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  • Trump threatens to revive controversial $1.8bn compensation fund as standoff with Senate Republicans deepens

    Trump threatens to revive controversial $1.8bn compensation fund as standoff with Senate Republicans deepens

    A high-stakes partisan standoff has erupted between former president and current U.S. President Donald Trump and two Senate Republican incumbents over the confirmation of his attorney general nominee, with Trump threatening to bring back a scrapped, ethically questioned $1.8 billion compensation fund for his political allies if the lawmakers block the nomination.

    Todd Blanche, who has served as acting attorney general since April, requires unanimous support from all Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to move his confirmation forward to a full Senate vote. But two outgoing Republican senators — John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, whose current terms both end in January — have refused to throw their support behind Blanche, citing their deep opposition to the potential resurrection of Trump’s so-called anti-weaponisation fund.

    In a public post to his social platform Truth Social Saturday, Trump hit back at the two holdout senators, claiming their opposition stems from his refusal to endorse their re-election campaigns. The president warned that if the pair blocks Blanche’s nomination, the dormant compensation fund will immediately be reintroduced and enacted. He added that even if confirmation is derailed, he will retain Blanche as acting attorney general and continue pushing aggressively to pass formal legislation authorizing the fund.

    First proposed earlier this year, the fund was designed to settle a personal lawsuit Trump brought against the Internal Revenue Service over the unauthorized leak of his confidential tax returns. Under the original proposal, allies of the president would be eligible to claim compensation for what they frame as politically targeted prosecutions carried out by prior U.S. administrations. The plan drew immediate bipartisan backlash from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle over its ethical implications, leading Blanche — who led original negotiations for the fund — to scrap the proposal. A federal judge later formally blocked the fund, issuing a ruling that raised clear concerns the initiative violated federal ethical guidelines.

    Cornyn and Tillis have demanded that Blanche provide a written commitment that the U.S. Department of Justice will not revive the fund at any point in the future. To date, the Trump administration has refused to issue such a guarantee, escalating the deadlock.

    Responding to Trump’s Saturday threats on social platform X, Tillis pushed back against the president’s reversal on the fund’s status. He noted that just one day prior, the administration had publicly stated the fund was permanently dead. “President Trump clearly intends to resurrect the payout pot for punks either by inappropriately establishing another bogus fund or pushing Congress to vote for a bill that the majority of Republicans in the Senate would be against,” Tillis wrote. He added that it is regrettable that Blanche, who he personally considers qualified to hold the attorney general post, will see his nomination stall over this policy reversal, but expressed hope the impasse could be resolved before the committee’s scheduled vote Tuesday.

    The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a procedural meeting for Tuesday to hold a potential vote on advancing Blanche’s nomination. The BBC has reached out to Cornyn’s office for additional comment on the standoff, but has not yet received a response.

    Despite acknowledging during a Friday cabinet meeting at Camp David that the fund was currently “dead”, Trump made clear that the initiative remains a top policy priority for his administration. The president told reporters that he continues to support compensation for individuals he claims were wrongfully targeted and abused by the U.S. Department of Justice under previous leadership. “I think people are horribly treated. Horribly abused,” Trump said. “I’d like to see them compensated for the pain. People they were very successful that wanted to go to a rally or an event…ended up spending the rest of their lives in horror. They’ve agreed to not have a fund, but there are a lot of people that are very set about it.”

    Even as outgoing lame-duck lawmakers, Cornyn and Tillis have become unexpected obstacles to Trump’s policy and personnel agenda, despite Trump’s public claims that he has already ended their political careers. Tillis first drew the president’s anger when he opposed Trump’s signature “One, Big, Beautiful” tax and spending package, while Cornyn — a long-time Trump ally — broke with the president after Trump endorsed his Republican primary challenger, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

  • Police in the US are making their own true crime podcasts – will it help catch killers?

    Police in the US are making their own true crime podcasts – will it help catch killers?

    Across the United States, law enforcement agencies are tapping into the global obsession with true crime by launching their own podcasts, turning the wildly popular genre into an unexpected investigative tool to crack long-unsolved cold cases and track down fugitive suspects. This emerging trend has already notched tangible results, even as it brings new challenges and ethical questions for police departments navigating a new form of public engagement.

