans were practicing in advance of ann annual charity baseball game against Democrats.

James T. Hodgkinson, a harsh critic of President Trump and an employed home inspector, opened fire at the field and became involved in shootout with police before he was mortally wounded. 

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

Newly released video shows a Border Patrol agent firing 13 of 16 shots at a 16-year-old Mexican while he was lying facedown on the ground dying.

The video was played during a U.S. District Court hearing Monday for Border Patrol Agent Lonnie Swartz, who fired 16 shots through the border fence in Nogales, Ariz., at Antonio Elena Rodriguez, who was on the Mexican side, the Arizona Republic first reported. 

Rodriguez died.

Swartz, who was on the scene responding to a smuggling incident, appeared to be firing his gun while Rodriguez was lying on the ground and barely moving.

Rodriguez was shot in the head back and arms while he was on the ground, expert witness James Tavernetti said.

Swartz, who has pleaded not guilty to a charge of second-degree murder, said he fired his weapon in response to people throwing rocks at him from the Mexican side of the border.

Swartz’s trial is scheduled for October.

His attorneys are asking a judge to prevent the video from being shown during the trial because, they argue, the video evidence is unreliable. District Judge Raner Collins has not made a decision yet.

James T. Hodgkinson was killed by police after he shot four people at a congressional baseball game. Photo via Facebook.

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

The FBI has taken over the investigation of a 66-year-old gunman who opened fire at a congressional baseball team, shooting four people including high-ranking Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., who was in critical condition Wednesday night.

James T. Hodgkinson, a harsh critic of President Trump, was killed in a gun battle with police.

The FBI is investigating the background of shooter, his associates, social media activity and potential motivations.

According to the New York Times, Hodgkinson was living out of his van in the Northern Virginia suburbs and often posted venomous criticisms of Trump on Facebook. 

In the meantime, the ATF is tracing the history of the rifle and handgun used in the attack.

Dale Walsh, a friend of Hodgkinson, said the man was vibrant and positive when he was younger.

“He wasn’t evil,” Walsh said. “I guess he was tired of the politics.”

Darius Smith, 15, was fatally shot by an off-duty ICE agent. Photo via Twitter.

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

The family of a 15-year-old who was fatally shot by an off-duty ICE agent Friday night in Arcadia, Calif., claims the official narrative is false.

The agent said Darius Smith and two 14-year-old pointed a gun at him and demanded his money after they exited a train Friday night, TheRoot.com reports. In an act of self-defense, he said he shot the teens.

Smith died at a hospital, and the two 14-year-olds were not in life-threatening condition as of today. 

The teens face robbery charges.

Smith’s mother, Reshawna Myricks, is disputing the agent’s story, saying the teens would never try to rob someone.

“Them boys didn’t do that,” Myricks told KCAL9. “They aren’t those type of boys to do that.”

“[They’re] going to walk home; they’re going to see their kids tonight,” Myricks said of the border agent and law-enforcement officers claiming that her son committed a crime. “I got to go back and tell my other three that one of them ain’t coming back no more.

“First they said there was no crime committed,” Myricks continued. “Now there is a crime committed. Now it’s a gun; then they said there was a fight. I don’t know what to believe. All I know is my baby [is] gone and I’ll never know his story.”