His family has said they are “completely shattered”

Police have named the teenage boy who died following a stabbing in Peterborough at the weekend. Baye Bireme Fall, 16, died just before 9.30pm on Sunday (April 12) after being attacked near the Orton Centre at around 7pm the same evening.

His family described him as an “amazing boy” whose “kindness and generosity will never be forgotten”. Today, his family released this statement: “We are completely shattered and may never recover from the passing away of our son whose life was tragically cut short.

“Baye was an amazing boy and son whose heart is pure and kind towards other people. He was ever so ready to lend a helping hand to anyone who was in need. His kindness and generosity will never be forgotten.”

A post-mortem examination is set to take place today (Wednesday, April 15) at Peterborough City Hospital. A boy and a man have been arrested on suspicion of murder. They remain in custody after detectives were granted a 36-hour extension to their custody time limit from magistrates yesterday morning (Tuesday, April 14).

Detectives are continuing to appeal for information. Anyone with information about the incident should report it to Cambridgeshire Police via the online reporting portal or by calling 101, quoting Op Whitby.

If you want to report anything anonymously, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800555111.

To get more news and top stories delivered directly to your phone, join our new WhatsApp community. Click this link to receive your daily dose of CambridgeshireLive content.

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With spring underway and Brits starting to head back to the beach, you might be looking for your next great swimming spot.

But not all beaches are equally inviting. 

There are 20 stretches of English coastline that have been classified as ‘poor’ for water quality, according to travel site Locals Insider.

This is the lowest rating issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) – and means swimming is not recommended.

Here’s a rundown of the no-go spots… 

Littlehaven Beach, South Shields

Littlehaven Beach in the coastal town of South Shields has a ‘poor’ water quality rating

Littlehaven Beach in South Shields is the first entry on the list, with the water quality rated as ‘poor’.

The beach was newly classified as swimming water only in 2024, so it is unsurprising its rating is still low.

Local councillor Ernest Gibson, lead member for neighbourhoods and climate change, said: ‘Littlehaven’s rating is as we expected, and we continue to work with our partners, monitoring the water and identifying measures to drive improvement.

‘However, we know this is not going to happen overnight and anticipate it will take several years for the water quality to reach the standard we’d like.’

Cullercoats Bay, North Tyneside

Also in the ranking of no-go beaches is Cullercoats in North Tyneside

Cullercoats Bay in North Tyneside has hit the headlines before for its bad water quality, with the Environment Agency (EA) advising against swimming.

Since 2018, water quality at the beach has been given the lowest possible rating by the EA.

The ‘poor’ rating has long been blamed on contaminated groundwater, prompting Northumbrian Water to drill a network of boreholes in an attempt to work out the source of the pollution. 

Scarborough South Bay, North Yorkshire

Joining the list is Scarborough South Bay, North Yorkshire

Scarborough South Bay has consistently poor water quality – and swimmers are encouraged not to take a dip in the water here.

According to the EA, Scarborough South Bay and its beach are one of England’s best-loved seaside destinations – but the issue of the quality of the bathing water has troubled the bay for years.

The source of the pollution? Sewage, seabirds, dogs, agriculture, local industry and the harbour. 

Clacton (Groyne 41), Essex

The sandy beach in the coastal town of Clacton-on-Sea is next up on the list

Clacton-on-Sea was named one of the UK’s worst seaside towns in a Which? survey.

Clacton (Groyne 41) beach, located near the pier, has even been called Essex’s worst beach by EssexLive.

Swimming is not currently advised here due to poor water quality. 

Littlestone, Kent

Grey, dreary Littlestone beach at Romney Marsh shows views of the English Channel

Elsewhere in the UK, Littlestone beach in Kent is not recommended for swimmers.

Lots of visitors have pointed out the disgusting water, with one writing on Facebook: ‘The water is disgusting and yet water companies still allowed to dump waste. Lots of people live in the area and a popular tourist spot.’ 

