Illinois Mom Accused of Killing Toddler Apparently Took True Crime Research Way Too Far

As I previously posted, Corie Walsh hanged her 2-year-old son and now her lawyer is claiming the same excuse as has Lindsay Clancy's lawyer that this murderous mom was suffering from a "psychotic episode."

There are people who watch true-crime documentaries because they want to understand what makes someone capable of committing an unspeakable crime.

Then there is Corie Walsh who takes it to the next step.

The Illinois mother, who prosecutors say became deeply invested in the Lindsay Clancy trial, is now accused of allegedly killing her own 2-year-old son after apparently deciding that the toddler was the "anti-Christ" and the "devil."

At this point, "I was just doing research" probably isn't going to make the strongest closing argument, so she may need to take a different tact.

Walsh, 38, has been charged with murder after her son was found hanging from the rafters of the family's basement. Prosecutors say Walsh allegedly told police she killed the child because she believed him to be the "anti-Christ" and the "devil." Turns out she was wrong.

Authorities have also said Walsh was "very invested" in the Lindsay Clancy trial, involving the Massachusetts mother who admitted killing her three children by strangling them before attempting to kill herself.

Apparently, Walsh didn't merely follow the case. According to prosecutors, she became sufficiently fascinated by it that investigators are now examining the connection between her obsession with the case and the horrific death of her own child.

Walsh's attorney, Andrea Lyon, says there is another explanation. Her client, Lyon argues, suffered a severe mental break and was experiencing a "psychotic episode" when the killing occurred.

Police were called to the family's home Tuesday after a teenage neighbor discovered the toddler in the basement and began performing CPR. The child was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead. The coroner determined that he had died from asphyxia.

"It is also a tragedy that Corie herself was experiencing a psychotic episode at the time this happened. It is our hope that through a thorough presentation and investigation of the facts, that all of us will come to see this heartbreak for what it is," Lyon said, per CBS News.

That last part will presumably be left to the jury, because "psychotic episode" is a defense lawyers' phrase, while "your mother allegedly killed you because she thought you were the devil" is the kind of sentence that makes everyone else in the room desperately wish reality had an edit button.

Walsh was later found in a bathtub with cuts to her wrists and thighs. She was transported to a hospital for treatment of injuries that were not considered life-threatening before being transferred to the Will County Adult Detention Facility.

She is scheduled to appear in court on September 8.

The Illinois Department of Child and Family Services said it had no prior contact with the Walsh family before the incident.

The case now presents an especially grim collision of mental illness, true-crime obsession and alleged murder, with a 2-year-old boy paying the ultimate price for a nightmare that no child should ever have been forced to enter.

Thanks for following Brain Flushings. Please take time to check out the sponsors on this page--it's one way to support my work and you don't need to purchase anything to do so. Of course, you can Buy Me A Coffee at any amount if you want to support me directly. And finally, don't be afraid to subscribe if you enjoy the blog--it's free, and worth the cost.

Tweet

UPDATE: Amazon Cargo Plane mishap at Miami airport results in 5 deaths and 5 serious injuries

We now know that at least five people were killed, and five others were seriously injured, at Miami International Airport on Sunday after an Amazon cargo plane overran the runway, struck multiple vehicles and caught fire while landing.

The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office (MDSO) and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) confirmed that there were at least 10 victims involved in the crash, which happened when Prime Air flight 7598 overran Miami International Airport’s diagonal runway [number 30] at about 2 p.m. local time.

An Amazon spokesperson expressed condolences following the devastating crash at Miami International Airport that left five people dead.

"We're heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today’s incident at Miami International Airport. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families, loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating loss," the company said.

The tragedy unfolded Sunday afternoon after an Amazon Prime Air Boeing 767 operated by 21 Air crashed while attempting to land at the airport.

Fire Chief Raied Jadallah said three people were transported to a trauma center in critical condition, while two others were taken to a local hospital.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said rescue crews wasted no time responding to the crash.

The rescue team "was there within seconds of the crash," Cava said.

Firefighters were also dealing with a dangerous fuel leak from the aircraft.

"We do still have an active fuel leak that's occurring off of the aircraft that is being mitigated," Jadallah said.

Fire officials told Fox News Digital that the fire originated in the aircraft's engine. HazMat crews were able to safely shut down the engine while firefighters worked to contain the fuel leak.

"Firefighters encountered a complex engine compartment fire and used foam from specialized airport firefighting units to extinguish the flames," officials said.

