[MSN] A man fleeing federal immigration agents in Florida was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer on Tuesday, authorities confirmed.
The 28-year-old was one of four individuals in a vehicle that stopped at a St. Augustine gas station and convenience store before 7 a.m.
During an encounter with agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), all four fled on foot. The man ran across a busy road, directly into the path of the semi, Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Dylan Bryan reported. The truck driver stopped and tried to help the man.
It was at least the 10th death involving encounters with immigration agents since President Donald Trump launched his mass deportation campaign last year.
It wasn’t immediately clear what prompted the encounter Tuesday. In an emailed statement, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed it had conducted an operation and said the Florida Highway Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations were “investigating an incident resulting in the death of a Mexican national.”
Possibly a narco gangster or maybe just a common, garden variety illegal alien who was being transported cross country with three others just like him. But since ICE and Homeland Security are still concentrating on rounding up the worst of the worst, the odds are that either he was not at all a nice man or he was hanging around very bad people.
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/15/2026 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[258 views]
Top|| File under: Migrants/Illegal Immigrants
#2
True story from back in the 1990's when I still had to drive down Interstate 5 in the mornings to get to work: Three or four Hispanic men suddenly bolted across the freeway in the path of dozens of speeding commuters. Drivers, including me, slammed on their brakes to avoid hitting the men while a frustrated Border Patrol agent stood on the side of the freeway watching those men get away from him. They made it to the other side of the freeway unharmed. Luck was on their side that day. Whatever I might have thought of them, I did not want them under my wheels and I did not want my car dented.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
07/15/2026 13:12 Comments ||
Top||
The photo has been waiting in Rantburg’s image file for just this moment, under the name of Croc.
[NYPOST] A baseball-mad Pennsylvania schoolboy lost his hand in a savage alligator attack while on a fishing vacation — despite his dad's best efforts to free him moments before it performed a terrifying roll.
Brodie Terry, 11, was attacked during the trip at Nelson's Fish Camp, Marion County, Florida, on June 27, just about as he was to release a fish back into the water, WKMG reported.
The gator, which measured eight-feet, seven-inches, clamped its teeth into Brodie's hand, sparking a frantic response.
''Brodie's father jumped into the water on top of it and tried to pry his mouth open,'' relative Andrew Raines told WKMG.
''The gator rolled, and that's what ultimately severed Brodie's hand.''
Gators perform the maneuver, known as a roll, to drown and tear apart their prey.
Doctors desperately tried to save Brodie's hand before it was later amputated. He was released from the hospital Friday and is recovering back in his native Pennsylvania.
The alligator involved in the attack was later killed by Florida wildlife officials.
''This tragic accident has not only changed Brodie's life but has also placed a tremendous burden on his family as they navigate the aftermath,'' his family say.
''Brodie's passion for fishing, baseball and football have always brought him joy, and now he faces the challenge of adapting to his new circumstances while holding onto the things he loves.''
Florida is home to around 1.3 million gators — and the state has recorded more than 450 attacks since 1948.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/15/2026 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[268 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
You beat me, but here's a quote to go with it.
"He got me, but I tore one of that bastard's eyes out though."
[Wunderground] per NWS, will be updated every few hours
- Multiple rounds of heavy rainfall are expected over portions of West Central Texas through early Thursday evening. A series of upper-level disturbances will interact with an influx of tropical moisture across the region through much of this week. High precipitable water values will fuel highly efficient rain-producing storms, with model guidance indicating near-stationary clusters capable of producing 1 to 3 inches of
rain per hour. This could lead to storm totals of 3 to 6 inches over the Watch area with isolated areas seeing 9+ inches. The highest threat centers along the I-10 corridor, extending north into the southern portions of the Concho Valley and Heartland.
- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood There goes the neighborhood
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
07/15/2026 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[318 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Yep, it's been raining. I personally prefer droughts. No mosquitoes.