Another added: ‘Just read that following the latest water quality reports from the EA, both Dymchurch and Littlestone beaches have made it onto the 20 dirtiest beaches list. Not good for the tourism trade this summer!’

Dymchurch, Kent

Cloudy skies and ‘poor’ water are on display at Dymchurch, Kent

Similarly, Dymchurch in Kent has been plagued by poor water quality, adding it to the list.

The Folkestone and Hythe District Council website adds: ‘The cleanliness of the water has been rated as poor and bathing is not currently advised.’

Aside from swimming, though, the sand and shingle beach is popular among locals and visitors, especially thanks to its classic British seaside town charm. 

Worthing Beach House, West Sussex

Parts of the coast at Worthing seafront should be avoided

Water quality at Worthing Beach House is rated as ‘poor’ – although other parts of this coastline are good for swimming, such as Goring beach.

Bathing may be affected by surface water and urban drainage during and after heavy rainfall. 

This mainly applies to the waters on the promenade and behind the popular Splashpoint Leisure Centre. 

Bognor Regis (Aldwick), West Sussex

Bognor Regis Aldwick Beach in West Sussex joins the ranking

Bognor Regis, named by consumer group Which? as the joint-worst seaside resort in Britain last year, receives many critical reviews – and one beach in the region is even considered unfit for swimming.

The bathing water at Aldwick beach has been classified as poor since 2022.

The EA has said: ‘The surface water drainage is suspected of being a significant source of contamination to the bathing water. The investigations have involved sampling the numerous surface water outfalls to the beach during wet weather events.’

Southsea East, Portsmouth

Southsea East is in the city of Portsmouth – but has low quality water

Southsea East, Portsmouth is a popular beach that’s filled in the summer months with kite flying, picnics and Brits soaking up sunshine – but as for the water itself, it’s not quite as appealing.

According to Portsmouth City Council: ‘Southsea seafront has two designated bathing areas where the Environment Agency has water sampling points: Eastney and Southsea East.

‘The Environment Agency has classified the stretch of water between the Pyramids and South Parade Pier as ‘Poor’. They advise against swimming in this area. Warning signs are in place on this beach with information for visitors.’ 

Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach, Dorset 

Church Cliff Walk and Church Cliff Beach in Lyme Regis leave much to be desired

Litter is has been present on Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach, involving everything from sewage debris to tar, over the last decade. 

According to the EA, this poorly rated beach has levels of faecal indicator bacteria (E. coli and intestinal enterococci) from the River Lim, which increase as the river flows through the town. 

It added: ‘DNA analysis of water samples collected from the stream indicate that the source of this contamination is predominantly human in origin (i.e. sewage). We have identified several contaminated surface water outfalls in Lyme Regis that discharge to the River Lim. Work by South West Water to stop this contamination is ongoing.’

Coastguards Beach, Erme Estuary, Devon

Coastguards Beach in Erme Estuary, Devon is next up on the list

Only three swimming waters in Devon and Cornwall are classified as poor, according to Wild About The Erme River – and Coastguards is one.

Campaigns have been run to try to protect the water, but the rating is yet to change.

Emily Woodley, who led the Coastguards Beach Bathing Water campaign said: ‘The categorisation of Coastguards Beach as “poor” is disappointing but sadly not a surprise.’

Instow, Devon

Also joining the list is the seaside fishing village of Instow

Visitors in Instow are advised not to swim as a result of the poor water quality – and the list of complaints goes on.

One Tripadvisor review read: ‘There were more dogs than people on the beach. It is quite simply a huge dog toilet. There is dog poo everywhere.’

Another added: ‘Do NOT swim. Water is very contaminated.’

Ilfracombe Wildersmouth, Devon

The rocky bay at Ilfracombe beach is another spot with ‘poor’ water quality

Ilfracombe Wildersmouth Beach is no stranger to poor reviews, especially relating to its water quality.

The beach is often listed among the winners of Brown Flag Awards, a list of coastal areas with high bacteria levels.