The crash also involved vehicles on the roadway, leaving several victims trapped inside their cars. According to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, one victim required "extrication" by specialized technical rescue personnel.

Crews simultaneously launched search-and-rescue operations for the pilots and co-pilots, who officials said were trapped inside the cockpit. Emergency personnel also worked to locate and evaluate patients scattered throughout the crash site.

The scale of the emergency response was massive. More than 60 fire units and approximately 200 personnel rushed to the scene after the aircraft crashed and came to a stop beyond the airport operations boundary.

"Units arrived to find an airplane that had caught on fire as a result of this crash, with heavy flames and smoke showing. Firefighters are working on extinguishing the fire and assessing patients," the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said in a post on X.

MDFR has since shifted into a supporting role, with units remaining at the scene to assist other agencies investigating and responding to the disaster.

Amazon confirmed that the aircraft experienced an "incident" while attempting to land, though the company did not immediately provide details about what caused the crash.

"We can confirm that an Amazon Air plane operated by 21 Air experienced an incident while attempting to land at Miami International Airport today," Amazon said.

"This is a fast-moving situation and we're still gathering details. We're working closely with local authorities and officials to understand exactly what happened. Right now, our absolute priority is the safety, well-being, and care of everyone involved. We're doing everything we can to support those affected."

Boeing also weighed in, confirming that the aircraft has been flying for decades.

The aerospace giant told Fox News that the Boeing 767 was originally delivered as a passenger aircraft in 1994 before later being converted into a freighter.

"Boeing extends our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in the accident in Miami. Our hearts go out to those injured and affected by this tragedy. Boeing is supporting the investigation led by the U.S National Transportation Safety Board," the company said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said 21 Air Flight 7598, a Boeing 767-300, had departed Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

County CAD records indicate that the emergency call came in at approximately 1:55 p.m.

Cava said local officials were closely monitoring the situation as emergency crews continued their work.

"Right now, our focus is on everyone involved and making sure our first responders have what they need. We will provide updates as we learn more," she said in a post on X.

The crash immediately disrupted operations at one of the nation's busiest airports.

Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said authorities had issued a full ground stop while first responders assessed the wreckage and dealt with the emergency.

"We’ve issued a full ground stop at Miami International while first responders assess the scene after an Amazon cargo plane overran the runway. If you’re traveling through the area, please expect significant delays and potential cancellations," he said in a post on X.

Airport officials later announced that one runway had reopened, but warned that they were "still experiencing impacts from this incident."

Passengers scheduled to fly out of Miami on Sunday were urged to check directly with their airlines for the latest flight information before heading to the airport.

For now, investigators face the grim task of determining exactly what went wrong during the landing and how an aircraft carrying cargo ended up crashing beyond the airport's operations boundary and striking vehicles on the ground.

The investigation will ultimately have to provide answers, but for the families of those who died, no explanation can undo the loss suffered Sunday in Miami.

The National Transportation Safety Board is sending Jennifer Homendy. She is the Chairwoman of the NTSB and reports say she'll be leading the team investigating the crash. The NTSB has an office in Miami so the investigation should start very soon.

Thanks for following Brain Flushings. Please take time to check out the sponsors on this page--it's one way to support my work and you don't need to purchase anything to do so. Of course, you can Buy Me A Coffee at any amount if you want to support me directly. And finally, don't be afraid to subscribe if you enjoy the blog--it's free, and worth the cost.

Tweet

Jonathan Turley Torches Lindsay Clancy Lawyer Over ‘Utterly Reprehensible’ Attack on Holdout Juror

Law Professor Jonathan Turley had some choice words for attorney Kevin Reddington after the Lindsay Clancy murder trial ended in a mistrial.

"The attack on the holdout juror that was a breathtaking abandonment of restraint and decency."

Frankly, they were deserved.

Reddington represented Clancy in the trial over the murders of her three young children. He did not merely express disappointment with the hung jury. He went after the lone holdout juror in a manner Turley described as "utterly reprehensible." 

There is a reason lawyers are expected to exercise restraint when discussing jurors. Those citizens are not political opponents, punching bags, or convenient targets for public humiliation. They are ordinary people who have been entrusted with one of the most serious responsibilities in American society. 

Apparently Reddington decided that responsibility went out the window the moment one juror refused to give him the verdict he wanted. "For Reddington and others, the hung jury was less ‘Twelve Angry Men’ and more ‘One Angry Man.’ Yet, what he did in front of the courthouse was utterly reprehensible …" Turley wrote.

