January 1, Ex-Trump Official Mike Gill Shot in DC Carjacking Spree

Mike Gill, a prominent Republican professional who served as the chief operating officer of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) during the Donald Trump administration, was shot in a brutal carjacking spree in Washington, D.C., on Monday night. The incident ended with police killing the perpetrator in Maryland early Tuesday morning. Gill is currently in a hospital in critical condition after being shot while picking up his wife, an education lawyer, blocks from the White House on K Street in downtown D.C. at 5:45 pm.

Erica Richardson, a spokesperson for the Gill family, confirmed the tragic event, stating, “We can confirm that Mike Gill was the victim of the shooting at the 900 block of K Street Northwest on Monday evening and is in critical condition. Out of respect for the family, we have nothing additional to add at this time.”

The same man is believed to have conducted at least two carjackings and one attempted carjacking after shooting Gill, with one of the victims dying, according to The Washington Post. Police reported that the perpetrator entered the parked vehicle and shot Gill before fleeing on foot. Gill then collapsed outside the vehicle. The Post detailed that Gill had called his wife to say, “Hey, I’m downstairs,” and when she arrived at the ground floor, he had been shot, with the wife rushing out and saying, “Oh my God, that’s my husband.”

Witness Yolanda Douglas recounted the wife’s reaction, saying she “ran toward her husband and grabbed his hand. ‘What happened?’ she asked, but he did not respond.” The Post described the scene, with Douglas observing Gill “in a dress shirt and sweater, sprawled on the pavement with one foot still in the passenger’s side of a car. His right hand was twitching as blood pooled around his head.”

An hour later, the suspect attempted to carjack another vehicle on Third Street NE but was unsuccessful. He then fatally shot someone else on the street and took that person’s car. Police were able to identify the perpetrator with the help of someone on K Street who knew him. The car he took was found in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where he carjacked a Toyota, then ordered a rideshare and carjacked that vehicle as well.

Around 2:30 am, the individual believed to be the carjacker fired at a Maryland State Police cruiser on D.C. 295 while driving by. The Nissan used in the shooting was later found abandoned in Prince George’s County. As officers were investigating the abandoned car, a man approached them with a firearm and was subsequently killed by police.

Gill’s accomplished political career includes serving three terms on the District of Columbia’s Board of Elections from 2016 to July 2020. He held the position of chief operating officer of the CFTC from January 2017 to July 2019 and was also chief of staff to former CFTC Chairman Christopher Giancarlo. Additionally, Gill was the Chief Regulatory Reform Officer responsible for an agency-wide review of regulations. His background also includes working as a lawyer at Crowell & Moring, a vice president of a trade association, and holding positions in the Bush-Quayle presidential campaign, as well as for a Republican senator and congressman. Gill held a top-secret security clearance.

The DC Council praised Gill’s compassion for others and his bipartisan collegiality. He once served as executive director of the Ripon Education Fund, a nonpartisan nonprofit seeking cooperation between the U.S. and Europe, and played a key role in how Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac handle mortgages. The DC Council noted, “During Mr. Gill’s tenure, the agency concluded its first-ever Collective Bargaining Agreement with its union; instituted a new pay and performance system with the goal of addressing gender and other inequities in pay; and instituted a diversity-focused internship program.” Gill is currently vice president at the Housing Policy Council.

Carjackings in D.C. have more than doubled in 2023 to nearly 1,000. The crime spree in the city has seen an FBI agent carjacked, a Democrat congressman carjacked outside his apartment, and multiple congressional staffers assaulted. Three people even attempted to carjack a Secret Service vehicle that was guarding the granddaughter of President Joe Biden.

Why It Matters (op-ed)

The shocking attack on Mike Gill, a dedicated public servant and Trump administration official, underscores the dangers of the crime wave plaguing our nation’s capital. The liberal agenda’s push to defund the police and embrace lawlessness has left citizens vulnerable and fearing for their lives.

D.C.’s skyrocketing carjackings and brazen attacks on public officials reveal the failure of progressive policies. It’s time to restore law and order, protect our communities, and demand accountability from those who have enabled this chaos.

As our loyal readers, we encourage you to share your thoughts and opinions on this issue. Let your voice be heard and join the discussion below.

Source