A controversial series of events unfolded when a convicted killer, released on bond from a North Carolina jail, allegedly shot two men, resulting in one fatality just under two hours later. This rapid sequence has sparked intense scrutiny regarding the decision to release someone with a history of violence.

David Simpson, age 29, faces charges including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon intending to kill, and firearm possession by a felon. The incident occurred on July 29 at an apartment complex in east Charlotte. Following these charges, a Mecklenburg County judge ordered Simpson be held without bond.

According to court documents sourced by WCNC, Simpson was released from Mecklenburg County Jail at 12:20 a.m. after posting a $10,000 bond related to an earlier charge of possessing a weapon while incarcerated. Tragically, by 1:45 a.m., a shooting transpired leaving one victim dead and the other gravely injured.

Police investigations revealed that the shooting incident was the culmination of a heated argument over a parking space at the complex. Authorities had twice responded to prior disputes that evening involving confrontations over parking arrangements.

Surveillance video cited in the documents appears to show Simpson outside with his girlfriend when the victims’ SUV drove past. Detectives said Simpson went inside, returned carrying what they described as a weighted black bag, and ran toward the victims.

About 10 minutes later, two gunshots can be heard on the video. Roughly 30 seconds after that, Simpson is seen jogging back toward his apartment while handling the bag before driving away, investigators said. Officers recovered two spent 7.62-caliber rifle casings at the scene.

One victim died at the scene. The second made it inside an apartment before collapsing and later underwent surgery.

Court records show Simpson was previously charged with first-degree murder in a 2013 fatal shooting but pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in 2015, Queen City News reported. He served about five years in prison before being released on parole in 2020.

Since then, he has been arrested several more times, including on multiple charges of possession of a firearm by a felon, WBTV reported.

He also had pending charges this year for possession of a firearm by a felon, resisting a public officer and misdemeanor larceny, WCNC reported, citing court records.

Charlotte defense attorney Tim Cannady, who is not involved in the case, questioned why Simpson remained free despite his history.

“If you look at his history, it seems like this gentleman has picked up just about every year up to this point some kind of a violent crime,” Cannady told WCNC. “So you kind of have to ask the question: Why wasn’t he already in jail?”

Former Charlotte City Council member Tariq Bokhari offered a similar criticism.

“We know what these top 1% of repeat offenders are going to do, and for some reason, we just don’t have the appetite to take action,” Bokhari told WBTV. “It feels like ‘Groundhog Day,’ to be quite honest.”

Simpson refused to leave his jail cell for his first scheduled court appearance Friday morning, delaying the hearing until a judge ordered him to appear later that afternoon.

His girlfriend, Shakema Scott, has also been charged with accessory after the fact.

Simpson is due back in court on Aug. 21.

When U.S. Soccer officials hinted at bringing Mauricio Pochettino back for another term, it wasn’t simply empty talk.

Despite the USMNT’s disappointing 4-1 loss to Belgium that marked the end of their World Cup journey, opinions within the organization remained unchanged.

On Monday morning, the federation confirmed Pochettino’s continuation as head coach until the 2030 World Cup. This decision gained traction after initial speculation suggested a possible split following the team’s bitter World Cup conclusion.

Typically, national team coaches serve only one cycle, and Pochettino had previously expressed a desire to return to club coaching, especially in England’s Premier League. Perhaps the nation’s support reignited his passion, or maybe the feeling of unfinished business compelled him to stay.

Additionally, the current coaching market played a role; with top positions like AC Milan — which linked Pochettino in May before appointing Ruben Amorim — already filled, his options were limited.

Given the manner of the USMNT’s loss to Belgium, the decision to bring the 54-year-old Pochettino back will likely be controversial. Though he seemed to push all the right buttons until the Round of 16, his team didn’t show up ready to play in what was, without a doubt, the biggest game the USMNT has had in decades, if not ever.

A full cycle that includes a likely Copa America — which the US would play in 2028 should it host, as is presumed — as well as a home Olympics and World Cup qualifying after it qualified automatically for this one will be a chance for Pochettino to grow the cultural seeds he planted over the last 18 months.

It doesn’t mean the work is over for the federation’s brass, led by CEO J.T. Batson.

There is also the matter of replacing sporting director Matt Crocker, who departed for the same job at Saudi Arabia’s federation prior to the World Cup.

Batson said in May that he did not expect to hire a “like for like sporting director going forward,” and a new structure would instead be put in place.

Lindsay Clancy’s ex-husband Patrick Clancy described her mental health struggles in court

In a decisive shift, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche officially terminated President Donald Trump’s controversial $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund,” which was designed to financially support his political allies. This decision comes after a series of intense negotiations with two Republican senators who had previously obstructed Blanche’s confirmation for the permanent attorney general position.

Despite halting the fund, a declaration providing Trump and his family with retroactive immunity from any tax audits remains intact, although a judge has ruled this as improper self-dealing.