One reviewer wrote: ‘Not a swimming or sandcastles beach… it’s not the most attractive of Ilfracombe’s beaches. The grey sand and outcrops of rock don’t exactly invite sunbathing or swimming.’

Dunster Beach, Somerset

The beach at Dunster, Somerset, lacks a tropical appeal

Often considered among the dirties beaches in the UK, Somerset’s Dunster beach is the next one up on the list.

According to Defra: ‘In 2025, 60 pollution risk warnings were issued for this bathing water. All bathing waters have the potential to be affected by a pollution incident.’

It added: ‘This bathing water is subject to short term pollution procedures. The Environment Agency makes a daily pollution risk forecast at this site based on the effects of rain, tide, wind and seasonality on bathing water quality. 

‘These factors affect the levels of bacteria that get washed into the sea from livestock, sewage and urban drainage via rivers and streams and how they disperse. 

‘When these factors combine to make short term pollution likely we issue a pollution risk warning on this website and the beach manager will display a sign advising against bathing at the bathing water.’

Blue Anchor West, Somerset

The stony beach at Blue Anchor in Somerset is often deserted and quiet

Another Brown Flag beach, Blue Anchor West, can also be found in Somerset.

Just two miles east of Dunster, it was classed as a ‘newcomer’ in the 2025 awards, as it only joined the list last year.

One visitor reviewed Blue Anchor West on UK Beach Guide, writing: ‘If you’re used to the amazing beaches in Northumberland and Norfolk then this beach is a mega disappointment. It’s very stony and when tide is out, it’s just mud. Tide comes in very rapidly. Water is murky too.’

Burnham Jetty North, Somerset

Burnham Jetty is hardly a picturesque spot and fares badly when it comes to cleanliness

Burnham Jetty North fares pretty badly when it comes to cleanliness, having been rated on ‘Top of the Poops‘ for being polluted by sewage a reported 115 times in 2025.

According to Somerset Council, Burnham jetty is no longer designated as a bathing water under the Bathing Water Regulations.

As a result, permanent advice against bathing there is in place.

Weston-super-Mare Uphill Slipway, Somerset

Uphill Beach, looking out at Weston-super-Mare and Worlebury Hill, is not highly rated

While Weston-super-Mare is an example of a classic English seaside town, you might not want to swim in all areas.

Weston-super-Mare Uphill Slipway, for instance, is not designated bathing water – with the EA saying the most recent classification is poor, based on samples taken from 2022 through to 2025.

It added that in 2025, 38 pollution risk warnings were issued for this bathing water.

Weston Main, Somerset

Weston Main, Somerset. is the next beach to make the list

Nearby Weston Main is subject to the same fate – with advice in place against bathing.

In the past, seagulls have been a significant source of poor bathing water quality at Weston Main.

And the EA added: ‘At Weston Main for the four year (2022-2025) assessment period where data is available, sewage debris was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 5 per cent of visits. Litter was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 3 per cent of visits, with 74 per cent of visits noting the presence of litter.’

Blackpool North, Blackpool

Blackpool’s North Pier is a popular attraction – less due to the sea and more to the attractions nearby

For many Brits, a seaside day in Blackpool will be a welcome treat – but swimming in the waters at Blackpool North might not be quite as warmly received.

Blackpool North is a large, sandy beach opposite the Blackpool Tower between the North and Central Piers – and has been rated as poor by the EA, with no-swim advice in place.

The EA explained: ‘After a short-term pollution event, levels of bacteria typically return to normal after a day or so but it’s possible to have several warning days in a row. Details of the work to reduce the sources of bacteria at this bathing water are detailed in this profile. In 2025, 50 pollution risk warnings were issued for this bathing water.’ 

Haverigg, Cumbria

Rounding out the list of 20 no-go beaches is Haverigg in Cumbria

Haverigg, a gently sloping gravel and sandy beach, is the final entry in the list of no-swim spots.

In 2025, 41 pollution risk warnings were issued for this bathing water.

Plus, litter was found to be present on the beach at 50 per cent of Environment Agency visits.

