[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] A disgraced US Space Force sergeant has been jailed for 54 years after chasing down two unarmed teenagers in a stolen car and shooting them, killing a 14-year-old boy.
Orest Schur, 29, broke down in the Aurora, Colorado, courtroom on August 15 as he apologized for murdering Xavier Kirk, who died after being struck in the back and head while fleeing the scene in July 2023.
'I am sorry for the events that occurred that night, for the pain, for the grief and trauma that have followed and for the impact that my case had on so many lives,' a tearful Schur told the court.
The boy's 13-year-old friend was also shot in the back but survived. He was hospitalized and later submitted a statement condemning Schur's actions.
'An adult chose to use deadly force against two unarmed teenagers. That is not justice, that is not safety, that is not accountability,' the teen wrote. 'I survived, but I am not the same. My friend didn't survive at all. And no matter what we did that night, I didn't deserve to be shot, and Xavier didn't deserve to die.'
Did the sergeant know that the car thieves were much too young to drive, and that they were “unarmed”? If not, those facts cannot be included in the evaluation of his judgement in the moment. But regardless, it most definitely is accountability: they committed a crime, and this is the predictable result.
According to the Adams and Broomfield Counties District Attorney's Office, Schur was jolted awake by his car alarm shortly before 11 p.m. on July 5, 2023, and saw his Hyundai Elantra being tampered with outside his Aurora home.
So the two underage teenagers were armed with more than 2300 lb of steel-wrapped, stolen car, which is a very different equation. Was this their first time, or were they already hardened thieves?
Instead of calling police, he grabbed a pistol, jumped into his car, and began circling the neighborhood.
When seconds matter, the police are long minutes away, and therefore not available to protect criminals from those they would prey upon. Face it — the boys screwed up very badly indeed.
Moments later, he spotted the teens driving away in another vehicle and gave chase. Schur opened fire, firing 11 rounds into the rear of the car and continuing to shoot as the boys fled on foot.
Don’t piss off a guy with a gun — this is Colorado, even still. People magazine has a photo of the dead kid, and points out that the signals tech sergeant is an intelligence analyst and served in Afghanistan. It sounds like the boys attempted to steal his wife’s car, fled when he interrupted them, then stole and crashed another car immediately thereafter instead of learning the appropriate lesson from being caught the first time. How many cars did they plan to steal that night?
In July 2023, in Aurora, Colo., Schur, who at the time was a U.S. Space Force technical sergeant, chased the 13-year-old and 14-year-old boys down after he allegedly caught them attempting to steal his wife's car.
As the unarmed teens drove away and ultimately crashed the car, Schur fired 11 shots at them, per the forensic testing results — some of which hit 14-year-old Xavier Kirk in the back and head. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died.
The 13-year-old, whose identity has not been publicly revealed, was shot in the back but was able to get to a relative’s home for help.
So he lived nearby? Had the boys cased the sergeant’s home before embarking on their night of crime?
The teen was taken to the hospital, and he survived his injuries.
#2
Even in Texas this is murder. You can't chase down criminals and shoot them. A puny property crime?
Gun owners are supposed to be wiser than that, and know the laws, unlike journalists who always take the criminials' side.
#3
While the article painted picture reads more thinly veiled agenda based narrative of the events.
If the guy chased them down of halted the crime in progress to get the car back. In the recovery process, they attempted to jump or fight him to keep it. -----> I see that as a justified shoot.
If he just shot them w/o any threat of hostility, or because he watched 1 too many Hollywood crime movies, that is another issue and NO it was not justified.
WHAT IS VERY CLEAR
2 barely turned teenagers, but surprisingly, already well skilled thieving street thugs, were out late at night being criminals.
Little is clearly stated about the level of hostility the 2 presented on being caught.
So one can only really ask foundational questions.
Q: Where were the adults that should have been keeping check on these 2 skilled criminals in training?
Q: Was the handed down 54-year sentence, more to avoid riots, Riots likely 3rd party funded to cause a national BLM resurgent near mid-terms, if the sentence had been something else?
BTW: Go-Fund-Me needs to narrow it uses of donations.
Like direct payments to Funeral Homes and not to the "camera grieving" people getting $$$$$.