President Trump announced the commencement of new negotiations aimed at de-escalating the conflict in Iran, scheduled for Monday afternoon. This announcement coincides with his decision to temporarily refrain from launching further military strikes. His remarks positively impacted global oil prices, fostering optimism about the potential resumption of shipments through the vital Strait of Hormuz.

In the realm of political issues, immigration persists as a more compelling concern for Trump than matters related to the economy or Iran. This trend is highlighted by a recent AP-NORC poll, conducted shortly after the tragic incidents involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement resulted in three fatalities last month.

Stay tuned for the latest developments:

Blanche order keeps Trump’s ‘self-dealing’ immunity for any past tax audits

The document released by Blanche on Sunday night keeps a provision of the IRS settlement that provided broad tax-audit immunity for Trump and family, while limiting its scope.

It clarifies that the immunity “applies by its terms only retroactively” to claims open at the time of the settlement, and does not protect the president from examination of future tax filings.

On Friday, Trump’s attorneys notified a court they would appeal a judge’s scathing ruling that characterized the settlement of the president’s lawsuit against the IRS as an improper exercise in self-dealing.

The judge said that because Trump manipulated the court system by suing an agency he controls, the government cannot claim in official proceedings that the agreement resulted from a legitimate legal process.

Trump says talks on Iran war will begin on Monday after he holds off on ‘massive’ strikes

Trump said new talks to wind down the war in Iran and revive traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will start Monday afternoon, after announcing he is holding off on new massive strikes he had threatened to unleash on the country. Iranian state media, however, quoted the country’s foreign ministry as saying Tehran was not currently holding negotiations with the United States.

Israel struck the Gaza Strip again over the weekend, after the U.S. and Hamas said a deal was reached for the militant group to disarm, a potential step toward ending the war in Gaza that depends on Israel stopping its attacks. The Israeli military said the strikes targeted militant operatives.

Hospitals in Gaza said at least 17 people were killed, including children. A strike on one residential apartment killed three family members including a 4-year-old child, according to Nasser hospital, where the bodies arrived.

▶ Read more

Why immigration remains strong for Trump among Republicans, according to a new AP-NORC poll

Immigration remains a stronger issue for Trump than the economy or Iran, according to a new AP-NORC poll, even after three people were killed in encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in July.

Despite that, about 8 in 10 Republicans continue to approve of how Trump is handling immigration. That’s a slight decline from the beginning of Trump’s second term, when about 9 in 10 Republicans approved, but his support within his base has been mostly stable despite a chaotic year of immigration enforcement actions.

▶ Read more

Iran déjà vu: Trump once again threatens massive escalation against Tehran only to walk back

Trump has played this hand before during the 5-month-old Iran war.

It starts with a grim warning to Tehran that he’s on the cusp of ordering U.S. forces to “obliterate” its power plants or seize key parts of its oil industry if its leaders don’t quickly agree to U.S. terms to end the war. It ends with him edging away with a last-minute declaration, sometimes at the behest of Gulf allies, that he’s going to give diplomacy more time.

The hardball strategy aims to create movement in negotiation through pressure and chaos. But the tactic is facing a challenge with an Iranian theocracy that believes it holds a higher threshold for strategic pain than Washington.

The latest episode began on Friday when Trump grimly declared that he was “losing faith” in negotiations with Iran and warned that the U.S. military “ will be hitting them very hard.”

But by late Saturday night, Trump declared on social media that there were signs of progress on reaching an agreement and so he was calling off a plan to carry out new, massive strikes for the time being.

▶ Read more

Blanche rescinds fund for Trump allies after GOP senators threaten to block his attorney general bid

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche finally put it in writing, issuing a formal order late Sunday terminating Trump’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” to compensate his political allies. The move follows weeks of negotiations with two Republican senators who were blocking his nomination for the permanent job.

A spokeswoman for Texas Sen. John Cornyn confirmed the deal, which comes ahead of a Tuesday confirmation vote for Blanche’s nomination in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The other GOP senator, North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, did not have immediate comment.

Blanche said at a June hearing that the Justice Department would not move forward with the fund to compensate those who believe they were unfairly prosecuted, as he faced bipartisan outrage over the possibility that violent rioters who attacked police at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, could be considered for payments. But Cornyn and Tillis, both members of the Judiciary panel, have said they wanted to see the promise in writing before they endorsed Blanche’s nomination — especially as Trump continued to express support for the idea.

▶ Read more

Authorities are diligently investigating the motives behind a tragic shooting event at a bustling In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, Idaho. A 24-year-old gunman fatally shot three individuals and injured seven more, ultimately ending his own life after an exchange of gunfire with a bystander and an off-duty Idaho state trooper.

Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks confirmed on Sunday that Chad Williams acted independently during Saturday’s horrific incident. However, detectives are still in the process of identifying the reasons behind the shooting and piecing together the gunman’s actions leading up to it.

“Their brave actions likely prevented the situation from escalating and causing more harm,” Hicks said, referring to the armed citizen and the officer who returned fire. “We want to extend our appreciation and recognition for the courageous efforts of the off-duty officer and the bystander in halting this tragic event.”