Turley went even further, arguing that Reddington knew precisely what could happen when he publicly singled out the juror."…The attack on the holdout juror that was a breathtaking abandonment of restraint and decency. Reddington knows it is very likely that the name of this juror (he has already been identified as one of only the three men on the jury) will eventually be uncovered by Internet…"— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) September 5, 2026.

"But it was his attack on the holdout juror that was a breathtaking abandonment of restraint and decency. Reddington knows it is very likely that the name of this juror (he has already been identified as one of only the three men on the jury) will eventually be uncovered by Internet sleuths," he added. 

"He effectively put a target on the back of a juror who committed the unpardonable sin of not being convinced by his arguments." That is the truly ugly part of this episode. Reddington had every right to argue his client's case. He had every right to be disappointed by the verdict, or lack thereof. He had every right to challenge legal rulings through appropriate channels.What he did not need to do was publicly demonize a juror who simply refused to agree with him.

But Reddington apparently wasn't finished.

Just before the judge officially declared a mistrial, Reddington made a Hail Mary attempt to have the lone holdout removed and replaced with an alternate. The effort failed. But not before Reddington used his filing to accuse the juror of having an inherent bias against people with disabilities or those suffering from mental illness. 

Then, after the mistrial was declared, Reddington went after the juror again. He claimed that Clancy and the other jurors had been "robbed by one man," Reddington made sure the public knew that the supposed villain was one of only three men on the jury. "They know they were robbed by one man, for whatever his agenda was, who stole seven weeks of the life of these other jurors that were so attentive, so beautiful, so wonderful," he said.

Think about that for a moment. One citizen disagreed with the other jurors. Rather than recognizing that a jury is supposed to deliberate and that disagreement is an essential part of the process, Reddington portrayed that citizen as someone with some mysterious "agenda" who had supposedly stolen seven weeks from everyone else.

That is not an argument for justice. It sounds more like the tantrum of a lawyer who cannot accept that his arguments failed to persuade someone.Reddington then sneered, "I hope that guy can sleep well at night," while boasting that he had "crushed" District Attorney Tim Cruz and accusing Cruz of not caring about the murdered children.

There is something particularly grotesque about turning a murder trial involving three dead children into a courtroom version of a personal score-settling exercise.

Outside the courthouse, women supporting Clancy's murderous acts shouted at Cruz that he "only cared about the [murdered] children" and had no compassion for their mother, who never denied that she was the one who killed them.

Turley correctly invoked the classic 1957 film "12 Angry Men" to make the point that Reddington appears to have forgotten one of the most fundamental principles of jury deliberation: jurors are not required to surrender their consciences simply because everyone else disagrees with them. "The rising hatred toward this juror reflects how an act deemed noble in one context can be denounced as craven in another."

"Viewers love to watch Henry Fonda stand alone against his fellow jurors to raise reasonable doubt in favor of the young defendant," Turley continued. "But in this version, the sole juror believed that his fellow jurors were ignoring the defendant’s culpability." 

Exactly. The hero of "12 Angry Men" is celebrated because he refuses to cave to the majority. He doesn't demand that the holdout be removed. He doesn't publicly brand his fellow jurors as villains. He doesn't suggest that someone should be replaced because that person refuses to go along with everyone else. He stands his ground. That is precisely what makes Turley's criticism so important.

Imagine if the logic Reddington appeared to embrace had been applied to Henry Fonda's character. The lone holdout could simply have been tossed aside and replaced by someone more agreeable. The deliberation would end when the majority got tired of hearing dissent. 

That might make for a convenient legal system. It would also be a terrifying one. And this is where Reddington's conduct crosses from merely being aggressive advocacy into something far uglier. A lawyer can fight like hell for his client without treating a citizen who disagrees with him as a human punching bag. The holdout juror did not "steal" anything. 

He did his job. 

He deliberated.

He listened.

And he refused to convict or reach whatever conclusion the other jurors wanted simply because they had the numbers. That is not a failure of the jury system. That is the jury system. 

Turley ultimately brought the discussion back to another classic work, "To Kill a Mockingbird," quoting the principle that should have been obvious throughout this entire episode: "‘The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience,'" 

There it is. 

A conscience does not require permission from a lawyer. It does not require approval from a prosecutor. It does not require agreement from eleven other jurors. And it certainly does not disappear because an attorney is furious that his case did not produce the verdict he wanted. 