Any bets in 2 years an Appeal gets the sentence overturned, or seriously reduced, time served and probation?
OBTW: Heartless as it sounds ..... How much SNAP or Gov Support will the dead teens mothers now lose?
#4
Make sure you know the Use of Force laws in your state. It goes without saying that 99% of what's found on the internet about this subject shouldn't be trusted.
#5
2 barely turned teenagers, but surprisingly, already well skilled thieving street thugs, were out late at night being criminals.
They know the rules of the game, too, that once disengaged from the caught attempt, they just needed to move a block or so over and try again, because the original mark can't do anything and the police aren't coming anytime soon.
This is Denver, where the mayor encouraged people to snitch on neighbors who were letting their cars warm up because auto theft was so rampant, basically blaming the auto owners for letting their cars get stolen. Probably the auto theft wasn't reported as auto theft and ledgered over to environmental pollution violation - "Huffing" - was the slur for allowing your vehicle to properly warm up.
#6
I wouldn't call it a puny property crime. You don't know if he had other valuables inside the car. Maybe the insurance would replace it but maybe not. I wouldn't expect a communist to understand. He caught the thieves red handed and they refused to stop. It was certainly not a cold blooded murder and it was certainly not unprovoked. Feral yoots would be well-served if they were taught that they are not immune from the consequences of committing crimes and doing other stupid things. Maybe it was wrong to shoot those thieves but not 54 years worth. That's essentially a life sentence for defending his home and his property and that's wrong too.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
08/21/2025 12:15 Comments ||
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#7
Yeah, not a puny property crime. Grand theft auto. These were not basically good kids making a mistake. They're hardened criminals. What other crimes might they commit if they're never stopped?
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
08/21/2025 12:21 Comments ||
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#8
The key to this is the sentence "Instead of calling police, he grabbed a pistol, jumped into his car, and began circling the neighborhood."
That's gonna be viewed as vigilante action wherever you are.
Posted by: ed in texas ||
08/21/2025 12:30 Comments ||
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#9
Knew a couple of guys who moved to Denver to try their luck at carpentry, one of which ended up in Aurora. He explained around the campfire one night, he started his week wondering not if, but how many 'encounters' he would have that week, and at what degree, up to and including arriving home from work one day to catch a gentleman literally just leaving his apartment with his rather nice television. Let's just say he was able to convince this aspiring young lad to immediately and without damage return his property and find somewhere else to be, post haste. This was some 20 years ago; I imagine it isn't any better.
Constant Action Stations, paying to live in a neighborhood which would be fine if not for the poachers, I get it. All the bad looks - on patrol after grabbing personal weapon, shot in back - not calling police to at least mark an incident, hey I just caught two teenagers attempting to steal my car and looks like they are trying again just down the road on the 911 tapes, nothing else matters.
#11
Common sense says shooting justified. But we don't live in that world. We live in the world where sexual mutilation of children is referred to as "gender affirming care".
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
08/21/2025 16:18 Comments ||
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[Independent] A Texas woman reported missing by her family has been found living among a lost "African" tribe in a Scottish forest.
Texas native Kaura Taylor has been found with the Kingdom of Kubala, a group living in a forest in Jedburgh, about 41 miles south of Edinburgh, that is trying to reclaim land stolen from their ancestors, UK-based media group SWNS reported.
The group is led by King Atehene, 36, who was once an opera singer under the name Kofi Offeh, his wife, Queen Nandi, and their handmaiden Taylor, who now goes by Asnat, according to the outlet.
"To the U.K. authorities, obviously I am not missing," she said in a video message from the group. "Leave me alone. I am an adult, not a helpless child."
It’s unclear when Taylor was reported missing or why her family was unaware of her location.
The group said they’ve been served eviction notices and been targeted in an attack that involved someone setting one of their tents on fire. While they "don’t recognize local laws," they say they only follow the rules of their God, who is named Yahowah, according to the outlet.
#5
The headline read like grocery store checkout line stuff as written, probably significantly more body odor in person.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
08/21/2025 6:55 Comments ||
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#6
/\ Yes Supe, dressed for 'tribal' success....not herding sheep, farming, or other gainful employment. To coin a phrase, "more spiritually minded than earthly good."
