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Greg Sankey addresses SEC breakaway talk as Michigan tries to steal spotlight with AD Warde Manuel decision
TAMPA - Just as SEC commissioner Greg Sankey took to the podium inside the Marriott hotel to kick off the 2026 media days, he was already battling for headlines from the Big Ten, as Michigan announced the findings of their internal investigation that is leading to AD Warde Manuel stepping down.
Did you expect the competition between conferences to stop on a random Monday morning in July?
While this was already going to be a week of pure chaos, wrapped up between the ongoing 'Protect College Sports Act', CFP expansion and the battle to stay out of courtrooms, it almost felt as though the third Monday of July was going to be a doozy.
Come on, what did you expect?
We are currently in the midst of one of the most important times in college athletics, as conferences like the SEC and Big Ten negotiate with senators over issues pertaining to the future of the industry. The latest negotiations center around a potential agreement that conferences would not be allowed to expand to over 20 teams, which is just the latest installment of this ongoing saga.
But, what about the ongoing discussion regarding the SEC breaking away from others, and governing themselves if there is not legislation passed on the Senate floor?
"They're real. People have talked about that," Greg Sankey said to open SEC Media Days. "They've opined about the frustrations that have brought them to the point of looking for something different. I do not believe that it's a leverage point.
"We have regulated ourselves more aggressively by choice than other colleagues around the landscape. ... What you hear comes out of a culture that we can regulate ourselves."
No, the conference is not using this as a ploy. But, this would also become the latest example of college athletics trying to figure out their way outside the NCAA structure.
Lost in the fray of nearly 1,000 media members in Tampa are the different conversations taking place among radio stations, podcasts, television hits and stand-ups.
For many, they want to move onto the forthcoming action on the field. But, in the meantime, there will be discussions on what college athletics will actually look like in five years.
Though, if you think the competition between conferences was taking a break before the season fully got underway, you are oblivious to the ongoing battles outside the fight to pass legislation.
It just so happens that Michigan decided that Monday morning was the perfect time to release its findings of a $12 million investigation into the athletics department, largely based on the firing of former coach Sherrone Moore.
Oh, just perfect timing that the Wolverines athletic department decided to release certain talking points of its investigation into the firing of Sherrone Moore and past infractions during the opening remarks of SEC commissioner Greg Sankey.
After nearly seven months of inquires by outside law firm Jenner & Block, who were hired by Michigan to also investigate the culture of the Wolverines athletic department, an outline of findings were finally released on Monday morning.
Multiple NCAA investigations, firings, scandals and even an FBI investigation into a member of the football staff led to the school hiring an outside firm, which came in the aftermath of Sherrone Moore being fired for having a relationship with staffer Paige Shiver.
So, what did the investigation uncover about the actions of athletic director Warde Manuel over the past five years? Enough to send him on his way, in around six months, but not without praising him for the leadership provided to Michigan.
"The culture review found that Warde Manuel demonstrated important leadership strengths, particularly his commitment to student-athletes," Michigan noted. "At the same time, it identified failures to quickly and effectively act on allegations of wrongdoing by Athletic Department employees."
In its announcement, the school also noted that AD Warde Manuel would step down at the end of this calendar year.
"The review also identified interference, poor oversight and failures of accountability of the highest levels of university leadership. This must change," President Domenico Grasso said in a video statement.
This was a far cry from the answers given in what was essentially a Q&A on the school's website about what was found from a multi-million dollar investigation. So, was widespread misconduct found during the internal audit?
"No. Neither the investigation nor the culture review found that misconduct was widespread throughout the department.
"The culture review found that weaknesses in accountability, organizational structure, oversight, and reporting created conditions in which misconduct was not always addressed consistently, promptly, or in accordance with University expectations."
If you are grasping for actual conversations around what will happen on the field this season, don't worry it's coming.
The 2026 circus between LSU and Ole Miss, thanks to Lane Kiffin, will arrive later this week to Tampa.
