The Megyn Kelly Show

Episode: New MN Shooting Under Investigation, Major Murder Rate Drop, Winter Storm Slams US: AM Update 1/26
Host: Megyn Kelly
Date: January 26, 2026

Episode Overview

This AM Update with Megyn Kelly discusses the fallout from a controversial police shooting in Minneapolis involving an anti-ICE activist, a historic drop in the national murder rate, and the impact of a massive winter storm sweeping the US. The episode also briefly highlights rock climber Alex Honnold's record-breaking urban climb.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Minneapolis Anti-ICE Activist Shooting

• Incident Summary (02:51–03:51):

  • 37-year-old Alex Preddy, an anti-ICE activist, was shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis during an attempted immigration arrest.
  • Accounts conflict over Preddy's actions. Video footage shows Preddy holding his phone, intervening between agents and another protester, and then being pepper-sprayed and swarmed by agents. Amid shouts of "gun," several shots were fired.
  • Agents recovered a loaded handgun and magazines from Preddy. DHS posted photos identifying them as his belongings.

• Diverging Narratives (04:31–05:34):

  • DHS Secretary Kristi Noem: “This looks like a situation where an individual arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement.” (04:37)
  • Multiple federal sources challenge DHS’s messaging, calling it “catastrophic” and saying it erodes trust.

• Legal Context and Aftermath (05:34–06:04):

  • Noem shifted to legality, stating Preddy “impeded a law enforcement operation… interacted with agents… became aggressive and resisted them… officers used their training, followed their protocols, were in fear for their lives.” (05:34)
  • Ongoing DHS investigation; Preddy’s background as a VA nurse and legal concealed carrier highlighted, though not known to agents.

• Reactions:

  • Local Leadership:
    • Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz both condemned the shooting.
    • Walz: “How many more residents, how many more Americans need to die… They are sowing chaos and violence… quit referring to these people as law enforcement. They are not law enforcement.” (03:51)
  • Federal Law Enforcement:
    • ICE Commander Gregory Bovino: “He made the decision to go there. We didn’t make the decision to talk to him...” (06:40)
    • ICE Associate Director Marcos Charles: "A crowd of violent agitators tackled an ICE special agent… protester literally bit off part of that agent's finger." (07:01)
  • Democratic Lawmakers:
    • Criticized ICE/CBP presence: “ICE is making us not more safe. They're making us less safe, and they need to get out of our state.” (07:34)
    • “It’s pretty obvious this man was shot dead in the street for no reason. This is wrong. It’s outrageous. Please look at the video. Believe your own eyes.” (07:50)
  • Trump Administration:
    • Trump: unsure if he supports the shooting, “reviewing everything before coming out with a determination.” (08:03)
    • Deputy AG Todd Blanche blamed lack of local cooperation in Minneapolis: “In Texas we have the cooperation… in Minneapolis, we do not. The fact that the administration is being blamed for failure of leadership in Minneapolis is not right.” (08:35)
    • Trump called for end to sanctuary cities and more local-federal cooperation.

• National Guard:

  • Governor Walz activated the Minnesota National Guard. Video showed them distributing donuts and hot chocolate at protests. (09:13)

2. Historic Drop in Murder and Violent Crime Rates

• Study Findings (10:10–12:20):

  • Council of Criminal Justice (CCJ) report: average homicide rate in 2025 down 21% from 2024, at lowest point since 1900.
    • Denver led U.S. cities with 41% decline, D.C. and Omaha at 40%.
    • Other crime stats: aggravated assault down 9%, robbery down 23%, carjackings down 43%, residential burglary down 17%, sexual assaults unchanged, drug offenses up 7% (but lower than 2019).
  • Link to policy: Report refused to identify clear causes, citing lack of “rigorous evidence” to pin the drop on any one factor (e.g., increased immigration enforcement, National Guard deployments).
  • White House response credited Trump administration’s “whole of government offensive” with “driving down crime, ridding streets of savage criminal illegal aliens, backing law enforcement and bringing back orders.”

• Political Reaction:

  • Rep. Steve Scalise (12:20): “America today has the lowest murder rate that we've had since 1900. In part because of President Trump's actions to get these violent people off our streets. 416,000 have been removed. Do you want them still out on our streets? No, I don't think most people do.”