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] A rare celestial phenomenon in the form of a black moon will be visible in a few days. The British newspaper Daily Mail wrote about this on August 19.
A black moon is a phenomenon that occurs when a second new moon occurs within a calendar month. It passes between the Sun and the Earth, so the side of the satellite facing the planet will be in shadow, making it invisible without special equipment.
The publication noted that those who believe in prophecies associate the phenomenon with a story from the Bible. The authors of the article recalled a passage from the Gospel of Mark, which warns that "the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light." This is considered a prophecy of the apocalypse.
Scientists, however, say that from an astronomical point of view, this is a normal phenomenon.
The Black Moon appears in the sky approximately once every 33 months. This time it will be visible on August 22.
In the northern hemisphere, on the night of August 19, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and the Moon lined up, forming a parade of planets. Scientists also reminded that the Earth is now passing through the Perseid meteor shower and meteors can also be observed at night.
[FoxNews] The Navy is taking bold steps to cut red tape and sharpen its focus on the fight.
A new memo signed by Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan orders a 35% cut to civilian Public Affairs Officer (PAO) billets and moves all hiring and contracting decisions under tighter control.
Leaders say the goal is to make the force leaner, faster and more disciplined while saving taxpayer money.
"The memo was signed with the intent to make a more lethal and agile force, placing the most capable people in the right positions to support the warfighter," a Navy official told Fox News Digital on background. "It seeks to prioritize warfighting readiness, reinforce standards and discipline, as well as accelerate decision-making."
"The Department of the Navy must ensure public affairs resources are aligned to warfighting readiness, standards and discipline, and rapid decision-making," the memo states.
From now on, any civilian public affairs hiring must be approved by the Navy’s Chief of Information (CHINFO) or the Marine Corps Communications Directorate (CD). Contracts for media and messaging support will also be pooled into one system so commands across the fleet can use the same process.
The memo directs that "civilian public affairs billets in headquarters, staff support, and non-operational environments shall be reduced or eliminated."
The changes come after a review found the civilian public affairs workforce had grown far beyond what was needed. The study flagged overlapping jobs, inconsistent messaging and inefficient spending.
Navy leaders say the overhaul will not only trim costs, but also ensure that every communication effort supports readiness and the men and women on the front lines.
The Marine Corps is not included in the cuts because it is already going through a separate review.
For the Navy, the memo notes that "some billets may be realigned to active-duty or reserve Public Affairs Officers," putting more uniformed leaders in charge of telling the Navy’s story.
The directive also requires CHINFO and CD to "document projected cost savings and assess opportunities to reinvest in fleet support and uniformed public affairs capacity."
"This is about discipline, efficiency and lethality," a senior Navy official told Fox News Digital. "Every resource we save here is a resource we can put back into readiness and the fight."
[HUMANEVENTS] The State Department under the Trump administration is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Jimmy Cherizier, the leader of the Haitian gang alliance Viv Ansanm. The State Department designated the group a foreign terrorist organization and specially designated global terrorist entity on May 2, 2025.
Cherizier, widely known by the nickname ''Barbecue,'' is accused of driving violence and instability across the island nation of 11 million.
A former officer in the Haitian National Police, he helped form the Revolutionary Forces of the G9 Family and Allies before expanding that coalition into Viv Ansanm, which unified several gangs opposed to the Haitian government. US officials describe him as directly responsible for murders, rapes, and other human rights When they're defined by the state or an NGO they don't mean much... abuses.
The Department of Justice this week unsealed an indictment charging Cherizier with conspiracy to violate American sanctions under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
Prosecutors say he avoided restrictions imposed in 2020 under the Global Magnitsky Act, which targeted him for his role in the La Saline massacre. During that 2018 attack, 71 people were killed, more than 400 homes destroyed, and women were assaulted by armed gangs.
[IsraelTimes] North Korea ...hereditary Communist monarchy distinguished by its truculence and periodic acts of violence. Distinguishing features include Songun (Army First) policy, which involves feeding the army before anyone but the Dear Leadership, and Juche, which is Kim Jong Il's personal interpretation of Marxism-Leninism, which he told everybody was brilliant. In 1950 the industrialized North invaded agrarian South Korea. Twenty-one countries of the United Nations eventually contributed to the UN force opposing the invasion, with the United States providing around 90% of the military personnel. Seventy years later the economic results are in and it doesn't look good for Juche... has built a secret military base near its border with China which may house Pyongyang’s newest long-range ballistic missiles, new research says.