Obviously, the talking-points from Kiffin will be interesting to monitor, though the Tigers head coach seems to be more subdued in person compared to his social media presence.
Lane Kiffin takes shot at Ole Miss, cites racism in recruiting gap with LSU in awkward interview
There will also be plenty of eyes on the Texas Longhorns, with Arch Manning making his return to SEC Media Days. Is this the year that Steve Sarkisian leads his team to a national championship game?
No matter what, the headlines will come over the next four days, along with plenty of conversations around self-governance, breaking away and changing the rules.
But I promise you, actual football will be one of the main takeaways from Tampa.
Bill Maher rips California taxes, says state takes bigger cut than a 'skeezy' drug dealer
Comedian Bill Maher blasted California's high tax burden on businesses on Monday during his "Club Random" podcast, quipping that the deep blue state takes a bigger cut than the drug dealers he bought from in the past.
"It's almost impossible to make a business work in California like that," Maher said on Monday's episode.
"I mean, just the state takes like 40% taxes. F---, you know, when I bought drugs from a skeezy dealer, he didn't skim 40%."
NEWSOM UNDER FIRE AS CALIFORNIA GAS TAX HIKE SENDS PUMP PRICES EVEN HIGHER
Maher then joked that even when he used to sell marijuana, he never took as big a cut as California does through taxes.
"Like I would buy a pound, which is 16 ounces, and make 17 ounces out of it. That's not 40%, but the government is worse than the dealer," he said.
Maher appeared to be speaking casually with his 40-percent remark. California has one of the nation's highest corporate tax rates for most of its businesses at 8.84 percent, although that's not taking into account the federal rate, which is 21 percent for class C corporations, as well as payroll taxes and other fees for businesses.
Maher's guest, actor and comedian Jack Whitehall, responded by joking that California's steep taxes leave business owners "forced to diversify" into ventures like gardening businesses and tea rooms just to stay afloat.
BLUE-STATE TAX BURDEN FUELS AMERICANS FLEEING TO REPUBLICAN-LED SOUTHERN STATES
Maher has remarked on lofty taxation in the past, calling out Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and other democratic socialists earlier this year while saying he's tired of hearing the rich don't pay their fair share.
"Last week was tax day… I paid to the government, if you add in state tax, local, sales, property, fees [and] Obamacare, probably almost 60% of what I earn. That's a lot, and I still wouldn't mind if Bernie Sanders would stop saying the rich don't pay taxes," Maher said, kicking off a "New Rule" segment back in April.
"And while I'm sure the super-rich, with their army of accountants and corporate loopholes, get away with murder, us regular rich people pay a s--- ton of taxes" Maher said.
Maher also called out Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., in a separate instance from 2021, criticizing her over the politically charged "Tax the Rich" dress she wore at the Met Gala.
"It's not like we don't tax the rich at all," Maher said. "I'm all for ending income inequality, but let's not lie. The rich pay a lot of the taxes."
"Yes, there are lots of things we need to amend about the capitalist system. We have crony capitalism in this country, no doubt about it. I'm just saying, you're wearing ‘Tax the Rich’ on your ass and people are always saying the rich don't pay taxes. The rich pay some taxes! They pay a big part of the freight already. I'm not saying it shouldn't be more perhaps, but let's not lie," Maher added.
Memphis woman charged with first-degree murder after shooting man found hiding under her child's bed: docs
A Memphis mother faces a murder charge after she allegedly shot and killed a man who was hiding under her daughter's bed.
According to an affidavit, Kendra Scott told police she "saw a dude under my kids' bed, and I did what I had to do."
The man, identified as Rodderius Morton, was discovered by officers in Scott's front yard with a gunshot wound to the back of his head, on Thursday.
A juvenile witness in the area told police that Scott was yelling "Who's at my house?" and knocking on the front door when she eventually made her way into the home and discovered Morton under the child's bed.
