Who is DeShawn Leeth? Why is MAGA focussing on this ‘community leader’ who once raised $13,000 before fatal police encounter

DeShawn Leeth, a 30-year-old Ohio man with a violent criminal past and a recent profile as a youth mentor, was shot dead by law enforcement after assaulting a state trooper, stealing his cruiser, and leading police on a dramatic high-speed chase across state lines. The chaotic incident unfolded Friday and was captured in shocking bodycam and dashcam footage, according to a report by the Daily Mail.
The encounter began after Leeth crashed a separate vehicle and was pulled over by an Ohio state trooper. Bodycam footage obtained by CBS shows Leeth shouting, "Next time you touch me, you gonna die, next time you touch me, you gonna die," before attacking the officer. Despite the trooper deploying a stun gun, Leeth overpowered him, exclaiming, "I'm stronger than you!" during the violent struggle.

After freeing himself, Leeth commandeered the police cruiser and fled down the Ohio Turnpike at high speed, weaving through traffic as he muttered religious phrases. The pursuit ended 11 minutes later in North Sewickley Township, Pennsylvania, when troopers forced the stolen vehicle to flip over. Leeth survived the crash but allegedly turned combative again, prompting officers to fatally shoot him.

Leeth had a troubled history. He was imprisoned at 18 for two home invasions but claimed to have turned his life around. Upon release, he founded Underdawg Nation, a youth outreach group aimed at preventing street violence. He credited a faith-based prison programme for his transformation.
A GoFundMe organised by his family described him as "a pillar of hope, a champion for the overlooked, and a beacon of unwavering faith." The fundraiser, which has collected nearly $13,000 as of Wednesday, added: "He lived to uplift others, to pour into his community, and to reflect God’s love in everything he did."
Despite those claims of redemption, the final hours of Leeth’s life ended in shocking violence—one that has left the community grappling with the complicated legacy of a man who straddled two vastly different worlds.