The identities of the trooper and the bystander have not been publicly released. However, the Idaho Statesman highlighted the heroic actions of Jordan Salinas, a 35-year-old from Kimberly, Idaho. Salinas was carrying a FN Five-seveN semi-automatic pistol equipped with a suppressor during the incident.

Salinas, a reported “healthcare worker, the full-time caregiver of his wheelchair-bound brother,” told the paper he took up gun training after a 2021 shooting – never even aiming a gun at an animal – saying he was able to “observe,” “orient” and “decide” that “OK, this is the guy,” he said before being resolute to “act.”

The gunman, he said, was shocked by the armed response.

“He did not like it when bullets started firing both ways,” Salinas, whose girlfriend at the restaurant was stuck in Williams fire, told the Statesman, adding he felt “no fear.”

“There’s a task that needs to be done, and we’re the ones who need to do it,” he added, only standing down when he say police take over the scene, thinking “OK, my part is done.”

The shooter was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound near the restaurant, according to police.

“These people are true heroes in our community,” Twin Falls County Sheriff Jack Johnson said. “They diverted the shooter and without a doubt saved many lives.”

Hicks said Williams’ family was cooperating with authorities. Detectives were examining his activities before the shooting and trying to determine whether any victims had been deliberately targeted.

Authorities said seven people were injured. Two remained in critical condition Sunday, three were listed as stable and two had been treated and released from a hospital.

Officials said both fired at Williams during what authorities described as a chaotic and fast-moving attack, diverting his attention from the restaurant as customers and employees fled.

Witness Lane Koehn, 34, said he was stopped at a traffic light near the restaurant when he saw a man carrying an AR-style rifle emerge from the drive-thru. Another man armed with a handgun then began firing at the shooter, Koehn told The Associated Press.

Koehn said he later saw an In-N-Out employee drag a wounded co-worker across the parking lot. The injured worker had been shot in the chest, he said.

“She was pretty bad off, but I don’t know. I hope she made it,” Koehn said.

One of the three people killed was an In-N-Out employee, company owner Lynsi Snyder confirmed in a statement. Officials had not released the victims’ identities as they worked to notify relatives.

“My heart is broken, my chest is heavy, my eyes burn from the tears I’ve shed,” Snyder said. “We lost one of our beautiful associates tonight.”

“In-N-Out will be mourning with the families and praying for them as they tread through a very painful season.”

Snyder said the employee had been caring for customers when she was killed. The company was working with police and offering support to victims, employees and their families.

The shooting erupted Saturday afternoon at the recently opened restaurant in a busy commercial area where hundreds of shoppers, diners and employees were believed to have been present.

Twin Falls resident Haley Dodaro said she and her mother were waiting in the drive-thru when they saw workers running from the restaurant and people fleeing across the road.

“At first,” Dodaro said, she thought there might have been a fire. A person directing traffic then warned them that there was an active shooter.

“People were running out crying and screaming,” she said. “It was very scary.”

Nayeli Rodriguez, who was inside the restaurant with her daughters, said an employee told customers to get down after gunfire was heard near the kitchen. An older man tried to shield Rodriguez and her children before they escaped.

“We were trying to get as far as we could, and some angels let us in their car,” Rodriguez said.

A local taxi company said one of its drivers, Terry Dudley, was shot twice in the back while charging his Tesla near the restaurant. North Star Taxi said Dudley survived but faced “a very long road ahead.”

Salinas posted a humble Facebook message urging focus on “victims, their families, and everyone affected.”

“The last 24 hours have been overwhelming,” the message posted late Sunday night read. “I want to sincerely thank my family, friends, and everyone who has reached out with messages, prayers, and support. I haven’t been able to respond to everyone yet, but please know I’ve seen your messages, and they mean more to me than I can put into words.

“In the coming days, I’ll share a more complete account of what happened, to the best of my recollection, when I’m able.

“For now, my heart remains with the victims, their families, and everyone affected by yesterday’s tragedy. Thank you for continuing to keep them in your thoughts and prayers, and thank you all for the incredible support you’ve shown me and my family.”

The FBI asked members of the public to submit photographs and video recorded during the attack. Twin Falls police also urged anyone who witnessed the shooting or had relevant information to contact investigators.

Scott Hylands, celebrated for his starring role in the television police drama “Night Heat,” has passed away at the age of 83.

On Instagram this past weekend, Hylands’ son, Luke, delivered the heartbreaking news, writing, “I am heartbroken to share the news that my Dad Scott has passed away Wednesday night.”

Luke expressed that he and his family are grappling with the overwhelming loss, noting they’re “still trying to process this horrible loss.”

Reflecting on his father’s legacy, Luke described Hylands as his “forever hero and best friend,” adding, “There simply are not enough words I can say about you right now.”

He concluded his heartfelt tribute with, “Always and forever. I love you. Goodbye Dad. xo.”

At the start of his post, Luke called Hylands “Husband, Father, Actor, Director, Writer, Storyteller, Friend, and lover of life.”

Luke also shared multiple photos of Hylands alone and with his family members.

This story is developing…