Police say Morton and Scott got into an argument as he left the home, without a weapon, with Scott yelling "Get out of my house, ----- !"
A witness told police that Morton came in through the back door of the home after he was invited in. The same witness said they heard a single gunshot as Scott and Morton were on the front porch.
Scott allegedly told this witness in the past if she "sees a boy in my house, I will put a hole in his ---," documents say.
Scott is charged with first-degree murder and with employment of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.
She is being held without bond. Fox News Digital has reached out to Scott's attorney.
Army IDs 2 victims killed in enemy attack on Jordan air base
The War Department has identified two active-duty Army soldiers killed during an enemy attack at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan last week as 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas.
They were the first U.S. service members killed since the restart of hostilities amid Iran's violations of President Donald Trump's peace agreement.
A third U.S. service member's remains are being identified, while another was killed Saturday "during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance" in northern Iraq, U.S. Central Command said.
The announcement brought the number of U.S. service members killed since the war began to 17, while more than 420 have been wounded.
TWO US SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED IN IRANIAN STRIKES ON JORDAN, CENTCOM SAYS
Feehan and Gonzales were victims of the Iran attack Friday on Jordan, which remains under investigation. The release of their identities noted they were in Jordan supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, the international campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
The mission has ended operations in Iraq, while the U.S. has been consolidating and transitioning its presence in Syria.
Feehan was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Gonzales was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, in Ansbach, Germany.
The U.S. and Iran have intensified attacks since an interim ceasefire deal signed a month ago fell apart last week, leading to the return to all-out war.
TRUMP'S 60-DAY IRAN DEAL REACHES HALFWAY MARK AS CEASEFIRE COLLAPSES INTO ESCALATING WAR
"Godspeed, heroes," War Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X. "Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve."
Trump has authorized nine consecutive days of pounding strikes on Iran's coastal military sites and Islamic Revolution Guard Corps forces defying the terms of the now-defunct memorandum of understanding (MOU), designed to bring a ceasefire and open up the Strait of Hormuz to freedom of navigation.
"We hit them very hard again tonight, and we did that in honor of the probably three – it's probably three as opposed to two great patriots," Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Sunday night. "We feel very badly, but you know, those great people, those great patriots were out there fighting that Iran could not have a nuclear weapon."
Suspect named in New York City alleged incendiary device attack, had 'anti-ICE stuff' on him
The suspect accused of deploying an incendiary device outside 26 Federal Plaza in New York Monday morning is named Andrew Arrabaca, two law enforcement sources have confirmed to Fox News Digital.
The sources both confirmed that Arrabaca had "anti-ICE stuff on him" at the time of the alleged attack.
The building in lower Manhattan is home to a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office.
TOM HOMAN WARNS ICE SURGE COMING TO NEW YORK CITY AS MAMDANI BOASTS ABOUT SANCTUARY STATUS
This is a developing story.
5 things to know about Graham Platner ally poised to take on Susan Collins
Former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson is on a glide path to replace now ex-candidate Graham Platner as the Democratic Senate nominee in the high-stakes showdown to face off with longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Delegates aligned with Jackson won the vast majority of the 500 slots that were up for grabs on Saturday and Sunday as Maine's 16 counties held two days of delegate selection for next weekend's state Democratic Party nominating convention. And Jackson's top rivals for the nomination backed him after dropping out of the race on Sunday.
While the delegates on Jackson's slate are not required to support him at next weekend's convention in Bangor, Maine, he is now considered all but certain to secure the nomination and face off in the midterm elections against Collins in what's expected to be a combative and expensive ballot box battle. It will be among a dozen races nationwide that will determine if the Democrats can win back the Senate majority. The GOP currently holds the chamber 53-47.
FORMER PLATNER ALLY TROY JACKSON CRUISES TOWARDS REPLACING EX-CANDIDATE AS DEMOCRATS' SENATE NOMINEE
Here are five things to know about the 58-year-old Jackson, a fifth-generation logger from Allagash, a sparsely populated town at the northern tip of Maine along the Canadian border.