Posted by: ed in texas ||
07/15/2026 8:28 Comments ||
Top||
#2
I should have added that parts of Texas will now use sirens to warn of extreme flooding.
This was studied after the catastrophic flooding last summer that resulted in significant loss of life. The main problem is that sirens are also used for tornado warnings and the safety measures for tornadoes include actions that would be deadly in case of floods (e.g. lying in ditches makes you safer from a tornado but could well be deadly in a flood). Anyway, the public has been given lots and lots of information on this and hopefully nobody lies down in ditches after a flood warning.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
07/15/2026 11:51 Comments ||
Top||
#3
Maybe use coded sirens blast to warn of different conditions?
Steady blast for impeding tornado, a blip, then a short blast and repeat for floods? Possibly a loud "Brrrr" for freezing conditions? Etc. etc..
Lots of ways to use the sirens to warn of various weather conditions.
#4
^
I think only a hundred or so sirens have been placed in flood prone areas, especially near campgrounds.
At some point when the system become more comprehensive, your different tone idea might be implemented.
There will also likely be various other sensors and a system to warn all cell phones in areas that are in danger.
It is a nasty problem and they are going to be trying out various ideas.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
07/15/2026 16:53 Comments ||
Top||
#5
^Should send warning to smart phones - was done here in Israel (for missiles) in the last war.
#6
Your population is small, not mobile, as is your physical limits. A man should know his limitations
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/15/2026 18:55 Comments ||
Top||
#7
5^
6^
The IDF sends warnings to the phones of people who are thought to live in 'to be bombed' areas.
No one lives at the campsites near the rivers. They live, in many cases, a hundred miles from there.
There are permanent homes near rivers that are in danger during floods. Those get warmings by cell phones but a problem is that if the flood is at night, the people may be asleep and have their phones in another room.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
07/15/2026 19:59 Comments ||
Top||
#8
Whenever there’s a power outage, Duke Energy sends cell phone texts to everyone here in the Ohio-Indiana-Kentucky tristate region who has signed up on their website. Opt In rather than automatic — automatic would make me uncomfortable.
The National Weather Service broadcasts radio and television warnings, plus runs an annoying weekly test every Wednesday — I have a weather radio in the house that goes off when interesting weather is incoming, and local CBS/NBC/ABC/Fox and the cable weather station have a piercing noise that goes off when weather is incoming, followed by subtitles running under whatever is on the screen, for those that have a television running in the background. Also, I signed up with my local CBS station to get those weather warnings as a text on my phone, so I figure I’m getting as many warnings as I am willing to handle. Again, opt in.
Texas mostly assumes it won’t flood or freeze, as far as I can tell. The drain system in Dallas, for instance, regularly floods badly. So it’s consistent that they also don’t warn about it.
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] The brutal murder of Ann Widdecombe was last night being treated as a suspected politically motivated terrorist attack.
In a dramatic escalation, counter terrorism officers yesterday took over the investigation into the killing of the former Tory minister. It came after the discovery of Russian communist literature and other items of political ideology at the home of the suspected killer.
And it marked a U-turn after the local force, Devon and Cornwall Police, spent days insisting that there was no link to terrorism. Officers, it is understood, are probing whether the 78-year-old may have been bludgeoned to death in a premeditated attack on Reform UK.
They are looking at whether a self-radicalised loner may have considered the pensioner an 'easy target' in comparison to more prominent party figures, such as Nigel Farage, who have security.
When the bloodied body of the former prisons minister was found on Thursday morning, officers initially focused on a theory that she had disturbed a burglar at her home in Haytor, Dartmoor, even though nothing had been taken from the £600,000 property.
Two days after the murder, detectives arrested a local labourer in error, before later detaining a 28-year-old man 270 miles away in Rotherham on Saturday night. The Mail has learnt that items of varying political ideology, including Russian material, have been found at the suspect's home and on electronic devices.