  • Trump administration drops Reflecting Pool vandalism charge and admits flawed repairs

    Trump administration drops Reflecting Pool vandalism charge and admits flawed repairs

    In a dramatic reversal of a high-profile case that sparked accusations of government overreach, federal prosecutors in Washington DC have formally dismissed all vandalism charges against former Olympic canoe champion David Hearn, concluding that damage to the iconic Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was caused not by deliberate misconduct, but by flawed, rushed construction work overseen by the Trump administration.

    The court filing, submitted Friday by US Attorney for Washington DC Jeanine Pirro, lays out how new evidence from the US Department of the Interior (DOI) upended the original case against Hearn. Prosecutors confirm the new information strongly points to a botched installation of the pool’s new sealant and paint, completed as part of a $13 million renovation project rushed to meet a deadline ahead of the United States’ 250th Independence Day celebration in July 2026.

    Hearn was arrested last month after telling authorities he had simply touched the surface of the pool following a casual bike ride near the National Mall. At the time of his arrest, he faced up to 10 years in federal prison if convicted on the vandalism charges. Hearn has consistently maintained his innocence, telling the BBC prior to the dismissal that he “didn’t destroy, rip, tear, peel, or remove any part” of the pool’s coating.

    Hearn was not the only individual targeted in the crackdown on reported damage to the landmark. A senior administration official previously confirmed to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, that four other people were arrested on vandalism charges, and an additional five received police citations. Former President Donald Trump himself publicly claimed one suspect had used a blade to cut a 250-foot gash into the pool’s newly finished surface.

    The $13 million renovation project was launched this spring to address longstanding structural issues, including persistent leaks and structural degradation at the decades-old Reflecting Pool. Trump positioned the overhaul as a centerpiece of his administration’s effort to beautify the nation’s capital ahead of the historic 250th independence anniversary. But problems emerged almost immediately after work wrapped up: the pool continued to suffer from problematic algae overgrowth, and large sections of the new blue sealant began peeling off within days of application.

    Prosecutors acknowledged in Friday’s filing that they only gained access to internal DOI documents showing the damage stemmed from contractor error after charges had already been filed against Hearn. “It was not until after these documents were produced that [prosecutors] first became aware of information showing that the damage was the result of a botched installation and not vandalism as initially represented by DOI,” the filing reads.

    In a statement following the dismissal, Hearn’s legal team slammed the Trump administration for what they called blatant abuse of power. The case “should have never been brought,” the statement said, adding that “its dismissal today does not erase the abuse of government power in arresting and charging a patriotic American who did nothing wrong. The government’s approach was ready, fire, aim.” The legal team added that the Trump administration “owes Mr Hearn an apology” for the wrongful prosecution.

    Hearn has not yet issued a public response to requests for comment from the BBC. The Reflecting Pool has now been drained for the second time in three months to address the ongoing issues, and remains empty as officials assess how to correct the botched work.

  • Police release Nancy Guthrie ransom notes in latest bid to find kidnappers

    Police release Nancy Guthrie ransom notes in latest bid to find kidnappers

    Six months after 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her Arizona home, law enforcement officials are taking a new step to crack the case by releasing two ransom letters sent to her family, appealing to the public to help identify the kidnapper behind her disappearance. Nancy is the mother of prominent American broadcast journalist Savannah Guthrie, one of the most recognizable on-air personalities in U.S. news media.

    Nancy Guthrie was last seen alive on January 31, when relatives dropped her off at her residence located just outside Tucson. She relied on daily medication for ongoing health conditions, and when she failed to arrive at a friend’s home the next morning to attend a virtual church service, authorities were alerted immediately. Investigators have confirmed they believe the 84-year-old was taken against her will from her home, though no suspects have been arrested to date, and no clear motive for the abduction has been made public.

    In the days following Nancy’s disappearance, two ransom notes addressed to Savannah Guthrie and the wider Guthrie family were sent to a local Tucson television station. The Pima County Sheriff’s Office, which is leading the investigation, confirmed Friday that the first note, received February 2, is considered apparently credible and demanded a $4 million ransom payment in Bitcoin. The letter stated that if the ransom was not transferred to the specified crypto wallet by the initial deadline, the demand would increase to $6 million, and threatened that Nancy would be killed if no payment arrived by the final cutoff. It also included specific details about items inside and outside Nancy’s home, such as a white smart watch left at the foot of her bed and a destroyed outdoor flood light.