3. Massive Winter Storm Hits U.S.

• Scope and Impact (13:35–16:50):

  • Affecting 245 million people in 40 states, with snow, ice, and freezing rain from Arizona to Maine.
  • Record low temperatures: Watertown, NY at -34°F, NE Ohio wind chills -25°F, single digits in OK and AR.
  • Deaths: Two in Louisiana from hypothermia.
  • Wide power outages: Up to 1 million customers affected, especially in the South as ice brought down lines and poles.
  • School closures in major cities: Houston, Dallas, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Boston, Memphis, Nashville, Baltimore. “Boo, remote learning,” Megyn Kelly notes.
  • Air travel: Over 19,000 delays and 12,000 flight cancellations Sunday—worst since early pandemic days—LaGuardia Airport fully closed, more than 24 states under emergency declarations.

• Notable Language:

  • “Millions experiencing bitter cold… ice especially across the south, proving to be the most destructive.” (14:41)
  • “Many school districts… announcing closures or remote learning today—boo remote learning—citing dangerous travel conditions and power concerns.” (15:28)
  • “FlightAware.com reporting more than 19,000 delays and over 12,000 cancellations yesterday alone.” (16:02)

4. Rock Climber Alex Honnold’s Skyscraper Challenge

• Event Recap (17:21–19:18):

  • Alex Honnold, famed for his ropeless climb of El Capitan, successfully summited Taipei 101 (1,667 feet) with no ropes or safety equipment, broadcast live on Netflix.
  • Unique challenges: Glass and steel offered little friction compared to rock. High winds complicated climb, delays in case of tragedy.
  • His wife, Sanni McCandless, watched from the 60th floor with a “wide smile and a nervous giggle.”
  • Honnold’s reaction atop: “Sick.” (18:59)
  • Climb took 1 hour, 32 minutes; the elevator ride down “less than 60 seconds.”

• Memorable Post-Climb Banter:

  • Sanni: “Was it really hot?” (19:07)
  • Alex: “Yeah, it was great.” (19:09)
  • Sanni: “How do we get to the elevator?”
  • Alex: “I've got the stairs and the elevators really dialed.” (19:14)
  • Sanni: “Show me the stairs.”

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “[America today has] the lowest murder rate that we've had since 1900.”
  — Rep. Steve Scalise (12:20)
• “How many more residents, how many more Americans need to die or get badly hurt for this operation to end? ... They are sowing chaos and violence... Quit referring to these people as law enforcement. They are not law enforcement.”
  — Gov. Tim Walz, MN (03:51)
• “This looks like a situation where an individual arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement.”
  — DHS Sec. Kristi Noem (04:37)
• “A crowd of violent agitators tackled an ICE special agent. When one of our special response teams went to assist, the protester literally bit off part of that agent's finger.”
  — ICE Assoc. Dir. Marcos Charles (07:01)
• “It's pretty obvious that this man was shot dead in the street for no reason. This is wrong. It's outrageous. Please look at the video. Believe your own eyes.”
  — Unnamed Democrat lawmaker (07:50)
• Alex Honnold after topping Taipei 101: “Sick.” (18:59)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:51 — Minneapolis shooting news recap and video footage analysis
• 03:51 — Local and state political reactions (Mayor Frey & Gov. Walz)
• 04:37 — DHS statements and federal law enforcement perspectives
• 05:34 — Legalities and evolving DHS position on the shooting
• 06:40 — ICE official reactions and challenges faced by agents
• 07:29 — Democratic lawmakers attack ICE/CBP presence
• 08:03 — Trump administration responses and policy posture
• 09:13 — National Guard deployment and response optics
• 10:10 — Council of Criminal Justice: murder rate data and context
• 12:20 — Steve Scalise on Trump administration and crime rates
• 13:35 — Winter storm coverage: scope, damage, school/travel impacts
• 17:21 — Alex Honnold’s Taipei 101 climb

Conclusion

This AM update delivers a rapid-fire overview of critical U.S. news: the polarizing Minneapolis shooting and ensuing political conflict, objective data confirming a historic drop in violent crime, and disruptive coast-to-coast winter weather. The episode closes on a lighter—but no less breathtaking—moment with Alex Honnold’s monumental urban climb. Megyn Kelly’s tone remains brisk, direct, and provocative, maintaining a high-energy rundown for listeners seeking a fast but thorough morning briefing.