But Sherlocks do not believe there is any evidence of hostile state involvement.
Counter terrorism police are investigating whether the 'lone wolf' targeted Ms Widdecombe due to her political views, which she frequently expressed during regular appearances on TV and radio defending Reform as the party's immigration and justice front man. The former Strictly contestant was well known for her beliefs, including opposition to child sacrifice abortion and gay rights.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood confirmed yesterday that the British white suspect, who the Mail is not naming, was not known to the Government's deradicalisation programme, Prevent. Police are making inquiries about his mental health.
Officers believe the murder on Wednesday may have been premeditated. The accused is not thought to have known the victim, whose home had featured on a TV programme broadcast just days before her death.
The unmarried former MP, who has lived alone since her retirement in 2010, was last seen on a Talk TV show around 8am on Wednesday.
She had been scheduled to appear on Channel 5's Matt Allwright show that afternoon but suddenly stopped responding to WhatsApp exchanges with a producer.
Police believe she was attacked at around 12.30pm, nearly 24 hours before she was found by her gardener.
Devon and Cornwall Police waited more than 24 hours to announce a murder investigation, before Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said on Friday night: 'The incident is not being treated as terrorism.'
When asked if Ms Widdecombe had been targeted because of her politics, he replied: 'No... it's early stages of the investigation. I've got no information to believe that it is a politically motivated crime.'
The suspect was later arrested at his home in Rotherham at 9pm on Saturday after police traced a car allegedly parked on the victim's drive during the attack. CCTV from early on Wednesday showed a figure leaving the Rotherham address, appearing to carry a wooden stick in his shorts pocket.
As the force announced Saturday's arrest, Mr Longman again denied any suggestion of a political motive. He said: 'There is still no information to suggest that this is a terrorism-related incident. At this stage, there is nothing to suggest that it was politically motivated.'
Yesterday the probe was taken over by Counterterrorism Policing South East which announced the suspect had been re-arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
The killing has reignited fears about MPs' safety following the murders of David Amess and Jo Cox.
The suspect, who remains in jug, was the son of a teaching assistant. Relatives said he had become reclusive after the sudden death of his engineer father last year. More from the Daily Mail:
One neighbour who knew the suspect said he was 'in shock' over the arrest, describing him as 'quiet as a mouse' and from 'a loving family'.
A second neighbour, who also asked not to be named, said the suspect's father was admitted to hospital before Christmas 'and never came out'.
The father had previously been made redundant and developed diabetes, which led to him having a leg amputated. According to the neighbour, the family tragedy appeared to lead to a change in the suspect's behaviour.
'I don't know if that had an impact or not but I certainly saw him out and about less,' he said. 'I remember that the Christmas decorations were still up in March or April, which I thought was quite strange.'
At a bakery a short distance from the home in Rotherham, a member of staff also expressed surprise.
She said: 'I knew his mum and his grandparents, they were lovely. I used to see him as a little boy with his mum but I haven't seen her for many years now.'
Today, it emerged that Ms Widdecombe gave a tour of her £600,000 Dartmoor home for a television programme broadcast just five days before she was allegedly murdered. The show featured the kitchen where she was found dead, as well as the property's front door, driveway and grounds.
While there is no suggestion that the TV appearance led to her death or inspired any attacker, a former counter-terrorism detective at Scotland Yard said that 'unscrupulous' individuals do target homes in this way.
David Videcette, who investigated the 7/7 bombings said: 'This sort of thing is a real problem nowadays. There are plenty of free tools for unscrupulous individuals to identify where you live from a photo or video, there's even more when you're prepared to pay.'
Eearly on Wednesday morning, the suspect, who lived alone, was spotted on CCTV leaving his terraced home and getting into a run-down vehicle parked on the driveway.
'He comes out of the house and walks towards the red car,' said a neighbour familiar with the footage, which has been shared with police.