Jackson first started in politics nearly three decades ago, protesting the entry of Canadian loggers who were entering the U.S. and being hired over Maine loggers. Jackson took part in blocking Canadian loggers from physically crossing the border into the U.S.
He ran for office in 2000 as a Republican, but was first elected to the Maine House of Representatives two years later as an independent.
Jackson joined the Democratic Party in 2004.
He was elected to the state Senate in 2008, and a decade later, when the Democrats won the majority, he became the chamber's president.
Jackson now strongly supports abortion rights and same-sex marriage. But as late as 2010, he received a perfect score from Maine Right to Life, a pro-life group. And in 2009, he voted against legalizing same-sex marriage in Maine.
Jackson attributed his conservative stances on the key social issues to his Catholic upbringing in rural Maine.
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"I voted for those things over 15 years ago," Jackson said in an MS NOW interview last week. "I've always been someone who believed that healthcare is a human right and it became clear to me after some time that abortion, reproductive rights access is a human right. It's healthcare. People deserve to have that. And when it dawned upon me, I became a real advocate for that."
Balancing out his past votes against same-sex marriage and abortion rights, Jackson pointed to the Democratic Socialists of America and said, "People in the DSA think that I'm very progressive."
Jackson last year launched a campaign for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in the race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Janet Mills in the blue-leaning but competitive state.
Running on a platform of expanded healthcare and childcare, Jackson's gubernatorial run was endorsed last autumn by progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
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Jackson ended up finishing third in the ranked-choice Democratic primary for governor.
Jackson and Platner appeared together on stage with Sanders at rallies last year and this spring.
And late in the gubernatorial campaign, Jackson was endorsed by Platner, who at the time was cruising toward the Senate nomination. And Jackson backed Platner.
Platner dropped out earlier this month, amid calls from top Democrats in Maine and across the country to immediately exit the race following an explosive report containing an allegation of rape from a woman he previously dated. Platner denied the report but stepped aside.
While Jackson was among those who quickly called on Platner to end his bid in the wake of the rape allegation, he made the case that he was the best candidate to continue the fight for a progressive and populist agenda.
Jackson, similar to Platner, is running on a progressive and populist platform aimed at working-class voters. He backs raising taxes on billionaires, the universal healthcare system known as "Medicare-for-all," abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and he opposes military aid to Israel at a time that Democrats are increasingly divided on support for America's longtime Middle East ally.
"This movement has always been bigger than one person. It's about taking on a system rigged against working people, fighting for ‘Medicare-for-all,’ strong unions, higher wages, reproductive freedom, and an economy where billionaires and corporations finally pay their fair share," Jackson said last week during a virtual town hall, as he pointed to Platner supporters.
At last week's debate among the Senate replacement candidates, Jackson pointed to Platner and said, "That's the thing that I think Graham did the best: talked about fighting against the healthcare industry and the prescription drug industry to make sure that people in this state and this country have affordable, quality healthcare."
Rep. Ro Khanna of California, a leading progressive in the House and a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, was a top Platner backer.
Khanna quickly moved his support to Jackson in this month's sprint to succeed Platner.
Also backing Jackson is Our Revolution, the group born in 2016 out of Sanders' first presidential campaign.
And Jackson enjoyed strong support from labor unions in Maine.
Support from Platner’s former allies helped Jackson capture the overwhelming majority of county-selected delegates over the weekend.
Travel ball insanity: Rival 15U parents brawl at Mississippi 'World Series' over youth sports drama
The emotional toll of a long travel softball season spilled over into an ugly fight among parents at a Mississippi tournament over the weekend.
Multiple eyewitnesses say a fight between dueling 15U parents from Texas and Louisiana boiled over into an all-out fistfight at a so-called World Series event in Laurel, MS. Children could be heard screaming. Some cried. One even took what is believed to be a cleat and threw it at a parent.