    Four days after the first ransom communication arrived, a second note was delivered to the station. This letter claimed that Nancy had died of an apparent heart-related issue shortly after her abduction, saying the kidnappers had not intended to harm her and that she had been buried in an undeveloped natural area. It ended with an apology to the Guthrie family.

    To date, investigators have not been able to confirm Nancy’s death, and the case remains an open and active kidnapping investigation. By releasing the full text of the notes to the public, law enforcement is hoping that distinct writing patterns and phrasing used by the author will be recognized by someone who knows them. “A friend, family member, coworker, classmate, or acquaintance may recognise these patterns of expression and possess information that could help identify the individual responsible,” the sheriff’s office explained in an official statement.

    The strategy of releasing suspect writing to the public to generate identifying tips has precedent in major U.S. criminal cases. Most famously, the Unabomber suspect Ted Kaczynski was identified and arrested after his brother recognized his distinctive writing and ideological tone when major national newspapers published his full anti-technology manifesto in 1995.

    In a update to the case earlier this year, investigators released photos of a masked, armed suspect who was captured on Nancy’s home security camera shortly before the abduction, after the suspect disabled the front door camera. A glove recovered near the neighborhood in the weeks after the kidnapping did not yield usable DNA evidence, leaving investigators with few leads to pursue.

    Following receipt of the second note claiming Nancy’s death, Savannah Guthrie released a public statement on Instagram on February 7, pleading with the kidnappers: “We received your message and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us… This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.” Earlier this week, the prominent host released another public video, renewing her plea for the abductors to “do the right thing” and disclose where Nancy’s remains are located if she is indeed dead.

  • Trump now ‘not sure’ about letting Ukraine build Patriot missiles

    Trump now ‘not sure’ about letting Ukraine build Patriot missiles

    Three weeks after publicly offering Ukraine permission to domestically manufacture Patriot air defense interceptor missiles, U.S. President Donald Trump has reversed course, clarifying that no final agreement has been reached and citing long-term national security concerns over sharing advanced American weapons technology.

    “We have not agreed to that. We’re talking about it. But it’s a hard thing to give away, that kind of technology,” Trump stated during a Friday cabinet meeting. Describing the Patriot system as an unparalleled advanced weapons platform, he added, “These weapons are incredible. We have to be very careful about letting somebody build them.” Echoing this caution in a separate interview with the *Financial Times*, Trump noted, “I don’t think this would ever happen, but, you know, those people that you give that technology, they can someday turn on you.” He added that he remained “not sure” about approving the production license, saying “we’re looking into it” and emphasizing that the U.S. rarely licenses such sensitive military equipment to foreign nations.

    Ukraine has sought access to Patriot capabilities for years, as the system is one of the few in the world capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles and attack drones that have repeatedly targeted Ukrainian civilian and infrastructure sites. Just one week prior to Trump’s latest comments, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Washington D.C., where he met with Trump and leadership from Lockheed Martin, the U.S. defense contractor that manufactures the Patriot system. Following that White House meeting, Zelenskyy told Fox News that Trump had formally agreed to issue the production licenses, telling reporters, “He accepted that he will give us licences.”

    The original pledge of production rights came during a NATO summit held in Ankara, where Trump told Zelenskyy, “We are gonna give you a licence to make Patriots… I think they can produce them very quickly once we explain it.”

    Alongside his comments on the Patriot program, Trump announced that two of his senior envoys – his son-in-law and former White House advisor Jared Kushner, and former real estate developer Steve Witkoff – will travel to Ukraine in the coming days to advance peace talks. “Very simply put, we want the war in Ukraine with Russia ended,” he told the *Financial Times*.

    On Friday, Zelenskyy took to social media platform X to share details of a follow-up call with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, writing that the pair had followed up on his earlier meeting with Trump. “As Russia’s air attacks on our country continue unabated, air defence – specifically Patriot interceptors against ballistic missiles – remains a top priority,” Zelenskyy noted, adding that the two leaders had agreed to stay in close contact to work through outstanding issues.

    Ukrainian air force officials have repeatedly warned that severe shortages of Patriot interceptor missiles have severely limited their ability to counter incoming Russian ballistic strikes. The Patriot system is capable of intercepting projectiles with flight ranges of up to 1,000 kilometers (620 miles), with a single battery able to track up to 100 threats and engage eight targets simultaneously. Each individual interceptor missile costs an estimated $3 million to $5 million, and Ukraine has previously stated it requires a total of 25 full Patriot systems to adequately defend its territory.