Spokesman for Locals Insider, Martin Danemaq, said: ‘As temperatures rise across the UK and more people head to the coast for spring, it’s important to be aware that a small number of beaches nationwide should be avoided for swimming.

‘Just 20 beaches in the UK remain unsuitable for entering the water out of the 400 official bathing spots nationwide – some of which are nestled within the most popular coastal areas in the country.

‘The good news is that only a very small number of beaches across England fall into this category, and there are still hundreds of great options for swimming. 

‘However, be sure to check whether entering the water is advised when you’re planning your next domestic trip to the beach.’

“Sudan has become the site of the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today – and of the 21st century, full stop.”

This week, Donald Trump posted an AI image of himself dressed in white robes, placing a glowing hand over an ill or deceased man in a hospital bed, as if to heal or resurrect him. The image, posted on Truth Social, was widely taken as him presenting himself as a Messianic Jesus figure.

Sometime the next morning, he deleted the post. “I thought it was me as a doctor,” he explained to reporters, according to Time magazine. Jesus? “Only the fake news could come up with that one.”

But the post was widely interpreted as blasphemous – including by conservative Catholic group CatholicVote.org.

“I don’t know if the President thought he was being funny or if he is under the influence of some substance or what possible explanation he could have for this OUTRAGEOUS blasphemy,” declared Megan Basham, a prominent conservative Protestant Christian writer, on X.

“But he needs to take this down immediately and ask for forgiveness from the American people and then from God.”

“I was very grateful to see how many conservative Christians immediately denounced the blasphemous Jesus/Trump image,” said pastor Doug Wilson, who recently led a prayer service at the Pentagon and founded the network of churches War Secretary Pete Hegseth belongs to.

What is blasphemy?

Within the Christian tradition, blasphemy has historically been an unstable, shifting idea. But, simply put, it means speech, thought or action that shows contempt for – or mockery of – God and sacred matters.

Judaism and Christianity’s concept of blasphemy came from the injunction in the Old Testament not to revile God. Within the Old Testament, it was treated as a crime, punishable by death: “One who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall be put to death; the whole congregation shall stone the blasphemer.”

The New Testament expanded the concept to include the rejection of Jesus. Eventually, cursing, reproaching, challenging, mocking, rejecting or denying Jesus became blasphemous.

More particularly, posing as Jesus or asserting powers that belong only to him was considered blasphemous in medieval times. The “Christs” that emerged were treated harshly, as dangerous heretics. This is where Trump’s presentation of himself as Jesus would undoubtedly be considered blasphemous.

Broadly, anything said or done that offended believers could be construed as blasphemous. Catholics at the time of the Reformation in the 16th century tended to brand those who offended them as heretics.

Protestants generally preferred the term blasphemy for anything they disliked or disagreed with. For example, 16th century theologian Martin Luther – a seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation – condemned as blasphemous not only Catholics, but also Jews and Muslims.

Blasphemy as sin or crime

From the 17th century onwards, blasphemy became not so much an offence against God as one against society. Within the unstable societies of early modern Europe, blasphemy was viewed as socially and politically subversive and prosecuted as such. The Quaker James Naylor was imprisoned in 1656 for reenacting Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

Early in the 17th century, blasphemy crossed to the United States. Virginia’s first law code specified death for blaspheming the divine Trinity.

Despite the first amendment to the US constitution, protecting free speech, blasphemy laws were regularly enacted. The US Supreme Court didn’t rule that laws against blasphemy infringed the right to free speech until after World War II. Several states still have blasphemy on their books.

England’s Blasphemy Act of 1697, which criminalised the denial of the Holy Trinity, the truth of Christianity, or the divine authority of the Bible, carried over into the colonies of Australia and New Zealand.

Blasphemy is no longer an offence under Australian federal law, though laws governing it vary across the states: it’s still in the criminal code of many of them. New Zealand’s criminal code deals with “blasphemous libel” as part of “crimes against religion, morality and public welfare”.

Is there blasphemy in Islam?

