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State lawmakers in New York are considering a series of “four bad bills” that critics are warning could lead to the release of mass murderers, serial killers and other violent convicts.

Among the examples Suffolk County officials and the families of victims raised at a news briefing Friday are serial killer Joel Rifkin, who murdered between nine and 17 women; commuter shooter Colin Ferguson, who killed six and wounded 19 on the Long Island Rail Road; and the White supremacist gunman Payton Gendron, who livestreamed the massacre of 10 people at a Tops supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo.

Thousands of other violent criminals could also be released. The bills aim to establish an elder parole program in the Empire State, among other changes that would result in the early release of killers.

“We’re talking about the worst of the worst,” Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney told Fox News Digital. “The people who have done really the worst acts possible and have proven to be really a danger to our society. And they’re like an infinitesimal, small percentage of our population who create an inordinately large amount of all of the problems, all the violence, all of the theft and everything else.“

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Joining Suffolk County officials at a news briefing Friday was Theresa Bliss, whose 25-year-old son David was murdered in 2021 outside a pizzeria in Port Jefferson after an argument with strangers.

“I have a question for every New York lawmaker pushing the Earned Time Act, Fair and Timely Parole Act, Elder Parole and Second Look Act, does our pain mean anything to you?” she asked. “How do you fight so aggressively for the early release of murderers, yet dismiss the families whose lives were shattered?”

The victims don’t get second chances, she added.

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The man who shot her son received a sentence for 40 years to life in prison. Under the proposed reforms, parole could come much sooner.

“When you pass laws that prioritize criminals over victims, you’re not reforming the system — you’re erasing us,” she said.

The briefing came days after Tierney secured a guilty plea from another Long Island serial killer, Rex Heuermann, who is expected to be sentenced in June after admitting to torturing and killing eight women.

Tierney has been a frequent critic of the state’s recent bail reform laws, which allowed a group of people suspected of dismembering a body and littering the remains around Long Island’s south shore to go free before police had enough evidence to also charge them with killing the victim.

And earlier this month, he sidestepped the state’s sanctuary laws in order to make sure Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents took custody of a Guatemalan man accused of raping a child.

“While these bills are often framed as reforms and have innocuous titles, in reality, they will push thousands of New York’s most violent criminals out onto our streets,” Tierney warned.

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Some key issues Tierney and Suffolk County Executive Edward Romaine, both Republicans, slammed at a news briefing Friday:

One bill would cut all sentences less than life in prison by half and prevents prison assaults and stabbings from being deducted from credits for good behavior. Since the proposed reduction applies retroactively, it would “result in the immediate release of thousands of New York’s most dangerous inmates.”

“These people are where they are because they richly deserve it,” Tierney told Fox News Digital. “Every second of whatever sentence they receive, they’ve earned.”

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Another bill would block the state’s parole board from considering the nature of the original crime when weighing parole — “no matter how horrible.” This specifically benefits murderers and rapists, the officials said, and implies that parole is automatic, not something earned.

“It turns parole upside down — it prohibits consideration of the seriousness of the crime and even the defendant’s remorse or lack of it,” Tierney said.

In the Bliss case, the killer was seen on home security video shortly after the shooting laughing about it. At future parole board hearings, the people deciding his fate would be unable to consider that behavior if the bill passes.

A third would impose a California-style elder parole in New York, and take the concept one step further, the officials warned. The Empire State’s version would abolish life without parole, “even for serial killers, cop killers and racist murderers.” It applies to inmates who have served at least 15 years of a sentence, including a life sentence, and are older than 55.

“Once [Gendron] turns 55, every two years those families are going to have to go through the parole process again,” Tierney said. “Why?”

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The fourth bill gives felons a chance to petition a judge for a sentence reduction. The judge cannot be the same one who imposed their sentence to begin with. There is no limit on the number or frequency of petitions, and if one is denied, the inmate can immediately file another with a different judge.

