Morning Brief: Putin and Trump to Meet in Alaska, Marine Turned Police Officer Killed Stopping Gunman

· Guy D. McCardle

Officer David Rose was killed while answering a "shots fired" call near Emory University in Atlanta. Image Credit: Newsweek

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are set to meet in Alaska on Friday, August 15, 2025, to hammer out a possible end to the war in Ukraine. The talks will focus heavily on whether Ukraine might have to give up some of the territories Russia now controls—specifically Donetsk, Luhansk, and parts of Zaporizhia and Kherson—in exchange for a ceasefire. The White House had pushed for Ukrainian President Zelensky to be part of the talks, but Moscow rejected the idea, preferring a one-on-one meeting with Trump.

Trump revealed the summit plans on social media, saying Alaska won out over other possible locations like Hungary, Switzerland, Italy, and the UAE. For Putin, Alaska’s location just across the Bering Strait from Russia makes it convenient, and because the U.S. doesn’t recognize the International Criminal Court’s authority, there’s no risk of him being detained on the ICC’s war crimes warrant. This will be the first face-to-face meeting between Trump and Putin since 2019, and it comes as Trump has warned Putin to agree to a ceasefire or face new sanctions.

The idea of Ukraine giving up territory is a nonstarter for Kyiv and its European allies, who’ve rejected any peace plan that rewards Russia for its invasion. That hard line sets the stage for a tense and potentially high-stakes meeting in Alaska, with the outcome likely to ripple far beyond the battlefield—affecting diplomacy, military strategy, and the broader balance of power.

 

Marine-Turned-Police Officer Killed Stopping Gunman Near CDC Headquarters

On August 8, 2025, tragedy struck near the CDC’s main campus in Atlanta when DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose was killed responding to an active shooter. The 33-year-old officer, a recent academy graduate, former Marine, and father of two with a third child on the way, had rushed to the scene after the gunman opened fire on CDC buildings. The shooter then fled into a nearby CVS, where Rose confronted him in a deadly exchange of gunfire.

Rose was critically wounded and rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he later died. The suspect, acting alone, was also killed, though investigators aren’t yet certain if it was from police fire or a self-inflicted shot. Miraculously, no civilians were injured, and more than 90 children at a CDC daycare were evacuated safely. Authorities are now digging into the shooter’s motives, with early indications pointing toward anger over the COVID-19 vaccine. Across Georgia and beyond, law enforcement and officials have offered heartfelt condolences for Officer Rose—a man who served his country, his community, and his family with dedication until the very end.

 

Legendary Astronaut James Lovell Dies at Age 97

James Lovell, the legendary Apollo 13 commander, died on August 7, 2025, at his home in Lake Forest, Illinois. He was 97. Lovell’s name is etched in space history for leading his crew through one of NASA’s most harrowing missions—a lunar landing turned life-or-death survival story after an oxygen tank exploded mid-flight. His calm leadership and quick thinking helped bring all three astronauts safely back to Earth, a feat that became the subject of the book Lost Moon and the hit film Apollo 13.

Lovell was no stranger to making history. He flew four space missions—Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8, and Apollo 13—logging more time in space than almost anyone of his era. As Apollo 8’s command module pilot, he took part in humanity’s first trip around the Moon, a mission that set the stage for the Apollo landings. NASA remembered him as a “legendary leader in pioneering human space flight,” praising his role in shaping the agency’s early achievements.

No cause of death has been released, but Lovell leaves behind a legacy of resilience, ingenuity, and inspiration for generations of astronauts and dreamers alike.

 

Sheinbaum to Trump: No U.S. Troops in Mexico—Period

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has drawn a hard line in the sand, telling Washington in no uncertain terms that U.S. forces will not set foot on Mexican soil. Her remarks came after reports that President Trump had authorized military action against Latin American drug cartels. While Sheinbaum made clear that Mexico will keep working with the U.S. on intelligence sharing, she warned that any deployment of American troops would be a direct violation of her country’s sovereignty.

“There will be no invasion—that is rejected, absolutely rejected,” Sheinbaum said, repeating that Mexico’s territory and sovereignty are “inalienable.” She acknowledged that Mexico was informed of Trump’s directive but stressed it “has nothing to do with Mexican territory” and “does not involve our territory.” The president’s stance reflects a long-standing refusal to allow foreign military presence, shaped by Mexico’s history with U.S. interventions. As Sheinbaum put it bluntly: “We cooperate, we collaborate, but there is not going to be an invasion. That is ruled out, absolutely ruled out.”

 

Montana Bar Shooting Suspect Captured After Weeklong Manhunt

Michael Paul Brown, the man accused of killing four people at The Owl Bar in Montana, is now in custody after a grueling weeklong manhunt. The 45-year-old former Army and National Guard veteran was arrested on August 8, 2025, near Anaconda, in the same rugged region where the search had been focused since the August 1 shooting. Authorities say he was armed at the time, though details about the arrest itself remain under wraps.

Surveillance footage showing Brown fleeing the scene proved critical, helping law enforcement zero in on the mountainous terrain west of Anaconda. That rough landscape made the search slow and dangerous, but nearly 250 officers from local, state, and federal agencies stayed on the hunt. Brown, who was already known to law enforcement, reportedly struggled with mental health issues, according to family and people from the bar’s community.

Following the arrest, Brown was handed over to Anaconda-Deer Lodge County officials. While the motive remains unclear, Montana’s governor and attorney general praised the massive law enforcement effort and the community’s cooperation in bringing the suspect in alive.