The former UW-Stout soccer player and her parents attacked Hernandez during an April 11anti-ICE protest
In a decisive move that signals the Trump administration’s DOJ is no longer tolerating leftist street violence against conservatives, two radical activists, including former University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point soccer player Paige Ostroushko and her father, Christopher, and mother, Deyanna, have been hit with federal indictments for an on-camera altercation involving Turning Point USA reporter Savanah Hernandez.
The indictments, announced Wednesday, come just 18 days after the April 11, 2026, assault outside the Whipple Federal Building during an anti-ICE protest. Multiple videos captured the mob surrounding Hernandez, showing Paige Ostroushko blowing a whistle near Hernandez and shouting obscenities. Her father, Christopher Ostroushko, then shoved the reporter from behind, slamming her to the ground and causing a concussion and neck injury.
Hennepin County authorities did not file charges even after the local sheriff’s office recommended misdemeanor and felony charges against Paige Ostroushko, her father, and her boyfriend, but the far-left Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, known for its soft-on-crime policies under Tim Walz’s Minnesota, sat on the case. No local charges were ever filed. Ostroushko even took to social media to brag that she was walking free after assaulting Hernandez
The federal government later intervened, and a grand jury returned federal indictments against two individuals involved. Fox News, FOX 9, and independent journalist Nick Sortor confirmed the indictments on Wednesday. Savanah Hernandez herself expressed gratitude for the rapid federal response, posting that the DOJ and FBI “have been doing an incredible job for all of the American people lately.”
In the weeks following the incident, the Ostroushko family played the victim card, stating they experienced harassment, job loss, and significant stress. Paige Ostroushko and her boyfriend also launched a GoFundMe campaign seeking $12,000, claiming Paige is a “rape survivor” and falsely alleging Hernandez made inappropriate comments about rape in ICE detention centers. Hernandez denied these claims, stating that Paige’s mother, DeYanna, initially made the accusations.
The federal indictments underscore that assaults on reporters will be prosecuted as serious offenses. The action signals a commitment to protecting journalists regardless of political context.
Paige Ostroushko has already been kicked off her college soccer team. Her father and the rest of the family now face serious federal consequences for what should be an open-and-shut local case.