The "undeclared" Sinpung-dong Missile Operating Base lies about 27 kilometers (17 miles) from the Chinese frontier, the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said in a report published yesterday.
The facility in North Pyongan Province likely houses six to nine nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and their launchers, the study says.
It says the weapons "pose a potential nuclear threat to East Asia and the continental United States."
North Korea has ramped up its nuclear weapons program since a failed summit with the United States in 2019, and leader Kim Pudge Jong-un ...the overweight, pouty-looking hereditary potentate of North Korea. Pudge appears to believe in his own divinity, but has yet to produce any loaves and fishes, so his subjects remain malnourished... recently called for the "rapid expansion" of the diplomatically isolated nation’s nuclear capability.
[FoxNews] Patel told Fox News Digital, the 'FBI has worked aggressively with our partners in Tennessee to establish a dedicated task force and deploy resources to tackle crime in Memphis'
Story of hunting down a suspect at the link.
But for the members of THP’s Bluff City Task Force, the arrest exemplified what increased police resources can accomplish in a city that’s long had a reputation for rampant crime.
In May, FBI Director Kash Patel dubbed Tennessee's second most populous city the "homicide capital of America," and said the bureau would send a task force to the Volunteer State.
The FBI highlighted to Fox News Digital Operation Viper, which brings federal and state law enforcement together to combat violent crime with a strategic response. The FBI sent 15 additional special agents and two intelligence personnel to Memphis in late July to help with Operation Viper. As of August 8, Operation Viper has made 157 arrests and seized over 50 firearms.
"The FBI has worked aggressively with our partners in Tennessee to establish a dedicated task force and deploy resources to tackle crime in Memphis. While this operation remains ongoing, we are committed to delivering results and look forward to sharing them with the American people," Patel told Fox News Digital.
Nearly 50 troopers are now permanently stationed in Shelby County, according to THP Lt. Col. Jimmie Johnson, a stark increase from just six troopers around a decade ago.
On a Thursday evening in August, around half of that contingent prepared to hit the roads — and the skies — around Memphis.
"If you're going to work some of the hot spots, make sure that you're working in groups," Johnson advised the group. "Stay focused, stay safe, and let's make a difference."
Troopers donned their hats and set out in their SUVs. The patrol’s aviation unit kicked up a blinding cloud of debris as it lifted off from the parking lot.
Within minutes, troopers were making their first arrest, after a stop for fake tags — rampant in Memphis — turned up suspected fentanyl and LSD.
While traffic enforcement on the I-240 loop and surrounding highways is the primary objective, Johnson said flooding high-crime areas with officers can help root out more violent crimes. Troopers regularly seize drugs and weapons. Some of the guns they’ve confiscated have been tied to murders and other shootings, according to highway patrol officials.
Road-rage shootouts, drag racing, and other interstate takeovers are also down, said Johnson, who was born in Memphis and spent most of his career policing the highways around the Bluff City.
"We know that if we look beyond the stop, that can prevent something more violent from happening," he said.
Troopers made several other arrests over the next few hours, primarily for drug possession, but also for outstanding warrants. And they did plenty of traffic enforcement, like ticketing a driver for allegedly going 90 mph in a 55 zone, with two unbuckled children in the back seat.
The increased presence is being felt far beyond the interstate.
Violent crime does appear to be declining in Memphis and other cities, according to newly released FBI data. And homicides in the Bluff City are down about 11% compared to this time last year, Memphis Police Department data show.
With an increased presence on the highways, law enforcement hopes trends will continue in a positive direction.
"When we all work together… the good guys win," Sgt. Anthony Johnson said.
#1
Not sure I want the Feds working every homicide case in the US as that could easily be leveraged into a national police force. The FBI has proved that they are corrupt and should not be expanded. I am OK with a temporary surge in Dem cities to get the violence under control as long as the criminals are charged federally to avoid Soros DAs.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
08/21/2025 6:36 Comments ||
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#2
The number of convicted felons caught with guns. a federal offense, will be a major operation anywhere often snaring the usual population that inflicts a disproportional amount of crime on productive citizens.