Reddington may believe he "crushed" the prosecution. He may believe one juror ruined seven weeks of deliberation. He may believe the juror was biased. But none of that gives him license to publicly put a target on that citizen's back. 

Jonathan Turley was right to call it out. A lawyer's job is to advocate for his client. It is not to publicly vilify an ordinary citizen for having the audacity to exercise his conscience. 

If Reddington cannot tolerate a juror who refuses to fall in line, perhaps the problem is not the juror. Perhaps the problem is the lawyer.

Thanks for following Brain Flushings. Please take time to check out the sponsors on this page--it's one way to support my work and you don't need to purchase anything to do so. Of course, you can Buy Me A Coffee at any amount if you want to support me directly. And finally, don't be afraid to subscribe if you enjoy the blog--it's free, and worth the cost.

Tweet

BREAKING: Terrifying Footage Shows Amazon Boeing 767 Crash Near Miami Airport

Terrifying footage appeared to capture the moment an Amazon Boeing 767 cargo jet crashed onto a roadway outside Miami International Airport Sunday afternoon.

The video, obtained by NBC 6, showed the massive cargo plane sitting askew across the roadway as enormous clouds of black smoke poured from the wreckage.

The aircraft had just landed at Miami International Airport at around 2 p.m. after departing from San Juan, Puerto Rico, when the incident occurred.

Flames could be seen burning along part of the fuselage as cars and tractor-trailers pulled over near the wreckage. The scene was chaotic, with people in the background reacting in disbelief.

“Oh my God!” people were heard saying as the wreckage burned.

Remarkably, the aircraft appeared to remain largely intact despite the terrifying crash.

Other footage circulating on social media showed the plane on the ground just beyond the Miami runway, raising questions about whether the massive jet veered off the runway during landing.

Footage appeared to show an Amazon Boeing jet crash outside Miami’s airport on Sunday, September 6, 2026.

At this point, however, it remains unclear exactly what caused the crash or the full extent of the incident.

Authorities ordered a ground stop across the airport following the accident, preventing aircraft from taking off from Miami International Airport, according to 7 News Miami.

For now, the images coming out of Miami are enough to make anyone wonder how a Boeing 767 cargo jet ended up across a roadway just outside one of the nation's busiest airports.

Thanks for following Brain Flushings. Please take time to check out the sponsors on this page--it's one way to support my work and you don't need to purchase anything to do so. Of course, you can Buy Me A Coffee at any amount if you want to support me directly. And finally, don't be afraid to subscribe if you enjoy the blog--it's free, and worth the cost.

Tweet

Illinois Mother Charged With Murder After Becoming “Very Invested” in Lindsay Clancy Case

There are true-crime stories, and then there are stories so horrifying that even true crime seems at a loss for words.

Prosecutors say Corie A. Walsh had recently become “very invested” in the Lindsay Clancy case before allegedly killing her 2-year-old son and attempting to take her own life. Authorities also say Walsh had made statements about harming her other children and her husband.

She's a real peach . . . allegedly. 

Walsh, 40, has now been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and remains in custody “and being held for medical treatment.”

The disturbing case unfolded in Frankfort, Illinois, an affluent suburban community about 35 miles southwest of Chicago. What should have been an ordinary Tuesday quickly turned into every parent's worst nightmare.

Police responding to the Walsh home shortly after 4 p.m. found the family's 2-year-old son, Barrett Walsh, hanging in the basement. A neighbor had discovered the child, removed him and desperately attempted CPR while calling 911.

But it was already too late.

The toddler was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Will County Coroner’s Office ruled the death an apparent homicide. Preliminary autopsy findings determined that the child died from asphyxia due to ligature compression of the neck, according to prosecutors.

Walsh was found upstairs in the master-bedroom bathroom, fully dressed and lying in a bathtub “surrounded by bloody water.” She had cuts on her wrists and thighs and was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. 

And then came an explanation that sounds less like something from a courtroom filing and more like a particularly disturbing horror movie script.

Walsh allegedly told officers “she did this to her baby because he was the ‘devil’ and the ‘anti-Christ.’”

According to prosecutors, a neighbor found Walsh holding a knife and “actively harming herself.” The neighbor took the knife away and threw it into the sink, where police later recovered it as evidence.

Walsh reportedly asked why the neighbor had taken the knife, “as she was trying to kill herself.”