“These bills are an insult to every law-abiding citizen, the law enforcement community and especially the victims of these crimes,” said Romaine, the top elected official in Suffolk County, a suburb of New York City. “Use common sense and do not pass these bills.”

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Fox News Digital has reached out to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office for comment.

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it apprehended 60 smugglers off the coast of California in April joint operations with the U.S. Coast Guard

CBP’s Air and Marine Operations unit interdicted three separate seacraft off the coast of southern California from April 17-21, CBP said in an announcement Friday.

On April 17, CBP’s San Diego Marine Unit crews interdicted a 24-foot boat near San Clemente Island. The boat had 13 people on board, including seven men, five women and a juvenile female. CBP brought the boat to Ballast Point Naval Base for processing, according to the announcement.

The next day, CBP apprehended another suspected smuggler boat 80 nautical miles southwest of San Diego.

Aided by the Coast Guard’s Cutter Florence Finch, Air and Marine Operations’ Long Beach Marine Unit crew intercepted the boat near San Nicolas Island, apprehending 29 Mexican nationals. The Coast Guard transported the individuals and the vessel to Newport Harbor and turned them over to the U.S. Border Patrol, CBP said.

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The third and final operation occurred on April 21. The Coast Guard’s Terrel Horne interdicted a 25-foot cuddy cabin boat containing 18 Mexican nationals on board. The Coast Guard also transported them for processing by U.S. Border Patrol.

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Many of the 60 individuals have criminal histories for a wide array of offenses including failure to yield, driving under the influence, felony hit-and-run, making false police reports, drug possession, active warrants for resisting arrest, trespassing, burglary, possession of burglary tools, receiving stolen property, drug trafficking, aggravated assault with a weapon and domestic violence, according to CBP.

“These interdictions show the great lengths dangerous criminals will go to avoid apprehension, including taking to the open ocean in unsafe, overcrowded vessels,” Air and Marine Operations Southwest Region Executive Director Hunter Robinson said in a statement. “Their desperation puts lives at risk. Our crews are dedicated to stopping these dangerous individuals far from shore to keep our communities safe.”

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Border crossings and apprehensions are down significantly during President Donald Trump’s administration compared to former President Joe Biden’s. Border encounters during the first six months of the fiscal year are the lowest in recorded history, the Department of Homeland Security said in an April statement.

Fox News Digital contacted the U.S. Coast Guard and CBP for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

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A fast-moving burglary spree is unfolding across Los Angeles, with thieves targeting some of the city’s most affluent neighborhoods and striking multiple communities over the past week — even as police flood the area with patrols.

The latest incidents unfolded Wednesday night in the San Fernando Valley, where burglars hit homes in Studio City and Toluca Lake and targeted a commercial property in a separate theft that led to a police chase.

The violence escalated Thursday night when a woman in her 70s was strangled during a home invasion in the Hollywood Hills, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The suspects, described as at least two masked men, fled with cash and jewelry and remain on the run.

Those break-ins are the most recent in a pattern that began around April 10, with similar crimes reported across Sherman Oaks, Encino, North Hollywood and surrounding communities, in some cases with homes hit within minutes of each other.

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‘They’re looking at opportunity — not zip codes’

Former LAPD investigator Moses Castillo said the scope and speed of the crimes point to a broader shift in how burglars are operating.

“We used to think high-end neighborhoods were exempt from crime…that’s no longer the case,” Castillo told Fox News Digital. “You’re not safe anywhere anymore, especially in affluent areas.”

“These criminals aren’t looking at zip codes — they’re looking at opportunity.”

Highly organized and doing their homework

Castillo said the pattern suggests many of these burglars are strategic, often researching homes and victims in advance.

“They’re doing their homework — tracking patterns, watching when people are home or away,” he said.

That preparation, Castillo said, can start online.

“If you’re posting your valuables, your lifestyle…you’re making yourself a target,” Castillo warned. “If you can find your information online, so can they.”

He added that some crews use lookouts and real-time communication to move quickly and avoid police detection.