[Oprah Daily] When my grandfather was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2014, I assumed it was pure bad luck—perhaps from some secret misprint wired deep in his genetic code, or something that "just happened" to certain people as they aged. Parkinson’s slowly deteriorates the brain’s basal ganglia (which are in charge of movement control). It caused my grandfather, who has since passed away, to suffer from seemingly uncontrollable tremors in his hands, as well as stiffness, trouble walking, and rapid weight loss. "This is hell," he told me once.
But as I’ve learned from reading The Parkinson’s Plan, a new book from neurologists and researchers Ray Dorsey, MD, and Michael Okun, MD, the disease that affects 1.1 million Americans is not, as I’d assumed, just an unlucky break. Drs. Dorsey and Okun draw on decades of research to argue that Parkinson’s is preventable, not inevitable—and that it is driven in large part by modern pollution and chemical exposure. They propose a comprehensive plan, which calls for $3 billion of federal funding to tackle the environmental causes, bolster research efforts, increase access to care, and invest in new treatments. Their mission is to eradicate Parkinson’s once and for all.
"We wrote this book to prevent future generations from ever getting this disease," Dr. Dorsey tells me. "We wrote this book to help slow the rate of progression for those who already have the disease, and we wrote this book to come up with better ways to treat the disease." We spoke to Drs. Dorsey and Okun about what they’ve learned over their careers studying and treating Parkinson’s disease and what we all can do to reduce our risk.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
08/21/2025 12:44 Comments ||
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#7
James Parkinson, who named the disease, did his work in the early 1800s. The condition had been recognized for centuries before that (going back to 10 century BCE Egypt).
The so called 'modern pollution and chemical exposure' hypothesis is somewhat inconsistent with this.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
08/21/2025 13:55 Comments ||
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#8
My sweetheart is one of the world’s leading Parkinson’s researchers. We have two companies going after separate genetic forms of the disease. One is a gene replacement of the gene named Parkin. If you are born without the two alleles (one from mom, one from dad) of this gene you will get early onset Parkinson’s in your late teens or early twenties. If you get only one allele you will also get Parkinson’s early, just later in life. We are on the path of FDA approval and hope to start human trials in a couple years. Prolonged pesticide exposure causes similar symptoms and she believes (supported by human cell testing) that the introduction of the Parkin gene to these patients should positively impact the disease progression. Lots of work being done on the genetic forms of the disease which should help set a pathway towards dealing with the non-genetic forms.
[YouTube] Join Jeff Ostroff for a deep dive into the official U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) final report on the catastrophic OceanGate Titan implosion.
This Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) root caused the OceanGate Titan submersible implosion accident at the site of the Titanic wreckage on June 18, 2023.
The entire investigation will be broken down into easy-to-understand segments with photos, charts, and videos to help you get a better understanding of how this sub imploded.
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.
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] A disgraced US Space Force sergeant has been jailed for 54 years after chasing down two unarmed teenagers in a stolen car and shooting them, killing a 14-year-old boy.
...hereditary Communist monarchy distinguished by its truculence and periodic acts of violence. Distinguishing features include Songun (Army First) policy, which involves feeding the army before anyone but the Dear Leadership, and Juche, which is Kim Jong Il's personal interpretation of Marxism-Leninism, which he told everybody was brilliant. In 1950 the industrialized North invaded agrarian South Korea. Twenty-one countries of the United Nations eventually contributed to the UN force opposing the invasion, with the United States providing around 90% of the military personnel. Seventy years later the economic results are in and it doesn't look good for Juche...
[FoxNews] Patel told Fox News Digital, the 'FBI has worked aggressively with our partners in Tennessee to establish a dedicated task force and deploy resources to tackle crime in Memphis'
[Oprah Daily] When my grandfather was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2014, I assumed it was pure bad luck—perhaps from some secret misprint wired deep in his genetic code, or something that "just happened" to certain people as they aged. Parkinson’s slowly deteriorates the brain’s basal ganglia (which are in charge of movement control). It caused my grandfather, who has since passed away, to suffer from seemingly uncontrollable tremors in his hands, as well as stiffness, trouble walking, and rapid weight loss. "This is hell," he told me once.