Within Islam, there is no exact equivalent to “blasphemy”. But the idea of the “word of infidelity” is analogous to it. In practice, it amounts to mockery of God, the prophet, or the Islamic tradition generally.

So, when Trump mockingly declared “Praise be to Allah” in a recent post, he was guilty of blasphemy in Muslim eyes. Conservative commentator Dinesh D’Souza compared it to the Old Testament account of the prophet Elijah, who mocked the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18.

The Islamic advocacy group Council on American-Islamic Relations called it “disturbing” and “offensive to Muslims”.

Laws against blasphemy are actively enforced in many modern Islamic states.

Does blasphemy matter?

It is not blasphemous to speak or publish opinions that are hostile to Christianity, Judaism or Islam – or, for that matter, any religion. What matters is not so much the substance of criticism as the manner in which it is made.

We should only worry when criticism becomes a form of “religious hate speech”. The question we should ask is about intent. In a secular society, where we do identify ill intent, we may wish to think about “blasphemy” as a matter of public morality, not theology.

So, what about Donald Trump’s post? Does it matter?

If we consider “blasphemy” to include the mocking of religion, there is little doubt that Trump’s mockery of Islam is blasphemous. If we believe his deleted Truth Social post was intended to suggest he is Jesus – or in some sense divine – then Christians are entitled to consider him blasphemous.

That said, from a secular perspective, it is more self-indulgent foolishness than hate speech – but nonetheless, extremely inappropriate for a US president.

Jails in Ontario are mistakenly releasing dozens of inmates every year, Global News can reveal, an issue the government internally acknowledges is “unacceptable.”

Between the years 2021 and 2024, data compiled by the Ministry of the Solicitor General shows 118 inmates were released “improperly” through a system managed by the provincial government.

While the government claims the improper cases amount to 0.004 per cent of all releases in 2024, the ministry was concerned enough to appoint a central coordinator to oversee all inmate records.

Despite that appointment in 2023, and a new “easy-to-read” handbook to guide the release of inmates, records show 39 people were “improperly” released between January and September 2025.

The improper releases have raised concerns about staffing and overcrowding in Ontario’s prison system and come at a time when the Ford government is planning a dramatic increase in jail beds.

“This tells me that you have a government that is not in control of the situation; they can’t keep even the headcount clear,” Ontario NDP MPP Krysten Wong-Tam told Global News.

“They have no sense of what the crisis is that is before us in corrections. And clearly, they have no solutions; they have run out of ideas despite the fact that they’ve had eight years to solve the problem.”

The Ministry of the Solicitor General did not reply to questions from Global News on the record, but in a background call insisted the improper releases were a result of various factors that did not include either overcrowding or staffing shortages.

Documents obtained by Global News using freedom of information laws show the government tracks several metrics — including how many people have been improperly released, how many were released “in error” and the number of people unlawfully at large in Ontario.

“An improper release of an inmate from a correctional facility or court is unacceptable,” a briefing note prepared for Solicitor General Michael Kerzner, included in the documents, explains.

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“Improper releases are typically due to administrative or technical/data entry error by any one of the justice sector partners.”

The same document acknowledged that “human error” at Ontario’s over-capacity jails plays a part in improper releases.

Jails tracked 32 improper releases in 2021, 31 in 2022, 25 in 2023 and 30 in 2024 — a total of 118 over four years. The majority were as a result of “institutional issues” rather than mistakes made by the courts.

The government determined 77 were because of “errors or oversight at the institutional level,” 39 were court errors, one was another stakeholder, and one case was thought to be a mistake but actually “determined to be proper.”

The documents don’t reveal what the individuals were charged with and whether or not they had been found guilty by a court, but police are notified when the releases happen and, the government said, “all efforts are made to locate the individual and return them to custody.”

Data disclosed through the same freedom of information request also offered insights into where improper releases are taking place — and how many inmates are “unlawfully at large.”

A spreadsheet showing information from January to September 2025 said seven of 39 improper releases reported during that period were at Maplehurst Correctional Complex.