Both sides claim the other side started it. There are accusations that the tournament director went soft on Team Texas. There are other parents who say Team Louisiana parents are to blame. In other words, it's just another in a long line of reports of travel ball parents gone wild as the race to a D3 scholarship continues to make moms and dads go insane.
MISSISSIPPI SHERIFF'S DEPUTY FIRED OVER VIRAL ON-FIELD FIGHT WITH BASEBALL UMPIRE DURING 14U GAME
Did you witness travel ball parents gone wild this weekend? Give me your report (video if you have it!): joe.kinsey@outkick.com
Someone on Facebook going by the name SoftballInsider claims to have been at the game and says this is what happened. Again, take it with a grain of salt.
"(Louisiana) lost the game 9-4. They talked at and berated the TX pitcher and other TX players a majority of the game. After the LA fans continued making remarks, including calling the TX players and fans 'white trash,' the TX coaches tried to have the umpires handle the situation," SoftballInsider alleges. "The umpires didn’t do anything. Texas won, and the LA parents/coaches/team were waiting near the parking lot where the Texas team were parked. One mom from LA (purple shirt lady who is still yelling and cursing at the end), started screaming at the Texas players (teenagers mind-you) as they walked past.
"As the players attempted to leave, the mom followed them towards the parking lot, where the player who was being screamed at had her mom approaching. The TX mom verbally confronted the other mom, and then one of the LA MALE coaches proceeded to push the TX mom.
"Let me repeat— LA STARTED THE AGGRESSION."
From there, other parents jumped into the mix. "From what I understand, LA was berating the Tennessee Team also. They were just bad sportsmen from the get go," a woman named Ginger responded.
TRAVEL BASKETBALL PARENTS CRY FOUL AS OHIO TOURNAMENT ADMISSION PRICE HITS A SHOCKING NEW HIGH
However, a Louisiana mom quickly fired back at both of these alleged eyewitnesses with her own version of how this all transpired.
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!! I was there too! The Texas players kicked our bats, yelled at our girls, stuck their tongues out, threw the ball in the air after every inning and on and on. THEN the players talked shit to one of our moms and she told her to keep walking," Louisiana softball mom April countered. "Then her mom and dad came over and the dad decided to throw a punch. He got his ass handed to him! No one berated their pitcher! She was cocky and arrogant FOR NO REASON! Our girls have never ever ever ever had an issue with a team ever. Not to mention EVERY SINGLE TEAM THERE COMMENTED ON HOW AWFUL TEXAS WAS AND THEIR FANS!!
"Also we had no altercation at state at all! And none at the hotel either. But Texas definitely had conflict with every team! NO ONE BERATED Texas during their game with Alabama either. We have video evidence of everything Texas did! Please go watch their GameChanger it’s ALL there!"
As you can see, the parents are in so deep that there's no common ground. They're two years out from the D3 scholarship offers that will serve as a reminder that all this was worth it. The rugby scrums with other parents were worth it. The 5-day trips in oppressive heat were worth it. The Facebook fights with opposing parents were worth it.
It was just another weekend of travel sports.
Ukraine unleashes more than 400 drones near Moscow in one of war's biggest attacks
Ukraine launched one of its largest drone attacks of the war against Moscow and the surrounding region overnight, striking an oil depot and logistics facilities more than 250 miles from the Ukrainian border, according to Ukrainian and Russian officials.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said more than 400 Ukrainian drones were launched toward the Moscow region between Sunday evening and early Monday, including 85 that were destroyed while approaching the Russian capital. Russia’s Defense Ministry separately claimed that its forces intercepted 381 drones across Russian regions, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
The Russian claims could not be independently verified by Fox News Digital.
At least 10 people were wounded in the Moscow region, including three Chinese nationals, according to regional authorities cited by Reuters. Seven of the injuries were reported in Domodedovo, Russia, where officials said a residential building was struck and a fire broke out at an industrial park near one of Moscow’s main airports.
