Connect with us

International

Officials say man who opened fire at Trump rally was a 20-year-old from Pennsylvania

Published

on

Spread the love

Donald Trump’s campaign says he is “fine” after what law enforcement officials are treating as as assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Officials said the man who opened fire was a 20-year-old from Pennsylvania.

In a social media post, Trump said he was “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.” The former president was quickly whisked from the stage by Secret Service agents, his ear covered in blood.

A prosecutor said the suspected gunman and at least one attendee are dead, and the Secret Service said two spectators were critically injured.

President Joe Biden and political leaders of all stripes condemned the attack. “There’s no place in America for this type of violence,” Biden said. “It’s sick. It’s sick.”

The Latest:

Maduka College Advert

Reactions condemning the attack along with messages of support and wishes for a successful recovery for Trump have poured in from political leaders around the world.

“Political violence in any form has no place in our societies,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the attack “despicable” and French President Emmanuel Macron said his country “shares the indignation of the American people.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the shooting was “a horrific crime that must be condemned.”

Egyptian President Abdelfattah El Sissi said he hopes the U.S. presidential campaign proceeds “in a peaceful and healthy atmosphere, free of any aspects of terrorism, violence, or hatred.” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the shooting a “shocking development.”

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who recently was shot in a failed assassination attempt, called the attack on Trump a “copycat scenario.”

The FBI early Sunday named Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the shooter in the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The agency said the investigation remains active and ongoing.

The political leanings of Crooks 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 President Joe Biden was sworn in to office.

Former President Donald Trump’s private jet landed shortly after midnight Sunday at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Video posted by an aide showed him deplaning flanked by U.S. Secret Service agents and heavily armed members of the agency’s counter assault team, an unusually visible show of force by his protective detail.

Trump planned to spend the night at his private golf club in nearby Bedminster, New Jersey.

Meanwhile President Joe Biden arrived at the White House early Sunday after cutting short a weekend trip to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

The White House said he would receive a briefing from Homeland Security and law enforcement officials on the attempted assassination of Trump later in the morning.

Vice President Kamala Harris was also to attend.

The officials spoke to AP on condition of anonymity to discuss details that had not yet been publicly released.

Asked if law enforcement did not know the shooter was on the roof until he began firing, Kevin Rojek, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Pittsburgh field office, responded, “that is our assessment at this time.”

“It is surprising” that the shooter was able to get off as many rounds as were fired, Rojek said. He added that “all the details of that will come out later investigation.”

Meanwhile State Police said the Secret Service was responsible for surveying the venue where the rally was held. Asked whether there was anything about the venue that made it particularly difficult to secure, Lt. Col. Bivens deferred to the Secret Service, which was not present at the news conference.

Bivens said he wouldn’t speculate when asked “how close a call” it was for Trump.

Bivens also said police have have identified the person killed and people injured but are not prepared to release names.

Other than Trump, two people were critically injured and one was killed. All were adult males.

Kevin Rojek, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Pittsburgh field office, said late Saturday: “Tonight we had what we’re calling an assassination attempt on our former president, Donald Trump.”

“We do not currently have an identified motive,” he added.

The FBI was not prepared to release the identity of the shooter, who died at the scene.

Rojek said they received no specific threats ahead of the shooting.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro also said Trump had left the area of Butler, where the rally was held.

Shapiro said Trump was “under the protection of US Secret Service and with the assistance of the Pennsylvania State Police.”

“Lori and I are thankful that his team reports that he is fine and we continue to wish him a full and speedy recovery,” the governor added.

The White House said President Joe Biden spoke with former President Donald Trump on Saturday evening.

No further details were provided on the call.

Biden will convene a briefing with homeland security and law enforcement officials at the White House on Sunday morning.

The president said late Saturday that he would return to the White House, cutting short a weekend stay in Delaware to monitor the unfolding situation.

At 6:02 pm Saturday, to the strains of “God Bless the U.S.A.,” former President Donald Trump took the stage at fairgrounds in Butler, Pennsylvania, waving at the cheering crowd and settling into his regular rally speech under a scorching midsummer sun.

A few short minutes later, Trump pointed to a projection of a chart that showed a spike in illegal border crossings under the man he’s running against, President Joe Biden. “That chart’s a couple of months old,” Trump told the crowd. “And if you want to see something really sad —”

That’s when the shots rang out, at least five. Trump clutched his ear as dark-suited Secret Service agents dashed toward him. He dropped to the ground as the agents yelled, “Get down!” The thousands of rallygoers packed into the field in front of him moved as one, dropping down as silence spread across the grass, punctuated only by an occasional scream.