The first improper release last year recorded by the government came on Jan. 13 at the that facility.

Elsewhere, 69 people were considered to be unlawfully at large over the same period. Nineteen of them were attributed to the Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre, 13 to the Central East Correctional Centre and another 12 to the Toronto South Detention Centre.

Howard Sapers, the executive director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, said mistakes were excusable — but regularly improper releases suggested a broader problem in the system.

“When you have systemic error based on people that aren’t prepared to do their job well because they haven’t had the training or they haven’t been mentored properly, or having policies that are outdated, using information systems that are cumbersome … it’s really fixable,” he said.

“We can do a better job of collecting and sharing information. We can invest more in our informatics and technology.”

The improper releases come as Ontario plans to build thousands of new jail beds in response to overcrowding inside its existing facilities.

Data from October 2025 shows jails are at an average of 130 per cent capacity across Ontario, with some reaching figures north of 160 per cent. At the same time, lockdowns as a result of staffing shortages are increasing.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford told reporters on Tuesday his government would continue building new jails, but did not address questions about the current capacity issues.

“My number one concern is making sure we protect the correctional service officers that are in there. I’m not building Four Seasons hotels for criminals that should be in jail,” he said.

“We’ll continue adding cells to keep the bad people in jail where they belong.”

Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said the releases showed the government’s campaign to convince Ottawa to change bail laws was hollow.

“If we’re releasing the wrong people from jail and possibly putting criminals out on the street … that is wrong,” he said.

“I don’t understand why the premier always points the finger at other people instead of looking in the mirror and fixing the court delays that we have in Ontario.”

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A new programme of instruction and support will be given to trainee prison officers to help them avoid being manipulated into illicit relationships by experienced criminals.

The Prison Service in England and Wales is developing the scheme, which will offer mentors and advice to trainee officers on how to handle complex relationships with prisoners.

It comes as statistics show that prison officers are more likely to be younger and have less experience than a decade ago. It also follows the prosecution of more than a dozen former prison officers after becoming involved in financial and sexual relationships with inmates.

They include Alicia Novas, 20, who was jailed for three years after working at HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough where she became involved with Declan Winkless, 31, and smuggled cannabis into prison.

The case of Linda De Sousa Abreu, of Fulham, south-west London, who was jailed for 15 months last year after being filmed having sex with an inmate in HMP Wandsworth, prompted widespread concerns.

A source said: “New staff are having to deal with criminals, sometimes twice their age, who have influence within prisons, and many have money too. If you enter with little experience of prison life, it can be daunting, harrowing and disorientating.

“There will be tailored training to ensure that prison officers can recognise the signs that they may be being manipulated or targeted or compromised.”

Ministry of Justice officials are close to completing Enable , a 12-month training programme that aims to provide new recruits with greater support. At present, all new officers receive 10 weeks of initial training on security and the prison environment, followed by seven weeks of face-to-face training before entering the male estate.

The new programme draws on findings by the prisons minister, Lord Timpson, a year before he joined the government.

The independent review of foundation training delivery for prison officers, drawn up by Timpson in 2024 at the behest of the last government, called for mentoring schemes for new staff.

The review, which has been seen by the Guardian, says: “Too often, prison officers feel alone and would benefit from a sounding board. We saw good examples of effective listening and mentoring packages in establishments, but they were not universal and appeared to be of variable quality.

“However, at present, the support available for new officers in continuing to develop their own professional practice is also variable, and far more pastoral support is needed.”

Natasha Porter, chief executive of Unlocked Graduates, a charity which has placed about 1,000 mainly young female graduates into prison officer roles, said she has used “reflective practices” – in which trainees regularly discuss their prisoner relationships with peers or a mentor – to ensure that their work remains professional.

“Without support, mentoring or training and professional guidance, they can easily become vulnerable to someone who is an expert in manipulation,” she said.