The scale and reach of the operation suggest Ukraine is moving beyond occasional symbolic attacks on Moscow and building a sustained campaign against the infrastructure that supports Russia’s war.
UKRAINE LAUNCHES WHAT APPEARS TO BE ONE OF ITS LARGEST DRONE ATTACKS AGAINST RUSSIA: REPORT
By simultaneously targeting oil facilities, transportation networks and logistics hubs hundreds of miles from the front, Kyiv is seeking to disrupt the flow of fuel and supplies to Russian forces, reduce revenue available to the Kremlin and force Moscow to divert air-defense systems away from the battlefield.
Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries had doubled since the beginning of 2026, Reuters reported, contributing to refinery shutdowns and reduced production of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukrainian forces targeted logistics facilities and an oil depot in the Moscow region.
"Our long-range sanctions have produced results against logistics facilities and an oil depot," Zelenskyy wrote on X, adding that the targets were more than 400 kilometers (roughly 250 miles) from Ukraine’s border. "We are responding, justly, to every Russian strike against our cities and communities."
Wildberries, a company known as "Russia’s Amazon," said its logistics center in the Podolsk district of Russia was temporarily evacuated as a precaution before resuming normal operations, East2West News reported. Ukraine has accused the company of selling supplies used by the Russian military.
RUSSIA UNLEASHES NEARLY 600 MISSILES AND DRONES ON KYIV IN DEADLIEST STRIKE SINCE MAY
Ksenia Svetlova, associate fellow at Chatham House policy institute based in London, argued that the disruption caused by strikes on fuel infrastructure and companies such as Wildberries is unlikely, by itself, to change President Vladimir Putin’s approach to the war.
"The hardship of the Russian citizen who suffers because of fuel shortages, the strike on a Wildberries warehouse, or forced recruitment does not interest him," Svetlova said. "The war machine is operating at full force, and he has neither the desire nor the ability to stop it."
Svetlova said Putin remains reluctant to announce another mass mobilization after large numbers of young Russians fled the country during the Kremlin’s previous call-up. At the same time, she said, Russia’s military still needs additional troops after recruiting heavily from its prison population and is increasingly pressuring ordinary civilians accused of relatively minor offenses to sign military contracts.
The sweeping Ukrainian operation followed one of Russia’s largest ballistic missile attacks of the war against Kyiv. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 41 missiles of various types in the overnight barrage, which killed at least one person and wounded 16, Reuters reported Sunday.
The Russian attack also spread into the Black Sea, where a Russian missile attack on the Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo ship Golden Leo killed 10 people near Odesa, Reuters reported Monday.
'A NEW KIND OF WAR': INSIDE UKRAINE'S HIDDEN FACTORIES MASS-PRODUCING COMBAT DRONES
Ukrainian officials said the vessel, which was carrying corn, was struck by three cruise missiles and caught fire. Nine crew members and a Ukrainian maritime pilot were killed, while eight other crew members were rescued. The ship’s crew included Indian and Syrian nationals, according to Reuters.
The escalation comes as Zelenskyy faces growing domestic pressure over his removal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, a 35-year-old reformer credited with expanding Ukraine’s drone capabilities and seeking to modernize military procurement and management. Fedorov’s supporters viewed him as a rare official willing to challenge entrenched practices, improve oversight of defense spending and push a technology-centered approach to the war.
Thousands of demonstrators gathered following Fedorov’s dismissal, demanding his reinstatement and the removal of commander-in-chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi. Protesters have accused Syrskyi of resisting modernization and retaining a rigid command structure that they say contributes to high troop losses. Syrskyi has defended his wartime record and called for unity.
Fedorov publicly accused Syrskyi of blocking his initiatives and sabotaging his work. Zelenskyy said their relationship had deteriorated so badly that the two could no longer work together, but provided little additional explanation for removing Fedorov.
