[FoxNews] Thermal drone video shows suspect David Morales aiming a rifle at deputies from beneath a tree in camouflage
Newly released bodycam and drone video captures the dramatic final moments of the deadly California standoff that ended when deputies used an armored BearCat vehicle to run over an armed suspect who police said killed Tulare County Deputy Randy Hoppert.
The nearly seven-minute video, released Tuesday by the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, combines body-worn camera footage, thermal drone video and slow-motion replay documenting the intense firefight that unfolded after authorities say 59-year-old David Morales ambushed deputies serving an eviction notice in Porterville on April 9.
Video captures deputies scrambling for cover behind patrol cars as gunfire erupts through the neighborhood while SWAT teams rush armored vehicles into position around the home.
The video shows the massive tactical response that followed as Kern County Sheriff’s Office SWAT operators arrived with armored vehicles, including a BearCat and a Rook, to help evacuate nearby residents and contain Morales.
Authorities said Morales continued firing from inside the home for hours while tactical teams attempted to negotiate his surrender.
At around 5:30 p.m., investigators said Morales opened fire on the armored Rook vehicle, with rounds penetrating armor plating and damaging ballistic glass.
The video then shows Morales climbing out of a window and fleeing into thick brush in the backyard while armed with a rifle and wearing camouflage and a mask.
Drone footage and bodycam video captured Morales lying beneath a tree while aiming a rifle at the driver of the BearCat, according to investigators.
Authorities said deputies determined Morales continued posing an imminent threat and used the BearCat as a means of deadly force.
The footage shows the BearCat accelerating toward Morales as gunfire erupts. Investigators said Morales fired multiple rounds that struck the driver’s side window and underside of the armored vehicle during the encounter.
Deputies backed away and then re-engaged Morales a second time, according to the video.
Authorities said Morales continued manipulating his rifle and reached for a handgun in his waistband after the second impact.
Deputies then used the BearCat to run over Morales a third and final time.
"The suspect was lying prone on the ground, in camouflage clothing, continuing to pose a threat," Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said after the incident. "The situation was resolved, and the suspect is now dead. He was not shot. One of the BearCats ran over him and killed him."
The sheriff later defended the tactics used to stop Morales in blunt terms.
"Don’t shoot at cops. You shoot at cops, we’re gonna run you over," Boudreaux said. "He got run over. He got what he deserved."
Authorities said the confrontation began earlier that morning when deputies arrived at Morales’ home to serve a final eviction notice after he allegedly failed to pay rent for 35 days. Investigators said Morales appeared to have "laid in wait" before opening fire on deputies with a high-powered rifle.
Hoppert, a former Navy corpsman who joined the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office in 2020, was struck during the ambush and rushed to Sierra View District Hospital, where he later died.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Alexander Melnik
[REGNUM] The African continent once again found itself at the forefront of the fight against one of the most deadly and frightening viruses known to modern science. In May 2026, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighboring Uganda faced a new, rapidly expanding outbreak of Ebola fever.
Despite the global community's vast experience in combating similar epidemics and modern medical technologies, the current crisis demonstrates a frightening trend: the situation remains elusive. Another blow
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the fight against Ebola is virtually nonstop. In late 2025, the country celebrated victory over its 16th outbreak, which raged in Kasai Province and claimed 45 lives, with a fatality rate of 70.3%. However, the respite proved short-lived.
This time, the epicenter of the new disaster was Ituri Province in eastern DRC. It was here, in the remote Mongbwalu district, that the World Health Organization (WHO) received the first alarming signals in early May 2026 about a surge in an unknown disease with an alarmingly high mortality rate. The situation was made especially tragic by the fact that among the first victims were health workers, who were on the front lines saving patients' lives. Infection clusters were also detected in two other districts: Bunia and Rwampara.
Soon, the National Institute for Biomedical Research in the capital, Kinshasa, analyzed blood samples from the sick and confirmed the worst fears: the cause of death was the Bundibugyo virus, a rare and highly dangerous strain of the Ebola virus.
On May 15, 2026, the DRC Ministry of Health officially declared the start of the 17th Ebola epidemic in the country's history.
The Bundibugyo strain's insidiousness lies in the fact that, unlike the more common Zaire strain, there is currently no licensed vaccine or therapeutic treatment available. Doctors are forced to rely solely on early supportive care, which, while sometimes life-saving, does not guarantee recovery. Historically, the case fatality rate for outbreaks of this strain has ranged from 30 to 50%.