She then allegedly told the neighbor that “Bear,” the child's nickname, was “in the basement.”

Police have described the case as a domestic-related homicide.

But what makes the case even more disturbing is what prosecutors say happened in the hours leading up to the killing.

Walsh had “recently become very invested in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial,” prosecutors said in their petition seeking to deny her pretrial release.

Clancy, who killed her three children in January 2023, has become a national figure in one of the most disturbing criminal cases in recent memory. Her murder trial, which was being live-streamed, ended in a mistrial Friday. The Left seems to believe Clancy should not be punished for her crime, normal people disagree.

According to prosecutors, Walsh had been “actively discussing the case” with friends in group text messages until approximately 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.

That was just three and a half hours before police arrived at her home.

At the time Walsh was allegedly discussing the Clancy case, the jury in that trial was deliberating.

That timeline is now one of the most disturbing elements of the investigation.

Walsh's husband was out of town when the killing occurred. An infant was also inside the home but was unharmed. Two school-age children returned home around the time Barrett was discovered and were likewise physically unharmed.

Unfortunately, prosecutors say the danger may not have ended with Barrett.

Walsh allegedly made statements about harming her other children and her husband when he returned home.

Once hospitalized, Walsh also described to officers “the manner in which she killed Barrett,” prosecutors said. Investigators say her account was consistent with the physical evidence discovered at the scene.

Walsh remains in custody while receiving medical treatment. Once she is released from the hospital, she is expected to be transferred to the Will County Adult Detention Facility.

It was not immediately clear whether she had retained an attorney.

Frankfort police described the case as a “heartbreaking tragedy,” adding, “We ask our community to keep them in their thoughts and prayers.”

And that is perhaps the only appropriate response to a case this horrific. Whatever bizarre chain of events led to the killing, an innocent 2-year-old boy is dead, a family has been shattered, and an entire community is left trying to comprehend something that should never have happened.

The boy was two years old, so this was not a case of postpartum psychosis.

Thanks for following Brain Flushings. Please take time to check out the sponsors on this page--it's one way to support my work and you don't need to purchase anything to do so. Of course, you can Buy Me A Coffee at any amount if you want to support me directly. And finally, don't be afraid to subscribe if you enjoy the blog--it's free, and worth the cost.

Tweet

NJ Mayor Says Sanctuary Policies Need a Tune-Up After Baby Killed in Crash

Apparently, there are limits to how many “condolences” a grieving family can use in place of actual government policy.

Jackson Township Mayor Jennifer Kuhn is asking New Jersey to reconsider its sanctuary policies after authorities say an illegal immigrant without a driver's license allegedly plowed into a family in a grocery store parking lot, killing a 9-month-old boy.

Because nothing says “well-functioning immigration system” quite like discovering that someone allegedly driving without a license was apparently not supposed to be driving in the first place.

"If our police pull somebody over and they're undocumented... they can't call the federal agencies, they can't call ICE. That needs to change," Kuhn told Fox News Digital. "Condolences at this point are not enough. At this point, leadership needs to step in. And we have to do something."

That last sentence may come as a shocking concept in New Jersey: do something.

Authorities say Maria Cobon-Guzman, a 20-year-old Guatemalan national who did not have a driver's license, struck a mother pushing a stroller with her 9-month-old son and 5-year-old daughter on Aug. 28 in the parking lot of a kosher grocery store in Jackson.

Maria Cobon-Guzman, 

The baby was killed. The mother and 5-year-old were critically injured.

Kuhn says the tragedy illustrates the consequences of policies that restrict cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.

"These issues shouldn't happen whether you're illegal or legal. But the problem is that we can't hold them accountable if they're not documented and they're illegal aliens," she said.

This apparently remains a controversial position in a state where asking too many questions about someone's immigration status can make government officials nervous.

Cobon-Guzman has been charged with manslaughter. Prosecutors also charged Ariadna Lazaro-Flores, alleging that she allowed Cobon-Guzman to drive her vehicle despite knowing she did not have a driver's license.

Lazaro-Flores, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, was charged with endangering the welfare of an incompetent person, according to an inmate report.

And the immigration history makes the situation even more difficult to explain away.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, both women illegally entered the United States during the Biden administration. Lazaro-Flores allegedly entered five times in October 2023 and was removed each time.

Cobon-Guzman entered once in October 2023 but was released into the interior of the country. On July 31, an immigration judge issued an order of removal against her.