Why the crimes keep spreading

The pattern of burglaries across multiple neighborhoods may reflect how suspects adapt when enforcement intensifies.

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“These crime waves last as long as the suspects are still out there,” Castillo said. “If an area gets too hot, they just move to the next neighborhood.”

That mobility may help explain why communities across the Valley have continued to see break-ins, even as patrols increase.

A violation that goes beyond theft

For victims, the impact goes far beyond stolen property.

“People describe this as a ‘house rape’ — a complete violation of their home,” Castillo said. “It’s not just about what’s taken. It’s that someone invaded your sanctuary.”

He said many victims struggle to feel safe again after a break-in, with some choosing to leave their homes altogether.

Risk of escalation

Castillo warned the danger increases if homeowners encounter suspects during a burglary.

“If you walk in during a burglary, you can become a victim of violence,” Castillo said. “These crimes can escalate — home invasions, assaults, even kidnappings.”

He also described cases in which suspects used a ruse to get victims to open the door.

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“They’ll use a ruse… knock on the door, get you to open it and then it’s over,” he said.

Police response and pressure to stop the spree

The LAPD has increased patrols, deployed air support and license plate readers, and expanded coordination across units in response to the spike.

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Mayor Karen Bass said the city is taking a zero-tolerance approach.

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“The safety of every Angeleno is my number one priority,” Bass said. “The City has zero tolerance for these recent burglaries.”

But despite the increased presence, the break-ins have continued, leaving residents on edge.

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What it will take to stop it

Castillo said enforcement alone will not be enough to stop the spree.

“Police can’t do it alone, it’s going to take the community,” he said. “If you see something, even if you’re not sure, call it in. That could be the break that blows the case wide open.”

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What residents can do now

As the spree stretches across multiple communities, Castillo said homeowners should take extra precautions.

“Don’t rely solely on cameras or basic alarm systems,” he cautioned, warning that some burglars may cut power and compromise them. “Be vigilant.”

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He also urged residents to be mindful of what they share publicly.

“Sometimes we are our own worst enemies,” Castillo said. “Whatever you can find about yourself online, they can too.”

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For years, Asheville, North Carolina, marketed itself as a mountain escape known for breweries, boutique hotels and Blue Ridge views. But residents and critics say a different reality has taken shape in the wake of Hurricane Helene: panhandling at intersections, public intoxication, encampments and an unsafe downtown.

Carl Mumpower, a private practice clinical psychologist, lifelong Asheville resident and former City Council member who served from 2001 until 2009, said the city’s current challenges stem from decisions made over decades.

“Asheville began its efforts to address homelessness at least three decades ago. This effort accelerated in the early part of this century with the first ‘Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness,’” Mumpower told Fox News Digital.

“That plan was ill advised but passed with a super-majority. At the time, I suggested to the council that any plan that removed personal accountability from the helping equation was doomed to fail.”

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Mumpower said the city has continued down the same path ever since.

“That plan and subsequent plans have failed with equal enthusiasm. Homelessness, drug abuse, and related crimes have increased relentlessly under the watch of local homelessness experts and a governing body that is dominated by liberal Democrats and those with an even more extreme view to the left. That lack of balance — the last conservative on the council was in 2009 — has led to a myopic repeat of errors.”

He also argued that city leaders relied on ideas that were not grounded in practical solutions.

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“As regards homelessness, Asheville has a persisting history of pursuing fantasized interventions over more realistic, measurable and trackable solutions.”

The Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care, the local, government-supported coalition responsible for coordinating federal homelessness planning and services in Asheville and Buncombe County, said homelessness in the region is at its highest level on record in its latest count.

Data from the group’s 2026 Point-in-Time survey found 824 people experiencing homelessness, a 9.1% increase from 2025. That included 334 people living unsheltered, up 1.8% from the prior year. Nearly 500 others were in shelters or transitional housing, a rise the Continuum of Care attributed partly to expanded emergency shelter and transitional housing capacity.