Rico Elmore, vice chairman of the Beaver County Republican Party, was sitting in a section for special guests, facing President Trump, when he heard what sounded like firecrackers.

“So, everyone hesitated — and it was like, no, these are actual shots. So I yelled, ‘Get down!’”

Elmore saw Secret Service agents helping Trump off the stage and then heard someone from his left calling for a medic.

Elmore knows first aid and CPR from his time in the military, and he knew a medic wouldn’t be able to reach the cries for help fast enough.

He took off his tie and jumped a barricade, but when he reached the person, Elmore saw he had been shot in the head. Elmore said he held the victim’s head but it was too late. The man was unresponsive.

“I mean, it was a horror,” Elmore said. “I pray to the family that had to deal with this that is going through this now. Because it is hard. It is so hard.”

He said that the shots came from behind the bleachers but did not see the shooter.

Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee say the party’s convention in Milwaukee this week will “proceed” after the rally shooting.

“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,” said Trump campaign advisers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita and Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley and co-chair Lara Trump in a statement.

The convention is set to open Monday.

Law enforcement recovered an AR-style rifle at the scene, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person was not authorized to discuss details of the investigation.

“DHS and the Secret Service are working with law enforcement partners to respond to and investigate the shooting,” Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement.”

“We are engaged with President Biden, former President Trump, and their campaigns, and are taking every possible measure to ensure their safety and security. Maintaining the security of the Presidential candidates and their campaign events is one of our Department’s most vital priorities.”

Ivanka Trump, his eldest daughter: “Thank you for your love and prayers for my father and for the other victims of today’s senseless violence in Butler, Pennsylvania. I am grateful to the Secret Service and all the other law enforcement officers for their quick and decisive actions today. I continue to pray for our country. I love you Dad, today and always.”

Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and a key witness against him at his criminal trial: “Whether you agree or disagree with someone’s political position, THIS IS NOT THE SOLUTION!”

James Comer, a Kentucky Republican who chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability: “Political violence in all forms is unamerican and unacceptable. There are many questions and Americans demand answers. I have already contacted the Secret Service for a briefing and am also calling on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to appear for a hearing.”

Billionaire Elon Musk: “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery.”

The National Rifle Association: “We pray for the safety and well-being of President Trump and the brave men and women protecting him and all in attendance in PA.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: “I’m sickened by the shooting at former President Trump. It cannot be overstated — political violence is never acceptable. My thoughts are with former President Trump, those at the event, and all Americans.”

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat: “I’m glad to hear President Trump is doing well following this terrible act of violence. Violence is never acceptable. My thoughts are with President Trump and everyone impacted by this inexcusable act that I strongly condemn.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese: “There is no place for violence in the democratic process. I am relieved to hear reports that former President Trump is now safe.”

Multiple shots were fired toward the stage by a shooter at Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania, the Secret Service said, leaving one spectator dead and two critically injured.

The agency said the shooter fired from “an elevated position outside the rally venue.” Agents “neutralized” the shooter, who is now dead. The agency repeated that Trump is “safe” and is being evaluated.

In a social media post, Trump said he was “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.”

He wrote on his Truth Social platform that he “knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

Trump also thanked the Secret Service and other law endorsement for their “rapid response.” And he extended condolences “to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured.”

“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead,” he said.

Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger told CNN that in addition to the spectator who was killed, another attendee was taken to a local hospital and in serious condition.

“The shooter is dead,” Goldinger said.

He said the shooter was outside the rally grounds, but he didn’t give additional information about where.

“Quite frankly I don’t know how he would have gotten to the location where he was, but he was outside the grounds, and I think that’s something that we’re going to have to figure out — how he got there,” Goldinger told CNN.

Vice President Kamala Harris: “Doug and I are relieved that he is not seriously injured. We are praying for him, his family, and all those who have been injured and impacted by this senseless shooting. … We must all condemn this abhorrent act and do our part to ensure that it does not lead to more violence.”

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell: “Tonight, all Americans are grateful that President Trump appears to be fine after a despicable attack on a peaceful rally. Violence has no place in our politics.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office: “We are shocked by the scenes at President Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania. We condemn all forms of political violence in the strongest terms and we send our best wishes to President Trump and his family at this time.”