So apparently there were multiple opportunities for the immigration system to say, “Perhaps this person should not remain here.”

The system apparently had other plans.

At the center of Kuhn's criticism is New Jersey's Immigrant Trust Directive, implemented under former Gov. Phil Murphy in 2018.

Among other provisions, the directive generally restricts police from asking about a person's immigration status, notifying Immigration and Customs Enforcement when someone is released from custody, or sharing certain non-public personal information for civil immigration enforcement.

Current New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed legislation codifying the directive into state law in March.

Kuhn wants the Jackson Township Council to pass a resolution demanding that New Jersey roll back such policies.

"I know that there's other towns around in Ocean County and in other counties that are also doing the same. Something needs to change," Kuhn said.

Naturally, supporters of sanctuary-style policies disagree.

They argue that restricting cooperation with federal immigration authorities builds trust with immigrant communities and encourages victims and witnesses to report crimes.

Because apparently one of the great achievements of modern government is making sure people who are here illegally feel sufficiently comfortable that nobody checks why they are here.

Dan Prochilo, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Attorney General's Office, defended the Immigrant Trust Directive and other sanctuary-style reforms signed by Sherrill.

According to Prochilo, county jails and state prisons can notify ICE when someone is being released if they are charged with or convicted of certain violent or serious crimes.

Those crimes include assault, stalking, criminal sexual contact, arson and burglary.

New Jersey jails can also notify ICE if a suspect has been convicted of a felony within the past five years or is under a final deportation order from a federal immigration judge.

"Such notice has been provided regularly in appropriate cases by New Jersey law enforcement agencies since the Immigrant Trust Directive took effect in 2019," Prochilo added.

Which is certainly reassuring.

Just ask the grieving family how reassuring it feels.

Mayor Kuhn's complaint is not particularly complicated. If local police encounter someone who is in the country illegally, lacks a driver's license and may be violating the law, she believes local authorities should be able to communicate with federal immigration authorities.

This revolutionary proposal is known in some parts of America as law enforcement.

In New Jersey, however, it apparently requires a mayor to launch a campaign to convince the state that federal immigration officials should be allowed to know when an illegal immigrant is in police custody.

Perhaps next year they can tackle the really radical stuff, like checking whether someone is legally allowed to drive before handing them the keys.

Thanks for following Brain Flushings. Please take time to check out the sponsors on this page--it's one way to support my work and you don't need to purchase anything to do so. Of course, you can Buy Me A Coffee at any amount if you want to support me directly. And finally, don't be afraid to subscribe if you enjoy the blog--it's free, and worth the cost.

Tweet

Iran Discovers U.S. Navy Has Opinions About Being Shot At With A Tit-for-Tat

TEHRAN, IRAN: Iran apparently learned an important lesson about international diplomacy Saturday after the United States responded to Iranian ballistic missile attacks on American warships by blowing up three Iranian oil tankers.

We've a lot more tits than they have tats.

U.S. Central Command announced that two Iranian oil tankers had been “permanently disabled” and a third was “completely destroyed” after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated terrorist organization composed of misguided Muslims who think they'll be getting 72 brown-eyed virgins rather than goats. They apparently decided that firing missiles at U.S. Navy ships was a reasonable foreign-policy strategy.

The IRGC may now wish to revisit that strategy.

“A U.S. aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer successfully evaded multiple unprovoked Iranian attacks. No American personnel were harmed,” CENTCOM said.

The United States then proceeded to make sure that some Iranian personnel had a considerably worse day.

U.S. forces “permanently disabled” the Iranian oil carriers MT Downy, located off the coast of Kharg Island, and MT Stark 1, which was struck near the Iranian coastal city of Jask.

The U.S. also “completely destroyed” the unladen crude oil carrier MT Kylo in the Gulf of Oman.

The Kylo, also known as the MT Noxen, was struck in “multiple critical locations to render it inoperable after the crew was directed to abandon ship.” This was the first time many of the crew bathed in months, reports say.

This is generally what happens when you fire ballistic missiles at American warships and discover that the other side has access to a calculator.

“The three Iranian crude oil tankers are part of a multibillion-dollar shadow network that funds the IRGC and its regional proxies. Iran has no means by which to defend them,” CENTCOM said. 

Iran's shadow fleet has apparently discovered that being a shadow fleet does not actually make a ship invisible. Perhaps we should consider not waiting for a tit-for-tat before destroying these type vessels.

“Let the message to the IRGC be clear: If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost — taking out three of yours,” said CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper.