Zelenskyy indicated Monday that consultations over Ukraine’s military leadership were continuing, saying he had spoken with Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi about ensuring that the experience of every branch of Ukraine’s defense forces was applied in a coordinated manner. He did not announce any decision on Syrskyi’s future.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Tucson mass shooting has residents concerned over ongoing rampant violence, pols debating gun rights
A downtown Tucson, Arizona, mass shooting left nine victims wounded, the alleged shooter with life-threatening injuries, and locals concerned about the Democrat-run city's late-night gun violence having spun out of control.
The shooting erupted around 2 a.m. near Empire Pizza at East Congress Street and Sixth Avenue, a busy nightlife area filled with people leaving bars and restaurants. Police believe the violence began with a confrontation between two groups whose members knew each other, with bystanders caught in the crossfire. Authorities had not said how many weapons were fired or publicly detailed what started the dispute.
"Definitely it's not as safe as it used to be because I know there's all kinds of fighting happening," Tucson resident Roxanne Brown told Fox 10 Phoenix.
MASS SHOOTING ROCKS CROWDED DOWNTOWN TUCSON DISTRICT, LEAVING 10 WOUNDED
Anais Camacho, who has seen shootings at the same downtown corner before, said she routinely warns relatives to leave before the bars close.
"I had like a gut feeling that we should leave and pretty much as soon as we got up, there were some guys fighting and I shouldn’t have butted my butt in, but I did," Camacho told local KGUN 9. "I was like, stop fighting and then instantly he like lifted his shirt up, and I didn’t even see the gun, but I knew what that meant."
"So I yelled at everybody to like run away like but I guess I said it in Spanish — I didn’t realize," Camacho added. "I said he has a gun, he has a gun and nobody like moved and I had to like grab my cousin and we dipped and as soon as we bent the corner, shots fired."
Camacho said she knows first-hand of the "rowdy" late-night violence there.
"I always tell my family and friends this: Once we’re out at 1:30 a.m., let’s go home because after 1:30 people always start fighting," she told the local station. "People get drunk, they want pizza, and it always happens right here in this line or in this area in this corner. I’ve been through another shooting the exact same way right here on this corner and last time they let out three shots, so I kind of knew once people get rowdy, go home, you know."
JONATHAN TURLEY: JAMES TALARICO'S DEFENSE OF GUN CONTROL LEAVES OUT A KEY WORD
Empire Pizza said in a message posted to social media that two of the wounded people were on its patio but that the bullets came from outside the restaurant. The business praised officers who rushed toward the shooting and began treating victims within roughly a minute, but also issued a stark assessment of security downtown.
"It breaks our hearts to see what downtown has become," the restaurant said. "There is a stronger security presence guarding our bus station than any other business in downtown."
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Democratic Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and former Rep. Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz. – wife to Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and herself a victim of gun violence – are blaming the lack of gun control for the decline in public safety.
"Easy access to guns and Arizona’s weak gun safety laws have continued to put all of us at risk," Romero said in a statement. "From requiring universal background checks to extreme risk laws to funding violence prevention there is more lawmakers can and should do. We all deserve to be safe in all public spaces, in our schools, in our homes, in our shopping malls, and in our places of worship."
VIOLENT DC TEEN TAKEOVER IN UPSCALE NEIGHBORHOOD ESCALATES TO GUNFIRE
Romero thanked the officers for stopping the shooter before.
"Last night, Tucson experienced another serious and senseless act of gun violence," her statement began. "A shooter recklessly began shooting in a crowded area striking nine people before being stopped by a Tucson Police Officer. Thanks to the quick actions and excellent care provided by our fire fighters and police officers, all victims were stabilized and taken to the hospital where we are hopeful they will all recover."
"As we all know too well, the impact resulting from this act of gun violence reaches beyond the scene and the victims," Romero continued. "It affects all of us: family and friends, first responders, the witnesses, our entire community. We know these moments leave a lasting impression on us and our sense of safety. For the victims, you have my prayers for healing and a speedy recovery. To the first responders, you have my gratitude. To our community, join us in taking action against gun violence and helping the victims and those affected by gun violence to heal."