These “fantasize interventions,” Mumpower said, were accompanied by the city’s pursuit of defunding the police department.

“The council’s political dismantling of the police department — resulting in a 40% reduction due to retirements and resignations — has had a dramatic impact on crime in Asheville,” he said. “Most ‘smaller’ crimes are no longer enforced or realistically tracked, and return on investment costs have skyrocketed. We have officers who earned over $150,000 in overtime last year due to manpower shortages. Enforcement is not possible without adequate, motivated personnel.”

“The direct impact on residents is increased and unenforced crime, direct exposure to intoxication and violent street behaviors, and burdensome taxes and fees to chase the recycled program pretenses.”

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Mumpower said many local residents have simply stopped going downtown.

“The single most common phrase uttered by county and surrounding area residents is ‘I don’t go downtown anymore – it’s nasty, crazy, and scary,’” he said.

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He said tourism also suffers when disorder becomes more visible in the city center.

“Tourism is impacted, and those we attract are often coming here not as families, but as partiers seeking to join the fray.”

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The issue has taken on added urgency in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which devastated parts of western North Carolina in September 2024.

Michael Whatley, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in North Carolina, said the storm worsened hardship in the region and exposed failures in the government response.

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“The biggest issue set that we’ve been dealing with, obviously, is the hurricane relief coming on the heels of Hurricane Helene and the fact that the Biden administration and Roy Cooper, when he was governor, failed miserably to help that situation in terms of following the hurricane,” Whatley told Fox News Digital.

Whatley said that the administration’s clearance of relief funds will assist residents to get back on their feet.

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“As part of President Trump’s government response, $1.4B was made available by HUD for housing relief,” Whatley said. “And there also has been over the last month or so a lot of movement with FEMA in terms of the disaster relief that they’re providing to homeowners there.”

“We’re certainly not ready to hang up a mission accomplished sign by any stretch of the imagination. But federal relief that has been put into Western North Carolina is substantially more than has ever been given into North Carolina as a result of any storm by the federal government.”

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the City of Asheville said that officials continue to focus on public safety.

“This month we launched the Asheville Police Department’s Downtown Plan which will essentially double police patrols downtown – increasing day and overnight patrols and, in some cases, responding along with trained mental health counselors. Our REST Team program is an operational response to mitigate the effects of homelessness,” the city said. “It uses specially trained Asheville Fire Department staff to engage with concerned residents and people experiencing homelessness to problem-solve and connect them to resources.”

A city spokesperson also noted that officials expanded their panhandling ordinance and continue working with community partners like the Asheville Downtown Association and its ADID program.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Cooper’s campaign, the Asheville’s mayor office and the police department for comment.

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The U.S. military carried out a lethal strike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the Eastern Pacific on Friday, killing two suspected narco-terrorists, according to U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).

“On April 24, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,” SOUTHCOM said in a post on X.

“Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” the post continued. “Two male narco-terrorists were killed during this action.”

No U.S. military forces were harmed.

ALLEGED NARCO-TERRORISTS KILLED AS US FORCES STRIKE SUSPECTED DRUG-TRAFFICKING VESSEL IN CARIBBEAN

SOUTHCOM did not immediately provide additional details about the identities of those killed or the specific groups involved.

The U.S. military has carried out numerous strikes in recent months on suspected drug-smuggling vessels as part of a broader campaign to dismantle cartel-linked trafficking operations.

The strike comes less than a week after SOUTHCOM said it conducted a similar operation in the Caribbean, killing three suspected narco-terrorists.

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Earlier this month, the military struck a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the Eastern Pacific, killing four alleged narco-terrorists, SOUTHCOM said.

SOUTHCOM is responsible for military operations in Central and South America and the Caribbean, including counter-narcotics missions aimed at disrupting drug trafficking networks that threaten U.S. interests.

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The Eastern Pacific remains a key corridor for narcotics trafficking, with cartels often using small, fast-moving vessels to transport drugs toward the U.S. and Central America.

Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.