Operation Legend: President Trump Surges Law Enforcement to Crime-Ridden Cities

Yesterday, President Trump announced a surge of federal law enforcement officers to American cities that have recently seen a sharp spike in crime. The announcement was made as a part of Operation Legend, which was launched on July 8, 2020 and named after four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed in Kansas City while he slept in the early morning of June 29.

LeGend’s parents and grandparents attended the president’s announcement yesterday. “LeGend is looking down, he’s very proud of you right now,” the president told his family.

LeGend Taliferro, a four-year-old boy who was shot and killed on June 29th in Kansas City, MO. Source: The Justice Department

“This bloodshed must end. This bloodshed will end. Today, I’m announcing a surge of federal law enforcement into American communities plagued by violent crime,” the president stated.

“In New York City, over 300 people were shot in the last month alone, a 277% increase at least over the same period of a year ago,” President Trump continued. “Murders this year have spiked 27% in Philadelphia, 94% in Minneapolis compared to the same period in 2019… At least 414 people have been murdered [in Chicago] this year, a roughly 50% increase over last year. More than 1,900 people have been shot. These are numbers that aren’t even to be believed.”

The president also noted that over 80 people were shot and 17 were killed in the city of Chicago over the Fourth of July weekend and that 104 people were shot and 15 were killed including 5 young children over Father’s Day weekend.

The Daily Citizen has previously reported on the massive crime wave that large cities are seeing around the country, potentially due in part to the defund the police movement.

“An African-American father of three was killed while walking into a store to pay his cell phone bill,” the president stated. “A 13-year-old girl was killed when a stray bullet came through the window of her home and hit her in the neck in the presence of her family. On Independence Day, 14-year-old Vernardo Jones Jr. was playing basketball with friends in a Chicago park when he was senselessly killed in a massacre that left 8 people dead or wounded. Vernardo’s mother, Cheryl, is here with us today. Cheryl, please know that all Americans mourn by your side. We will carry your son’s memory. He will not be forgotten.”

President Trump stated that the Department of Justice (DOJ), in cooperation with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Marshals Service and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will surge hundreds of federal law enforcement to Chicago, and other cities in the future.

The president announced that DOJ will be providing more than $61 million in grants for cities that are a part of Operation Legend to hire hundreds of additional police officers.

Attorney General William Barr also gave remarks at the event and expressed his condolences to the family of LeGend Taliferro.

“Our goal is to help save lives. The principle danger to the lives of our inner-city communities is violent crime. The leading cause of death for young black males is homicide. Each year, approximately 7,500 black Americans are the victims of homicide. Every one of those lives matter,” the attorney general stated.

Yesterday, The Daily Citizen chronicled the stories of 10 children who have been shot and killed over the past few months in cities across America.

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Photo from The White House

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