    The latest diplomatic discussion comes amid a dramatic escalation of Russian air strikes across Ukraine. Earlier this week, a single Russian missile attack killed five members of one family – parents Artem and Olena Voronov and their three children, Mark, Azariah Ilay, and Emilia – after the weapon destroyed their home. Zelenskyy condemned the attack as a “horrific crime”, sharing images of the family on social media to highlight the human cost of the ongoing bombardment. The strike was part of a massive overnight assault that saw Russia launch more than 70 missiles and over 280 drones across Ukrainian territory.

  • US cyber defence agency warns of water attacks after Minnesota targeted

    US cyber defence agency warns of water attacks after Minnesota targeted

    The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued an urgent alert over a sharp surge in malicious cyber activity targeting the nation’s public water and wastewater systems, a critical piece of national infrastructure that serves millions of Americans across the country. The threat actors are specifically targeting programmable logic controllers (PLCs) — the automated industrial computers that manage core operational functions of water systems — and altering access passwords to lock out legitimate system operators, CISA confirmed. These malicious actions have already forced facilities to issue boil water advisories for affected communities and require manual operation of critical treatment and distribution processes while the issue is resolved.

    The national alert was triggered by a recent coordinated cyberattack targeting more than 30 small community water systems across the state of Minnesota, which took place earlier this week, according to Minnesota’s state information technology agency. Multiple U.S. law enforcement and national security investigators are currently probing whether the attack can be linked to Iranian-backed threat actors, multiple media outlets have reported, though investigators stress that the attribution remains preliminary and may shift as more forensic data is collected and analyzed. This ongoing assessment comes at a moment of heightened geopolitical tension between the U.S. and Iran amid the ongoing Israel-related conflict in the region and intermittent diplomatic negotiations aimed at de-escalating cross-region strikes. When contacted by the BBC for comment on the reported Iranian connection, CISA declined to confirm any details related to the attribution investigation.

    Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) released an official statement confirming that investigators have verified malicious cyber activity targeting the water systems’ information technology infrastructure, but noted that not all of the 30 targeted communities experienced disruptions to their drinking water or wastewater services. “We have provided all relevant intelligence and forensic data to the federal government, which is evaluating this activity within the broader national threat context and is leading ongoing efforts to attribute the attack to a specific threat actor,” John Israel, Minnesota’s chief information security officer, said in the statement.

    This latest warning is not the first time federal agencies have flagged the vulnerability of U.S. water infrastructure. CISA and other federal bodies have issued repeated public advisories over the past year warning of potential cyberattacks on water and wastewater systems from foreign threat groups, including actors affiliated with the Iranian government. Back in April, CISA released specific guidance warning that Iranian-aligned hackers were targeting internet-connected operational devices produced by industrial technology firm Rockwell Automation, including the PLCs that are central to water system operations. Earlier in July, CISA updated that advisory to expand the warning to cover connected operational devices manufactured by other major industrial vendors, reflecting the growing breadth of the threat.

    Across the United States, there are more than 152,000 public drinking water systems and over 16,000 separate wastewater treatment facilities, according to federal data. CISA has repeatedly emphasized that many of these systems, particularly smaller community operations that lack the budget for robust cyber defense infrastructure, are disproportionately vulnerable to malicious cyber intrusions.

  • Trump considers pulling Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination as senators hold out

    Trump considers pulling Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination as senators hold out

    A high-stakes political standoff has stalled the confirmation of Todd Blanche, the acting United States Attorney General, for the permanent post, as former President Donald Trump floats a controversial plan to temporarily pull his nomination and reintroduce it after two opposing Republican senators leave office.

    Blanche, who has filled the role of the nation’s top law enforcement officer in an acting capacity since April, requires full backing from all Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to move his confirmation forward. But two GOP senators—John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, both of whose current terms end in January next year—have refused to support his nomination over a scrapped $1.8 billion compensation plan for allies of Trump.

    The fund, labeled the “anti-weaponization fund” by the Trump administration, was created earlier this year to resolve a personal lawsuit Trump filed against the Internal Revenue Service over the unauthorized leak of his confidential tax returns. If enacted, the fund would have allowed Trump associates to file claims for financial compensation for what they frame as politically biased prosecutions carried out during prior Democratic administrations. The proposal sparked immediate bipartisan backlash from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, who criticized it as a misuse of federal funds for political favor. Blanche, who led negotiations for the plan, ultimately walked away from the deal, and a federal judge later formally blocked the fund, ruling it raised serious concerns over violations of federal ethical guidelines.