Some prison staff are “set up” by prisoners so they can be manipulated, Porter said, adding: “We are dealing with really experienced manipulators, particularly some of the sex offenders. There needs to be spaces created to reflect on those relationships with prisoners.”

Figures showed that there were 22,067 prison officers in full-time equivalent employment at the end of 2025. The total length of experience among staff in the Prison Service was 213,125 years. This meant that, on average, they had 9.7 years of experience.

This is a sharp fall compared with December 2010, when there were 24,501 full-time equivalent prison officers who had 329,353 years of experience. This equated to 13.7 average years of experience.

Mark Fairhurst, the national chair of the Prison Officers Association, said ensuring the officers have support should have been a priority before the recent spate of scandals. “Once again our employer is reactive rather than being proactive. I fail to see where the mentoring of new recruits will surface from due to the complete lack of experience among staff anywhere. I also have zero faith in this being rolled out in a timely manner,” he said.

Prison Service sources emphasise that changes to training are not solely due to inexperienced staff or a rise in inappropriate relationships. A Prison Service spokesperson said: “Prison officers are the backbone of our service, working every day in some of the toughest conditions. That is why getting training right is essential to delivering punishment that works to cut crime.

“New officers already complete 10 weeks of intensive training, but we are going further by developing a programme that better blends learning with real-world experience behind the prison gates.”

The suspect in a string of attacks in DeKalb County, Georgia, is a repeat offender and a naturalized U.S. citizen from the U.K., according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Olaolukitan Adon Abel, 26, was arrested on Monday after he killed two people and wounded another in what police described as a series of random attacks in the Peach State.

Abel faces two counts of murder, aggravated assault and weapons charges in connection with the attacks, which DHS said included the killing of an employee of the agency.

DHS told Fox News that Abel is a U.K. national who was naturalized into a US citizen in 2022 during the Biden administration.

AVID RUNNER STABBED AND SHOT IN STRING OF RANDOM ATTACKS ALLEGEDLY CARRIED OUT BY REPEAT OFFENDER

Olaolukitan Adon Abel, 26, faces two counts of murder, aggravated assault and weapons charges. (DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office)

One of the victims, 40-year-old Lauren Bullis, worked in the DHS Office of the Inspector General, the agency confirmed to Fox News.

She was found dead after being shot and stabbed while walking her dog on Battle Forest Drive. Witnesses reported to DeKalb Police that they observed a man standing over her before he fled the scene.

“Yesterday, a DHS employee, Lauren Bullis, was brutally shot and stabbed to death by Olaolukitan Adon Abel, a 26-year-old, born in the United Kingdom, who was naturalized by the Biden Administration in 2022,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said on Tuesday in a statement to Fox News. “Since President Trump took office, USCIS has implemented measures to ensure individuals with criminal histories and who otherwise lack good moral character do not attain citizenship.”

ATLANTA TEEN ARRESTED FOR MURDER AFTER FATAL SHOOTING OF 12-YEAR-OLD INSIDE HOME

Lauren Bullis, 40, was one of the victims in an alleged spree of attacks in DeKalb County, Georgia. (Facebook/Lauren Bullis)

Before Bullis’ killing, police found a woman shot multiple times outside a Checkers on Wesley Chapel Road. She later died from her injuries.

Then in Brookhaven, a homeless man was ambushed and shot several times while sleeping outside a shopping center on Peachtree Road. He remains in critical condition.

Adel was later taken into custody in Troup County after law enforcement used license plate recognition cameras to track his silver Volkswagen Jetta, police said.

His previous criminal history reportedly includes an arrest last fall for sexual battery in Chatham County. He was sentenced to jail time and probation, which included a requirement for a mental health evaluation.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said a DHS employee was “brutally” shot and stabbed to death by Olaolukitan Adon Abel. (Manuel Balce CenetaAP Photo)

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“He possesses a prior criminal record that includes convictions for sexual battery, battery against a police officer, obstruction, and assault with a deadly weapon, vandalism and now stands accused of murdering DHS employee Lauren Bullis by shooting and stabbing her while she walked her dog,” Mullin said in his statement. “He has also been arrested for the murder of an unidentified woman whom he reportedly shot outside a Checkers, before randomly shooting a homeless man multiple times outside a Kroger in Brookhaven.”