Nikki Haley, Republican former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador: “This should horrify every freedom loving American,” and “Violence against presidential candidates must never be normalized.”

Democratic Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren: “Political violence is wrong and I condemn it. I hope everyone who attended the rally is ok and I am glad the former president is safe.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican: “Thank God President Trump seems to be okay. Just another reminder of the times in which we live. We need to pray fervently for anyone who may have been injured at the rally.”

Former President Bill Clinton: “Violence has no place in America, especially in our political process. Hillary and I are thankful that President Trump is safe, heartbroken for all those affected by the attack at today’s rally in Pennsylvania, and grateful for the swift action of the U.S. Secret Service.”

Former Democratic Vice President Al Gore: The country “must join together to wholeheartedly and unequivocally condemn political violence,” and “the former president and those affected today are in my prayers.”

Democratic Mayor Cavalier Johnson of Milwaukee, which is hosting the upcoming Republican National Convention: .“No one should be shot — not like this. Not kids, not churchgoers, and not a candidate for President of the United States,” Johnson, a Democrat, said. “We must demand peace, whether it is in the political sphere or in homes and neighborhoods everywhere.”

“There’s no place in America for this type of violence,” Biden said. “It’s sick. It’s sick.”

The president said “everybody must condemn” the attack, he is relieved that Trump is reportedly “doing well” and he hopes to speak with his 2024 presidential rival soon.

Biden said he was waiting for additional information before formally calling the attack an attempted assassination. “I have an opinion, but i don’t have any facts,” he told reporters, pledging to provide updates as he learns more.

The president also pledged to update the public later on whether they speak as well as additional details about the investigation.

Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., said he just spoke to his father on the phone and “he is in great spirits.”

“He will never stop fighting to save America, no matter what the radical left throws at him,” Trump Jr. said in a statement.

Biden will be delivering remarks from the White House’s emergency briefing room in Rehoboth Beach, Del., which is set up whenever the president travels to allow him to deliver remarks to the country in a matter of minutes.

Two officials spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation. They said the shooter was not an attendee at the rally and was killed by U.S. Secret Service agents.

Former President Barack Obama said in a statement that “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy.” He added that while details were still scarce, “we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics.”

“As one whose family has been the victim of political violence, I know firsthand that political violence of any kind has no place in our society,” former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. “I thank God that former President Trump is safe. As we learn more details about this horrifying incident, let us pray that all those in attendance at the former President’s rally today are unharmed.”

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said on the social platform X that his thoughts and prayers are with former President Trump. “I am thankful for the decisive law enforcement response,” he said. “America is a democracy. Political violence of any kind is never acceptable.”

The shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania is being investigated as an attempted assassination of the former president and presumptive Republican nominee, law enforcement officials say.

Two officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation.

Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was shot in the head in 2011 while at a meeting with her constituents, released a statement saying “Political violence is terrifying. I know.”

“I’m holding former president Trump, and all those affected by today’s indefensible act of violence in my heart,” the Democrat said. “Political violence is un-American and is never acceptable — never.”

Similar statements are coming from other officials, including President George W. Bush, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and House Speaker Mike Johnson.

In New York, a spokesperson for New York Mayor Eric Adams said that out of “an abundance of caution,” police increased their presence across the city including at Trump Tower and 40 Wall Street.

“While we are surging these resources, we want to be very clear that we see no nexus to NYC at this time,” Fabien Levy said on the social platformX.

As Trump was talking, a popping sound was heard, and the former president put his right hand up to his right ear. People in the stands behind him appeared shocked.

Trump appeared to lower himself behind the lectern and the sounds — apparent gunshots — continued as Secret Service agents rushed the stage.

Trump’s microphone picked up the sound of people yelling “Get down, get down, get down” while at least three agents piled on top of him.

The apparent gunshot sound was heard again several times while agents were on him. People in the crowd screamed.

Someone’s voice was heard through the microphone asking “Are we good?” Secret Service agents in tactical gear stood on the stage, some looking out to the crowd.

A voice was heard saying, “Shooter’s down.” Then a voice said, “We’re clear” and “Let’s move.”

Agents stood up, surrounding Trump. As they moved with him off the stage, Trump lifted his right arm and fist into the air. Blood was seen on the right side of his face.

Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said in a phone interview that the suspected gunman was dead and at least one rally attendee was killed.

Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick, who was sitting in the front row, told Politico that it appeared someone behind him was shot.

“All the sudden shots started to crack, someone behind me appears to have been shot,” McCormick said. “There’s lots of blood, and then the Secret Service were all over President Trump.”

Trump, as a former president, retains Secret Service protection for life under federal law. As the presumptive Republican nominee who is frequently in the public eye, he received added protective assets.

President Joe Biden received an updated briefing on the incident at the Trump rally from Kimberly Cheatle, the director of the United States Secretary Service, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and White House homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall.

The Bureau of Alcoholo, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives issued a statement: “ATF is responding to assist the U.S. Secret Service and other law enforcement partners. This is a top priority. We have no further comment at this time.”

North Dakota Sen. Doug Burgum, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Sen. JD Vance, the three men on Trump’s shortlist for vice president, all quickly sent out statements expressing concern for the former president.

Rubio shared an image taken as Trump was escorted off stage with his fist in the air and a streak of blood on his face along with the words, “God protected President Trump.”

“I am horrified by what happened at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania and relieved that former President Trump is safe. Political violence has no place in our country,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer in a statement.

“We should all condemn what happened today and I am hoping for the health of the former president and everyone else at the rally,” Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy posted on the social platform X.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a post on X that his “thoughts and prayers are with former President Trump” and expressed thanks “for the decisive law enforcement response.”

Trump’s new eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., posted a photo of Trump, his first raised and his face bloody in front of an American flag, with the words: “He’ll never stop fighting to Save America ” on the social platform X.

Donald Trump’s campaign said in a statement that he was “fine” after being whisked off the stage at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania after apparent gunshots rang through the crowd.

“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act,” spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement. “He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow.”

The former president and presumptive Republican nominee was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers during his last rally before the Republican National Convention opens Monday when bangs started ringing through the crowd. Trump could be seen reaching with his right hand toward his neck. There appeared to be blood on his face.

He quickly ducked behind the riser as agents from his protective detail rushed the stage and screams were heard in the crowd of several thousand people. The bangs continued as agents tended to him on stage.

The crowd cheered as he got back up and pumped his fist.

His motorcade has since left the venue. His condition was not immediately known.

Donald Trump was whisked off the stage at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania after apparent gunshots rang through the crowd.

Trump was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers when bangs started ringing through the crowd. Trump could be seen reaching with his right hand toward his neck. There appeared to be blood on his face.

He quickly ducked behind the riser as agents from his protective detail rushed the stage and screams rang out from the crowd. The bangs continued as agents tended to him on stage.

The crowd cheered as he got back up and pumped his fist.

His motorcade has left the venue. His condition was not immediately known.

Police began vacating the fairgrounds shortly after Trump left the stage.

The U.S. Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies did not immediately respond to messages.

Leaving Mass in Rehoboth Beach, President Joe Biden simply responded, “No,” when asked if he’d been briefed about the incident.

Donald Trump has been escorted off stage by the Secret Service during his rally after loud noises rang out in the crowd.

abc News

International

27 feared dead after two mass shootings in South Africa

Published

on

People gather at the store in Lwandle, near Cape Town, where 10 people were killed. Photograph: Esa Alexander/Reuters
Spread the love
Twenty-seven people have been killed in two mass shootings hours apart in South Africa, the latest gun violence to hit the country.

Seventeen people were killed when eight gunmen stormed a bar close to Johannesburg on Saturday evening, with 15 more injured.

In a separate shooting in the early hours of Sunday morning, 10 people were killed outside an entertainment venue in a township near Cape Town and a further 11 were injured.

South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world and has struggled to contain gang-related gun violence in recent years. Police have not indicated a motive for either of the latest attacks.

In Johannesburg, gunmen opened fire on customers outside the bar before continuing the attack inside and torching two vehicles before fleeing.

Police said thirteen men and four women were killed.

Maduka College Advert

Deputy provincial police commissioner Maj Gen Fred Kekana said the attack may have been a retaliation for an incident last month, in which one person was killed and another wounded, according to AFP news agency.

Speaking at the scene, he said police had clear pictures and in some cases names for the suspects.

In Cape Town, five victims died at the scene and a further five people died in hospital.

No arrests had been made in either case on Sunday morning.

The two mass shootings came days after 11 people were killed in the city of Duban when gunmen stormed a house in the KwaMakhutha township.