    Now, Cornyn and Tillis are demanding a written guarantee from Blanche that the Department of Justice will not revive the fund at any point in the future. As of press time, the Trump administration has not issued that public commitment. Blanche held a closed-door meeting with the two senators on Thursday, but no details of a potential agreement have emerged. Tillis laid out his opposition publicly, saying “The only logical conclusion I can draw from this setback is that, in fact, there is somebody who wants to enable [the fund] at the right time. This is unacceptable.”

    Trump, for his part, has issued a blunt response to the blockade, saying he is open to temporarily withdrawing Blanche’s nomination if the two senators do not reverse their position, with plans to re-nominate him after their terms end in January. But Trump’s proposal faces a major, immediate obstacle: Democrats are widely forecast to flip control of the Senate in November’s midterm elections, which would all but kill any chance of confirming Blanche after the new Congress is seated.

    Under current federal rules, acting officials can hold vacant cabinet positions for up to 210 days, and may continue to serve in an acting capacity while the Senate confirmation process remains ongoing. That means even if Democrats retake the Senate majority in November, Blanche could theoretically retain his post as Attorney General for a prolonged period.

    Current polling forecasts show Democrats are heavily favored to flip the U.S. House of Representatives, but the battle for Senate control remains far closer. In North Carolina, Democratic candidate Roy Cooper holds a consistent lead over his Republican challenger in the race to replace Tillis. In Texas, Cornyn was already ousted in the Republican primary by state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who earned a public endorsement from Trump. Paxton, who has faced multiple high-profile ethics scandals over his career, will face Democratic candidate James Talarico in November, with polling showing the race is currently a toss-up.

    This blockade marks the latest instance of Trump’s cabinet nominees facing opposition from within his own party. In November 2024, Trump initially tapped former Congressman Matt Gaetz for the Attorney General post, but was forced to scrap the nomination within days over widespread Republican opposition. Two of Trump’s nominees to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have also failed to secure enough support for confirmation in the Senate.

  • Watch: Moment empty building collapses in New York

    Watch: Moment empty building collapses in New York

    A dramatic surveillance video has captured the startling moment an empty, unfinished building gave way and collapsed in New York, sending chunks of concrete and other construction debris spilling across a nearby public roadway.

    The structure, which was still in the active construction phase when the incident occurred, collapsed inward and outward in a matter of seconds, according to the footage. No workers or bystanders were inside the building at the time of the collapse, and there have been no immediate reports of injuries linked to the incident. Local emergency response teams were dispatched to the scene shortly after the collapse to secure the area, clear debris from the road, and launch an investigation into what caused the structure to fail. Authorities have cordoned off the surrounding neighborhood to prevent unauthorized access while inspections are ongoing.

  • Nevada wildfire still burning out of control near secretive Area 51

    Nevada wildfire still burning out of control near secretive Area 51

    A lightning-caused wildfire burning adjacent to the United States’ most secretive military installation, Area 51 in southern Nevada, has exploded in size over nearly a week of burning, with containment efforts barely keeping pace, federal land management officials confirmed this week.

    Dubbed the Quail Springs Fire, the blaze has already charred more than 13,500 acres (roughly 54.6 square kilometers) of dry, rugged terrain, and as of the latest update from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), just 7% of the fire’s perimeter has been secured. The blaze is concentrated within the boundaries of the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), a sprawling restricted military reservation closed to all unauthorized public access that sits directly adjacent to the classified Area 51 facility.

    Firefighters have faced steep challenges in reining in the blaze, hampered by a combination of unforgiving terrain, triple-digit extreme heat, and gusty dry winds that have allowed the fire to jump containment lines and expand steadily. The entire region remains under an extreme heat warning through at least this coming Sunday, with forecasters predicting no significant precipitation in the near term to help douse the flames — conditions that are expected to keep fire activity high through the coming days.

    As of the latest BLM update, no residential structures or public spaces are currently under immediate threat from the advancing fire. However, the small nearby community of Rachel has been placed under an official smoke advisory, warning residents of poor air quality that can pose respiratory risks for vulnerable groups.