SPANBERGER SIGNS GUN BILLS, MAKES A PROPOSED GUN BAN EVEN HARSHER
Giffords, a leading gun control advocate, has given the state an "F" rating on GIFFORDS’ Annual Gun Law Scorecard, and lamented that "the state lacks commonsense gun laws like universal background checks, gun owner licensing and red-flag laws."
"It is especially alarming to see another mass shooting in my hometown," she wrote in a statement Sunday. "As we await more information, what I know is this: Arizonans should be able to go get pizza on a Saturday night without fearing the next random act of gun violence. Arizona continues to have laws that make it easy for dangerous people to access guns — the time to act is now."
Pima County authorities, still in the unresolved search for Nancy Guthrie, are now investigating the officer-involved shooting.
"Our senior leadership is still assisting at the mass shooting downtown this morning, and a team of victim advocates has been dispatched to the hospital where we are hopeful that all nine shooting victims may survive" Pima County Attorney Laura Conover said.
Republican Senate President Warren Petersen said the violence only highlights the need for the right for people to bear arms for self-defense.
"As this tragedy reminds us, evil exists, which is why we remain steadfast in supporting law enforcement and the constitutional rights of law-abiding Arizonans to protect themselves and others," Petersen wrote in a statement, according to KGUN. "We are praying for the recovery of those who were injured, for comfort for the families affected, and for justice to be served."
War erupts on far left as DSA endorses challenger against sitting House progressive
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is aiming to unseat another House Democrat as the divide between the establishment and the far-left continues to fuel chaos within the party.
The national DSA confirmed to Fox News Digital on Monday that it was endorsing Donavan McKinney, a Michigan state lawmaker, over Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich.
Thanedar made headlines for his own push to impeach President Donald Trump and similar threats to several Cabinet officials, including Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. He's also pushed legislation to pave the way for a national reparations system to give payments to Black Americans.
WATCH: HOUSE DEMS DODGE QUESTIONS ON SOCIALIST AGENDA THAT THREATENS TO ABOLISH KEY INSTITUTIONS
But he's still fielding attacks from fellow members of the far left, with several self-proclaimed democratic socialists also endorsing McKinney.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and DSA member Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., are among the sitting members of Congress backing McKinney over Thanedar.
Thanedar, who is running for a third term representing his deep-blue Detroit-area district, renounced his own DSA membership in October 2023 over fellow socialists' stances on the Oct. 7 attack in Israel.
FETTERMAN CALLS ZOHRAN MAMDANI A 'CLOWN' OVER PUSH TO ARREST NETANYAHU IN NEW YORK CITY
"After the brutal terrorist attacks on Israel, which included the indiscriminate murder, rape, and kidnapping of innocent men, women, and children, I can no longer associate with an organization unwilling to call out terrorism in all its forms," Thanedar said in the days following the terror attack.
McKinney was already endorsed by the Detroit-area DSA. His endorsement by the national party was first reported by Politico.
Several sitting House Democrats have already fallen victim to the far-left wave sweeping the country, particularly in the party's strongholds.
FAR-LEFT SURGE: MAMDANI-BACKED CANDIDATES OUST DEM ESTABLISHMENT INCUMBENTS
Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., lost their respective primary races to challengers from the left flank.
DSA-backed Melat Kiros unseated longtime Denver-area Rep. Diane DeGette, D-Colo., a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Republicans have seized on their victories as evidence that Democrats are shifting further left and away from where most Americans are politically.
It's prompted more moderate Democrats to sound the alarm ahead of November's midterms.
Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, one of the most vulnerable Democrats of this election cycle, told Fox News' "Saturday in America," "As a Democrat, I reject what the DSA is doing. I read their platform, and it is radical."
Fox News Digital reached out to Thanedar's campaign for comment but did not immediately hear back.