Reuters An armed guard walking down a road with people looking on from behind police tape
Armed security forces were deployed to the scene of a mass shooting in Cape Town on Sunday morning

Illegal weapons are prevalent in South Africa and gun violence has been a persistent problem for decades, with about 60 murders recorded every day in the country of 62 million.

But a recent spate of mass shootings has raised fears that the problem is deepening, with violence often linked to turf wars between gangs engaged in drug trafficking and illegal mining.

In February, President Cyril Ramaphosa called organised crime “the most immediate threat to our democracy, our society and our economic development”.

Earlier this year the military was deployed alongside police in areas with the highest murder rates in an effort to reduce armed violence.

On Saturday a tenth woman’s body was found in Ekurhuleni, to the east of Johannesburg, with local police saying they were unable to rule out a serial killer operating in the area with similarities between the deaths. (BBC)

Continue Reading

International

US has deported 25,000 to third countries under secretive deals – Report

Published

on

U.S. President Donald Trump
Spread the love

The United States has deported more than 25,000 people under secretive agreements with 35 countries to take migrants with no ties to those nations, according to an investigation published Monday.

Since US President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, Washington has been signing deals with developing countries to take migrants who cannot legally be sent home.

The investigation by Forbidden Stories found the administration has earmarked $410 million to be paid directly to the receiving countries, or to UN agencies to facilitate the returns.

At least 25,447 people had already been deported to third countries by August 31, 2026, according to data compiled by Forbidden Stories with a consortium of international journalists.

The vast majority — around 20,000 — were sent to Mexico, but the rest were dispersed to 27 other countries across Latin America, Africa, and the Pacific, and agreements have been finalised with seven more.

Maduka College Advert

The deals vary, including over which nationalities can be deported and whether people with criminal records can be accepted.

An AFP investigation earlier this year found Washington is using visa bans and restrictions on African countries to strongarm them into accepting deportees.

Lawyers told AFP that deportees were being thrown into a “legal black hole”, held without charge in countries where they have no ties and few if any rights.

Forbidden Stories said 49 of Africa’s 54 countries had been approached about accepting third-country deportees.

A little-known State Department division called the Office of Remigration, created in May 2025, has handled most of the negotiations and payments, according to Forbidden Stories.

The office is headed by Christian Jove Ehrhardt, a 41-year-old diplomat who previously worked as a security officer.

The report details his visits to Cameroon, which signed a memorandum of understanding with the US in December on accepting deportees. A week later, it also signed a five-year health assistance programme worth nearly $400 million.

The following month, the State Department said it would provide a further $30 million to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Cameroon to “facilitate the voluntary return of refugees and combat illegal immigration.”

The first plane carrying deportees arrived in Cameroon on January 14.

– Payments –

Other agreements have involved direct payments to governments.

Palau, a small Pacific island nation with a population of under 18,000, signed an agreement in December 2025 to accept up to 75 third-country nationals in return for $7.5 million.

However, only three people have so far been sent under the agreement.

In Eswatini, 32 people have arrived since July 2025 out of a possible 160 under an agreement worth more than $5 million. It has accepted deportees with criminal records, the investigation found.

Of the $410 million planned for the agreements, internal State Department records showed that $81 million was earmarked for signatory governments.

The rest was intended for aid organisations, including more than $178 million for the UN’s International Organisation for Migration, and $123 million for UNHCR.

The agencies have faced criticism over their involvement, although UNHCR told Forbidden Stories that it was not party to the bilateral agreements and that US funding was being used in line with its mandate to strengthen asylum systems.

An IOM spokesperson told Forbidden Stories that the agency’s decisions to accept funding rested “on a single question: whether our engagement will improve the lives of the migrants affected. In these instances, we believe strongly it does.”

Continue Reading

International

Mother demands answers, weeks after black woman found hanging from Mississippi tree

Published

on

Christy Spivey told the BBC she was angered by the investigative hold-ups over the death of her daughter, Tasia Fortune
Spread the love

The mother of a black woman whose body was found hanging from a tree in Jackson, Mississippi, has told the BBC she is still waiting for answers from officials more than a month later.

Her demands have been echoed by a community in the southern US state that has been left shocked and angry.

After weeks of silence, police on Tuesday confirmed for the first time that they were investigating the death of Tasia Fortune, 29, as a potential homicide – while clarifying that her official cause of death has yet to be confirmed.
Authorities discovered Fortune’s body on 3 August, hanging from a tree in the lot of an abandoned home.