“These acts of pure evil have devastated our Department and my prayers are with the families of the victims,” the secretary added.

Fox News’ Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.

The Home Office minister expressed sympathy with victims’ families following recent attacks, including the death of a 16-year-old boy in Cambridgeshire

A Home Office minister has vowed to intensify efforts on knife crime, while expressing her profound condolences to the families of victims killed in recent attacks. Sarah Jones recognised that tackling knife crime is the Government’s responsibility, telling MPs the issue has been “plaguing communities and destroying lives” for far too long.

Her remarks follow the fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old boy in Peterborough on Sunday (April 12) and the murder of 21-year-old Finbar Sullivan in Primrose Hill, north London, last Tuesday (April 7).

In a Commons statement, Ms Jones said knife crime has fallen by 8 percent and knife homicides have decreased by 27 percent since the beginning of this Parliament. Nevertheless, she admitted “it is not enough”.

Last week, the Government unveiled £26 million to combat knife crime, with national mapping technology to be distributed among police forces to help identify hotspots. The investment will be distributed among the 27 police forces in England and Wales that handle 90 percent of knife crime.

Speaking on Tuesday (April 14), Ms Jones said: “In too many places, a deadly cycle has taken hold as fear and violence feed off each other, leaving people, and especially young people, feeling that they have no choice but to carry a weapon to stay safe, and in the most devastating cases, resulting in the loss of lives which have barely begun.

“Knife crime is destructive and devastating, and it has for too long been plaguing communities and destroying lives. The task of putting that right falls to this Government,” she added. Paying tribute to recent victims of knife crime, she said: “Stabbings are still occurring and lives are still being lost.

“Indeed, there have been several fatal cases in recent days, and I take this opportunity to express my deepest sympathies to the victims’ loved ones. For them and for all the families out there whose world has been forever changed by knife crime and for a country as a whole, we must do more.”

Labour MP Sam Carling (North West Cambridgeshire) referenced the “horrific attack” in his constituency on Sunday, urging the minister to clarify what steps are being taken “to understand the root causes of why knife crime in certain regions isn’t following the national trend of decreasing”.

Cambridgeshire Police confirmed that a 15-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man, both from Peterborough, have been arrested on suspicion of murder. A 17-year-old girl from Peterborough was also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, while a 16-year-old girl from March was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and possession of a bladed article.

As of yesterday (April 14), the 18-year-old man and 15-year-old boy remained in custody, while police asked for an extension to the custody time to ask them more questions. The 17-year-old girl has been released on conditional bail until July 8, while the 16-year-old girl was charged with possessing a knife/bladed article in a public place. She is due to appear at Huntingdon Magistrates Court on May 13.

In her response, Ms Jones said: “We are getting absolutely focused both on what the causes are behind knife crime, and a lot of support for young people to try and bring them out of a life of crime, but also understanding exactly what is going on in some areas.”

Shadow crime and policing minister Matt Vickers said: “The proposals put forward by the Labour Government will not be sufficient without two critical foundations, powers for officers to stop and search individuals and sufficient officer numbers to put this strategy into effect.

“The hotspot policing outlined by the Government must be used in conjunction with effective stop and search, which the Government strategy acknowledges is broadly supported by the public.”

He contended that “a single suspicion indicator is enough to merit a stop and search”. Conservative MP Joy Morrissey (Beaconsfield) and Reform MP Sarah Pochin (Runcorn and Helsby) also both urged for police to receive enhanced stop-and-search powers.

Ms Jones responded: “If you stop and search everybody, all our police would spend all their time stopping and searching people to no particular end. It has to be evidence-based, and it has to be targeted, and that’s what the police are doing.

“We want more intelligence-led stop and search, it’s a good thing, but if you think that’s the only answer, then I think you misunderstand the problem.”