    The NTTR, where the fire is burning, has a long history as a core U.S. military testing ground, and its neighbor Area 51 carries an almost unparalleled reputation for secrecy. Originally established during the Cold War-era arms and technology race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, Area 51 was built to develop and test cutting-edge military aircraft. Today, activities conducted within its secured boundaries remain highly classified, with the site ringed by warning signs, constant electronic surveillance, and armed patrols that bar all unauthorized entry.

    This extreme secrecy has spawned decades of popular conspiracy theories, the most famous being unconfirmed claims that the U.S. government stores and studies crashed alien spacecraft and extraterrestrial remains at the site — claims federal officials have repeatedly and firmly denied.

    The Quail Springs Fire is far from an isolated event this wildfire season. Across the western United States and southern Canada, dozens of large blazes are continuing to burn across millions of acres. Neighboring Oregon has already seen more than a million acres consumed by wildfire this year, while Canadian fire crews continue to battle hundreds of active blazes across the country’s western and northern regions, many of which have sent plumes of smoke across much of North America. Experts have linked the increasingly severe wildfire seasons across western North America to rising temperatures and prolonged drought driven by climate change, which create ideal conditions for large, fast-spreading blazes.

  • Father of teen school shooter sentenced to 15 years in prison

    Father of teen school shooter sentenced to 15 years in prison

    A Georgia father has been sentenced to 15 years in prison on murder and manslaughter charges connected to the 2024 mass shooting at Apalachee High School that left four people dead, marking only the third time a U.S. parent has faced criminal conviction for their child’s act of mass gun violence.

    Fifty-five-year-old Colin Gray was found guilty by a jury in March on multiple charges stemming from the attack in Winder, a small community outside Atlanta. His 16-year-old son, Colt Gray, pleaded guilty to committing the murders last week. Investigations have confirmed that the AR-style rifle the teenager used to carry out the shooting was a Christmas gift from his father, purchased just one year before the attack.

    The four victims of the shooting included two 14-year-old students, Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn, and two teachers, 39-year-old Richard Aspinwall and 53-year-old Cristina Irimie. Four innocent lives were cut short in what remains one of the most high-profile school shooting cases in recent U.S. history.

    Prosecutors argued during the trial that Colin Gray was the single person with the power to stop the attack from ever happening. They laid out extensive evidence that Gray ignored multiple clear warning signs about his son’s mental state and violent intentions: just seven months before the shooting, local police had questioned the teenager over online threats to carry out a school attack. Gray also failed to address notes in his son’s notebook that explicitly detailed plans to kill students and staff at the high school. Despite these red flags, Gray not only refused to secure his firearms in a locked storage container but gifted his son a military-style assault weapon.

    “After seeing sign after sign of his son’s deteriorating mental state, his violence, his school-shooter obsession, the defendant had sufficient warning that his son was a bomb just waiting to go off,” Barrow County Assistant District Attorney Patricia Brooks told the jury during closing arguments. “And instead of disarming him, he gave him the detonator.”

    Defense lawyers for Colin Gray attempted to shift full responsibility to the teenage shooter, arguing that the boy made a deliberate, secret decision to carry out the attack that his father could not have foreseen. “This is the person who went into the high school and shot and killed four people he didn’t even know and injured scores of others,” defense attorney Jimmy Barry told jurors. “This is the person who needs to be punished. He made a conscious decision to do this — a secretive decision.”

    Prosecutors had requested the maximum possible sentence of 80 years in prison, while the defense pushed for a reduced 10-year sentence. On Thursday, Judge Nicholas Primm handed down a concurrent 15-year sentence, delivering a sharp rebuke of Gray’s failure as a parent before announcing the punishment.

    “It is clear you failed as a parent,” Judge Primm stated. “The warning lights were flashing brighter and brighter…and you failed to do the simplest things to prevent this.” The judge did acknowledge a key mitigating factor, however: that Gray never intended to harm anyone and did not personally pull the trigger during the attack.

    According to CBS News, this conviction is only the third time a U.S. parent has been held criminally liable for a mass shooting committed by their child. Legal precedents for holding parents accountable in such cases are very new, with the first major conviction coming earlier this year in Michigan. In that April 2024 case, the parents of a Michigan teen who killed four students were sentenced for their role in the attack — after they bought the gun their son used just days before the shooting, marking the first time a U.S. parent was convicted on criminal charges stemming from their child’s mass shooting.