Forensic officers were still searching the man's mid-terraced address in the Rotherham's Kimberworth Park area on Sunday as uniformed officers stood guard outside.
Neighbours said around a dozen armed officers had surrounded the property at around 9pm on Saturday before knocking loudly at the door.
Courtney Foster, 25, who lives next door with partner Rayed Astle, 26, said: 'We were in the kitchen and just saw the officers running up. Some were armed. Then they banged on the door very loudly.
'They didn't smash the door down because he opened it. They asked him his name, he confirmed it and they took him away.'
Ms Foster said police also took the man's pet labradoodle, adding: 'There were about 12 officers and quite a few cars. It was quite a shock.'
Describing the man, Mr Astle said that he had barely spoken to anyone since his father, who he had moved in with around a year ago, died last December.
'He was someone you'd have a conversation with but that changed after his dad died. He became very quiet. He kept himself to himself and wouldn't really speak to anyone,' he added.
Ms Foster added: 'He was always in the house and I don't think he worked.'
Other neighbours said the man's red Vauxhall Corsa 'barely moved' from the drive – to the extent it had begun to rust with weeds growing on it.
'The car was normally left outside for long periods, so it just stood out that he was driving away so early in the morning,' one added.
Another local said: 'He is one of three brothers but the others moved out, so he was living on his own.
'His father died before Christmas and I think it affected him. He seemed to change because he became even more introverted.
'You would barely see him – to the point where you'd presume the house was unoccupied. Now and again you'd see the upstairs light on but that was it.'
One of the man's brothers is believed to live in Devon, while a second brother and his mother, who is thought to have worked as a teaching assistant, are said to live locally.
#1
So, the random killing of a controversial politician might be politically motivated. I think they might be on to something.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
07/15/2026 8:53 Comments ||
Top||
#2
And it was Russian communist literature they found in his home, not just ordinary communist literature like the Labour Party would publish but Russian communist. How old was that literature? Was it from the time of Khruschev or Brezhnev?
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
07/15/2026 13:01 Comments ||
Top||
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Andrey Bulkin
[REGNUM] The death of 71-year-old South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, an influential Republican known for his aggressive, Russophobic rhetoric, occurred just hours after his return from a trip to Kyiv, where he met with Volodymyr Zelensky and announced the approval of a new sanctions bill against Russia with the White House.
Emergency services received a call about a heart attack around 8:30 PM, but were unable to save the politician. However, because it happened so quickly and unexpectedly, especially during a trip to Ukraine, conspiracy theories immediately swept the internet and media—even though official reports stated that the death was due to natural causes.
The very next day, the District of Columbia's chief medical examiner's preliminary report was released: the cause of death was listed as aortic dissection secondary to atherosclerotic heart disease. A final death certificate was to be issued after all examinations were completed. Graham did indeed have these issues—and for quite some time.
"I've learned from a source in South Carolina that Senator Lindsey Graham has suffered from high blood pressure since he was 40. His father also died of cardiac arrest at age 69," wrote journalist and political commentator Dustin Grage. "I know conspiracy theories will continue to emerge, but sometimes life just happens. Not everything is a conspiracy," he added.
However, despite such exhortations, the "boring" medical reality did not satisfy the audience, and soon the information space was filled with alternative versions.
The most vocal and widely disseminated theory, of course, was the "Russian connection" theory. Far-right activist Laura Loomer, who had previously clashed with Graham over his support for war against Iran, pointed to a recent post on the account of Alexander Dugin, whom Western media have persistently labeled "the chief ideologist of the Russian government" for years now.
According to Loomer, Dugin called for Graham to be "destroyed," claiming the world would be a better place without the senator. "Yesterday, Lindsey Graham was in Ukraine, meeting with Zelenskyy, calling for new sanctions against Russia, and promising continued US support for Ukraine. One day later, Lindsey Graham is dead. An investigation is needed!" she wrote.