“We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet,” he added.

Iranian state-run Tasnim news agency had reported earlier Saturday that explosions were heard near Kharg Island, with an oil tanker, presumably the Downy, struck by four U.S. missiles.

Tasnim reported no casualties from the strikes, presumably because everyone involved had already received the helpful instruction to abandon ship and get the heck out of Dodge.

The strikes came after Iranian forces launched ballistic missiles at U.S. Navy warships patrolling in “regional waters.”

The two U.S. carriers currently deployed in the region are the USS George H.W. Bush and USS George Washington, which relieved the USS Abraham Lincoln two weeks ago.

The George Washington is reportedly sailing with a single destroyer escort, meaning Iran may have chosen to discover what happens when it picks a fight with a carrier group that is very much aware of what is happening.

For years, Iran has invested heavily in missiles, terrorism, proxy armies and a multibillion-dollar shadow oil network.

On Saturday, it apparently invested in three fewer oil tankers.

There are, one imagines, cheaper ways to learn that the United States Navy is still open for business and the United States of America is not a country to mess with.

Thanks for following Brain Flushings. Please take time to check out the sponsors on this page--it's one way to support my work and you don't need to purchase anything to do so. Of course, you can Buy Me A Coffee at any amount if you want to support me directly. And finally, don't be afraid to subscribe if you enjoy the blog--it's free, and worth the cost.

Tweet

"Gays for Gaza" gay guy activist killed by Muslim Migrant outside gay bar

TUCSON, AZ — In a shocking turn of events that no one could have possibly seen coming, a Muslim immigrant from Gambia fatally shot two men in the parking lot of a Tucson gay bar Monday before killing himself, in what police have confirmed was a premeditated hate crime targeting the homosexual community.

Tucson police say Ousman Ceesay, 44, opened fire on Vincent Anthony Siqueiros, 42, and Cameron Davis Capara, 33, around 12:30 a.m. outside Venture-N, a longtime gay bar near the University of Arizona campus. Both victims died at the scene. 

Ceesay then turned a 9mm handgun on himself, perhaps hoping to be rewarded with 72 virgins, and later died at a hospital.

Investigators said Ceesay had no known connection to either victim and had only recently relocated to Tucson from Oklahoma City. 

He was carrying a written list of other LGBT-associated businesses in the area, though surveillance footage reviewed by detectives showed he never attempted to enter Venture-N itself during the attack. A search of Ceesay’s home turned up a separate note that police say confirmed he acted alone and that the shooting was deliberately aimed at the gay community, as is the religious mandate of Islam.

Tucson Police Chief Monica Prieto called the killings “especially heinous” and said bias-motivated violence has no place in the city, a totally useless statement that sounds as if it came from a flashcard. 

Officers have since made contact with every business named on Ceesay’s list and increased patrols nearby, though authorities say there is no known ongoing threat. 

Ceesay had no criminal record in Pima County and was legally permitted to own firearms, police said. According to his cousin, interviewed by the Arizona Daily Star, he had worked as an Uber driver and was, believe it or not, a practicing Muslim who prayed five times daily. 

Ceesay and his wife filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2018 after accruing more than $76,000 in debt, and the couple faced eviction [much like Karl Marx] over unpaid rent as recently as last year. 

Capara, a photographer, had spent years documenting the gay scene, campus life, and pro-Palestinian demonstrations and anti-ICE rallies around Tucson. His father, Jeff Capara, separately told the Star his son cared deeply about people he considered marginalized, which is weird since you can't swing a dead penguin without hitting an LGBTQ demonstration or rainbow flag.

Siqueiros’s sister, Kate Marquez, told mourners at a vigil this week that her brother had wondered aloud just days before his death whether anyone would show up for him if something happened. She said the outpouring of support since the shooting had answered that question.

Community organizations, including Tucson Queerstory and the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation, held a candlelight vigil at a local park, and a memorial of flowers, candles and photographs has grown outside Venture-N in the days since the attack. 

The investigation remains ongoing. 

Local activists are expected to respond by demanding more diversity in immigration and a strongly worded statement against Republicans.

Thanks for following Brain Flushings. Please take time to check out the sponsors on this page--it's one way to support my work and you don't need to purchase anything to do so. Of course, you can Buy Me A Coffee at any amount if you want to support me directly. And finally, don't be afraid to subscribe if you enjoy the blog--it's free, and worth the cost.

Tweet