LOSS OF CONTROL
The current outbreak's statistics are deeply concerning, indicating that the disease is advancing faster than the healthcare system can respond. By May 19, 2026, DRC authorities reported that the infection had claimed at least 131 lives, and the total number of confirmed and suspected cases had reached a critical 500.
The situation is exacerbated by the fact that medical services and international humanitarian missions are failing to bring the spread of the virus under control. The outbreak has not only affected isolated villages but has also begun to spread rapidly beyond the initial outbreak.
The unstable military and political situation in Ituri province has become a huge, virtually insurmountable obstacle for epidemiologists. The ongoing war between dozens of brutal armed groups has turned the region into a living hell, physically blocking epidemiologists' vital access to the raging hotspots of infection. Fearing reprisals, medical missions are unable to trace contacts of patients and safely bury the dead, resulting in the virus decimating entire communities.
The infection, unchecked, has already crossed international borders: confirmed cases have been reported in neighboring Uganda. All of them are directly linked to people arriving from infected areas of the DRC. One of the infected, a Congolese citizen, died in Uganda's capital, densely populated Kampala. This event highlights the extreme risk of cross-border spread of the disease and the potential for an uncontrolled epidemic in the region.
Ugandan authorities have already imposed a temporary ban on handshakes and other forms of physical greetings nationwide. The Ministry of Health has deployed special surveillance and rapid response teams to trace contacts and monitor potential outbreaks.
At the same time, the greatest fear among analysts is the wide-open border between the DRC and South Sudan, where a flood of infected refugees is about to pour in through chaotic trade routes.
Despite desperate pleas from the WHO to urgently strengthen border surveillance, Rwanda, Burundi, and Angola risk becoming the next victims of an infection that is already actively preparing for widespread "export."
WHAT CAN WHO DO?
Recognizing the unprecedented scale of the looming threat in the region, with the former European metropolises remaining completely inactive, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus took extreme measures on May 16, 2026.
After consulting with experts, he declared the Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern. This is the highest level of global alert, designed to immediately mobilize financial, medical, and logistical resources worldwide to combat the infection.
However, these are just words. In reality, the rapid response system was catastrophically paralyzed due to a severe political and financial crisis within the WHO itself.
President Donald Trump's uncompromising decision to withdraw the United States from the organization in 2025 has created a truly fatal hole in its budget, leading to massive layoffs of key staff and virtually halting funding for rescue operations just when the planet needs it most.
Decapitated and deprived of critical funding, the WHO is simply unable to deploy sufficient mobile teams to Africa or ensure their safety. This managerial paralysis almost certainly guarantees that what is initially a localized crisis will inevitably escalate into a devastating pandemic of terrifying international proportions.
Moreover, there is already a precedent. US citizen and physician Peter Stafford, who contracted the Ebola virus while treating patients at a small hospital in Niakunda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and six other suspected cases will be transferred to a specialized isolation unit at Charité Hospital in Berlin. Stafford and his wife have been working in the country since 2023.
RUSSIA'S BORDER IS LOCKED
Amid alarming and distressing news from Central Africa, the Russian Federation's leadership has taken preemptive steps to protect its citizens from the deadly threat.
The domestic healthcare system, with its extensive experience in countering global biological challenges, was immediately put on high alert. Rospotrebnadzor quickly responded to the declaration of an international emergency and took control of it.
Agency representatives issued an official statement reassuring the public: there is currently no risk of Ebola spreading within Russia. To ensure the virus is not imported into the country, enhanced sanitary and quarantine measures were immediately introduced at all Russian border crossings.
Comprehensive protective measures are being successfully implemented as part of the large-scale federal project "Sanitary Shield." The main strategic goal of this national initiative is to create a reliable barrier and prevent the entry of any dangerous infectious diseases into the Russian Federation.
The advanced automated information system "Perimeter" plays a key role in ensuring Russia's biological security. This high-tech platform is used by domestic specialists to continuously assess the global epidemiological situation around the clock and minimize the risk of imported infections.
Thus, the situation is under constant monitoring by the Russian authorities.
[PJMedia] On Tuesday, May 20 — which is also Cuba's Independence Day — the Department of Justice (DOJ) officially unsealed a federal grand jury indictment of Raúl Castro. Castro, who will be 95 years old in June, is the brother of Fidel Castro and the former "president" of Cuba. Despite his advanced age and frail health, Raúl and his family remain very involved in running the country, if you want to call it that, and the suppression of the Cuban people.