Loomer was joined by renowned financier William Browder. "I don't want to be a conspiracy theorist, but Lindsey Graham was the main driver of the devastating sanctions bill against Russia," Browder noted. " He just returned from Ukraine, where, it's no secret, Russian agents are operating. The Russians are experts in using poisons that mimic heart attacks." Browder called for all necessary tests to be immediately conducted to rule out or confirm the possibility of poisoning.
There is another "Russian-Ukrainian" version, according to which Graham died right in Ukraine as a result of a missile strike on the P1-SUN drone production facility (also known by the less decent nickname ), which he was visiting, and the story of sudden death from natural causes was simply a cover-up.
"Graham was inspecting a drone factory in Ukraine yesterday. Russia blew up the facility today. And then this evening it was announced that Graham died of a 'sudden illness,'" blogger and political commentator Clint Russell wrote. He believes the US doesn't want a world war, so the story of Graham's alleged death by a Russian strike was concealed from the public. This version of events has been given credence by rumors that Graham will be buried in a closed casket. This has not yet been officially confirmed.
Many other users supported this theory: the sequence "trip to Ukraine - sudden death" seemed too appealing. "What are the chances that Lindsey Graham fell victim to a sudden illness caused by a Russian Oreshnik missile in his butt?" quipped user Carl Zha.
Proponents of the theory draw detailed conclusions: Russia is angered by its continued support for Ukraine, and Graham was a staunch supporter of strikes deep into Russia, and his death could serve as a warning to other American politicians.
There's also a third, less widely accepted, Ukrainian theory. It claims that someone in the Kyiv regime gave the American senator some white powder—not the kind used for laundry. However, the product was either too clean or too dirty, causing his heart to fail. The conviction of those who support this theory is reinforced by the fact that the senator's body will undergo standard toxicology testing before a final death certificate is issued.
Another group of conspiracy theorists points to Iran. Graham remained one of Washington's leading hawks for many years, holding a staunch pro-Israel stance and openly calling on Donald Trump to physically assassinate Iran's top leadership, including Ali Khamenei.
Iranian state television broadcast a live broadcast congratulating "the Iranian nation on the death of Senator Lindsey Graham, who has gone to hell." This statement only added fuel to the fire. Supporters of this theory speculated that the senator's death could be a sting operation by Iranian agents of influence inside the United States.
A theory about an internal purge by the so-called "deep state" stands apart. A user with the nickname MrPool_QQ wrote an entire conspiracy theory: "Graham was supposed to testify before a secret tribunal on July 15th about the deep state's coordination with Iranian agents to destabilize the Middle East and profit from endless war. He never lived to see July 15th. "
The theory's author claims that Graham was "not a patriot, but a deep state agent who knew too much, and when agents become a liability, they are eliminated." Supporting this theory, according to the author, is the fact that Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham—both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee—both died under suspicious circumstances, although what was suspicious about McCain's death after a long illness in 2018 is not specified.
In keeping with this theory, some users recalled Graham's earlier harsh statements about Trump—for example, that he was "unfit to be president" and that his candidacy was a "political disaster." And many found the message Trump posted immediately after the senator's death odd.
"Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest men and senators I've ever known, is dead!" he wrote on the social network Truth Social. Conspiracy theorists took this phrasing—complete with an exclamation point at the end—as indirect evidence that Trump was celebrating the senator's death. However, the president later explicitly stated that Graham's death was caused by natural causes.
All of this, as proponents of this theory claim, supposedly demonstrates mutual hostility, which could have been the reason for Graham's removal. However, there is no coherent evidence for this theory—only speculation based on words spoken many years ago and a subjective perception of the tone of the presidential post.
One of the most surprising theories was that the Israeli Mossad was involved in the murder of Lindsey Graham. The aforementioned Russian philosopher, Alexander Dugin, is believed to be behind this theory.