Local concern over her death has been heightened by the fact that the state has a dark history of racial violence and lynchings.
The majority-black city has been left on edge. As the question lingers as to how Fortune died, petitions online signed by tens of thousands of people have called for more transparency, and members of US Congress have asked for federal intervention.

“It’s making me angry,” Fortune’s mother, Christy Spivey, said. “What is the hold up?”
Spivey described desperate attempts to understand the status of the investigation and how multiple enquiries to police had gone unanswered.

Maduka College Advert

The first update she had received from authorities in weeks came in a public city meeting on Tuesday evening as Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney discussed the case and said the department “has been investigating this case from day one as a homicide”.

Brackney, in a statement to the BBC, elaborated and said the department always treats any pending death case as a “potential homicide” so that crucial evidence is not lost as police wait on autopsy results.

The department, though, had only previously described the case as a death investigation.
Tuesday’s statement from Brackney said “we are conducting the investigation at the highest appropriate level while we await the medical examiner’s findings”, which would include an official cause and manner of death.

The medical examiner’s office said it would not comment on the pending case.
Christy Spivey Tasia Fortune holds a finger to her lips and smiles in a family handout photoChristy Spivey

Spivey last saw her daughter alive on 26 July, when Fortune had travelled from Mississippi, where she had lived for roughly the last decade, to Kentucky, where Spivey lives, for a family reunion.

The next time she saw her daughter – in a funeral home, days before her burial – she could barely look at her body.
“I didn’t look straight at her. Her daddy did,” she said. “I kind of looked from the side.”

Spivey remembered their last conversation. “She was talking about, you know, maybe even coming home,” she explained.
Fortune’s death has left the community concerned that racial violence in Mississippi could be on the rise again. And in the absence of concrete details about the case, their suspicions are left to fester.

Fortune’s death was the third incident in Mississippi in less than a year where police found someone dead and hanged from a tree.
The other two bodies – one black male, one white – were discovered in September 2025, on the exact same day.

Both were ruled a suicide, though the mother of one of the deceased – Trey Reed – contests those findings.

Fed-up residents have launched an online petition, which has gathered more than 50,000 signatures, for an independent investigation into the state’s chief medical examiner, Dr Staci Turner, over the handling of a recent spate of cases involving people of colour. Another petition asks for the FBI to launch an investigation into Fortune’s death
The BBC has asked Turner for comment.

Jackson City Councilman Kenneth Stokes has also expressed concerns about the police investigation, saying he’d been outside the home where Fortune was thought to have lived multiple times and has never seen officers.
“All cases are important, but this one – a hanging in Mississippi – should rise to the top of the food chain,” Stokes said.

He told the BBC he sent letters to both federal prosecutors at the Mississippi US attorney’s office and the FBI weeks ago, urging that the investigation was “in dire need of assistance”. He has yet to hear back from either.
“Nothing from nobody,” Stokes said. “It’s like nobody cares.”

The BBC has reached out to the Mississippi US attorney’s office and the local FBI office for comment.
US Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett has similarly requested federal intervention. In a letter to the US Department of Justice, she asked for an investigation into recent deaths in Mississippi – including that of Tasia Fortune – calling them “possible cases of modern-day lynchings”. She cited the state’s “appalling historical reputation of violent terrorism against black Americans”.
ADVERTISEMENT

In addition to Mississippi, there have been multiple other cases nationally of black Americans found hanged from trees, including four in North Carolina this year alone. Three were ruled a suicide. An autopsy is pending for the fourth death.

The BBC has reached out to the justice department for comment.
Stokes is clear that he does not know whether Fortune’s death was a lynching, or whether race played a part at all. Nor does he care. He just wants answers.

Brandon King, president of the student National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) chapter at nearby Jackson State University, said the mystery of Fortune’s death, combined with minimal updates from police, has led him and others to be “extra cautious” around campus.
The feeling, King said, was that “hey, you could be next. This is in Jackson. This is in your backyard”.

The thought is extra worrying, he continued, because “this is supposed to be the capital. This is where I’m supposed to feel the most safe”.

As for Spivey, she cried before heading to a funeral home for her daughter, dreading having to fill out a death certificate and decide whether to cremate or bury her firstborn child.
She wanted to cremate her daughter but decided, in the end, for a burial. She said she was holding out hope there would be updates in the investigation, which might mean needing to exhume her corpse.  BBC

Continue Reading

Trending

Maduka College Advert