Charges against Castro include conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, destruction of aircraft, and murder. Five other co-defendants face similar charges.
The announcement came during a formal DOJ ceremony at Miami's historic Freedom Tower, which served as a processing facility for Cuban refugees during the 1960s and 1970s. It was a powerful and symbolic moment for the millions of people who have fled Cuba's communism over the years. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Jason A. Reding Quiñones, FBI Deputy Director Christopher G. Raia, Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier were all in attendance, and the crowd went wild with cheers and applause when Blanche announced the charges.
The indictment comes after, earlier this year, Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-Fla.), María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), Carlos A. Giménez (R-Fla.), and Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) sent a strongly worded letter to President Donald Trump ...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and whatever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th and 47th President of the United States... and then Attorney General Pam Bondi, asking the DOJ to pursue criminal charges against Castro for his role in the 1996 Brother to the Rescue shootdown.
Here's more on that from what I wrote in February:
Brothers to the Rescue, or Hermanos al Rescate, is a Miami-based humanitarian and political activism organization that was formed by Cuban exiles in the early 1990s and that opposes the communist regime and the Castros. Some of its work includes rescuing Cubans who tried to flee the country via raft and spreading pro-democracy ideals, which included dropping leaflets into the country from a plane.
In 1996, Cuba shot down two of the organization's unarmed planes over the Florida Straits, in an area considered to be international waters, killing the four people aboard: Carlos Costa; Armando Alejandre, Jr.; Mario de la Peña; and Pablo Morales. Three of them were United States citizens, while the fourth was a permanent resident. February 24 will mark the 30th anniversary of their deaths.
At the time, Raúl was the minister of defense and part of the chain of command that ordered the attack. The United States, the United Nations ...boodling on the grand scale... , and numerous members of the International Community condemned it.
It was cold-blooded murder of civilians on a humanitarian mission. There will be no more impunity.
While the case remained dormant for decades, it has been revived under the Trump administration as part of the maximum pressure campaign against the Cuban regime. Prosecutors claim that Castro ordered the attack, and evidence includes an 11-minute audio recording, which the U.S. has had access to for years. On it, you can hear Castro tell MiG pilots to "knock them down into the seas."
The 94-year-old dictator will unlikely see his day in court, but today's indictment does come with consequences. He is now an international runaway from justice, which means he can't move freely around the world. It also sends a strong message to the rest of the regime: Trump isn't playing around.
"The United States and Donald Trump will not forget its citizens," Blanche said during today's announcement, adding, "If you kill Americans, we will pursue you, no matter who you are or no matter what title you hold, and in this case, no matter how much time has passed."
It's a shame that so many administrations before this one didn't feel that way.
[AyPee] Kansas farmers hit hard by weather extremes and growing costs.
Record-setting drought and hotter-than-average temperatures mixed with sharp drops have impacted much of the U.S. early this year, including the Plains region. Drought conditions have worsened the spread of the wheat streak mosaic virus and barley yellow dwarf virus, which impact the potential of the crop. Combined with climbing input costs related to fertilizer, diesel fuel and tariffs, longtime wheat farmers say they are feeling a lot of pain.
there is a lot of wheat in storage (over 700 million bushels which is about 40$ of typical annual production) and reducing this would lower storage costs
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
05/21/2026 11:20 Comments ||
Top||
[Substack] Last Saturday, INSA published a nationwide poll that caused immense disquiet among the defenders of Our Democracy because it showed Alternative fur Deutschland a whole seven fat points ahead of the centre-right Union parties. That beastly Evil Fascist Nazi Hitler AfD had never polled so strongly before and had also never clocked such a large lead over the Union before.
Suddenly 1933 was that much closer, and this made the Defenders of Our Democracy uncomfortable. Thus there ensued a lot of hand-wringing and panic and motivated reasoning about how this poll might just be an outlier and also too leftoid conspiracy theories that INSA because reasons and as part of a nefarious plot might be cooking the numbers to make AfD look stronger than they actually are.
People stopped saying things like that when Forsa, another polling operation, published their own nationwide survey three days later, which had the AfD at 28% with a six-point lead over the CDU ... [graphs]
... and they really shut up later that very same day when INSA published a second poll precisely confirming the death doom fascism hell numbers from their first panic poll on Saturday: [another graph]....
[IsraelTimes] NSC says pair of panels established during previous gov’t to monitor effects of climate change on national security have ceased operating, sparking outcry from environmental groups.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and whatever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th and 47th President of the United States...