A couple of days ago, a post appeared on his channel that read : "The sudden death of Lindsey Graham could be a warning to Trump. I doubt it's the work of the Iranians. Most likely, it's the work of the Mossad, whose goal is to push Trump into resuming a full-scale war with Iran. This clearly means: 'You're next.' Lindsey Graham was Trump's shadow, his dark side."
It cannot be said that this version has gained the same widespread popularity as the version about a Russian or Iranian connection, but it has still received some support.
Thus, many major players—Russia, Iran, Israel, and even the US's own intelligence agencies—were among the conspiracy theorists' suspects. Particularly telling in this context is the fact that Graham had so many detractors around the world: according to these theories, almost anyone could have killed him.
The FBI played a significant role in fueling conspiracy theories. Bureau Director Cash Patel, who had himself repeatedly promoted political conspiracy theories, wrote on social media that the FBI was "assisting local authorities and has provided all necessary resources." This statement, intended to demonstrate the transparency of the investigation, was perceived as the exact opposite.
Dan Pfeiffef, a former adviser to Barack Obama, called it "an idiotic tweet from a complete idiot that fuels conspiracy theories circulating online."
Indeed, for conspiracy theorists, the FBI's prompt and public involvement in the investigation and the forensic experts' preliminary report, completed in less than 24 hours, looked like an attempt by the authorities to quickly hush up the case. The speed of official action only deepened mistrust rather than dispelled it.
Graham's death is a perfect example of how, in today's information landscape, a "boring" medical cause of death—aortic dissection in a 71-year-old man with a family history of cardiovascular disease—is overshadowed by the more colorful and far more interesting conspiracy theories.
In the age of social media, any event, especially the death of a notorious politician who has amassed a slew of ill-wishers, turns into a parade of conspiracy theories, where everyone can find a version to suit their taste.
While conspiracy theorists debate the causes of the senator's death, a completely different scandal is brewing in Washington. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster appointed Graham's sister, Darlene Nordon, as his interim successor, a decision that immediately sparked a storm of criticism.
Nordon has never held elected office or had any connection to mainstream politics. Trump's opponents believe the White House deliberately promoted a "technical" candidate with no real ambitions. This move, they argue, paralyzed the local party leadership and deprived other influential South Carolina Republicans of the opportunity to quickly secure a seat.
Nordon is seen as the perfect "blank slate" and temporary seat holder who won't cause any problems for the administration. So while some are looking for a conspiracy behind the circumstances of Graham's death, others have already shifted their focus to the reasons why the fate of the Senate seat was so quickly and unceremoniously decided.
In life, Lindsey Graham loved to shock and repeatedly found himself at the center of international scandals due to his statements. His death continued this tradition, only this time the occasion was not another harsh speech, but his death itself, in which reality blended with fiction.
#2
Yesterday, Lindsey Graham was in Ukraine, meeting with Zelenskyy, calling for new sanctions against Russia, and promising continued US support for Ukraine. One day later, Lindsey Graham is dead.
He's been going to Ukraine and calling for new sanctions against Russia for years. He was also quite a bit on the jowly, pudgy side.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
07/15/2026 13:46 Comments ||
Top||
#3
If I read it correctly and have the timing right - Graham posted some pics of him at a secret ukr drone factory on Saturday, and the media reported the no longer secret drone factory was bombed by russia on Sunday. The overlap is suspect. But his neighbors told reporters they saw the ems medics wheel him out of his house. So it sounds more like stuff we want to believe,
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.
[NYPOST] A baseball-mad Pennsylvania schoolboy lost his hand in a savage alligator attack while on a fishing vacation — despite his dad's best efforts to free him moments before it performed a terrifying roll.
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] The brutal murder of Ann Widdecombe was last night being treated as a suspected politically motivated terrorist attack.
When asked if Ms Widdecombe had been targeted because of her politics, he replied: 'No... it's early stages of the investigation. I've got no information to believe that it is a politically motivated crime.'
